The Fourcast

Benjamin Netanyahu has said his intention is to implement Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, while Israel comes under intense criticism after the bodies of 15 emergency workers were discovered dead in southern Gaza and the UN says they were killed “one be one” by Israeli forces.   Sharon Haskell is from the New Hope party in the Israeli parliament and she is the deputy foreign minister in Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.    She spoke to Krishnan Guru-Murthy in the latest episode of the Fourcast.    Produced by Ka Yee Mak, Calum Fraser, Girish Juneja, Rob Thomson  

The Fourcast breaks down a huge day for the UK economy and British politics, as Rachel Reeves delivers her Spring Statement with cuts to welfare and a new forecast from the OBR slashing the UK’s prospect for growth.  Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by our Economics Correspondent Helia Ebrahimi and our Senior Political Correspondent Paul McNamara to explain what this means for you and explore the political fallout. Produced by Girish Juneja, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak, Calum Fraser

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have spoken on the phone for over 90 minutes thrashing out a deal to halt the bloodshed in Ukraine, and Russia has now agreed to a 30 day energy and infrastructure ceasefire as well as negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. In this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Russia’s Ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, about the talks between Russia and the USA over Ukraine, Europe's attempts to provide security guarantees and what there is to stop Russia wanting more territory if it gets everything it wants in this negotiation. Produced by Mariaelena Agostini, Helene Cacace, Calum Fraser and Ka Yee Mak.  

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel has been broken, as Israel launched overnight air strikes on Gaza that Hamas says has killed more than 400 people - sparking fears the region could be plunged into all out war once again. Francesca Albanese is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and her opinions have sparked controversy in the past.  Israel officially banned her from entering the country in February 2024 after she wrote in a tweet “the victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism, but in response to Israel’s oppression”. Israeli officials condemned these words as “anti-semitic” and called on the UN to “public disavow” Ms Albanese. In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Ms Albanese about how she came to her conclusion that Israel is committing genocide, whether Hamas’ attack on October 7th was an act of genocide and what the international community can do to stop the bloodshed. Produced by Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson and Ka Yee Mak.   

President Zelenskyy has signed up to Donald Trump's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia and in return American arms and intelligence have started flowing into Ukraine again, but the question now is whether Vladimir Putin will agree to a pause in hostilities. The Russian President knows every KGB trick in the book and is likely to resist giving up territory and prisoners. How does Donald Trump get him on board for a peace deal that lasts longer than the time it will take Russia to regroup and rearm? So far the main Russian response has been another barrage of missiles targeting cities across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv. For this episode of the Fourcast Krishan Guru-Murthy is joined by Channel 4 News International Editor Lindsey Hilsum who is in the city. Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak and Rob Thomson.

Donald Trump has read out a letter from Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying Ukraine is ready to negotiate and the president says he's getting strong signals from Russia that it is also ready for peace, but - if that deal boils down to Ukraine surrendering territory, American mining companies extracting minerals from Ukraine, and no security guarantee - is that real peace? And would a deal like that hold? In this new world of strong man politics, has Ukraine been bullied and Russia indulged? And what does all this tell us about Trump's new world order?  In this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by the American historian and writer Professor Timothy Snyder, who's an expert on Ukraine, Russia and eastern Europe, having written highly acclaimed books on tyranny and freedom.  Produced by Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak, Silvia Maresca and Calum Fraser

Donald Trump has suspended all military aid to Ukraine, in another move that has shocked Europe, thrilled Vladimir Putin and Russia and dismayed Ukraine, but Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now reached out to the US president in a bid to heal relations damaged by the bust up in the Oval Office last week.  Will it work? Will Donald Trump change his mind, again? And what does Vladimir Putin really think of it all? In this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour and Professor Mark Galeotti, author of several books about Russia including his latest ‘Forged in War: a military history of Russia from its beginnings to today’. Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak and Rob Thomson.  

Keir Starmer has met Donald Trump at the White House but will his flattering words and invitation from the King be enough to persuade America not to turn its back on Europe and help Ukraine in its fight against the army of Vladimir Putin - or will President Zelenskyy need to give up all his country’s mineral wealth too?  In this special episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined at the White House by Channel 4 News Political Editor Gary Gibbon and International Editor Lindsey Hilsum. Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak and Rob Thomson.  

As the war between Russia and Ukraine hits its 3 year mark, Germany elects a new government to join its beleaguered neighbours in trying to get Europe – and President Zelenskyy - out of the mess caused by an aggressive President Putin on its East flank, and an antagonistic President Trump on its West. More money, for more troops, actually on the ground in Ukraine? It’s a move most of Europe seems reluctant to make, but can the continent avoid catastrophe by going it alone? In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by the former German ambassador to the US Wolfgang Ischinger, and the former Ukrainian deputy defence minister Alina Frolova Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak and Rob Thomson.  

America’s Marco Rubio and Russia’s Sergey Lavrov have met in Saudi Arabia for Ukraine war peace talks. The US says a peace deal must be "fair, enduring and acceptable to all the parties involved" - not that all the parties - like Ukraine or the Europeans - were invited by Donald Trump to the first round of the talks. So what do Russia and the US really want to get out from it? And will Russia be brought in from the cold internationally? To discuss this on this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Bronwen Maddox, the Director of the international think tank Chatham House, and Channel 4 News’ International Editor Lindsey Hilsum. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak and Rob Thomson.  

As Trump is invited to Moscow and praises Putin after a call with the Russian leader about peace negotiations, his defence secretary Pete Hegseth says American troops will not go to Ukraine as peacekeepers as part of any future deal with Russia. He also announced Ukraine will never be part of NATO and needs to say goodbye to territory seized by Russia. In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei discusses all of this and more with Channel 4 News’ international editor Lindsey Hilsum. Produced by Calum Fraser, Helene Cacace and Ka Yee Mak.  

Donald Trump has spent the week turning the world upside down again - launching a trade war with China and claiming America will take over the Gaza Strip - and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is scrambling to work out how best to respond to the American president. Sir Keir met with EU leaders earlier in the week for post-Brexit reset, but the prospect of closer ties comes just as Donald Trump has the EU in his crosshairs - saying he’ll slap tariffs on the bloc, while suggesting he might spare the UK.  So, the prime minister is walking a tightrope that stretches across both the Channel and the Atlantic, will he keep the balancing act going or topple over? In this week’s episode of the Fourcast, Gary Gibbon is joined by Michael Gove, cabinet minister under four Conservative Prime Ministers and now editor of the Spectator, journalist and biographer of Keir Starmer, Tom Baldwin. And head of the Europe programme at the Chatham House think tank, Armida van Rij . Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak, Rob Thomson.  

Donald Trump, with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side, has said the US should take over Gaza, own it, and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East", but within hours of these comments Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Palestinians have rejected the suggestion outright. So what is Donald Trump really up to? Is this a serious proposal, a negotiating position or the dreams of a reality show star on the world stage? On this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by our Foreign Affairs Correspondent Secunder Kermani and the Palestinian journalist Yousef Hammash, who reported from inside Gaza for Channel 4 News from October 2023. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak, Rob Thomson, Calum Fraser.  

Donald Trump’s long promised trade war has begun, sort of - the US president threatened to slap tariffs on America’s biggest trading partners, before backtracking and striking a deal with Mexico and Canada. But a 10% tariff on Chinese goods has come into force and Beijing has retaliated by imposing hefty levies on a range of American imports and vowing to investigate Google over antitrust allegations.  So will Trump’s tariff wars totally backfire? And how should other world leaders, including Keir Starmer, react? In this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Greece’s former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and Erica York of the Tax Foundation think tank. Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak and Amani Hughes.

In a major speech on growing the UK economy, Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she will make Cambridge and Oxford the “Silicon Valley of Europe” and build a third runway at Heathrow Airport - which is now backed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer even though he opposed it in the past. So will Labour deliver? Can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves really get the economy firing again? And will it be enough to turn around their recent political woes? Discussing this and more in this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Gillian Tett, Financial Times columnist, and Rupert Harrison, senior advisor at Macro Advisory Partners and former advisor to Goerge Osborne when he was chancellor.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson and Ka Yee Mak.  

