Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News Another day and another U-turn  — what does the climbdown on digital ID say about the credibility and authority of the prime minister? Sam and Anne also get you up to speed on another government idea that you’ll have heard a lot about before — rail investment in the north of England. Can links between big cities ever be improved, and why is the chancellor trying to whip up excitement like it’s not been mentioned before?

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News A row is brewing between the government, Labour backbenchers and the security services over the Hillsborough law. Sam has the intel on why MPs want it to go even further, leaving Number 10 in a tricky position. After several policy U-turns and potentially more on the horizon – is the prime minister still in the driving seat and to what extent? Plus, as Reform UK claims its most high-profile scalp so far in Nadhim Zahawi, why are the polls heading in the wrong direction and could the party be accused of being the “same team, new badge” equivalent of Boris Johnson’s Conservatives?

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News As global instability continues to dominate the prime minister’s agenda, is the threat to his premiership receding? After a rollercoaster week of foreign events, and now the possibility of the collapse of the Iranian regime, Sam and Anne assess the perception of his actions on the home and domestic fronts. Linking to foreign affairs, Anne has some intel on defence spending and how the funding doesn’t match the UK’s intention to be involved in military operations across the globe. Elsewhere, is the government about to ban X following a fallout from the use of Grok AI to produce sexually explicit images? Plus, what do Kemi Badenoch and Andy Burnham have in common in the social media sphere?

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News Today, Sam and Anne ask the question, is the prime minister’s focus abroad distracting from his own problems and domestic reforms at home? With a plethora of contentious legislation to get through ahead of the spring statement in March and the King’s Speech in May – the duo forecast whether there could be more rebellions down the line. The pair home in on the complicated problems facing Bridget Phillipson – how she deals with SEND reforms and the use of single sex spaces. Will the government take on parents over statementing kids, how will it be funded, and is the EHRC acting in bad faith?

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News Three things from Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy to start your political day. What the government is having to deal with: the unpredictability of Donald Trump. Just as Britain signs up to troops in Ukraine if there’s a peace deal, it’s having to use its best diplomatic language on what the president is thinking about Greenland. What the government wants to deal with: publishing the road safety strategy, which is something every driver will have a view on. What some government sources are thinking: Sam’s got a story about whether AI is to blame for a massive rise in the number of Written Parliamentary Questions in the Commons. You can vote for Politics at Sam and Anne’s in the people’s choice category at the Political Podcast Awards here.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News The Starmer drama continues as the PM is warned by the Scottish Labour leader to stay away ahead of a crucial set of local elections – so, how popular is Keir Starmer across the board? Well, not very, according to the first weekly check-in on the state of the polls in 2026, as ‘Never Here Keir’ jets off to Paris for another Coalition of the Willing meeting. Before that, it’s the first cabinet of the New Year – and Sam and Anne have exclusive news on a potential revolt over business rates, as well as threats to industry to lobby less aggressively if it wants a U-turn.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News It’s a new year but does Keir Starmer still have the same old problems? The Prime Minister is already under pressure, at home and abroad, to clarify his position on Donald Trump’s actions to strike and capture Venezuela’s President Maduro. Can he ‘beige’ it out or will he bow down to the pressure from his opponents and critics? Elsewhere, as MPs flock back to Westminster for 2026, is the PM premiership in a stronger or weaker position since the Christmas break? – Sam has all the behind-the-scenes reaction. Plus, is deeper integration with the European Union on the cards? You can vote for Politics at Sam and Anne’s in the people’s choice category at the Political Podcast Awards here.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News Could the next 12 months mould a new type of British politics, or could it break the entire system? Sam and Anne make their predictions and get into the political meat and potatoes of 2026, focusing on: * Will all the party leaders will still be in post? * Could the local elections force a seismic change in UK politics? * Does Britain still have a role in Europe and around the globe? Politics at Sam and Anne’s returns for daily service on Monday 5 January.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News It might be the last full day of business before parliament wraps up for Christmas but there is plenty on the menu for Sam and Anne to tackle. The duo look at: * The man to beat in the race to become the next UK ambassador to the United States * Britain looking set to rejoin the Erasmus student exchange programme but how much will it cost the taxpayer? * Gossip and fallout from the Angela Rayner polling about how she’s perceived with Labour voters

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music * Sky News As Donald Trump files a $5bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC and there are reports of friction over the recent US-UK technology deal – what state is the “special relationship” in? Sam and Anne pore over the details and discuss if things can get back on track or whether the US president is meddling too much in British political affairs. Also, we have some exclusive polling from Labour voters on who they would prefer as leader of the party if it wasn’t Sir Keir Starmer. Plus, Anne has an update on the talks held in Germany over a possible peace plan for Ukraine.