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.

 

For the second time in a fortnight, the Conservatives have been dealt a jaw-dropping blow - another MP has defected. This time, it is Dover MP and rightwinger, Natalie Elphicke, who crossed the floor moments before Prime Minister's Questions, to join forces with the opposition.  

 

The move has certainly sparked anger and confusion for both Labour and the Tories, and Keir Starrmer is being grilled by members of his own shadow cabinet over why he accepted Elphicke into the party. 

 

Defections are a rare occurrence in politics, so what do the past two in two weeks tell us about Rishi Sunak’s ability to deliver at the next general election? 

 

In this episode of The Political Fourcast, we speak to the SNP’s deputy leader in the Commons Mhairi Black, who’s announced she will stand down at the next election. And former Education Secretary Justine Greening, who had the Tory whip withdrawn after opposing Boris Johnson over Brexit in 2019. 

 

They talk to us about why an MP might make the decision to defect from their political party, if a defection signals a political shift, and whether the UK needs political reform away from a first past the post system. 

 

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

The Conservatives are facing their worst local election results in 40 years - and yet it looks like Rishi Sunak may cling on after Ben Houchen secured a victory in the Tees Valley mayoral vote. 

But what next for the Conservative Party?

Are they now in the worst of all worlds with a wounded leader facing defeat at the general election or can Rishi Sunak turn it around? 

To discuss all this and more we are joined by Spectator editor Fraser Nelson, former Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and Labour’s Leader in the House of Lords Baroness Angela  Smith.

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

 

Kamala Harris has chosen Governor Tim Walz as her Vice President for the 2024 Democrat ticket.

After considering nearly a dozen candidates, Harris landed on Walz who has been described as having the most "progressive record" of any of the other contenders.

Walz was an early supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, championed abortion rights into state law, and expanded free school meals & paid worker leave - so it’s not wonder the Trump-Vance team have branded him a “dangerously liberal extremist”. Rest assured, the animosity is mutual - Walz’s profile exploded after he called Donald Trump and JD Vance "weird".

Joining Matt Frei to talk about it in this episode of The American Fourcast are the UK Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad, John Scardino, the Chairman of Republicans Overseas UK, Greg Swenson, and the Director General for think-tank RUSI, Karin Von Hippel.

 

Produced by Silvia Maresca, Shaheen Sattar, Rob Thomson.

 

Rishi Sunak has pledged he'll ramp up Britain's defence budget and announced a £500 million military aid package to Ukraine, in the same week a long-awaited $61billion aid package from the US passed through Congress and the Senate.

But what is the West’s end game for Ukraine? Is there enough in these aid packages to turn the tide of the war as Russia appears to have gained the upper hand? What more can the West do? Here to discuss this on The Political Fourcast is former Armed Forces Minister James Heappey and shadow defence minister, Baroness Anderson. They talk to us about why today's young people in the UK may end up caught up in a future war, how Trump’s second Presidency could change the war and what this all means for the upcoming General Election.

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

This week on The Political Fourcast, another scandal hits the Tories - Mark Menzies MP loses the whip as the Conservative Party investigates claims that he misused campaign funds. He allegedly made a late night call to ask for money to pay off "bad people". He disputes the allegations and senior Tory MPs are telling voters not to rush to judgement. With upcoming local elections and a looming general election, the allegations risk damaging the party in government.  

But is today’s story just another example in a long line of MPs from all parties flouting the rules?

Since 2019, there have been at least 10 cases of Conservative MPs that have either been suspended or quit over allegations of misconduct. Similarly, across the same time period, there have been at least four Labour MPs accused of misconduct, along with one from the SNP and one from Plaid Cymru.

This week, we speak to the SNP’s deputy leader in the Commons Mhairi Black, who’s announced she will stand down at the next election. And former Education Secretary Justine Greening, who had the Tory whip withdrawn after opposing Boris Johnson over Brexit in 2019. They talk to us about mistrust in politics, and why this “jaw dropping” scandal could be a “plague” on politics at large, and confirm what voters think of Westminster’s politicians.

