The Story

Sir Olly Robbins dropped bombshell after bombshell when he spoke to MPs. Robbins, who was sacked as the Foreign Office’s chief civil servant, has accused Downing Street of placing the department under constant pressure to get Lord Mandelson through vetting. He also said the prime minister had tried to find an ambassadorial job for Matthew Doyle, another Labour peer who's been in trouble for a friendship with a paedophile. Where does it all leave Sir Keir Starmer?
Plus, we reveal when the next tranche of Mandelson files will be published.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Parliament TV
Clips: Parliament TV
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.

Yesterday evening Sir Keir Starmer defended himself in Parliament, stating ‘the facts are incredible,’ but ‘nobody’ in Number 10 knew that Peter Mandelson failed security vetting. Addressing MPs, the prime minister rejected the suggestion that the government’s desire to appoint Mandelson overrode security concerns. Immediately after, we caught up with the Times’ political editor to ask, who exactly knew what when? And how does this all end?

Mandelson denies any wrongdoing when it comes to his relationship with Epstein.

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: Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Host: Rosie Wright
Producers: Sophie McNulty, Olivia Case
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Keir Starmer ‘put Mandelson job before security’, say Labour MPs
Further listening: Can Keir Starmer survive the scandal over Mandelson and Epstein?
Clips: Sky News, The Guardian, Keir Starmer - X, The Times, 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.

Jane Coates’ daughter Lucy was just 23 when she was shot and killed by her father, while visiting him in Texas. US authorities quickly ruled her death an accident and no charges were brought. But as The Sunday Times reveals holes in Lucy’s father’s account, Jane wants the case reopened.

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:
Katie Tarrant, news reporter for The Sunday Times
Jane Coates, victim’s mother
Sam Littler, victim’s boyfriend and witness
Host: Manveen Rana
Producers: Julia Webster
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more:
Britain failed family’ of girl shot dead by father in Texas
Father shot daughter dead after ‘arguing about Donald Trump
Photo: Picture provided by the family, graphic by Kathia Mestanza
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.

A strict conservatorship, control of her finances, breakdowns, nonstop media pressure and divorce. It's been one hell of a journey for the Princess of Pop, but the latest news that Britney Spears has entered rehab leaves fans asking the question, will she ever be truly free?

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: Helen Rumbelow, feature writer for the Times.
Producer: Dave Creasey.
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]
Read more: Controlled, hounded, scarred. Could Britney Spears ever truly be free?
Clips: NBC, ABC, CNN, hugebritneyfan, britneyonline.
Music: Baby One More Time - Britney Spears - Sony Music Entertainment.
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.

Yesterday afternoon in Manchester, a man was found guilty of a brutal rape for which an innocent person had been wrongly jailed for more than 17 years. We bring you a special update to our groundbreaking podcast series Seventeen Years - The Andrew Malkinson Story, which first highlighted this tragic miscarriage of justice.

You can listen to the full series on The Times Investigates feed: https://pod.fo/e/3256f8

Hosts: Will Roe & Emily Dugan, Sunday Times' Special correspondent.
Producer: Will Roe.
Clips: Greater Manchester Police.
We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:
Rape Crisis England & Wales
NHS - Help after rape and sexual assault
Criminal Cases Review Commission
Appeal - Charity and law practice
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.