Conservative treasury minister Victoria Atkins and shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock discuss whether private schools should get tax breaks and what it’s like being the children of politicians. And rapper Professor Green speaks about how we should approach mental health at a time when people are struggling with the cost of living. Also, on the day that Ian Blackford steps down as SNP Westminster leader, we check in on his pet lambs Mango and Chutney. This episode of Newscast was present...
Dec 01, 2022•30 min
The former prime minister says it’s his “happiest day” as president of Alzheimer’s Research UK, after the discovery of the first drug to slow the disease. He also speaks about whether he did enough during his premiership to support those who needed dementia care. And, the BBC’s health and science correspondent, James Gallagher, explains how the medication works. This episode of Newscast was presented by James Cook and made by Tim Walklate with Miranda Slade, Madeleine Drury, Chris Flynn and Emma...
Nov 30, 2022•27 min
For the first time less than half of people in England and Wales describe themselves as Christian, according to Census data. Scotland Editor James Cook is off the bench, subbing in for Adam, to unpack the headcount on ethnicity and religion. He is joined by the BBC’s Global Population Correspondent Stephanie Hegarty and think-tank director Sunder Katwala. Marianna Spring, the BBC’s Disinformation & Social Media correspondent, discusses campaigner’s fears that the Online Safety Bill has been ...
Nov 29, 2022•32 min
Thousands take to the streets in China to protest against Xi Jinping’s Covid lockdown restrictions. Adam is joined by John Simpson, the BBC’s world affairs editor and Kerry Allen, the BBC’s China media analyst to discuss what’s happening, what it’s like to be arrested as a journalist in China, and whether state media there is censoring images of maskless fans at the World Cup. I’m a Celebrity campmate and TV presenter Scarlette Douglas reveals what it was like living with Matt Hancock in the jun...
Nov 28, 2022•32 min
The largest nursing strike in NHS history is set to go ahead in December. Adam is joined by the BBC's Hugh Pym and Newscaster (and former NHS nurse) Ruth Harrison to discuss why staff are walking out. The World Cup is in full swing and Piers Morgan joins Adam from Qatar to talk about the fall out around his interview with Cristiano Ronaldo. And Historian Dan Snow presents: The History Of Newscast This episode of Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming and made by Chris Flynn with Amy Elizabeth, C...
Nov 25, 2022•34 min
As net UK migration hits its highest ever yearly figure at 504,000, Labour MP Diane Abbott is in the studio to talk about her party’s attitude to more people coming to the country. Also, Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservative party, joins Adam and Chris, after a court blocked a bid for a second independence referendum. And Europe editor Katya Adler talks about her recent trip to a major gas pipeline between Russia and Europe, after it was blown up. This episode of Newscast is presente...
Nov 24, 2022•30 min
The Scottish government loses its case for a second independence referendum. Scotland Editor James Cook and Newsnight’s Kirsty Wark are in Edinburgh. They join Adam and Chris to assess what Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, might do next. Also on the podcast - the head of the RMT union, Mick Lynch. He explains why there are more rail strikes coming down the track and reveals what he’s going to say to the transport secretary at their first meeting. And what is happening with Manche...
Nov 23, 2022•36 min
Rail passengers face disruption in the festive period. Adam talks it through with Chris, who is travelling on a train from Birmingham, where he was quizzing the Labour leader on his immigration policy. Madeleine Sumption, from the Migration Advisory Committee, climbs aboard too and assesses how Labour's approach could work. And the Newscast World Cup sweepstake intensifies after the tournament sees some surprising results. We chat to Steve Crossman, from the World Cup Daily Podcast. This episode...
Nov 22, 2022•35 min
Post-match political analysis from the Newscast line-up. As the World Cup opens in Qatar, Adam is joined by a line-up of correspondents to analyse events on and (mainly) off the pitch. Jack Murley, host of the BBC’s LGBT Sport podcast, talks about the decision for England and Wales not to wear the OneLove armband promoting diversity and inclusivity. 5 Live’s Rick Edwards, who went to the England game in Qatar, gives us his first impressions of how supporters are experiencing the tournament. And ...
Nov 21, 2022•33 min
Looking back at the UN climate conference and looking ahead to the football. The BBC’s Shaimaa Khalil joins Adam from Qatar as she takes us through everything we need to know about the controversies surrounding the World Cup. And the Newscast friends and family sweepstake is launched with BBC 5 Live's Kelly Cates... Also, as the UN COP climate conference draws to a close, catch up with the Deputy Editor of the Carbon Brief, Dr Simon Evans, who has been at the conference in Egypt. This episode of...
