In The Room

France is reeling after a weekend of unrest that escalated dramatically. Hundreds of thousands marched peacefully, but elsewhere shops were looted, cars burned, police attacked and public buildings set alight.

What began with schoolchildren furious about missing teachers, crumbling classrooms and a system they believe is failing them quickly became something much bigger. People of all ages joined demonstrations driven by anger over the cost of living, deteriorating public services and a future that feels increasingly out of reach.

With France approaching a presidential election, the unrest exposes a deeper political crisis. But this is not just a French story. Across Europe, established parties are struggling to retain the confidence of increasingly disillusioned electorates. And Britain has experienced its own moments when public anger has spilled into violence.

Helen MacNamara, who was inside government during the 2011 riots and has attended countless COBR meetings, examines what happens when governments begin to lose control of the streets, and what France's crisis might tell us about the pressures building closer to home.

Executive producer: Rod Ardehali
Producer: Sam Durham
Video editor: Adam Hollis
Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Andy Burnham’s Makerfield constituency, 65% of voters backed Leave. During the recent by-election campaign, Burnham said he did not want to reopen the old Brexit arguments. Yet in recent weeks, the Prime Minister has made a series of pointed interventions on Britain’s relationship with the EU.

At Labour conference, he said Brexit had done “more harm than good”. In a BBC interview, he suggested it was “possible” that a future Labour manifesto could promise another in-out referendum. And in a podcast this week, he claimed Russia had interfered in the Brexit vote.

Burnham clearly has strong feelings about Europe. Today, we ask: why is he bringing the Brexit debate back now?

Also, with Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget just two weeks away, we examine the big calls facing the government this winter — from fuel costs to the threat of freezing weather.

Executive producer: Rod Ardehali
Producer: Sam Durham
Video editor: Adam Hollis
Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conference season is in full swing - and this week, it unfolded across two very different political stages.

In Birmingham, the Conservatives came to town. As Kemi Badenoch continues to win strong approval ratings - despite the Conservatives struggling to recover from their 2024 defeat - her conference speech doubled down on a classic Tory pitch: a smaller state, lower taxes, and a return to economic aspiration. Cleo, a veteran of Tory conferences, breaks down the mood in Birmingham and weighs up whether Badenoch’s promises add up.

Meanwhile, in Brighton, the Greens held their largest conference to date - but it was dominated by controversy. Members passed a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism, sparking fierce backlash from Jewish community leaders and MPs within the party. Green Party leader Zack Polanski was largely absent, busy campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. We ask: can the Greens turn controversy into momentum - or has this motion cost them credibility?

Executive producer: Rod Ardehali
Producer: Sam Durham
Video editor: Jose Luis Ugarte
Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In The Room hits Liverpool for Labour Party Conference. Cleo heads into the hall, fringe events, protests and the media pen, talking to delegates, campaigners and lobbyists to get a feel for Andy Burnham’s Labour. Helen takes a different route, moving between Shelter, the Future Governance Forum and the receptions where senior figures are talking about what comes next.

The mood is unusually upbeat, united and hopeful. But beneath the optimism, how much anxiety is there about turning the Burnham bounce into something that lasts?

Then Burnham takes the stage. Helen and Cleo unpack an emotional, policy-heavy speech, from social care and pensions to public ownership, Brexit and electoral reform, and ask whether “hope again” can survive the harder realities of governing.

Executive producer: Rod Ardehali
Video editor: Vali Raza
Videographer: Dan Faber
Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest party in the Commons, but where do they fit into Andy Burnham’s Britain? Following Ed Davey’s Brighton conference speech, we ask what the party actually stands for and uncover a surprising connection to Cleo’s political past.

In New York, Burnham faces his first meeting with Donald Trump. With Ukraine, Iran, AI and even the Falklands potentially on the agenda, what does Britain need from the president, and how do you prepare a prime minister for a meeting with Trump?

And across the Channel, Germany’s far-right AfD has secured another regional election victory. What does its rise tell us about Europe’s changing political landscape, and are there lessons for Britain’s established parties?

Executive producer: Rod Ardehali
Producer: Sam Durham
Video editor: Vali Raza
Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.