Politics Live

The programme began with the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, in Berlin to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. They were due to hold talks on tackling cyber security threats and sabotage. The visit followed the Labour Party conference, where Burnham raised the prospect of closer ties with the EU, including rejoining the bloc. A French Finance Minister told the BBC that Britain could 'come back any time'. The panel discussed whether the UK should have another referendum and what terms might be available, alongside instability in Europe, including riots in France, protests in Spain and far-right gains in Germany. Defence spending and international cooperation on defence were also raised.

The broadcast then turned to welfare and a government-commissioned review by Alan Milburn into young people who are not working or studying. The Times reported that its recommendations could be delayed until after the budget. Milburn said opportunities should come with obligations and that welfare systems need a backstop if people do not take up support. Labour MP Rachel Maskell, who had opposed some of the PIP changes Keir Starmer tried to introduce, argued for a nuanced approach focused on training, youth hubs, devolution and employer responsibility, and said she would not remove benefits if people failed to attend meetings. The panel debated conditionality, sanctions, mental health, the pandemic's effect on work coaches, and the Beveridge principle that benefits come with conditions. Conservative proposals for back-to-work prepaid cards, which would restrict spending on gambling, alcohol and junk food for claimants who refuse work, were also discussed. The conversation moved to pensions, including government talk of replacing the triple lock with a less generous double lock after the next election if Labour wins; James Bethell said the overall welfare bill including pensions was too high and needed to come down, while Kemi Badenoch was noted as opposing changes to the triple lock.

Birth rates were then discussed. Camilla Cavendish, author of Generation Maybe, said falling birth rates are global and driven by factors including housing costs, a 'romance famine', online dating, later settling down, social contagion and smartphones. She said government baby bonuses had generally not worked, citing Hungary and Denmark's 'Do It For Denmark' campaign, and suggested more education about infertility, more flexible childcare, and changing workplace penalties around motherhood and paternity leave. Jonathan Ashworth raised tuition fees and student debt, while James Bethell spoke about changing gender roles. Finally, the programme covered Kemi Badenoch's Conservative Party conference announcement that a future Conservative government would legislate so nobody pays inheritance tax on their family home. The panel discussed a YouGov poll showing 52% thought inheritance tax should be reduced or abolished, Jonathan Ashworth's criticism that the £6bn plan would be funded by bringing back the two-child limit and push children into poverty, and defences of the policy as supporting aspiration and property ownership. Camilla Cavendish described inheritance tax as unpopular because it is seen as double taxation, and James Bethell said it spoke to aspirant voters despite wider intergenerational unfairness.