In Donald Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos he said, again, that he wants a peace deal with Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, again suggested Canada could become part of America and again raised the spectre of tariffs that economists say could devastate the global economy, so what is the new American president’s vision of the world order and how will he deal with China and Xi Jinping’s claims over Taiwan? In his inaugural address President Trump said America would expand its territory, what does this actually mean? A future land grab? Or just a more aggressive American influence in parts of the world? And what does it mean for some of worlds’ other strongmen, who have their own expansionist ambitions? In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at the New School, and Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News’ international editor. Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak and Amani Huges.

Hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States of America, he signed executive orders to take the US out of the World Health Organisation and the Paris Climate Accords; around 1,500 January 6 rioters were freed; a national emergency at the US-Mexico border was declared, he made the designation of two genders an official government policy and the TikTok ban was paused - and that’s before he made off-hand comments on whether the fragile ceasefire in Gaza will last.   To discuss all this and more in this edition of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Nayyera Haq, senior director of the Obama White House and Deana Bass Williams, a Republican strategist.   Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson, Gracie Jerome, Amani Hughes and Ka Yee Mak.  

Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as President of the United States of America for the second time - but, from TikTok and the southern border, to Ukraine and the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza - he faces even bigger challenges than he did eight years ago.   Will he really end the Ukraine war on day one, pardon the January 6 rioters in the “first hour” and potentially bring back TikTok? And while his personal brand of right-wing populism is totally dominant now, will there be a progressive backlash or resistance?   In this week’s episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Channel 4 News's very own America experts - Siobhan Kennedy and Kiran Moodley.   Produced by Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak.

Israel and Hamas have finally reached a ceasefire deal over the war in Gaza days before Donald Trump takes over from Joe Biden as the next US president - but Benjamin Netanyahu’s government hasn't signed it yet - and while Palestinians in Gaza are celebrating, there’s still a chance it could be derailed. Yet, if the deal holds, it will be a historic moment, but why has it taken so long and what’s next for the people of Gaza and Israel? In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Channel 4 News International Editor Lindsey Hilsum and Foreign Correspondent Secunder Kermani to discuss all the unanswered questions. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak, Rob Thomson.  

Amid turmoil in the bond market and a plummeting pound, Sir Keir Starmer has had to defend his chancellor Rachel Reeves while dealing with the resignation of the former anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq. So, can Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves turn it around? The Prime Minister says it will take 10 years to solve some of the chronic issues facing the UK, but will he even get a second term with Labour's support sliding in the polls and Nigel Farage's Reform UK breathing down his neck? In this episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by the Financial Times’ columnist Katie Martin, psephologist Luke Try and Channel 4 News' political editor Gary Gibbon.  Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca and Ka Yee Mak.  

Silicon Valley’s billionaires are making headlines again as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg says he’s going to get rid of factcheckers on his social media platforms, while X’s Elon Musk continues to attack UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz - so have we entered a new age of political discourse? In this episode of the America Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Albert Eisenberg, a political strategist who runs the messaging firm BlueStateRed, and Joan Donovan, assistant professor of journalism at Boston University, to discuss if Elon Musk is good for democracy and whether Donald Trump can rein him in. Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson and Ka Yee Mak.

With the Israel Gaza war reportedly on the brink of a ceasefire and Iran reeling after the devastation of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the Middle East is on the cusp of a complete realignment in 2025. Will Syria buck the trend of so many nations after the Arab Spring that have descended into chaos after the fall of a tyrant? The country’s new de facto leader Mohammed al-Jolani, who is now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, says he will be moderate and will stay out of his neighbours affairs. But will neighbouring powers stay out of Syria?  What will Iran do now that so many of its proxies have been devastated since October the 7th?  And if there’s a ceasefire in Gaza, what next for the Palestinians? To discuss all this and more in this week’s episode of the Fourcast, Matt Frei was joined by Channel 4 News’ Foreign Affairs Correspondent Secunder Kermani and Jonathan Rugman - who covered the Middle East for years at Channel 4 News and is a now a Senior Associate Fellow at the defence and security think tank Rusi. Produced by Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak

It’s a matter of days since Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria was toppled by a lightning-quick offensive led by the rebel group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - and Syrians are still in a state of euphoria at their newfound freedoms, but also horror as evidence of Assad’s torture chambres are revealed.  Channel 4 News’ Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lindsey Hilsum have been on the ground in Damascus and in this week’s episode of The Political Fourcast they discuss what is really happening there and whether Syria can be rebuilt with Fuad Sayed Issa, founder of the charity Violet Organisation.  Produced by Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak, Calum Fraser.  

Bashar al-Assad has fled Damascus to Russia where Vladimir Putin is reportedly sheltering the former Syrian dictator - for those Syrians who have defied Assad’s brutal regime for years this is a moment of celebration and hope, but also fear. Will Syria manage to move on from more than a decade of war to become a democratic state, or will it descend into further chaos and violence like Libya and Iraq did after liberation from their dictators? On this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Syrian filmmaker and journalist Waad Al-Kateab, whose documentary For Sama won numerous awards and was nominated for an Oscar, and Mazen Gharibah who is director of the Syrian British Consortium. Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak, Silvia Maresca  

Syrian rebels launched the biggest attack in years against President Bashar al-Assad’s government forces, reigniting a bloody civil war - but with Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the Israel Gaza conflict just next door, the world appears to be on the brink. So, what’s going to happen next, why did the rebels launch their attack now and how will the rest of the world react? On this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Dr Lina Khatib, Associate Fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme, and our International Editor, Lindsey Hilsum, who is in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Ka Yee Mak, Calum Fraser.

President Putin fired an experimental hypersonic missile at Dnipro - one of Ukraine’s biggest cities - and has talked about the nuclear option again. On the frontline, Ukraine appears to be losing ground by the day - in this episode of The Political Fourcast, we talk about how the Ukraine-Russia war is escalating. Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Dr Hanna Shelest, Director of Security Programmes at the Ukrainian think tank Ukrainian Prism, and Channel 4 News international editor, Lindsey Hilsum, who is currently in Dnipro in eastern Ukraine.   Produced by Silvia Maresca and Girish Juneja.

A close ally of Boris Johnson and open critic of Rishi Sunak and Kemi Badenoch, Nadine Dorries examines the current state of the Conservative Party in this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast - and she also criticises the Church of England in the wake of the John Smyth scandal. Warning: This episode contains content that some viewers might find upsetting.   Mrs Dorries says she was abused as a child by a vicar. A Church of England spokesperson said: “We are truly sorry for the childhood abuse suffered by Nadine Dorries.  “We can confirm that the National Safeguarding Team has been in ongoing contact with her following her brave disclosure of this abuse by an Anglican vicar, now deceased.  “We have offered support and have left open the offer to speak further if she wants to do so. We are sorry that when the matter first came to the Church’s attention in 2015 that she did not experience the response she should have received.” The Conservative Party was approached for comment.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak, Rob Thomson.  

From Matt Gaetz and Tulsi Gabbard to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the shape of Donald Trump’s administration is becoming clearer - and it’s like nothing America has ever seen before.  Firebrands, mavericks and disruptors make up the bulk of the government. The unifying factor? Their unwavering loyalty to the President-elect. So can they shake up the establishment to the benefit of ordinary Americans? Or will we just see over-reach, outrage and implosion?  In this episode of the American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Jennifer Ewing from Republicans Overseas UK, Thomas Gift, Director of the UCL Centre on US Politics, and Channel 4 News Correspondent Kiran Moodley.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser and Rob Thomson.  

