France’s shock election result: what does it mean and what comes next? Plus, week one of the new Labour government: Starmer heads the NATO summit and tours the Nations, Streeting aims to solve the junior doctor’s strike, and Lammy aims to reset relations with the EU. And all eyes are on Joe Biden amid calls for him to step down as presidential nominee. The week ahead with Ros Taylor and Gavin Esler. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps ...
Jul 08, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1329
Immigration is a divisive issue in America, much as it is here in the UK. How did the debate become so toxic – and is there a way to fix it and remove the heat from the arguments? Jonathan Blitzer, author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the situation, how politicians have failed – and how the public could change the way it thinks about the issue. Buy Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Cent...
Jul 05, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 1328
General elections are pretty unusual events – and they can bring out the weirdest in both politicians and voters. But what are the strangest moments from votes of the past? Ros Taylor asks King’s College London Professor of Politics and Contemporary History Andrew Blick in today’s Bunker. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There’s a sp...
Jul 04, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1327
Newspapers aren’t as powerful as they were, but they still behave as if they are – and they remain overwhelmingly biased towards a Tory Party that could well be dying. How will they handle a new Labour government? Are the days of press power over? And where does the new power lie? Gavin Esler asks Goldsmiths Senior Journalism Lecturer Terry Kirby in The Bunker. Buy The Newsmongers: A History of Tabloid Journalism through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a smal...
Jul 03, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 1326
Tax consistently ranks as one of the most important issues to voters. So why can’t anybody in politics talk about it honestly? Alex Andreou asks Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, in today’s Bunker. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There’s a special offer for This Is Not A Drill listeners – Go to Incogni.com/...
Jul 02, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 1325
In just three days, Brits will head to the polling stations to vote in the General Election. What do the polls show, and is there any chance of a Harry Kane-esque last minute Sunak win – or is it all over already? In other election news, France went to the polls yesterday, intensifying concerns about the country’s move to the far-right. Further afield, Biden has made a rallying comeback after a disastrous debate against Trump last week. But might he still step down? Plus, England miraculously sa...
Jul 01, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 1324
If Starmer wins, just how will his Labour government be different from those of the past? And is the party’s new identity inextricable from Starmer himself? Andrew Harrison asks Labour Party historian Anthony Broxton, who runs the ‘Tides of History’ project. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There’s a special offer for This Is Not A D...
Jun 28, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 1323
Sunak’s cringe moments have received laser focus throughout the campaign. But what about messaging he’s putting out online? Who are parties targeting, where, and with what information? Jacob Jarvis asks Who Targets Me founder Sam Jeffers about the good, the bad and the ugly in online political ads throughout this campaign cycle. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Podmasters Managing Editor Jacob Jar...
Jun 27, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 1322
From the rising cost of mortgages to a lack of social housing, the housing crisis is one of the most pressing issues in this election. Hannah Fearn is joined by one of the UK’s most high-profile housing campaigners, Kwajo Tweneboa, whose book Our Country in Crisis: Britain's Housing Emergency and How We Rebuild is due out in July, to look at the sorry state of housing in the UK. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. ...
Jun 26, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1321
There have been plenty of memorable election stunts lately – with Ed Davey stealing the show so far in this campaign. But how far back does the history of these sorts of actions go? And do they work? Andrew Harrison is joined by Seth Thévoz to look at the history of political stunts and their impact on the polls. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: To...
Jun 25, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1320
The betting scandal just keeps getting worse for Sunak – will it dominate the week, or will another gaffe knock it off the front pages? Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the week ahead in the election campaign, plus the latest from the French election, conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and the looming Biden vs. Trump debate. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Audi...
Jun 24, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 1319
On 28 Jan 1986 the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after take-off, watched by a worldwide TV audience of millions. Seven crew members died and images of the tragedy etched themselves on the American mind. Now a new book Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space reveals the corner-cutting and corporate culture that made Challenger an accident waiting to happen. Author Adam Higginbotham talks to Andrew Harrison. Buy Challenger through our affiliate bookshop an...
Jun 23, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 1318
Professor Nick Maynard says the scenes he has witnessed in Gaza are the worst he’s seen in his 36 years as a surgeon. He joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker to recount his most recent trip to the West Bank. • “We’re not politicians, we’re not lawmakers, we’re humanitarians – we’re just describing the appalling things that we have seen.” Click here to visit the GoFundMe page mentioned in today's episode. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/b...
Jun 21, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 1317
Relations between Western nations and China are worsening. The US fears China’s growing global influence, but how far will it go to halt Xi Jinping’s ambitions? Sir Robin Niblett is a distinguished fellow at the international affairs think tank Chatham House and author of The New Cold War: How the Contest Between the US and China Will Shape Our Century. He joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker. Buy The New Cold War: How the Contest Between the US and China Will Shape Our Century through our affiliate ...
Jun 20, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1316
China’s often controversial imprisonments of foreigners has horrified the Western world. But is Beijing doing this as part of its war with the West? Alex Andreou asks Harvard University research affiliate Peter Humphrey, who spent two years in the Chinese prison system, and now campaigns for the release of others. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio pr...
Jun 19, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 1315
Britain’s older generations have historically played a key role in elections. But how pivotal is the ‘grey vote’ ahead of July 4, and who is likely to win it? Gavin Esler talks to the New Statesman’s senior data journalist and Britain Elects co-founder Ben Walker about who this demographic actually describes and what they want. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Eliza Davis Be...
