Political Fix

Boris Johnson is facing three inquiries into the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat. Why hasn't the prime minister offered a clear explanation of what happened? Will he face sanctions and will it have an impact on the Conservatives in next week's local elections? Plus, we discuss the departure of Arlene Foster as Northern Ireland's first minister and who might replace her as DUP leader. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with George Parker, Robert Shrimsley and Laura Noonan, plus special guest Sam McBride of Belfast News Letter. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner.

Review clips: Parliament, Downing Street, DUP

Read more:

-Team Johnson needs some levelling up

-Westminster redecorating could tarnish Johnson’s carefree image

-Boris Johnson commits to probe into ‘cash for curtains’ saga

-Main players emerge in UK’s ‘cash for curtains’ saga

-Poll tracker: how will the SNP fare in Scotland’s May elections?

-Labour’s lost heartlands. Can it win them back?

-Foster’s departure leaves Northern Ireland braced for more division

-Arlene Foster to step down as Northern Ireland first minister

-Brussels warns Britain on Northern Ireland as MEPs vote on trade deal

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne, @George Parker and @Robert Shrimsley

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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has accused the prime minister of sleaze after allegations that friends can text him seeking special treatment. Is lobbying worse today? Plus, we discuss the collapse of the plan by big football clubs to form a European Super League, and whether politicians should get more involved in the regulation of the game. Presented by George Parker, with Robert Shrimsley, Helen Thomas, Murad Ahmed and special guest Steve Parish, chair of Crystal Palace Football Club. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner. Review clips: Parliament TV, News pool, Arsenal press office

Read more on FT.com:

-Boris Johnson is not the man to clean up British public life

-Dyson texts seem low-level sleaze but still raise lobbying questions

-Closing the ‘revolving door’ would weaken government further

-Dyson moves residency back to UK as text dispute refuses to die down

-‘It was utter chaos’: the inside story of football’s Super League own goal

-Super League would break football’s essential promise

-Super League: European politicians give US sports model a good kicking

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Britain’s vaccination programme suffered a setback this week over the use of the AstraZeneca jab — the workhorse of the UK immunisation effort — among younger people. How will new guidance for under-30s affect the vaccine rollout and the bounce it has given Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the polls? Plus, what's behind Northern Ireland's most violent disturbances in recent years? Presented by George Parker with Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe, Clive Cookson and Peter Foster together with special guest Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair's chief negotiator ahead of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Liam Nolan. Review clips: Department of Health, UK news pool, BBC.

Read more:

-AstraZeneca vaccine guidance leaves UK facing challenges over supply and hesitancy

-Experts back UK age limit for rollout of AstraZeneca vaccine

-Pragmatism must triumph over politics in Northern Ireland

-London and Dublin call for calm after fresh riots in Northern Ireland

-Brexit ignites the debate about a united Ireland

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne and @George Parker

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Relations between Britain and the rest of Europe thawed this week, after the EU had threatened an export ban on vaccines. Will the UK have enough jabs to complete its second round of doses? And what does it say about broader post-Brexit UK-EU relations? Plus, we discuss the row over Union Jacks and whether more overt signs of patriotism are becoming a new part of British culture. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with George Parker, Sam Fleming, Robert Shrimsley and special guest Salma Shah. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Liam Nolan.

Review clips: European Union, Parliament TV, BBC Breakfast

Read more:

-UK and EU move to calm tensions over access to jabs

-Vaccine-friendly Britons puzzled by AstraZeneca jab’s EU troubles

-Johnson lobbies EU leaders in bid to avert vaccine export blocks

-Boris Johnson preys on Labour’s self-doubt in flag row

-Labour’s difficult choices to regain its northern heartlands

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne, @George Parker and @Robert Shrimsley

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The UK encountered the first bumps in its vaccine roll out programme, as the government warned supplies of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab would drop significantly in April. Why? How will this affect the lockdown easing? What caused this shortfall and how does it play into Europe's issues with the vaccine? Plus, we discuss whether policing in the UK requires fundamental reform, following the Met’s handling of a vigil in London’s Clapham Common last weekend. Do current laws offer enough protection for women? Presented by Sebastian Payne, with Sarah Neville, Clive Cookson, Robert Shrimsley and Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Liam Nolan.

