As Tory leadership hopefuls try to outdo each other on culture war clout and tax cuts, we assess the would-be PMs. Plus, with Big Dog turning lame duck, the panel looks at what Johnson might do in Downing Street until he is ejected from the building. And as Conservatives set out their stalls, who’s won the battle of the launch video? “He wanted to be Churchillian and his tenure is one of the most embarrassingly short tenures.” – Ayesha Hazarika “Penny Mordaunt’s pitch is that she’s very telegeni...
Jul 12, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 650
As the nation heats up, so too does the Conservative leadership race. There are 11 people in the running so far, what can we expect from them? Plus, the nation’s economic woes continue – we look at what more turmoil is to come. And, could we see record-breaking temperatures this week? Ros Taylor is joined by Naomi Smith to lay out the days ahead. "If I’m not maniacally laughing at the farce of it, I’m just depressed.” – Naomi Smith “We’ve got Conservative leadership candidates all promising to c...
Jul 11, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 649
Johnson’s going and his emphatic collapse in office was no less shameful than expected. But historically, just how abnormal was it? Jacob Jarvis speaks with Rock & Roll Politics host Steve Richards to discuss endgames of the past and where the latest Prime Minister’s ranks in the grand scheme of things – all recorded immediately in the aftermath of Johnson’s Thursday speech. “Johnson wants to be a Churchillian figure. Instead he will go down as someone who blew a big majority, and he will ha...
Jul 10, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 648
THOR BLIMEY! We talk about Taika Waititi’s latest Marvel creation Thor: Love and Thunder , starring Chris Hemsworth. Techno titans Paul and Phil Hartnoll of Orbital join us to discuss their retro-future-spective album 30 Something, plus the latest from London indie trillsters Superorganism , World Wide Pop. And we watch Sky’s new parenthood horror series The Baby. W here’s the kid come from, what’s he doing, and why is disaster never far away? Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify...
Jul 09, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 647
Hearings on the Jan 6th attacks have produced some of the most explosive testimony ever heard in Washington – and put Donald Trump in the frame for criminal activity. But what do they actually mean? And what will the fallout be? Dorian Lynskey talks to Julie Norman , co-director of UCL’s Centre on US Politics, about the latest revelations and their potential ramifications. “We are seeing a person who was not acting in the best interests of the country on that day.” “I think you’ll start hearing ...
Jul 07, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 646
As the world looks to alternative sources of energy, are we ready for the growth of nuclear power? Do we understand the risk that comes with atomic technology? Historian and author Serhii Plokhy joins Arthur Snell to discuss his new book Atoms and Ashes: From Bikini Atoll to Fukushima, which looks at six nuclear disasters that shook the world, and the lessons we can learn from them. “ The history of nuclear disasters is very relevant to us today.” “ Every nuclear accident produces a pause in the...
Jul 06, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 645
Tory sleaze rumbles on as opera becomes a new frontier in the Culture War and Chris Pincher MP lives down to his name. We unpack the current political turmoil and the latest class row between Raab and Rayner. Plus, the reversal of Roe v. Wade prompts women in the US to delete period tracker apps. What does it tell us about Big Health Data? And as the Fred Perry polo turns 70, we talk about the politics of clothes. Our guest this week is tech journalist and author of Social Warming , Charles Arth...
Jul 05, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 644
Tory sleaze is in focus yet again – how will Boris Johnson handle the backlash this week? Amid the Chris Pincher scandal, can Number 10’s line on the matter stand? Plus, on July 4, we look across to the United States and the latest political fallout there. And what action is needed to tackle the rise in COVID cases? Alex Andreou is joined by Yasmeen Serhan to lay out the week ahead. "There are a lot of allegations of sexual misconduct involving Tory MPs." – Alex Andreou "There is a deep desire o...
Jul 04, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 643
MPs are increasingly held in contempt by the public. How can Parliament improve its standing? Dr Hannah White , deputy director of the Institute for Government and author of Held in Contempt , joins Ros Taylor to discuss what’s wrong with the House of Commons, and how Westminster can repair its reputation in the wake of recent scandals. “It only dawned on me over the decade I worked there how Parliament wasn’t a normal workplace.” “There’s a small minority of MPs who don’t treat staff well, and ...
Jul 03, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 642
Your pop-culture update: Russia hacks the UK in C4’s The Undeclared War . Does the drama bring the software to life? My Life As A Rolling Stone : new takes on Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie? And where’s Bill? Plus we talk to Lord Chancellor of chillout William Orbit , and V**gra Boys ’ “brilliantly stupid” new album stands proud against cave-dwelling conspiracists. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify : https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal : https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7...
