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So was that it? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy have slept on it – and are feeling the budget may have landed with a whimper rather than a bang. They weigh up the case for the defence: has John Healey played it safe to reassure the markets, keep Labour onside and give households some immediate relief on energy bills? Or has he ducked the big decisions, leaving families facing a cost-of-living squeeze and businesses distinctly underwhelmed? Plus, it’s not just Sam and Anne’s reaction. Friends of the podcast have been sending their messages as they mull it over too. And if you missed it, our full 30-minute Budget debrief with Sky News’ Economics and Data editor Ed Conway is already in your feeds, offering a deeper dive on John Healey’s statement.

A breathing space budget or a look into a new bleak economic reality? Chancellor – John Healey - delivered a no thrills budget but with grim warnings on the economic dashboard from the Office for Budget Responsibility can he deliver the “breathing space” he wants to give people? With growth downgraded, borrowing set to rise and taxes heading for a post war high did he deliver any hope or has he simply pushed the problem down the road. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy are joined by Sky News’ Economics and Data Editor – Ed Conway – to go over the big decisions, examine what the numbers mean for households and ask if Labour still has “fresh hope for the future.” Want to ask Sam and Anne a question – email them at [email protected]

It’s budget day and it’s a critical moment for Chancellor and the UK economy. So, what are the plans to ease the squeeze on household bills and the cost-of-living crisis? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack the high-stakes decisions facing the government and how John Healey plans to raise billions in additional revenue through increasing tax. With tough choices delayed, fiscal headroom shrinking and Whitehall budgets stretched to breaking point, will this budget fix Britain’s problems or simply kick them down the road? And, will this budget reveal who really runs the government - No 11, No 10 or the markets?

It’s budget eve but can the Chancellor really deliver a ‘breathing space’ budget? With living standards under pressure, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy explore the trade-offs John Healey must balance between the cost-of-living crisis, the government’s plan for growth and whether ministers can convince voters that they’re easing the pressure. Plus, Sam heads to Doncaster-Sheffield Airport where a bold bet on devolution could deliver where the private sector failed.

At its core will this be a John Healey or Andy Burnham budget – and will it deliver any real breathing space? With the biggest fiscal event of the year looming, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine some of the cabinet divisions across a range of topics including oil drilling, migration policy and a new relationship with Europe. Plus, is the Prime Minister reopening Labour’s battle over Europe and free movement? Where are the red lines for the party, Andy Burnham and the country?

Can the government find more cuts across Whitehall to fund its NATO defence commitments? With less than a week to the budget, Treasury minister – Emma Reynolds – says squeezing more efficiency out of SW1 could free up cash for defence. But with public services already under pressure, where can the cuts be made without making things worse? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy crunch the numbers, look at which sectors are already flashing the warning signs and which policies the Prime Minister could scrap to score a political win. Elsewhere, is Education Secretary – Lucy Powell – planning on making shifts in the department after a luke warm response to keeping Sir Martyn Oliver as the chief inspector of OFSTED?

The Jackdaw gas field has been approved by the government. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh says the decision will support the country’s energy security and that it is compatible with legally binding climate commitments. Critics say the move breaks the spirit of the 2024 Labour manifesto – and makes Andy Burnham look likes he’s living in a “parallel universe” after the hottest summer on record. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy discuss how he goes about squaring the circle of gas drilling with potential budget cuts to green projects?

John Healey’s first budget is shrouded in secrecy so how come we know he won’t be touching capital gains tax? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy ponder whether the Treasury is worried about growth and discuss how Kemi Badenoch is trying to get the Conservatives on an economic front foot. Plus, they pull apart the weekly polling numbers, and Sam’s got a story about the wait times for parents of SEND children.

Having more than a million young people not in education, employment or training is an “economic catastrophe” according to the prime minister. So, what will the government do about it? With Alan Milburn’s long-awaited review due next month, is Andy Burnham laying the groundwork for tougher benefit conditions in the budget – as ministers look to rein in the spiralling welfare bill? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine how the report’s findings could complicate the government’s plans for reform. Plus, Anne has the latest on the protests in France and a stark warning over the political cost of attempting to shrink the size of the state.

Is Reform facing another growing crisis over alleged racist, sexist and violent language within its ranks? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy assess what the latest claims within an ITV News undercover investigation mean for Nigel Farage and whether more damaging revelations are still to come. Reform say there is “no room for racism” within its party. Elsewhere, President Zelenskyy says Donald Trump cut Ukraine’s access to vital satellite technology – Starlink – claiming it cost lives. If America can switch off vital military technology, how safe is Britain’s growing reliance on Elon Musk’s satellite networks? Plus, is the cabinet office heading for an historic re-brand and who will hold the power at the heart of government?

As President Zelenskyy arrives in Downing Street, is the balance of the Ukraine war shifting? Andy Burnham will reaffirm Britain’s support for Ukraine after Presidents Trump and Putin diesel deal – but can the UK make a difference without putting its relationship with Washington at risk? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine the Prime Minister’s delicate balancing act as questions mount over America’s commitment to Ukraine. Elsewhere, has the government headed off a rebellion over the Courts Bill - and is its plan to build its way out of the prison crisis already unravelling? Plus, with the budget looming, economic critic Lord Jim O’Neill faces the Treasury Select Committee. Could his intervention create more headaches for John Healey?

Reform is under pressure again - but could the coming weeks prove make-or-break for Nigel Farage’s party? With fresh undercover filming threatening to cause trouble and a crucial report into the £5m gift looming, how serious could the fallout be? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy also unpack the latest polling: is Kemi Badenoch enjoying a post-conference bounce, or are internal divisions across the political landscape reshaping the race? Elsewhere, the battle for the Budget narrative is heating up, and Sam has some intel on why business leaders could be getting extra attention from No 10. Plus, with a date set for an EU-UK Summit, Anne gauges the opinion across the continent.

With the budget barely a fortnight away, chancellor John Healey is warning of mounting economic headwinds. Can he ease the pressure on the public finances without loosening the purse strings? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy test the tightrope Healey is attempting to walk ahead of a major speech to the International Monetary Fund. Elsewhere, is Donald Trump’s energy deal with Vladimir Putin putting the UK’s support for Ukraine to the test? And why has Andy Burnham chosen now to confirm Russian interference in the Brexit vote? Plus, Sam has an exclusive on how the promise of more money for regional mayors might not be worth as much as they were hoping.

With conference season in the rear-view mirror, Andy Burnham jets off to Germany for his first European trip as PM - but how much do Anglo-German relations matter right now? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy look ahead to his meeting with German chancellor Friedrich Merz as the countries attempt to align ambitions and maybe find an avenue to rejoin the EU. Elsewhere, an MP gets in touch to ask whether the government is trying to curb transparency and scrutiny.

She promised a “battle for the soul of the nation” – but can Kemi Badenoch turn her vision for the Conservatives into an electoral revival? In a special debrief episode from the Tory conference in Birmingham, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack the big pledges in the leader’s speech – from abolishing inheritance tax on family homes to her deeply personal intervention on race, identity and her own mixed-race children. Has Badenoch now drawn a clear enough dividing line between her party, Andy Burnham and Nigel Farage?