I'm Ed Vasey and we're going to be unpacking the politics of the day

from efforts to find a breakthrough in Ukraine to Tory defections to reform

to whether lazy peers should work through Christmas to pass the workers' rights bill.

I can't remember who my producers were thinking of when they wrote the phrase,

lazy peers.

But joining me is the very hardworking Michael Binion,

the former diplomatic editor for the Times.

Welcome to the show.

Thanks, Ed.

And the equally hardworking Alice Denby, opinion and features editor at City AM.

Hello, Merry Christmas.

Well, you're obviously the lazy one, Alice, because you couldn't be bothered to come in the studio.

It's not that. It's my daughter's end of term. She's got half day.

So I need to go and pick her up after this.

There you go. Who says...

I'm a hardworking mum.

Who says Times Radio presenters are divorced from

real life. Let's begin with efforts from European leaders to find a peace deal for Ukraine. It's been

another weekend of shuttle diplomacy ahead. It's going to be another weekend of shuttle diplomacy ahead

for the Prime Minister and other European leaders. Michael Binion, this feels to me like a hiding to nothing. It certainly does,

and it looks as though the Europeans again have a little say in what is the final outcome,

nor indeed will Zelensky have much say. I mean, Trump is absolutely determined to push this thing

...