Election Extra: Is the race to replace Sunak already under way?

FromToday in Focus

Start listening View podcast show

Election Extra: Is the race to replace Sunak already under way?

FromToday in Focus

ratings:

Length:

10 minutes

Released:

Jul 1, 2024

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

The general election may be three days away, but for some Tory candidates it is merely the staging post for the competition they are really focused on: their party leadership contest. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Released:

Jul 1, 2024

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Hosted by Anushka Asthana and Rachel Humphreys, Today in Focus brings you closer to Guardian journalism. Combining personal storytelling with insightful analysis, this podcast takes you behind the headlines for a deeper understanding of the news, every weekday

Skip carousel

Why Nigel Farage’s bank account matters so much: Since the politician’s account with Coutts was closed the story has dominated the news agenda. Does it show that something has gone very wrong in our banking system? by Today in Focus
30 min listen
Could your clothes be making you sick? | Podcast: We know little about the chemicals that help make modern clothes so impressive – or what they could be doing to our health by Today in Focus
33 min listen
Will Mark Zuckerberg’s Threads unravel Twitter?: Meta has launched what it promises will be a kinder alternative to Twitter. Can it deliver? Dan Milmo reports by Today in Focus
29 min listen
Putin v Prigozhin: is Wagner too valuable to crush?: When Wagner forces turned their guns against Russian forces it led to panic in Moscow. But after the coup was aborted and its leader accused of treachery, it was business as usual for the group’s lucrative Africa operations. Pjotr Sauer and Jason Burke report by Today in Focus
31 min listen
The mystery of the Crooked House fire: When Britain’s wonkiest pub was destroyed in a fire and the remains demolished, it sparked protests and made headlines around the world – but why? by Today in Focus
25 min listen
The Great British motorcycle scam – part two: Simon Goodley reports on a prestigious motorcycle brand that became a vehicle for a multimillion-pound pension fraud by Today in Focus
44 min listen
Extreme heat: a warning shot from nature: Over the last couple of weeks, many countries have experienced record-breaking temperatures. Guardian reporters based in the UK, US, Italy and Taiwan discuss the fallout by Today in Focus
28 min listen
Has Britain become a country of shoplifters?: Shopkeepers complain the number of thefts from stores is soaring. Is the cost of living crisis to blame or organised gangs? by Today in Focus
27 min listen
Cure or fad? The truth about weight loss drugs | Podcast: A new generation of weight loss drugs has caused a stir – offering impressive results. But are they really a silver bullet for the obesity epidemic? by Today in Focus
32 min listen
The novelist who became a war crimes investigator – and uncovered a secret diary - Podcast: Victoria Amelina was an award-winning novelist. But after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, she began investigating war crimes by Today in Focus
30 min listen
Why we are all living in a Barbie world – podcast: She may have towered over the toy market for 60 years, but Barbie has never been short of critics. So why is a film about a plastic doll creating such fevered excitement? by Today in Focus
30 min listen
The legacy of Sinéad O’Connor: Film-maker Kathryn Ferguson and journalist Simon Hattenstone share their memories of Sinéad O’Connor and reflect on her impact on music and society by Today in Focus
37 min listen
Life in the UK for one of China’s most wanted: Hong Kong activist Finn Lau has vowed to continue his fight for democracy despite the Chinese bounty on his head by Today in Focus
32 min listen
The Great British motorcycle scam – part one | Podcast: Norton Motorcycles was once one of the most prestigious brands in motorsport. So how did it become the vehicle for a multimillion pound pension fraud that has left investors penniless? Simon Goodley reports by Today in Focus
