As vicious conflicts rage across the world, the civil war in Sudan has received limited attention. To explain the far-reaching impacts of the conflict, the humanitarian crisis unfolding, and why we should start paying attention, Gavin Esler speaks to Alan Boswell , Crisis Group ’s director for the horn of Africa, in today’s Bunker . 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 Dav...
Jul 24, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 1341
Keir Starmer has one hell of a challenge fixing everything the Tories broke in their 14 years in charge. Where to begin? Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee sits down with Ros Taylor in The Bunker to discuss Starmer’s uphill battle ahead. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harriso...
Jul 23, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 1340
It’s the morning after Joe Biden’s shock withdrawal from the U.S. Presidential race. Why now – and who will replace him? Closer to home, we’ve got Keir Starmer’s first PMQs to look forward to. What should we expect? And what does the strike on Yemen mean for the Middle East – and how will international governments respond? Want to hear more about the situation in the US? Listen to American Friction , from the makers of the Bunker. Here’s a link to their bonus episode discussing Biden’s withdrawa...
Jul 22, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1339
Amazon turns 30 this month – and it’s unrecognisable from the online bookstore it once was. But can it continue to grow forever – or might recent legal cases mark the end of Bezos’ global market domination? Kate Devlin speaks to The Wall Street Journal ’s Dana Mattioli , author of The Everything War , to find out. • 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 fro...
Jul 19, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1338
Political leaders have been targeted by assassins for thousands of years – Donald Trump being the latest example, after the attempt on his life in Pennsylvania. Historically, what impact have these actions had on societies the world over? What similarities are there between these acts and the people who carry them out? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Arie Perliger, professor in security studies at University of Massachusetts Lowell and author of American Zealots: Inside Right-Wing Domestic Terrorism ,...
Jul 18, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1337
Labour’s landslide has brought in a new wave of political optimism to the UK. But a near record poll attendance has been a cause for concern in the weeks following the election. Hannah Fearn is joined by Professor of behavioural science at Kingston University Gaëlle Vallée Tourangeau to find out why people just aren’t turning out to vote and what can be done to engage with the electorate. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your privat...
Jul 17, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 1336
Keir Starmer has plenty to get on with at home – but amid global turmoil, Labour’s foreign policy is increasingly important too. In response to multiple wars, regional conflicts, an increasingly far-right Europe and a turbulent U.S. Presidential race, how might Starmer interact with the rest of the world? Zoë Grünewald asks Dr Victoria Honeyman , associate professor of British politics at the University of Leeds. Please note, this episode was recorded on the 8th of July before the NATO summit. •...
Jul 16, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1335
After the Trump shooting we ask what it means for America and the election. Could the failed assassination win the race for the former president? Meanwhile, the new Labour Government is in full swing. From the new Growth Agenda to the launch of Great British Energy what can we expect from Starmer this week? Recorded in the aftermath of England’s defeat, best not to say too much about that, Andrew Harrison and Hannah Fearn look out for the news stories which will shape the week ahead. Want to hea...
Jul 15, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1334
Joe Biden is the US’ oldest ever President – and it’s showing. From his catastrophic performance during the recent debate against Donald Trump, to celebrity calls for him to step down, the question on everyone’s lips is: Will he quit? Gavin Esler asks Democratic insider Sidney Blumenthal 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 ...
Jul 12, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 1333
In an increasingly unstable international climate, we need our internal laws more than ever – but they don’t seem to be working. Which states are ignoring them, what are the consequences, and who will enforce them? Alex Andreou asks Professor Kevin Heller, the ICC Prosecutor’s special advisor on war crimes, 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 y...
Jul 11, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1332
We think of the US as a universe unto itself, uninterested in the outside world. But according to geopolitics analyst and host of the Disorder podcast Jason Pack , few things influence American elections as much as three diaspora countries – Ireland, Italy and Israel – and “peer nation” the UK. Their role as political test labs for new ideas means that Keir Starmer’s victory could be good news for Democrats. But how do these “mystical relationships” work? Get Disorder wherever you get your podca...
Jul 10, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1331
The Conservatives are out of power for the first time in 14 years. So what does the future of the party look like, and should we expect a serious Tory-transformation if they have hopes of regaining control in the future? Ros Taylor asks Queen Mary University professor of politics and The Conservative Party After Brexit author Tim Bale , in The Bunker. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your private information safe, protects you from ...
Jul 09, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 1330
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 ke...
Jul 08, 2024•20 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•30 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 s...
Jul 04, 2024•22 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•23 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•30 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 s...
Jul 01, 2024•31 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 ...
Jun 28, 2024•27 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•30 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•19 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•24 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•26 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 t hrough our affiliate bookshop a...
Jun 23, 2024•27 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•27 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•25 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•26 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•22 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•24 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•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1312
