The Bunker

Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau has claimed agents of the government of India orchestrated an assassination on Canadian soil. The killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar has led to a terse back and forth between the two nations. Plus, we take a look at the latest chapter in the Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict. And, why are so many former French colonies revolting across Africa?  Chris Jones is joined by Dipo Faloyin, senior editor at Vice and author of ‘Africa is not a country’ and Laurence Broers, associate fellow at Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Programme, to get you up to speed on the biggest stories from around the world. "Canada wouldn’t make an allegation like this if they didn’t have solid proof.” — Dipo Faloyin "The Ukraine conflict has provided Azerbaijan with perfect cover for these military operations.” — Laurence Broers "Macron and the French government ignored the warning signs of civil unrest in their former colonies.” — Dipo Faloyin www.patreon.com/bunkercast This week's sponsor is the Disorder Podcast - listen here: https://linktr.ee/disorderpod Written and presented by Chris Jones with Dipo Faloyin. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Production assistant: Adam Wright. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By now most of us have had hands-on experience with an AI interface. Beyond the sleek exterior of ChatGTP there is a world of AI that threatens the privacy of each and every one of us. Kate Devlin is joined in The Bunker by tech journalist and co-founder of 404 Media, Samantha Cole, to find out if AI can produce anything, what is protecting our likeness from being exploited in disturbing, and even explicit, ways?  "People can use AI to make any fantasy image a reality."  “If you're a normal person, it's really hard to protect your likeness from AI image generation.” “ A lot of them are deep fakes but a lot of it's really bizarre and strange.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Kate Devlin. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With two million active soldiers, China has the largest military in the world. But does it know what it’s doing? Even with some of the most advanced military tech in the world their ability to use it is unclear. Laura Makin-Isherwood speaks to Timothy Heath, senior international defence researcher at the RAND Corporation, to find out if Xi’s army is something we should be worried about – or if they have all the gear and no idea.  "Xi’s army has no experience operating large combat forces on another continent."  “As the Chinese developed their economic ties, they are also sharing their preferred political values.” “The Chinese military conscripts a quarter of their force because they cannot attract enough volunteers.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The BBC World Service is under attack. The global broadcaster reaches an audience of over 500 million listeners across the globe. But budget cuts and the exit of some territories have left the BBC service a shell of its former self.   Alex Andreou is joined in The Bunker by Simon Potter, professor of modern history at Bristol University and author of This is the BBC: Entertaining the Nation, Speaking for Britain, 1922-2022, to find out who benefits from the downfall of the BBC World Service?  “I think it’s inescapable to argue that the BBC has always faced hostility throughout its existence” – Simon Potter “Despite the budget cuts the BBC still has the largest audience the across the world it’s ever had” – Simon Potter “An independent global BBC is a much more powerful tool than a directly state controlled broadcaster.” – Simon Potter Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio producer: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Accusations of sexual assault and rape against Russell Brand will dominate the news this week. Will this open a new front in #MeToo and lead to lasting change? Plus, after Starmer makes claims about how to manage illegal migration – what are the latest proposals?  We also have an update on ongoing Conservative psychodramas including Liz Truss’s failed premiership, Tom Tugenhadt’s plea to appeal to the young, and the parliamentary debut from new Energy & Net Zero Minister Claire Coutinho. Andrew Harrison is joined by Gavin Esler to give you the stories to look out for in the week ahead. “The list of names of Brand’s supporters sounds like the dinner party from hell.” – Gavin Esler “It’s obvious that the world is on the move, and migration will be the story of our lifetime.” – Gavin Esler “With Truss now selling her speeches, should we listen to the lettuce?” – Andrew Harrison Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler and Andrew Harrison. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brits seem to be more mean-spirited than ever. This is clear on social media, but also in attitudes towards poorer sections of society. How did we become so mean, and what can we do about it? Hannah Fearn is joined by professor of human geography Danny Dorling, author of new book Shattered Nation: Inequality and the Geography of A Failing State, to find out how social issues change attitudes towards those who need the most help in society – and how we can fight to be kinder.  “The UK is one of the most unequal countries in Europe.” “People spend money on private schools because they are scared.” “Those who are really comfortable don’t think people should be helped out.” Book Link: https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3118-shattered-nation  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz with Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rudy Giuliani was once credited for lowering crime in New York and a swift response to 9/11. So how has he fallen so sharply from grace? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Andrew Kirtzman, author of Giuliani: The Rise and Tragic Fall of America's Mayor to find out how since becoming an integral part of the Donald Trump leadership, Rudy Giuliani is a figure beset with scandals.   “Rudy Giuliani was a different person in the past, an authoritarian but largely effective and smart.” “The Rudy Giuliani of today is sloppy, forgetful and lost in a fog.”  “Rudy Giuliani attended 200 funerals – and then cynically cashed in on his fame.”  “Trump brought Rudy Giuliani back to life.”  “Whatever good Rudy Giuliani did as Mayor has been eviscerated by the 2020 election.” Not for Patreon www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Giuliani/Andrew-Kirtzman/9781982153298  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: After Vladimir Putin meets with Kim Jong Un – should we be worried? Plus, a series of catastrophes hit North Africa, including the earthquake in Morocco and devastating flooding in Libya. And finally, Britain is frozen out of an EU-world trade agreement. Laura Makin-Isherwood, formerly London bureau chief of Feature Story News, and Abdulkader Assad, senior political editor for The Libya Observer, join Chris Jones this week. Listen in for your need-to-know on news and politics from across the world. “Kim Jong Un is pushing a ballistic agenda.” – Laura Makin-Isherwood “The two governments in Libya have made international aid slower, there are no open communication channels.” – Abdulkader Assad “The G20 agreed on a religious paragraph, condemning acts of hatred against religion, which is a global first.” – Laura Makin-Isherwood www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Chris Jones with Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Production assistant: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve built machines to help us make decisions in all sectors of our lives – especially in government. But we don’t understand exactly what they’re capable of and how they may evolve. David Runciman is author of The Handover: How We Gave Control of Our Lives to Corporations, States and AIs. He joins Ros Taylor in The Bunker to discuss “the machinery of states” and whether AI could learn to outgrow humanity. “We’re still unsure whether these machines are going to be good for us, or kill us all.” – David Runciman “What happens if we lose control of these things?” – David Runciman “We’ve turned these machines into vast, bureaucratic engines … taking in almost every aspect of our lives.” – David Runciman “AI has been completely transformative, for better and for worse.” – David Runciman www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being mistaken for Naomi Wolf was once a joke for acclaimed author Naomi Klein. But following the global pandemic, her doppelgänger embraced conspiracy theories and was welcomed into alt-right spheres. In an effort to understand the woman she was often mistaken for — Naomi Klein journeyed down the rabbit hole into a world of misinformation, emotional manipulation and a mirror world not quite like our own.  