Strong Message Here

In this new series, Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci investigate which political buzzwords are strong and stable and which are a crock of covfefe.

Each week Helen and Armando will crack open the political phrasebook and attempt to decode the doublespeak. Why does everything now have to be 'turbo-charged'? What's the difference between a 'pledge' and a 'mission'? Why has my local MP been 'weaponised' and should I be worried?

You'll be treated to a crash course in the dark arts of political language from two people both baffled and beguiled by it. They'll walk you through the various verbal fiascos of the modern political lexicon so that by the end you'll be oven-ready for an appearance on Newsnight.

Warning: this podcast features strong political language that some listeners may find nonsensical.

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4.

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Episodes

I Make No Apology For...

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language. This week, we get into the world of political apologies. Why does Starmer keep insisting he makes no apologies for things that no one is actually asking him to apologise for? Is saying something is 'regrettable' really an apology? And why has Mark Zuckerberg decided to stop apologising for Facebook? Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head stra...

Nov 28, 2024•29 min

The Deep State

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language. This week, Helen and Armando spend some time trying to understand the 'deep state', and why it's caught on as a political attack. What's the difference between The Movement and The Blob? And who is draining the swamp of what? And is it just a convenient thing to blame for your inability to get things done? Also, you'll find out what music they play in Stalin's bunker as you turn the...

Nov 21, 2024•30 min

In Listening Mode

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language. This week, as the Democrats lick their wounds, and Kemi Badenoch looks to rebuild her party, we are talking about politicians in 'listening mode'. Who are they listening to? Why weren't they listening sooner? Is it a tick-box exercise, or do they make meaningful changes based off their listening? They also look at Wes Streeting's big public consultation on the NHS, and Elon's plans ...

Nov 14, 2024•29 min

MAGA - Trump trumps Harris

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language. This week, Trump has made his way back to the White House, but will he Make America Great Again? What does that phrase really mean? And how did it become the enduring political message of our times? Helen and Armando examine how political reporters struggle to get answers, and what the effect of this election campaign will have on political language for years to come. A longer versi...

Nov 07, 2024•30 min

Tough Decisions

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language. This week, as Rachel Reeves delivers the first Labour budget in 15 years, we’re talking about ‘tough decisions'. What’s a tough decision? Why is language around budgets so slippery? And why doesn’t anyone drink at the dispatch box anymore? A longer version, where Armando recalls making The Thick of It during austerity, and discuss whether Ed Miliband was really ’toss enough’ is avai...

Oct 31, 2024•29 min

Kemi-Kaze and political nicknames

In this new series for Radio 4, comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language. This week, Helen’s eye was caught by the Conservative leadership race, where Robert Jenrick has coined a new nickname for rival Kemi Badenoch. They dig into other examples of political nicknames and name-calling - the good, the bad and the ugly. And more to the point, is this sort of playground behaviour what we expect from our elected officials? A lo...

Oct 24, 2024•24 min

Introducing Strong Message Here

Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci investigate which political buzzwords are strong and stable and which are a crock of covfefe. New episodes are available weekly on Thursdays on BBC Sounds from 24 October, 2024.

Oct 17, 2024•2 min

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