Isabel Hardman

I am so pleased and honoured to announce that Bloomsbury will be publishing my 4th book. Provisionally titled ‘Power Cut’, I’ve wanted to write this exploration of why we don’t learn lessons from scandals for about a decade. bookbrunch.co.uk/page/article-d…

On today's Coffee House Shots podcast: Angela Rayner has given a speech to Labour members which many are reading as the soft launch of her leadership bid. She told them the party needs to be more ‘bold’ – echoing Gordon Brown as she called for a more left-wing direction. She took aim specifically at Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms, describing them as ‘un-British’. Is she staging a coup? And is she the viable leader that Labour can rally around? @JAHeale | @IsabelHardman | @oscaredmondson_ spectator.com/podcast/is-ang…

This was a very calm, zen discussion to chair

@ShippersUnbound @IsabelHardman Watch Coffee House in full youtu.be/4HecOIzaXg4

Prime Minister’s Questions today saw a leader under repeated attack for a ‘screeching U-turn’ and their suitability to be Prime Minister called into question. Unusually, though, Keir Starmer was the one making that accusation, rather than being on the receiving end of it. He came to the chamber determined to tell Kemi Badenoch that she had made the wrong call on whether to join the US-Israeli action in Iran and that he, therefore, didn’t need to take lectures from her. ✍️ Isabel Hardman Article | spectator.com/article/starme…

On Coffee House Shots: This afternoon we have had the first tranche of documents released by the government relating to the process by which Peter Mandelson was chosen to be US ambassador. Whilst we have got a clearer picture on the big question – how much Starmer and the government knew about Mandelson’s association with Epstein – Labour are not out of the woods. @ShippersUnbound | @IsabelHardman | @oscaredmondson_ spectator.com/podcast/starme…

Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman ask why Keir Starmer appears unable to connect with voters on the cost of living. Click through to watch the full video in which Tim and Isabel also discuss the domestic fallout from the conflict in Iran and how the rising price of energy could derail Labour’s economic plans. @ShippersUnbound | @IsabelHardman

@JAHeale @spectator You’re a delight!

Five years today @spectator. Proud to work with so many great colleagues, past and present.

My latest i paper column is on one of the people who - inadvertently - broke a bit of Britain. One of the leading campaigners in the ‘natural birth’ movement inews.co.uk/opinion/woman-…

The Tory leader had plenty of material to use, and she did a good job with it: running through why the UK wasn’t allowing the RAF to attack Iranian missile sites, defence spending, the spring statement and Starmer’s own weak position as Prime Minister. Starmer dug out some of his favourite lines about Tory defence spending, and ended up offering one of his rather pompous lectures on how to be a good leader of the opposition – a lecture he always produces when his back is up against the wall. ✍️ Isabel Hardman Article | spectator.com/article/badeno…

On Coffee House Shots: It was a bad tempered PMQs today – Kemi Badenoch attacked Starmer over his involvement, or lack thereof with the Iran conflict. And Starmer hit back at Badenoch over her questions. Not the type of unity you’d want to see on the major foreign policy issue of the day. Also today, three more arrests have been made related to Chinese spy allegations. @ShippersUnbound | @JAHeale | @IsabelHardman spectator.com/podcast/labour…

How many more maternity reviews do we need before we get one that asks the really important question? spectator.com/article/more-r…

On Coffee House Shots: Megan McElroy unpacks a rowdy PMQs with Tim Shipman and Isabel Hardman. Kemi Badenoch made Keir Starmer uncomfortable over student loans but – at a time when trust in the Conservative brand is low – could some of her rhetoric backfire? @meganmcelroyyy | @ShippersUnbound | @IsabelHardman spectator.com/podcast/badeno…

The by-election in Gorton and Denton is heating up, and it's a three-way race between Labour, Reform, and the Greens. Which outcome would be most damaging for Labour? @IsabelHardman | @ShippersUnbound

Once again, the question is why is Starmer staying in Downing Street? spectator.com/article/keir-s…

On Coffee House Shots: At PMQs today Keir Starmer came out worst in a pretty unpleasant session. Kemi Badenoch pinned the Prime Minister on the continued Mandelson fallout and now the scandal over Matthew Doyle, the former No. 10 comms chief. @ShippersUnbound | @JAHeale | @IsabelHardman spectator.com/podcast/keir-s…

Starmer had to teach his party that being in opposition is comfortable but pointless: now he needs to realise that being in government without the means to govern is hardly better. spectator.com/article/what-c…

Do MPs really want to save the Houses of Parliament? spectator.com/article/are-th…

Spectator political editor Tim Shipman: 'Keir Starmer and the left are afflicted by their own self-righteousness.' @JAHeale | @ShippersUnbound | @IsabelHardman

Prime Minister’s Questions today highlighted Keir Starmer’s weakness, and not just when it comes to Peter Mandelson. The Prime Minister made clear in his first answer to Kemi Badenoch that ‘Mandelson betrayed our country, our parliament and my party’. He added: ‘He lied repeatedly to my team when asked about his relationship with Epstein before and during his tenure as ambassador. I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never have been anywhere near government.’ ✍️ Isabel Hardman Article | spectator.com/article/the-qu…

@KateEMcCann @TimesRadio @StigAbell You two really are a joy to listen to

Setting the alarm for another 3am start tomorrow - It’s been a whole year since I first said ‘good morning’ on @TimesRadio Breakfast with @StigAbell and I still feel this chuffed saying it. We have a lot of fun, sometimes we mess up tricky words (mostly me…) and we find the best people to explain what’s going on every morning from 6am - pop in! 📻