In one fell swoop the Bank of England cut interest rates today and worse, their forecast for growth. They now believe the economy will grow at HALF the rate originally predicted. And the bank is pointing the finger at the Chancellors tax rises in the last budget as the problem. Is Rachel Reeves in trouble? Is the country? And will the Prime Minister stick by her as Chancellor? Later, Kemi Badenoch has a new test for immigrants coming to Britain. Can they prove that they will give more back to th...
Feb 06, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last night President Trump floated the real estate agent’s vision for Gaza - a riviera in the Middle East, with waterfront property and barely a Palestinian on site. Is he suggesting seizing it? Buying it? Ethnic cleansing? Or a wild card route into diplomacy? We discuss with Layla Moran MP, whose family escaped Gaza last year. Later, is Labour still pursuing the Indian Ocean Chagos deal? And has the price really doubled? Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You...
Feb 05, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Trump, or should we say Elon Musk, has turned off the taps on the spending of an entire government department - US AID. Many voters will be happy to see a red line through some of the overseas spending. Other figures, like a hundred million dollars on condoms for Hamas, have been entirely confected. Why is an unelected foreign billionaire deciding what happens to the American taxpayer money? And if no one stops Elon Musk and Donald Trump, where will they go next? Later, Keir Starmer is...
Feb 04, 2025•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Canadians booing the American national anthem at sports matches, shops removing American made products from their shelves...how many enemies is Donald Trump prepared to make with his trade tariffs? The Mexican president and Trump have already agreed to postpone the tariffs by one month following a "good conversation". Is anyone really prepared to fight the bully tactics? Later, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson tells us why she thinks Michael Gove is being hyperbolic about her changes to ed...
Feb 03, 2025•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Washington plane collision is a moment of national mourning for America, but not for Donald Trump. With over 60 dead and bodies still being recovered from the frozen Potomac river, Trump decided to politicise the disaster within seconds of speaking: blaming DEI policies, before any investigation has started, much less concluded. Why does he act this way? And will he pay a political cost? Lewis and Jon discuss. And you ask: why don’t we talk more about the Green Party? Well we listened and we...
Jan 31, 2025•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on The Sports Agents... Former British number one tennis players, Tim Henman and Laura Robson , chatted to Gabby and Mark from a Sky Sports padel event about doping, the Djokovic-Murray partnership and Emma Raducanu's future (01:45). As the Six Nations kicks off ex-England rugby player, David Flatman , joined us. Could the Six Nations stop being free-to-air and could this threaten the sport? (08:00) We tried to figure out how Manchester City got so close to an early Champions League ex...
Jan 31, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast 14 months ago Suella Braverman was Home Secretary. Now, she's positing the idea that Britain could fall into the hands of "Muslim fundamentalism" and warning that the UK could become a theocratic state akin to Iran. What has caused such a shift to the right? And how comfortable are the Tory party with that kind of rhetoric? Later we speak to Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, about Rachel Reeves's growth speech, net zero and whether business has confidence in the Treasury. Tickets ...
Jan 30, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast The high point of the political week was set to be Rachel Reeves speech in Oxford on how to grow the economy. Has she convinced anyone with her plans? And has she changed the country’s mood? Why did all her cabinet colleagues who voted against Heathrow expansion last time suddenly see the light this time around? Later, Peter Mandelson and his damascene conversion on Donald Trump. Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your tickets for Birmingham, Manch...
Jan 29, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Denmark’s Prime Minister is clearly worried enough about President Trump's threats over Greenland to embark on a tour of European capitals to drum up support. Is the UK able to offer clear and unequivocal support to Denmark - our NATO ally? We ask Secretary of State, Peter Kyle. But we start with China’s AI model, DeepSeek RI. What is it? Why is it causing chaos to US markets? And is it a security risk? Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your ticke...
Jan 28, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Few public figures have thought longer or harder about the role of the media than Steve Coogan. He lead the charge against the press barons during the Leveson inquiry, and has just starred as Brian Walden, the father of the modern British political interview - documenting Walden's complex relationship with Margaret Thatcher in the new C4 two-part show 'Brian and Maggie'. He sat down with Emily to discuss phone hacking, press freedom, toxic masculinity, Thatcher's legacy, and his verdict on Keir ...
