Ten years ago the sunshine state was mainly known for its outlandish stereotypes: swamps, gators, retirees, Disneyland all the time. But now power is shifting.

How did that state that was once the political joke of America become the nation’s centre of power?

Tom Gatti is joined by Gary Mormino author of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida, and New Statesman contributor Lily Lynch.

Read: Donald Trump's Florida project

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US investment already owns much of the British high street. Are "ignorant" politicians "selling the UK down the river"?

As Donald Trump announces new tariffs on trading partners around the world, Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe are joined by Angus Hanton, author of Vassal State, to explore how the UK economy is, in many ways, "in thrall" to the US.

They also discuss Trump's shock declaration of intent to "take over" the Gaza Strip. Later in the show they're joined by George Eaton to analyse Keir Starmer's great EU reset - and discuss whether the Prime Minister can please both Europe and the United States (spoiler: he can't).

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Andrew Marr is joined by the authors of Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer, Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire.

But while this is ostensibly the story of Starmer's Labour, who really runs the party behind the scenes?

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For some with epilepsy, valproate is the only medication which can control their seizures. But for decades women say they were not made aware of the risk this drug posed for their unborn children.

Today we know around 11% of the children born to women who take valproate during pregnancy have major congenital disorders. 30-40% experience other conditions including delays in early development, poor language skills, and lower intellectual abilities. There’s also an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder.

Restrictions on how the drug should be used have since been tightened. But this week on Insight we hear from neurologists who believe the system might have overcorrected as a result of this tragedy, causing more harm than good.

Kate Lamble is joined by Janet Williams, Hannah Barnes, and Dr Dominic Heaney.

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In 1989, following the shock resignation of the chancellor, Nigel Lawson, Margaret Thatcher sat down with veteran broadcaster, friend, and former Labour MP Brian Walden for a 45 minute interview. It was a disastrous encounter for Thatcher, that ultimately spelled the beginning of the end of her 10 years in power – a year later she resigned.

The story behind this is told by Rob Burley in his book Why is this Lying Bastard Lying to Me? Searching for the Truth on Political TV – which has now been adapted into a two part dramatisation, Brian and Maggie, starring Steve Coogan and Harriet Walter. The show raises bigger questions, too: why does the political interview matter? And how do you solve the riddle of Margaret Thatcher on screen?

Tom Gatti is joined by TV producer and editor Rob Burley, and the New Statesman’s TV critic - Rachel Cooke.

Read: Rachel Cooke's review

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Last week marked the end of the sanctioned 6 month whip removal of 7 Labour MPs who voted against the two-child benefit cap in July.

Andrew Marr is joined by one of them, John Mcdonnell MP for Hayes and Harlington to ask - what next?

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Rachel Reeves' latest growth speech has failed to convince one curious listener.

George Eaton and Rachel Cunliffe join Hannah Barnes for a special listener questions episode. They tackle your questions on Labour's latest intervention on growth, which George describes as an "attempt" at a vibe shift.

They also discuss whether Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have a charisma problem, as well as one listener who asks if the media should be giving the Liberal Democrats more attention.

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Last year Scunthorpe’s two blast furnaces Queen Anne and Queen Bess became the last remaining primary steelmaking facility in the UK. However there were reports that those facilities were soon to be mothballed - 2,500 jobs lost before Christmas. 

Despite those reports, smoke is still rising from the Scunthorpe Steelworks and talks about its future are continuing between Jingye - the Chinese company which owns the plant - and the government.

But what is the government's plan for the future of British steel? How reliant are we on offshore production? And how did Scunthorpe come to own the latest poltical football?

Kate Lamble is joined by Megan Kenyon and Sam Alvis, as well as Ben Houchen, Nic Dakin, Tony Gosling, Andrea Jenkyns and Martin Foster.

Read: The cost of net zero in the town that steel built

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In 1966, to the chagrin of his fans and the folk music community, Bob Dylan went electric. The five years leading up to this moment is the focus of A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic from James Mangold.

This indignation came at a time where folk was the language of protest, from the civil rights movement to the Vietnam war, but when did folk get left behind? What was Dylan’s lasting effect on the protest song?

Tom Gatti is joined by Kate Mossman, senior writer at the New Statesman, and Dorian Lynskey, writer and author of 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs.

You can read more from Kate and Dorian on newstatesman.com.

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Freddie Hayward joins from Washington DC to answer listener questions on the new Trump administration.

Following his inauguration on Monday January 20, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders to implement new policy or reverse work done by the Biden administration.

Listeners have asked what the US president's actions will mean for Britain.

Freddie joins Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes to answer your questions.

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📚 READ: Trump's techno-futurist inaugural address

https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2025/01/donald-trump-inauguration-techno-futurist-elites

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