The Week in Westminster

Caroline speaks to the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who is also Minister for Equalities and Women, about the tumultous week for Sir Keir Starmer as almost 100 Labour MPs called on him to go.
Claire Ainsley, who was policy director for Keir Starmer when he was in opposition and is now at the Progressive Policy Institute and Robert Colville, director of the centre right think tank, the Centre for Policy Studies assess whether Labour is doing enough to promote growth, in the week that the UK economy unexpectedly grew by 0.6% during the first three months of the year.
Conservative peer Matthew Elliott, who was the Chief Executive of the Vote Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum ten years ago and the Liberal Democrats’ Business spokesperson Sarah Olney debate whether Europe is once again becoming a defining issue in British politics after the prime minister vowed to put “Britain at the heart of Europe”.
And two long-term Westminster insiders discuss Labour's leadership challenge: the Labour peer, Ayesha Hazarika, who worked as an adviser to several senior Labour party politicians and LBC presenter and writer Iain Dale.

Radio 4's assessment of developments at Westminster

The appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador dominated Commons proceedings again this week. Isabel discusses where it leaves Sir Keir Starmer's authority with Labour MP Sarah Champion and Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin.
Isabel discusses the Golders Green attack where two Jewish men were stabbed with Labour peer, John Mann who has served as the UK government's Independent Adviser on Antisemitism since 2019.
Earlier this week, a report on the health of the nation was published showing a drop in the number of healthy years that British people can expect live to. Former Conservative health minister Steve Brine and Labour MP, Anna Dixon who used to work in health policy review the findings.
And, with local elections in England, the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly next week, Isabel brings together Conservative peer and political anaylst Robert Hayward and Sienna Rodgers, the deputy editor of The House Magazine for their predictions.

George Parker analyses the latest developments at Westminster.
To discuss the ongoing row over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador, and what it means for the Prime Minister's authority, George is joined by Labour MP, Preet Gill, and former Conservative Attorney General, Dominic Grieve.
This week the Assisted Dying Bill was finally laid to rest after it ran out of time in the House of Lords. To discuss whether the legislative campaign is over George speaks to one of the Bill's supporters, Green MP Ellie Chowns, and Ruth Fox, director of the Hansard Society.
The Commons and Lords were engaged in some parliamentary ping pong this week on the issue of banning social media for under 16s. Former Conservative Schools Minister, Lord Nash, debates with Labour MP, Helen Hayes, chair of the Education Select Committee.
And, as the Government announces that its new complaints system for upholding free speech in universities will come in to force later this year, George brings together former Conservative Cabinet minister, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, and Professor Alison Scott-Baumann of SOAS University of London.

The row over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador erupted again this week. Sonia discusses the issues raised over security clearance with Hannah White, Director of The Institute for Government and Caroline Slocock, a former civil servant who was private secretary to Margaret Thatcher and John Major.
Sonia discusses the impact on the UK economy of the war in Iran with Labour peer Stewart Wood, who is a former adviser to Gordon Brown and Chair of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee. And Rupert Harrison, who worked alongside George Osborne at the Treasury, and is now a senior adviser at the investment management company Pimco.
Earlier this week, the Prime Minister spoke of closer ties with the EU on food and other goods. To discuss this Sonia is joined by Labour MP Catherine West who is a former Foreign Office Minister and Reform UK MP Danny Kruger.
And, last month legislation was finally passed to remove the remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords. To reflect on their removal Sonia is joined by two hereditary peers: crossbencher Charles Courtenay, the 19th Earl of Devon and the Liberal Democrat Lord Thurso, who is also a former MP.