In this week’s Bunker Gold, listen back to Jude Rogers in conversation with Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, from January 2021. On the last day of Trump’s warped presidency, his niece Mary – psychologist and author of Too Much And Never Enough: How My Family Created The World’s Most Dangerous Man – reflected on the making of a man who impressed his psychopathologies on a nation. How does a person get like this? What is it like when a family member places the entire world in peril? And could a d...
Aug 12, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 680
With workers on strike and services cancelled, why are Britain’s railways such a mess? And how can they be fixed? Tom Haines-Doran , research fellow at Leeds University and author of Derailed: How to Fix Britain’s Broken Railways , joins Ros Taylor to discuss the problems with the UK’s train system, and what needs to happen for our railways to get back on track. “Once a new Prime Minister is in place we could see a lot more strike action take place.” “The Government has deliberately shifted the ...
Aug 11, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 678
Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last week has ignited tensions around the island, but why does China want to crush Taiwan? Cindy Yu , host of the Chinese Whispers podcast, joins Alex Andreou to explain the status of Taiwan, why Pelosi’s visit has angered Beijing, and how the situation could develop in the months ahead. “ If Taiwan declared independence they would incur the wrath of Beijing.” “ The national security law has made a peaceful reunification with Taiwan almost impossible.” “ If the Wes...
Aug 10, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 677
As Sunak and Truss argue over cutting taxes, what about emissions? Madeleine Cuff , i’ s environment correspondent joins us to pick apart the pair’s climate credentials. Do they have any? Plus, healthcare commentator Roy Lilley takes us through what you need to know about the state of the NHS staffing crisis. And, as spiders are reanimated in an experiment akin to a David Cronenberg movie, we ask… why? "The NHS has the biggest carbon footprint of any institution in Europe." - Roy Lilley "15% of ...
Aug 09, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 677
As the cost of living crisis bites, will this week’s Truss U-Turn be “handouts” or an emergency budget ? Can the Mail nobble the Privileges Committee before it nobbles Johnson? Tensions rise over Taiwan and the Russians are shelling nuclear plants in Ukraine. Just another week, then… Alex Andreou looks at the next seven days with Jacob Jarvis. Complete our listener survey for a chance to win a Bunker t-shirt: https://bit.ly/3zFSySB “The Government has checked out – not just the ministers but civ...
Aug 08, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 676
Come 2035, what will a trip away look like? Where will we visit when the planet is undergoing increasingly violent change? Siân Pattenden speaks with Tom Hall, vice president at Lonely Planet , about where our travel plans are headed. Complete our listener survey for a chance to win a Bunker t-shirt: https://bit.ly/3zFSySB “Maybe the job of travel writers is different to what it was in the past. We need to have a range of voices.” “People need different experiences and exposure to as many perspe...
Aug 07, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 675
Your pop culture update: “Quentin Tarantino meets Agatha Christie” in Brad Pitt action comedy Bullet Train . Icon of the 80s Clare Grogan joins us for the first Altered Images album in 39 years, Mascara Streakz. And movie monster the Predator goes up against Native Americans in hyperkinetic prequel Prey, out now on Disney+. DJ and journalist Anthony Teasdale completes the panel. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify : https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal : https://tidal.com/browse/playli...
Aug 06, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 674
Listen back to an archive Bunker from Jan 2022. London’s restaurants are now closing at nearly the double the normal rate as rising VAT, rent, and energy costs add to the weight of COVID, post-Brexit labour issues and supply chain shortages. Corey Mintz , author of The Next Supper, and Eater London’s Adam Coghlan joined Jelena Sofronijevic to chew on why haute cuisine is cooling off, whether takeaway food is really so democratic…and if COVID has called time on the all-you-can-eat buffet. Complet...
Aug 05, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 673
With strike action in Britain set to intensify over the coming months, what is the state of our trade unions? Can they really force the Government’s hand over the cost of living crisis? Jane Holgate , Employment Relations professor at the University of Leeds, joins Alex Andreou to unpack what unions want, who supports them, and the challenges they face. Complete our listener survey for a chance to win a Bunker t-shirt: https://bit.ly/3zFSySB “Trade unionism is all about the imbalance of power in...
Aug 04, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 672
Thatcher famously proclaimed that inflation is the parent of unemployment. But as shop prices soar, energy bills rocket, and interest rates rise, we’ve all become more aware of the everyday impacts of inflation. So how unique is the crisis we face now? Director of the LSE and former vice-president of the World Bank Baroness Minouche Shafik joins Ros Taylor to unpack inflation. Complete our listener survey for a chance to win a Bunker t-shirt: https://bit.ly/3zFSySB “COVID has caused upward infla...
