Politics At Sam and Anne's

Does Donald Trump always chicken out or is Keir Starmer in the dark about what is going to happen next in the Middle East?
The U.S. President has paused military action in Iran for five days, but pressure remains on the government to support those struggling with energy bills.
Sam and Anne unpack a turbulent 24 hours for the Prime Minister - examining how far the Chancellor can go to help those in need and whether she can afford it.
Has Rachel Reeves learnt the lessons from Liz Truss – can she steady the markets and are there tricky decision coming down the line?
Elsewhere, we have our weekly check-in on the polls – has the Starmer drama died down?
Plus, Sam has a deep dive investigation in local councils wasting money on “unreasonable” planning decisions.

As oil prices climb again – with neither the U.S. nor Iran backing down over the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz – what can the Prime Minister do to ease the economic strain?
Later today Keir Starmer will convene an emergency COBR meeting to assess the cost-of-living impacts of the Iran war and consider if the government can further support households with a potential energy crisis looming.
Sam and Anne examine the economic challenges facing the PM and the Chancellor, what role Britain is really playing in the conflict and how long could it go on for.
Elsewhere, does the Home Secretary have multiple headaches over the Hillsborough law and a deal with the French to curb migrant crossings over the English Channel.

After a targeted attack on Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms, has Angela Rayner forced another climbdown from the Starmer premiership?
Rayner allies are eyeing her return to frontline politics before the May elections – will Rachel Reeves be her next target? And does the Prime Minister really need his former deputy’s support?
Sam and Anne consider all the factors and assess how credible a Rayner vision for Britain would be.
Elsewhere, the UK launches a 50% tariff on all steel goods being imported into the country, but what is the move trying to achieve?
Plus, what does the public really think of the policing system – and is the minister responsible immune from the issues?

With a full-on pointed and personal attack at the Prime Minister – is Angela Rayner beginning to position herself for something bigger?
The former deputy prime minister ramped up the rhetoric – claiming that the future of the Labour party was at stake if mistakes continued and that certain reforms were “un-British.”
Sam and Anne pore over her explosive comments, assessing what an ‘Ange-Britain’ could look like, where she differs from the current approach being taken by Keir Starmer and what the overall strategy is.
Away from Westminster, up in Holyrood MSPs vote against assisted dying - but will the decision have an impact on the legislation going through Westminster?

Global insecurity and transatlantic tensions dominate the agenda for Keir Starmer - but is the UK about to edge closer to the EU?
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver a speech on plans to deepen the ties with the European Union, as Donald Trump ramps up the rhetoric on Britain’s limited involvement in the Iran war.
But - with oil and gas supplies under pressure - how long can the Prime Minister hold back from supporting the U.S. President before needing Washington’s help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to stabilise global supply chains?
Back in London, President Zelenskyy makes a visit to Downing Street - a timely reminder that the war in Ukraine against Russia rumbles on.
Plus, is Angela Rayner slowly making a return to front line politics and how does it fit in with Labour's promises of reform when they came in?