The State of It

"They're going to have to drag him out" - Starmer prepares for a leadership battle

May 5, 2026·31 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Thursday's local elections are set to blow apart Britain’s political duopoly, and the fallout for Labour could be existential. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister as rivals circle. Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham are all positioning. But who moves first?Meanwhile, it's not all smooth sailing for the insurgents. Questions over Reform's Nigel Farage’s £5 million gift from Thai-based crypto tycoon Christopher Harborne aren’t going away.And on the left flank, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has seen his approval ratings dip after questioning police tactics during the Golders Green attack.Steven Swinford, political editor, The TimesLara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday TimesProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonPicture credit: Getty ImagesThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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