It’s been a week since America voted to return Donald Trump to the White House, and there are already reports of new appointments - including Marco Rubio, Mike Waltz and Elise Stefanik. How will these people shape the way Trump deals with the world - what’s going to happen in Ukraine and the Middle East? And what will China do? To talk about this in this episode of The American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Michael Martins, who worked in Trump’s first administration as a foreign policy advisor in the US embassy in London and now runs the Overton Advisory consultancy, and Channel 4 News’ International Editor Lindsey Hilsum. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser and Ka Yee Mak.

Donald Trump has won the election, beating Kamala Harris and the Democrats, and will be the next president of the United States - but what kind of leader will he be? During the campaign we heard from generals that worked with him that he has fascist tendencies - was this all over the top, or are we actually about to see the American republic on the brink? And what next for the Democrat Party? What went wrong, again? Will there be a reckoning? On this episode of the American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by the Wall Street Journal’s senior political correspondent Molly Ball and The Atlantic’s staff writer Christine Emba. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak, Ed Gove.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are making their final pitch to voters, as an American election race that has seen assassination attempts and President Joe Biden stepping aside as a candidate enters its final day. This is the tightest race in modern American history - so what comes next? Four years ago the world witnessed the horrors of rioters attacking Capitol Hill on January 6th - could it be worse this time? What will Donald Trump or Kamala Harris actually do if they win? On this episode of The American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Channel 4 News’ Washington Correspondent Siobhan Kennedy and News Correspondent Kiran Moodley, who has been following the Trump campaign. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Ed Gove, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mac.

Kemi Badenoch is the new leader of the Conservative Party after beating Robert Jenrick in what is an historic moment - the first black female leader of one of the UK’s main political parties. But does she have any chance of winning the next election? Will she even hang on that long with the Tories’ history of ditching leaders who don't deliver? Are the Labour Party the real winners here? On this episode of the Political Fourcast, Cathy Newman is joined by former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, former Conservative MP Laura Farris, who lost her seat to the Liberal Democrats in July, and Luke Tryll, Executive Director of the polling firm More in Common. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak, Rob Thomson.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are out trying to salvage their US election campaigns after a series of gaffes started by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico an ‘island of garbage’, followed by President Joe Biden appearing to say Trump’s supporters are garbage. Will any of these missteps change the course of the race? In this episode of the American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Democrat state representative Dr Jasmine Clark and Republican strategist Eric Tanenblatt. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Ed Gove, Ka Yee Mak, Dani Isdale.

After months of speculation, leaks, and endless criticism, Rachel Reeves has finally delivered Labour’s first budget in 14 years and it had £70 billion more in spending, £40 billion more in tax along with a lot more borrowing and a lot more debt. So, will it define this government? Will it deliver growth and fix public services? Is it what people voted for?  In this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by KPMG's chief economist Yael Selfin, Jonathan Ashworth, chief executive of Keir Starmer's favoured think tank, Labour Together, and Matthew Lesh of the Institute of Economic Affairs, the think tank most closely associated with the last prime minister to go for growth - Liz Truss. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak.

As the US election heats up Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remain neck and neck in the polls, but even as the Democrats have the likes of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift backing them, the mood music is not sounding so good in this crucial presidential election.  So how did we get here, what are the key issues motivating voters and can Kamala Harris or Donald Trump finally pull ahead in the final week?  In this week’s episode of the American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Democrat state representative Andre Carroll and Dennis Powell, a Republican strategist and author. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Ed Gove, Dani Isdale.  

Assisted dying could very soon be legalised in the UK, with MPs being given a free vote by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on a bill that’s just been introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. It’s a controversial issue with passionate feelings on both sides that has been debated - and rejected -by parliament before, but campaigners think this time they could get it over the line. So, is this bill a humane and logical step to relieve those in unbearable agony, or is it a slippery slope that distorts the value of life in the UK?  In this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Conservative MP Danny Kruger, who fronted a documentary on the subject with his mother Prue Leith, Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine, a long-time campaigner for assisted dying, and Channel 4 News’ Health and Social Care editor Victoria MacDonald.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson.   If you've been affected by any of the issues raised please contact our support page: www.channel4.com/support

The Morgan McSweeney-Sue Gray saga, endless stories about freebies and gloomy economic forecasts ahead of Rachel Reeve’s first budget - so, how badly have Keir Starmer’s first 100 days gone and could the next 100 actually be worse? On this week’s episode of the Political Fourcast, Cathy Newman is joined by Thangam Debbonaire, who was set to be a leading cabinet minister in Starmer’s government before she lost her seat in a shock result at the election, Faiza Shaheen, who was a rising star in the Labour Party before a public spat led to her running as an independent in July, and Channel 4 News’ senior political correspondent Paul McNamara.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson.    

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Britain's first Muslim cabinet minister, has long been an outspoken critic of her own party over its attitudes towards Islam. Last week, after an investigation was launched against her over a post on social media, she resigned the whip saying it is a reflection of ‘how far right’ the Conservative Party has moved since her time in office.  Warsi has just released a book, “Muslims Don’t Matter”, which is an impassioned polemic setting out her views on the hypocrisy and double standards applied to British Muslims. In this episode of The Political Fourcast, she speaks to Cathy Newman about the Israel-Gaza war, Islamophobia in the UK and the Conservative Party's "disturbing" shift to the extremist right. Produced by Silvia Maresca and Calum Fraser.

Conservative Party leadership favourites Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick have found themselves embroiled in controversy over comments they’ve made during the Tory Party conference, while rivals Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly haven’t missed a beat to capitalise.  Meanwhile, the latest polling show’s Badenoch’s lead over Jenrick amongst party members has narrowed. And so the future of the UK’s most successful political party remains up in the air.  In this special episode of the Political Fourcast from Birmingham, Cathy Newman is joined by former Deputy Prime Minister and Liz Truss ally Thérèse Coffey, former Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and Channel 4 News’ political editor Gary Gibbon. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson  

Despite warnings to keep it clean, Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly have been quietly tearing chunks out of each other as they vie to be the next Tory leader at this year’s Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. But, what is the future of the Conservative Party? Pivot harder to the right to win back Reform voters or tact to the centre? Can any of the leadership candidates haul the party back from the brink? Or is the past the future? Boris Johnson’s autobiography is helpfully being serialised in the Daily Mail just in time to overshadow events here. So, to dig into all this and more for this special edition of the Political Fourcast, Cathy Newman spoke to two party giants. Sir Graham Brady was the chairman of the influential 1922 Committee of back benchers for almost 15 years and he’s just released a book called Kingmaker giving an insiders account of the Tory leadership campaigns he presided over. She also caught up with Grant Shapps, who’s held several  cabinet positions over the years and could have been a candidate for the next Tory leader if he hadn’t lost his seat along with a huge swathe of his colleagues in the election. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson.  

Sir Keir Starmer has made his speech on the penultimate day of the Labour Party Conference, and his first as prime minister. He’s pledged “national renewal”, homes for all veterans who need them, and defended the unpopular cut to winter fuel payments.  At the centre of his speech was “change” that Labour will bring, but are we any clearer on what that vision is? What was the speech really about? Will it change the course of the government and how people think about the Labour Party? And did it touch on what people were really looking for from the first Labour prime minister in 14 years?  Joining Cathy Newman from the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool is Leader of the House of Lords, Angela Smith, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, Nicola Ranger, and, Chief UK Political Commentator for the Financial Times, Robert Shrimsley.    Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Sarah Beale, Rob Thomson.  

