The UK's Conservative party is reportedly considering a pact with the Reform UK party ahead of the next general election. This potential alliance comes as Conservative figures, such as Kemi Badenoch, prepare for key speeches at the party's upcoming conference. Badenoch has recently spoken about her predictions for the next election and has stated her opposition to a formal deal with Reform.
Meanwhile, international news from Russia is also a topic of discussion. Reports indicate that the United States is closely monitoring the death of a scientist who worked at a plague research center in Siberia. The circumstances surrounding the scientist's death are under scrutiny, with BBC monitoring chief analyst Vitaly Shevchenko and Dr. Simon Clarke, an associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, offering insights into the situation.
The BBC's daily news podcast, Newscast, is releasing episodes Monday through Sunday at 5 p.m. UK time, offering daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The episode titled "Will The Tories Make A Pact With Reform?" features insights from Adam Fleming, with production by Anna Harris, Cordelia Hemming, and Sophie Millward. Social production was handled by Gabriel Purcell-Davis and Laura Butler, with technical production by Ben Andrews. Chris Gray served as assistant editor, and Sam Bonham was the senior news editor. Newscast is available on BBC Sounds and can be accessed via smart speakers by asking to play Newscast.