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

 

This week on The Political Fourcast - as war rumbles on in Gaza, we discuss how foreign policy affects domestic politics, and how the government’s decisions during the Israel/Gaza conflict could influence the outcome of an upcoming general election. Should Lord Cameron divulge the legal advice he has received over supplying arms to Israel? Why is the Labour party ignoring pleas to call for a ceasefire? And why did the Foreign Secretary make a house call to Donald Trump on his recent trip to the US? 

Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy and political editor Gary Gibbon this week to discuss all this and more; Lord Charlie Falconer, a politician who was at the heart of Tony Blair's government the last time the party had a major falling out with its supporters over foreign policy during the Iraq war, and the Tory peer Nicky Morgan, a long-time ally of former Prime Minister and current Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

Produced by Alice Wagstaffe, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson.

With Rwanda flights unlikely to take off before the summer, if ever, could Rishi Sunak find himself in the departure lounge before any asylum seeker?

Discussing planes and plots on this week's episode of The Political Fourcast, we hear from former Universities Minister and now Conservative peer Jo Johnson, and Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP for Barking, who’s standing down at the next election.

They join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Political Editor Gary Gibbon to talk about the Rwanda ‘gimmick’, whether or not the Conservative party have ‘hit the iceberg’, and the possibility that it won’t be Rishi Sunak who leads the Tories into the next general election.

Produced by Alice Wagstaffe, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson and Shaheen Sattar.

Will we have a May General election? Will there be massive Conservative defeat in any Election that we do have this year? And what’s the economy got to do with it? 

Here to answer those questions are the Former Chancellor who gave us the infamous mini-budget of 2022, Kwasi Kwarteng, and the former Labour Party leader and Mother of the House, Harriet Harman. They join Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Channel 4 News’ Political Editor, Gary Gibbon to discuss Jeremy Hunt’s Budget announcement yesterday, income tax cuts, and why, in their view, the Conservatives are starting to look a lot like the Labour party.

Produced by Alice Wagstaffe, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson and Shaheen Sattar.

 

In the 110 days since the war started, over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive on Gaza, prompting the charity Oxfam to describe it as the ‘deadliest conflict of the 21st century’. It follows the October 7 attacks by Hamas that saw 1,200 people killed and around 240 taken hostage in Israel. There is huge pressure internationally for a new ceasefire and hostage release deal to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

In this episode of The Fourcast we speak with Jan Egeland, a former diplomat who helped draw up the 1993 peace agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Oslo Accords.

Egeland, who is now the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy that the scale of civilian carnage in Gaza makes it clear that this is not a conflict between equals. He also looks at the ‘hypocritical’ position of many Western governments who have been quick to call out Russia’s aggression on Ukraine but are not doing the same with Israel’s attacks on Palestine, and looks at how the conflict could worsen going forward if a two-state solution is not reached.

Produced by Shaheen Sattar and Alice Wagstaffe

A four day temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been extended by two days, and brings a glimmer of relief and hope to Palestinians in Gaza. Momentum from this brings the possibility of even more Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees being released.

Over 14,000 Palestinians have been killed, one-third of them children, since the onset of Israel’s siege in Gaza on October 9th, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. It followed the October 7 attacks by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel and around 240 were taken hostage.

In this episode of The Fourcast, we speak with the Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot. He’s a part of the Palestinian Authority that governs areas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. We look at the wider ramifications of the Israel-Hamas war, and what it does to damage a secure and prosperous future for the Palestinians.

A warning, this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and warfare.

Pressure on Israel to pause fighting and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza is growing, with leaders around the world including President Biden calling for a multiple day long ceasefire. Meanwhile, negotiations are continuing in Qatar for the release of hostages - Netanyahu says he won't allow a ceasefire unless hostages are released.

The Israel-Hamas war has already killed more than 10,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas appointed Gaza Health Ministry, and Israel has come under fire for what the UN calls a collective punishment of Palestinians for the atrocities of Hamas.

In this special episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Israel's Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely. She's a member of the right-wing Likud party in Israel, and was Minister for Settlements before becoming Ambassador. We look at why Israel is continuing its bombardment of Gaza, what the endgame is - can Hamas really be eradicated? And whether she has any empathy for the Palestinians during this war.

