Election 2024: What's behind the Starmer-Sunak stand-off?

It is a week since a rain-soaked Rishi Sunak called a general election. So what on earth is going on? Does Rishi Sunak’s surprise decision make any more sense? Is the idea of national service going to win back the younger voters? Do the claims and counter-claims about tax add up? And will anyone talk about Brexit over the next six weeks? For impartial, insightful and, yes, expert analysis and insight, there is no better podcast to turn to than The Expert Factor.

From now until polling day on 4 July, Hannah, Paul and Anand are going to dig into the big policy announcements, pick apart the manifestos, crunch the numbers, analyse the promises and pledges, and explain what this general election is all about – and what it means for government, for the public finances, for politics and for you.

The Expert Factor is the podcast for people who haven’t had enough of experts. Each week the directors of three leading and respected think tanks – Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Hannah White of the Institute for Government, and Anand Menon of UK in a Changing Europe – get together to discuss, debate and explain the big questions and themes that will shape the election – and the political landscape for years to come.