The team is back in London — Joseph is enjoying the rare British sunshine, while Holly and Andrew are soaking up the political chaos. This week, we unpack the Labour government’s tough week of headlines and hard truths: from a post-budget messaging mess to a controversial shake-up of the UK justice system — and a surprise pipeline agreement in Canada.📉 Labour’s Budget Blunders: ‘Did She Mislead the Public?’We revisit last week’s autumn budget after a week of unravellingRachel Reeves is under pressure over whether she misrepresented the fiscal headroomCommunications have spiralled into a defensive posture: “Did she lie?” becomes the only storyHolly shares her three-day rule: every budget turns to chaos within 72 hours — and this one delivered⚖️ Trial Without Jury? The Justice Reform Turning HeadsDavid Lammy’s proposal to remove jury trials for offences under 3 years sparks a major backlashCritics say it’s an attack on a centuries-old principle — and unlikely to solve case backlogsAndrew questions whether judges are being politicized, while Holly warns of a “slippery slope”Joseph notes this is another Labour announcement suffering from poor rollout and zero preconditioning🇨🇦 Alberta’s Pipeline Deal with Ottawa: Real Progress or Political Cover?Joseph breaks down the new MOU between Alberta and the federal governmentThe deal sets the stage for a new west coast pipeline — without consulting BCPremier Eby is furious, Carney is betting big, and Danielle Smith is walking a tightropeAndrew and Holly react to whether this kind of high-stakes, nation-building compromise could ever work in UK politicsWe almost had a new entry for “Lipstick on a Gerbil” — our regular feature on political spin — but in the spirit of seasonal generosity, Andrew suggests giving UK ministers a break…for now.
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UK Budget Day Breakdown: Tax Hikes, Child Poverty, and Kemi’s Big Moment
With Celia McSwaine & Christine QuigleyThe Labour government dropped its first full budget — and everyone’s claiming victory… or crying foul. This week, Joseph and Andrew are joined by Celia McSwaine (former Treasury SpAd) and Christine Quigley (Labour strategist) to unpack what it all means: from fiscal drag and frozen thresholds to the abolition of the two-child benefit cap and Kemi Badenoch’s show-stealing rebuttal.We cover the politics, the process, and the problems still ahead.💸 In This Episode:📊 Labour’s Balancing Act • “A budget where everyone gets something… and everyone pays for it.” • Massive welfare spend, frozen tax thresholds, and the return of fiscal drag • Why the OBR, not the Commons, may be in charge now👶 The Two-Child Benefit Cap Is Gone • Labour says it will lift 450,000 children out of poverty • Critics say it penalizes middle earners and disincentivizes work • Is this Labour morality — or Labour survival?🎭 Budget Theatre: Kemi’s Big Moment • Rachel Reeves made history — and played it safe • Kemi Badenoch’s “call and response” rebuttal caught fire on social media • From “mansplaining” to broken promises: who landed the bigger punch?🧮 Behind the Curtain: How Budgets Get Made • Celia McSwaine shares what it’s really like crafting a UK budget • Why Rachel Reeves leaked everything • And how “death by a thousand cuts” might come back to bite⸻🗞 Headlines of the Week: • The Sun: “Benefit Street Budget” • The Telegraph: “A Spiteful Raid on Middle England” • The Mirror: “A Budget with a Labour Heart” • The Daily Star: “The Budget That Stole Christmas”
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You’re Not in Reagan’s America Anymore: Mapping the New U.S. Right
With special guest Alex MuirIn this week’s interview edition, Joseph Lavoie and Andrew Percy sit down with Canadian-American pollster and strategist Alex Muir to map out the real factions driving the MAGA movement — and why Canada is dangerously unprepared for a second Trump administration.Muir doesn’t pull punches.“The America we grew up with doesn’t exist anymore. In the same way that the Canada I grew up in doesn’t exist anymore.”⸻🔥 In This Episode📌 The Seven MAGA FactionsAlex walks us through the internal tribes of the America First movement — including: • MAGA Populists • Institutional MAGA • Traditional Business Conservatives • Tech Libertarians • Christian Nationalists • Isolationists & Neocons • The Family Court (Trump’s inner circle)🧠 Shared Beliefs That Bind ThemFrom the branding genius of Make America Great Again to the cultural rage at a world that “disrespects” America, Alex explains:“Foreigners need to know their place.”🧊 The Chilling Truth for CanadaDespite trade, shared security, and years of goodwill:“Canada doesn’t have leverage. It has convenience value.”🇨🇦 What Canada Gets Wrong • Canadian politicians assume a return to “normal” is inevitable • The embassy lacks deep MAGA relationships • Most outreach is happening in the wrong cities (DC, NY, LA)“They don’t care about Canada. They don’t think they need to.”⸻🎯 Hard Truths About Trump 2.0Unlike the first time: • They’re ready to govern • They’ve written executive orders in advance • They’ve mapped out personnel, departments, and state-level pipelines“Trump is no longer isolated in Washington.”And if you think this all ends when Trump does:“The next thing will be more ideological, more effective — and worse for Canada.”⸻💡 A Strategic Wake-Up CallAlex shares a clear message for Canada:“Want the Trump administration’s attention? Have you considered buying $100 million of his crypto?”…And why the work to build relationships must start now, especially with: • CPAC • Heritage Action • Turning Point • The Danube Institute • Texas & Florida power bases
