Election: The Final Countdown

As the General Election goes down to the wire, we’re joined by special guest Sebastian Payne of the Financial Times to look at campaign control freakery and the constitutional uncertainty that surrounds this unpredictable vote. What happens if there’s a hung parliament but the biggest party can’t form a government? Can the PM just stay in place? And what would happen if Boris Johnson lost his seat?

Plus, the social care crisis is a pressing issue for government but why are politicians so terrified of touching it? Nick Davies of the IfG tells us why this politically radioactive issue urgently needs cross-party consensus. 

And with political journalism under the spotlight as seldom before, we speak to Jo Coburn, formidable presenter of the BBC’s Daily Politics show, about the challenges of fake news, unconscious bias and dealing with politicians who simply refuse to turn up to face scrutiny. “When parties attack us, I think they’re losing the argument,” she says. “It’s an easy hit to blame journalists when we bend over backwards to ensure we represent every shade of opinion.”

All this plus Seb Payne coining the world “Coalitious”. Remember that one for future use. 

Hosted by Bronwen Maddox with Cath Haddon and Hannah White plus Gavin Freeguard and Nick Davies. Audio production by Alex Rees. 

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