From Trump, to Johnson, and Truss – are politicians really stupid? Or are they just pretending to be so that we’ll vote for them? Siân Pattenden delves into the state of our political psyche with Dean Burnett , neuroscientist and author of The Idiot Brain , to find out the science behind why we vote for stupid politicians. “Calling politicians ‘idiots’ defangs them. It makes us feel reassured instead of terrified.” “Sounding clever doesn’t connect politicians to the electorate.” “Politics really...
Oct 13, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 740
Why does Liz Truss think fracking holds the answer to our energy crisis when so many experts disagree? Will it blight our ‘green and pleasant land’ – or does it simply not work in Britain? Ros Taylor talks to Jon Gluyas , director of the Durham Energy Institute at the University of Durham, about earthquakes, flammable water and where our energy policy is going wrong. “We have known fracking doesn’t work in the UK for decades.” “We are global leaders in wind technology. So, let’s focus on that.” ...
Oct 12, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 739
In a shock move, OPEC oil-rich nations cut back their production. Are we in for a 1974-style oil crisis ? And has the Middle East just sided with Putin? Plus, the heroic protests in Iran where young women rebel after the killing of Mahsa Amini. At home: what next for Truss as she evolves from u-turns into donuts? And the end of the World Service as we know it. Special guest Dr. Julie Norman , associate professor in politics and international relations at University College London, joins us in Th...
Oct 11, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 738
Truss’s tailspin of u-turns is due to continue as she tries to charm her MPs when Parliament returns. What more chaos with Liz can we expect this week? And, with peerages to be confirmed – what nasty surprises will end up in the Lords? Plus, we look at the latest from Ukraine as strikes hit Kyiv. Justin Quirk talks to Alex Andreou to plot out the days ahead. “If Truss thinks she can ask the country to reward her to fix a problem she’s created, she’s getting really terrible advice.” – Alex Andreo...
Oct 10, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 737
The planet is burning. So does it make sense to pour billions (and tons of carbon) into space exploration? Or could it help solve Earthly problems – including climate change? On the eve of the first moonshot in 50 years, Tereza Pultarova of Space.com joins Andrew Harrison to weigh up the pros and cons of extraterrestrial research, from the space industry’s carbon debt to moon treaties, space junk and the coming turf war on the Moon. “Space rockets often create mini-punctures in the ozone layer. ...
Oct 09, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 736
Why do we see so many political u-turns? What makes politicians turn 180 – and why are some so against it? After Liz Truss’s budget flip flop laid waste to the Thatcher comparison she dreamed of, Ros Taylor talks to Tim Bale , professor of politics at Queen Mary University, about why we see such drastic changes of course in modern politics. “U-turns are more likely because voters are now less tribal.” “Journalists make a great deal of U-turns, mainly because they facilitate them.” “Boris Johnson...
Oct 08, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 735
They are described as isolated, violent misogynists. So what draws men to the community of “incels” – or involuntary celibates? Do they hate women or are their reasons for rejecting sex more complex? Justin Quirk delves into the dark corners of the internet with William Costello , expert on the psychology of incels at the University of Austin at Texas, to find out how worried we should be about them. “You have a supply and demand problem – a skewed sex ratio.” “The sensationalising of incel viol...
Oct 07, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 734
A home should be a sanctuary. But for many people, it means sharing a bed, worrying about whether you’ll have a roof over your head, or whether home ownership is even possible. Hashi Mohamed, lawyer and author of A Home of One’s Own, calls Ros Taylor from his home in Wembley, to talk about arriving in Britain as a child refugee, why the planning system is political, and how we can tackle the housing crisis and now. “ The planning system is perceived as a place where ideas go to die. But the real...
Oct 06, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 733
Who has the new PM surrounded herself with – and how much power do they wield? Alex Rees is joined by columnist, Bunker regular and Westminster gossip maven Marie Le Conte to discuss the cosy coterie of hardcore conservative think tanks shaping her policy, and what it takes for a political obsessive to be by a minister’s ear. “For junior roles, you need to prove your loyalty from the get-go, and only then are you rewarded.” “Truss is the continuity candidate of Boris Johnson.” “Truss is firmly f...
Oct 05, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 732
After U-turning on their mini budget, do Kwarteng and Truss have a vision beyond lining their mates pockets? Plus, with mutiny in the ranks, including from general-election-calling Nadine Dorries, what’s the latest from the Tory conference? And, after Truss’s grilling on regional radio last week, we ask where would we be without local journalism? This week’s guest is Richard Hayton , associate professor of politics at the University of Leeds. “The atmosphere at the Tory conference is weird, but ...