Aug 03, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 671
The Lionesses’ victory in the Euros inspires a generation of girls. Can it transform football… and society? Meanwhile Sunak flails to out-loon Truss. With popular culture pulling in one direction and a regressive Tory gerontocracy pulling in another, is there any space for a unifying national story any more? Historian Alex von Tunzelmann – author of Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Changed History – is our special guest. Complete our listener survey for a chance to win a Bunker t-shirt: https:/...
Aug 02, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 670
Reset the Years of Hurt Clock… England’s women bring football home at last. Have the Lionesses changed football forever? Meanwhile Rishi Sunak goes down in the most craven manner possible, Johnson aims to pack the Lords with cronies, and everything’s on fire. But never mind! The football! The football! Gavin Esler puts aside his Scottishness for a moment to revel in the pure joy of an historic victory with Andrew Harrison. Complete our listener survey for a chance to win a Bunker t-shirt: https:...
Aug 01, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 669
On episode 666 of The Bunker, we’re talking all things Satan. Where does our idea of the Devil come from? And why are we so obsessed with him? Jelena Sofronijevic talks to Erin Cülff of the Myth Monsters podcast and Dr. Michael David Barbezat , a research fellow at Australia Catholic University, to explore Satan in pop culture, from the snake in the Garden of Eden, via Dante’s Inferno and heavy metal, to a modern gay icon. “Villains are always easy to work with in storytelling.” – Michael David ...
Jul 31, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 668
Your pop culture fix: Will Renaissance be a rebirth for Beyoncé ? Amazon’s small-town sci-fi mystery Paper Girls , adapted from the cult comic – can it out-strange Stranger Things? And superior newsroom drama in The Newsreader , on BBC2 and iPlayer now. Telegraph TV critic Michael Hogan is our special guest. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify : https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal : https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/77075591-255c-47eb-9062-815c4dd469ef “Beyonce records get freighted w...
Jul 30, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 667
Listen back to an edition from our archives with The Bunker Gold . This week, after Tory leadership hopefuls Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss went head-to-head in fiery TV debates, we’ve chosen an episode from December 2021, Harsh Reality – How TV Shaped Modern Britain. We treat TV as the most disposable art form – but for decades it has shaped our world more than we know. From Big Brother to Shameless to Little Britain and Benefit Street, television chose the winners and losers of consumer capitalism,...
Jul 29, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 666
English football might be doing well on the pitch, but are we seeing the return of hooliganism off it? Since lockdown eased, there’s been a spate of incidents we thought had been left in the 1980s, so what’s going wrong in football at the moment? Professor Geoff Pearson of the University of Manchester joins Justin Quirk to discuss football’s crowd trouble problem, and what can be done about it. “These are fans who’ve been in lockdown, hitting it a bit harder now they can go to football again.” “...
Jul 28, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 665
With Covid cases on the rise in Britain, how worried should we be about its resurgence? Tom Chivers , science writer for the i, joins Ros Taylor to discuss the latest uptick in coronavirus cases, what we know about the new variants and the role Covid could play in our lives in the years ahead. “Vaccines are significant when protecting against severe disease, but not reinfection.” “The virus doesn’t have to change very much to avoid your antibody immunity.” “We’ll still get the virus periodically...
Jul 27, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 664
As Truss and Sunak set out their economic plans, we discuss the viability of ‘Trussonomics’ and ‘Hedge Fund socialism’. Plus, what will the next Prime Minister mean for Britain’s standing on the world stage? And ten years after the London 2012 opening ceremony, our panellists look back on the last time the UK felt like a place to be proud of. “Every time they talk about tax cuts, that’s less money for public services.” - Miatta Fahnbulleh “Sunak talks a more credible game, whereas Liz is away wi...
Jul 26, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 663
The Tory leadership contest rumbles on as Sunak and Truss go head-to-head on TV. Who is destined to win out, and who is on the ropes? Plus, transport logjams at Dover and Folkestone look likely to repeat over the summer, a tentative deal to release Ukrainian grain is reached, and Monkeypox vaccines are rolled out across the UK. Justin Quirk and Alex Andreou set out the days ahead. Support us on Patreon for early ad-free editions, merch and more: www.patreon.com/bunkercast “Tory members are risk-...
Jul 25, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 662
What are young people talking about these days? And what do the unusual words they say mean? In a bid to understand Gen Z, Jacob Jarvis speaks with Olive Pometsey and Jade Wickes of The Face magazine to decipher the latest slang, and to ask how it comes about and why it’s so popular. “What sets us apart is that we’re the first generation to grow up with smartphones.” – Jade Wickes “Nothing is that serious, it’s all just self-deprecating humour.” – Jade Wickes “At its core slang is just like a sh...