Nov 18, 2022•34 min
Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves reacts, after the government announces tax rises and a spending squeeze, as well as money for schools and the NHS. She’s also quizzed on what her party would do differently. Following her, host of Radio 4’s Money Box Live Adam Shaw, with maths teacher and podcast host Bobby Seagull. The two cast their expert eyes over the chancellor’s workings out. This episode of Newscast is presented by Adam Fleming and the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason. It was mad...
Nov 17, 2022•33 min
What can we expect from Thursday’s budget? Adam is joined by the BBC’s Vicki Young in Westminster and Carl Emmerson, deputy director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, to talk through what the chancellor’s plans could mean for the months ahead. And Gabriel Gatehouse, from Ukrainecast and The Coming Storm podcast, outlines what we know about a missile strike that killed two people in Poland on Tuesday evening. He also shares his thoughts on Donald Trump launching his 2024 presidential bid. This...
Nov 16, 2022•32 min
PM admits the UK’s reputation has taken “a bit of a knock” around the world. Chris chats to Adam about his interview with Rishi Sunak, and is joined by Newsnight’s diplomatic editor, Mark Urban, who takes us through the main talking points from meetings between international leaders at the G20. And, Professor Hannah Fry is on to explain the driving forces behind the global population rising to 8 billion, and whether that number might continue to rise. This episode of Newscast was presented by Ad...
Nov 15, 2022•30 min
US President Joe Biden met Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time and had questions about Taiwan, climate change and the Ukraine war. Chris chats to Adam from the G20 summit in Bali and China expert Isabel Hilton jumps on the podcast too. Also, Adam ventures to the dragon’s den with Deborah Meaden to talk about the upcoming Autumn Statement, COP27, and whether businesses are doing enough to fight climate change. This episode of Newscast is presented by Adam Fleming and made by Chris Fly...
Nov 14, 2022•31 min
Is the UK economy headed for its longest ever recession? Tim Harford, BBC presenter and “Undercover Economist”, unscrambles the latest figures, explains what happens when the economy starts to shrink, and chats to Adam about his uni lessons with former PM Liz Truss. Also, as Just Stop Oil suspend their protests that have parked traffic on the M25, we ask what makes an effective protest with Helen Pankhurst, great-granddaughter of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, and Georgia Catt, whose latest pod...
Nov 11, 2022•36 min
As the midterm results continue to come in, the Americast team are taking over the Newscast feed for one day only! The team are in Washington DC, taking a closer look at the rivalry between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump. Americast is presented by North America Editor Sarah Smith, Today presenter Justin Webb, the BBC's Social Media and Disinformation Correspondent Marianna Spring and North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher. Find out more about the Americast ‘...
Nov 10, 2022•42 min
Why are nurses going on strike and what could it mean for the NHS? Pat Cullen, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, and Shaun Lintern, health editor at the Sunday Times, discuss what’s driving nurses to strike and how patients could be affected. Jeremy Vine updates us on the latest results from the US midterms. And David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee and a former Labour MP, talks all things COP27, and debates whether he should join Mastodon. This episode...
Nov 09, 2022•35 min
A cabinet minister has resigned after bullying claims (which Gavin Williamson denies), so we get instant analysis from the BBC’s Alex Forsyth. And, as the US midterm elections start, Americast’s Sarah Smith and Justin Webb explain why the results could have big implications for the everyday lives of voters. Plus, Adam and Louis Theroux share interview tips! This episode of Newscast is presented by Adam Fleming and made by Tim Walklate with Chris Flynn and Madeleine Drury. The technical producer ...
Nov 08, 2022•35 min
World leaders gather in Egypt and UN chief warns of “climate hell”. Adam is joined by Chris from the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss Rishi Sunak’s first international outing since becoming prime minister. They untangle the day’s diplomacy with climate scientist, Dr Tamsin Edwards. Also, Nigel Topping, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion, joins Adam to explain how the biggest polluting countries could make up for environmental impacts on developing countries. This epi...
Nov 07, 2022•31 min
World leaders will start meeting in Egypt on Sunday at COP27, the sequel to last year's climate summit in Glasgow, in an effort to tackle climate change. But with the UN warning that the global effort to cut emissions is "woefully inadequate", could this COP be more of a flop? Adam previews the conference with COP26 President Alok Sharma and the BBC’s climate editor Justin Rowlatt. Also, writer Dolly Alderton turns into Newscast's agony correspondent to help us navigate worries about the news af...