In this episode of The Fourcast, our correspondents are on the ground with the very latest on the war between Israel and Hamas, as Israelis shelter from Hamas rocket fire and Gaza is pounded by the heaviest bombardment in its history.   Secunder Kermani has been to the Kfar Aza kibbutz, which was targeted by the militants on Saturday, we hear an eyewitness report from filmmaker Yousef Hammash in Gaza, Matt Frei interviews Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan as he tries to justify the recent killings, and IDF Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner tells Matt, "the people of Gaza are not our enemy."    And a warning, this podcast contains distressing material. 

As Israel declares a ‘complete siege’ of Gaza, and the death toll in Israel continues to rise, we bring you the latest from the region, with Matt Frei reporting from Jerusalem and Krishnan Guru-Murthy live in London.    In this special episode of The Fourcast, we hear from civilians trapped in besieged Gaza, speak to a man living in a “bad dream” as six members of his family are missing following Hamas's surprise attack, hear expert analysis from our Foreign Correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, and Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, who explains why Israel feels justified in their decision to cut the power to the Gaza Strip.  

Vice President Kamala Harris is the favourite to be the Democratic nominee for president after Joe Biden’s shock decision to drop out of the race - but can she really beat Donald Trump?  

Some polls suggest Kamala Harris is even less popular than Joe Biden, especially in the crucial swing states and like president Biden - she’s stumbled a few times in public - leading some to write her off - but has she been totally underestimated? 

To discuss all this and more, Matt Frei was joined by Christina Emba, staff writer at The Atlantic, and Channel 4 News’ International Editor, Lindsey Hilsum. 

Produced by Calum Fraser, Nina Hodgson, Shaheen Sattar, Zahra Warsame, Millie Teasdale, and Rob Thomson

 

At the Nato summit this week, the star attraction was President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. But while he knew he was among friends - and allies were keen to emphasise their continuing support - he came with a clear demand: let Ukraine join the Nato alliance. 

But even before his arrival, the mood music suggested that Ukraine was not going to be offered membership to Nato, nor was it going to be given a clear timetable on how and when it could join.

With President Erodgan of Turkey also holding up Sweden’s membership, it seemed like Nato had some trouble ahead of the summit.

But then things changed. On the eve of the summit, Erdogan said he was stopping his blocking of Sweden’s application, and during the summit, President Zelenskyy appeared to accept that even if membership was not forthcoming, the head of Nato was clear that it might come one day.

But how might the war come to an end? And why can’t Ukraine join now, to deter Russia? In today’s episode, we put these questions to Emma Ashford, an expert on Russia and Europe at the foreign affairs think tank, The Stimson Centre. I spoke to her about Nato, the war, and how it might conclude.

 

The story of the sinking of the Titan submersible dominated news headlines. Five people killed underwater. That same week, our international correspondent Paraic O’Brian was also reporting on people drowning at sea. 

In a small port in Tunisia, 11 people died after their boat, full of asylum seekers and refugees, capsized on its way to Europe.

One story, but it happens all the time. 

It is an ongoing crisis in the Mediterranean, claiming lives every day, as the EU and other nations try to deter migration itself, wanting to avoid an influx in refugees.

On today’s Fourcast, we talk to Foreign Correspondent Paraic O’Brien about his time in Tunisia on the frontline of this crisis, and what the reaction by politicians, as well as the lack of reaction from the public, tells us about how we view migration today.

This episode includes distressing themes.  

 

This hasn’t been the greatest week for Russia President, Vladimir Putin in two decades of power in the Kremlin.

A mutinous band of mercenaries, that he himself created, charged up towards Moscow, denouncing his war in Ukraine and seemingly meeting little resistance on the way.

While he faced down Evgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner group, appearing to banish them to Belarus, it’s not all over for Putin.

In this episode, Hubertus Jahn, professor of the history of Russia and the Caucasus at Cambridge University, explains how the “mafia boss” in the Kremlin has seen cracks forming in his enterprise - and explores what might be next for Russia and its leader.