Jude Rogers speaks to Naomi Klein, the author of No Logo, The Shock Doctrine and her latest book Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World in The Bunker.  “Social media is like reading the graffiti about you on the bathroom wall. And I've read a lot of that graffiti confusing me with Naomi Wolf.”  “The corporate world has produced a playing field so rigged against consumers that mistrust and paranoia have flourished.” "My friends ask: why am I listening to Steve Bannon? And I say because he's listening to us."  BOOK LINK https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/453962/doppelganger-by-klein-naomi/9780241621301  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jude Rogers. Producer: Liam Tait and Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Covid-19 caused chaos for a lot of us. For children and young people it completely disrupted their personal growth, in education and social settings too. Dr. Lauren Andres is a professor of planning and urban transformation at UCL. She’s studying the impact that pandemic policies put in place by governments around the world have had on young people. She joins Ros Taylor in The Bunker to discuss whether we’re dealing with a lost generation. PANEX-Youth is a two-year project, led by Prof. Andres: https://panexyouth.com/home-2/resources/  “The word we keep coming back to is trauma.” – Dr. Lauren Andres. “We need to recognise that they suffered, they were ignored, they were not the priority.” – Dr. Lauren Andres. “A lot of the play and socialisation and play moved online, and this raises a lot of issues.” – Dr. Lauren Andres. “We need to remember that pubs were opened before playgrounds… we need to think about what our priorities were here.” – Dr. Lauren Andres. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Britain’s prisons are under the spotlight following Daniel Khalife’s escape from HMP Wandsworth. Alex Chalk did the damage control rounds over the weekend – but does the justice secretary have more problems than this high profile debacle? Meanwhile, a parliamentary researcher was arrested under suspicion of sharing official secrets with China. What does this mean for the UK’s relationship with Beijing? Plus we look back at the key developments from the G20 conference, the latest on Ukraine — and we examine the international aid efforts following the devastating earthquake in Morocco. Jacob Jarvis is joined in The Bunker by Alex Andreou to get you prepped for the week ahead.  “Wandsworth prison is built to hold 900 inmates and it currently hosts 1600. What did they think was going to happen?” – Alex Andreou “The government is managing the country like I tidy my bedroom, putting things vaguely out of sight and not actually dealing with them.” – Jacob Jarvis  “The government is just warehousing people, whether they’re asylum seekers, students or prisoners.” – Alex Andreou www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis and Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following Brexit, performers are consistently losing out on opportunities to perform. How has it gotten so bad – and can the situation be resolved? Alex Andreou is joined in The Bunker by Deborah Annetts, the CEO of the Independent Society of Musicians to find out how the government could save the music industry and why they have no desire to do so. “Various select committees have begged the government to sort this mess out.”  “We won't see the results immediately but in five years time, are we going to have a thriving music industry? I very much doubt it.” "I’ve heard off the record: Why should we help you? Musicians don’t vote Tory."  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of Tucker Carlson’s recent interviews is with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán. In the interview Orbán called for Trump to return to the U.S. presidency, among numerous other inflammatory statements. Why is Tucker so obsessed with Hungarian politics – and how does Orbán use the media to bolster his narrative? Chris Jones is joined by journalist for 24.HU, Zsolt Kerner. “It’s ironic to see Orbán, who often says other nations shouldn’t comment on domestic politics, calling for a change in U.S. President” – Zsolt Kerner “It’s a usual play in hungarian politics, to play with preconceptions about the U.S.” – Zsolt Kerner www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written, presented and produced by Chris Jones, with special thanks to Balint Bardi. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Biden is 80 and his main Republican rival Donald Trump is 77. Opponents of each are ready to use their ages against them – but will this debate matter come 2024? Writer for Vanity Fair and host of the Fast Politics podcast, Molly Jong-Fast says the age argument is a classic GOP tactic, but questions how well it will work. She joins Gavin Esler in the Bunker. “One of the things we’re not talking about enough is the power of incumbency.” – Molly Jong-Fast. “I don’t think Biden would’ve run again if he didn’t know he was the person most likely to win.” – Molly Jong-Fast. “This could be the last ever American election – can you see Trump ever leaving?” –Molly Jong-Fast. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: The G20 is assembling in India this weekend, what can we expect from this year’s summit? Plus, we take a look at Victor Orbán’s interview with Tucker Carlson and the UAE is looking to loosen ‘gaming’ laws in their country. Could Dubai become the Las Vegas of the middle east?  Chris Jones is joined by associate professor of politics and international relations at UCL, Julie Norman, and Hungary-based journalist Zsolt Kerner, to get you up to speed on the biggest stories from around the world. "A large proportion of the UAE's population are not citizens. The teachings of the Quran aren’t a priority to them.” —Julie Norman "Most Hungarians believe that the US can do whatever it wants for its own gain.” — Zsolt Kerner "India is uniquely placed to bring other countries in the G20 together.” — Chris Jones   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Chris Jones with Julie Norman and Zsolt Kerner. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Production Assistant: Adam Wright. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Special thanks to Balint Bardi. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inflation is one of the hot political topics at the moment. Jeremy Hunt says that keeping inflation at five per cent is putting money in the pocket of the average Brit... So we figured it was time to provide a cheat-sheet on inflation knowledge, just in case the Chancellor of the Exchequer needs a judgement-free refresher.  Alex Andreou sits down with Giles Wilkes, senior fellow at the Institute for Government, to explain everything you need to know about inflation. “High inflation is the clearest sign that you've got something really wrong.” “The BoE thinks they need to raise interest rates in order to cut purchasing power.” “Inflation is all of the prices going up at once rather than some for their own idiosyncratic reasons.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being the leader of the opposition is a thankless task, often described as the worst job in politics. Those that don’t go on to be PM are often completely forgotten, rarely to be spoken of again. So what makes a good leader of the opposition? And how has the role changed through history? Dr. Nigel Fletcher is the Author of The Not Quite Prime Ministers: Leaders of the Opposition 1783–2020. He joins Marie Le Conte in The Bunker. https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-not-quite-prime-ministers  “It’s the best apprenticeship you can have outside of being deputy Prime Minister.” – Nigel Fletcher “There are a few that you can look at and say that was a really bad period of opposition.” – Nigel Fletcher www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have some of the worst river health standards in Europe – in large part due to raw sewage being pumped into our vital waterways. Is it too easy for water companies to get away with this? And does the Government have a plan to fix the issue? Jamie Woodward is a professor of physical geography at the University of Manchester. He joins Laura Makin-Isherwood in the Bunker to discuss. “The water companies have ruthlessly exploited an under regulated system.” – Prof. Jamie Woodward “The dumping of sewage has become routine, and there’s been a public outrage against water companies who have made huge profits.” – Prof. Jamie Woodward Dumping sewage is incredibly profitable and there’s no sufficient deterrent to get them to clear up their act.” – Prof. Jamie Woodward www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

