Politics Uncensored

The Week Unwrapped Andy Burnham’s first week in Downing Street Parliament is back after the summer recess, and Andy Burnham has delivered his first major speech as Prime Minister, setting out a vision for Britain centred on regional power, public investment and economic growth. Burnham took aim at decades of deindustrialisation, privatisation and austerity, while also arguing that Brexit had contributed to a period of low growth. Zoë and Ali discuss Burnham’s first performance at the dispatch box, his more left-wing approach compared with Keir Starmer and his and whether he has brought the political analysis he developed before entering Downing Street with him into government. James Cleverly sets his sights on City Hall Conservative MP Sir James Cleverly is preparing a bid to become the next Mayor of London, promising a “classically conservative” campaign. Zoë and Ali discuss whether Cleverly is the strongest candidate the Conservatives have, and whether his appeal to the wider London electorate could give him a route to victory. They also look at the tension between Cleverly’s more economically conservative, One Nation-style pitch and Kemi Badenoch’s increasingly culture-war-focused Conservative Party. Could the approach that works for the Tories nationally actually hurt them in London? Fancy a night at Number 10? Booking.com has come under fire after a consumer watchdog managed to create and pay for a fake listing for Number 10 Downing Street. The bogus listing even claimed guests could hang out with Larry the Cat, and 14 people attempted to book the property in just 20 minutes. Zoë and Ali question how such an obviously fake listing was able to remain online, particularly given Booking.com’s claims that AI is used to identify fraudulent listings. They also unpack whether the incident really represents a security risk to the Prime Minister, or is simply an embarrassing failure for the booking platform. Keir Starmer Resigns as MP, triggering byelection in Holborn and St Pancras Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stepped down as an MP, triggering a by-election in Holborn and St Pancras, the London constituency he has represented for 11 years. Green Party leader Zack Polanski has announced that he will stand, turning what should be a safe Labour seat into an early political test. Zoë and Ali discuss Starmer’s decision to leave Parliament, particularly after he had previously said he would remain an MP until the next general election. They question why he chose to leave rather than return to the backbenches. They also look at what the by-election means for Andy Burnham, who will face weeks of campaigning and media attention just as he begins his premiership. Zoë and Ali also unpack why, for the Greens, Polanski’s decision to stand represents a gamble. The party’s polling has fallen from its earlier highs, and a potential defeat for its leader could raise questions about whether the Green surge has plateaued. Why are Brits moving house less and less? New research suggests the UK housing market has become increasingly frozen, with people now moving house roughly once every 21 years, compared with once every nine years in the late 1980s, despite many people still wanting to move. Ben Cooper, research manager and lead at the Fabian Housing Centre, joins Zoë and Ali to explain why so many people are stuck and what can be done about it. The final Politics Uncensored Some in house news, this is the final episode of Politics Uncensored on Fubar Radio. Zoë and Ali look back on some of their favourite moments from the show. Zoë will be returning in a few weeks with a brand-new show, so stay tuned…. Guest: Ben Cooper, Research Manager and Lead at the Fabian Housing Centre. You can find him on X here. Producer: Monica Lillis

The Week Unwrapped New data shows one in eight young people out of work or education Just under one million young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training, according to new ONS data. The latest figures show 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 were NEET between April and June, equivalent to around 13% of that age group Rupert Lowe set to be paid as much for divisive posts on Elon Musk’s X as for being MP Rupert Lowe is on course to earn almost as much from posting on Elon Musk’s X as he does from his salary as an MP, raising questions about whether the platform financially incentivises divisive political content. His total income from X since the 2024 general election has now passed £105,000, with more than half of that earned in the first eight months of 2026. Burnham wants UK to bid for 2042 Fifa World Cup According to reports, Andy Burnham wants the UK to bid for both the Olympics and the men's FIFA world cup. The Prime Minister told a meeting of regional mayors at No10 North that he was in talks with the FA and Premier League to explore a proposal. Britain Response to Israel Settlements The UK has issued its strongest condemnation yet of Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described Israel’s plans to grow the settlements as “unacceptable and destructive”, warning that Britain would not stand by and accept the breakdown of a two-state solution. The plans, known as the E1 project, would involve the construction of around 3,400 homes across 12 square kilometres of land — an area which critics say would effectively divide the West Bank in two. Save Brick Lane Campaign Plans for a 500 million pound redevelopment plans for Brick Lane in East London were approved last month by Labour. This has cleared the way for the construction of a data centre, office and apartments on the Truman Brewery Estate, despite opposition from the local council and campaign groups. Producer: Monica Lillis and Yasmin Stephenson