 

 

The Darién gap is a stretch of land between Colombia and Panama, an unavoidable section of the route from South America to Central America that thousands of migrants a week take, as they travel up to the Mexico / United States border. 

It’s been called ‘hell on Earth’ because of its dense and dangerous jungle. There are no roads, just treacherous paths, rivers that can wash you away, vast swamps, steep mountains and deadly animals. And it’s lawless, with cartels and kidnappers taking advantage of the vulnerable migrants. 

The fittest take days to cross, the feeble can table weeks and many do not make it at all. 

And despite all of this, record numbers are still crossing.

Our Latin America correspondent Guillermo Galdos travelled that most dangerous of human trails, and in today’s episode of The Fourcast, he speaks about his journey, the people he met along the way.

 

In March this year, the owner of a hotel in the Leicestershire village of Kegworth signed an exclusive contract with the Home Office to use his hotel to house asylum seekers.

But the local community has been starkly divided over the arrival of dozens of their new neighbours. While some are welcoming, the arrival has also drawn angry protests.

In today's episode of The Fourcast, we speak to our Communities Editor, Darshna Soni, about how this town has become divided over immigration and whether the government’s mission to stop the boats is inflaming tensions - as Number 10 says it is trying to get a handle on net migration and its growing asylum backlog.

This episode contains reference to suicide.

 

This past week, the G7 - the group of the world’s richest democracies - gathered in Japan to discuss Ukraine, Russia, global affairs, and their increasing concerns about a rising power looking out at them from over the water: China.

This was some of the sternest wording from the G7, and China dismissed it as a smear.

But the West also doesn’t want to completely antagonise and cut off China, with the Australian Prime Minister saying lessons had to be learnt from history.

So, are we entering a new Cold War, where conflict is avoided but tensions remain? Or are we not far off from a catastrophic war?

On today’s episode, I speak to Graham Allison, a former member of Bill Clinton’s defence department and one of the preeminent national security voices in America. He speaks to me about his historical theory called Thucydides Trap, where throughout the past a rising power has often come to blows with an established one. Will China and America go the same way?

Producer: Freya Pickford

Sources: AP

For weeks now, the world has been waiting for Ukraine to launch their spring counter offensive against Russia.

But how much longer will we wait? Or has it already begun?

As the battle for Bakhmut rages on, Ukraine has made steady gains around that region - whilst Russian troops have retreated but stepped up strikes on the capital city, Kyiv, this month.

President Zelenskyy has toured European capitals asking for more weapons, securing from Britain long-range attack drones and missiles.

In today’s episode, I speak to our international editor Lindsey Hilsum about why the spring offensive might be slightly delayed, what Ukraine really wants from any advances, and the geopolitical factors at play that mean Ukraine has to strike soon or lose the momentum.

Producer: Freya Pickford

Fentanyl is killing at least seventy thousand Americans a year.

It’s a synthetic drug, it’s up to 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It’s also the biggest cause of death for Americans aged between 18 and 45: more than gun crime, more than road accidents.

But where is that supply of Fentanyl to America coming from?

And why are people taking it, when it’s so dangerous?

And are there any solutions to this deadliest of epidemics?

In today’s episode we speak to our Latin America correspondent, Guillermo Galdos, about the rare access he gained inside the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, where he witnessed the mass production of Fentanyl.

We also hear from journalist Ben Westhoff, who has spent years investigating the world of synthetic drugs in America and he explains why this crisis will get worse - even reaching the UK, before it gets better.

Producer: Freya Pickford

70 years on from the last Coronation, when Britain was still an empire and hardly anyone had a TV - what does Charles the Third’s crowning say about us today and the Britain of the future?

We know that the British do this type of pomp and ceremony better than anyone else, it defines who we are.

But is that true? 

You may be told this is all ancient, but many of the royal ceremonies we witness are actually made-up rituals from the Victorian era used to legitimise the monarchy in modern British life.

Today we speak to the historian, Sir David Cannadine, an expert on modern British history who sat on the coronation committee, about how we got to this place of flamboyant royal symbolism - and what this modern coronation tells us about where we are today.