School’s out indefinitely across the country as many deal with a concrete crisis. But how much did the government know about this looming fiasco? Meanwhile, parliament is back in session — inflation, small boats and green energy are on the agenda for the Conservatives. Meanwhile, Starmer looks towards the general election with a shadow cabinet reshuffle. Plus a preview of the G20 conference, the latest on Ukraine — and it’s been one year since the Queen died. How does this new era of Britain stack up to the last?  Ros Taylor is joined in The Bunker by Alex Andreou to get you prepped for the week ahead.   “The metaphor of crumbling schools is a little too on the nose.” – Alex Andreou “Cameron once said Labour failed to fix the roof when the sun was shining. How ironic.” – Ros Taylor “Braverman has failed on every single metric, to an almost farcical level.” – Alex Andreou Support us on on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor and Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are what you buy, but how does shopping shape our politics? Can brands be agents of social change? Bobby Friction is joined by Marcus Collins, author of For the Culture: The Power Behind the World's Most Successful Brands, from Apple to Beyoncé, to explore how companies tailor their brands to different personal politics.  “How we make our identity is unbelievably powerful.” “Nike is far more than just a sneaker company, it is an agent of social change.” “It all goes wrong when brands don’t fully commit to particular politics.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/marcus-collins/for-the-culture/9781035020010  Presented by Bobby Friction. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over half a million people in America are homeless – and this figure keeps increasing. How can this crisis – which is resulting in deaths across the nation – be solved? President Joe Biden wants to eradicate homelessness by 2025. Can he? Ann Marie Staudenmaier is senior legal counsel for the Washington Legal Clinic for The Homeless. She sits down in The Bunker with Chris Jones to discuss why the US is failing. “This is a problem across the country because of government policies evicting people and not being able to afford to get back into housing.” – Ann Marie Staudenmaier “I’ve seen so many government proclamations over the years, and the only way to solve this problem is to put your money where your mouth is.” – Ann Marie Staudenmaier www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: We’re a year and a half into the Ukraine war, and the estimated death toll remains unclear. James Cleverly is in China to “reestablish lines of communication” despite raising humanitarian concerns. Plus, we found out what happened at the BRICS summit and finally we looked at the latest horror story from Australia.  Chris Jones is joined by broadcast journalist Laura Makin-Isherwood to get you up to speed on the biggest stories from around the world. "The Russian government has classified all information on soldier casualties in Ukraine” Laura Makin-Isherwood "Even getting invited to China will be a bit of a coup for James Cleverly.” - Laura Makin-Isherwood "BRICs could signal a shift in global power away from the west.” - Laura Makin-Isherwood "Outrageous! A worm in the brain?” - Chris Jones  Written and presented by Laura Makin-Isherwood with Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Production Assistant: Adam Wright. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a revolution in the way doctors are treating mental health, but the UK could be at risk of falling behind. Dr. Kate Devlin speaks to Dr. Matt Wall, a cognitive neuroscientist at Imperial College London and Invicro, to discuss microdosing, legal red tape and what happens when you give an octopus MDMA.  "Drug policy isn’t on the agenda for any of the main UK parties. They just don’t care.”  "After the trip wears off, the antidepressant effect can last for days or even months.” “Current legislation makes it incredibly difficult to research psychedelics.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Kate Devlin. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rubik's cubes, leg warmers and Walkmen. How does the pop culture of a decade define it? Looking beyond clichés and caricatures, how was culture an agent of social change in the 1980s? Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz speaks to Dr. Lucy Robinson, author of Now That's What I Call a History of the 1980s, to discuss photograph of Diana’s legs, Roland Rat and political power of popstars.   “Nostalgia assumes you had something positive to look back on.”  “Historians in the 80s start thinking, what is the role of how we talk about war in perpetuating these kinds of ideas of masculinity?” "Rather than just taking popular culture seriously, I wanted to learn from it."  BOOK LINK https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526167255 Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadine Dorries has resigned. Who did she slate in her resignation letter? Plus Sadiq Khan has introduced the Ultra Low Emissions Zone for the Greater London area, how has that gone down? We also have an update on the Home Office’s treatment of refugees, the latest on the new Covid strain and an update on Donald Trump running for office. Andrew Harrison is joined by Hannah Fearn to give you the stories to look out for in the week ahead. “We saw Nadine pretending to care about lots of issues she’s never mentioned before.” – Hannah Fearn “Labour are leaving it a bit late.” – Hannah Fearn   Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn and Andrew Harrison. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Money tells us a lot about a country – so what can the ruble tell us about Russia? Exploring a nation with a long history of autocracy, Ekaterina Pravilova, author of new book The Ruble: A Political History, joins Seth Thévoz in The Bunker. “When political scientists try to explain why Russia is so weird they often overlook the ruble.” “Many historians have a feeling of deja vu about Russia right now.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-ruble-9780197663714?cc=us〈=en&  Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are any of our institutions sacred? The latest drama from the British Museum has us questioning the role museums play in our society. This week on the Bunker Panel we ask the question: are we more shocked by corruption in our museums than in political office? And what is it about scandals that really grabs our attention? We’ve assembled some of the Bunker’s most scandalous contributors to get to the bottom of this. Senior editor of global news at Vice, Dipo Faloyin, and historian Seth Thévoz, join Andrew Harrison and Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz in the latest edition of The Bunker Panel. “No one ever went into politics to get rich, but you could get corrupted.” – Seth Thévos “The difference between a scandal and criminality is that scandals require the public to do something about it.” – Dipo Faloyin “History is so much more than a collection of busts, canoes, death masks and weaponry.” – Andrew Harrison “As soon as artefacts are bought into private collections, they just disappear. Rich and important material culture of world civilization is just gone.” – Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz Book Links “Africa is not a country” by Dipo Faloyin:  https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/444389/africa-is-not-a-country-by-faloyin-dipo/9781529114829 “Behind Closed Doors” By Seth Thévoz:  https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/seth-alexander-th%C3%A9voz/behind-closed-doors/9781472146458/ Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Produced by Alex Rees and Liam Tait. Production Assistant: Adam Wright. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wagner Group leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, appears to have been killed in a fatal plane crash. Just two months ago, Prigozhin was seen as a contender to Putin’s empire. What next for his forces, his legacy and the future of Russia?  Chris Jones is joined in the Bunker by Dr Ian Garner, analyst of Russian culture and war propaganda to cut through the smoke and mirrors to try and work out just what has happened.  “We only know one thing for sure — a plane went down.“ "Prigozhin was trying to overturn the country, however in death he can become a war hero.” “We’ve just come to expect these wild events when discussing Russia.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The race to become the leading GOP candidate has officially kicked off….or has it? Inmate P01135809, better known as Donald Trump, is already way ahead in the polls and he wasn’t even there. Instead, he opted for a half-arsed interview with Tucker Carlson hosted on Twitter. So does anything that was said during the debate matter? What were the main takeaways? And why does finishing second matter so much? Alex Andreou joins Sarah Isgur, senior editor for The Dispatch and host of the Advisory Opinions podcast, in The Bunker. “Because there was no gamechanger in this debate, it really felt like a debate where the prize was second place.” – Sarah Isgur. “If you’re a guy like Ramaswamy, who has zero name ID, people talking about you IS success.” – Sarah Isgur. “If an asteroid hits Trump tomorrow, then we’re in a totally different ball game and we almost have to start from scratch.” – Sarah Isgur. “Even though Trump wasn’t there, he absolutely defined the debate.” – Alex Andreou. