08/03/2025

The Week in Westminster

BBC

Government

4.2 • 239 Ratings

🗓️ 8 March 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

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Summary

Caroline Wheeler from The Sunday Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster.

To discuss the announcement this week, by the US government, that there would be a pause in all military aid to Ukraine and a pause in intelligence sharing, Caroline is joined by former Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser, Lord Sedwill and Air Chief Marshal, Lord Peach, the former head of the UK Armed Forces who was also chair of NATO's military committee from 2018 to 2021. Lord Peach has just stepped down as U.K. special envoy to the Balkans.

The Chancellor will deliver her Spring Statement later this month at at time of limited financial headroom. To discuss the impact of possible cuts to the welfare bill Caroline is joined by the former Conservative Party leader and architect of the Universal Credit system, Sir Iain Duncan Smith and former Labour MP Rosie Duffield who now sits as an Independent Member of Parliament.

Labour's Baroness Hayter and Lord Howard, the former Conservative Party leader, join Caroline to discuss the Hereditary Peers Bill which is currently in the House of Lords. The landmark legislation will remove the right of the remaining 92 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

US President Donald Trump has been invited to the UK for a second state visit by the King. To discuss state visits and the so-called 'soft power' of the Monarchy, Caroline is joined by Edward, now Lord Young, of Old Windsor, who was Private Secretary and key adviser to The late Queen. He was with Her Majesty for 20 years until her death in 2022 and oversaw the smooth transition to the start of The King’s reign.

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts.
0:04.9	This is Caroline Wheeler of the Sunday Times with The Week in Westminster.
0:09.3	A week on from that explosive meeting between the US President Donald Trump
0:13.8	and Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky in the Oval Office,
0:17.8	the aftershocks are still reverberating around the world. European leaders gave
0:23.6	President Zelensky a warm hug at a peace summit in London, and the King welcomed him at
0:29.0	Sandringham. But then President Trump confirmed the news they had all been dreading, that he was
0:35.1	suspending all US military aid to Ukraine and pausing intelligence
0:39.4	sharing. Sarkir Stama, who wants to be a bridge between Europe and the US, and create a
0:45.9	coalition of the willing to help Ukraine, began the week by updating MPs after his own, less
0:52.6	dramatic visit to the White House.
0:55.0	I do feel very strongly that the future of Ukraine is vital for our national security.
1:02.0	Russia is a menace in our waters and skies.
1:06.0	They've launched cyber attacks on our NHS, assassination attempts in our streets.
1:13.6	In this house, we stand by Ukraine because it's the right thing to do.
1:19.3	But we also stand by them because it's in our interest to do so.
1:25.7	In an unusual show of unity,
1:28.2	the leader of the opposition,
1:29.5	Kemi Badenok, offered her party support.
1:32.7	However, at Prime Minister's questions on Wednesday,
1:35.6	the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davy, had this question.
1:38.8	Can the Prime Minister tell the House,
	...

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