Oct 04, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 731
Kami-Kwazi pulls the 45p tax cut as the curtain goes up in flames at Tory Conference. Can Truss style this one out or is she already toast? Plus, what Putin’s criminal annexation of parts of Ukraine means; Bolsonaro does better than he expected in Brazil ; and is Britain finally rowing back from kneejerk Europhobia? Ros Taylor plots out the next seven days with Justin Quirk. “This u-turn is a massive deal – it’s an embarrassment for all concerned.” “Could Truss even persuade anyone else to be he...
Oct 03, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 730
As surveillance becomes ever more sophisticated, should we be worried? From borderless security guards to Deep Fakes, what do we need to know about the changes to this technology? Jelena Sofronijevic is joined by Kirstie Ball, professor of management at the University of St. Andrews and Pete Fussey, professor of sociology at the University of Essex to discuss the possibilities and pitfalls in this developing digital realm. “Surveillance is about power, so we really have to ask how that power is ...
Oct 02, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 729
The financial meltdown Truss and Kwarteng have caused has surprised even their greatest detractors. But seriously, just how bad is this? And is there any way to fix it – even if they wanted to? David Blanchflower , former member of the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee, Dartmouth economics professor and author, joins Alex Andreou to discuss the situation. “Markets prevent clueless amateurs doing stupid things… but nobody trusts you, nobody believes you, electorally it’s a disaster. Who...
Oct 01, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 728
Speeches can make or break a politician – so, Liz Truss looks like she’s in trouble. What can she do to improve? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Dr. Henriette van der Blom , the founding director of the Network for Oratory and Politics at the University of Birmingham to discuss the art of political speeches and “deliver, deliver, deliver” some advice to the new PM. “Truss’s inaugural speech was by far her worst.” “Truss’s speeches have developed, but they haven’t become better.” “Truss is appropriatin...
Sep 30, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 727
As Giorgia Meloni’s victory sparks concern across Europe, we discuss what you need to know about Italy’s new PM. How surprising, and worrying, is it that Italy has moved to the right? Alex Andreou is joined by Chiara Albanese, Bloomberg's Rome-based political correspondent, to explore Meloni’s track record and ask what kind of leader she’ll be. “She is brushing off her fascist roots to appeal to more people.” “She is woman, but she isn’t a feminist. This isn’t a victory for women.” “The right ar...
Sep 29, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 726
How did Viktor Orbán seize total power within Hungary – and what warnings should other nations take from his actions? Doomsday Watch host Arthur Snell is joined by Zsolt Enyedi , professor of political science at the Central European University, to unpack what lessons democracies should take from the Orbán era. “The public treated the radicalisation of debate as a political gimmick, and now we are seeing the disastrous effects.” “Orbán is stronger than he was a year ago, and is only getting stro...
Sep 28, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 725
The fiscal event of the year has caused the pound to plummet – what, if anything at all, are Truss and Kwarteng thinking? Plus, could Labour have chosen a better time to have their conference with the Tories in turmoil? We discuss Starmer’s vision for a future government. And, we ask what makes a truly great sportsperson after tennis star Federer’s retirement. "There's no clever strategy behind it. They've just fucked it up." – Tom Peck “The economics announcement left the pundit gang confused t...
Sep 27, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 724
Mini-budget backlash has given Labour plenty of ammunition to use against the Tories as their party conference gets into swing. Just how bad have Kwarteng and Truss’s plans gone down? And what fallout can we expect? Plus, we look at the latest from Russia, as Putin’s draft faces widespread protests. And, we unpack the Italian election results. “ Despite efforts from right-wing client media, market reaction to this budget has been bad.” – Alex Andreou “ The one thing that stimulates growth is fai...
Sep 26, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 723
Some 75% of adults don’t get the recommended seven to nine hours a night – and one in seven survive on dangerously low levels of sleep. So are we facing a national, or even international, sleep crisis? Lisa L. Lewis and Oxford professor Russell Foster talk to Jelena Sofronijevic about our body clocks, circadian rhythms, and why sleep is revolutionary. “ Sleep is like shoe size. One size does not fit all.” – Professor Russell Foster “ The tired brain remembers the bad experiences, but not the goo...
Sep 25, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 722
Weekend pop culture! Does Bowie mega-documentary Moonage Daydream do the Dame justice? Cult author David Keenan tells us about his astonishing, cryptic novel of occult hippiedom Industry of Magic And Light . And we’ve got big news for all listeners… plus a lot of new music, TV and movies to tide you over the autumn. “My father was illiterate, but he could tell the most amazing stories. He had such faith in language and told me ‘You need to read, it’ll change your life’.” – David Keenan “Making a...
