Sam and Anne manage about three points from the “10 things you didn’t know about Mel Stride” briefing before getting onto the substance of the day. (Licenced pilot and unpublished novel, by the way) It is the shadow chancellor’s big day at Conservative conference in Manchester – where he’ll identify billions of pounds of budget cuts – is there a distinct policy difference between ‘Melonomics’ and Reform UK? And, away from Manchester, should China be considered a friend or enemy of Britain after spy charges were dropped?
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20:48
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20:48
Sam reveals a Tory donor defection to Reform
The Conservative party conference week starts with Sam's story about another Reform defection.Mark Gallagher donated to Kemi Badenoch's leadership campaign, but the Tories claim he was never "really true blue".Also on this preview episode - the active operation to "get" Ms Badenoch in Manchester, as the leader confirms the Conservatives would take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if they got back into power.We'll have an extra episode on Wednesday to review Kemi Badenoch's closing speech to the conference.
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20:07
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20:07
Kemi tells Anne "we are a distressed asset"
48 hours before the Conservatives arrive in Manchester (and some are joking that they hope the party enjoys its last conference), Anne’s got an interview with Kemi Badenoch. The Tory leader tells members to “hold their nerve” with her – and comes out swinging about recent defections to Reform. But was it wise to liken the party to a “distressed asset”? Elsewhere, Sam’s got more on the digital ID cards plan – with support apparently slipping in cabinet and in the country. Is AI having a role in changing some people’s minds about the controversial policy?
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20:44
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20:44
Will Labour really leave Liverpool happy with Keir?
The Prime Minister’s speech may have settled nerves amongst his party, but has he opened a can of worms by attacking Reform? Sam and Anne assess the mood of Nigel Farage and some within Starmer’s inner circle - who arguably seem a bit displeased. Plus, as conference wraps up, focus turns quickly to the deputy leadership race and things are already hotting up between Lucy Powell and Bridget Phillipson.
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20:20
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20:20
‘Renew Britain’ - but did it renew Keir Starmer?
This is what Sam and Anne made of Keir Starmer’s speech to the Labour conference in Liverpool. It was an hour that was often pitched at Middle England voters tempted by Reform – but also seemed to go down well with Labour’s soft left. The PM doubled down on his stance that some of Nigel Farage’s policies are racist. How will all that go down outside the conference bubble? In the Politico pub, Sam and Anne also debrief on what the PM was saying about working people – which, they reckon, is sounding a bit Bridget Phillipson. Sam and Anne will debrief Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative speech next Wednesday afternoon.
Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy with what you need to know about the day ahead in British politics. All in under 20 minutes and in your feed around 7.30am.They're across the key interviews, the main stories and what the parties are saying. Whatever they're talking about, Westminster will be talking about today.
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