Boris Johnson has published the long-awaited opening gambit for talks on Britain’s future relationship with the EU - and Number 10 are trying to make it clear they can take it or leave it on that big ambitious trade deal. 

But is the PM really serious about walking away from the talks if there’s no progress by June - even if it means a big upheaval for business? Has he gone back on his promises to Brussels or does the thumping election majority since it was signed change the game? Is there any room for manoeuvre - or is Britain heading back into what we once called no-deal territory in the long-forgotten days of 2019? 

PolHome’s Kevin Schofield and Matt Honeycombe-Foster are joined once again by top Brexit expert Laura Hutchinson of Dods Monitoring as we map the battle lines in this latest trade war.

PLUS: We get stuck into the latest developments in the very, very long Labour leadership race - and Kevin claims he has to go a ‘lobby briefing’ to avoid revealing his karaoke faves.

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Our weekly podcast from Politics Home discussing all the ups and downs in Westminster. Please subscribe and share - and keep up with all the latest news on PoliticsHome.com. Got a question for the team? news@politicshome.com.

News

PoliticsHome editor Adam Payne and reporter Nadine Batchelor-Hunt take stock of the first week of the general election campaign, plus broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth and journalist Seb Whale join Alain Tolhurst to discuss their books on the secrets of the Whips' Office.


Sign up to The House's new Friday newsletter from Sienna Rogers rounding up the best of the week’s election campaigns here. 
Gyles Brandreth’s republished memoir Breaking the Code is available here.
Pre-order Seb Whale’s new book The Unusual Channels here.


Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver.



Whips' secrets || On the campaign trail

Conservative MPs Stephen Hammond and Henry Smith, both of whom have decided not to run for their seats again at the general election, reflect on why they have called it quits on the Commons, and offer some advice for candidates vying to replace them.


Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

MPs bid farewell

Michael Crick, who runs the @tomorrowsMPs Twitter and three prospective parliamentary candidates – Khobi Patterson-Vallis, Conservative candidate for Brighton; Josh Babarinde, Lib Dem candidate for Eastbourne; and Roz Savage, Lib Dems candidate for South Cotswolds, join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to discuss the secretive process behind who gets to be an MP, and why anyone would want to take on the job. 


Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Why be an MP?

Conservative MP Mark Garnier, director of research at Labour Together Christabel Cooper, and professor of politics at Queen Mary University Tim Bale join PoliticsHome's Alain Tolhurst to assess the fallout from the local elections which saw huge losses for the Tories across England including the West Midlands mayoralty and a host of bellwether councils. Plus this week’s surprise defection from the Tories to Labour by the MP Natalie Elphicke.


Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

Local wipeout

Alex Thomas, programme director at the Institute for Government, Dr Michelle Clement, researcher in residence at Number 10, and Hugh Bennett, a former Downing Street special adviser, join Alain Tolhurst from PoliticsHome to talk about the problem at the centre of our politics, with Prime Ministers unable to deliver on their ambitions, and whether the three most powerful departments; Number 10, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, are wrongly configured.


Presented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot, edited by Laura Silver

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