Millions of people have been watching a film in the past two days that was released by Alexei Navalny, Russia's leading opposition figure, even as he languished in a Moscow jail. The film, presented by Navalny, accuses the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, of embezzlement on the grandest of scales. Mr. Putin is said to be furious. Last year there was an attempt on Mr. Navalny’s life using the nerve agent, novichok. Fingers were pointed at the Kremlin, which has denied any involvement. Navalny w...
Jan 21, 2021•29 min
More than 80 thousand people in the UK have now died with Covid-19; there are currently more than three million confirmed cases across the country and in the worst affected areas one person in 20 is infected. Even with the whole of the UK now in some form of lockdown, there are more than 35,000 people in hospital with the virus. That is around 50 per cent more than at the peak of the epidemic in the UK last spring. As hospitals reprioritise to deal with Covid cases, patients with other condition...
Jan 14, 2021•30 min
The past day has been an extraordinary one in the history of modern America. Firstly, the Democrats secured a majority in both houses of Congress. Secondly, Congress certified Joe Biden’s election victory - although many Republicans challenged the votes of some states. Thirdly, while the political debates were underway, pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and four people died. David Aaronovitch is joined by an expert panel of guests to examine what just happened and what does this mean for ...
Jan 07, 2021•29 min
US federal regulators and dozens of state prosecutors are suing Facebook accusing it of illegal actions in buying up rivals and stifling competition. It's one of the biggest antitrusts in US history and is one of several cases being taken against big tech companies. David Aaronovitch explores the case against Facebook and the evolution of antitrust law in the US. What is the basis on which these companies are being held to account, and is this law an outdated tool in confronting tech titans? GUE...
Dec 31, 2020•29 min
While the world’s attention has been distracted by Covid, the climate crisis has continued to pose an existential threat. But there have been significant developments this year, not least the announcement by China that it has set 2060 as the year when it will become carbon neutral. Joe Biden was elected president of the United States with promises to set a carbon neutral target of his own and to spend trillions of dollars on new green jobs and new green infrastructure. The EU, Japan and South Ko...
Dec 17, 2020•29 min
The war in Afghanistan has just entered its twentieth year. It has come at an enormous cost, most notably to Afghan civilians, but also to Britain. Nearly 500 British military personnel have lost their lives there since 2001. But now, for the first time the Taliban and the elected Afghan government are involved in direct peace negotiations. The talks in Doha, which have been going on since September, follow an agreement reached earlier this year between the US government and the Taliban. Under t...
Dec 10, 2020•29 min
With just weeks to go till the Brexit transition period ends, David Aaronovitch and The Briefing Room team explore Britain’s readiness for 2021. What will it mean for you? What have supermarkets, airlines, businesses, ports and the government done to get ready – and will it be enough? Producers: Serena Tarling, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Editor: Jasper Corbett
Dec 03, 2020•58 min
Thanks to the pandemic, Britain’s borrowing is forecast to hit nearly £400bn this year, and the economy is expected to contract by more than 11 per cent. How can we afford this, and what can the government do to bring public spending under control? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Jagjit Chadha - Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Nicholas Crafts - Professor of Economics and Economic History at the University of Warwick Adam Posen - President of the Peterso...
Nov 26, 2020•28 min
Whoever wins the US presidential election, what policy priorities await the next man in the White House? David Aaronovitch, asks what are the domestic priorities for an-coming President Biden or a second term President Trump and how do they go about rebuilding the US economy amid an ongoing Covid pandemic? On the international front, how might America's relationship with the rest of the world change with a new President and will this mean a greater commitment to tackling climate change? If Presi...
Nov 05, 2020•29 min
Scotland has cancelled its National 5 school exams next summer - should the rest of the UK follow? On The Briefing Room David Aaronovitch asks if exams should go ahead next year, and can governments ensure assessments are fair? Contributors: Branwen Jeffreys, BBC education editor Prof Anna Vignoles, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge Laura McInerney, former editor of Schools Week Natalie Perera, executive director at the Education Policy Institute Prof Lindsay Paterson, University of ...
