With the Conservatives on to their fifth prime minister in just six years, we talk to the political scientist and author Brian Klaas about the leadership problem in politics: why the top jobs attract the worst people; why it was a good thing that Truss was able to fail so quickly; and what we need to do to defend democracy.   If you have a question for You Ask Us, go to newstatesman.com/youaskus   Read more: Brian Klaas on why we choose the wrong leaders 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to get better leaders – with Brian Klaas

Politics and ideas from Britain's leading progressive political magazine.
Mondays: leading thinkers illuminate the ideas shaping the world, from politics to culture.
Thursdays: host Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Statesman politics team to help you understand the week in politics, in Westminster and beyond. Featuring Andrew Marr, Rachel Cunliffe, Freddie Hayward and more.
Saturdays: the New Statesman team answer your questions in "You Ask Us".
--
Send us a question: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Become a New Statesman subscriber: https://www.newstatesman.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News & Politics

News

Politics

People up and down the country have been struggling to get NHS dental appointments for the past few years, forcing some to pay inflated prices for private treatment, or ignore their oral health until it’s reached an unbearable point. This crisis is also greatly impacting children across the nation, and today the number one reason children are admitted to hospital is due to severe dental issues.
So how did we get here? Why is the UK faced with Dickensian rot in 2024?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined by policy correspondent Harry Clarke-Ezzidio, and senior associate editor, Sarah Dawood. 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decaying Britain: how severe is the NHS dental crisis?

Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, is being accused of being a ‘tax avoider’. While these attacks are coming predominantly from the right, they’ve been mounting in recent weeks and now Labour is having to confront the allegations.
So what could this mean for the deputy leader? Is Labour in trouble? Or is this a Tory smear campaign?
Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor at the New Statesman, is joined in the studio by political correspondent Freddie Hayward; this episode was recorded on Thursday 11th April.
Read the pieces mentioned in this podcast: Is Angela Rayner in danger?; What Dominic Raab missed about Angela Rayner at Glyndebourne; I looked into Angela Rayner’s tax affairs – here’s what I found Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Angela Rayner investigation: scandal or smear campaign?

We’ve been digging around in our virtual mailbag and have brought a couple of your questions  to discuss. 
One listener asks: What are the political implications of the Cass report and will it affect how British politicians approach the transgender conversation?
And another listener writes in to ask: Could a Starmer win in the UK and a Trump win in the US spell the end for the ‘special relationship’?
Ask a question for a future podcast: www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us
Read Andrew Marr's piece: Inside Labour’s foreign policy factory

 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will the gender care report affect politics?

The British royal family was in crisis even before Queen Elizabeth II died, and the new King and princess of wales both became ill with cancer.
In this modern age where access increasingly equates to relevance, and truth and conspiracy so often intertwine, how is Britain’s relationship with monarchy changing? 
Chris Stone is joined on the New Statesman podcast by author Tanya Gold who has written this week's cover story: The Fragile Crown. 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Britain addicted to monarchy?

It's listener questions time! 
Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe answer a listener who asks why senior politicians flock to address culture wars issues "which are frankly below their station", and another who wants to know if MPs who are also landlords should recuse themselves from voting on laws affecting renters.
Submit a question for us to answer on a future episode: www.newstatesman.com/youaskus
Listen to our previous episode on leasehold reform with Barry Gardiner MP: https://pod.fo/e/22360d
Sign up to receive Morning Call, our daily politics newsletter: https://substack.com/morningcall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to get better leaders – with Brian Klaas

Download our free app to listen on your phone