Jun 18, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1314
As the Tories bang on about tax, despite it not shifting the polls at all, is the prospect of total obliteration for the Conservative Party growing? And what policy areas and set pieces should we look out for this week? Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the campaign trail latest, and look at news from France, Ukraine and the USA. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. ...
Jun 17, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1313
The Kremlin’s spy networks are well documented – but what’s less known is how they shaped Russian history. In centering the rise and fall of Communism in Russia’s history, are we missing a crucial historical axis – the intelligence services which have long kept an eye on citizens across Russia and further afield. Yuri Felshtinsky, author of From Red Terror To Terrorist State: Russia’s Intelligence Services and Their Fight For World Domination from Felix Dzerzhinsky to Vladimir Putin, joins Alex ...
Jun 16, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 1312
What’s in the list of potential crises that could derail Labour’s first year, drawn up by Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray and nicknamed “Sue’s shit list”? Today Ros Taylor tells Andrew Harrison what happens to Labour if the prisons crisis boils over, the NHS hits a funding shortfall, or universities start going bust. If you missed Part 1 yesterday, listen now to hear Jonn Elledge explain the consequences of the possible £15bn bankruptcy of Thames Water, the looming collapse of one or more...
Jun 14, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 1311
A new Labour government could be thrown into chaos by any one of six potential crises, each identified in a dossier of dire warnings prepared by Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray. What’s in this critical document, which was quickly nicknamed “Sue’s shit list”? Today journalist Jonn Elledge takes Andrew Harrison through three of them: the possible £15bn bankruptcy of Thames Water, the looming collapse of one or more local authorities, and public pay running out of control. In Part 2 tomorrow...
Jun 13, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 1310
Is Macron’s snap election an act of desperation or a brilliant bluff? With young upstarts nipping at his heels, unprecedented alliances forming and his legacy hanging by a thread, Ros Taylor is joined by The Economist’s Paris bureau chief Sophie Pedder to get an insight into Macron’s election gamble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 12, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1309
With the SNP in turmoil and the Conservatives deeply unpopular, Scotland’s seats are potentially key to a Labour victory. Is Starmer’s party set to sweep up across the country? Gavin Esler talks to Glasgow Caledonian University Professor of Social Change Gerry Hassan, about Scotland’s role in the upcoming election. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio pr...
Jun 11, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1308
Emmanuel Macron's surprise snap election has shocked politicos. Why did he call it? Alex Andreou and Andrew Harrison discuss the landscape in France and the wider changes in Europe. Plus, where’s Sunak? We discuss the press dodging PM’s latest from the campaign trail. And manifestos are due this week – what should we expect? We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou. Managin...
Jun 10, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 1307
The ’90s was a hugely consequential decade for the United States – for good and for bad. On the down side, we saw the rise of angry white men and the world’s worst TV channel. If only they’d stayed in the past. Jacob Jarvis speaks to Terry H. Anderson, author of Why the Nineties Matter, to discuss what made this ten year period so significant. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Produced by C...
Jun 07, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 1306
The European Elections are fast approaching – and the rise of the far-right is sparking concern. With some 373 million Europeans eligible to vote, this is a pivotal moment for democracy as a whole. Rafael Behr talks to political scientist Simon Hix, the Stein Rokkan chair in comparative politics at the European University Institute in Florence, about what this means for Europe – and the rest of the world. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon....
Jun 06, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 1305
Trump’s dominance of his political space is unprecedented, with the GOP in thrall to him despite all of his faults. There’s not much advice Biden should take from him, not morally or ethically at least, but could he benefit from copying his style somewhat? Chris Jones speaks to Berkeley professor of political science, Steven M. Fish, about his new book Comeback: RoutingTrumpism, Reclaiming the Nation, and Restoring Democracy’s Edge. You can buy a copy of Professor Fish’s book by following the li...
Jun 05, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1304
Election campaigns are expensive to run, from travelling across the UK, to leaflets to adverts. So how are Sunak and Starmer going to spend their money? University of Sussex Senior Politics Lecturer Sam Power sits down with Ros Taylor to discuss how Sunak and Starmer are spending their campaign cash – and whether they’ll focus on traditional actions or pump it all into TikToks. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and prese...
Jun 04, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1303
As Labour try to brand themselves as the party of defence and the Tories go ever-more anti-woke, it’s the first head debate between Starmer and Sunak on ITV tomorrow – what can we expect? Plus, South Africa’s ANC has lost power after 30 years and now enters coalition talks. Big gains for far right parties are expected in the European Elections across 27 countries this week. And the US expects Israel to accept Joe Biden’s three-part ceasefire proposal, a huge development in the Israel-Palestine c...
Jun 03, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1302
As AI becomes more intelligent, should we cease treating chatbots like robots and more like humans? Should they be held accountable to similar standards and laws? Amid the exponential growth of humanoid machines and interfaces, Chris Jones speaks to Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, co-author of As If Human: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence and professorial research fellow in computer science at the University of Oxford. Buy As If Human: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence through our affiliate boo...
May 31, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1301
Sunak banked on an improving economy when he went for an early general election. But does it matter if people aren’t feeling the changes? Do the Government’s claims that the UK is the fastest growing country in Europe stand up? And are the Tories now marked as the party of high inflation? Former Theresa May advisor Giles Wilkes talks to Andrew Harrison about the Tories’ high-stakes bet. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Presente...
May 30, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1300
