Andrew marr

Finding freedom: BBC exodus continues

Will the last BBC presenter to leave please turn out the lights? Lewis Goodall of Newsnight is the latest star to leave W1A, joining the Beeb tribute act over at Global Radio, owners of LBC. In recent months, other stars to have made such a journey include Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, Andrew Marr, Eddie Mair and producer Dino Sofos. Such a move means, in the words of the Guardian’s Jim Waterson, ‘More money, more editorial freedom, less scrutiny.’ Departing the BBC means that Goodall is, at last, free to share his political views Departing the BBC means that Goodall is, at last, free to share his political views that have

New Marr is very much the same as the old Marr: LBC’s Tonight With Andrew Marr reviewed

Andrew Marr got his voice back this week. That may come as a bit of a surprise to everybody who’s been watching and listening to him on the BBC for the past 22 years but it’s the reason he gave when he announced last year that he was leaving. On Monday we heard the new voice. Marr made his debut on LBC. He’s presenting a 6 p.m. show four days a week in an hour nicked off Eddie Mair. Maybe ‘new’ voice is wrong. Not so much new, perhaps, as the old pre-BBC voice. The one he’d been forced to suppress. He called it ‘entirely my own voice’. After my

Boris’s tetchy Marr interview showed the risks he is taking

Boris Johnson’s rather testy interview with Andrew Marr this morning revealed the political gamble that he is taking. Johnson is calculating that the electoral benefits of higher wages will cancel out the public irritation with supply chain issues caused by labour shortages. During the interview, he repeatedly stressed that he thought that the UK’s low wage growth and stagnant productivity was, in part, because of the UK’s use of cheap, imported labour and that he wasn’t going to go back to that ‘old failed model’. The government appears to have paid no political price for the petrol crunch When Andrew Marr pushed on how long these supply chain problems would go

Watch Andrew Marr stare at places where stuff happened: New Elizabethans reviewed

Congratulations, everyone! It turns out we’re much better than those bigoted old Brits of the 1950s. After all, they were ‘class-obsessed, overwhelmingly white and Christian, and deeply conservative about the role of women’ — whereas we ‘accept difference and diversity in a way that would have been almost unthinkable in 1953’. This was the reassuring message in the first episode of New Elizabethans by Andrew Marr, where Marr surveyed Britain’s changing social attitudes since the Queen came to the throne, and liked what he saw. These days, needless to say, the ‘great man theory’ of history has rather fallen out of fashion — so instead Marr brought us a sort

Fraser Nelson

No 10 should have seen Alan Milburn’s resignation coming

For the whole board of the Social Mobility Commission to resign with its chairman, Alan Milburn, condemning the Prime Minister’s commitment to the agenda is pretty damaging. But this attack was inevitable, for reasons that haven’t (so far) been picked up by the newspapers. Ever since Theresa May took office, she has shown almost no interest in the Social Mobility Commission, set up under the coalition years. No10’s approach seems to have been one of strategic neglect. Alan Milburn’s five-year term came up for renewal last July: Justine Greening, the minister responsible, was keen for him to stay. But No10 refused, and asked her to come up with other names.

Sunday shows round-up: ‘Businesses are not scared of Labour’ claims McDonnell

John McDonnell – Businesses are not scared of Labour Sophy Ridge began the day with an interview with the Shadow Chancellor. Ridge asked McDonnell about last week’s comments from the CBI’s director general Carolyn Fairbairn that Labour’s plans for businesses would ‘crack the foundations’ of the economy. McDonnell did not refer to concerns about nationalisation, but insisted that businesses were ready to back his prospectus: SR: Do you think they are a bit scared of you? JM: No, I don’t think they are… [Fairbairn is] representing some of her member organisations… but when I meet with asset managers, with pension fund managers and business leaders, I talk them through our