Sources: AP

Producer: Freya Pickford

An assassination attempt, J.D. Vance - a relatively unknown Ohio Senator - picked as Donald Trump’s Vice President, and current President Joe Biden desperately clinging on to his own nomination - it’s been another huge week in American politics and there's still one day left at the Republican National Convention where Donald Trump is due to speak - so what will happen next?

We’re in Milwaukee where amongst the sea of red MAGA 2024 hats, some delegates are sporting fake white bandages on their ears - a nod to the injury that Trump sustained on Saturday night’s shooting.

Millennial Vice President hopeful J.D. Vance has made his first speech to the nation and reaffirmed his loyalty to Donald Trump - a change since reportedly calling him ‘America’s Hitler’ eight years ago.

But has the assassination attempt actually helped Donald Trump on his campaign? Will President Joe Biden definitely be the Democrat standing against him? And what’s the deal with all this new-found unity?

To discuss all this with Matt Frei on the first episode of The American Fourcast is Republican strategist Cassie Smedile, Washington Post reporter Azi Paybarah, and Channel 4 News’ Washington correspondent Siobhan Kennedy.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Shaheen Sattar, Silvia Maresca, Millie Teasedale, Zahra Warsame, and Rob Thompson

After a week-long victory lap in the UK, Sir Keir Starmer flew to America for the Nato summit where he met US President Biden and Ukraine’s president Zelenskyy - but his Western allies have been in a less celebratory mood than Britain’s new prime minister.

The far left and right are resurgent across Europe with France politically paralysed after Emmanuel Macron’s snap election gamble, while Joe Biden’s presidency is in near meltdown as Democrats turn on him after his disastrous debate with Donald Trump.

With wars in Ukraine and the Middle East threatening to spill over - the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

So, how shaky is the Nato alliance right now and are the strains a sign of a wider decline in the West? The UK has a fresh-faced prime minister, but does it have any fresh ideas? 

To discuss all this and more on this week’s episode of The Political Fourcast Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Liberal Democrats’ Mike Martin MP, Labour’s Mike Tapp MP, and Karin von Hippel, the director-general of the Royal United Services Institute think tank.

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

 

The Conservative party have suffered their worst ever defeat and Keir Starmer has been swept to power in a landslide victory - but huge challenges are waiting in the new prime minister’s intray and while he has a massive majority now in Westminster, his support across the country is on shakier grounds.  

Some of Labour’s big names, who thought they’d be helping to form a new government, are out - beaten by pro-Gazan independents and Greens. 

And now Nigel Farage says that, after decimating the Conservative vote and plunging the party into chaos, he has his eyes on Labour. 

So what does this all mean, and what next for British politics? 

In this election special edition of The Political Fourcast Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, Labour’s Bell Ribeiro-Addy and psephologist Luke Tryl.

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

If the polls are to be believed, Sir Keir Starmer could be set to beat Rishi Sunak’s Conservative’s and gain a record majority in Parliament, but perhaps with one of Labour’s lowest shares of the vote. 

Despite promises on tax, voters believe they will pay more, and are sceptical about things getting better. Turnout is expected to be historically low. 

The Lib Dems are heading for a lower share of the vote than Reform but could get twenty times as many seats or more. Are these just the realities of our system or the warning lights on the dashboard for a democracy heading down the wrong road? 

Look across the water to France and beyond - are we potentially storing up even more discontent and anger from people who might turn right next time? 

In this episode of The Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Labour’s Bell Ribeiro-Addy, former Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison and the SNP’s Mhairi Black to discuss all this and more.

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

 

It’s less than one week until election day, and so far the headlines have been dominated by betting scandals, the rise of Reform, and Rishi Sunak’s D-Day blunder. So can the prime minister do anything now to avoid what many polls suggest could be the worst ever result for the Conservative Party?

He desperately wants attention to turn to Keir Starmer and what Labour would actually do if they win the election - and here could be an answer to that question in Wales where the Labour Party have been in power for decades. Keir Starmer even said once that Wales is a “blueprint” for a Labour government, although he doesn’t seem to want to repeat that comment much of late.

