Commons People

Boris Johnson this week delayed so-called “freedom day” from Covid restrictions in a bid to get more vaccines into more arms and protect the NHS.

But the prime minister has angered many Tory MPs, who simply do not believe he will stick to the new “terminus” of July 19th.

Lib Dem health spokesperson Munira Wilson joins Arj Singh and Paul Waugh to discuss why her party abstained on extending restrictions, and also why the Tories’ so-called culture war was losing them votes in their traditional southern seats.

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It’s a huge week for Boris Johnson as Joe Biden and leaders of some of the world’s wealthiest countries arrive in Cornwall for the G7 summit.

But the prime minister has embroiled himself in a row with the EU over the terms of his own Brexit deal, which has angeried the US president and is threatening to overshadow the event.

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy joins Arj Singh and Ned Simons to discuss how Johnson can reset and repair relations with Biden, and discuss what Labour can learn from the US Democrats in the face of the UK’s own culture war.

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Dominic Cummings took no prisoners this week when laying out claims of a series of “disastrous” government failures that meant tens of thousands of people died of Covid unnecessarily.

Conservative MP Bob Seely joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to talk about the former No.10 aide's explosive select committee appearance, why the government needs to be better prepared for “black swan” moments, and the electoral risk facing the Tories if Boris Johnson proceeds with controversial planning reforms.

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Labour suffered a disastrous series of results in the “super Thursday” local elections, capped by a huge and humiliating defeat to the Tories in a parliamentary by-election in the red wall seat of Hartlepool. There were more losses in red wall and other marginal council areas with the Tories even taking control of Northumberland.

It has led to serious questions about Keir Starmer’s leadership, Labour’s strategy, and just where the party goes from here.

Senior former Labour adviser Matthew McGregor joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss how the party can start winning again, and what lessons it can learn from Joe Biden’s campaign in the United States.

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It’s been a nightmare week for Boris Johnson, who kicked the hornet’s nest when he blamed Dominic Cummings for a series of damaging leaks. The former adviser replied with a stinging public attack, which has left the prime minister fending off multiple bad headlines around his handling of the Covid crisis. On top of that, the Tories are now facing an Electoral Commission investigation into who funded the refurbishment of Johnson’s Downing Street flat.

Meanwhile, with the Covid situation improving dramatically in the UK, attention has turned to the appalling crisis in India. Is the UK doing enough to help, and should Johnson be wary of getting too close to the country’s PM Narendra Modi?

Senior Tory MP and Commons foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss what the flat saga means for the local elections, and how the UK should respond to events in Asia.

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