Rachel Reeves has just delivered her Labour conference speech as the UK’s first female chancellor, defending the “hard but fair” choices that Labour will have to make. She called Labour the party of “economic responsibility”, but there remains much discontent over winter fuel allowance cuts to pensioners, and then there’s a donation scandal that’s dressed much of the conversation at this year’s conference.  With a speech focused on business, there was one line that came up again and again: “that’s the Britain we’re building”. But how do you deliver change and growth if the railways aren’t working? And public services aren’t working? Where will the £16bn come from if taxes aren’t being raised?  To talk about all of this on day 2 of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool with Krishnan Guru-Murthy is Channel 4 News’ Political Editor, Gary Gibbon, and Economics Correspondent for Channel 4 News, Helia Ebrahimi.  Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, and Rob Thomson  

Sir Keir Starmer was surely hoping Labour’s conference would be a celebration of his landslide election victory - but with bitter briefings against his chief of staff Sue Gray coming from within No 10, more stories of ministers taking freebie gifts and a potential union rebellion over the winter fuel allowance - the new prime minister could face a very different reception in Liverpool. And on top of all these domestic issues, the war in the Middle East is on the brink of spilling over into a wider war - with many delegates at conference demanding a stronger position from this government on trying to bring about peace. On this special edition of the Political Fourcast from Labour Conference in Liverpool, Krishna Guru-Murthy is joined by Labour’s Emily Thornberry, who has held several shadow cabinet roles over the years and has just become chair of the influential Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and Katy Balls - the political editor of The Spectator.  Produced by Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson

Elon Musk has been criticised over comments he made on Twitter/X in the wake of the apparent attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump, saying "no one is even trying to assassinate" Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. The White House has condemned Musk’s comments and he has since deleted them, saying they were a joke, but this is far from the first time Musk’s posts on X have caused outrage. Since his takeover of the social media platform in 2022, he has become a bigger, louder and more controversial presence in US politics - now openly funding and supporting Donald Trump. So what is Musk up to? What is his relationship with Trump really about? And what is he going to do next? To discuss this on the American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by New York Times journalists Ryan Mac and Kate Conger, who have just published a book called "Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter".   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson

A damning new report, commissioned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his health secretary Wes Streeting, has laid bare the shocking state of the NHS - crumbling buildings, outdated machines and thousands of patients unnecessarily dying because of long waits in A&E. In response to Lord Darzi’s report, the PM says the NHS “must reform or die” - but what will that reform actually look like?  This is not the first critical report into the NHS - and Starmer’s is far from the first government to promise reform. So why would it be any different this time? On this week’s Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy discusses how to fix the National Health Service with Labour MP Allison Gardner, who worked with the NHS as a scientific advisor on AI, Conservative MP Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, who worked as a Medical officer in the British army and later as a surgeon in the NHS, and Channel 4 News’ Health and Social Care editor Victoria Macdonald. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Calum Fraser, Helene Cacace.  

The long anticipated presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris has happened - Trump says he won and afterwards Harris got a Taylor Swift endorsement - but how has it gone down with voters? Joining Matt Frei on this episode of The American Fourcast to discuss all this and more are Christine Emba, staff writer at The Atlantic, and Republican strategist Kristin Davison. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Helene Cacace.

The Grenfell Inquiry into the tower block fire that killed 72 people in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea has delivered a devastating final report that names and shames many - but inquiries into infected blood, Covid and the Post Office have also revealed rot at the core of Britain’s institutions - so can and, more importantly, will anything be done? To discuss the findings of the Grenfell Inquiry report and what it reveals about the state of modern Britain on this episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by Emma Dent Coad, who was the local MP at the time of the Grenfell fire and now sits on Kensington and Chelsea Council, Deborah Coles, director of Inquest who campaign on deaths involving state institutions, and Channel 4 News’ Social Affairs editor Jackie Long.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.  

Tim Walz, Barack and Michelle Obama, and even Oprah Winfrey have taken to the DNC stage to lay the ground for Kamala Harris’ run for the White House. But have the upbeat and optimistic speeches actually galvanised any support from the rest of America? Harris fundraised four times as much as Trump in July, a whopping $500 million, as supporters were inspired after Biden’s resignation, but can she survive on vibes until election day? Is she the continuity candidate or can she bring anything new to the Oval Office? Tim Walz issued a rallying cry at the DNC, saying “we’ll sleep when we’re dead”, while Michelle Obama warned against being complacent. If ‘Coach Walz’ and ‘Kamala is Brat’ Harris are looking to woo the voters in November, we ask whether a unity message may be needed to harness the vote of undecided Americans.  For this episode of The American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined at the convention in Chicago by former Obama White House Official Nayyera Haq; Joe Biden’s former chief of staff in the senate Susan Platt; and Channel 4 News’ Washington correspondent Siobhan Kennedy. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.  

Nancy Pelosi has been at the top of US politics for nearly 40 years - as the first, and only, woman in US history to serve as speaker of the House, she has played a central role in some of the most consequential American events of the last two decades, from the Iraq war to the US Capitol attack and Donald Trump’s impeachment. In her latest book, “The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House” Pelosi gives a behind-the-scenes look at her formidable political career. In this episode of The American Fourcast, she talks to Channel 4 News’s Matt Frei about what she’s learned about politics and power after nearly four decades in Washington, why Donald Trump is “dangerous” and what’s next for America as the Presidential election approaches. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.  

Kamala Harris has chosen Governor Tim Walz as her Vice President for the 2024 Democrat ticket. After considering nearly a dozen candidates, Harris landed on Walz who has been described as having the most "progressive record" of any of the other contenders. Walz was an early supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, championed abortion rights into state law, and expanded free school meals & paid worker leave - so it’s not wonder the Trump-Vance team have branded him a “dangerously liberal extremist”. Rest assured, the animosity is mutual - Walz’s profile exploded after he called Donald Trump and JD Vance "weird". Joining Matt Frei to talk about it in this episode of The American Fourcast are the UK Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad, John Scardino, the Chairman of Republicans Overseas UK, Greg Swenson, and the Director General for think-tank RUSI, Karin Von Hippel.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.  

Vice President Kamala Harris is the favourite to be the Democratic nominee for president after Joe Biden’s shock decision to drop out of the race - but can she really beat Donald Trump?   Some polls suggest Kamala Harris is even less popular than Joe Biden, especially in the crucial swing states and like president Biden - she’s stumbled a few times in public - leading some to write her off - but has she been totally underestimated?  To discuss all this and more, Matt Frei was joined by Christina Emba, staff writer at The Atlantic, and Channel 4 News’ International Editor, Lindsey Hilsum.  Produced by Calum Fraser, Nina Hodgson, Shaheen Sattar, Zahra Warsame, Millie Teasdale, and Rob Thomson  

An assassination attempt, J.D. Vance - a relatively unknown Ohio Senator - picked as Donald Trump’s Vice President, and current President Joe Biden desperately clinging on to his own nomination - it’s been another huge week in American politics and there's still one day left at the Republican National Convention where Donald Trump is due to speak - so what will happen next? We’re in Milwaukee where amongst the sea of red MAGA 2024 hats, some delegates are sporting fake white bandages on their ears - a nod to the injury that Trump sustained on Saturday night’s shooting. Millennial Vice President hopeful J.D. Vance has made his first speech to the nation and reaffirmed his loyalty to Donald Trump - a change since reportedly calling him ‘America’s Hitler’ eight years ago. But has the assassination attempt actually helped Donald Trump on his campaign? Will President Joe Biden definitely be the Democrat standing against him? And what’s the deal with all this new-found unity? To discuss all this with Matt Frei on the first episode of The American Fourcast is Republican strategist Cassie Smedile, Washington Post reporter Azi Paybarah, and Channel 4 News’ Washington correspondent Siobhan Kennedy. Produced by Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Silvia Maresca, Millie Teasedale, Zahra Warsame, and Rob Thompson

After a week-long victory lap in the UK, Sir Keir Starmer flew to America for the Nato summit where he met US President Biden and Ukraine’s president Zelenskyy - but his Western allies have been in a less celebratory mood than Britain’s new prime minister. The far left and right are resurgent across Europe with France politically paralysed after Emmanuel Macron’s snap election gamble, while Joe Biden’s presidency is in near meltdown as Democrats turn on him after his disastrous debate with Donald Trump. With wars in Ukraine and the Middle East threatening to spill over - the stakes couldn’t be higher.  So, how shaky is the Nato alliance right now and are the strains a sign of a wider decline in the West? The UK has a fresh-faced prime minister, but does it have any fresh ideas?  To discuss all this and more on this week’s episode of The Political Fourcast Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Liberal Democrats’ Mike Martin MP, Labour’s Mike Tapp MP, and Karin von Hippel, the director-general of the Royal United Services Institute think tank. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.  