38 min listen
Revisited: Trafficked: Marta – part four – podcast: The story of a Ukrainian woman who escaped modern slavery in the UK. Annie Kelly reports by Today in Focus
34 min listen
The Sun, the BBC and Huw Edwards: the story of a scandal: After a week of frenzied reporting about allegations against the BBC presenter, there are uncomfortable questions for the paper that ran the scoop, reports Jim Waterson by Today in Focus
26 min listen
The Bibby Stockholm saga: After removing asylum seekers from the Bibby Stockholm barge on Friday, the government says they will be returned ‘as soon as possible’. Daniel Trilling and Sammy Gecsoyler report by Today in Focus
31 min listen
Rishi Sunak’s anti-green gamble: The prime minister’s announcement of new oil and gas licences in the North Sea this week is a sign he sees electoral advantage in being anti-green. Kiran Stacey reports by Today in Focus
29 min listen
Donald Trump’s January 6 indictment: The former US president appeared in court on Wednesday charged on four counts related to his efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election. Hugo Lowell reports by Today in Focus
35 min listen
How the search for UFOs reached the US Congress: The quest to discover whether or not we’re alone in the universe has become an obsession for many Americans. Some of them are elected officials, reports Adam Gabbatt in Washington DC by Today in Focus
33 min listen
The World Cup and the future of women’s football: Former England star Karen Carney discusses why this is an opportunity for investment that the sport cannot afford to miss by Today in Focus
26 min listen
Why is Hollywood on strike (And why Succession's Brian Cox is joining them)?: Production on Hollywood films and hit TV shows has ground to a halt. How is this strike different from other labour disputes? by Today in Focus
34 min listen
Cotton Capital: The Sea Islands – episode 3: Revisited: In the third episode in the series, journalist DeNeen L Brown travels to the Sea Islands in the US and meets the Gullah Geechee people – direct descendants of enslaved Africans who picked the distinctive Sea Island cotton prized by traders in Manchester by Today in Focus
48 min listen
Climate crisis up close: a week of wildfires in Rhodes: Holidaymakers in the Greek island of Rhodes found themselves evacuated from hotels and sleeping in school halls as wildfires raged nearby. As they make plans to return home, residents and business owners are counting the cost of what will be an expensive recovery. Rachel Hall reports by Today in Focus
27 min listen
The final weeks of Yevgeny Prigozhin: The Wagner leader seemed to have got away with humiliating Putin. But was the Kremlin playing for time? by Today in Focus
25 min listen
Why Britain is mourning the Sycamore Gap tree: The felling of a Northumberland tree has made headlines around the world – and led to a criminal investigation. Why did it mean so much to people? by Today in Focus
27 min listen
How can we escape burnout? | Podcast: What can we do to change our working culture in order to prevent the phenomenon? by Today in Focus
26 min listen
Cotton Capital: Resistance – episode 5: Revisited: In the fifth episode in the series, Guardian journalist and Cotton Capital special correspondent Lanre Bakare examines Black Mancunian history, beginning with the 1945 Pan-African Congress that took place in the city and shaped independence movements across Africa by Today in Focus
41 min listen
The class of 2023: the UK’s unluckiest students: Many of the students who began their studies under Covid restrictions are now leaving university without knowing their grades. Anna Fazackerley reports by Today in Focus
31 min listen
Why the rest of the world can’t afford to ignore the coup in Niger: The Sahel region, sometimes called Africa’s ‘coup belt’, has just seen another government ousted. Peter Beaumont and Nesrine Malik on what it means for African – and global – security by Today in Focus
29 min listen

