In The Room

Burnham’s Trump test – and the Lib Dems' identity crisis

In The Room

Show Notes

The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest party in the Commons, but where do they fit into Andy Burnham’s Britain? Following Ed Davey’s Brighton conference speech, we ask what the party actually stands for and uncover a surprising connection to Cleo’s political past.

In New York, Burnham faces his first meeting with Donald Trump. With Ukraine, Iran, AI and even the Falklands potentially on the agenda, what does Britain need from the president, and how do you prepare a prime minister for a meeting with Trump?

And across the Channel, Germany’s far-right AfD has secured another regional election victory. What does its rise tell us about Europe’s changing political landscape, and are there lessons for Britain’s established parties?

Executive producer: Rod Ardehali Producer: Sam Durham Video editor: Vali Raza Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on [email protected].

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 for more information.

More from In The Room

Oct 20, 2026

France is reeling after a weekend of unrest that escalated dramatically. Hundreds of thousands marched peacefully, but elsewhere shops were looted, cars burned, police attacked and public buildings set alight.

Oct 13, 2026

In Andy Burnham’s Makerfield constituency, 65% of voters backed Leave. During the recent by-election campaign, Burnham said he did not want to reopen the old Brexit arguments. Yet in recent weeks, the Prime Minister has made a series of pointed interventions on Britain’s relationship with the EU.

Oct 8, 2026

Conference season is in full swing - and this week, it unfolded across two very different political stages.

Sep 30, 2026

In The Room hits Liverpool for Labour Party Conference. Cleo heads into the hall, fringe events, protests and the media pen, talking to delegates, campaigners and lobbyists to get a feel for Andy Burnham’s Labour. Helen takes a different route, moving between Shelter, the Future Governance Forum and the receptions where senior figures are talking about what comes next.

Sep 16, 2026

Reform’s money trail is still dominating the headlines, with two billionaire donors handing the party £72m in just 48 hours. Meanwhile, the Representation of the People Bill is making its way through the Lords. We look at why attempts to curb big money in British politics keep failing, and why Labour’s own position is more complicated than it seems.

See all episodes →