The Week Unwrapped Farage wins in Clacton, meanwhile Count Binface gets more than 25% of the vote We start with the news from the Clacton by-election, where Nigel Farage comfortably held onto the seat, securing more than 63% of the vote. Farage stood down as an MP in July, forcing the by-election. This came amid scrutiny over whether he should have declared a £5 million gift he received from a billionaire party donor in 2024. A parliamentary standards watchdog had been investigating the claim, but that investigation was paused when Farage resigned. Now that the Clacton seat is once again in the hands of Farage and Reform UK, the investigation is again underway. Zoë and Ali discuss this political move and the impressive performance by Count Binface. Reform’s Tice urges people to enjoy heatwaves The party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, has been accused of spreading misinformation after he dismissed efforts to tackle the climate crisis at a press conference earlier this week. He said that there was no evidence that net zero would stop climate change, and urged British people to enjoy the hot weather. He also suggested that one of the benefits of warmer weather will mean that English wine will get better. His comments come amid one of the UK’s hottest summers on record, with extreme heat linked to thousands of deaths and increased pressure on the NHS. Zoë and Ali unpack why they think this is out of touch, and how this summer will act as a ‘sea change” for climate awareness publicly. Scientists 'stunned' by children's lung recovery in ultra low emission zone There is evidence however, that some climate policies do work… A new study shows that children’s lungs have grown bigger and stronger since the introduction of Sadiq Khan’s Ultra Low Emission Zone or ULEZ in 2019 - which restricts the most polluting vehicles from entering London. Examinations of the capital’s school children before and after the policy was introduced, found a restoration of lung capacity that had been previously stunted by exposure to pollution. Zoë and Ali discuss the good news, and how controversial the policy was when it was introduced. The Scrutiny of Jason Arday - are Black Academics held to a different standard in the UK? Jason Arday, a 41-year-old academic who resigned as Cambridge’s Professor of Sociology of education earlier this month, was found dead on Friday. In recent weeks, allegations surrounding his PhD thesis, alongside other claims about his achievements and charitable work, had come under intense scrutiny in the press. His story was dissected in more than 200 articles across the majority of the British media. His death has sparked widespread reaction. At the time of recording, more than 120,000 people have signed a petition calling for a public inquiry, which argues that Arday’s death was “the direct, foreseeable and foreseen result of press harassment”. So, what does the scrutiny surrounding Arday tell us about the pressures and expectations placed on Black academics in Britain? Dr Femi Owolade, Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society joins us to share his take. NUS campaign for Automatic Voter Registration Students here in the UK have launched a campaign calling on the government to make it easier for people in full-time education to register to vote. The National Union of Students and Purpose Union are calling for a nationwide automatic enrolment system, which they say would remove the need for universities and colleges to manually encourage students to register. As of 2023, 60% of those aged 20 and under were not registered to vote. So could a new system help remove some of the barriers facing young voters and encourage more young people to have their say at the ballot box? Favour Samuel, President of the NUS joins us Guests: Dr Femi Owolade, Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. You can find him on X here. Favour Samuel, President of the NUS. You can find her on Instagram here. Producer: Monica Lillis

