With Frank and Jim absent this week, the dream team of Jo Phillips and Kevin Johnson takes the reigns on the Downtown in Business Politics podcast for this episode.

Up for discussion this week is the BBC's latest crisis, Deputy Prime Minsister David Lammy's PMQ's appearance, Rachel Reeves' pre budget scene setter speech and are there any point in COPs?

This is the latest Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

Read Jo Phillip's latest blog - And So It Begins...

Britain's got a racism problem. It's not creeping back, it's marching flag in hand, and far too many in public life are either turning a blind eye or quietly egging it on.

Frank, Jim, Jo and Kevin discuss the country's racism problem, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the Chancellor's housing issue, and reflect on Kemi Badenoch's one year as leader of the Tories.

Read Jim Hancock's latest blog - Put up income tax and be done with it!

This week, Lucy Powell was elected as the new deputy leader of the Labour Party, there was a big investment summit that took place in Birmingham, and Sarah Pochin, the Reform MP in Runcorn, got herself into some difficulties over some unfortunate comments.

We will be discussing all that and more on this week’s episode of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

It’s coming up to the first anniversary of Donald Trump 2.0, there is certainly much to talk about and who better to catch up with what is happening across the pond in the United States than our man Martin Liptrot.

This is a special edition of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

Read Martin's Blog HERE

The government has continued to find itself embroiled in a row over Chinese spies, the West Midlands Police have banned Tel Aviv supporters from an Aston Villa European game. And the Green Party's Zack Polanski has impressed.

In this week's podcast we also do a special Question Time.

This is the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

A peace deal for the Middle East. Kemi Badenoch's maiden speech as Leader to the Conservative Party. Potential problems for Labour with a China crisis and a deputy leadership contest, which seems to be getting a little bit spicy.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

For more information about DIB's Change Makers Live Summit in Birmingham, visit https://downtowninbusiness.com/events/change-makers-live-summit-2025-birmingham/

The Conservative Party gets together for its conference in Manchester this week and Kemi Badenoch finds herself less than a year into the job, fighting to retain the leadership of the Tory party. Can she survive?

Indeed, can she ensure that the Conservative Party doesn't die a death as it faces extinction at the hands of the Reform Party?

We also talk about international affairs. Donald Trump's proposed peace plan, crisis in France and elections in Moldova and the Czech Republic.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

For more information about DIB's Change Makers Live Summit in Birmingham, visit https://downtowninbusiness.com/events/change-makers-live-summit-2025-birmingham/

This week it was the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, and it was badged as the conference that was make or break for Keir Starmer.

Well, the Prime Minister delivered, what does that mean for the future of the government, the future of the party and the future of Andy Burnham?

Welcome to the latest episode of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

Read Jim's latest blog at: downtowninbusiness.com/blogs/2025/10/01/the-dangers-of-overreaching

Donald Trump's state visit, the Labour Party's deputy leadership contest, a Liberal Democrat conference and the meltdown of ‘Your Party.’ 

Plus the latest developments in the Middle East and the recognition by the UK of a Palestinian state.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

In the episode 111 of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast, Jim Hancock and Jo Phillips discuss the future of the Prime Minister, the defection of another Conservative MP to Reform and look ahead to Donald Trump's state visit.

This is the latest episode of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

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