Oct 22, 2020•28 min
As the U.K. introduces more restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19, why are there such marked regional differences in the infection rate? Contributors: Greg Fell, Director of Public Health, Sheffield City Council Wendy Burke, Director of Public Health, North Tyneside Council Dr Susanna Currie, Clinical Director for Cumbria Sexual Health Services at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, Dame Anne Johnson, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London...
Oct 15, 2020•28 min
As the Home Secretary Priti Patel promises to fix a 'broken' asylum system, what measures could the government take to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel? Contributors: Professor Nando Sigona, Department of Social Policy, University of Birmingham Kathleen Newland, co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute Rob McNeil, deputy director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, Producers: Ros Jones, Bob Howard, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett...
Oct 08, 2020•29 min
As more restrictions are put in place regarding who we can meet and where we can go, to what extent are we following the rules? Is there any evidence of fatigue among the British public when it comes to adhering to government guidance designed to stop the spread of Covid-19? David Aaronovitch looks at the latest restrictions put in place around the UK and maps our behaviour since lockdown was first introduced back in March. What determines whether someone complies with the guidance or not? Will ...
Oct 01, 2020•29 min
Sweden decided not to lockdown like other countries - was it the right decision? David Aaronovitch explores the Swedish experience of the pandemic and reveals that, for a country which didn't officially lockdown, it still introduced significant changes to everyday life, from school closures to social distancing and the cancellation of theatre shows and concerts. He looks at how the country's economy has fared compared to similar countries, and investigates whether claims it is in a better positi...
Sep 24, 2020•29 min
It's been six months since the coronavirus-induced lockdown was introduced across the UK - what have we learned about Covid-19 in that time? David Aaronovitch explores what we now know about the science of the virus, the symptoms it produces, and the policies which have been developed to tackle its spread. Contributors: Ravi Gupta, Professor of Clinical Microbiology, University of Cambridge Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology. King's College London Thomas Hale, Associate Professor in ...
Sep 17, 2020•28 min
Allegations of potential postal voting fraud and voter suppression have raised questions about the fairness of November's US presidential election, but what evidence is there to suggest these fears will be realised and influence the vote? David Aaronovitch explores the prevalence of electoral fraud in America, and in a year when the polls suggest a tight race in several states, he asks what will happen if the election result is contested? Contributors: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America reporter...
Sep 10, 2020•29 min
Like many other areas of life the pandemic has hit football where it hurts: revenues are down and there’s a danger that some clubs will go out of business. But if that were to happen, does it really matter? The Premier League has become a great British export and it generates billions pounds for the British economy. Beyond its monetary value, it is also something which millions of people enjoy watching and playing - but how important is it in the current crisis? Contributors: Kieran Maguire, Acc...
Sep 03, 2020•29 min
The EU has warned a trade deal with the UK now seems unlikely – is that just posturing to speed up negotiations or is ‘no deal’ now the most likely outcome? And how will Brexit affect you when the transition period ends – from the price of shopping, to pet passports and lorry parks, David Aaronovitch asks the experts: Katya Adler – BBC Europe Editor John Peet - Political and Brexit Editor, The Economist Maddy Thimont Jack - Senior Researcher. The Institute for Government Professor Anand Mennon –...
Aug 27, 2020•29 min
Belarus is gripped by nationwide protests, triggered by what is seen as an unfair election, rigged in favour of the country’s authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko. Violent clashes have led to the arrest of more than 6000 people, with many reporting beatings and torture at the hands of the police. President Lukashenko has told protestors they would have to kill him before there was another election – but are the days numbered for the man described as Europe’s last dictator? Contributors:...
Aug 20, 2020•29 min
This week children start to return to school in Scotland, with the rest of the UK due to reopen schools in September. For most students this is the first time they'll be setting foot inside a school since March - the longest interruption to schooling in living memory. But with the number of coronavirus cases back on the rise, how should we balance the risks of reopening schools, against the risks of keeping them shut? Contributors: Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’...
