Howlin retires, Budget run-in, Starmer pours water on reunification

Cormac McQuinn and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan to look at the week in politics:

If past years are anything to go by, most of the Budget 2024 measures will have been leaked by next Tuesday. The fact they haven't yet been shows how difficult negotiations are this year, with Ministers competing for cash to spend on pet projects.

Labour TD for Wexford Brendan Howlin announced he will retire at the next election. We look back on the former party leader and minister for public expenditure's long career.

UK Labour leader Keir Starmer cast doubt on the prospect of a vote on reunification, should he succeed in becoming Prime Minister.

Plus our panellists pick their favourite Irish Times journalism from this week:

Finn McRedmond isn’t into a proposed National Women’s Museum.

Martin Wall reports from Washington on the dramatic ouster of Kevin McCarthy.

Mark Paul on Rishi Sunak’ attempt to portray himself as a change-maker after his party’s 13-year reign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.