Is the centre-right cracking? From Westminster defections to French fiscal chaos, this week has delivered a sharp shock to Europe’s conservative mainstream. In London, Tory MP Danny Kruger crossed the floor to join Reform UK, denouncing his former party as “over.” In Paris, a fresh downgrade to France’s credit rating has cast a long shadow over President Macron’s government as strikes loom and talk of wealth taxes rattles business leaders.

In this timely edition of The Capitalist, host Marc Sidwell is joined by policy analyst François Valentin and Conservative Home deputy editor Henry Hill to explore what these moments reveal about the state of centre-right politics across the continent. Are voters turning away from moderation? Can mainstream parties adapt — or are they being outflanked on both sides?

Sharp analysis, calm insight — and the questions every serious observer of European politics should be asking.

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Britain sleepwalking into a very French crisis? In this Despatch, Joseph Dinnage argues that Westminster is starting to look uncomfortably like Paris: a revolving door at the top, a debt “swamp” that spooks markets, and electorates hooked on ever-costlier entitlements. After François Bayrou’s fall and Sébastien Lecornu’s rise, France’s soaring debt and pension politics serve as a cautionary tale—one Britain may be replaying with the triple lock, winter fuel U-turns and a ballooning interest bill. As Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage reshape the conversation, Dinnage makes a brisk, unsentimental case for fiscal grit from Labour and a credible growth plan from the Tories—before voters decide the duopoly has had its day.

Despatch features the best writing from CapX's daily newsletter, brought to you by the team behind The Capitalist. Don't miss our full show every Wednesday.

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Argentina's Javier Milei has defied critics by bringing sweeping economic reform to an economy many had written off. Former MP Steve Baker — the “hard man of Brexit” — says a similarly radical free-market reform can save Britain, too. In this special edition of The Capitalist, Steve joins Marc Sidwell to launch his new project, Fighting for a Free Future.

From soaring house prices to the looming pensions crisis, Steve pulls no punches: the managerial state is broken, the emperor has no clothes, and unless Britain slashes spending, abandons failed orthodoxies, and embraces liberty, we face managed decline — or worse.

Britain is running out of time. Debt is spiralling, taxes are at breaking point, and politicians refuse to face the truth. This is a conversation about courage, crisis, and the bold choices we must make before it’s too late.

Discover more about Steve's new project: https://www.fightingforafreefuture.com/

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Despatch, we ask whether Labour’s deputy leader is about to fall victim to her own class war. Once the scourge of Conservative ministers accused of impropriety, Rayner now faces her own reckoning over unpaid stamp duty. Yet her life story – from single mother at 16 to the country’s second-in-command – makes her both Labour’s populist powerhouse and a figure of fascination for some Tories.

William Atkinson of The Spectator explores the political theatre, the stakes for Keir Starmer, and why Rayner’s survival could reshape Labour – and perhaps Britain’s future leadership.

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain’s migration debate has reached boiling point. With migrant hotels sparking legal battles, border policies under fire, and trust in government eroding, the question is no longer just about numbers – it’s about whether Britain can regain control of its borders and its future.

In this edition of The Capitalist, Marc Sidwell is joined by City AM’s Alys Denby and economist Julian Jessop to unpack the UK’s immigration crisis, its decade of economic stagnation, and the explosive rise of Reform UK. From the economics of mass migration to the politics of the ECHR, the panel offers clear-eyed analysis on a nation at a crossroads.

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain’s new Online Safety Act was meant to protect children — but it’s becoming an international embarrassment. Not only is it pushing young people towards darker corners of the web, it’s also turning the UK into a would-be global censor.

This week on Despatch, legal scholar Andrew Tettenborn reveals how Ofcom is sending heavy-handed legal threats to US websites like 4chan, Gab, and KiwiFarms, demanding they obey UK law — only to be laughed off. The result? Britain now looks like a bully abroad, a censor at home, and a country at odds with its proud tradition of free speech.

From VPN loopholes to threats of a “Great British Firewall”, this is a searing look at a law that’s doing far more harm than good — and why it’s time for a rethink.

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain’s tax system is overly complex and destroys our growth prospects. Should Labour follow Australia’s lead and convene a roundtable of business leaders and experts to really overhaul the system? CapX’s deputy editor Joseph Dinnage is joined by Dr Lawrence Newport from Looking for Growth and the political strategist John Oxley for a clear-eyed look at how to cut the fat and get Britain moving again. Plus: the Tories say they’ll introduce fines for noisy phones on the tube. But who’s going to enforce the rule? And why is the Notting Hill Carnival still so dangerous?

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly becoming more and more frustrated at the sluggish reality of government within the current system. Who can blame him? Government is beset by a sclerotic Civil Service and continuous legal battles. But, as Looking for Growth's Lawrence Newport explains, a renewed sense of urgency might be just what Labour needs.

Stay informed with CapX's unmissable daily briefings from the heart of Westminster. Go to capx.co to subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.