Sep 24, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 721
For this week’s Bunker Gold, listen back to Ros eating insects in September 2021… Chances are you haven’t willingly eaten an insect. But two billion people are already bugging out on this sustainable source of protein. Could insects offer the perfect solution for our post-Brexit and pandemic supply chain problems? Entomologist Brian Fisher and Imperial College London’s Dr. Tilly Collins join Ros Taylor to chew on how we can change perceptions about insects in the West, how health clinics are bat...
Sep 23, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 720
Disputes over energy resources have become a key global issue. How is the way we consume oil and gas reshaping politics across the world? Arthur Snell, host of the Doomsday Watch podcast, is joined by Thijs van de Graaf , associate professor of international politics at the Ghent Institute and author of Global Energy Politics to discuss our changing energy sector. “Oil consumption has peaked in the United States, Japan and Europe, the only way now is down.” “We have kicked out oil from the power...
Sep 22, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 719
Bidding wars, rent caps and queues just to view homes. What is going on with rented housing? Far from being a fringe aspect of housing used by students, it's now used by a significant proportion of our population. Ahir Shah is joined by Pete Apps , deputy editor at Inside Housing and author of forthcoming book Show Me the Bodies, on the Grenfell Tower disaster, to discuss navigating the lettings market. “We are seeing a supply-demand perfect storm.” “With house prices rising, most people really ...
Sep 21, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 718
Liz Truss has taken her robotic speaking style too far as she trundles around like a Dalek yelling “deregulate, deregulate!” What red tape are she and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng actually going to cut? Plus, we discuss the Overton Window of protest. Will tighter crackdowns on demonstrators persist as the mourning period ends? And, finally we discuss outdoor brand Patagonia’s owner giving away the company – what’s that all about? “The focus on growth seems completely mad. We’ve had growth – but tha...
Sep 20, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 717
Politics restarts as the Queen’s Funeral ends the mourning period. Liz Truss heads off to the UN Summit and Kwasi Kwarteng prepares his banker-fluffing Fiscal Event as the Government tries to reboot itself. Plus, we look at the latest from Ukraine, and the increasing pressure Putin faces for his miscalculations. Justin Quirk talks to Arthur Snell to lay out the days ahead. “Truss has really struggled to live up to the historical importance of this moment.” “I think with Kwarteng’s plans there’ll...
Sep 19, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 716
Should we welcome artificial intelligence in healthcare – or is it the stuff of dystopian nightmares? Jelena Sofronijevic is joined by James Zou, assistant professor of biomedical data science at Stanford University and David Leslie, director of ethics and responsible innovation research at the Alan Turing Institute, to discuss the potentials of AI and the future of health. "We're building AI to augment, not replace, doctors." – James Zou "We need to work hard to create trust in health data shar...
Sep 18, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 715
Weekend pop culture! We discover The Beatles ’ new spruced-up ‘Revolver’ with Giles “Son Of George” Martin. Guest Will Hodgkinson of The Times extols the chirpy-chirpy glories of ’70s bubblegum pop from his new book In Perfect Harmony . And we check out A24 gore-fest Bodies Bodies Bodies and Netflix’s latest Korean import, Narco Saints . “ Revolver is a punk record. The Beatles played hard.” – Giles Martin “ Try writing a song as catchy as ‘Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep’ – it ’ s not easy.” – Will ...
Sep 17, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 714
With a new monarch and PM, Britain faces stark change. How will these incoming figureheads handle this? What will this mean for the future of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth? Historian Sir Anthony Seldon joins author and former BBC journalist Gavin Esler to discuss the turmoil we face. “ The United Kingdom is actually a relatively new concept.” “ The Monarchy, unlike Prime Ministers, embodies continuity.” “ If the call comes to become a republic, it will be hard for Australia to resist i...
Sep 16, 2022•15 min•Season 1Ep. 713
Six months into the Ukraine crisis, are western sanctions imposed on Russia really working? Dr Richard Connolly , associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, joins Ahir Shah to explain the economic war sparked by Putin’s invasion, the effectiveness of Western sanctions, and why this hidden conflict isn’t going as well as expected. “ Russia is quite happy to sell oil cheaply to friendly countries, not so much the West.” “ The Rouble is strong at the moment, but that doesn ’ t mean sa...
Sep 15, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 712
Pubs are a cornerstone of British culture. But with increasing numbers closing, and a long winter ahead, what can we do to save them? Ros Taylor is joined by Michelin star chef and hospitality champion Tom Kerridge to discuss how pubs are under threat and ways they may change in the future. "Even if pubs look busy, they are working to incredibly tight profit margins." "As people have become more health conscious, they don't go to pubs during the day – so pubs really need to change." " The days w...
Sep 14, 2022•16 min•Season 1Ep. 711
