Talking Politics

Andy Burnham is on track to become Britain’s next prime minister, but we don’t yet know who he’ll pick as chancellor.Could it be Ed Miliband, or would he spook the markets? Perhaps Yvette Cooper is a safe pair of hands, or could Wes Streeting get the keys to Number 11 despite his “brazen disloyalty” to his last boss?On this week’s Talking Politics, Tom and Robert ask what a Burnham government could look like, and break down what his major policy changes could be.Plus, Peston gives his advice to the next PM on welfare, defence and the pension triple lock.Contains mild language.

Andy Burnham’s big Makerfield by-election victory is set to reshape British politics as we know it.So what happens next? In this special Talking Politics episode, Tom Bradby and Robert Peston are joined by Election Analyst Professor Jane Green from Nuffield College, University of Oxford, to answer the key questions. Is Britain now waking up to a new prime minister? What does the Labour vote share in Makerfield tell us about potential voting in a General Election? Would Andy Burnham definitely perform better than Sir Keir Starmer? Could he call a General Election once he's prime minister? What does it mean for Reform’s chances at a national level? Are the Conservatives still in the picture? And is electoral reform now inevitable?

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced he will allow the US to use British bases for 'defensive' strikes on Iranian missile sites, but says the UK government 'will not join offensive action now'.Donald Trump says he’s ’very disappointed’ in Starmer and condemned the delay in making that decision.So is the UK at war with Iran and what does it mean for the UK-US special relationship?On this episode of Talking Politics Robert speaks to Julie Etchingham who is in Erbil, northern Iraq, about the escalating war in the Middle East and what it means for Starmer.

In a week that started with Peter Mandelson's arrest, and will end with a crucial by-election for the PM, Tom and Robert discuss whether Mandelson's arrest will prove terminal for Starmer.They unpack why Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle warned the Met that Mandelson was a flight risk - triggering his arrest.The former Business Secretary denies any wrongdoing, and says his overriding priority is to cooperate with the police investigation and clear his name.But will Mandelson's arrest define the PM's premiership?Tom and Robert discuss what could happen in this week's by-election in Gorton and Denton and how it could be the most important result of the PM's career.--Full list of candidates in the Gorton and Denton by-electionNick Buckley – Advance UKCharlotte Cadden – ConservativesDan Clarke – Libertarian PartyMatt Goodwin – Reform UKSir Oink A Lot – The Official Monster Raving Looney PartyJoseph O’Meachair – Rejoin EUSebastian Moore – Social Democratic PartyJacqueline Pearcey – Liberal DemocratsHannah Spencer – Green PartyAngeliki Stogia – Labour PartyHugo Wils – Communist League