The Story

This morning the Times broke the news that Wes Streeting had told allies he was preparing to resign as Health Secretary tomorrow to trigger a leadership contest. The story emerged just ahead of the King’s arrival in Westminster for the state opening of parliament. What do we know now? And what does this mean for Starmer’s future? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: John Pienaar, Manveen Rana Producers: Sandra Mitchell, Harry Bligh We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Keir Starmer latest - live page Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

As Keir Starmer clings on to his premiership, there’s one man continuing his victory laps. Nigel Farage’s party Reform UK was the big winner in last week’s local elections, picking up more than 1,450 council seats. So, what’s behind this? Is this just a blip – or the start of a new phase of British politics? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times. Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Callum Martin, Sophie McNulty. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: New Reform councillor suspended after racist posts emerge Further listening: “Keir Starmer couldn’t run a bath.” What next for Labour? Clips: BBC, Manchester Evening News, LBC, Reform UK, APT. Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

An extraordinary day in British politics: Keir Starmer vows to fight on, but the resignations keep on coming. How long can the prime minister survive? What's next, and who will move first? Wes Streeting has one shot: will he take it? What is Andy Burnham's plan? Recorded at Temple Church as part of the Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words. Hosts: Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson Executive producer: Molly Guinness Picture credit: Getty Images This 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.

Republican voters across the United States are rejecting ultra-processed foods, marking a striking political and cultural shift. But, how did the ‘bread basket of America’ get so ultra-processed in the first place? And is this the moment Big Food faces a reckoning? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Louise Callaghan, Americas correspondent, The Sunday Times Host: Luke Jones Producer: Sophie McNulty We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: How Maga fell out of love with fast food Further listening: The momfluencers embracing ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Clips: Robert F Kennedy Jr. - YouTube, The White House, Fox News, Charles McCall - Instagram, The Internet Archive, US National Archives, Pringles - YouTube. Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

More than 50 MPs have publicly urged Keir Starmer either to resign immediately or set out a timetable for his departure as PM, after he made a speech this morning attempting to save his premiership after last week’s disastrous election results. So has he done enough to prove the doubters wrong for now? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: John Pienaar. Producer: Edward Drummond, Sandra Mitchell. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Rebel MP gathers names calling for resignation Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

Labour suffered historic losses in Thursday’s elections, triggering dozens of the party’s MPs to call for Keir Starmer’s resignation. And yet, even with the party in disarray, the PM has so far remained defiant. So, can he survive? And what do the election results tell us about the country’s political future? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times Host: Manveen Rana Producers: Sophie McNulty, Dave Creasey We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Challenge Keir Starmer by Monday or I will, Labour MP tells cabinet Further listening: Reform shake Labour to its core Clips: BBC, ITN, Times Radio, The Times Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

Amanda Knox was at the centre of one of the most gruesome murders and sensationalised trials of the 21st century. Accused of killing her flatmate, she transformed into a global media obsession almost overnight. Now, nearly two decades later, she’s turning that experience into an Edinburgh Fringe comedy show. Is it brave, morally questionable, or both? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Helen Rumbelow, feature writer, The Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Dave Creasey. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Amanda Knox: Why I’ve turned my life into an Edinburgh comedy show Clips: ABC, CNN, BBC News, Sky News. Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

Very few people get to see David Attenborough behind the scenes. Tony Lee Moral did, starting out as a young researcher alongside him at Bristol’s legendary Natural History Unit. As Attenborough turns 100, what's it like to observe him in his natural habitat? Tony reflects on the charm, curiosity, exacting standards and quiet humanity that made him such a remarkable person to work with. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Read by: Tony Lee Moral. Producer: Dave Creasey. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: David Attenborough at 100 — we’ve been lucky to watch him roam this planet Clips: BBC. Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

For now, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows to stay as the Reform leader Nigel Farage calls this a “truly historic shift in British politics”. Steven and Lara caught up at the Times office in Westminster just after 4pm to unpack the results from England’s local council and mayoral elections, alongside national contests in Scotland and Wales, as Reform and the Greens surge and Labour suffer huge losses. Hosts: Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson Picture credit: Getty Images This 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.

In Moscow, preparations are complete for tomorrow’s Victory Day celebrations. This year’s military parade will be pared back amid fears of Ukrainian drone strikes. So as the country marks its biggest celebration in muted style, five years into a grinding war, how are Russians feeling about their government and the economy? And what’s been the true impact of the war in Iran? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Alexander Gabuev, director, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre. Host: Rosie Wright. Producer: Callum Martin. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: No tanks or missiles at Russia’s scaled-back Victory Day parade Further listening: The descent into madness under Putin Clips: YouTube, Times Now World, France24, FreakiAhhMilitary, APT, Daily Express. Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has been poured over by the press – but what about their relationship with one another? New Times reporting reveals they met for the first time in 1999 at an NSPCC charity event, and continued a mutually advantageous relationship for a decade. So how do the people who brought them together feel about it now? And what can it tell us about how power works in the upper echelons of British society? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Hugo Daniel, general news reporter, The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Harry Stott. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Revealed: When Andrew first met Peter Mandelson Further listening: Starmer strikes back over Mandelson vetting scandal Clips: Getty, The Lost Media Archive / Youtube, ITN. Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

