The Rundown by PoliticsHome

Former prime minister Liz Truss speaks to PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss her new book, Ten Years to Save the West, and reflect on her tumultuous 49 days in Downing Street in 2022, what her second act would be, and whether she'd do it all over again given the chance.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Katy Balls, political editor of The Spectator, Henry Hill, acting editor of ConservativeHome, Paul Scully, Tory MP for Sutton and Cheam, and Gavin Rice, director at Onward’s Future of Conservatism project, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to consider the future of the Conservative Party as it heads for likely defeat at this year’s general election, and who will shape the direction of the party in opposition.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver.

Authors of Why Vote? How to make your voice heard in a world of broken politics Jo Phillips and David Seymour join PoliticsHome's Caitlin Doherty and Alain Tolhurst to discuss why apathy is the enemy of democracy, why we should all fight against it by casting our vote at every election, and how to encourage young people to get out to the polling booth.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Labour MP and chair of the Commons Petitions Committee Cat Smith and CEO of pollsters Thinks Insight & Strategy Ben Shimshon join PoliticsHome's Adam Payne and Alain Tolhurst a major new Mood of the Nation survey, featuring excerpts from an accompanying focus group of 2019 Tory voters.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

At a special event in the House of Lords this week, PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst meets three ethics regulators to look at the role of Standards in Parliament, The Civil Service, and Public Life. Featuring First Civil Service Commissioner Baroness Gisela Stuart, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg, and recently-appointed Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life Doug Chalmers.

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Barry Gardiner, Labour MP and longtime campaigner for leaseholder victims, Nazek Ramadan, director of Migrant Voice, and Alice Hardy, a lawyer for Bindmans, who work on behalf of the TOEIC overseas students, falsely accused of cheating on their English language tests, as well as Blanche Zaph from the Loan Charge Action Group, which campaigns on behalf of those pursued by HMRC over a tax arrangement, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss more hidden injustices after renewed interest in the Post Office Horizon scandal.

To celebrate the launch of this year’s Women in Westminster 100 list three of the nominees; Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson, Conservative MP Theo Clarke and founder of campaign group Pregnant then Screwed, Joeli Brearley join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst and Laura Silver to talk about the barriers faced by women in public life, and how they have fought to keep women’s issues on the political agenda.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver.

Director JL Partners pollsters Scarlett Maguire, and Group Executive Vice President at energy solutions provider Grundfos Bent Jensen join PoliticsHome's Nadine Batchelor-Hunt and Alain Tolhurst to discuss the public’s desire for help with home energy efficiency measures to cut utility bills and tackle fuel poverty.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, whose sister Jo Cox was murdered in 2016 while serving as the MP, and Conservative MP and vice chair of the cross-party group on hate crime Elliot Colburn join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss safety risks faced by of our politicians as abuse, intimidation and harassment Parliamentarians face both online and in the real world remains high.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst heads to The Sanctuary House pub in Westminster with Labour MP and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on pubs Charlotte Nichols, Camra's Ellie Hudspith, UK Hospitality's Tony Sophoclides and British Beer and Pub Association's Emma McClarkin to explore a bruising 12 months for the hospitality sector.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, Produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Labour MP and chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee Clive Betts, and leader of Milton Keynes Council Pete Marland, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Caitlin Doherty to discuss the crisis in local government finance after a number of authorities filed for bankruptcy last year, with dozens more town halls warning about damaging budget shortfalls this year as spiralling costs for social care put other services at risk.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Tory MP Alicia Kearns and interim CEO of anti-LGBT abuse charity Galop Amy Roch join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Zoe Crowther to discuss the government's ailing promise to legislate against the controversial practise of conversion therapy.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver.

Labour MP and former shadow sports minister Clive Efford and director of advocacy at campaign group Fair Game Mike Baker join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst and Tom Scotson to explore government plans for an independent regulator and football governance as the future of clubs at the heart of communities face financial pressures.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Ben Habib, co-deputy leader of Reform UK, and Christabel Cooper, director of research at think tank Labour Together, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Adam Payne to discuss the surge in support for the right-wing party Reform and the impact it could have on the outcome of this year’s general election.

Alistair Carmichael, former Cabinet minister and Liberal Democrat MP, Dr Jess Garland, director of policy and research at the Electoral Reform Society, and Naomi Smith, CEO at the campaign group Best for Britain, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to take a look at the state of democracy in the UK, from the campaigns to alter our voting system, to controversial new rules on voter ID and changes on how much parties can spend.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Natasha Clark, LBC’s political editor, and Zoë Grünewald, political correspondent at the Independent, join PoliticsHome's Adam Payne and Alain Tolhurst to look ahead at what 2024 in politics could hold – not least a general election.

