The Fourcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Tim Walz, Barack and Michelle Obama, and even Oprah Winfrey have taken to the DNC stage to lay the ground for Kamala Harris’ run for the White House. But have the upbeat and optimistic speeches actually galvanised any support from the rest of America?

Harris fundraised four times as much as Trump in July, a whopping $500 million, as supporters were inspired after Biden’s resignation, but can she survive on vibes until election day? Is she the continuity candidate or can she bring anything new to the Oval Office?

Tim Walz issued a rallying cry at the DNC, saying “we’ll sleep when we’re dead”, while Michelle Obama warned against being complacent. If ‘Coach Walz’ and ‘Kamala is Brat’ Harris are looking to woo the voters in November, we ask whether a unity message may be needed to harness the vote of undecided Americans. 

For this episode of The American Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined at the convention in Chicago by former Obama White House Official Nayyera Haq; Joe Biden’s former chief of staff in the senate Susan Platt; and Channel 4 News’ Washington correspondent Siobhan Kennedy.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.

Nancy Pelosi has been at the top of US politics for nearly 40 years - as the first, and only, woman in US history to serve as speaker of the House, she has played a central role in some of the most consequential American events of the last two decades, from the Iraq war to the US Capitol attack and Donald Trump’s impeachment.

In her latest book, “The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House” Pelosi gives a behind-the-scenes look at her formidable political career.

In this episode of The American Fourcast, she talks to Channel 4 News’s Matt Frei about what she’s learned about politics and power after nearly four decades in Washington, why Donald Trump is “dangerous” and what’s next for America as the Presidential election approaches.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.

The SNP have released their manifesto and, on the first page, they’ve promised again to make Scotland independent - but with polling suggesting that Labour are heading for a landslide victory, including a majority of the seats in Scotland, could this be the end of the independence cause? 

Or, paradoxically, might it end up being the best thing for the independence campaign? 

Support for Scottish independence has been decoupled from support for the SNP in the polls. So might a Labour government that sticks to Conservative spending limits be just the launch pad the independence campaign needs?

Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss all this and more on The Political Fourcast are the SNP’s Mhairi Black, Scottish Labour’s Pam Duncan-Glancy and chairman of the Scottish Conservatives Craig Hoy.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.

Labour have launched their manifesto with just two things on the cover - a picture of Keir Starmer and the word “change” - but how much change are they actually offering when it comes to the big issues of the day such as Brexit, Ukraine, the housing crisis, climate change and the economy? 

Labour appears to be on course to win power with a safety first strategy that promises relatively little, leaving us relatively little to hold them to account for. 

And now the Conservatives are warning of the dangers of a Labour “supermajority”.

Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss this on The Political Fourcast are Labour’s Stella Creasy, the Green Party’s Sian Berry and Channel 4 News’ senior political correspondent Paul McNamarra.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.

Rishi Sunak has unveiled his manifesto, promising billions in tax cuts and lower immigration - but after his D-Day disaster and Nigel Farage back in the game, is it enough to shift the dial in the election or even enough to stop the right-wing of his own party turning on him before polling day?

And with Reform creeping up in the polls, can Farage’s party really overtake the Tories to become the opposition? And what would happen then?

Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss this on this episode of The Political Fourcast are Conservative peer Jo Johnson, who helped write the winning Tory manifesto in 2015, Harriet Harman, former Labour Leader and Deputy Leader, and Reform UK’s Deputy Leader David Bull.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson.

Rishi Sunak has apologised and admitted it was a “mistake” to leave D-Day commemorations early, but many in the Conservative Party are already furious with the prime minister and Labour’s Keir Starmer has said he “has to explain” the decision.  

So why did he do it? Having spent the campaign so far reaching out to the very voters who hold respect for history and veterans so dear. 

Is this the moment the game is up and closing the gap on Labour becomes unrecoverable? Nigel Farage is already out there saying it shows Sunak isn't patriotic. With me Conservative Home’s Henry Hill, Boris Johnson’s former director of communications Guto Harri and Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth. 

Produced by Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson and Annie La Vespa

Devastating polling, the return of Nigel Farage and more talk of defections - it was almost looking like a truly nightmarish week for Rishi Sunak, but then came the TV leaders debate with Keir Starmer and the Conservative’s claim that a Labour government will raise taxes by £2,000 per household.

Keir Starmer failed to effectively deny the Conservative attack line until the second half of the debate and called it a lie. 

Today, Labour are again saying it is a lie and the Treasury have distanced themselves from it - but, perhaps, as the old saying goes, a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has got its shoes on.   

Two weeks into the election campaign, are we entering a new dirtier phase to this campaign? 

Joining me in the Fourcast studio, Labour's shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry, the Conservative's Home Office Minister Chris Philp, and pollster Luke Tryl from More in Common.   

Produced by Shaheen Sattar, Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson, Nick Jackson and Silvia Maresca

Reports that Labour are set to bar Diane Abbott from standing in the general election have sparked outrage, with the veteran MP accusing Keir Starmer of purging the party’s left wing and alienating voters. 

But is the Labour leader and his inner circle willing to lose left-wing voters, if it means they can concentrate on winning over disaffected Conservatives and bringing back Labour supporters who were put off by Jeremy Corbyn?

This week, Rishi Sunak has made a slew of policy announcements - national service for teenagers, cutting so-called “Mickey Mouse” university courses, and a tax giveaway for pensioners - this has left many wondering if the Tories have totally given up on young voters.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey was pictured falling - or jumping - off a paddleboard in Lake Windermere, but can the party make a splash across the country or is it just about a few target seats?

In this episode of The Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy talks about all this with the Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader Daisy Cooper, former Conservative Universities minister, Lord Johnson, and Meg Hillier, who was Labour Chair of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee and has been the MP in Diane Abbott’s neighbouring constituency for 20 years.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thompson and Nick Jackson.

Campaigning is underway after Rishi Sunak’s shock decision to call a snap general election - and the decision by Nigel Farage not to stand as a candidate for his Reform UK party might play to his favour - yet many are still puzzled by his decision. 

The Conservatives are twenty points behind in the polls and even the prime minister recently admitted he’s unlikely to win. So why go now? And why in the rain?  Does he have something up his sleeve? He says Labour don't have a plan. Do they? What are the issues, and who are the people that will decide this election? 

To talk about all this and more on The Political Fourcast we’re joined by Conservative MP and former Levelling Up minister Dehenna Davison, Labour’s former Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw and pollster Luke Tryl.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thompson and Nick Jackson.

Are Labour and the Conservatives already prepping for the election? 

Both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are certainly behaving like they are.

The Labour leader launched his first steps to change Britain, but will that help the party on the doorstep? And this week saw more culture war issues being flagged by Conservatives. Rishi Sunak wrote about his horror at disturbing gender ideology being taught in schools as the government brought in new guidance and rules banning classroom teaching about contested gender identity issues.

To talk about this, on The Political Fourcast we're joined by Caroline Nokes, the Conservative Chair of Parliament's Women and Equalities Committee, and from Labour, the Former Culture Secretary, Ben Bradshaw, who is stepping down at the next election.

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Annie La Vespa, Rob Thompson and Nick Jackson.