We need the monarchy more than ever

One part of our unwritten constitution has been functioning perfectly during the Brexit upheaval: the monarchy. Unhappy behaviour by some younger royals reminds us how jealously the institution must be protected. It will also be essential to guard the monarchy’s impartial ‘light above politics’ (Roger Scruton’s happy phrase) with more care than ever in the inevitable Brexit arguments of the next few months. Since Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952, aged only 25, she has provided a comforting, non-political presence throughout immense and often unsettling change in this country. There is no way in which a succession of republican presidents (probably politicians kicked upstairs) could have done the

Theresa May fights for her premiership – and reveals Trump’s advice

Theresa May appeared on the Andrew Marr sofa with her premiership at its most vulnerable point since the disastrous snap election. After a week of frontbench resignations, a US Presidential visit that resulted in humiliation, a growing eurosceptic rebellion and a downturn in the polls, May belatedly tried to sell her Brexit blueprint to the public. The Prime Minister began by attempting some honesty – she told Marr that she did accept that the position agreed at Chequers last Friday was different to what was set out in her Lancaster House speech. However, she insisted that the change was minimal and that competitive free trade deals were still possible –

Who will be the next Tory leader?

Who will be the next Tory leader? I keep asking the senior contenders over breakfast after the show or at those now notorious summer parties. And they all say the same thing: she will stay for a couple of years and then it will be somebody we haven’t thought of yet. It’s already too late, they say, for MPs in their 50s and 60s. Predicting politics these days is like juggling greased goldfish… but I pass this on for what it’s worth. This is an extract from Andrew Marr’s Diary, which appears in this week’s Spectator

High life | 5 July 2018

Oh, to be in England, and almost die of heat after the Austrian Alps. Yes, Sarah Sands was right in her Speccie diary about last week being a great week of summer parties in London, but the really good ones are still to come. This weekend both Blenheim Palace and Badminton House play host to great balls. I only mention them because there are only two English dukes whom I acknowledge, Beaufort and Marlborough, because I knew both men when they were in their teens. There has been some grumbling about the fact that neither house would give in and change the date, but I’m fine with that. Two simultaneous

Sunday shows round-up: Greg Clark – a customs partnership is ‘still on the table’

The Business Secretary joined Andrew Marr this morning to keep alive the Prime Minister’s aspiration for a customs partnership with the EU after Brexit. On Wednesday, the Brexit inner cabinet voted down Theresa May’s proposal, which would see the UK government collect tariffs on behalf of the EU in return for greater access to the European market. Despite this setback, Clark argued strongly in favour of a ‘customs agreement that has the minimum of frictions’, as it would allow importation of important goods and materials ‘without any checks at the border’, something which he described as ‘crucial’ for British business: AM: There are those of your colleagues who say that

Sunday shows round-up: Boris Johnson – ‘the world has said enough is enough’

The Foreign Secretary joined Andrew Marr to discuss the targeted missile strikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria that took place during the early hours of Saturday morning. Although the US-led attacks were not intended to topple the government of Bashar al-Assad, and have reportedly seen no fatalities as a result, they have proved controversial, not least due to the likelihood of further strained relations with Russia. Johnson defended the government’s course of action, which was agreed at a meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday: AM: What is the mission, and have we really accomplished it? BJ: There’s one overwhelming reason why this was the right thing to do, and

Andrew Marr’s on air gaffe

Oh dear. Andrew Marr has found himself in the firing line this morning after the presenter congratulated a Tory minister on her interview… live on air. Penny Mordaunt appeared on the programme to answer questions on the unfolding Oxfam scandal and her plans as the recently appointed DfID Secretary. After putting in a confident showing, Marr – thinking the cameras had stopped rolling – went to congratulate her and offer a thumbs up. Only the exchange was broadcast live on air: Did Andrew Marr just turn to @PennyMordaunt at the end of this interview on @MarrShow and whisper “that was very good”!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/gXjQnAFxbL — Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) February 11, 2018