Jul 24, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 661
Paper Cuts : How I Destroyed the British Music Press and Nige Tassell ’s surprisingly warmhearted indie odyssey Whatever Happened To The C86 Kids? Plus we bathe in the glow of euphoric 90s comedown music with ‘ Fell From The Sun : Downtempo And After Hours 1990-91’. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify : https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal : https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064b Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison and Siân Pattenden. Audio product...
Jul 23, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 660
Listen back to an edition from our archives with The Bunker Gold . This week, after Britain recorded its highest temperatures on record, we’ve chosen Will We Be OK? Facing the Climate Emergency , first released in September 2020… Could there be cause for optimism on climate change? Do individuals have power over our planet’s future? Paul Behrens , author of The Best Of Times The Worst Of Times , tells Ros Taylor about the best and worst climate scenarios, why women’s rights are the key to a mana...
Jul 22, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 659
As Nicola Sturgeon’s fight for indyref2 continues, will she get the vote she wants or is she running out of road? What will Boris Johnson’s departure mean for Scotland’s First Minister? Gavin Esler unpacks these issues with journalist Iain Macwhirter, author of Disunited Kingdom: How Westminster Won a Referendum But Lost Scotland. “Nicola Sturgeon has real problems in the party.” “Sturgeon is going to turn the next election into a de-facto referendum.” “Boris Johnson is the one Englishman you ar...
Jul 21, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 658
Uber has transformed how we travel around cities – what do newly leaked documents tell us about its meteoric rise? The explosive ‘Uber Files’ give an insight into the tactics the taxi giant used to become a household name. Justin Quirk unpacks what these reveal with lecturer Dr. Jimena Valdez , who is working on the project Über-State: The Political Economy of Platform Capitalism. “The three most striking things are: the utter disregard for the law, the connections to political power, and the ve...
Jul 20, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 657
In a heat-defying lo-fi edition, we discuss the latest blue-on-blue clashes as the race to replace Johnson comes to a head. Did a least-worst candidate emerge? We talk to guest Jamie Susskind , author of The Digital Republic: On Freedom and Democracy in the 21st Century about how to regulate the internet. And did those cosmic images from the Webb Telescope make us feel tiny and insignificant… or pretty damn important? “The debates gave me a sinking feeling of despair… It’s just a bunch of angry ...
Jul 19, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 655
The heat is on in the Tory leadership contest. Two finalists are expected this week but could we even have a new PM by Friday? Plus, we look at what will happen in Parliament in the last days before recess. And, we brace for what could be the hottest day on record in Britain. Alex Andreou joins Andrew Harrison to chart the days ahead. "The more I see the more depressing it gets.” – Alex Andreou “ I suspect Johnson will find a way to get out of his last PMQs.” – Alex Andreou “ It says a lot about...
Jul 18, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 655
As Tory leadership hopefuls pledge tax cuts galore, we ask if this would make any sense. What impact would these moves have? What else could they do instead? Andrew Harrison speaks to Giles Wilkes , a senior fellow from the Institute for Government and former special adviser to Theresa May on industrial and economic policy. “I suspect they’re hoping the Tory membership don’t have a memory of the 70s and 80s.” “These people running for the leadership are thinking in a three month timescale.” “It’...
Jul 17, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 654
This week we listen to the force of nature that is Lizzo and her brand new album Special . Will it top 2019’s storming Cuz I Love You? Plus OFFICE POLITICA - film critic Linda Marric joins us to watch workplace drama The Good Boss movie with Javier Bardem directed by Fernando León de Aranoa. And BOO! We listen to Working Men’s Club ’s second album Fear Fear. Plus we see Unstuck in Time , Curb Your Enthusiam director Robert Weide’s documentary about American literary icon Kurt Vonnegut. Hear all ...
Jul 16, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 653
Why have we been told there isn’t a magic money tree? And could such a thing actually exist? Alex Andreou discusses this question and unpacks modern monetary theory with L. Randall Wray, a senior scholar at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College who has authored several books on the subject. “For a very long time we've had a view that finance is a scarce resource.” “What we have is this belief that the Government is just like a household and it could run out of money.” “There appears to be...
Jul 14, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 652
BMW, Volkswagen, Allianz and Dr. Oetker are all household names – but how did these German businesses get to be so wealthy? The reality of collaboration, collusion, and the active championing of Hitler and the Nazi regime – during World War II, and beyond – by corporations remains “happily ignored”. So how have global powers let them get away with it? Jelena Sofronijevic talks to financial journalist David de Jong, author of author of Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany’s Wealthiest D...
Jul 13, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 651
