Politics Live

The programme opened with discussion of two record-breaking donations to Reform UK, each of £36 million from British donors Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, who have lived overseas. The BBC reported that the party described the donations as permissible, while deputy leader Richard Tice accused the government of trying to change rules retrospectively. The panel debated the size of the donations, with Labour MP David Smith expressing concern about influence and suggesting a cap, former Conservative minister Steve Baker arguing for transparency and mass participation, and Liberal Democrat MP Alison Bennett advocating for restrictions. Reform UK chairman Lee Anderson defended the donations as permissible, saying they would level the playing field, and dismissed criticism from other parties, while also referencing an ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation into how the party solicits donations.

In a later segment, nationalist leaders from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland met in Cardiff to sign a memorandum of understanding on self-determination. Scottish Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth spoke to the programme, arguing that the current constitutional framework is broken and that a mechanism for a referendum is needed. Panel members opposed independence, citing the 2014 referendum result and the practical difficulties of leaving the UK. The discussion also touched on US President Donald Trump's remarks in Ireland that he would like to see a united Ireland and thought it inevitable, which prompted responses that such decisions are for the people of Northern Ireland.

The final substantive story covered the government's announcement of new school food standards in England, including banning deep-fried food and pastries for breakfast, and requiring every dish to contain at least one portion of fruit or vegetables. Panel members offered differing views, with some supporting the measures as a way to improve children's nutrition and others questioning their effectiveness given broader issues of poverty and home eating habits.