Earlier this week President Trump launched his latest move in the Iran war... 'Project Freedom' is designed to get ships through the Strait of Hormuz under US military escort. But Iran says the plan means the US is breaking the ceasefire and the two countries are now trading missiles again. The UAE’s been hit too, at a time when it's increasingly turning to Israel for help. So how will the new allegiances being formed in fire reshape the region? Where are negotiations up to? And is there any hope of peace? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Michael Stephens, consultant and senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and fellow at RAND Europe. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Olivia Case and Sophie McNulty. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Iran war latest: Hegseth says ceasefire holds but US ‘locked and loaded’ Further listening: Is political violence America’s new normal? Clips: Fox, Hugh Hewitt / YouTube. Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

This week Scottish voters will head to the polls for the Holyrood parliamentary elections. To understand what's on people's minds, we visited Motherwell - a town where, for decades, Labour used to dominate. This year Labour appear to be haemorrhaging support across Scotland and may even fall to third place. And an unlikely party is emerging from the fallout. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Taryn Siegel We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Further listening: Is Labour facing a bloodbath in Wales? Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

NHS spending has reached record highs and shows no sign of slowing down. The government poured in £205 billion last year, yet waiting lists remain stubbornly high and patient satisfaction is at an all time low. So where is all the money going? And if spending isn’t the solution, what is? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Callum Martin and Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Why doesn’t ever-growing money seem to improve the NHS Further listening: Is your sofa toxic? Clips: BBC, The Guardian, Rishi Sunak / LinkedIn, The Sun, Reuters, The British Library, The Department of Health and Social Care. Photo: Getty Images This 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.

At his peak, Carl Hayman was widely regarded as the world's best tighthead prop. Then, in 2021, at just 41, he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia and probable CTE, a disease he believes was caused by the sport he loves, and one that has torn his life apart. In this intimate and devastating interview with David Walsh, Carl describes what happened, what he’s doing for the players who come after him, and what concussion means for rugby’s future. The final part of a two-part special investigation into the crisis facing this global game. You can listen to part one here. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guest: Carl Hayman Host: David Walsh, chief sports writer, The Sunday Times Producer: Sophie McNulty We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Two best friends, two suicides. How did rugby let this happen? Further listening: Can rugby survive its head injury problem? Photo: Getty Images. This 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.

Marriage rates are at their lowest since 1850, and it's predicted by 2050 just 3 in 10 of us will have tied the knot. Cohabiting is now the fastest-growing family type in the UK. So what’s happening? Feminism, atheism, a mistrust of state intervention, or just an old fashion 'trend' dying out? And should cohabiting couples get the same rights as married ones? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Read by: Producer: Dave Creasey. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Why I will never get married Photo: Robert Wilson for The Times Magazine This 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.

Could Thursday’s local elections herald the end of two party politics in England? Labour are expected to lose heavily to parties on the left and right. So how bad would it need to be for the party to replace the prime minister? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: Luke Jones. Producers: Micaela Arneson. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Angela Rayner weighs leadership challenge after local elections Further listening: ‘The punishment election’: Is Labour facing a bloodbath in Wales? Clip: Daily Express. This 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.

Police have declared a terrorist incident after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green. The suspect, Essa Suleiman, is in custody and the two men are stable. Plenty of questions remain as the Jewish community reels from the latest in a series of antisemitic incidents. How can Jewish communities be protected? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: Callum Martin Producers: Callum Martin, Olivia Case, Elizabeth Highfield, Sandra Mitchell. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: What happened in Golders Green? How London stabbing attack unfolded Further listening: “They tried to firebomb my synagogue”: The rise in antisemitic attacks Photo: Getty Images This 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.

Sir Keir Starmer has dodged a bullet on the Mandelson vetting scandal but did he expend too much political capital in the process? With local elections around the corner he’s not out of the woods yet, so what can we expect from next week's results? And more than 60 days into the Iran war, Trump has proclaimed there's 'No more Mr. Nice Guy' - so are we about to see renewed military action from the USA? Hosts Manveen Rana and Luke Jones are here to answer your questions in our monthly Q&A. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Hosts: Manveen Rana and Luke Jones. Guest: Aubrey Allegretti, chief political correspondent, The Times. Producers: Olivia Case and Callum Martin. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Iran war latest: Trump warns Tehran ‘No more Mr Nice Guy’ in Truth Social post Further listening: ‘The punishment election’: Is Labour facing a bloodbath in Wales? Clips: The Independent, Sky. Image: @realDonaldTrump / Truth Social This 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.

South Wales has been a Labour heartland since the party formed over a century ago, but speak to people there today and you'll find support leaving in droves. So can Labour avoid an electoral car crash? Could the other main parties capitalise? Ahead of the Welsh Senedd elections next week, we travelled to Swansea to take the political temperature. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory Guests: Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Harry Stott. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: A walk round Pembroke Dock shows why Labour will lose Welsh election Further listening: Get ready for a pub brawl, it's local election time Photo: Getty Images. This 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.