The Conservative party have suffered their worst ever defeat and Keir Starmer has been swept to power in a landslide victory - but huge challenges are waiting in the new prime minister’s intray and while he has a massive majority now in Westminster, his support across the country is on shakier grounds.   Some of Labour’s big names, who thought they’d be helping to form a new government, are out - beaten by pro-Gazan independents and Greens.  And now Nigel Farage says that, after decimating the Conservative vote and plunging the party into chaos, he has his eyes on Labour.  So what does this all mean, and what next for British politics?  In this election special edition of The Political Fourcast Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, Labour’s Bell Ribeiro-Addy and psephologist Luke Tryl. Produced by Shaheen Sattar, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.

If the polls are to be believed, Sir Keir Starmer could be set to beat Rishi Sunak’s Conservative’s and gain a record majority in Parliament, but perhaps with one of Labour’s lowest shares of the vote.  Despite promises on tax, voters believe they will pay more, and are sceptical about things getting better. Turnout is expected to be historically low.  The Lib Dems are heading for a lower share of the vote than Reform but could get twenty times as many seats or more. Are these just the realities of our system or the warning lights on the dashboard for a democracy heading down the wrong road?  Look across the water to France and beyond - are we potentially storing up even more discontent and anger from people who might turn right next time?  In this episode of The Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Labour’s Bell Ribeiro-Addy, former Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison and the SNP’s Mhairi Black to discuss all this and more. Produced by Shaheen Sattar, Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.  

It’s less than one week until election day, and so far the headlines have been dominated by betting scandals, the rise of Reform, and Rishi Sunak’s D-Day blunder. So can the prime minister do anything now to avoid what many polls suggest could be the worst ever result for the Conservative Party? He desperately wants attention to turn to Keir Starmer and what Labour would actually do if they win the election - and here could be an answer to that question in Wales where the Labour Party have been in power for decades. Keir Starmer even said once that Wales is a “blueprint” for a Labour government, although he doesn’t seem to want to repeat that comment much of late. In this special episode of The Political Fourcast from Wales, Channel 4 News’s Ciaran Jenkins is joined by Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, Welsh Secretary David TC Davies and shadow cabinet minister Nick Thomas-Symmonds. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.

Ed Davey has now joined Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak scrambling to check who in their party could get caught up in the betting saga - but is this story on the scale of the expenses scandal or Partygate or is it all just a bit of juvenile stupidity?  If it is, why are people at the heart of the UK’s biggest political parties making these kinds of decisions? And what does all this say about the election campaign? Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss all this and more on The Political Fourcast is the ConservativeHome’s Henry Hill, pollster Scarlett Maguire and senior political correspondent Paul McNamara. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.  

The SNP have released their manifesto and, on the first page, they’ve promised again to make Scotland independent - but with polling suggesting that Labour are heading for a landslide victory, including a majority of the seats in Scotland, could this be the end of the independence cause?  Or, paradoxically, might it end up being the best thing for the independence campaign?  Support for Scottish independence has been decoupled from support for the SNP in the polls. So might a Labour government that sticks to Conservative spending limits be just the launch pad the independence campaign needs? Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss all this and more on The Political Fourcast are the SNP’s Mhairi Black, Scottish Labour’s Pam Duncan-Glancy and chairman of the Scottish Conservatives Craig Hoy. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.  

Labour have launched their manifesto with just two things on the cover - a picture of Keir Starmer and the word “change” - but how much change are they actually offering when it comes to the big issues of the day such as Brexit, Ukraine, the housing crisis, climate change and the economy?  Labour appears to be on course to win power with a safety first strategy that promises relatively little, leaving us relatively little to hold them to account for.  And now the Conservatives are warning of the dangers of a Labour “supermajority”. Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss this on The Political Fourcast are Labour’s Stella Creasy, the Green Party’s Sian Berry and Channel 4 News’ senior political correspondent Paul McNamarra. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.

Rishi Sunak has unveiled his manifesto, promising billions in tax cuts and lower immigration - but after his D-Day disaster and Nigel Farage back in the game, is it enough to shift the dial in the election or even enough to stop the right-wing of his own party turning on him before polling day? And with Reform creeping up in the polls, can Farage’s party really overtake the Tories to become the opposition? And what would happen then? Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss this on this episode of The Political Fourcast are Conservative peer Jo Johnson, who helped write the winning Tory manifesto in 2015, Harriet Harman, former Labour Leader and Deputy Leader, and Reform UK’s Deputy Leader David Bull. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.

Rishi Sunak has apologised and admitted it was a “mistake” to leave D-Day commemorations early, but many in the Conservative Party are already furious with the prime minister and Labour’s Keir Starmer has said he “has to explain” the decision.   So why did he do it? Having spent the campaign so far reaching out to the very voters who hold respect for history and veterans so dear.  Is this the moment the game is up and closing the gap on Labour becomes unrecoverable? Nigel Farage is already out there saying it shows Sunak isn't patriotic. With me Conservative Home’s Henry Hill, Boris Johnson’s former director of communications Guto Harri and Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth.  Produced by Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson and Annie La Vespa  

Devastating polling, the return of Nigel Farage and more talk of defections - it was almost looking like a truly nightmarish week for Rishi Sunak, but then came the TV leaders debate with Keir Starmer and the Conservative’s claim that a Labour government will raise taxes by £2,000 per household. Keir Starmer failed to effectively deny the Conservative attack line until the second half of the debate and called it a lie.  Today, Labour are again saying it is a lie and the Treasury have distanced themselves from it - but, perhaps, as the old saying goes, a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has got its shoes on.    Two weeks into the election campaign, are we entering a new dirtier phase to this campaign?  Joining me in the Fourcast studio, Labour's shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry, the Conservative's Home Office Minister Chris Philp, and pollster Luke Tryl from More in Common.    Produced by Shaheen Sattar, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson and Silvia Maresca  

Reports that Labour are set to bar Diane Abbott from standing in the general election have sparked outrage, with the veteran MP accusing Keir Starmer of purging the party’s left wing and alienating voters.  But is the Labour leader and his inner circle willing to lose left-wing voters, if it means they can concentrate on winning over disaffected Conservatives and bringing back Labour supporters who were put off by Jeremy Corbyn? This week, Rishi Sunak has made a slew of policy announcements - national service for teenagers, cutting so-called “Mickey Mouse” university courses, and a tax giveaway for pensioners - this has left many wondering if the Tories have totally given up on young voters. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey was pictured falling - or jumping - off a paddleboard in Lake Windermere, but can the party make a splash across the country or is it just about a few target seats? In this episode of The Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy talks about all this with the Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader Daisy Cooper, former Conservative Universities minister, Lord Johnson, and Meg Hillier, who was Labour Chair of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee and has been the MP in Diane Abbott’s neighbouring constituency for 20 years. Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thompson and Nick Jackson.

Campaigning is underway after Rishi Sunak’s shock decision to call a snap general election - and the decision by Nigel Farage not to stand as a candidate for his Reform UK party might play to his favour - yet many are still puzzled by his decision.  The Conservatives are twenty points behind in the polls and even the prime minister recently admitted he’s unlikely to win. So why go now? And why in the rain?  Does he have something up his sleeve? He says Labour don't have a plan. Do they? What are the issues, and who are the people that will decide this election?  To talk about all this and more on The Political Fourcast we’re joined by Conservative MP and former Levelling Up minister Dehenna Davison, Labour’s former Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw and pollster Luke Tryl.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thompson and Nick Jackson.  

Are Labour and the Conservatives already prepping for the election?  Both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are certainly behaving like they are. The Labour leader launched his first steps to change Britain, but will that help the party on the doorstep? And this week saw more culture war issues being flagged by Conservatives. Rishi Sunak wrote about his horror at disturbing gender ideology being taught in schools as the government brought in new guidance and rules banning classroom teaching about contested gender identity issues. To talk about this, on The Political Fourcast we're joined by Caroline Nokes, the Conservative Chair of Parliament's Women and Equalities Committee, and from Labour, the Former Culture Secretary, Ben Bradshaw, who is stepping down at the next election.   Produced by Silvia Maresca, Annie La Vespa, Rob Thompson and Nick Jackson.  