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: Qur’an burnings have pushed Sweden’s terror threat to ‘high’, and we bring you the latest of Prigozhin’s plane crash. Plus, Justin Trudeau is taking on Meta and Britain owes £18 trillion in reparations for their role in the slave trade.  Laura Makin-Isherwood is joined in The Bunker by Dipo Faloyin, senior editor of Global news at Vice and author of Africa is not a Country to get you up to speed on the biggest stories from around the world.  “Everyone is surprised that it took two months for Putin to ‘get’ his man.” – Dipo Faloyin “This could be an attempt by far-right groups to portray Sweden as an anti-Islamic country to delay their NATO membership.” – Dipo Faloyin “As a society we don’t understand the scale of the harm done by slavery.” – Dipo Faloyin www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Laura Makin-Isherwood with Dipo Faloyin. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Production Assistant: Adam Wright. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China has big global plans – from large infrastructure projects to new economic zones across the globe. How are they funding these projects? Dipo Faloyin is joined by Zongyuan Zoe Liu, author of Sovereign Funds: How the Communist Party of China Finances Its Global Ambitions to follow the money behind China’s infrastructure plans and to find out what the West gets wrong.  “China’s economic success has been presented as an alternative to the Washington consensus.” “I would caution against the idea that African countries do not have the agency to make their own choices.” “Xi is very focused on self-sufficiency, which isn’t always the concern of the population.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674271913  Written and presented by Dipo Faloyin. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you look at the data, this government has been dreadful. But take a closer look and there’s still a chance they might turn the polls on its head. Thankfully, that chance is tiny, but it’s still a chance nonetheless. Ben Walker is a journalist for the New Statesman and has analysed the numbers to work out the reality of a Tory turnaround. He joins Marie Le Conte in The Bunker.  “There’s been elections worse than this and parties have recovered.” – Ben Walker. “The data doesn’t take into account the sentiment of the nation.” – Ben Walker. “If you look at history it’s probably 1 in 4… lower than Biden vs Trump.” – Ben Walker. “Is now the time for Labour to start pulling out its policies? Because it still has credibility issues.” – Ben Walker. “The best thing I think the Conservatives can do is lose the election now, so they can recover quicker.” – Ben Walker. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over 1.5k Russian people and entities have been sanctioned by the UK over its illegal invasion of Ukraine. A year on, are they actually working? And could there be more to come? Mark Harrison is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick. He joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker. “Historically the difficulty of sanctions has been that the prediction of the impact of them are always overestimated.” – Mark Harrison. “Sanctions can do very little on their own, except push Russia towards more adventurism.” – Mark Harrison. “Russia will find workarounds, but we have to work to make that as costly as possible.” – Mark Harrison. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lionesses didn’t manage to win the women’s world cup. Were our heads of state right not to attend? Lucy Letby has been charged with murder, how will she be sentenced? Plus, with Hurricane Hilary in the Los Angeles and wild fires in Canada, who are the tourists photographing this extreme weather? We also have an update on Donald Trump’s candidacy, the latest from the violent election in Ecuador, and the news stories you may have missed. Ros Taylor is joined by Yasmeen Serhan to give you the stories to look out for in the week ahead. “If it was a men’s tournament, wouldn’t important members of state attend?”– Yasmeen Serhan “Letby is only one of three women to get an entire life sentencing.” – Yasmeen Serhan “Trump has never played by the rules, so he doesn’t think he needs to go on Fox.” –Yasmeen Serhan Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor and Yasmeen Serhan. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creaky pub signs, animal skulls, and empty church yards. The British countryside can be a scary place, but what does the popularity of ‘folk horror’ tell us about our politics? Writer Jude Rogers is joined by John Doran, co-founder of music website The Quietus and presenter of BBC Radio 4 New Weird Britain series, to explore the effects of films like The Wicker Man on our national psyche and what the continued appetite for eerie renderings of the countryside says about us.  “Folk horror creates an uneasy clash between the modern and the ancient.” “The unstable times we are living through are quite magical in their own horror.” “Folk horror symbology is easily co-opted by the far right.” “It’s often very conservative in suggesting that female sexuality shouldn’t be trusted.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jude Rogers. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August 2017, deadly violence broke out between white supremacists and counter protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia. The White supremacists claimed they were there to protest the removal of a confederate monument. But was there more to it? Was this actually a carefully orchestrated media event created by the alt right to gain more attention from the press? Aniko Bodroghkozy is professor of media studies at the university of Virginia and author of Making #Charlottesville. She was also there and joins Chris Jones in The Bunker. “The alt right was using many of the same tactics that the civil rights movement perfected in the 60s.” – Aniko Bodroghkozy. “I saw a contingent of neo-Nazis march right past my Synagogue… that’s a memory I will never get out of my head.” – Aniko Bodroghkozy. “The alt right really came to Charlottesville, not to protest the taking down of a statue, but to create a violent confrontation.” – Aniko Bodroghkozy. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: A roundup of the latest on Trump’s impeachment, as the catastrophic wildfires swept across Maui. Plus, we look into the death of two Ecuadorian politicians, and finally – who is the leather jacket wearing maverick storming Argentina’s presidential elections?  Laura Makin-Isherwood, formerly London bureau chief of Feature Story News, and Dillon Ancheta, a Maui-based journalist for Hawaii News Now, join Chris Jones this week. Listen in for your need-to-know on news and politics from across the world. “Despite the sadness and loss, there are glimmers of hope as people come together in Maui.” – Dillon Ancheta “It feels like we’re going to discuss Trump being indicted forever!” – Chris Jones  "Ecuador is caught in the crossfire between economics and the environment." – Laura Makin-Isherwood  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s home ownership bubble is less bursting and more deflating. As property company Evergrande announces $81bn of debt, why is this crisis slipping under the radar? Giving you the latest on this emerging economic disaster, Alex Andreou is joined by Cindy Yu, host of acclaimed podcast Chinese Whispers and assistant editor at the Spectator to explore how the economic crisis in China will impact the world.  “Home ownership from China came about incredibly quickly.” “Property developers buy land from local governments, which has a knock-on effect on debt.” “It sounds bizarre in a country undergoing inflation, but China’s deflation crisis is very worrying.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Liam Tait and Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ozempic is all over social media. You’ve probably seen dramatic before and after pictures of influencers showing off their weight loss. Even Elon Musk claims to be using it. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Bobby Friction is joined by Dr. Robert Kushner, one of the scientists who led research into the safety of the so-called ‘miracle’ drug. to find out if this drug is the answer to the obesity crisis or just another money spinner for Big Pharma.  “Obesity shouldn’t be demonised, it is a disease to be treated.” “Once you stop using Ozempic, all the feelings of hunger and cravings for food come back.”  “People don’t push back against lifelong diabetes medication, so why does that change for a disease like obesity?” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Bobby Friction. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There have been yet more controversial appointments to the House of Lords. Is it fit for purpose? How can we fix it? Ros Taylor is joined by Darren Hughes, chief executive of Electoral Reform Society, to explore how the House of Lords has gone wrong and what we can do about it.  “There haven’t been a willing set of retirements from the House of Lords.” “Who regulates the regulators?” “Don’t forget we still have the Liz Truss list to come!” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bibby Stockholm plan has been beset by legionella. Who could have seen this coming? The Tories want us to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, why are they obsessed with chaos? Plus, this week is ‘health week’. Given that doctors are on strike, what could possibly go wrong? We also have an update on wildfires in Maui, the latest from Niger’s military coup, and the stories you may have missed. Ros Taylor is joined by Alex Andreou to give you the news to look out for in the week ahead. “The Government couldn’t organise a fire in a match factory.” – Alex Andreou “Sunak has all of his plans pinned on the weather.” – Alex Andreou “Labour’s plan is an unsexy but important one: to make the state work again.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor and Alex Andreou. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rise of vapes and ever-increasing cigarette regulations are a big threat to Big Tobacco. What new methods have they dreamed up to keep us smoking? Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz is joined by tobacco industry expert Robert Branston, associate professor in business economics at the University of Bath, to explore how Big Tobacco is still raking in huge profits. “Tobacco is a product like no other legal product in terms of its lethality.” “The profits are as addictive for these tobacco companies as tobacco is for the consumers.” “It's very easy to think tobacco is yesterday's problem, but in large parts of the world tobacco use is going up.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The US Supreme Court has a huge power grip over America. And, thanks to Trump, it’s now more politicised than ever. So how has that impacted real life? Brian Klaas is associate professor in global politics at UCL and argues the court is “...a politicised institution masquerading as an impartial one”. He joins Andrew Harrison in The Bunker to discuss if it can be fixed.   Brian’s piece: https://www.forkingpaths.co/p/how-to-fix-the-us-supreme-court  “There was a deference given to the courts… as if they were gods on American soil.” – Brian Klaas “Politicising something takes 10 minutes, depoliticising something takes 10 years or more.” – Brian Klaas “They’re all actors… it’s all for show.” – Brian Klaas “There is a problem that is now unsolvable, which is I don’t think the court will be seen as apolitical ever again.” – Brian Klaas www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: The coup in Niger rolls on, as US envoys hold talks with the junta. And, a plot to kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy was foiled earlier this week. What happened? Plus the confusion about the Thai elections rage on. Could a coalition be formed? Andrew Harrison talks to Vice News senior Editor Dipo Faloyin and Vox journalist Ellen Ionas to answer all those questions. “People are hoping that a democratic solution will come about, but in the meantime, the Coup leaders are sitting back and staying strong.” – Dipo Faloyin “There’s very little evidence that Wagner has struck a deal with the coup leaders.” – Dipo Faloyin “The challenge that he now faces are more efforts by Russian forces trying to infiltrate Ukrainian society.” – Dipo Faloyin Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

QAnon began as a niche conspiracy theory. How did it become a movement for self-radicalisation? How have its dangerous ideas infiltrated society? Rafael Behr is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James Ball, author of The Other Pandemic How QAnon Contaminated the World, to explore how the dark corners of the internet have serious implications for mainstream politics.   “Lots of QAnon conspiracies emerged from online trolling.” “4Chan created things the rest of the internet couldn’t say.” “QAnon asked people to self radicalise which caused a snowball effect.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Link for James Ball’s book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-other-pandemic-9781526642554/  Link for Rafael Behr’s book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/politics-a-survivors-guide/rafael-behr/9781838955045  Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Criminal gangs have gone global. How do they use international networks to increase their power and influence? Far from being underground, criminals now run state-backed organisations and even private armies. Seth Thévoz is joined in The Bunker by investigative reporter for the FT Miles Johnson, author of Chasing Shadows: A true story of drugs, war and the secret world of international crime, to find out if established law enforcement can ever outpace the next generation of crime.  “Sanctions lead to strange alliances between parties who aren't ideologically aligned.”  “In criminal networks you'll see a lot of incompetence and egotism.” "In Syria, you have people who are actually in power, in a sovereign state who are engaging in organised criminal activity."  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/miles-johnson/chasing-shadows/9780349128641/ Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Politics has never been so rife with bad behaviour. Labour’s Chris Bryant MP wants to change that. He sets out a plan for a better type of politics in his new book Code of Conduct Why We Need to Fix Parliament – and How to Do It. As Chair of the Committees on Standards and Privileges, he’s had a unique insight into why MPs think they can get away with misbehaviour and what is at stake if we don’t fix parliament quickly. He joins Gavin Esler to discuss making democracy better and calling out rotten MPs.  “We have a system in the UK where, to quote ABBA, the winner takes it all” “We don’t realise quite how fragile democracy is.” “One bad apple doesn’t mean it is an exception to the rule, it means it spoils the barrel.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/code-of-conduct-9781526663573/  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Government’s plans to house migrants on the Bibby Stockholm barge continues to cause controversy. Why are they going ahead with it? Does Labour have any better ideas? Plus, we have an update on Ukraine, the latest from Donald Trump’s legal scandals, and details on Niger’s military coup. Jacob Jarvis is joined by Doomsday Watch host Arthur Snell to give you the big stories for the week ahead. “The barges are a nakedly political agenda.” – Arthur Snell “It always feels like Donald Trump is playing political chicken.” – Jacob Jarvis www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Arthur Snell. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

True crime has never been more popular. Is it uniquely harmful to society, or have we always been fascinated with the macabre? And why does there suddenly seem to be a boom in internet sleuths? Exploring the increasingly blurred lines between those seeking justice and those making internet content, Jude Rogers talks to Tanya Horeck, Professor of Film and Feminist Media Studies and author of Justice on Demand: True Crime in the Digital Streaming Era about how true crime in the digital age has transformed society.  “True crime can be a way to process a lot of the traumatic things in society.” “True crime feeds into the idea that we are all internet sleuths.” “ True crime has created a cultural space for a political discussion about violence against women.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jude Rogers. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are aliens real? That question was brought up again in a high-level Congressional hearing this week. Three former members of the US military brought forward their evidence to prove that extraterrestrial life IS real. But were there stories credible? Or is it all easily explainable coincidences? Dr Kate Devlin, sits down in The Bunker with Mick West, science writer, investigator and MetaBunk founder to discuss. “A lot of people believe that UFOs are aliens - and a lot of those people are in the US government.” – Mick West “The problem is we don’t have actual evidence to show what Grusch said was true.” – Mick West. “I think they need to think about raising the veil of secrecy, because it allows stories like this to fester.” – Mick West. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Dr Kate Devlin. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production:Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has been indicted again. There are 4 charges this time around, including Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. The former President is facing decades in jail and still, he’s the leading GOP candidate in the next election. Sarah Isgur is a senior editor for The Dispatch and host of the Advisory Opinions podcast. She joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker from Washington DC to unpack the latest charges and exactly what they mean for US politics. “They’re going to have to prove Donald Trump’s mental state in this, and the jokes fly right there.” – Sarah Isgur. “When it comes to jail time, don’t worry, Trump is facing decades… way past his life expectancy.” – Sarah Isgur. “This is a mess. There will be good and bad legal reasons to delay some of these trials.” – Sarah Isgur. “It’s going to be really, really hard and detrimental for US politics for the years to come.” – Sarah Isgur. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: El Salvador’s war on gangs continues as President Bukele introduces mass trials for accused gang members. Plus, we take a closer look at China where President Xi has removed key military figures in charge of nuclear missiles, in an apparent power grab. And, what does Russia’s alleged kidnapping of Ukrainian children mean for Putin’s long term strategy? Laura Makin-Isherwood, former London bureau chief of Feature Story News, and Doug Specht, reader in cultural geography and communication at the University of Westminster, join Jacob Jarvis to get you up to speed on what you need to know about news and politics from across the world.  “Putin’s obsession with Ukraine is going to be a lifelong mission and potentially an eternal war from Russia.” Jacob Jarvis “Bukele calls himself the ‘world's coolest dictator.” Doug Specht “​​Xi Jinping seems to be shaken by the Wagner coup. He’s trying to solidify his power.” Laura Makin-Isherwood www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Liam Tait. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twitter as we know it is dead. The bird has been sent out to pasture and replaced with a stark ‘X’ symbol. Will Elon Musk’s rebrand go down in history as the most successful rebrand since ‘Snickers’ – or will it be the next ‘New Coke’? Leslie Hallam, director of the psychology of advertising masters programme at Lancaster University, joins Alex Andreou in the Bunker to discuss the world of marketing, rebranding and Musk’s fascination with the letter X. "Brands exist so people can become attached to the products they represent." “Musk has run the Twitter brand in the ground, so it makes sense to rebrand it now.” "People mourn the loss of these brands, they’re important cultural artefacts.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Liam Tait & Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rishi Sunak’s decision to limit the number of students able to study what he calls “low-value degrees” has sparked backlash. Why is he doing this – and does it make sense? And is this even about education at all? Dr. Zoe Hope Bulaitis, assistant professor of liberal arts and natural sciences at University of Birmingham and author of Value and The Humanities, joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker to discuss where the PM is getting it wrong on university courses.  “The fact that students are willing to go into these careers shows that there’s more to life than a high pay cheque." – Dr Zoe Bulaitis “To say that a degree is ‘low value’ is to concede to the terms that a degree is valued to specific terms.” – Dr Zoe Bulaitis “This is more sensation than substance.” – Dr Zoe Bulaitis Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attitudes to migration were a key cause of Brexit – but is it still such a major factor in how people vote? With research showing that the UK now has a more favourable attitude to migration, what are the arguments for it? Alex Andreou is joined by Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester, and co-author of Brexitland, to explore the real public opinions on migration beyond the headlines. “People can’t do the maths on immigration so they always say they want less.” “A nationalistic narrative – that migration befits the country - is one way to change public opinion.” “The Labour voting opinion on migration has changed, there are more pressing things to worry about.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/brexitland/667A60CB4C315A755792074E79B20FBA  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Setting up the stories of the week ahead. Today: Rishi Sunak says he’s “on the side of motorists”. How did a sliver of a vote in the Uxbridge by-election cause a massacre of green policies? Talking of pollution, Nigel Farage’s war on banks continues. Will his hard-done-by routine rehabilitate his political career? Plus the military coup in Niger, the Ukraine war comes to Moscow, and the latest from Israel’s democracy protests. Andrew Harrison is joined by Gavin Esler to give you the low-down on the week ahead in politics. “Why don’t Labour just stick to the plan, lads?” – Gavin Esler “There was resistance to the building of sewers, but the Great Stink of 1858 put an end to that.” – Gavin Esler “People have a bizarre, visceral attachment to their cars.” – Andrew Harrison Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Andrew Harrison and Gavin Esler. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Artwork: James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Artificial Intelligence replace our loved ones after death? Will Gregg Wallace’s cannibalism mockumentary change how we see the future of food? Dr. Kate Devlin, author of Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots and historian Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz join Jacob Jarvis and Andrew Harrison to chew the fat and try to answer some of the after life’s biggest questions. Yes, back by popular demand, it’s the Bunker Panel!  “People are unpredictable and infuriating, I can’t imagine AI being able to replicate that.” – Andrew Harrison  “I’m really glad you didn’t invite me here to discuss connecting with your dead loved ones via lab grown meat.” – Dr. Kate Devlin "Food has always been linked to economics, Roman soldiers were actually paid in salt." – Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Link's Kate's Book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/turned-on-9781472950871/ A funeral for fish and chips: why are Britain’s chippies disappearing? by Tom Lamont https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jul/20/a-funeral-for-fish-and-chips-east-neuk-fife-anstruther-scotland ‘It was as if my father were actually texting me’: grief in the age of AI by Aimee Pearcy https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jul/18/ai-chatbots-grief-chatgpt Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phone hacking, false claims of election hacking and a potential high profile libel case with a maligned BBC newsreader. Those are just a few of the scandals facing Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in the last few years. Despite this, the 92-year-old media mogul’s vice-like grip on the media landscape has remained as powerful as ever.  Gavin Esler is joined in The Bunker by journalist William D Cohan, to find out how Murdoch has maintained his position of influence and power. “There's a lot of power entrusted with Murdoch, and there's no accountability for his behaviour”  “If I were him, I would be deeply disturbed by what my television network had created.” "Publishers have no appetite, or budget, for tough investigative reporting."  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones & Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: The Spanish election fallout as a hung parliament leaves Spain in political limbo. Are Wagner mercenaries really preparing to invade Poland? Also, Elon Musk is ghosting Twitter employees in Africa, why does Big Tech show such little respect to the global South?  . Dipo Faloyin, senior editor of global news at Vice and author of ‘Africa is not a Country’, and Guy Hedgecoe, freelance journalist based in Madrid, join Andrew Harrison to get you up to speed on what you need to know about news and politics from across the world.  “It would be incredibly stupid for 5,000 mercenaries to invade a Nato country.” - Dipo Faloyin “It was a shock that Vox performed so poorly considering their huge success in local elections in May.” - Guy Hedgecoe “People have fallen out of hotel windows for a lot less than what Preghozin has done.” - Dipo Faloyin www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Dipo Faloyin. Producer: Liam Tait. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we witnessing the death of Silicon Valley as big tech shifts from physical products to services? And has the time of California being the promised land for budding tech bros gone? Dr. Kate Devlin is joined in The Bunker by Joel Kotkin, fellow in urban studies at Chapman University, to find out. “One of the dirty little secrets of Silicon Valley is that it was largely created by federal spending.”  “I have never met a group who are less conscious of their social impact than Silicon Valley people.“ "Today Silicon Valley is a series of oligarchic companies with 80-90 per cent market shares and no desire to improve."  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Kate Devlin. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MPs have collectively earned millions of pounds from side hustles in the last few years. From the ‘cash for access’ scandal to the resignation of Owen Paterson, the public is fascinated by extra work carried out by politicians. But how much does this impact their day jobs?  Marie Le Conte sits down with Dr. Simon Weschle, assistant professor in the political science department at Syracuse University, to find out if second jobs truly are the scourge of British politics.  “Having a second job means MPs are more likely to attend the commons.”  “An MP working as a dentist doesn’t change their voting behaviour.“ "If an MP has a city job they spend more time in London but they’re less often in their constituency."  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Liam Tait and Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buying a house in the UK is almost impossible for many people. But house prices could fall by 10 per cent over the next 2 years. Is that a good thing? Peter Apps is the deputy editor of Inside Housing magazine, he joins Hannah Fearn in The Bunker. “There’s so much demand in the UK and there’s such a shortage of houses.” – Peter Apps. “It’s very difficult to predict where we’re going to be for the next couple of years.” – Peter Apps. “If people start losing money on Help to Buy deals, the government immediately starts to take notice. Private renters are basically on their own.” – Peter Apps “Private landlords aren’t asking themselves difficult questions about what people can actually afford.” – Peter Apps. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are both on manoeuvres after the by-elections – but what are their tangible plans? As the Labour leader asks Sadiq Khan to “reflect” on ULEZ, the Tory PM is doubling down on just being horrid. Plus, we have the latest on the climate crisis in Greece, an update on elections in Spain, and news from Ukraine. Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to map out the week ahead.  “Rishi Sunak will fail on all of his five promises.” – Alex Andreou “Labour have relied on Sadiq Khan’s popularity instead of making a case for ULEZ.” – Alex Andreou “We haven’t had a proper silly season in ages, and I suspect Boris Johnson will cause mischief.” – Alex Andreou www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the Hague to Westminster, buildings shape the politics that happens within them. Does the design of the Chamber in Westminster encourage bad behaviour? How does Britain compare with the rest of Europe? Exploring the benefits of horseshoes, circles and semicircles are historian Seth Thévoz and Sophia Psarra, professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. Her forthcoming edited collection Parliament Buildings The architecture of politics in Europe comes out in October. “Buildings are institutions which help our thinking.” “If you are going to build buildings, do it properly or deal with the consequences.” “When people become MPs in England they don’t know how to use the building.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/223070  Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time in 63 years, Hollywood has a double strike on its hands. Actors have joined writers on the picket lines – in an effort to take on the tech giants who have disrupted TV and cinemas in recent years.  Alex Andreou sits down with screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick to discuss streaming platforms, the threat of AI on creativity and Chicken Run 2.  “Every industry is scrambling with regulations around AI. This isn’t just a Hollywood problem.”  “If you want to be a professional writer at the highest levels, you must be in these guilds.“ "Tech companies don’t understand how Hollywood works."  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first debate in the race to be the GOP’s presidential nominee for 2024 is a month away. What should we watch out for – and how will the party split? Former President Trump is dominating the opinion polls, but a crowded field of other candidates has emerged – including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Vice-President Mike Pence. Jacob Jarvis is joined by Politico’s senior campaigns and elections editor Steven Shepard, to discuss the latest clashes.  “It doesn’t seem that Republican primary voters are willing to turn on Trump, even after everything.” – Steven Shepard  “Donald Trump’s decision on whether or not to take part in these debates is crucial to how this race goes” – Steven Shepard Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: As horror heat consumes the earth – is climate chaos the new normal? Plus, we pick apart the extent of China’s spy operations. And, as Giorgia Meloni’s tenure as Italian PM looks increasingly concerning, we pick apart her actions so far. Laura Makin-Isherwood, former London bureau chief of Feature Story News, and Kai Strittmatter, former China correspondent for German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, join Jacob Jarvis to get you up to speed on what you need to know about news and politics from across the world.  “It looks like we’re only going to see significant movement on carbon neutral tech once it becomes profitable.” - Jacob Jarvis “Imagine an episode of Black Mirror, that’s what it’s like living in the dystopian China of today.” - Kai Strittmatter “Italy was anti EU in the past, but now it feels like Meloni is moving more towards Brussels and changing it from within.” - Laura Makin-Isherwood www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Liam Tait. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social media fuels many emotions, especially anger. And if you’ve followed UK politics for any length of time, you’ll be used to that feeling. Author of Outrage Machine, Tobias Rose-Stockwell, says tech companies know this and have tailored their algorithms to maximise the amount we consume. But how does this translate to real life? Does it alter the way we vote? And does it damage democracy? He joins Hannah Fearn in The Bunker.  Book:  https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/tobias-rose-stockwell/outrage-machine/9780349427386/  “We have a tremendous propensity to look to others when we’re trying to figure out what to feel.” – Tobias Rose-Stockwell. “Social media does a really good job of serving us things that make us angry.” – Tobias Rose-Stockwell. “Social media is not working with different materials… it’s just gotten better at extracting our attention.” – Tobias Rose-Stockwell. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Libel laws have been around for centuries in England – yet the public and the papers keep falling foul of them. The witch hunt for the then-unnamed BBC presenter in early July is the latest example. The anonymity of that presenter, now revealed to be Huw Edwards, meant people began publicly accusing other BBC presenters of being involved. At least one Twitter user has now been sued over this. So what are our libel laws? And why do they catch so many people out? Journalist and media consultant David Banks joins Seth Thévoz in The Bunker.  “Whether the Sun’s in trouble remains to be seen, but those who dived in after the Sun now find themselves in hot water.” – David Banks “Your right to a reputation is a very ancient concept in England and Wales.” – David Banks “Way back when if you slandered someone you could have your tongue cut out.” – David Banks Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz & Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour says it will harness the sun, wind, and waves to deliver clean energy by 2030. It’s a very ambitious plan, to say the least, but one Sir Keir Starmer says can only do good. Is it achievable? Will it save the world? And is it even any different from what the other political parties are offering? Luke Murphy is the associate director for energy, climate, housing and infrastructure at Institute for Public Policy Research – he joins Chris Jones in the Bunker. “Younger people want to see us leaving a better planet for their children and grandchildren, and we’re not on course for that.