Nov 04, 2022•33 min
The Bank of England expects the UK to fall into the longest ever recession. Stephanie Flanders, Head of Bloomberg Economics, and Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at Financial Times, talk it all through. Also, American comedian Rob Delaney speaks movingly about the loss of his young son, and why he’s chosen to write about it. This episode of Newscast is presented by Adam Fleming and the BBC’s political editor, Chris Mason. It was made by Chris Flynn, Paige Neal-Holder and Danny Wittenberg. The assi...
Nov 03, 2022•33 min
Watchdog finds it's "too easy for the wrong people” to join. A critical police report has found that hundreds of officers who should have failed vetting checks may be working in forces in England and Wales. Zoe Billingham, who was Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue until 2021, joins Adam to talk through her former employers findings, as does policing commentator, Danny Shaw. And BBC Middle East correspondent, Tom Bateman, joins from Jerusalem to explain what’s behind the...
Nov 02, 2022•34 min
One of the world's best known climate campaigners talks COP27, Matt Hancock and Kim Kardashian. It's Greta Thunberg as you've never heard her before! Also, political editor Chris Mason runs through a potted history of MPs on reality TV. This episode of Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming and made by Tim Walklate with Miranda Slade, Maddie Drury and Chris Flynn. The technical producer was Mike Regaard and the assistant editor was Sam Bonham.
Nov 01, 2022•33 min
Suella Braverman speaks out amid criticism she’s unfit for office. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has challenged critics to try to "get rid of me", as she rejected claims she was to blame for dire conditions at a migrant processing centre. Adam and Chris Mason are joined by Michael Keohan, from BBC Radio Kent, to explore the politics and the policy behind this latest asylum row. And the BBC’s Marianna Spring tells us about her new podcast, Disaster Trolls, telling the story of how conspiracy th...
Oct 31, 2022•34 min
Elon Musk finally completes his Twitter takeover. Adam dives into what it means for the platform’s future with the BBC’s Technology editor, Zoe Kleinman, and Tim Higgins, author of “Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century”. And documentary film-maker Adam Curtis talks about raiding the BBC Moscow archives for his new series “Russia 1985-1999: TraumaZone”, and discusses the impact of the Soviet Union’s collapse on its citizens with the help of BBC Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg. ...
Oct 28, 2022•33 min
Former BBC presenter, Andrew Marr, is in the studio with his view on Rishi Sunak’s first few days in Number 10. He also reveals himself to be quite good at impersonating a former prime minister. Also on the programme, we hear from someone who was quite good at impersonating a current prime minister, Shri Patel, who played Rishi Sunak in Sky TV show This England. And, BBC Ireland correspondent, Emma Vardy, explains why people in Northern Ireland are going to the polls. This episode of Newscast is...
Oct 27, 2022•32 min
What's behind Suella Braverman's comeback? Rishi Sunak defends the home secretary's return to the Home Office at his first PMQs. Chris Mason joins Adam to assess how it went, and updates us on the future of the government’s economic plan. Historian and host of the BBC podcast You’re Dead to Me, Greg Jenner, explores the parallels between today’s Westminster politics and ancient Rome. And Newsnight’s Kirsty Wark and China expert, Isabel Hilton, discuss the future of China under Xi Jinping. This e...
Oct 26, 2022•34 min
Who’s in and who’s out of the new PM’s cabinet? Rishi Sunak has been assembling his new top team - and some familiar faces have been brought back into the fold. The BBC’s Chris Mason and Vicki Young join Adam to talk about the top appointments and look at who’s been snubbed. And newsreader George Alagiah discusses the significance of the UK’s first British-Asian prime minister. This episode of Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming and made by Tim Walklate with Chris Flynn and Miranda Slade. Emm...
Oct 25, 2022•29 min
Rishi Sunak has become the new UK prime minister after meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace. In his first speech outside No 10, he said the UK is facing a "profound economic crisis". Adam is joined by BBC political editor, Chris Mason, to get his instant reaction. Today’s Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming and made by Tim Walklate with Chris Flynn and Miranda Slade. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.
Oct 25, 2022•27 min
In his first speech since becoming Tory leader, Rishi Sunak warned that the UK faces a “profound economic challenge”. Faisal Islam, the BBC’s economics editor, is back with us to help profile our next PM and explore what ‘Sunakonomics’ might mean for the country and our finances. Chris, who’s in Westminster, and Alex, who’s been talking to voters in Wakefield, also look at what happens next in the turbulent world of British politics and whether Sunak can succeed in an area where Liz Truss failed...
Oct 24, 2022•35 min