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UK's Hokey-Cokey Budget
This week’s episode runs the gamut: from house prices in freefall, to Labour’s immigration U-turn, to what the hell is going on in Parliament (again). We also say a bittersweet goodbye to one U.S. Congressman — and welcome a rare, almost-sincere apology from Marjorie Taylor Greene in our Lipstick on a Gerbil segment.Pour a pint and let’s get into it.⸻🏠 1. UK Housing Market WobblesNew data shows UK house prices down 1.8%, the steepest drop for this time of year in over a decade. But why is it happening?We discuss: • How Labour’s leak-heavy pre-budget chaos is rattling consumer confidence • Stamp duty, council tax rumours, and interest rate anxiety • Whether this is just a London story — or a warning for the rest of the UKIt’s either a sh*t sandwich, or a sh*t sandwich they’re not even going to eat. Either way, the market smells it.⸻🧾 2. Immigration Reform… or Reform Panic?Labour has unveiled sweeping immigration changes, including: • Temporary refugee status with 2.5-year reviews • A 20-year path to permanent residency • Faster deportations for failed asylum claims — including familiesBut within 24 hours, Labour backbenchers revolted, and critics from all sides questioned the policy’s credibility and intent.We ask: • Is this a strategic pivot to undercut Reform UK? • Will voters believe Labour means it? • Or does it just look like panic from a party still at war with itself?They’ve got a huge majority, and still… no one’s buying it.⸻🇺🇸 3. Burnout in the House: Jared Golden Steps DownCongressman Jared Golden (D-ME) announced his retirement, citing growing incivility and toxicity in American politics.We reflect on: • The real mental health toll of public office • Why more good people are leaving • How algorithmic outrage and polarization are reshaping political discourseWe’re not losing just politicians — we’re losing the ones we actually need to stay.⸻💄 Lipstick on a Gerbil: Marjorie Taylor Greene Says Sorry… Sort OfIn a surprising CNN interview, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene issued a rare apology for her years of toxic rhetoric.We debate: • Is this a real change — or just a rebrand now that she’s on the receiving end? • Can former provocateurs actually help de-escalate politics? • And does a Southern accent make it sound more sincere?🧴 1 Coat Across the BoardIt’s a start. But let’s see if she keeps the room tidy for six months.
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The BBC Implodes, Carney Spends Big, and Doug Ford Becomes Holly’s Roman Empire
This week, we tackle the institution that’s cracking (the BBC), the leader who’s spending (Mark Carney), and the conservative premier who’s somehow breaking hearts and polling records (Doug Ford).Also, Prince Harry makes a surprise appearance… in our Lipstick on a Gerbil segment.🏚 1. BBC on the BrinkWe break down the resignation of BBC’s Director-General, Tim Davie, following a firestorm of scandals — including:A Panorama edit that deceptively spliced Trump’s speechAllegations of editorial bias on the Middle East and trans issuesA crushing internal report that reveals the public broadcaster has lost trust across the political spectrumWe debate whether the BBC has become the UK’s next great institutional casualty — and ask:Is this the moment it becomes the CBC of British politics?“You don’t just lose public trust with bias — you lose it with smugness.”💸 2. Canada’s Budget Gets Derailed by… Polievre?It was supposed to be the biggest budget in a generation — but you wouldn’t know it based on the political headlines.Instead, the story has been:Two MPs leave Pierre Poilievre’s caucusAllegations his office used oppo research to threaten MPsA leadership review coming in January“The budget is a footnote in a week of internal Conservative chaos.”We ask:Does this damage Poilievre’s image as a PM-in-waiting?Why is no one talking about the record-breaking deficit?And is anyone in Canadian politics actually focused on cost of living?📈 3. Doug Ford: Ontario’s Unshakeable PremierDespite Ontario’s controversial World Series ad (which British Columbia has since scrapped), Doug Ford’s numbers haven’t budged — still holding at 51% in the polls.Holly calls him “a retail politician with Riz.” Andrew rolls his eyes. Joseph asks why more federal conservatives aren’t learning from him.“He’s my Roman Empire.” – HollyWe ask:What explains his Teflon approval rating?Has Ford actually cracked the political code — or is the bar just really low?💄 Lipstick on a Gerbil: Prince Harry’s Baseball ApologyWhen Prince Harry wore an LA Dodgers cap during a Jays game, Canada had questions. His response?Self-deprecating charm. Bald jokes. And a gentle “go Jays.”3 coats across the board.“Sometimes we forget: not every controversy needs a communications war room.”
The best political chats don’t happen in boardrooms, and they rarely show up in briefing notes. They happen in pubs — over a pint or three. Or, right here on Craft Politics. With craft beer on the table and stories from decades in politics across the UK and Canada, Andrew Percy and Joseph Lavoie take you behind the headlines to show you how politics really works — and why it matters to you. Candid, witty, sometimes inappropriate, it’s a reminder that politics doesn’t have to be boring or polarizing.
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