Boris the builder and the UK’s offer to Hong Kong
The FT politics podcast has relaunched as 'Payne's Politics' and in this first episode presenter Sebastian Payne and his guests analyse Boris Johnson's plan to get his government back on track and rad...
4 Juli 202038min
The great British unlocking, plus RLB and Sedwill are out
Boris Johnson announced this week that July 4 would be the UK’s Independence Day, when swaths of the economy would reopen. But is the prime minister moving too fast and going against scientific and me...
27 Juni 202032min
U-turns on free school meals and tracking app, No10 wades further into culture war
Boris Johnson caved in to Marcus Rashford’s campaign to provide free school meals over the summer holidays, but why did it take so long? No 10 responded by defending the statue of Winston Churchill an...
20 Juni 202032min
Conservative anger grows over Covid crisis, and should statues be pulled down?
Tory ministers and MPs were furious this week at Downing Street’s refusal to ease the 2m social distancing rule to boost the ailing economy. Will Boris Johnson go against the advice of his scientists ...
13 Juni 202031min
Quarantine fallout, queueing in parliament, chaos at the top and the UK’s offer to Hong Kong
Boris Johnson’s government found itself confused this week about why it was introducing a 14-day quarantine for all arrivals in the UK. Ministers and MPs warned it would undermine the economy, while s...
6 Juni 202030min
The battle to save Dominic Cummings and the launch of test and trace
Westminster has been engulfed by the extraordinary row over Boris Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings and whether he broke the UK’s lockdown rules. How long will he now stay in government? Why di...
30 Maj 202028min
School wars, tracing app woes, Boris Johnson’s health charge U-turn and back to Brexit
The government found itself in a mess this week over whether schools can return on June 1, with teaching unions and local authorities arguing it is not safe. What does it say about the plans for lockd...
23 Maj 202028min
Johnson’s easing plan begins, mixed messaging and the rising cost of furlough
Boris Johnson revealed his gradual plan for taking the UK out of lockdown, but his government’s new strategy was undermined by confused messages. Why has Downing Street struggled this week? Is the pri...
16 Maj 202027min
