Breaking political news kicks off Political Business’ first podcast of 2026 as Kemi Badenoch sacks Robert Jenrick from the Conservative shadow cabinet, amid claims he was planning a defection to Reform UK.

In this episode, Nathan Parsad-Wyatt and Kevin McKeever unpack:

Why Jenrick was seen as a leadership threat to Badenoch

Whether Reform UK benefits from ex-Tory defectors

The political theatre behind the timing of the sacking

What this tells us about the state of the Conservative Party

The conversation then turns to Labour’s growing leadership anxiety, with MPs increasingly talking about a post-Keir Starmer era. We explore:

Why Starmer’s authority appears to be fading

Wes Streeting’s leadership positioning

The significance of the Progress anniversary dinner

Whether Labour has a clear vision beyond cost-of-living messaging

Finally, we assess what the Labour government is actually delivering in early 2026, including:

New economic growth figures

The Northern Powerhouse Rail recommitment

Infrastructure, cost of living and the road to the May elections

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