Labour fallout continues as the Government also tries to get a grip on the water sector. Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor discuss the latest turmoil Starmer and co face this week. Plus, Badenoch is apparently doing a reshuffle (who cares?) , Farage is having a press conference and Trump faces more chaos over his Epstein list crisis in the US. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Gavin ...
Jul 21, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1608
Are you a progressive activist or a dissenting disruptor? These are two ends of a new group of political tribes identified by More in Common , in a report called Shattered Britain: Making sense of what Britons want in a country that feels broken. Luke Tryl, one of its authors and the UK director of More in Common , joins Alex von Tunzelmann to discuss how these groups have formed, how they move around, and what they mean for the shape and future of Britain’s politics. • We are sponsored by Indee...
Jul 18, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 1607
AI is everywhere — writing emails, diagnosing illness, even offering therapy. And politicians are now obsessed with it, too. But is Starmer right to be so invested in it? Can it really fix everything, or are we asking too much? Today, Chris Jones sits down with Professor Kate Devlin, Chair-Director of the Digital Futures Institute , to break down what AI is actually good at, where it’s overhyped, and why your AI therapist may not be the best person to talk to about your feelings. • We are sponso...
Jul 17, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1606
Xi Jinping can, technically, be China’s leader for the rest of his life. But, speculation has mounted that he might be stepping down from power. Is this justified? And if not, how does Xi keep such a tough grip on power? Jacob Jarvis discusses with Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese Studies and director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College and the author of several books about China and Xi Jinping, including Xi: A Study in Power. Buy Xi: A study in power through our affiliate bookshop and...
Jul 16, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1605
As Ukraine fights to hold the line against Russian advances, Western support is starting to look shaky. With Putin’s war machine grinding on and Europe watching nervously, we ask: is the US still committed to Ukraine’s survival? Today, Chris Jones is joined by Keir Giles , Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House and author of Russia’s War on Everybody , to unpack what’s happening on the battlefield, what Trump’s statements mean for Ukraine and who Ukraine can rely on. • We are sponsored by Ind...
Jul 15, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1604
Starmer’s friendly hang out with Macron feels a long time ago now and the reality of trying to make his deal “work” now looms. Alex von Tunzelmann joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss how implementing it might play out, plus they discuss union clashes, a Trump state visit and more crazy conspiracy news from the United States. 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 von Tunzelmann. Audio pro...
Jul 14, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 1603
In the past the Central Intelligence Agency got its hands dirty to support the American vision of freedom and democracy. But what is the spy agency’s purpose for when the President himself despises those very values? Pulitzer Prize winning author Tim Weiner talks Andrew Harrison through The Mission: The CIA In The 21st Century , his absorbing new history of the Agency through the years of 9/11, secret prisons, torture to a surprise vindication over Putin’s election interference and the Ukraine W...
Jul 11, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1602
The US has a world-class diplomatic corps, yet increasingly its foreign policy is based around war. And while most nations still favour negotiation, Washington seems hooked on force. Today in The Bunker, Chris Jones is joined by Professor David Reynolds , author of Mirrors of Greatness , to find out if the US policy of intervention is working or making things worse? Buy Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker b...
Jul 10, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1601
What would the world look like if children became scarcer? Birthrates are falling across the world but the main voices trying to turn them around seem to be weird traditionalist “pronatalists”. Is there a way to encourage having more kids while preserving women’s freedom – and without encouraging right-wing conspiracy ideas about “replacement”? Or should we just tax people who don’t have kids? Demographer and author of No One Left: Why the World Needs More Children Paul Morland tells Alex von Tu...
Jul 09, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1600
Is Big Tech really as unstoppable as it looks? In recent months US courts and EU regulators have handed out major reverses to tech giants including Apple, Google, Amazon and Meta. Meanwhile Google search is becoming unusable, choked by ads and its own algorithm, and the growth of A.I. means Big Tech could become the victim of Bigger Tech. But at least the tech broligarchs have Trump on their side, right? Murad Ahmed , technology news editor of the Financial Times, talks Andrew Harrison through a...