Jul 02, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 641
Is Britain entering a new era of crisis? And what can we learn from the previous ones? Phil Tinline , author of The Death of Consensus: 100 Years of British Political Nightmares , talks to Dorian Lynskey about the previous occasions when Britain’s ruling consensus broke down, and if current turmoil will force us to change course once again. “When it comes to political futures, we always think of the worst-case scenarios.” “The nature of consensus is that it is a messy compromise.” “There are thi...
Jun 30, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 640
The rise of online clothes shopping has also led to the rise of the return. What actually happens to the items we send back? In the last year, 51% of British shoppers sent back items they purchased online - but these goods don’t always end up back on the shelves. Jelena Sofronijevic talks to Dana Thomas , European Sustainability Editor at British Vogue, host of The Green Dream with Dana Thomas, and author of Fashionopolis , and Dr Mark Sumner , Lecturer in Sustainable Fashion at the University o...
Jun 29, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 639
Does the fallout from last week’s by-elections show that Boris Johnson is losing touch with reality? Plus, the panel explore what the G7 Summit means for the conflict in Ukraine, how the Supreme Court ruling on abortion will affect American women, and why RMT leader Mick Lynch is the left’s latest pin-up. “The world's two oldest parliaments are in Iceland and the Isle of Man. Neither have anything to do with the Magna Carta.” - Arthur Snell “The whole property market is so out of whack that a tr...
Jun 28, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 638
As the US Supreme Court strikes down abortion rights, what does the ruling mean for women in America? The fallout from last week’s by-elections and rail strikes continue, where next for the Tories? And G7 leaders meet in Germany this week, with Ukraine, climate change and food security on the agenda. Justin Quirk is joined by Naomi Smith to set up the week ahead. “Abortion access being limited doesn’t stop abortions, it stops safe abortions.” - Naomi Smith “The right to abortion now sits with st...
Jun 27, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 637
This week is a little bit special, as we are joined by Andrew and Siân live from Glastonbury 2022 ! Keeping it strictly music, we went along to see Baz Luhrmann’s new biopic Elvis , with our special guest Linda Marric . Could we not help falling in love with it or did we get the G.I. blues? And, staying with the festival theme, Jelena and our producer Jade head to Margate Dreamland Leisure Festival , to catch up with its organisers and line-up stars HighSchool . Was the rollercoaster more highs ...
Jun 26, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 636
Geoff Dyer talks to Dorian Lynskey about his career and new book The Last Days of Roger Federer: And Other Endings . In this, he examines the matter of final performances and pieces, through the tales of artists, sportspeople and writers. The pair also discuss how Dyer’s work takes shape, and how he reflects on his own writing. “The sense of not being ideally qualified to write about a subject has been quite enabling for me.” “Write the book only you could write is the mantra I repeat.” “Some ge...
Jun 25, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 635
Can China control what its authors write as tightly as President Xi might want? Writers have found dazzling ways to sidestep the “literary president”’s clampdown on free expression. China expert and Times book desk veteran Megan Walsh tells Andrew Harrison how the Chinese are reading everything from world-beating subversive science fiction… to lurid pot-boilers with titles like ‘My Dangerous Billionaire Husband'… to anarchic works of online fiction that often run longer than the Bible. What does...
Jun 23, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 634
Have you heard this podcast before? Or are you experiencing Déjà vu? Catherine Loveday , neuroscience professor at the University of Westminster, joins Alex Andreou to explain the strange sensation that you've already experienced something, even when you know you never have, and why for some people it can become a serious problem. “Déjà vu is the conflict you feel when you don’t remember something but feel that you must.” “The feeling of familiarity helps us find our way in the world. When it go...
Jun 22, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 633
From ethics to Northern Ireland to the ECHR to a mysterious disappearing story about his wife’s job prospects, Johnson is mired in legal and culture war battles. But why doesn’t anything stick to the PM? Plus, rail strikes: this is the age of the strain. And as Internet Explorer bows out, what are our fondest memories of the early Internet? Law and policy commentator David Allen Green is this week’s guest. “I don’t think law is a particularly lefty profession, but the work lawyers do is being po...
Jun 21, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 632
With 1970s-style strikes due this week, what can we expect the fallout to be? The Conservatives are trying to shift blame anywhere it might stick, while they also face tests in two by-elections. Plus, we look at the Ukraine latest and unpack France’s election results. Andrew Harrison is joined by Gavin Esler to chart the week ahead. "We’ve had 12 years now of Conservative government. Are we any better off?” – Gavin Esler "We are under government by slogan.” – Gavin Esler "Boris Johnson might be ...
