173 | Waiting for Boris

Barring an act of God, Boris Johnson is going to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. We're exploring what that means in two parts. Today, Helen and David talk about the domestic implications. Can Johnson avoid an election? Can he hold on to the seats he needs while winning others he doesn't have? Will he unite or divide his party? Will Labour be able to stop him either way? Plus we talk about what's at stake for the Tories in Johnson's relationship with Trump. Next week: Europe and Brexit.

168 | Who is Boris Johnson?

We try to work out what the current favourite to be next Tory  leader actually stands for.  Can his time as Mayor of London tell us what kind of PM he might be?  Will his journalistic past come back to haunt him?  Does he have a political philosophy beyond 'doing Brexit'?  Plus we discuss whether the Johnson-Trump comparisons really stand up. With Helen Thompson and Chris Brooke.

88 | James Meek on the NHS

David talks to journalist and novelist James Meek about his epic new study of the NHS in crisis.  They discuss the ideas behind a generation of NHS reforms, the meaning of efficiency and the challenge of caring for an ageing population.  What does the future hold - Japanese-style robotics or explosive politics and intergenerational strife?  Read the essay in the current edition of the LRB - https://bit.ly/2IpapQv