Talking Politics

The Chancellor John Healey has delivered this year's budget pledging to put £100 in the pockets of millions of people to help with energy bills as well as well as aiming to provide the “breathing space” businesses and families needed.
On today's episode of Talking Politics Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are joined by Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks and Economics Editor Joel Hills to react to the Chancellor's first budget.
Whilst several announcements were made the team described it as "a slightly nothing budget" which won't rock the political boat - something Prime Minister Andy Burnham may well welcome.

In the week of his first Budget as PM, Andy Burnham has reignited the debate over freedom of movement with the EU, arguing that an “honest discussion” is needed about how immigration has changed since Brexit.
On today’s episode of Talking Politics, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston examine Burnham’s case for freedom of movement, the economic arguments for closer ties, and whether the debate risks reigniting questions about race and immigration in British politics. Are we heading towards a fundamentally different, much closer relationship with the EU?
They also assess the challenges facing Burnham and his Chancellor as they prepare to deliver the Budget, including rising energy bills, mounting pressure on the public finances and the risk of a crisis in government borrowing.
Could a cautious approach buy the government time in an increasingly uncertain world, or does Britain need a more radical economic reset?

Nigel Farage has responded to revelations of racism and sexism in Reform UK for the first time since the year-long ITV Exposure investigation aired on Sunday (18th Oct) in full.

Speaking to reporters at a rally in Plymouth, the Reform UK leader said some of the comments were "appalling", but insisted there was a “snobbery” in the response to the film.

On this week’s episode of Talking Politics, Robert and Tom examine Farage’s defence of the party, his claims that Reform is being unfairly singled out by the media, and whether he addressed questions raised about the party’s vetting procedures.

They also discuss President Trump’s comments about unrest in France, and how anti immigration rhetoric and Islamophobia connect right-wing movements in the US and UK. Could this approach energise a party’s core supporters while making it harder to appeal to more moderate voters?

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston assess the implications for Reform UK, after elected officials and election candidates for the party were filmed expressing racist and sexist views in an ITV Exposure undercover investigation.
They assess the initial response by Deputy Leader Richard Tice and the future of Nigel Farage, as well as how damaging the revelations could be for the party, given its previous commitment to improving its vetting process for selecting electoral candidates.
The full documentary: ITV Exposure - Undercover: A Year in Reform on Sunday, will air on ITV1 on October 18 at 10:20pm, as well as YouTube and ITVX.
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Reform UK told ITV News: "Where members, activists and councillors have clearly behaved inappropriately, investigations have commenced. In some cases, there have been suspensions and due process must be followed.
“Reform UK has improved and prioritised its vetting procedures, but from time to time, a handful of individuals who do not share our values will initially make it through vetting. This is the same for all organisations."
Since recording this podcast Nigel Farage said it wasn’t possible to vet people for their future comments.

Tom Bradby and Robert Peston discuss the Green Party's passing of a 'Zionism is racism' policy at its conference.
Greens leader Zack Polanksi did not vote on the policy and having avoided interviews since, what does it mean for his future?
Party members also voted in favour of the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital”.
Tom and Robert discuss what that means for British Jews and the future of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
Speaking from the Conservative Party conference, Robert also gives his assessment of Kemi Badenoch's headline speech, in which the leader of the opposition finally confirmed the party's new inheritance tax policy.