Boris Johnson’s ‘moonshot’ coronavirus ambition began to look divorced from the reality of worrying testing shortages as more areas were put into local lockdowns. The prime minister also had to contend with a Tory Brexit rebellion and more resignations from his government. Is Johnson losing control of the two biggest issues of our times? Tory MP Paul Howell joined Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to make sense of the week in Westminster, and look ahead to the imminent Budget and what it could mean for left behind communities.  Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.

Commons People

219: Do Voters Still Want To Push Cummings Off A Cliff? With Tory MP Paul Howell

As Britain saw a worrying resurgence of coronavirus cases, Boris Johnson returned to the country’s living room with a briefing with new restrictions.  Also returning is Brexit, with the government admitting that they’re planning on breaking international law. Are we witnessing the prime minister repeat his mistakes with both Brexit and the pandemic? Joining Arj Singh and Paul Waugh, Anand Menon from UK In A Changing Europe and Tory MP Andy Carter take a look at the week in Westminster. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

218: Is History Repeating With Brexit And Coronavirus?

Parliament returned from summer recess but it has been anything but a calm and relaxing summer holiday as the fallout from the exam results fiasco and many, many more U-turns from the government left Boris Johnson and the Tories sinking in the polls to the dismay of the party’s MPs. HuffPost UK’s Arj Singh and Paul Waugh are joined by shadow education minister Emma Hardy to make sense of what’s gone wrong and whether the fallout will have any lasting effect. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening.

217: A Summer To Forget For Boris Johnson, But Will He Be Marked Down For It? With Emma Hardy MP

This week, Black Ballad is guest-editing HuffPost UK with a series by Black women on parenting, family, and our post-Covid future. In this special episode of Commons People, Arj Singh speaks with HuffPost UK's Nadine White, Black Ballad’s head of editorial, Jendella Benson and co-founder of the Five Times More campaign, Tinuke Awe to talk about the takeover and what Black Ballad's landmark motherhood survey shows about health inequality in Britain. To find out more, follow the link (https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/black-ballad-huffpost-uk-takeover_uk_5f2d2b9ec5b6b9cff7f07be2) to see all of the features and articles written over the past week.

216: Black Ballad Takeover: The Health Inequalities For Black British People

No chance for parliament to wind down to summer recess as the intelligence and security committee published the long-awaited Russia report, which detailed how the government and intelligence agencies took their “eye off the ball” with regards to Russian meddling in British politics. Will Boris Johnson take heed of the warnings? Alongside Russia, the government also has to contend with Chinese relations following the visit of US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Has Dominic Raab found himself in the middle of a feud between the global superpowers and how much of a threat is Beijing? Conservative MP and chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee Tom Tugendhat joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to unpack a big week for national security. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

215: Why Did MI5 And The Government Fail To Act On Russia? With Tom Tugendhat MP

Security and foreign affairs was thrust to the forefront this week as Boris Johnson U-turned on Huawei’s involvement in UK 5G infrastructure. The change in tone to China was quickly followed by a very British coup as Julian Lewis stole the chair of the intelligence and security committee from No.10’s favoured Chris Grayling and prepared to publish the long-awaited report on Russian interference. Dominic Raab then revealed that Russian actors tried to influence December’s general election. Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss Russia, China, why BAME people with coronavirus should not be stigmatised and Keir Starmer’s first 100 days as Labour leader. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

214: Grayling Fails As Russia Threat Looms Large, With Lisa Nandy MP

Rishi Sunak this week delivered a £30bn mini-budget designed to save jobs from the deep recession caused by coronavirus. The chancellor again came forward with radical state intervention proposals while keeping backbench Tory MPs eager for low tax, small state economics happy. But were the plans radical enough? Labour peer and Gordon Brown’s former adviser Stewart Wood goes through details with Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth, with an eye on what Labour leader Keir Starmer can do to regain the public’s faith on the economy, including the controversial idea of a wealth tax. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

213: Should Labour Back A Wealth Tax? With Stewart Wood

Boris Johnson tried to reset the agenda on his premiership this week ahead of the lockdown all but lifting, setting out a “new deal” in the mould of Franklin D Roosevelt to get Britain to flourish once more following the coronavirus pandemic. But was he bold enough during the crisis itself? While Johnson was taking to the stage, a local flare up of cases in Leicester, China’s moves on Hong Kong and Donald Trump’s hoarding of coronavirus drugs showed just how gargantuan his task may be. Tory former minister and founder of the Big Tent Ideas Festival, George Freeman takes a look with Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