Jan 27, 2025•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Donald Trump's first week in office comes to an end, we answer your most pressing questions. Who will be the first casualty of President Trump's cabinet? Will his bromance with Elon Musk last the full term? And has news evolved to be entertainment? Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your tickets for Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh here: https://articles.globalplayer.com/7giHoMavXLgdrd6gaC3GxWG7T8 Editor: Tom Hughes Executive Producer: Louis...
Jan 24, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on The Sports Agents... Sporting royalty on the podcast this week as Gabby and Mark were joined by Mo Farah , four-time Olympic gold medallist (1:30), two-time Ryder Cup winner and Olympic silver medallist Tommy Fleetwood (7:45), one of the most decorated female racing drivers, Jamie Chadwick , (13:30) and Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates (19:45). Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday....
Jan 24, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast After a long battle against the tabloids, Prince Harry has won an 8 figure settlement from Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers. For the first time, a lengthy apology admits the paper group used unlawful activities at The Sun, and hired private investigators to get their stories. Will anyone be held responsible? Later, President Trump dials into Davos. What is the rest of Europe thinking? Can he really end the war in Ukraine? And will he ever get a Noble Peace Prize? Tickets to The News Agents...
Jan 23, 2025•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump's first 48 hours in the White House have been frenetic. His decision to pardon 1,500 January 6th rioters - including militia leaders and those plotting violent insurrection - has stunned even Republican lawmakers who witnessed the violence on Capitol Hill four years ago. The new President has chalked up a series of easy early wins with a blitz of executive orders, but some Americans are already expressing alarm about his instructions to government departments to investigate his poli...
Jan 22, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast The United States has a new CEO. Trump is promising a golden age - a flag on Mars, control of the Panama Canal, an America moving onwards and upwards. He also suggested he’d pardon those convicted of the January 6th riots that he himself encouraged. And that came on the same day the outgoing President Biden preemptively pardoned his own family. We are on the Mall in DC, we have George Santos in the studio, and we mark inauguration day in America on the cusp of Trump’s unguarded second act. Ticke...
Jan 21, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's inauguration day in Washington DC and Emily and Lewis set the scene ahead of Trump's return to the White House. We're on the streets of the US capital to speak to his excited MAGA supporters, as well as hearing from those now fearing for America as Trump returns to office. Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your tickets for Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh here: https://articles.globalplayer.com/7giHoMavXLgdrd6gaC3GxWG7T8 Editor: Tom Hughe...
Jan 20, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today marks the last day in the Presidential office for Joe Biden. Next week, he will pass the reigns over to Donald Trump for his second term as President of the United States. In his farewell speech Biden warned that an "oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that threatens our entire democracy." So how will we look back on the Joe Biden presidency? And will he be remembered for anything other than making way for Donald Trump's second term? Tickets to The N...
Jan 17, 2025•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on The Sports Agents... Gary Lineker's replacements on Match of the Day , Mark, Kelly and Gabby, react to the big announcement (03:15). As Tyson Fury retires from boxing (again!) we speak to the boxer who could be the heir to his throne, Moses Itauma , and his promoter Francis Warren (07:15). How hard is it to break into the rotating cast of Premier League managers and how much does it cost? We speak to Lee Johnson , who's managed Sunderland, Bristol and more (14:15). And from the Ashe...
Jan 17, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Was it Joe Biden's quiet diplomacy or Donald Trump’s loud threats that brought the two sides to a place where a ceasefire is at least within reach? Over night Israeli rockets killed more than 70 Palestinians suggesting we are still a long way out from peace. How much power rests with Netanyahu now? And does he even want to see an end to the conflict? We speak to a man who knows him well. Later, Ed Davey tells us why he’s disappointed with Keir Starmer and why the UK has to seek a customs union w...
Jan 16, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast At PMQs today, Kemi Badenoch accused the Government of writing "a cheque to compensate Gerry Adams”, the former leader of Sinn Féin. The Prime Minister has said he will look at "every conceivable way" to prevent such a compensation payout. How could Labour’s plans to change legislation see Gerry Adams and other suspected IRA members receive compensation for internment during the Troubles? We speak to Alex Burghart, Shadow Northern Ireland secretary. Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with ...