Jul 08, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1599
Labour starts Year Two hoping that everyone will forget Year One. Can Starmer restart his premiership, again? Plus lessons of the 7/7 bombings twenty years on, the new Jeremy Corbyn and/or Zarah Sultana party, Reform puts teenagers in charge of council services… and the Wimbledon finals. Ros Taylor and Gavin Esler discuss the stories that will shape your week. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon for ad free and early episodes. Writ...
Jul 07, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 1598
“Organise before they rise,” is Max Brooks’ advice in his zombie survival guide. But, are world leaders prepared enough? As 28 Years Later hits cinemas, Jacob Jarvis speaks to Daniel Drezner, author of Theories of International Politics and Zombies and professor of international politics at Tufts University, to find out how the world might react and how governments would interact during such a catastrophe. Buy Theories of International Politics and Zombies through our affiliate bookshop and you’...
Jul 04, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1597
After years of direct action and controversial tactics by Palestine Action, the Home Secretary is moving to proscribe the campaign group under anti-terror laws. But is that a crackdown on extremism or political theatre? Today in The Bunker , Gavin Esler is joined by Professor Lee Jarvis , expert in international politics and terrorism at Loughborough University, to unpack what it really means to be proscribed - and what’s it means for protest in Britain. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https...
Jul 03, 2025•19 min•Season 1Ep. 1596
Mark Zuckerberg’s pivot to the right has sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley. From calls for more “masculine energy” in the workplace to his rebrand as an amateur MMA aficionado. Zuck’s Trump-loving transformation has raised eyebrows across the tech world. But what does it mean for the future of Meta and the world of social media? Today in The Bunker , Alex von Tunzelmann sits down with Bloomberg’s social media correspondent Kurt Wagner to unpack the rebellion brewing inside Meta and why Zuck...
Jul 02, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1595
Is Vladimir Putin still the unshakable strongman, or is his grip on power beginning to falter? Today in The Bunker , Chris Jones is joined by Mark Galeotti , an internationally recognised expert on the inner workings of Putin’s Russia and author of the book Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine amongst many others, to explore the Kremlin’s next moves, the cracks in Putin’s armour, and what the West keeps getting wrong about the invasion of Ukraine. • Buy Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine t...
Jul 01, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1594
Keir Starmer seems downbeat as he marks a year in office with international crises and backbench backlash overshadowing the anniversary. Ros Taylor talks Jacob Jarvis through the benefits bill fallout. Plus, they look to latest news from the Middle East and the ever present Donald Trump. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Support us on Patreon for ad free and early episodes: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros ...
Jun 30, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1593
On July 11, Superman flies back into cinemas in his third reboot – but this time, he’s different. Director James Gunn promises a beacon of hope, kindness, and decency, a sharp contrast to the grim hero we last saw. How will a reborn idealistic Man of Steel land in the most cynical American moment of the modern era? How has Superman changed in his 87 years in comics, movies and radio? And can he save the American Way from a real-life supervillain in the White House? Ian Gordon , author of Superma...
Jun 27, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 1592
Mass fatalities in the Air India crash and the collision of a passenger flight and a US Army helicopter over the Potomac have triggered fears that serious aviation accidents are becoming more frequent. But are they really? John Walton , editor of independent aviation journalism site TheUpFront , talks to Andrew Harrison about why panics like this start, how safe air travel really is, and how this high-emissions industry is facing up to a low-emissions future. • Read John Walton on air travel for...
Jun 26, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 1591
Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but the questions around his life, his crimes, and his powerful friends remain. In 2024, new court documents were unsealed, revealing more about Epstein’s abuse yet much of the content remains redacted, leading to conspiracy theories, speculation – and social media battles between Elon Musk and President Trump. Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by investigative reporter Adam Klasfeld , editor-in-chief of All Rise News , to unpack what we know and what remains ob...
Jun 25, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 1590
Donald Trump once promised to keep America out of endless wars. But less than 200 days into his second term, the US military has carried out airstrikes on Iran. Following Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, the president gave orders to target Iranian nuclear facilities. His cabinet denies any ambition for regime change – but Trump’s own words suggest otherwise. So what’s really going on? Today in The Bunker , Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Dr Sanam Vakil , Director of the MENA Programme at Chatham...