For the second time in a fortnight, the Conservatives have been dealt a jaw-dropping blow - another MP has defected. This time, it is Dover MP and rightwinger, Natalie Elphicke, who crossed the floor moments before Prime Minister's Questions, to join forces with the opposition.     The move has certainly sparked anger and confusion for both Labour and the Tories, and Keir Starrmer is being grilled by members of his own shadow cabinet over why he accepted Elphicke into the party.    Defections are a rare occurrence in politics, so what do the past two in two weeks tell us about Rishi Sunak’s ability to deliver at the next general election?    In this episode of The Political Fourcast, we speak to the SNP’s deputy leader in the Commons Mhairi Black, who’s announced she will stand down at the next election. And former Education Secretary Justine Greening, who had the Tory whip withdrawn after opposing Boris Johnson over Brexit in 2019.    They talk to us about why an MP might make the decision to defect from their political party, if a defection signals a political shift, and whether the UK needs political reform away from a first past the post system.    Produced by Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thompson and Nick Jackson.

The Conservatives are facing their worst local election results in 40 years - and yet it looks like Rishi Sunak may cling on after Ben Houchen secured a victory in the Tees Valley mayoral vote.  But what next for the Conservative Party? Are they now in the worst of all worlds with a wounded leader facing defeat at the general election or can Rishi Sunak turn it around?  To discuss all this and more we are joined by Spectator editor Fraser Nelson, former Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and Labour’s Leader in the House of Lords Baroness Angela  Smith. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.  

Rishi Sunak has pledged he'll ramp up Britain's defence budget and announced a £500 million military aid package to Ukraine, in the same week a long-awaited $61billion aid package from the US passed through Congress and the Senate. But what is the West’s end game for Ukraine? Is there enough in these aid packages to turn the tide of the war as Russia appears to have gained the upper hand? What more can the West do? Here to discuss this on The Political Fourcast is former Armed Forces Minister James Heappey and shadow defence minister, Baroness Anderson. They talk to us about why today's young people in the UK may end up caught up in a future war, how Trump’s second Presidency could change the war and what this all means for the upcoming General Election. Produced by Alice Wagstaffe, Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson, Calum Fraser, Nick Jackson.

This week on The Political Fourcast, another scandal hits the Tories - Mark Menzies MP loses the whip as the Conservative Party investigates claims that he misused campaign funds. He allegedly made a late night call to ask for money to pay off "bad people". He disputes the allegations and senior Tory MPs are telling voters not to rush to judgement. With upcoming local elections and a looming general election, the allegations risk damaging the party in government.   But is today’s story just another example in a long line of MPs from all parties flouting the rules? Since 2019, there have been at least 10 cases of Conservative MPs that have either been suspended or quit over allegations of misconduct. Similarly, across the same time period, there have been at least four Labour MPs accused of misconduct, along with one from the SNP and one from Plaid Cymru. This week, we speak to the SNP’s deputy leader in the Commons Mhairi Black, who’s announced she will stand down at the next election. And former Education Secretary Justine Greening, who had the Tory whip withdrawn after opposing Boris Johnson over Brexit in 2019. They talk to us about mistrust in politics, and why this “jaw dropping” scandal could be a “plague” on politics at large, and confirm what voters think of Westminster’s politicians. Produced by Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson, Calum Fraser, Nick Jackson.  

This week on The Political Fourcast - as war rumbles on in Gaza, we discuss how foreign policy affects domestic politics, and how the government’s decisions during the Israel/Gaza conflict could influence the outcome of an upcoming general election. Should Lord Cameron divulge the legal advice he has received over supplying arms to Israel? Why is the Labour party ignoring pleas to call for a ceasefire? And why did the Foreign Secretary make a house call to Donald Trump on his recent trip to the US?  Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy and political editor Gary Gibbon this week to discuss all this and more; Lord Charlie Falconer, a politician who was at the heart of Tony Blair's government the last time the party had a major falling out with its supporters over foreign policy during the Iraq war, and the Tory peer Nicky Morgan, a long-time ally of former Prime Minister and current Foreign Secretary David Cameron. Produced by Alice Wagstaffe, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson.

With Rwanda flights unlikely to take off before the summer, if ever, could Rishi Sunak find himself in the departure lounge before any asylum seeker? Discussing planes and plots on this week's episode of The Political Fourcast, we hear from former Universities Minister and now Conservative peer Jo Johnson, and Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP for Barking, who’s standing down at the next election. They join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Political Editor Gary Gibbon to talk about the Rwanda ‘gimmick’, whether or not the Conservative party have ‘hit the iceberg’, and the possibility that it won’t be Rishi Sunak who leads the Tories into the next general election. Produced by Alice Wagstaffe, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson and Shaheen Sattar.

Will we have a May General election? Will there be massive Conservative defeat in any Election that we do have this year? And what’s the economy got to do with it?  Here to answer those questions are the Former Chancellor who gave us the infamous mini-budget of 2022, Kwasi Kwarteng, and the former Labour Party leader and Mother of the House, Harriet Harman. They join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Channel 4 News’ Political Editor, Gary Gibbon to discuss Jeremy Hunt’s Budget announcement yesterday, income tax cuts, and why, in their view, the Conservatives are starting to look a lot like the Labour party. Produced by Alice Wagstaffe, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson and Shaheen Sattar.  

In the 110 days since the war started, over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive on Gaza, prompting the charity Oxfam to describe it as the ‘deadliest conflict of the 21st century’. It follows the October 7 attacks by Hamas that saw 1,200 people killed and around 240 taken hostage in Israel. There is huge pressure internationally for a new ceasefire and hostage release deal to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. In this episode of The Fourcast we speak with Jan Egeland, a former diplomat who helped draw up the 1993 peace agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Oslo Accords. Egeland, who is now the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy that the scale of civilian carnage in Gaza makes it clear that this is not a conflict between equals. He also looks at the ‘hypocritical’ position of many Western governments who have been quick to call out Russia’s aggression on Ukraine but are not doing the same with Israel’s attacks on Palestine, and looks at how the conflict could worsen going forward if a two-state solution is not reached. Produced by Shaheen Sattar and Alice Wagstaffe

A four day temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been extended by two days, and brings a glimmer of relief and hope to Palestinians in Gaza. Momentum from this brings the possibility of even more Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees being released. Over 14,000 Palestinians have been killed, one-third of them children, since the onset of Israel’s siege in Gaza on October 9th, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. It followed the October 7 attacks by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel and around 240 were taken hostage. In this episode of The Fourcast, we speak with the Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot. He’s a part of the Palestinian Authority that governs areas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. We look at the wider ramifications of the Israel-Hamas war, and what it does to damage a secure and prosperous future for the Palestinians. A warning, this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and warfare.

Pressure on Israel to pause fighting and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza is growing, with leaders around the world including President Biden calling for a multiple day long ceasefire. Meanwhile, negotiations are continuing in Qatar for the release of hostages - Netanyahu says he won't allow a ceasefire unless hostages are released. The Israel-Hamas war has already killed more than 10,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas appointed Gaza Health Ministry, and Israel has come under fire for what the UN calls a collective punishment of Palestinians for the atrocities of Hamas. In this special episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Israel's Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely. She's a member of the right-wing Likud party in Israel, and was Minister for Settlements before becoming Ambassador. We look at why Israel is continuing its bombardment of Gaza, what the endgame is - can Hamas really be eradicated? And whether she has any empathy for the Palestinians during this war.