Jan 15, 2025•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Nigel Farage claims that Reform is the party of the future. And the young. He hasn’t been correct on that one so far - it’s very much been the party of the old. But could that be changing? And why has the UK lagged behind the rest of Europe on this trend up until now? Are young voters really switching away from progressive parties, or is Reform just out to find those who never previously voted? Later, why is the shadow chancellor sounding like a one man melodrama and invoking the drums "beating ...
Jan 14, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is the story that links a Labour MP, a ransacked Bangladeshi palace, a free Hampstead property and Vladimir Putin? Today we delve into the curious tale that links the MP for Hampstead, Tulip Siddiq - the economic and anti-corruption minister - with the fall of a powerful and possibly autocratic Bangladeshi deposed leader, Sheikh Hasina, her aunt. What are the charges being levelled? And has Siddiq been transparent with everything she's acquired and admitted between them? We talk to the Sund...
Jan 13, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast The bond markets are back in British politics and have made Rachel Reeves’ job even harder. The Chancellor has headed to China amid a backdrop of warnings over market turmoil, stubborn interest rates and the prospect of public spending cuts. But how much of it is her fault? In the short or long term? In this episode we talk to Ruchir Sharma, the author of (so Lewis says) one of the best political books of 2024: 'What Went Wrong with Capitalism'. It is a sharp critique of left and right, but also...
Jan 10, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on The Sports Agents... What sport did James Corden beat Gabby at? And what's it like when your dad sells you to another club? All that and more with Jamie Redknapp , the former England, Liverpool and Tottenham player (03:00). Should the England boycott their upcoming men's cricket match against Afghanistan? We ask Double-Ashes winner Steve Harmison , who got death threats in 2003 about boycotting a game against Zimbabwe. (08:10) And how about adding lava fields and lasers to golf? Tha...
Jan 10, 2025•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Liz Truss - reports the Telegraph - has sent the Prime Minister a 'Cease and desist' letter threatening him with legal action for saying that she 'crashed the economy'. Her lawyers contest that the statement is 'false and defamatory' and contributed to her losing her Norfolk seat in the election. So, what is the free speech champion hoping to achieve by this legal battle? And how do we decide if she 'did' crash the economy? We chat to her ally, Mark Littlewood. Later, the Chancellor is heading t...
Jan 09, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast It was only 8 years ago that Mark Zuckerberg found himself apologising for misinformation posted and shared by the Facebook algorithm, acknowledging the harm and damage it was capable of causing, and putting forward the steps to rectify it. But eight years is a long time. Particularly when you have faced threats of imprisonment from the incoming administration. And yesterday, the CEO went full MAGA and decided that following Donald Trump's election it was time to scrap the fact check operation -...
Jan 08, 2025•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Kemi Badenoch, Nigel Farage and Elon Musk call for a new inquiry into the grooming scandal, we speak to the man who uncovered the Rotherham abuse and whose reporting led to the original inquiry. Andrew Norfolk first wrote about this horrific widespread exploitation of young girls more than a decade ago as chief investigative reporter at The Times. He has given his first interview to The News Agents since Elon Musk's intervention to set the record straight on the scandal - and respond to those...
Jan 07, 2025•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Keir Starmer has attacked those spreading lies over child grooming gangs. He didnt explicitly call out Elon Musk, but it was clearly he meant him. And he did explicitly call out Kemi Badenoch for sheepishly following Elon Musk's calls for an inquiry without exploring the myths he is peddling. Meanwhile, Musk has decided he's no longer a fan of Nigel Farage and has called for him to be replaced as leader of the Reform party. So who's up who's down as the year begins? Tickets to The News Agents Li...
Jan 06, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast In our final installation of our festive "What If" series Jon, Emily and Lewis ask what might have happened if Boris Johnson had decided to back the remain campaign rather than the leave campaign during the Brexit referendum? What if the Hong Kong handover hadn’t happened? Is there a world where Hong Kong’s democracy and independence could have been better protected? And finally, what if Rishi Sunak hadn't called the election early? Would the Tories have had any time to redeem themselves? ...
Jan 02, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the third episode of our Christmas "What if" series, Emily, Jon and Lewis bring you a US politics special. First up, they ask how the world would have been different if George W. Bush lost to Al Gore in the 2000 Presidential election. Would there still have been an invasion of Iraq? And would Donald Trump have ever risen to office? Later, they ask what would have happened if Bernie Sanders had beaten Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary. Would Sanders have had a better chance of defe...
Dec 31, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