The Spectator’s political correspondent James Heale joins PoliticsHome to relive another dramatic year in politics, featuring the SNP camper van, Rishi Sunak’s row with Greece over the Elgin Marbles, Keir Starmer getting glittered, Nadine Dorries' revenge, and David Cameron’s second act.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Paul Scully, Conservative MP and former minister, Laura Dunn, political and digital consultant who advises senior Tories, and Ben Riley-Smith, Telegraph political editor and author of The Right to Rule, a book looking at the past 13 years of the Conservatives in power, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to look at what Rishi Sunak could do in 2024 to keep his party in power.

Sir Graham Brady, current and longest-serving chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, and Lord Philip Norton, Tory peer and author of The 1922 Committee: Power Behind the Scenes, talk to PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst about the history, role and continued function of the group that serves as confessional for MPs, and also court of opinion on Tory leaders, as it marks its centenary year.

David Gauke, former Justice Secretary, Victoria Gethin, head of family law at Stephensons, Rob Preece from the Howard League for Penal Reform, and Richard Atkinson, vice president of the Law Society, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss the crisis in the UK’s justice system, with huge backlogs in crown and civil courts, a chronic lack of lawyers and judges, along with overcrowded and under-staffed prisons.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Conservative former housing minister Brandon Lewis, chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter Polly Neate, journalist and commentator John Oxley, and senior researcher at the Centre for London Millie Mitchell, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss whether a bold new offer on house building could help turn the Tory fortunes around, and how important the housing crisis will be at the upcoming election.

Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, Tory MP Stephen Hammond, Resolution Foundation's Cara Pacitti and Institute for Fiscal Studies' Ben Zaranko join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss Jeremy Hunt's plans to kickstart the economy and whether the Chancellor is dealing in "fiscal fiction".

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Lord Ed Vaizey, former culture minister and leading Cameroon, Baroness Kate Fall, David Cameron’s deputy chief of staff in Downing Street, and Professor Meg Russell from UCL’s Constitution Unit join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss the former PM’s shock return to Cabinet this week, and what it says about the direction of the Tories under Rishi Sunak.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Neal Lawson, director of centre-left campaign organisation Compass, Abdi Duale, a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, and Morgan Jones, reporter for the website Labour List, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss Keir Starmer’s re-shaping of the Labour party, the squeezing of the left and Labour’s policy direction as it heads into an election campaign 20 points clear of the Conservatives.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Health minister during Covid-19 Lord Bethell, Institute for Government's Cath Haddon, openDemocracy reporter Ruby Lott-Lavigna, and chair of the health select committee Steve Brine join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss a week of explosive hearings at the Covid inquiry.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

AI minister Viscount Camrose, Ada Lovelace Institute's Renate Samson and TechUK's Antony Walker join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Zoe Crowther to discuss Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's big AI speech and next week’s Bletchley Park global AI safety summit.

Tommy Sheppard, SNP MP and chair of the Humanists APPG, Jess Sargeant, associate director at the Institute for Government, and broadcaster Edward Stourton, presenter of Sunday, BBC Radio 4’s long-running religious affairs programme, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss whether the 26 Anglican Bishops in the House of Lords still perform a useful function, or are an anachronism who should not be helping make laws in a 21st century democracy.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Shadow attorney general and Labour MP Emily Thornberry and Labour leader of Manchester council Bev Craig join PoliticsHome's Adam Payne and The House's Tali Fraser at Labour party conference in Liverpool where the party set out its pledges for government if they're put into power at the next general election.

Presented by Adam Payne, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver.

Conservative party chair Greg Hands and Tory MP Sara Britcliffe join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst live at Conservative party conference in Manchester to discuss how Tories can take on the final year before the next election, and what they've been hearing from voters on the doorstep.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver.

Tory MP Marcus Fysh, who chairs the APPG on central bank digital currencies, and Silkie Carlo, director of the campaign group Big Brother Watch, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Tom Scotson to look at how access to cash and a new type of money have fuelled privacy concerns and fed into the wider culture wars.

Conservative MP and chair of the justice select committee Sir Bob Neill, Lib Dem peer and justice reform campaigner Baroness Lorely Burt and deputy director of the Prison Reform Trust Mark Day discuss the “unique injustice” of now discredited Imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences which imprison offenders for an indeterminate amount of time, with PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Chair of the education select committee and Conservative MP Robin Walker, general secretary of teaching union the NASUWT Dr Patrick Roach and co-founder of teacher survey app Teacher Tapp Laura McInerney join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss the impact of a revolving door of education secretaries, and questions about performance of the Department for Education.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Conservative MP Matt Warman joins PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Caitlin Doherty to discuss a tricky first week back in Parliament after summer recess for Rishi Sunak with the RAAC crisis and and a ruthless Keir Starmer reshuffle.