In this special episode of The Political Fourcast from Wales, Channel 4 News’s Ciaran Jenkins is joined by Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, Welsh Secretary David TC Davies and shadow cabinet minister Nick Thomas-Symmonds.

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

Ed Davey has now joined Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak scrambling to check who in their party could get caught up in the betting saga - but is this story on the scale of the expenses scandal or Partygate or is it all just a bit of juvenile stupidity? 

If it is, why are people at the heart of the UK’s biggest political parties making these kinds of decisions? And what does all this say about the election campaign?

Joining Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss all this and more on The Political Fourcast is the ConservativeHome’s Henry Hill, pollster Scarlett Maguire and senior political correspondent Paul McNamara.

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

 

The Grenfell Inquiry into the tower block fire that killed 72 people in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea has delivered a devastating final report that names and shames many - but inquiries into infected blood, Covid and the Post Office have also revealed rot at the core of Britain’s institutions - so can and, more importantly, will anything be done?

To discuss the findings of the Grenfell Inquiry report and what it reveals about the state of modern Britain on this episode of the Political Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by Emma Dent Coad, who was the local MP at the time of the Grenfell fire and now sits on Kensington and Chelsea Council, Deborah Coles, director of Inquest who campaign on deaths involving state institutions, and Channel 4 News’ Social Affairs editor Jackie Long.

 

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

 

It was one of the most shocking moments of the 2024 presidential campaign. President Joe Biden, at times appearing incoherent and confused, effectively ended his hopes of reelection as he stumbled through a debate against rival Donald Trump. It marked the beginning of the end of his campaign. He was ultimately replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris - a last-minute switch that failed to deliver the Democratic Party the White House.

To many voters, it was a shocking turn of events. But, as a new book argues, for White House and Biden family insiders, it was the public exposure of a secret they had long been trying to keep. Publicly, Biden’s team have refuted claims that he was unfit for reelection, insisting that “he was a very effective president.” But the question remains: did Team Biden cover up his declining health?

In an interview that was recorded before the announcement of Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis this weekend, Matt Frei speaks to CNN anchor Jake Tapper about his explosive new book, Original Sin, which examines the former president’s apparent cognitive decline and includes testimony from White House insiders who claim there was a deliberate “cover-up” to keep the truth from the American people.

 

Aseem Malhotra is a deeply controversial British doctor who has just been appointed as Chief Medical Adviser of the Make America Healthy Again campaign group co-founded by Donald Trump's health secretary Robert F Kennedy Junior.

It makes him one of the US Health Secretary's most influential medical advisers - and that's alarming doctors and academics around the world, because Aseem Malhotra, like RFK JR, goes against mainstream, established opinion on many topics.

Most controversially he opposes the MRNA covid vaccines, claiming they cause more harm than good, and wants to end their use in America, even though people are still dying with Covid around the world.

In the UK hundreds of people are dying with covid every month yet Dr Malhotra claims the virus is no longer deadly. He also supports RFK Junior's decision to reinvestigate discredited claims of a link between vaccines and autism, amid alarming levels of vaccine scepticism in America, and outbreaks of deadly measles.

For the latest episode of The Fourcast Krishnan Guru-Murthy talks to Dr Malhotra, but we also examine his claims and scrutinise them by hearing from Stephen Griffin, Professor of Virology at Leeds University - who is a leading scientist in Britain and believes claims being made by Dr Malhotra and RFK Junior are not just wrong but dangerous. Produced by Calum Fraser, Alice Wagstaffe, Georgina Lee, Rob Thomson.

Economic relations between the US and China are effectively over as the world’s two largest economies trade blows in a tit-for-tat trade war that’s brought the global world order into a new era.

As Xi Jinping calls on the EU to join him in opposing President Donald Trump’s ‘bullying’, where does this leave the rest of the world? Is globalisation over? 

On this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, former adviser of Bill Clinton and former chief economist of the World Bank. 

Produced by Ka Yee Mak, Tom Gordon-Martin, Simon Stanleigh and Michael Saliba

 

President Donald Trump has authorised a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for all countries except for one, China. The president slapped a bespoke 145% tariff on Beijing, effectively ending trade between the world’s two largest economies. 

