In The Room
Hosted by Cleo and Helen and Cleo Watson and Helen MacNamara · The Independent / Next Chapter Studios
4.2from 5 ratings
- 43
- Episodes
- 24
- Transcribed
- 5
- Ratings
- Daily
- Cadence
- 2026
- First episode
About In The Room
Two former Westminster insiders reveal how politics and power really work. Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at No 10? Or who’s the first person on the phone when a Prime Minister lands themselves in hot water? Each week former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former political advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, dissect the week’s biggest news, revealing how decisions get made, why they go wrong, and what should happen next. In The Room is straight-talking, insider analysis with a dose of humour, every week. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
- Publisher
- The Independent / Next Chapter Studios
- Category
- government · news · news
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 6 Feb 2026
- Latest episode
- 8 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
24 of 43 episodes have a transcript.
8 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Can Kemi Badenoch save the Tories with Thatcherism 2.0?
30 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Andy Burnham waited his whole life to deliver this speech – here's how it landed
22 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Burnham’s Trump test – and the Lib Dems identity crisis
Inside a recent episode
Can Kemi Badenoch save the Tories with Thatcherism 2.0?
Published 8 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] They're particularly up with people who've watched her PMQ's performances. In fact, they're 20 points higher. amongst people who've watched PMQs compared to those who don't. But, and here is the big but, only a third of people who say Kemi Betanoch is doing a good job as Tory leader say they would vote Tory. So there is a big gap between the Kemi approval ratings and the parties. And the parties' approval ratings are budged up a little bit. They're doing a little bit better in the battle for the right. But that's more because reform have come down than the Conservatives are going up. The public opinion challenge of this conference is how do you turn a chemibounce into a Tory bounce? […]
Read the full transcript with a Pod Engine plan.
See plansWho has been a guest on In The Room
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Jonathan Black
- Peter Hill
- Lee Cain
- Count Binface
- Jimmy McLoughlin
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.2 / 5
- 5 ratings
Contact In The Room
- Guest appearances
- Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Shows with a similar audience
Questions about In The Room
Who hosts In The Room?
Cleo and Helen and Cleo Watson and Helen MacNamara host the show. Published by The Independent / Next Chapter Studios.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does In The Room take guests?
The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
24 of 43 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
Host of In The Room?
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