More Episodes from Today in Focus

Skip carousel

Labour’s landslide victory: Labour have won a resounding victory making Keir Starmer prime minister with a thumping majority. Helen Pidd tells the story of the night with the help of Guardian reporters from around the country by Today in Focus
31 min listen
Politics Weekly UK – Labour wins a landslide: Is this a new dawn?: Labour has won a landslide victory, with Keir Starmer saying ‘change begins now’. Is this a new era for the country? by Today in Focus
35 min listen
Will France fall to the far right?: Marine Le Pen’s party won a significant victory in the first round of France’s parliamentary elections. Can they be stopped? Angelique Chrisafis reports by Today in Focus
38 min listen
Election Extra: a guide to the night: When to set your alarm for the potential Portillo moments and how to make it through to dawn. With Archie Bland by Today in Focus
9 min listen
Marina Hyde and John Crace on the 2024 election campaign: Guardian columnist Marina Hyde and parliamentary sketch writer John Crace reflect on the highs and lows of the general election campaign by Today in Focus
27 min listen
Election Extra: is it over?: Conservatives appear to be close to conceding defeat the day before the election. And Archie Bland hands out his campaign awards by Today in Focus
10 min listen
The enigma of Keir Starmer: By the end of the week, Keir Starmer could be the UK’s next prime minister. Why do voters feel they don’t know him? by Today in Focus
47 min listen
Election Extra: desperate times: As the campaign enters its final hours, party leaders are trying to reach as many constituencies as they can and throwing out last desperate attack lines. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
10 min listen
The 14 years that broke Britain, part 2: In part two of our miniseries on how 14 years of Tory rule have impacted the UK, Jonathan Freedland explores how chaos from Brexit to Partygate destroyed trust in politics by Today in Focus
45 min listen
The 14 years that broke Britain, part 1: If the polls are correct, an era is about to come to an end. What have 14 years of Conservative government done to the country? Jonathan Freedland reports by Today in Focus
40 min listen
Election Extra: Reform UK activist’s racist ‘pub talk’: Nigel Farage has vowed to banish those accused of extremist comments from campaigning for his Reform party after an undercover report from Clacton by Channel 4 News. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
11 min listen
Returning to Leigh: can Labour rebuild the red wall?: The Greater Manchester town was a Labour stronghold before 2019. Will it be once again? Helen Pidd reports by Today in Focus
37 min listen
Election Extra: will undecided voters be decisive?: Apathy and antipathy towards all parties is a growing trend in UK elections. But with a week to go, undecided voters could prove critical to the result. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
10 min listen
Election Extra: Pippa Crerar on breaking the betting scandal: When she broke the first story over a week ago. the Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar, could hardly have known how deep the betting scandal would go by Today in Focus
12 min listen
A win for Julian Assange and a loss for press freedom?: After years in ferocious pursuit, the US has finally agreed to a plea deal with the WikiLeaks founder. But there are fears it may set a dangerous precedent. Julian Borger reports by Today in Focus
24 min listen
McSweeney and Gray: the powers behind Keir Starmer: After Labour’s 2019 election defeat, Keir Starmer vowed to transform the party. Who are the advisers who have helped him shape it? Jessica Elgot reports by Today in Focus
29 min listen
Election Extra: Where are voters getting their news?: With just over a week to go now is usually the time that voters start to engage with the campaign. But this year feels different, says Jim Waterson by Today in Focus
10 min listen
Election Extra: Farage doubles down: Rishi Sunak has heavily criticised comments from Nigel Farage that the west provoked Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
10 min listen
New towns and old ideas: Labour’s housing plan: What are Labour’s proposals for fixing the housing crisis? Robert Booth reports from Hitchin, North Hertfordshire by Today in Focus
34 min listen
Has Clacton fallen for Nigel Farage?: He claims he could be prime minister in 2029 but first he has to become an MP. Will it be eighth time lucky for Reform’s leader? Esther Addley reports by Today in Focus
34 min listen
Election Extra: hope (within reason): Labour has begun to hint that its ambitions in government will go beyond what it has promised in its manifesto, and sources have told the Guardian of plans to look at redrawing wealth taxes. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
10 min listen
Election Extra: All bets are off: The Conservatives have been hit with further irregular gambling allegations and the party’s campaigns director has taken a leave of absence. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
10 min listen
The Lib Dems’ surprising strategy to breach the blue wall: The Liberal Democrats began their campaign with eye-catching stunts, but it’s tactical voting that may help them breach the blue wall. Peter Walker reports by Today in Focus
26 min listen
Germans are divided. Can Euro 2024 unite them?: Thanks to a troubled economy and gains by the far right in the European elections, Germany’s sense of identity is in the balance. Could footballing success bring the country back together? Philip Oltermann reports by Today in Focus
22 min listen
Election Extra: inflation on target and the SNP manifesto: The SNP launched its manifesto today amid polling that shows the once dominant Scottish party facing steep losses. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
9 min listen
The British judges ruling on the law in authoritarian Hong Kong: Since 1997 Hong Kong’s highest court has included British judges. But with China changing the laws in the city, they are being urged to resign. Amy Hawkins reports by Today in Focus
24 min listen
Election Extra: Labour heading for a landslide: A new poll for Ipsos shows Labour heading for an unprecedented majority and spells disaster for Rishi Sunak. Archie Bland reports by Today in Focus
10 min listen
The economy and Labour’s post-election dilemma: Heather Stewart explains how the party’s central economic message could help it win power but then constrain it in office by Today in Focus
22 min listen
Election Extra: Farage’s five-year plan: Nigel Farage has launched Reform UK’s ‘contract’ with voters, which he insists is not a manifesto. Archie Bland reports on its content and whether it adds up by Today in Focus
10 min listen
The phone-free, 12-hour school-day experiment: One west London school is trying to give children their childhood back – by extending its hours from 7am to 7pm. Will it work? Helen Pidd reports by Today in Focus
35 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Election Extra: Is the race to replace Sunak already under way?

Election Extra: Is the race to replace Sunak already under way?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Today in Focus