Andrew Rawnsley takes a look at the politics of the next seven days. Including at 10.45 DC to UK
Tom Reid, The Washington Post's London bureau chief, gives a sardonic American view of British politics. Editor John Evans
DC to UK: Producer Sue Ellis Repeated Wednesday 8.45pm

Tom Reid analyses British politics from an American perspective through a mix of music, archive and location reports

The Westminster Hour: DC to UK 10.45pm R4

Regular listeners to The Westminster Hour are generally well rewarded by the 15-minute slot that follows, usually having a political theme but with a much broader remit than the preceding 45 minutes. Tonight Tom Reid, London bureau chief for The Washington Post, begins a series of reflections that offer an American view of British politics. Those of us who regularly trawl the American press are familiar with Reid's insightful, witty and frequently irreverent contributions to the Post so his take on the British political scene will certainly not be dry. Among Reid's subjects are those strange British habits, the party manifesto and the custom of giving parties free broadcasting: in America, TV slots are paid for to the tune of millions of dollars in every campaign. Over here, of course, most of us would have to be paid to watch them. Reid mixes his own thoughts with archive examples and he includes a swipe at political grammar.