Review clips: 10 Downing Street, European Commission, UK Parliament

Read more:

-EU threat to vaccine exports exposes mutual risks to global supply chain

-Coronavirus tracker: the latest figures as countries fight the Covid-19 resurgence

-Johnson urges EU to step back from coronavirus vaccine war

-Retesting 1.7m vaccines and Indian delay blamed for UK shortage

-NHS warns of ‘significant reduction’ in vaccine supplies

-The police must learn to listen to women

-Boris Johnson must make the security of women a national priority

-Met faces its MeToo moment with anger over attitude of officers

-Priti Patel insists new laws will protect women

-Freeing women from the constant fear of violence

-Fury at Everard murder spurs pledge to tackle violence against women

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne, @George Parker and @Robert Shrimsley

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The explosive TV interview the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave this week raised major questions about the future of the monarchy, as well as tricky issues for Downing Street on how to handle the accusations of racism. We explore the constitutional relationship and how politics are divided. Plus, we look ahead to the Integrated Review next week into the UK's foreign and defence policy and what it will say about global Britain. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with Robert Shrimsley, Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe, George Parker and special guest Catherine Haddon from the Institute for Government think-tank. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Aimee Keane.

Review clips: CBS/Harpo Productions, BBC News, Downing Street 

Read more:

-From fairy tale to culture war: Britain gripped by royal race row

-Royal rift marks a tragic missed opportunity

-Like all firms, the royal family must learn to listen on diversity

-The ‘invisible’ pact binding the UK royals and their tabloid tormentors

-Royals nearly drove me to suicide, Meghan Markle tells Oprah Winfrey

-Britain’s royal family must downsize if it wants to survive

-Johnson set to unnerve allies with ‘Global Britain’ defence review

-UK’s policy towards China is riddled with contradictions

-Boris Johnson takes passage to India to support ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’

-Squandering trust is no route to a ‘Global Britain’

-EU capitals weigh tougher response to UK’s Brexit ‘provocations’

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne and @George Parker

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Chancellor Rishi Sunak presented his second Budget this week, tearing up Conservative economic orthodoxy with billions of pounds of spending and tax rises. What state are the UK's public finances in? And will he actually go ahead with planned spending cuts? Plus, we examine the 'levelling up' pledges and whether they go far enough to help rebalance the needs of the economy with those of the north of England. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with George Parker, Chris Giles, Andy Bounds and special guest Diane Coyle. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Aimee Keane. Review clips: Parliament TV, Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Read more on FT.com:

-Relocating UK’s civil service is crucial to Johnson’s levelling-up agenda

-Johnson under pressure to publish ‘levelling-up’ fund criteria

-Rishi Sunak prepares the ground for Tory election strategy

-Rishi Sunak’s un-Tory Budget confounds assumptions once again

-The Budget, your money and how to prepare for what comes next

-Sunak’s tax freezes are not as harmless as they seem

-The UK’s ‘new Tory’ economics are different but insufficient

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne and @George Parker

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Rishi Sunak will deliver his second Budget next week, where the chancellor will set out a mission to put the UK's public finances on a sounder footing. Will he reveal rises in spending, tax or both? Plus, we discuss Alex Salmond's select committee appearance on Friday and whether the former Scottish first minister's testimony is a threat to his successor Nicola Sturgeon. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with George Parker, Mure Dickie, Robert Shrimsley and special guest Gemma Tetlow. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Aimee Keane.

Review clips: Parliament TV, Scottish Parliament

-After the pandemic: Sunak signals the UK’s return to fiscal conservatism

-Levelling up tests Johnson’s ‘Heineken’ credentials

-Salmond accuses Sturgeon of presiding over ‘failures of leadership’

-SNP feud threatens its Scottish independence hopes

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne and @George Parker

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Boris Johnson made it clear this week that he will not rush into easing the nationwide lockdown - what will the UK prime minister set out in his road map next week? Will schools return and when will further measures be eased? Plus, we discuss the surprise appointment of Lord David Frost to Johnson's cabinet and what it says about relations with the EU and the next ministerial reshuffle. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with Sarah Neville, Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe, George Parker and Robert Shrimsley. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Josh de la Mare. The sound engineer was Breen Turner and the editor Liam Nolan.

Review clips: Downing Street, Parliament TV

Further reading:

-Diplomats and business express caution over Frost cabinet role

-The equivalence tussle is giving UK a lesson in Brexit power politics

-Johnson puts final touches to cautious easing of English lockdown

-Covid infections dropping fast across England, study shows

-Read the latest on UK politics

-Follow @Seb Payne and @George Parker

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