212: Will Boris Johnson’s Big Reset Work? With George Freeman MP

After three months, Britain’s lockdown is coming to an end after Boris Johnson announced the openings of pubs, restaurants and other venues from July 4. But is it a risk? And what about those, particularly in the arts, that are still not yet allowed to fully reopen? Recorded before Rebecca Long-Bailey’s sacking, Labour’s shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss the lockdown easing and what it could mean for the country next, as well as whether Robert Jenrick can remain in position following his controversial intervention in a planning decision involving Tory donor Richard Desmond. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

211: Why Is Boris Johnson Hanging On To Robert Jenrick? With Jo Stevens MP

While Boris Johnson was discussing the boarding up of Churchill’s statue, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford was campaigning for free school meals over the summer. Rashford’s open letter to the government saw a U-turn within 48 hours. With schools reopening also causing consternation, it hints at a government unsure of which way to turn. Conservative MP Robert Halfon joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to discuss whether the government needs to pay more attention to its own backbenchers instead of treating them as an inconvenience. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

210: Has The Government Taken Its Eye Off The Ball? With Robert Halfon MP

George Floyd’s death continued to reverberate around the world this week, with protests in Bristol leading to the tearing down of Edward Colston’s statue due to his links to the slave trade. Is Britain finally facing up to the systemic racism present in the country? One person not facing up to his failings is Boris Johnson, as the government continues to ignore calls to say mistakes were made in the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Joining Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth, Lib Dem leadership candidate Layla Moran.  Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

209: A Week Of Lessons Learned? With Layla Moran MP

Coronavirus news took a backseat as the protests against racial injustice fanned across the world following George Floyd’s death in custody of Minneapolis police. Britain too had tough questions to answer as a report detailing the disproportionate effects of coronavirus on Black and minority ethnic (BAME) people was published. Conservative MP Bim Afolami joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth as they discuss the BAME report, whether Boris Johnson has been strong enough in his response to Donald Trump’s actions and whether the government is still following the science on Covid-19.  Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

208: America’s Racial Injustice Highlights Britain’s Own, with Bim Afolami

The government has announced its new test and trace system as well as easing some lockdown restrictions but the only news people are talking about is Dominic Cummings and his lockdown eye test. Boris Johnson has staked a lot on sticking by his adviser, but is the Vote Leave guru worth the price? Joining Arj Singh and Paul Waugh, former Tory special adviser Salma Shah and former Labour adviser Matthew McGregor discuss whether the Cummings affair will damage the party’s image permanently, and explore Keir Starmer’s response to the scandal. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

207: Is Dominic Cummings Worth This Much To Boris Johnson?

Nicola Sturgeon has now laid out Scotland’s lockdown exit strategy, a week after breaking with Boris Johnson and opposing the easing of restrictions that happened in England. Many think the Scottish first minister has handled the pandemic response better than the UK PM, but does it hold up under scrutiny? Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to talk about how Scotland is faring during the pandemic, as well as where Keir Starmer’s focus in the week it was revealed this year’s Labour conference has been cancelled. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

206: Is Nicola Sturgeon’s Response To The Pandemic As Good As Everyone Says?

Britain was told to ease itself back to work as Boris Johnson’s government tries to devise a lockdown exit strategy that keeps the coronavirus at bay without long-term damage to the economy. Confused messaging from the government however has led to difficult questions, particularly those from Keir Starmer at PMQs. Does Boris Johnson have the answers? Questions too are beginning to be asked of China, both in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and more broadly about its global role.  Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight Bob Seely joins Arj Singh, Paul Waugh and Rachel Wearmouth to talk about the government’s test and trace app, the UK’s failure to learn from Asia, and how the government can manage the economy post-recession. Make sense of politics. Sign up to the Waugh Zone (https://news.huffingtonpost.com/h/t/1925256938B41841) and get the political day in a nutshell every weekday evening. 

205: Is This China’s ‘Skripal Poisoning Moment’? With Bob Seely MP

Each week, the HuffPost UK Politics team unpack the biggest stories from Westminster and beyond.

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Commons People

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