Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host an award-winning daily news podcast: The News Agents.
They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed.
Episodes are available every weekday afternoon. You can listen to The News Agents on Alexa, just say "Alexa ask Global Player to play The News Agents"
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Tomorrow, Labour MPs will be asked to vote on the rejigged welfare reform bill. Senior Labour politicians Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham still don’t think it’s worth the paper it’s written on. But the whole debacle has thrown up a bigger question about Starmer's leadership and authority. Does anyone really understand what’s in the PM's mind or what he is trying to achieve? We speak to the Starmer whisperer, Tom Baldwin. Later, Glastonbury, Bob Vylan and the BBC. And how has Wimbledon now become a s...
This week on The Sports Agents... A big exclusive ahead of the Euros with two of England's defending champions, Lauren Hemp & Niamh Charles , Gabby goes behind the scenes at Wimbledon (10:30) and after England's historic comeback we ask ex-England bowler Steven Finn if 5-day cricket is too long? (19:30) You can watch our full episodes on YouTube here . Got a question for The Sports Agents? Email us at [email protected] New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday....
This Friday, Lewis is joined in the studio by the newest members of the 'agents' family. Neil Basu is former head of Counter Terrorism Policing and Andy Hughes is an investigative journalist who's been covering crime for two decades. They look back on 2017, a year which the UK experienced a series of devastating terrorist attacks, to talk about what it takes to catch a terrorist, and why some slip through the net. You can listen to The Crime Agents here: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42L...
Remember how there was going to be no row back and no change to the government welfare reform bill? Well, now it seems there might be... Starmer's team are talking about the importance of “conversations with colleagues“ after an amendment signed by 120 Labour MPs showed them how easily they could lose a major vote on Tuesday. Those conversations are code - as is “listening mode“. Are we about to see a climb down? A change of policy? Or watch the whole bill disappear? We talk to Douglas Alexander...
The atmosphere here at the NATO summit has been little short of obsequious towards President Trump. Leaders have worked out that if they want US buy-in to NATO they have to commit to Trump’s spending demands, and flatter him into believing he is the only person who can make things happen. Well, so far it seems to be working. The US has renewed its commitment to defending other NATO countries. And the language has been expletive free. But why are NATO leaders refusing to mention Russian aggressio...
We’re at the Nato summit in The Hague where Europe’s leaders were hoping to put defence spending and Ukraine top of the agenda. That's before Donald Trump derailed things by swearing on the White House lawn. He’s very cross that Israel and Iran aren't listening to him, and his insistence that a ceasefire is underway. Can he will a war to end just by saying it? Or are we learning how little control Trump really has over world events? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc...
This episode delves into the recent US/Israeli strikes on Iran, questioning whether the true goal is regime change despite official statements. It explores the implications of Donald Trump's contradictory remarks, analyzes the targets including nuclear sites and Evin Prison, and discusses the varying perspectives within the US political sphere and the UK government regarding legality and strategy. An Iranian journalist provides insight into the complex emotions of the Iranian people, caught between patriotic resistance and a desire for the regime's fall, while also detailing the regime's crackdown and lack of civilian protection.
Trump did it - he attacked Iran. Overnight, US armed forces attacked three of Iran’s nuclear development sites. Trump claims to have obliterated the nascent Iranian nuclear capabilities. Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant. European leaders are uneasy. The whole world is holding its breath. What happens now? Can we even know? What does it mean for the region, for Europe and the world? And what should the British government do? Lewis and Jon discuss in a special Sunday episode, on a day wh...
Chris Patten has done it all. Conservative cabinet minister under Thatcher and Major, our last Governor of British Hong Kong, then back home overseeing policing reform in Northern Ireland, EU Commissioner in Brussels, Chairman of the BBC, Chancellor of Oxford University, you name it, Patten has more chance than anybody of having done it. But his sort of Tory Party is one which increasingly feels consigned to history. What does it mean for Britain’s future if there are no successors to the sort o...
This week on The Sports Agents... Does the government actually have a good reason for the £2.5bn from the Chelsea FC sale not helping millions of children worldwide? And was former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich poisoned? (03:30) How do you train a horse for Royal Ascot? A full behind the scenes episode from one of Britain's best yards, which trained the late Queen's horses. (13:30) And what is it like to race for 24 hours in Le Mans? How do you stay awake for the night driving? (20:30) In respo...
