{"podcast":{"title":"In The Room","slug":"in-the-room-7693582","podcast_index_feed_id":7693582,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/69861398d4e01f1069d58875","website_url":"https://shows.acast.com/intheroom","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/cover/1770393584398-595c81ff-ae25-4c77-8905-6731a37e97f1.jpeg","author":"The Independent","episode_count":20,"summary":"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 for more information.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582"},"episode":{"title":"Mandelson and Starmer: Is the HR process to blame?","slug":"mandelson-and-starmer-is-the-hr-process-to-blame","published_at":"2026-02-27T12:11:27+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582/mandelson-and-starmer-is-the-hr-process-to-blame","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582","url":"https://shows.acast.com/intheroom/episodes/mandelson-scandal-why-starmer-just-cant-get-the-staff","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69a186eb240faaa9b5fd364c/media.mp3","summary":"The fallout from the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador isn’t going away. But it’s far from his only controversial hire. Former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former No. 10 special advisor, analyse Downing Street's hiring and firing crisis. They explain how hiding behind \"process\" is actively damaging Starmer’s ability to lead with integrity, asking the questions Number 10 won't answer: How exactly did Mandelson clear vetting? How did Matthew Doyle - Starmer’s former Director of Communications - fly under the radar despite ties to a convicted pedophile? And why on earth is the Minister for Inquiries now the subject of an inquiry?  Cover image: PA Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here . This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose Producer: Sam Durham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"The fallout from the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador isn’t going away. But it’s far from his only controversial hire…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2611,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/in-the-room-7693582/episodes/mandelson-and-starmer-is-the-hr-process-to-blame/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582/mandelson-and-starmer-is-the-hr-process-to-blame.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}