In this episode of The Fourcast, our correspondents are on the ground with the very latest on the war between Israel and Hamas, as Israelis shelter from Hamas rocket fire and Gaza is pounded by the heaviest bombardment in its history.   Secunder Kermani has been to the Kfar Aza kibbutz, which was targeted by the militants on Saturday, we hear an eyewitness report from filmmaker Yousef Hammash in Gaza, Matt Frei interviews Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan as he tries to justify the recent killings, and IDF Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner tells Matt, "the people of Gaza are not our enemy."    And a warning, this podcast contains distressing material. 

As Israel declares a ‘complete siege’ of Gaza, and the death toll in Israel continues to rise, we bring you the latest from the region, with Matt Frei reporting from Jerusalem and Krishnan Guru-Murthy live in London.    In this special episode of The Fourcast, we hear from civilians trapped in besieged Gaza, speak to a man living in a “bad dream” as six members of his family are missing following Hamas's surprise attack, hear expert analysis from our Foreign Correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, and Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, who explains why Israel feels justified in their decision to cut the power to the Gaza Strip.  

At the Nato summit this week, the star attraction was President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. But while he knew he was among friends - and allies were keen to emphasise their continuing support - he came with a clear demand: let Ukraine join the Nato alliance.  But even before his arrival, the mood music suggested that Ukraine was not going to be offered membership to Nato, nor was it going to be given a clear timetable on how and when it could join. With President Erodgan of Turkey also holding up Sweden’s membership, it seemed like Nato had some trouble ahead of the summit. But then things changed. On the eve of the summit, Erdogan said he was stopping his blocking of Sweden’s application, and during the summit, President Zelenskyy appeared to accept that even if membership was not forthcoming, the head of Nato was clear that it might come one day. But how might the war come to an end? And why can’t Ukraine join now, to deter Russia? In today’s episode, we put these questions to Emma Ashford, an expert on Russia and Europe at the foreign affairs think tank, The Stimson Centre. I spoke to her about Nato, the war, and how it might conclude.  

The story of the sinking of the Titan submersible dominated news headlines. Five people killed underwater. That same week, our international correspondent Paraic O’Brian was also reporting on people drowning at sea.  In a small port in Tunisia, 11 people died after their boat, full of asylum seekers and refugees, capsized on its way to Europe. One story, but it happens all the time.  It is an ongoing crisis in the Mediterranean, claiming lives every day, as the EU and other nations try to deter migration itself, wanting to avoid an influx in refugees. On today’s Fourcast, we talk to Foreign Correspondent Paraic O’Brien about his time in Tunisia on the frontline of this crisis, and what the reaction by politicians, as well as the lack of reaction from the public, tells us about how we view migration today. This episode includes distressing themes.    

This hasn’t been the greatest week for Russia President, Vladimir Putin in two decades of power in the Kremlin. A mutinous band of mercenaries, that he himself created, charged up towards Moscow, denouncing his war in Ukraine and seemingly meeting little resistance on the way. While he faced down Evgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner group, appearing to banish them to Belarus, it’s not all over for Putin. In this episode, Hubertus Jahn, professor of the history of Russia and the Caucasus at Cambridge University, explains how the “mafia boss” in the Kremlin has seen cracks forming in his enterprise - and explores what might be next for Russia and its leader.    

The Darién gap is a stretch of land between Colombia and Panama, an unavoidable section of the route from South America to Central America that thousands of migrants a week take, as they travel up to the Mexico / United States border.  It’s been called ‘hell on Earth’ because of its dense and dangerous jungle. There are no roads, just treacherous paths, rivers that can wash you away, vast swamps, steep mountains and deadly animals. And it’s lawless, with cartels and kidnappers taking advantage of the vulnerable migrants.  The fittest take days to cross, the feeble can table weeks and many do not make it at all.  And despite all of this, record numbers are still crossing. Our Latin America correspondent Guillermo Galdos travelled that most dangerous of human trails, and in today’s episode of The Fourcast, he speaks about his journey, the people he met along the way.  

In March this year, the owner of a hotel in the Leicestershire village of Kegworth signed an exclusive contract with the Home Office to use his hotel to house asylum seekers. But the local community has been starkly divided over the arrival of dozens of their new neighbours. While some are welcoming, the arrival has also drawn angry protests. In today's episode of The Fourcast, we speak to our Communities Editor, Darshna Soni, about how this town has become divided over immigration and whether the government’s mission to stop the boats is inflaming tensions - as Number 10 says it is trying to get a handle on net migration and its growing asylum backlog. This episode contains reference to suicide.  

This past week, the G7 - the group of the world’s richest democracies - gathered in Japan to discuss Ukraine, Russia, global affairs, and their increasing concerns about a rising power looking out at them from over the water: China. This was some of the sternest wording from the G7, and China dismissed it as a smear. But the West also doesn’t want to completely antagonise and cut off China, with the Australian Prime Minister saying lessons had to be learnt from history. So, are we entering a new Cold War, where conflict is avoided but tensions remain? Or are we not far off from a catastrophic war? On today’s episode, I speak to Graham Allison, a former member of Bill Clinton’s defence department and one of the preeminent national security voices in America. He speaks to me about his historical theory called Thucydides Trap, where throughout the past a rising power has often come to blows with an established one. Will China and America go the same way? Producer: Freya Pickford Sources: AP

For weeks now, the world has been waiting for Ukraine to launch their spring counter offensive against Russia. But how much longer will we wait? Or has it already begun? As the battle for Bakhmut rages on, Ukraine has made steady gains around that region - whilst Russian troops have retreated but stepped up strikes on the capital city, Kyiv, this month. President Zelenskyy has toured European capitals asking for more weapons, securing from Britain long-range attack drones and missiles. In today’s episode, I speak to our international editor Lindsey Hilsum about why the spring offensive might be slightly delayed, what Ukraine really wants from any advances, and the geopolitical factors at play that mean Ukraine has to strike soon or lose the momentum. Producer: Freya Pickford

Fentanyl is killing at least seventy thousand Americans a year. It’s a synthetic drug, it’s up to 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It’s also the biggest cause of death for Americans aged between 18 and 45: more than gun crime, more than road accidents. But where is that supply of Fentanyl to America coming from? And why are people taking it, when it’s so dangerous? And are there any solutions to this deadliest of epidemics? In today’s episode we speak to our Latin America correspondent, Guillermo Galdos, about the rare access he gained inside the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, where he witnessed the mass production of Fentanyl. We also hear from journalist Ben Westhoff, who has spent years investigating the world of synthetic drugs in America and he explains why this crisis will get worse - even reaching the UK, before it gets better. Producer: Freya Pickford

70 years on from the last Coronation, when Britain was still an empire and hardly anyone had a TV - what does Charles the Third’s crowning say about us today and the Britain of the future? We know that the British do this type of pomp and ceremony better than anyone else, it defines who we are. But is that true?  You may be told this is all ancient, but many of the royal ceremonies we witness are actually made-up rituals from the Victorian era used to legitimise the monarchy in modern British life. Today we speak to the historian, Sir David Cannadine, an expert on modern British history who sat on the coronation committee, about how we got to this place of flamboyant royal symbolism - and what this modern coronation tells us about where we are today. Sources: AP Producer: Freya Pickford

The US Vice President Kamala Harris recently went on tour to Tanzania, Ghana and Zambia. But she was not the only US official to visit the African continent recently: First Lady Jill Biden, the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen have all been in recent months. And they’re not alone either; Turkey and China’s Foreign Ministers made five-nation tours of Africa earlier this year. Russia’s Sergei Lavrov has also made several trips to the continent over the last few months. But why are countries courting African nations now? In today’s episode, we speak to our international editor, Lindsey Hilsum, about why the Ukraine war has intensified and accelerated a new scramble for Africa, and whether amidst all this jockeying for influence - the people on the continent once again get left behind?