Sunday shows round-up: Emmanuel Macron – a bespoke UK deal is possible

During his visit to Britain to discuss defence and the future of Anglo-French border security, the French President Emmanuel Macron gave an interview with Andrew Marr at Sandhurst. Macron told Marr that a bespoke deal for the UK was on the negotiating table, though he insisted that there must be ‘no cherry picking’, as doing so would dismantle the integrity of the single market: AM: Now you’ve said in the past you can have Canada, or you can have Norway, but you can’t have your own special deal. Is that really fair give how long Britain has been part of the EU? EM: No, it’s not a question of fair

Sunday shows round-up: Nicola Sturgeon – IndyRef2 decision will be made by the end of 2018

The Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was given the prime interview slot on the Andrew Marr Show this morning. Noting the change in SNP rhetoric since before the 2017 election, Marr pushed Sturgeon for a timeframe as to when Scottish voters could expect to see a second independence referendum: NS: There is a lot of confusion, this is a complex issue… and people want to see the clarity emerge about the state of the relationship between the UK and the EU. At that point, what I’ve said is that we will look at that and determine at that stage if Scotland should then have the right to choose between whatever

Sunday shows round-up: John McDonnell says Labour’s nationalisation programme is no ‘magic card trick’

Philip Hammond – ‘We are delivering homes at record numbers’ Philip Hammond is set to deliver his second budget on Wednesday, which many believe will be make or break for his future at No. 11 Downing Street. He faces a difficult balancing act with challenges on many different fronts, including how to address the UK’s housing crisis. The Chancellor defended the government’s record on housing, though he acknowledged that the government did need to intervene in an area that he referred to as a ‘priority’: AM: Almost everybody agrees that there is a housing crisis in this country. Sajid Javid was sitting in that chair a few weeks ago and

Steerpike

Philip Hammond bungles his Marr interview

Oh dear. As Budget day looms, there is growing concern among the Conservatives that Philip Hammond may be about to do something stupid. However, few expected him to step into disaster before Wednesday. In an interview on the Andrew Marr show this morning, the Chancellor created a pre-Budget row as he bungled his way through the exchange – dropping a series of clangers. First off, Hammond managed to turn one of his party’s top achievements into a toxic issue. Asked about unemployment – which is at a 42-year low – Hammond claimed that ‘there are no unemployed people’: "There are no unemployed people" claims @PhilipHammondUK. #marr pic.twitter.com/YrtvcRtCNG — The Andrew

Sunday shows round-up: Amber Rudd says Boris is ‘back-seat driving’ over Brexit

Amber Rudd – Boris should not ‘back-seat drive’ over Brexit The Home Secretary took to Andrew Marr’s sofa in the wake of the Friday’s failed terrorist attack on a London Underground train at Parson’s Green station. However, the topic swiftly turned from security to Boris Johnson’s latest 4,000 word essay published in the Telegraph on Saturday. The Foreign Secretary laid out his vision for Brexit – days before the Prime Minister is due to make a crucial speech in Florence. Rudd defended Boris’ intervention, but made clear that she did not want the Foreign Secretary to be in charge of the UK’s negotiations: AM: Do you think that this article

Sunday shows round-up: Blair says Britain can limit immigration without leaving the EU

Tony Blair – Britain can limit immigration without leaving the EU Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has been trying to find a way to reduce immigration to the UK without leaving the European Union. The Institute for Global Change, the organisation that Blair set up earlier this year, has published a report on this very topic. Outlining his proposals to Andrew Marr, Blair also called on sympathetic MPs to unite against Brexit in order to prevent ‘economic and political damage’: AM: A lot of people already this morning have said ‘It’s a little bit rich coming from you given how you opened the doors back in the 2000s to mass

Sunday shows round-up: Jeremy Cobyn tries to explain away his student debt troubles

Jeremy Corbyn – I did not make a commitment to write off student debt This morning Jeremy Corbyn became the last interviewee on the Andrew Marr Show  before the party conference season begins in September. With a potential general election on the cards at any time, there was much to discuss. In particular, Marr chose to delve a little deeper into Corbyn’s plans for alleviating student debt after the Labour leader declared he planned to ‘deal with it’ shortly before Britain went to the polls in June: Marr: A lot of people in this country are burdened by high levels of debt because of the student loans they’ve had to