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The longer the Conservatives hang on, the worse it gets. Last week Rishi Sunak lost 474 councillors, the constituency of Blackpool south, and Andy Street’s West Midlands mayoral. And yesterday things went from bad to worse for Sunak with a surprise defection to Labour from Natalie Elphicke MP for Dover and Deal.

The Conservatives can’t seem to escape this endless decline in support and popularity. So when did it all start to go wrong, and can they stop the train before it completely derails?

Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, is joined in the studio by Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and George Eaton, senior editor.

Read: The Tory doomscroll

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Keir Starmer is the man poised to be the next leader of the UK. But he is also a man of whom many - including those in his own party - have asked: what does he stand for? 

Four years after Starmer became leader of the Labour party we know a little more about him. We’ve heard about his childhood, the pebble-dashed semi and his time at the Crown Prosecution Service.

But what are the principles behind the man and his project ? What do we really know about ‘Starmerism’?

Freddie Hayward, political correspondent, is joined by George Eaton, senior editor, who has written this week's cover story.

Read: What is Starmerism?

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It has been a terrible night for the Conservatives who have lost councillors, constituencies, and new Mayoral positions to Labour. Keir Starmer has called this result a sign to move on and for Rishi Sunak to call a general election.

So far the Tories have held onto the Tees Valley mayoral position but Labour have won in Rishi Sunak's backyard. So as the rest of the results continue to trickle in, Rachel Cunliffe, associate political editor, and Ben Walker, senior data journalist, as they analyse what yesterday's elections, and today’s results, tell us about the UK wants from its leadership.

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The Times Briefing for the Morning of Friday 3rd May

For more on these stories throughout the day tune into Times Radio - on DAB, online, through your smart speaker or on the Times Radio app  

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We’ve been digging around in our virtual mailbag and have brought a couple of your questions  to discuss. 

One listener asks: What are the political implications of the Cass report and will it affect how British politicians approach the transgender conversation?

And another listener writes in to ask: Could a Starmer win in the UK and a Trump win in the US spell the end for the ‘special relationship’?

Ask a question for a future podcast: www.newstatesman.com/podcasts/2022/10/you-ask-us

Read Andrew Marr's piece: Inside Labour’s foreign policy factory

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This week Labour has suspended not one, but two parliamentary candidates for reported comments made over Israel. The party has been on a mission to purge anti-semitism from its ranks over the past few years, so just how catastrophic has this week been for them?

Anoosh Chakelian, Britain editor, is joined in the studio by the New Statesman's political editor Andrew Marr, and political correspondent Freddie Hayward.

Join like minded readers that support our journalism. Enjoy unlimited access to our writing and subscriber-only benefits from just £2 for 2 months. Visit www.newstatesman.com/subscribe-2-for-2

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Keir Starmer has gone out of his way to break with his party's antisemitic past and to reshape the Labour parliamentary party.

But this weekend, shadow ministers found themselves in the unenviable position of having to defend the Labour candidate for Rochdale for 'mistakenly believing a conspiracy theory' instead of calling him out for his antisemitic remarks about whether Israel had turned a blind eye to the Hamas atrocities as 'a green light for a full on Gaza invasion'.

Azhar Ali is standing against George Galloway which is perhaps why Labour is nervous. What should happen to all those other MPs suspended by the party leader for antisemitic remarks?

And where does this leave Keir Starmer on his Middle East foreign policy more widely?

Also, Trump has encouraged Russia to invade NATO countries that dont pay their bills. Well of course he has. Why is Europe surprised? And has it figured out America under Trump is not going to care about our security? We discuss why we've been so slow to listen to what he's saying.

**This episode was recorded before Labour withdrew their support for Rochdale candidate Azhar Ali**

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

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Sir Keir Starmer is on the pre-campaign trail this week, promoting his five missions that Labour are pledging to achieve if they win the upcoming election. It comes after the most detailed polling yet predicted a landslide majority to rival Tony Blair’s 1997 win. So what would Starmer actually do in government? And what lessons is he taking from the Blairite playbook?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. 

Guest: Philip Collins, Columnist, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Clips: BBC Newsnight, Times Radio, ITV News, Sky News, The Rest is Politics, Labour, The Guardian, The Times, Novara Media, BBC News.

Get in touch: storiesofourtimes@thetimes.co.uk

Find out more about our bonus series for Times subscribers: 'Inside the newsroom'

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PSA: If you want all the latest on the departure Ron de Santis and the Republican Presidential primary race we have a full bonus episode for you on The News Agents: USA. Find it here.

Keir Starmer has accused the Conservative Party of 'desperate, divisive and damaging' politics by picking fights with British instutitions like the National Trust and the RNLI.

The Labour leader has previously stayed clear of the culture wars and stuck on the hard-fought territory of the economy and the new shape of the Labour Party.

But today's speech placed charities and cultural insititutions at the heart of British life as something he was prepared to defend.

Has he given the Tories new amunition? Or found a whole new constituency of voters?

Plus - PopCon - not the fantastic snack but the new Tory group headed up by one Liz Truss. But will the most unpopular British leader of modern history be able to make the Popular Conservatives at all relevant as he gear up to this year's election?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Jeremy Corbyn’s time as Labour leader is up. The party faces an uphill battle to mount a credible challenge to the Conservative majority at the next election. So who will the party turn to in its hour of need? And what will that person do with all the supporters of Jeremy Corbyn left in the party? 

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