Jun 24, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1589
America’s strikes on Iran have left the world wondering what Trump’s next move will be. What do we know so far – and what could happen next? Plus, what comes now after the assisted dying bill vote? And with Reform surging in polls, Farage has another weird plan – will it work? And because the answer’s no, why not? Ros Taylor and Jacob Jarvis discuss all that and more in Start Your Week. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. [NOT FOR PATREON] Support us on...
Jun 23, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1588
Is the BBC shifting right to please Reform voters? Leaked minutes from a top-level BBC editorial meeting reveal plans to reshape story selection and tone – not just in news, but even in drama – to improve the Corporation’s image among Reform UK supporters. But instead of chasing Farage’s fans, should the BBC hold Reform to account more rigorously? Don of media commentators Raymond Snoddy explains the danger of letting populism set the news agenda to Andrew Harrison . • Raymond Snoddy writes on m...
Jun 20, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1587
The Bunker - news without the nonsense. Published every week day, we promise to deliver the insight that smart, modern listeners crave, beyond the headlines. Boost your knowledge, cut away the spin and get news without the nonsense on The Bunker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 19, 2025•45 sec•Season 1Ep. 1
For the first time in MI6’s history, a female chief is taking the helm. Blaise Metreweli, a veteran of both old-school espionage and cutting-edge tech warfare, steps into the role as digital battlegrounds, rogue states, and AI-fuelled threats reshape global intelligence. Today on The Bunker , Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Dan Lomas , Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham, to explore the role of Britain's top spymaster and what challenges she will face ...
Jun 19, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1586
Glastonbury has been the hot zone for radical ideas since its hippy infancy. But the first Labour government in 15 years is not exactly the hitting the mark for the festival’s audience of utopians and out-of-the-box thinkers. Can Labour get back to its radical roots? The Guardian’s John Harris , who comperes the Left Field at Glastonbury, and campaigner Gracie Mae Bradley who’s guesting at the Left Field this year, come together for a pre-festival summit. • Support us on Patreon for early episod...
Jun 18, 2025•25 min
Britain needs be ready to fight a war in Europe or the Atlantic in as little as two years – and we look badly underprepared. That’s the message of Labour’s sobering new Strategic Defence Review . So where are we weak, how fast could we rearm and what will it cost? And do the British people have the disposition to fight the sort of war we thought was in the past? Peter Ricketts, UK National Security Adviser from 2010 to 2012 and Britain’s former representative to NATO, explains the challenge of r...
Jun 17, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1584
Trump’s birthday parade bored the few people who bothered watching – and offended those who actually care about the military, unlike the president himself. As protests rage across the US – can Trump keep ignoring them? Plus, the situation in the Middle East becomes increasingly terrifying – how might tensions between Iran and Israel escalate? Gavin Esler joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss this and more as we look to the week ahead. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsore...
Jun 16, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1583
Rome conjures up strong images and ideas for many of us – but what if everything we think we know about the era is totally wrong? Alex von Tunzelmann speaks with Edward J. Watts , author of The Eternal Decline and Fall of Rome : The History of a Dangerous Idea and the upcoming The Romans: A 2,000-Year History, to discuss the falsehoods that need clearing up. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Follow us on BlueSky . ...
Jun 13, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 1582
Legendarily hot, dry and hedonistic, the Summer of ’76 burnt itself into our cultural memory as a kind of Ultimate Summer. But the record temperatures, the soul and disco classics and the sense of youth breaking free took place against a backdrop of economic collapse, political failure and barely suppressed rage. These were the Dark 70s of the Southall Riots, the Ripper and the Black Panther, police queerbashing and simmering hatreds. John L. Williams , author of Heatwave: The Summer of 1976 – B...
Jun 12, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1581
A special crossover edition from our partner podcast American Friction… The news has focused heavily on sensational images from LA, but what is the real feeling among protestors – and how did this all escalate? Ben Camacho is a journalist covering the situation – who was shot by two rubber bullets himself doing so. He joins Jacob Jarvis to give an on the ground perspective of what’s happening. Hear more from American Friction: linktr.ee/americanfriction See more of Ben’s reporting on LA at The S...
Jun 11, 2025•20 min•Season 1Ep. 1580