The Week Unwrapped Voters head to the polls in Clacton-on-Sea by-election Voters are heading to the polls in Clacton-on-Sea for perhaps the weirdest by-election in a generation. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage resigned his seat last month following scrutiny over his financial support. He said he hoped that the vote would silence his critics and prove he has a mandate with voters. And a record 34 candidates are standing, presenting voters with the longest ballot paper in history. Zoë and Ali discuss what they think might happen. Trump confirms he switched planes after Nato summit because of possible Iran threat Donald Trump confirmed this week that he secretly swapped planes after leaving a Nato summit in Turkey, due to a possible Iranian assassination threat. The Washington Post revealed that after publicly boarding Air Force One, the US President was covertly smuggled onto a catering truck and then moved to a different military aircraft. Meanwhile, over 100 aides, officials and reporters remained on the flight, raising questions about whether he knowingly put them at risk. Zoë and Ali question the unprecedented move. Reform UK Tells Its Activists ‘Don’t Drink and Tweet’ Leaked training videos reveal Reform UK is warning its activists not to ‘drink and tweet’ and to treat ‘every social media post like a press release’ because, as the materials say, its own members are the "biggest threat to Reform." According to the Byline Times, the videos also appear to tell canvassers to ignore "no junk mail" signs and leaflet houses anyway. They're also told to avoid wearing any party branding while doing so, to stay "unidentifiable." Zoë and Ali analyse what this says about the credibility of Reform’s activists. Andy Burnham’s Cost of Living Tour Andy Burnham is back from his holiday, and this week he’s been touring the UK as part of his plan to “bring back hope” to every postcode. One of the problems he wants to tackle is the state of Britain’s high streets. Burnham has pledged to give local councils more power to stop betting shops and vape shops from “taking over”. Zoë and Ali unpack the changing face of the highstreet and why the new PM needs to tap into the politics of happiness. They also discuss the government's lack of action on the climate crisis so far. Can the government ease prison overcrowding without risking public safety? Andy Burnham's move to pause early prisoner releases has sparked backlash from police and the family of PC Andrew Harper, whose killers are due out in January. Shortly after becoming PM, Burnham announced that people convicted of rape, serious child sex offences and grooming offences would be exempt from early release - but manslaughter convictions were not included. The government is set to release 5,000 offenders later this year to create space in overcrowded prisons. Meanwhile, Reform UK says it would tackle overcrowding by sending foreign offenders abroad to serve their sentences. With prisons already close to capacity, and ministers warning they could run out of space as soon as November, how will the government balance the need to relieve pressure on the prison system without compromising public safety? Antonia May Cross, Director of Communications and Campaigns at Revolving Doors, a justice reform charity, joins us to tell us more. Guest: Antonia May Cross, Director of Communications and Campaigns at Revolving Doors Producer: Monica Lillis

The Week Unwrapped Bev Craig wins in Greater Manchester Labour has won a decisive victory in the Greater Manchester mayoral election, with Bev Craig securing a strong result to succeed Andy Burnham. Zoë and Ali unpack what this means for Burnham’s premiership and why the scale of Labour’s win could be an important sign that voters are willing to give the party another chance. Jeremy Clarkson’s welfare solution? Jeremy Clarkson has offered his answer to Britain’s welfare crisis, suggesting in the Sunday Times, that unemployed young people claiming benefits should be made to write weekly letters thanking taxpayers for funding them. Zoë and Ali discuss why they think the proposal is insulting to disabled people and fails to recognise the wider problems facing young people trying to find work. Infantino or Autocrat? We’re dabbling in football again this week...Gianni Infantino is set to remain as FIFA president despite growing criticism of his leadership, including scrutiny over a now-shelved plan involving private investment in FIFA competitions. Some critics of Infantino say he is turning the organisation into a dictatorship, but just how authoritarian does he sound? Zoë and Ali play a game of “Infantino or Autocrat” and attempt to work out whether a series of increasingly bizarre quotes came from the FIFA president or a historical dictator. The Migration Crisis in Ceuta Last week, more than 70,000 unauthorised migrants arrived in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, creating the latest flashpoint in Europe’s migration debate. Zoë and Ali are joined by independent journalist Jack Hadfield to discuss what happened. They also challenge his claims about the criminal backgrounds of migrants and examine how Reform UK has responded to the crisis, including its plans to use the Royal Navy to stop small boat crossings. Jack also gives us his take on the division on the British right and why he thinks Nigel Farage is more right wing than Rupert Lowe. What will US-UK ties look like under Burnham? Ed Miliband has travelled to Washington to meet his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio, in what was seen as an opportunity to reset relations with an administration that has previously been sceptical of him. Zoë and Ali discuss the meeting, the awkward moment when Miliband was asked about his previous comments describing Donald Trump as a racist and misogynist, and what the encounter tells us about the future of the UK-US relationship under Andy Burnham’s government. Guest: Jack Hadfield, Independent journalist. You can find him on X here Producer: Monica Lillis