Sir Keir Starmer has put his cabinet on alert for a possible US attack on Iran. Just 24 hours after insisting Donald Trump had given no indication he was about to “get involved” in the conflict between Israel and Iran, the Prime Minister called a COBRA meeting to review how Britain might respond to a major escalation. Would Starmer be able to say no to Trump? What might Trump ask us to do? And how did we get here in under a week? Later, we are joined by the Hungarian deputy foreign minister to d...
Later on this episode we’re joined by author of 'Sapiens' and 'Nexus' - Yuval Noah Harari - to talk politics and AI. But we begin with war. The speed of the escalation between Iran, Israel, and the US has been staggering. Trump is flirting with entering a war he doesn’t want, with an enemy he may not be able to control. At the heart of this conflict are questions over Iran’s ability to make nuclear weapons. Netanyahu believes it’s an imminent threat. Trump’s own administration didn’t believe thi...
Louise Casey's report on grooming gangs is incredibly tough reading. She details, over 200 pages, the repeated failings of local authorities, police forces, government departments and indeed the legal system, which treats the victims of the most horrific abuse as somehow culpable. She was tasked to look into the issue following a clamour for a national inquiry earlier this year. Bundled up in those calls - propelled by Elon Musk - was the claim that Pakistani men were responsible for the vast ma...
What is Israel's end game in Iran? Does it genuinely believe Iran is making nuclear weapons - or is this about overthrowing the whole regime? Did Trump make Iran more dangerous when he ripped up the diplomatic deal Obama had forged with the country? And will Trump end up dragging America into a brand new Middle East war? We talk to CNN correspondent and Ex Files host, Christiane Amanpour and ask how Iranians themselves are feeling about the prospect of their own leaders being toppled. Later, why...
The last two decades have led to the last 24 hours: Israel, going for broke and launching an all out assault on Iran’s nuclear programme. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claims he is trying to prevent a “nuclear holocaust.” But why now? And in acting in this way will Israel succeed in halting an Iranian nuclear weapon or guarantee it? PLUS Lewis talks at length to Zia Yusuf, the former Reform Chairman about that weekend, where he resigned and unresigned in the space of 72 hours. Is Reform really a...
This week on The Sports Agents... We hear the secrets behind match fixing from convicted match fixer and former professional footballer, Moses Swaibu . With the Lucas Paqueta trial coming to an end, Swaibu tells us how many people it takes to fix a match, what signs you can look out for, and how to put an end to all of this. (01:00) Mark heads down to Soccer Aid to chat to a host of sporting stars. What does Joe Hart make of Manchester City 's transfer business? How does Bryan Habana rate the Li...
It's been 3 days since the streets of Ballymena in Northern Ireland went from peaceful protest to full on riots. Since then, 41 police officers have been injured, rioters have hurled petrol bombs, and people have fled their homes as hate-filled mobs set fire to them. As the tensions builds and the protests turn to racist rioting, is this more of what we saw in Southport last summer, or is this specific to Northern Irish identity? Later, Jon sits down with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson a...
Today, in a marked change of tone, Rachel Reeves laid out her spending review. The Chancellor set out budgets for government departments, boosting budgets for the NHS and Home Office. But the Tories are calling her approach "spend now, tax later". So is this the plan too ambitious? And are tax rises inevitable in the Autumn? And can Reeve's spending review help to rebuild her reputation? We speak to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK -...
Keir Starmer has done his first media round since the u-turn on winter fuel payments, attempting to argue that the country’s finances are now stable and also still reeling from Liz Truss mini budget. 9 million pensioners are now eligible for the benefit. Including many well off couples. Is this really the best use of public money when young families are struggling and child poverty is double the level of pensioner poverty? Later, the SNPs Stephen Flynn joins us in the studio to talk about Gaza, ...
Why has Trump sent the National Guard onto the streets of L.A. to deal with protests against his immigration raids? Normally, this would only happen at the invitation of the State's governor. This time, Trump acted without consultation - and the governor, Gavin Newsom, is now threatening to sue him. Is Trump right to say he needs to assert law and order on a few protestors before it gets out of control? Is this a personal vendetta against Newsom? Or might it be for more sinister reasons - a dres...
