Listen Now

Boris Johnson is today visiting Brussels to meet EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for dinner, in the hope that the two can agree a path through the stalling Brexit talks. Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Denis Staunton, London editor of the Irish Times, about whether it could give negotiations the lift they desperately need.

The world's first doses of an authorised Covid vaccine were administered today, with ninety-year-old Briton Margaret Keenan first in line for the Pfizer jab. Health secretary Matt Hancock said it 'makes me proud to be British', after confirming that restrictions could begin to be lifted once the most vulnerable were protected. Has his approach been vindicated? Isabel Hardman talks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth.

It looks like Brexit talks could finally be coming to a head. After Boris Johnson and Ursula Von Der Leyen decided that efforts to reach an agreement should continue, negotiators spent the weekend bartering over fishing rights and the level playing field. The pair are set to have another call later today, but can it break the impasse? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth.

Katy Balls hosts this weeks' roundup of Sunday's political shows, with highlights coming from George Eustice, Rachel Reeves, Gordon Brown, Alexandre Holroyd and Dr June Raine. 

In the last days of the negotiations, the pressure is ramping up as reports began to surface on Thursday evening that the talks were not going as well as hoped. This morning, allies of Emmanuel Macron have warned that France could unilaterally veto a Brexit deal. What will the next days bring and could Macron really pull the plug? Cindy Yu talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

The promising sign of late night negotiation pizza has caused some optimism in Westminster that a Brexit deal may be just around the corner. On the podcast, James Forsyth and Katy Balls discuss what to look out for in the coming days.

The UK is the first western country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine, it was announced today. The first doses of Pfizer's jab will be distributed from next week, and the news has renewed hopes that restrictions could soon be lifted. But after last night's vote saw 55 Tory MPs reject the new tiered system, can the good news heal the party? Katy Balls speaks to James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman.

Isabel Hardman rounds up the highlights from Sunday's interview shows. With Dominic Raab, Nicola Sturgeon, Lisa Nandy, Jim McMahon and Hugh Osmond.  

In this week's Spectator, Matthew Parris asks why the Lib Dems have lost their ideological backbone. On the podcast, he discusses this 'soggification' of the party with Katy Balls and Polly Mackenzie, former special adviser to Nick Clegg and now chief executive of the think tank Demos. 

The return to the tier system will be voted on in the Commons next week, but from the grumblings in the Conservative party, it sounds like the government may need Opposition votes in order to get the legislation through. That's never a comfortable position for a government, so on the podcast, Katy Balls discusses with James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson what the government needs to do in order to appease its backbenchers.

England's tier system returns today. With some areas in a stricter tier than they were before the lockdown, as well as a general mistrust amongst Tory lockdown sceptics for the government, many MPs are not happy. But is there anything they can do about it? Katy Balls and James Forsyth discuss.

Pandemic finances are different to normal finances, as seen by today's new figures from the OBR which show that the UK's economy will not be back to pre-pandemic levels until 2022. In today's spending review, the Chancellor broke a manifesto pledge by cutting the overseas aid budget. Is this a taste of things to come? Katy Balls speaks to Kate Andrews and James Forsyth.

The Prime Minister announced yesterday that the nationwide lockdown would come to an end on December 2. In the updated tier system, pubs and restaurants will be closed at the highest level of restrictions, but gyms and non-essential shops will remain open. Isabel Hardman speaks to Katy Balls and James Forsyth about whether Conservative MPs will accept the changes.

Oxford University's vaccine could be up to 90 per cent effective, data from phase III trials shows today. With the UK government ordering 100 million doses of the jab, could it mean a return to normality is on the horizon? Katy Balls speaks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.

Isabel Hardman takes you through the highlights from Sunday's political programmes. With Rishi Sunak, Anneliese Dodds, Lucy Powell and Professor Calum Semple. 

Polls consistently show a majority of Scots are in favour of independence - do they have a case? Fraser Nelson speaks to Andrew Wilson, former MSP and founding partner of Charlotte Street Partners.

Sir Alex Allen, a top civil servant in charge of the report into allegations of bullying at the Home Office, has resigned, but the Home Secretary Priti Patel, who is at the centre of it all, has not. Why is the Prime Minister so keen to 'stick with Prit'? Fraser Nelson talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

The government has announced a £16.5 billion increase in defence spending, far more generous than previously expected. Will this new budget signal an end to the MoD's spending blackhole? John Connolly talks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

Boris Johnson has today announced a raft of new environmental policies, following the departure of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain last week. Will it reset the direction of Number 10, or are more comprehensive changes needed? Cindy Yu speaks to Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Katy Balls. 

Boris Johnson told northern MPs last night that he thought Scottish devolution had been a 'disaster', a comment that was immediately disowned by the Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross. Katy Balls talks to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.