Keir Starmer and his First Year in Office
The writer and journalist Tom Baldwin talks to Paul Adamson about his updated biography of Keir Starmer and his first year as UK Prime Minister.
Jul 09, 2025•25 min
Paul Adamson in conversation
Hi. I’m Paul Adamson, the founder of Encompass, an online magazine about the European Union and its place in the world and, through also our podcasts and live events, a space for discussion and debate. These podcasts are me “in conversation with” personalities that I think have interesting things to say. They are deliberately informal and are designed to be illuminating as well as, hopefully, entertaining.
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Episodes
'Time Bomb: When Ageing Explodes'
The writer and journalist Giles Merritt talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'Time Bomb: When Ageing Explodes' on the enormous and largely undiscussed demographic challenges facing Europe.
Jul 01, 2025•26 min
The Rapidly Evolving EU Media Scene in Brussels
Victoria Main, Media Strategist at SEC Newgate EU, talks to Paul Adamson about the rapidly evolving EU media scene in Brussels.
Jun 16, 2025•24 min
Poland's New Politics and Driving the EU's Competitiveness Agenda
Pawel Karbownik, Poland's Deputy Finance Minister, talks to Paul Adamson about his country's new politics after the recent presidential elections and his concerns about driving the EU's competitiveness agenda.
Jun 04, 2025•23 min
EU-UK relations post Summit, the European Parliament and the EU's new 'deregulatory' agenda and Ireland's 2026 presidency of the EU
Barry Andrews, Member of the European Parliament since 2020, talks to Paul Adamson about EU-UK relations post Summit, the European Parliament's reaction to the EU's new 'deregulatory' agenda and insights into Ireland's presidency of the EU in the second half of 2026.
May 27, 2025•24 min
Understanding Donald Trump's Second Presidency
Kim Darroch (Lord Darroch of Kew), UK Ambassador to the U.S. 2016-2019, talks to Paul Adamson about the differences between the first and second Donald Trump presidencies.
May 12, 2025•27 min
The UK in a Changing Europe
Anand Menon, director of the academic think thank 'UK in a Changing Europe', talks to Paul Adamson about the upcoming EU-UK Summit and how the UK and EU are reacting to the Trump administration.
Apr 24, 2025•24 min
An Emerging New World Order
Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic Editor of The Guardian, talks to Paul Adamson about an emergng new world order.
Apr 09, 2025•24 min
Germany and the Defence of Europe
Daniela Schwarzer, the leading expert on European and International Affairs, talks to Paul Adamson about Germany's new stance on defence and the ramifications for Europe.
Mar 27, 2025•25 min
Europe's New Defence Challenges
Sandro Gozi MEP, co-chair of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (and former Under-Secretary for European Affairs in Italy), talks to Paul Adamson about Europe's new defence challenges and the particular role of the UK.
Mar 06, 2025•21 min
'The Divorce of Nations'
João Vale de Almeida, former EU Ambassador to the US, the UN and the UK, talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'The Divorce of Nations: A Diplomat's Inside View as the Global Order Collapses'.
Feb 13, 2025•31 min
Repairing Britain's International Reputation
Dame Emily Thornberry, Labour MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, talks to Paul Adamson about how the Labour government is acting to repair Britain's international reputation.
Jan 30, 2025•21 min
New challenges and new leadership in the EU
Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director, Europe and co-head of the London Office of the Eurasia Group, talks to Paul Adamson about the new challenges facing the EU in 2025 and assesses its new leadership.
Jan 08, 2025•25 min
'The Tech Coup - How To Save Democracy From Silicon Valley'
Marietje Schaake, Fellow at Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence and the Cyber Policy Center, talks to Paul Adamson about her new book 'The Tech Coup - How To Save Democracy From Silicon Valley'.
Dec 16, 2024•23 min
Analysing Trump's victory one month on
Steve Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent in Europe of the New York Times, analyses Trump's victory one month on.
Dec 05, 2024•27 min
Does the UK now have to choose between the EU and the U.S.?
Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor at the Financial Times, talks to Paul Adamson about the impact of the Trump victory on EU-UK relations and his assessment of the UK government's 'reset' with the EU.
Nov 19, 2024•25 min
The rise of the hard right in Europe and the impact of Trump's election victory
Timothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Studies at the University of Oxford and the author of 'Homelands: A Personal History of Europe', talks to Paul Adamson about the rise of the hard right in Europe and the impact of Trump's election victory.
Nov 07, 2024•21 min
Inside No 10 and Britain's standing in the world post Brexit
Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair's Chief of Staff 1997-2007, and Founder and CEO of the charity Inter-Mediate, talks to Paul Adamson about how No 10 operates, the Labour government's performance to date, and Britain's standing and reputation in the world post Brexit.
Oct 25, 2024•25 min
The U.S. Presidential Election and the Future of Transatlantic Relations
Bruce Stokes, Visiting Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, talks to Paul Adamson about the U.S. presidential elections and the future of transatlantic relations.
Oct 07, 2024•25 min
Germany's influence in the EU, new Commissioner hearings and the future of EU-UK relations
David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, talks to Paul Adamson about the rise of the AfD, Germany's influence in the EU, new Commissioner parliamentary hearings and the future of EU-UK relations.
Sep 18, 2024•24 min
Competitiveness and the new European Commission
Ann Mettler, Vice President, Europe, at Breakthrough Energy, talks to Paul Adamson about the pressing need for the new European Commission to rethink fundamentally its approach to helping the EU's economy become more competitive.
Sep 04, 2024•30 min
Analysing Viktor Orbán
László Andor, Secretary General of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and former European Commissioner from Hungary talks to Paul Adamson about the rise and influence of Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, the new balance of power in the European Parliament and Keir Starmer's potential influence in Europe.
Jul 18, 2024•24 min
'Good Chaps - How Corrupt Politicians Broke Our Law and Institutions - And What We Can Do About It'
Simon Kuper, author and journalist at the Financial Times, talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'Good Chaps: How Corrupt Politicians Broke Our Law and Institutions - And What We Can Do About It'.
Jul 04, 2024•24 min
21st century trade unionism and engagement with a Labour Government and the European Union
Mike Clancy, General Secretary of the UK trade union Prospect, talks to Paul Adamson about modern trade unionism and how a newly elected Labour government should engage with the European Union.
Jun 19, 2024•25 min
Disinformation in the EP elections and dealing with Hungary
Vĕra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Values, Transparency and the Rule of Law, talks to Paul Adamson about disinformation on the eve of elections to the European Parliament and the challenges in dealing with Hungary.
Jun 05, 2024•25 min
Understanding Emmanuel Macron
Sophie Pedder, Paris Bureau Chief at 'The Economist' talks to Paul Adamson about the impact of the European Parliament on Macron's presidency, his concerns about the 'fragility of Europe' and the next presidential elections in 2027.
May 21, 2024•25 min
Brussels vs Big Tech
Javier Espinoza, Competition and Digital Policy Correspondent in the FT Brussels Bureau, talks to Paul Adamson about the EU's strategy for regulating Big Tech.
May 08, 2024•25 min
'This Time No Mistakes - How To Remake Britain'
Will Hutton, author, journalist and President of the Academy of Social Sciences, talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'This Time No Mistakes - How To Remake Britain'.
Apr 16, 2024•24 min
EU Sanctions and Russia
David O'Sullivan, EU Sanctions Envoy, talks to Paul Adamson about the EU's sanctions strategy following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Apr 01, 2024•27 min
Understanding Keir Starmer
Tom Baldwin, writer and journalist, talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'Keir Starmer - The Biography'.
Mar 14, 2024•23 min
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