Last night, one of the world's most powerful relationships came to a dramatic end. Over the course of one evening, Elon Musk set fire to his already fracturing partnership with Donald Trump. The bitter feud over Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' spilled out to accusations that the President is in the Epstein files and calls for his impeachment. As the break up plays out on social media, Jon and Lewis ask is the bromance truly over? Will Trump sell his Tesla? Will Musk be deported? And is there any co...
This week on The Sports Agents... With the NBA Finals starting, Gabby and Mark chat about Michael Jordan returning to our screens and why the NBA hasn't taken off in the UK with host of The Athletic’s NBA Daily podcast, Dave DuFour . (03:30) Comedian Lee Mack joined us for a laugh ahead of Soccer Aid, spilling the secrets from playing with some of the world's most famous footballers. (09:30) Former Chelsea and Nigeria player John Obi Mikel came into the studio to chat about the upcoming Club Wor...
The Tory leadership - in the form of shadow chancellor Mel Stride - is setting out to remind voters how dangerous their own Liz Truss was. He's pledged in a speech this morning that their party will never again risk the economy with unfunded tax cuts, and admitted the credibility of the UK economic framework was undermined by her misplaced policies. Why is this coming now? And what does it say about the current Tory leadership difficulties and their challenge with Labour's narrative? We talk to ...
Today, Israel has paused what little aid it was allowing into Gaza - closing all aid distribution centres. It follows 3 deadly incidents at aid centres over the last 3 days, with at least 27 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire on Tuesday. As tensions escalate and the roads leading to aid are becoming 'combat zones', the situation is increasingly desperate. So, can the new aid system in Gaza work? Is there any evidence that the aid is being diverted to Hamas as Israel claims? And what will it tak...
Less than 24 hours after the Defence Secretary stood up in the Commons to unveil the government's strategic defence review, months in the making, and it looks like NATO are forcing the MOD to go back to the drawing board. The PM couldn't completely commit to 3% of GDP going on defence spending, despite that being an essential part of the review. And now, according to briefings in the newspapers, NATO is forcing Britain (and all members) to commit to a new 3.5% target within a decade. The aim? Co...
The Prime Minister has warned the nation that it needs to be ready for war - in an era of new threats including the “immediate” danger posed by Russia. Is more spending on defence going to alarm or reassure people? And how should he answer those in his own party who insist welfare spending should come before warfare? Later, award-winning actor Eddie Marsan sits down with Emily and Jon, talking about the power in community, growing up in the East End in the age of the National Front, and his mess...
In the Spring on 2018, a man and a young woman were found slipping in and out of consciousness on a public bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire. What would follow was an incredible story of espionage, poisoning, and political vendettas. As the world was gripped by the botched assassination of Sergei Skripal, news rooms and crisis rooms here in the UK were reeling with the implications of the Russian attack on British soil. The attempted killing of the double agent who'd turned to work for UK intelligen...
This week on The Sports Agents... Gabby and Mark get a rare access all areas pass to go behind the scenes at Sale Sharks rugby club, from training to the team meeting to interviews with Lions and England players Tom Curry , Ben Curry and George Ford. (02:45) Four-time Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson has launched a new league to make athletics popular outside the Olympics, he tells us how it's going so far. (08:15) Britain's most decorated Paralympian, Sarah Storey , joins Professor Kir...
A trade court has smacked down Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" sweeping tariff plans. Three judges ruled that the US president had pushed the boundaries of his own executive authority beyond its limits when implementing broad tariffs. Members of Trump's camp have already labelled it a "judicial coup" and insisted the decision will be overturned quickly. But this is another hammer blow to his economic plan - can he restore his credibility with the markets after months of relentless uncertainty? L...
The age old "should we decriminalise cannibis?" conversation has reared it's head again, this time with the London Mayor Sadiq Khan backing the calls to decriminalise for possession of small amounts. How are drug laws in the UK damaging police relations with ethnic communities? What would decriminalisation it mean for stop and search? And, with so many countries around the world having already legalised cannibis, how will it change things here in the UK? Former head of Counter Terrorism for the ...