Jun 20, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 631
Music education in the UK is in a perilous place, with the largest cuts in spending per pupil for 40 years, falling teacher recruitment numbers, and huge drops in GCSE and A-Level uptake. With a new National Plan for Music Education imminent, will it be enough to ensure music matters? Jude Rogers talks to Chrissy Kinsella , Chief Executive of the London Music Fund, about transforming under-served communities, if learning tunes are really less important than science and tech for career prospects,...
Jun 19, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 630
Your pop-culture update: Is the MCU’s first Muslim superhero saga Ms Marvel really a cape-fest or a family comedy in disguise? Will Baltimore crime drama We Own This City match up to its creator’s classic creation The Wire? DJ Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy serves up a Balearic breakfast and on the 40th birthday of ABC’s Lexicon Of Love , guest Clark Collis helps us choose THE greatest albums of all time. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal: https://tidal....
Jun 18, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 629
You can’t discuss Turkey’s politics without mentioning its strongman president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. What does he want? Gonul Tol , founding director of the Middle East Institute's Turkey program and author of the upcoming book Erdoğan’s War, talks to Alex Andreou about Erdoğan’s journey from reformer to autocrat, how his 19 years in power have changed Turkey, and what the future holds for the country and his leadership. “When Erdogan came to power in 2002 he was a different man, or so he said....
Jun 17, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 628
Who decides the value of a piece of art? And how do they come to their conclusions? In May, Andy Warhol’s 'Shot Sage Blue Marilyn' sold at Christie’s for a record £158 million, making it the most expensive painting of the 20th century – but it is merely the biggest wave in an international tsunami of art sales. Jelena Sofronijevic speaks to Mary-Alice Stack , Chief Executive at Creative United, and Erling Kagge , polar explorer, former politician, and author of A Poor Collector's Guide to Buying...
Jun 16, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 627
The disappearance of British reporter Dom Phillips and indigenous people’s campaigner Bruno Pereira has shown how serious the threats to journalists in Brazil are. It appears that the worst fears of Dom’s family may be true and he and Bruno will not be found alive. In tribute to a former colleague of ours and a brave and formidable reporter, here is the podcast that Dom made with Dorian Lynskey in May 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic. It has not been edited. To donate to Dom and Bruno’s...
Jun 15, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 626
We assess our Groundhog Day Government’s self-imposed Brexit drudgery and unconvincing housing plans. Will the NI protocol wrangling ever end? Are Johnson and his Cabinet of calamity trying to divert from other problems? Plus, we unpack the various aspects of America’s gun violence problems. And, we unpack new cigarette and vape regulations – is the end of smoking nigh? “If you believe this is going to solve the housing crisis, come walk with me over the Garden Bridge.” – Gavin Esler “Some of th...
Jun 14, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 625
The Government is courting controversy again with deportations to Rwanda to take place and more NI protocol drama. As legal wranglings continue, deportation flights are due to depart on Tuesday. What will happen next? Plus, as the cost of living crisis worsens, will there be any tangible moves to deal with it? Justin Quirk is joined by Alex Andreou to chart the week ahead. "I think the Home Office will manage to get that flight to take off, even if it just has two people on it.” – Alex Andreou "...
Jun 13, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 624
We refer to measurements almost constantly – but are we truly aware of the power they hold? And why do we accept these rigid measurements of time and space? Ahir Shah speaks to James Vincent about his book Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement , which looks at how we came to define dimensions. “We still have a flexible approach to measuring time.” “You get a lot of measurements that are taken from the human body for example.” “Over time central authorities take the control to define ...
Jun 12, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 623
We Super Troop down to East London to witness the ABBA VOYAGE live experience. Have any of us been the same since we saw it? Legendary founder of folk rock titans The Waterboys , Mike Scott joins us to talk about about new album All Souls Hill, plus the importance and history of working men’s clubs with Beer Boffin Pete Brown . And FINAL CUT - we watch Swan Song , an indie pic about a retired hairdresser who must undertake the most important hairdo of his life. Hear all the music on our rolling ...
Jun 11, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 623
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has shone a spotlight onto Russia’s oligarchs. How does the Kremlin exert influence over them? And with sanctions beginning to bite, what does the future hold? Catherine Belton , Russia reporter for the Washington Post, talks to Nick Cohen about the Kremlin’s iron grip on Russia’s elite, and her own run in with oligarchs over her book Putin’s People . “The state propaganda machine can’t cover up the level of casualties forever.” “Putin has an inferiority complex. He n...
Jun 09, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 621