Labour MP for Brent Central Dawn Butler. a former minister under Gordon Brown, talks to PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst about making history as the first black woman to speak from the House of Commons despatch box, how to fix the Met police, and her new book ‘A Purposeful Life; What I’ve Learned About Breaking Barriers and Inspiring Change’.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Jeremy Corbyn’s former director of strategic communications James Schneider talks about how Labour’s hope in 2017 turned to despair in 2019, and tells PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst why he’s sceptical that Keir Starmer will be more radical in office than he is now, and that his strategy can win one, but not a second, term in office.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Former Labour MP Luciana Berger explains why she sensationally quit the party over anti-semitism in 2019, what made her return earlier this year under Keir Starmer’s leadership, and discusses with PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst how even now there is “limited understanding” of the scale of abuse politicians face.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Labour MP, former minister and chair of the Committee on Standards Chris Bryant, speaks to PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst about why the House of Commons has become such a disreputable place, and his plan to fix it.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Former public health minister Lord Bethell discusses how he joined the upper chamber through the little-known hereditary peer by-election system, his previous life running the Ministry of Sound nightclub, and his crusade to improve the nation’s wellbeing.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, edited by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Daisy Powell Chandler, elections strategist and consult at Public First, and Cameron Smith from the Conservative Environment Network join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Caitlin Doherty to discuss the fallout on climate and net zero policy after the ULEZ row in the Uxbridge by-election.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Labour frontbencher Abena Oppong-Asare, research director at the Resolution Foundation James Smith and deputy director at centre right think tank Onward Adam Hawksbee join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss the 'mortgage time bomb' ticking under the British economy.

Former government special adviser Salma Shah and Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester Robert Ford join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to look ahead to next week’s triple by-election, and what it means for the political parties fortunes as we head into Parliament’s summer break.

Former Cabinet minister Stephen Crabb and ex-trade minister Mark Garnier join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst and Adam Payne to take stock of where the Conservative Party is a year on from Boris Johnson’s resignation as prime minister, and why Rishi Sunak still can't seem to keep a lid on the chaos.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Justine Greening, former Conservative Cabinet minister, Tory MP for Don Valley Nick Fletcher, and Oxford University academic and expert on class in Parliament Albert Ward, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss the ‘class ceiling’ in Parliament and how social mobility in politics can be improved.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Barry Gardiner, Labour MP and member of the newly-created Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, Pete Chalkley, director of think tank the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, and Luke Murphy, head of the Environmental Justice Commission at the Institute for Public Policy Research, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss how well the government is getting on with its target of hitting net zero by 2050, as well as Labour’s updated energy plans.

Conservative MP for Stroud Siobhan Baillie, and founder of the liberal conservative think tank Bright Blue Ryan Shorthouse, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst and Caitlin Doherty to discuss how the Tories can finally move on from the tumultuous Boris Johnson era as they desperately try to cling to power. 

Amy Leversidge, Assistant General Secretary of civil servants’ union the FDA, Institute for Government senior fellow and former Department for Education advisor Sam Freedman, and Civil Service World deputy editor Beckie Smith join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss the latest flare-up of the government’s ongoing war with its own officials in the civil service.

Veteran political journalist Michael Crick, who runs the @tomorrowsmps twitter account, Luke Akehurst, a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, and Jackson Ng, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate in 2015 and 2017, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss the secretive process political parties use to select their candidates who will run to be MPs at the next general election.

Seven months on from Liz Truss’s exit from Downing Street, Tory MP Ranil Jayawardena, who served as Environment Secretary in her Cabinet, Rohan Watt, who wrote her manifesto and worked in her No 10 policy unit, and Dr Catherine Haddon, programme director at the Institute for Government think tank, join PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst to discuss the former Prime Minister’s complicated legacy, and what her role is now.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Bob Seely, Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, John Myers, co-founder of the London YIMBY housing campaign, Dan Tomlinson, Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Chipping Barnet, PoliticsHome’s Alain Tolhurst discuss the housebuilding crisis that looks set to define debate in the next election.

Conservative MP James Sunderland and deputy editor of ConservativeHome, Henry Hill, join Alain Tolhurst and Caitlin Doherty from PoliticsHome to discuss the fallout from the local elections where the Tories lost over 1,000 councillors and whether Rishi Sunak can turn his party’s fortunes around before next year’s general election.

Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver