The tech explosion has transformed the spy game. Are intelligence agencies fit to face new threats from terror groups, disinformation gangs, and even teenagers in bedrooms? In a fascinating conversation intelligence expert Amy B. Zegart – author of Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence – tells Andrew Harrison how too much “spytainment” has warped US intelligence policy; the truth about the CIA blunders that led to 9/11 and the Iraq quagmire; and why modern ...
Dec 10, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 801
Putin’s war has triggered a food supply crisis in Africa. Arthur Snell travels to Ghana and Nigeria with Ukrainian campaigners who are forging alliances with Africans against Russia’s criminality. In a special crossover edition with Doomsday Watch, Arthur discovers how Africa is suffering for Putin’s war, why some African countries are still siding with the Russian tyrant, and how it feels to defend your country when you’re a refugee. Donate to help the Ukrainian human rights campaigners Zmina a...
Dec 09, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 799
The horrors of austerity make for grim statistics. But what are the stories behind those numbers? The Mirror ’s Real Britain columnist Ros Wynne-Jones joins Ros Taylor to discuss the exhaustion, pain and spirit of those feeling the brunt of Tory cuts. “There are always new levels and layers of cuts.” “There’s just an assumption now that the system is brutalised and cruel.” “Disabled people have been at the front of these cuts, but they’ve also been at the vanguard of resistance.” “The level of e...
Dec 08, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 798
The House of Lords is constantly embattled – but what value does it have and what really goes on there? Various governments have wanted to reform the chamber – with limited success. Can it be done? Marie Le Conte speaks to Politico ’s senior UK correspondent Esther Webber about the good, the bad and the… unusual. “It was where a deeper scrutiny happened, which you wouldn’t always see in the Commons.” “A big barrier to reform is it has to go through the Lords.” “I feel slightly weary of the idea ...
Dec 07, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 797
Statistics dictate policy – but what if our data sets are wrong? How are numbers manipulated for political gain? These are questions that House of Commons Library statistician Georgina Sturge answers in her new book Bad Data: How Governments, Politicians and the Rest of Us Get Misled by Numbers. She tells Alex Andreou about how data is used to make policy, how it is being manipulated, and how to tell good data from bad. “Numbers can’t speak for themselves.” “Governments are presenting data as if...
Dec 06, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 796
A Tory MP exodus rolls on as the Government looks to turn public opinion against striking workers as more walkouts loom. Is there any chance of deals ahead of Christmas action? And the Online Safety Bill returns to the Commons, while Labour has its say on the Lords. Plus, we look at the latest from protests in Iran and China, as well as US political rumblings. Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the week ahead. "Morale is very low in the Tory party.” “Presenting striking workers as grinches...
Dec 05, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 795
Climate change remains a key political issue. But with multiple crises mounting, are the Greens a one policy party? Ros Taylor is joined by Zack Polanski , deputy leader of the Green Party, to talk about what they want and what's missing from mainstream political discourse. “Only two countries used FPTP – Belarus and the UK.” “Too often politics operates in silos – and we are interested in systems thinking and change.” “People are sick of the two party system.” “We need a positive message on imm...
Dec 04, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 794
Joe Biden is set for a tough couple of years with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. How will the GOP look to hurt the president? Dr Thomas Gift, director of UCL’s Centre on US Politics, joins Jacob Jarvis in to tell us about how Biden’s enemies will enact their revenge. •“Anything Joe biden wants to get done between now and the next 2 years is just not going to happen” •“Republicans can basically block any piece of legislation that Joe Biden puts to the floor” •“A lot of Rep...
Dec 03, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 793
Is the cost of having children making parenthood feel impossible? With childcare through the roof, insecure housing and the cost of living crisis starting to bite, it’s an anxious time for parents. Joeli Brearley , founder of Pregnant Then Screwed , joins Ros Taylor to highlight how the poor provision for parents harms us all. “Ironically I was sacked from a children's charity for wanting a baby.” “Every ten minutes a woman is pushed out of their job.” “We have created a system where dads aren’t...
Dec 02, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 792
From postal workers to nurses, we face a winter of strikes. What do they want and why should we all be invested in their cause? Frances O’Grady , general secretary of the British Trades Union Congress, joins Jude Rogers to discuss the problems faced by Britain’s workforce – and whether those taking action can pull together for a better future. “With real wages falling and living standards stagnating there is a coordinated offensive against working people.” “There is no light at the end of the tu...
Dec 01, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 791
It’s hard to remember a time when the NHS wasn’t at ‘breaking point’. But with more than 7 million people in England on the NHS waiting list, real-term wage decreases, over-stretched ambulance services, and impending strike action from nurses – can it make it through the winter? Anita Charlesworth , Director of Research at the Health Foundation, joins Siân Pattenden to weigh up if there is any hope of saving it. “The NHS staff are wracked with trauma post-Covid.” “We ran the NHS hot at the edge ...
Nov 30, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 790
Our unwritten constitution relies on our politicians acting in good faith. But with recent political crises leaving it creaking at the hinges, do we still benefit from its flexibility? Andrew Blick, co-author of The Bonfire of the Decencies: Repairing and Restoring the British Constitution , talks to Alex Andreou about how to fix the rules that rule us. “Our flexible constitution can adjust in times of public emergency.” “The ‘good chap’ phrase is as outdated as the theory.” “Our constitution is...
Nov 29, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 789
As Sunak embarks on a mission to “get tough” this week – is this another Tory vanity project avoiding the real issues? With pressure over the situation in Manston, more strikes looming and the economy still in turmoil, where should his focus actually be? Plus, mass unrest is shaking China – how will it play out? Yasmeen Serhan joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the week ahead. “Sunak isn’t being compared to a lettuce, yet.” – Jacob Jarvis "A draconian approach has sparked mass protests across China."...
Nov 28, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 788
The UK has a jobs crisis – too many vacancies, and not enough people to fill them. Is migration the fix? The end of free movement of EU workers is partially to blame for the worker shortage – and filling the swathes of roles across the NHS, social care, hospitality and construction is not an easy task. Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory, tells Ros Taylor what the Government can do to fix the situation. “In the past the availability of some of those EU workers to fill jobs ...
Nov 27, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 787
Tucker Carlson is the most-watched cable news host in America. Who is he, why is he so popular and what makes him tick? He’s praised Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban, perpetuated the “stop the steal” nonsense, and regularly fills the airwaves with rhetoric to enrage the Republican right. Dan Cassino, author of Fox News and American Politics , joins Jacob Jarvis to discover what Carlson’s influence means for the future of the United States. “If he makes a mention of a candidate – either positively...
Nov 26, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 786
As one of the world’s biggest economies, trouble in China means trouble for us all. China’s stringent Covid policy has seen businesses lock down, having a huge prolonged impact on trade and international relations. From global development to the war in Ukraine, George Magnus, author of Red Flags: Why Xi’s China is in Jeopardy joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker to tell us how the ripples of Chinese intervention spread far wider than we may imagine. "We’re all worried and thinking a lot about what’s...
Nov 25, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 785
Lisa Nandy talks to Dorian Lynskey about the people and places left behind in modern Britain – and how to empower them. The shadow secretary of state for communities and local government discusses the communities that give her hope, the missteps of recent Governments and what shifts she’d like to see – as outlined in her new book All In: How We Build a Country That Works. “Everywhere you go there is this feeling that everything is falling apart.” “People know that this country could be better… t...
Nov 24, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 783
Musk’s Twitter takeover is leading to a mass exodus from the site. But is this just the Elon effect, or was that bound to happen anyway? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Marcus Gilroy-Ware , Lecturer in Creative Digital Media at SOAS and author of Filling the Void: Emotion, Capitalism and Social Media , about what the decline of the Twittersphere means for how we participate in politics – and to discuss whether this was an inevitability, regardless of who ran the platform. “Musk is known for entreprene...
Nov 23, 2022•17 min•Season 1Ep. 782
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has changed the world forever, but what was it like to be in Kyiv as the first bombs fell? Luke Harding , foreign correspondent at The Guardian , joins Arthur Snell to reveal all about the grim reality of Putin’s war, and the unheard human stories behind the headlines, covered in his new book Invasion: Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival. “A mum and two kids came into my shelter with colouring books, and you just knew people were already dying.” “Russ...
Nov 22, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 781
Hunt’s cuts bonanza faces dissection from angry MPs this week. How will he handle the pushback? Plus, there are rumours of a Swiss-style EU deal – could this possibly happen? Then we cast an eye to the US, with ripples still coming from the midterms and Trump’s presidential announcement. And with the Qatar World Cup underway, what has reaction been to the tournament so far? Yasmeen Serhan joins Alex Andreou to discuss the news to look out for in the days ahead. “There’s some buyers' remorse with...
Nov 21, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 780
Hunt’s cuts upon cuts have left the nation worried, depressed and frightened. Is there any hope beyond austerity 2.0? Marc Stears , director of the UCL Policy Lab, author of Out of the Ordinary and former Ed Miliband speechwriter, speaks to Ros Taylor about the state of Britain and its future prospects. “The reality of the economy is an extraordinary living standards squeeze that people confront in their daily lives.” “Anger, rage, unpredictability – you see that everywhere at the moment, but pa...
Nov 20, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 779
It’s official, Trump is running for President in 2024. Does anyone really want him to – or is it foolish to underestimate him? Julie Norman, Co-Director of the UCL Centre on US Politics, joins Jacob to tell us why calling Trump the underdog could play straight into his hands. “As much as Trump gets leverage in promoting himself, bashing Biden also plays well with his base.” “I think Trump knows that what is appealing about Trump is himself - and it's why some of the Trump backed candidates didn’...
Nov 19, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 779
Dirty air filing homes across the UK is leading to an increase in asthma and lower life expectancy. But just how filthy is it? And are we doing anything meaningful about it? Ros Taylor talks to David Green , senior research fellow in the aerosol science team at Imperial College London. “Scientists have found particles from polluted air in unborn babies.” “Some of the highest levels of pollution are experienced in cars.” “Government anti-pollution measures benefit the public purse in the long ter...
Nov 18, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 778
Gina Miller, described as an “establishment wrecking ball,” speaks to Alex Andreou about battling Brexit and her desire to “reboot” the system. After rising to prominence taking on the Government’s authority to trigger Article 50 without a vote in Parliament, her fight has been taken to the stage in the play Bloody Difficult Women. She’s gone on to launch the True & Fair political party, and is aiming to oust Chris Grayling from his Parliamentary seat. “Because everyone was talking about sov...
Nov 17, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 777
Suella Braverman has called the asylum system broken – but she’s probably focused on the wrong parts. What needs fixing? Home Office incompetence has led to a backlog in processing claims – while the Government is focussing on a new deal with France to reduce people crossing the Channel in small boats. Colin Yeo , a barrister specialising in migration issues sits down with Arthur Snell, to tell us just how Brexit broke the asylum system – and how to speed it up once and for all. “I think it boil...
Nov 16, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 776
As climate activists ramp up provocative protests, the Government is cracking down by bolstering police powers. How far will this go? Ros Taylor is joined by David Mead , professor of UK human rights law, to discuss the incoming public order bill – and how it could impact groups such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion. “There’s certainly been a step up of climate activists over the last couple of months.” “These groups have a deliberate tactic of being arrested. In their view they need mo...
Nov 15, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 775
Britain braces itself for “eyewatering” cuts to cover the £60bn bill for Trussonomics. And Jeremy Hunt braces himself for the howls of the Tory Right. Plus: Braverman turns bagwoman to sign a migrants deal with France. And good news! The Democrats take the Senate and Trump gets the blame! Alex Andreou gives Jacob Jarvis the run-down on the coming week. “We’re now trying to fill a much bigger hole caused by the Truss-Kwarteng fiasco.” “The cuts will have to go much further simply because the mark...
Nov 14, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 774
The BBC is constantly under siege – how can it survive the 360 degree onslaught it faces? Does it make a rod for its own back? Or is stuck in a perennial catch-22? Siân Pattenden is joined by Patrick Barwise author of The War Against the BBC, to discuss the embattled broadcaster. “People pay for far more services that they don’t use than paying for the BBC.” “What is contested is impartiality.” “The organised attacks on the BBC come from the Right.” “It is a miracle it's so productive given how ...
Nov 13, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 773
What tips could Biden take from left-wing star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to help bridge America’s political divide? How do activists and politicians convince opposing groups of the same message? Writer and political commentator Anand Giridharadas talks to Ros Taylor about his new book The Persuaders: Winning Hearts and Minds in a Divided Age . “The left needs to be better at creating an inclusive movement.” “It shows a lot about politics that AOC might not stay in it.” “Elon Musk is a limited man...
Nov 12, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 772
What would Alan Johnson do differently if he was in Suella Braverman’s shoes? The former Home Secretary, who held the post from 2009 to 2010, gives his take on the current crises – and sets the record straight on which party really handles crime better out of Labour and the Tories. “Suella is taking on the Priti Patel mantle… talking about the problems but doing nothing to resolve them.” “It’s the Tories who have really failed on crime and borders.” “When you’re 12 years in you can no longer bla...
Nov 11, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 771