Donald Trump has arguably done it all in his 76 years, and as president he’s secured a lot of firsts. But never has he been under arrest. The 45th president of the United States stands accused of falsifying business records in order to cover up payments he made to suppress news stories he believed would hinder his bid to become president in 2016. Trump pleaded not guilty and later left New York to fly back home to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, to deliver a defiant rally to his supporters. He was told by the judge to not do anything, yet he continues to rail against the system. In today’s episode we speak to presenter Matt Frei who has been in downtown Manhattan for the past few days, soaking up the history and scandal, and ask whether this is really the right first case to bring against the former president - and whether it may just embolden him even more. Producer: Freya Pickford Sources: AP

In Israel, a constitutional crisis has seen thousands take to the streets, fearing that their rights could be eroded, as the government plans to weaken the powers of the highest court in the land. Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu’s far-right coalition argues the Supreme Court is too powerful and they’re simply righting the wrongs of the system. Protesters say the overhaul would erode Israel’s proud democracy and lead them towards a dictatorship. After weeks of protests and pressure from all sides, Netanyahu finally backed down - but only slightly. He’s now paused the reforms ahead of the next session of parliament in a few weeks. In this episode, editor in chief of Haaretz Esther Solomon unpicks Israel’s biggest protests in decades - and wonders whether Netayanhu’s pause is a chance for his side to regroup of yet more battles to come.  

Rishi Sunak came into Downing Street back in October with a huge mess to clear up after the disaster of Liz Truss and her mini budget. After a week that has seen him secure his own Brexit Deal as, Boris Johnson struggled in front of a privileges committee over partygate, has he started to turn it around - can Rishi Sunak have what it takes to win the next election? In today's episode, Kiran Moodley speaks to our policy correspondent, Paul McNamara, about what Mr Sunak needs to do to win over the Red Wall - those Labour turned Tory voters from the last election - following an exclusive poll carried out by Channel 4 News and the polling company JL partners.  Sunak may have made Conservatives feel a bit more positive, but there’s still a long way to go before the next election, and is time on his side? Producer: Freya Pickford  

Three years ago this week, Boris Johnson announced a national lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus. But three years on, Covid and the impact of lockdowns continue to dominate our headlines.  This week, Boris Johnson faced a Commons inquiry on whether he misled parliament over the notorious lockdown parties, and just a few weeks ago, WhatsApp messages sent by Matt Hancock and others during the pandemic were leaked, with some claiming that they threw into question whether the government took the right path to control the pandemic. And there is still ongoing debate about whether this deadly virus began after a lab leak in China.  In today’s episode, Kiran Moodley speaks to Health and Social Care Editor Victoria Macdonald, as well Edinburgh University’s professor of Global Public Health Devi Sridhar, about whether the ongoing fallout and discussions around the pandemic have actually altered their views on what happened at the peak of the virus.  Sources: ITN, CNN  

Gary Linker and the BBC have been dominating the headlines after the Match of the Day host was asked to step back from presenting after tweeting out criticism of the government’s language around refugees. But what does this whole row mean for the BBC, and what does it say about the state of our media and its relationship to impartiality? In today’s podcast, we speak with Adam Boulton, formerly editor-at-large of Sky News, whether he thinks the BBC has an issue over impartiality.  

We were told to prepare for a “Winter of Discontent”, of strikes, rising prices, a coming recession with our economy set this year to shrink unlike all the rest. Even Russia was going to fare better than the UK. But it has not been as bad as once feared - so what is going on? In today’s episode, Business Reporter Neil Macdonald discusses the state of our economy ahead of next week’s budget and whether a slightly improved outlook means energy prices can remain low and strikes could even come to an end. Producer: Freya Pickford and Alice Wagstaffe 

China wants to be the superpower of the 21st century, but does it want to provoke war or play peacemaker? This week the country announced it was increasing military spending, and its newly installed foreign minister warned that if the US did not change course soon, there would be conflict. But China also recently published a 12-point plan for ending the conflict in Ukraine, despite not condemning Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian president Volodmyr Zelenskyy even said he would meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss the plans. So is this the moment where Beijing asserts itself on the world stage after being locked away during Zero Covid for so long?  In today’s episode, Kiran Moodley speaks to Rana Mitter, Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at the University of Oxford, about China’s growing frustration with Moscow and the likelihood of a new Cold War. Producers: Freya Pickford and Alice Wagstaffe

This week, Rishi Sunak agreed a new Brexit deal with the European Union: the Windsor framework.    Seven years after Britain voted in the referendum, is this the end of protocol conversation, trade deals, backstops, and late night votes? Does this mean we can finally all stop talking about Brexit? What exactly does the Windsor framework do? How is it different from before? And is this really the end of the Conservatives’ decades-long battle over its relationship with Europe?   In today's Fourcast, our political editor Gary Gibbon delves into the details, ponders what Sunak did that others could not, and whether the DUP’s official silence means this may not be over yet. Oh and also - what about Boris Johnson?   Producer: Freya Pickford and Alice Wagstaffe

Today marks one year since Russia began its latest invasion of Ukraine: one year since tanks rolled across the border, one year since missiles struck the capital and beyond, one year since the post Cold War world changed forever. Now, the expected defeat of Ukraine is clearly a long way off, but any sense of how this war might end feels equally far from reality - with Joe Biden this week reaffirming the West’s commitment to Ukraine’s fight for as long as it takes - while Vladimir Putin used his state of the nation speech to double down on his worldview. In today's Fourcast, our Europe editor Matt Frei speaks to us from Kyiv, the capital where he was last year when the first bombs fell, and where he was again this week to take in the latest, historic events in this 21st century conflict. Sources: AP  Producer: Freya Pickford and Alice Wagstaffe  

On Monday last week, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria. The WHO has called this the "worst natural disaster" in 100 years in its European region, and the death toll has now surpassed 35,000.  But that first quake was followed by a 6.7 magnitude aftershock 11 minutes later, while a 7.5 magnitude quake hit after 1pm. Three devastating earthquakes in nine hours. There are countless tales of remarkable survival, but many, many more of terrible loss, families torn apart or gone entirely. In today’s Fourcast, we speak to our two reporters on the scene, Emily Wither, and chief correspondent Alex Thomson, as they detail what they have seen, the stories they have told, and how on earth Turkey and war-torn Syria recover. Sources: AP Producer: Freya Pickford  

2022 was the deadliest year for the Israel-Palestine conflict in nearly two decades, and just a month after Israel’s most conservative, right-wing government was formed - fronted by Benjamin Netanyahu - violence between Palestinians and Israel has flared up once again.  Prime Minister Netanyahu has set out a raft of measures to crack down on Palestinians who attack Israelis, including making it easier for Israeli citizens to carry guns. In today’s episode we're joined by foreign correspondent, Secunder Kermani, who very recently returned from a trip to Israel and Palestine, where he spoke to people from both sides of this age-old conflict.  Secunder talks about what makes this new Israeli government ultra-conservative, how the conflict might develop and whether this might be the start of a third intifada.  Sources: AP Producer: Alice Wagstaffe and Freya Pickford  

Nearly a year after Putin invaded Ukraine, how might Western tanks change this war and should Nato countries go a step further and also supply Kyiv with fighter jets?  Moscow’s aggression has been roundly condemned by the West, but words have been plenty and military aid less forthcoming.  Having successfully fought back since the summer, now Ukraine wants to go on the offensive once more, and they need tanks to do it. In today’s Fourcast, our Europe editor Matt Frei discusses what western tanks mean for Ukraine, why countries like Germany have been so reluctant to send them and whether this is all too little too late ahead of a possible Russian offensive this spring. Producer: Alice Wagstaffe and Freya Pickford

Last year, Iran was rocked by some of the biggest protests the country has seen since the foundation of the Islamic Republic - as people were calling not just for women’s rights, but ultimately for regime change.  Yet how realistic is regime change in a nation where the crackdown against the protests has been brutal and where the leaders are unwilling to alter the theological and ideological basis of their power? In this week’s episode of the Fourcast, we speak to the head of middle eastern studies at the Royal United Services Institute, Dr Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi. She discusses whether the regime is weak right now and how worrying it is that as Iran becomes more ostracised from the west, it draws closer to Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Sources: AP, Al Jazeera Producer: Freya Pickford