Welcome to an exclusive Ask Me Anything session with us, former deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara and ex-special advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson Cleo Watson. You might also know us as the hosts of The Independent’s politics podcast, In The Room.
To see our questions and answers, scroll down. Make sure to press the ‘load more’ button to read the full Q&A.
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It’s safe to say that there’s a fair bit going on in UK politics at the moment.
To start, the Mandelson security vetting scandal has seen heads roll in the last week, and we’ve only had the first ‘tranche’ of files so far (which, as we discussed in episode four of In The Room, was more filler than killer). The entire sorry affair has, among other things, drawn criticism over Keir Starmer’s judgement from MPs within and outside of his party. And while the prime minister managed to dodge a privileges committee inquiry this week, but his to-do list remains extensive. And thorny.
There’s the cost-of-living crisis, which Starmer has called his ‘number one priority’ but seemingly made little progress in doing anything about, and which is set to get worse as the Iran war continues. The government still have more ‘Mandelson files’ to release. The Foreign Office has been left with no permanent secretary after Olly Robbins’ dismissal. The UK’s defence situation is in ‘peril’, according to a former Nato secretary general (and what do they even know?). There’s a cabinet reshuffle on the cards, and on Thursday 7 May, the country will head to polling stations for the local elections, which some experts predict will be the Labour Party’s worst-ever result.
Struggling to keep up? Feeling overwhelmed? Still not sure what developed vetting is, and at this point, you’re too afraid to ask? Don’t worry – we’ve got you.
As ex-Whitehall insiders with 30 years of experience, we’re here to answer your most burning questions. What’s next for Starmer? Is his leadership actually in danger? What's going on with the Mandelson files? Was Olly Robbins just a big scapegoat? And could Nigel Farage be the next prime minister of the UK?
How to join the Q&A
Make sure you are logged in to a registered account on independent.co.uk. Register or log in here – then return to this page to submit your question!
Leave your questions in the comment section below and come back on Wednesday 6 May between 1pm and 2pm BST for the live Q&A.