Aug 13, 2020•28 min
Recent polls suggest a growing majority of people in Scotland now favour independence, so what’s behind the change since the 2014 referendum when 55% of voters chose to remain in the Union? How likely is another vote considering Boris Johnson has said it’s not going to happen and what issues are likely to dominate campaigning if it does? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: Allan Little reported widely on devolution and the questions around Scottish independence as a BBC special correspondent. Si...
Aug 06, 2020•29 min
The government says “tackling obesity is one of the greatest long-term health challenges this country faces” and has published a plan to help people in England lose weight. What’s in it, what’s not, and what more could be done? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: David Buck is a senior fellow at the health think tank The Kings Fund and used to work for The Department of Health Smitha Mundas is a doctor turned journalist and a health reporter for the BBC Susan Jebb is Professor of Diet and Popula...
Jul 30, 2020•29 min
How can the UK shape its foreign policy in response to threats posed by the likes of Russia and China? And how does that fit with the government’s vision of ‘Global Britain'? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: James Landale: BBC Diplomatic Correspondent Lord Ricketts: former diplomat, ambassador and national security advisor Dr Leslie Vinjamuri: director of the the US & Americas programme at Chatham House Christopher Hill: Emeritus Professor of International Relations at Cambridge Universit...
Jul 23, 2020•29 min
The Chinese Communist Party is accused of locking up hundreds of thousands of Uighurs in internment camps. In the Uighurs' homeland in Xinjiang, the state operates a system of mass-surveillance and is accused of human rights abuses against the mainly Muslim minority including forced labour and compulsory birth control. China says the camps are not prisons but schools for ‘thought transformation’ and it continues to deny the abuse of human rights. David Aaronovitch asks leading experts what’s goi...
Jul 16, 2020•28 min
The pandemic will impact the way healthcare is delivered for years to come. At the same time as preparing for a possible second wave, the NHS also has to work its way through a backlog of delayed appointments and treatments. Waiting lists could top 10 million people this year. David Aaronvicth asks the experts what Covid-19 has done to healthcare in the UK and how can it recover: Journalist Chris Cook specialises in the public sector and is an editor and partner at Tortoise Media Rachel Schraer ...
Jul 09, 2020•29 min
In Germany fences have gone up to keep people in their homes and stop the spread of Coronavirus, while some people in Melbourne are being threatened with fines or imprisonment for travelling to other states. Could that happen in the UK? The new lockdown in Leicester is likely to be the first of many, so how should local lockdowns work and when should they be introduced? David Aaronovitch asks the experts: Amy Orton – local democracy reporter at the Leicester Mercury/ Leicestershire Online Dr Nat...
Jul 02, 2020•32 min
The Bank of England says unemployment could approach 10 per cent this year and as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is wound down, many economists are warning it could go even higher. With more than a quarter of the UK workforce already on furlough, what can be done to make sure they have jobs to go back to? David Aaronovitch examines the government’s options and hears who is most vulnerable. Contributors: Melanie Simms, Professor of Work and Employment at the University of Glasgow Laura Gard...
Jun 25, 2020•29 min
How have China's relations with other countries changed since the arrival of the virus? The US and China have been facing each other off for years, but increasingly other nations are questioning the benefits that China's growing dominance has brought. David Aaronovitch explores how that is being viewed within China itself. Has trust in the communist regime declined or are nationalistic attitudes strengthening? And what changes might this bring to global power dynamics in the future? Contributors...
May 15, 2020•28 min
What damage are the pandemic and lockdown doing to the economy and what could happen next? David Aaronovitch explores the economic impact of physical distancing on business, whether our fast expanding national debt is sustainable and the threat posed by declining consumer confidence on our economic recovery. Does history offer a guide as to how and when people should return to work and government support be turned off? And what will our economy look like when the lockdown is eased? Contributors:...
May 07, 2020•28 min
Have the mounting deaths exposed cracks in the way we deliver care to some of our most vulnerable people? David Aaronovitch looks at how the system is structured and funded. and why it sometimes struggles to gain the political attention it needs. This is a sector in which people have called for reform has for decades but very little has been delivered. How have other countries care systems coped during the pandemic and what lessons could we learn? Contributors: Alison Holt, BBC Social Affairs Co...
Apr 30, 2020•29 min
