Just over four weeks to go until election day and the big parties are publishing their manifestos this week. Labour is pledging to create more nurseries and build more prisons, the Conservatives are promising more coppers, and the Liberal Democrats whose manifesto is out today, a health rescue package. But discerning voters want to know how they’ll stump up the cash and what that will mean for their wallets. The three Ps - pledges, payment plans and polling will be key over the next few days. And will the dark clouds of Sunak’s D Day speedy departure clear away or hang around?
Manifesting manifestos is the focus for The Election Newscast team. Laura is joined by Faisal Islam and James Cook, talking about cash and how sums add up... or not. They’re also asking why the SNP didn’t mention Scottish independence in Friday's debate. Clue - it’s probably down to one of the three Ps above. Nevermind politics, that other big P - pollen, a small nugget on why your hay fever is so bad right now. Pass me the eye drops.
The News Agents chew over the PM’s Normandy misstep and ask if it’s terminal for the PM? They’re also bringing us the views from voters in the North West. Lewis is in Leigh and Altrincham in Greater Manchester. Why are Farage fans there backing him? Illuminating conversations and views, uncomfortable to hear.
There’s a lot of arguing over whether things are getting better or worse - what’s the reality? Ed Balls and George Osborne are answering questions on Political Currency. Plus food fights - after Farage’s milkshaking, Ed reflects on Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott’s 2001 egging which resulted in a punch (from Prescott).
Insights from economist and activist Gary Stevenson on Pod Save the UK about how to fix inequality. Tax the rich - that’s the only power you have, says Gary. But how might it work? And, how did the UK’s water companies get into such a mess? Cat Hobbs from We Own It explains how privatisation has failed and why she says we need public ownership.
Part two of The Rest is Politics interview with former Labour minister David Blunkett, now Lord Blunkett, is out . One of those politicians, whatever your politics, who has left a mark and who has never let being blind hold him back.
The 650 challenge! Political Party continues its mission to interview a candidate from every constituency. Another couple of episodes are out over the last few days. One guest is young Conservative candidate Simon Phipps from Birmingham Selly Oak - held by Labour for yonks... how does he rate his chances? Cadbury World is in his constituency - we all might be reaching for the chocs soon..
Politics Without the Boring Bits’ Matt Chorley talks to The Rest is History co-host Dominic Sandbrook about how this election campaign compares to those over the last half century. First July election since 1945 - where would he place this campaign, thus far, in the league table of elections?
Far-right parties strengthened their majority in the European Parliament leading to the French President Macron calling snap elections. One of the smartest journalists and historians on the shifting political landscape in Europe and America and the consequences, is Anne Applebaum. She joins the FT’s economics commentator Martin Wolf in his series Democracy’s Year of Peril in FT News Briefing.
From Our Own Correspondent has a report from Mexico on the historical win for President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum. One supporter says this is “for the women who are no longer with us and those who are still fighting.” Sheinbaum is the first woman and first Jewish person to lead the country. There are dispatches from India and South Africa too.
And now for something completely different
The Week Unwrapped brings us a fascinating update to a story that you might have missed. Back in September, one of the most isolated societies in the world, The Marubo people, who live in the Amazon rainforest, got the internet (thanks to Elon Musk’s Starlink). The New York Times has now published their findings of what nine months of being online has done. Does the tribe want to keep the internet? Fascinating.
Thanks for reading,