What does this new world order mean for the rest of us? Where will this tit-for-tat trade war end? Will there be any winners? Or could it escalate into something much worse?

On this episode of The Fourcast, Matt Frei is joined by Fiona Hill, who was senior director for European and Russian affairs on the US National Security Council during the first Trump presidency and is now a senior fellow in the Centre on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak, Tom Gordon-Martin, Rob Thomson

 

Donald Trump has announced global tariffs on an unprecedented scale, holding up a chart in the White House Rose Garden outlining what each country will pay and while the UK seems to have got off relatively lightly, almost nowhere has escaped America's determination to bolster its home-grown trade and manufacturing.

Even the penguins that are the only inhabitants of a chain of remote Antarctic islands have been slapped with a 10 percent tariff. Prices in the US are likely to go up. The global economy faces a period of chaos amid plunging markets. But is a trade war inevitable? And could it spiral out of control and escalate into something much worse?

For this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by the American author and commentator Robert Kaplan whose writing examines the nature of US power, and Channel 4 News Economics Correspondent Helia Ebrahimi.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak, Silvia Maresca, Rob Thomson

Benjamin Netanyahu has said his intention is to implement Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, while Israel comes under intense criticism after the bodies of 15 emergency workers were discovered dead in southern Gaza and the UN says they were killed “one be one” by Israeli forces.

 

Sharon Haskell is from the New Hope party in the Israeli parliament and she is the deputy foreign minister in Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. 

 

She spoke to Krishnan Guru-Murthy in the latest episode of the Fourcast. 

 

Produced by Ka Yee Mak, Calum Fraser, Girish Juneja, Rob Thomson

 

The Fourcast breaks down a huge day for the UK economy and British politics, as Rachel Reeves delivers her Spring Statement with cuts to welfare and a new forecast from the OBR slashing the UK’s prospect for growth.

 Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by our Economics Correspondent Helia Ebrahimi and our Senior Political Correspondent Paul McNamara to explain what this means for you and explore the political fallout.

Produced by Girish Juneja, Rob Thomson, Ka Yee Mak, Calum Fraser

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have spoken on the phone for over 90 minutes thrashing out a deal to halt the bloodshed in Ukraine, and Russia has now agreed to a 30 day energy and infrastructure ceasefire as well as negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.

In this episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Russia’s Ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, about the talks between Russia and the USA over Ukraine, Europe's attempts to provide security guarantees and what there is to stop Russia wanting more territory if it gets everything it wants in this negotiation.

Produced by Mariaelena Agostini, Helene Cacace, Calum Fraser and Ka Yee Mak.

 

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel has been broken, as Israel launched overnight air strikes on Gaza that Hamas says has killed more than 400 people - sparking fears the region could be plunged into all out war once again.

Francesca Albanese is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and her opinions have sparked controversy in the past. 

Israel officially banned her from entering the country in February 2024 after she wrote in a tweet “the victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism, but in response to Israel’s oppression”. Israeli officials condemned these words as “anti-semitic” and called on the UN to “public disavow” Ms Albanese.

In this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Ms Albanese about how she came to her conclusion that Israel is committing genocide, whether Hamas’ attack on October 7th was an act of genocide and what the international community can do to stop the bloodshed.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Rob Thomson and Ka Yee Mak. 

 

President Zelenskyy has signed up to Donald Trump's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia and in return American arms and intelligence have started flowing into Ukraine again, but the question now is whether Vladimir Putin will agree to a pause in hostilities.

The Russian President knows every KGB trick in the book and is likely to resist giving up territory and prisoners. How does Donald Trump get him on board for a peace deal that lasts longer than the time it will take Russia to regroup and rearm?

So far the main Russian response has been another barrage of missiles targeting cities across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv. For this episode of the Fourcast Krishan Guru-Murthy is joined by Channel 4 News International Editor Lindsey Hilsum who is in the city.

Produced by Calum Fraser, Ka Yee Mak and Rob Thomson.