“ – Luke Murphy. “The public has a huge appetite for change, ahead of what is currently possible.” – Luke Murphy “The public recognises that green energy is a route to help them with the cost of living.” – Luke Murphy www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producers: Chris Jones & Liam Tait. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rishi Sunak’s Tories face three by-elections this week — what will these results mean for the struggling PM? Meanwhile, Keir Starmer’s latest u-turn has frustrated even his most loyal supporters. What pressure does he face? Plus global weather is out of control — and actors join the fight against AI. Hannah Fearn joins Alex Andreou to map out the week ahead. “These three by-elections are a snapshot of the nation’s mood." – Hannah Fearn “If the Tories keep just one seat, they’ll be able to say Labour are weak to not take all three." – Alex Andreou  “I struggle to see how looking incompetent on immigration is a vote winner for the conservatives.” – Hannah Fearn Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Hannah Fearn. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are work-from-home jet-setters pioneering of a new way of life or are they just the next generation of gentrifiers? After the pandemic the rise of “digital nomads” sparked envy across social media – but are they causing more problems than they solve? Kasia Tomasiewicz is joined in the Bunker by UCL anthropologist Dave Cook to find out if working from the beach is all it's cracked up to be.  “They travel around the world to escape the 9-5 and end up in a coworking space. . . which is just the millennial rebranding of the office.”  “In Lisbon there is graffiti on walls saying ‘digital nomads are a f*cking disgrace, go home’. There is a lot of tension.“ "The ability to be a digital nomad depends on the global passport and visa system which is very racist."  For more on Digital Nomads, check out What is a digital nomad? by Dave Cook   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz . Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young people living in America are more likely to be shot and killed than to die in a car accident. Does that shock you? What about this - there have been over 600 mass shootings recorded in the US every year for 3 years, not far from 2 a day. Why is it getting worse? And Are there any solutions at all? Dr. Patrick M. Carter is Co-Director at the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention at Michigan State University. He joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker. “It’s hard to say exactly what the reason for the increase in mass shootings is, but they are increasing.” – Dr Patrick Carter “There isn’t a single solution, it isn't just about banning guns.” – Dr. Patrick M. Carter. “We are decades behind on research for this public health problem.” – Dr. Patrick M. Carter. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Bunker Global: We ask what it will take for Ukraine to achieve NATO membership following their summit in Lithuania, take a closer look at the civilians caught in the crossfire between Boko Haram and the Nigerian Army, and finally Artificial Intelligence promised not to destroy humanity in an AI press conference in Geneva, do we trust it?  Dipo Faloyin, senior editor for global news at Vice, and Mark Webber, professor of international politics at the University of Birmingham, join Andrew Harrison to get you up to speed on what you need to know about news and politics from across the world.  “Zelenskyy is probably happier this afternoon than he was 24 hours ago.” – Mark Webber “The government claims if you live in a certain area you must have sympathies towards Boko Haram.” – Dipo Faloyin “A.I. havens will be the Tax havens of the future.” – Andrew Harrison Link to Dipo’s Article: ‘They Just Shoot and Burn’: Civilians Targeted in Nigeria’s War on Boko Haram www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Dipo Faloyin. Producer: Liam Tait. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Zuckerberg has transformed from unsuspecting nerd to an MMA fighter taking on arch tech bro Elon Musk. What has changed? Bobby Friction speaks to Wessie du Toit, a freelance writer behind the newsletter The Pathos of Things, about Zuckerberg 2.0 and if we should be concerned about his macho man transformation.  “After the 2016 election, Zuckerberg became a pantomime villain so he needed a makeover.” “You don’t see CEOs of energy companies threatening to fight each other in cage matches.” “His increasingly desperate efforts to build his metaverse just look sad.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Bobby Friction. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The basis of human life is built upon various elements. Have we forgotten how important they are? Sky News’ economics editor, Ed Conway, explores whether we’ve lost touch with them in his new book Material World – and why they could fuel our downfall or build a better future. He joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker to discuss. “We have forgotten some of the physical underpinnings of our time.” – Ed Conway “The internet is not an ethereal thing, it is a physical product.” – Ed Conway “My objective was to try and remind ourselves of the stuff around us and explain how they began in the ground.” – Ed Conway “There was a time where it seemed like the electrical age couldn’t begin because there wasn’t enough copper.” – Ed Conway www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thames Water recently announced £14 billion of debt. How does an essential utility haemorrhage so much money? More than three decades after they were privatised, could renationalisation be the solution? Laura Makin-Isherwood is joined by Rob Branston, associate professor in business economics, to discuss how the privatisation of water companies in England has failed and the solutions to clean up our water woes. “Privatisation is a political ideology, but we need to remember that in the 80s we didn’t have good water services.” “There is a collective debt of £60 billion across our water companies.” “The debts have gone up because of interest on the existing debt.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The BBC is in turmoil again, over allegations a presenter paid a teenager for sexual photos. How will the broadcaster navigate this scandal? Plus, Sunak is getting a visit from Biden, what will they discuss? Plus we discuss the latest from Ukraine and the continuing Johnson-adjacent political fallout. Arthur Snell joins Jacob Jarvis to map out the week ahead.  “The BBC is subject to an intense level of political hostility, so this is inevitably politicised.” – Arthur Snell  “Britain just doesn’t have the power it once had, so America is inevitably building ties elsewhere.” – Arthur Snell “America is now blocking Ukraine’s membership to NATO.” – Arthur Snell Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Arthur Snell and Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Politicians are… weird. While it baffles us relentlessly – could it be a good thing? Sunak forgetting how to use a card machine, Rees-Mogg lounging in the commons and Truss, Truss-ing. The list goes on and on and on. So why are politicians the way they are? Dr. James Weinberg is a political academic at the University of Sheffield and author of Who Enters Politics And Why. He joins Marie Le Conte in The Bunker. “We’ve got this popular human fascination with politicians.” – James Weinberg. “I think it’s highly unlikely that the political environment changes politician’s personalities.” – James Weinberg “If we can change our political environment, I think our politicians have the drivers to do a good job.” – James Weinberg www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the leading Democratic challenger to Biden for 2024. But is he actually a threat to the current President – or just a gift to Trump? And how much of a danger does he pose to US politics and society? Molly Jong-Fast is a columnist for Vanity Fair and the host of Fast Politics Pod. She shares her thoughts on the conspiracy peddling political hopeful with Gavin Esler in The Bunker. Listen to Molly’s podcast here: https://fastpoliticspod.com  “RFK Jr is part of this tapestry of anti-science rhetoric in the US.” – Molly Jong-Fast. “The right-wing establishment has worked hard to undermine people’s beliefs in science.” – Molly Jong-Fast. “He’ll never get elected, but maybe he’ll get Trump elected.” – Molly Jong-Fast. “The reason he’s anywhere is because he’s a nepo-baby.” – Molly Jong-Fast. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the first edition of Bunker Global: A closer look at Israel’s assault on Jenin, the fallout of the violent protests across France and the bounties placed on Hong Kong dissidents. Laura Makin-Isherwood, formerly London bureau chief of Feature Story News, and Anshel Pfeffer, a Jerusalem-based writer for Haaretz and the Economist, join Jacob Jarvis this week. Listen in to get you up to speed on what you need to know about news and politics from across the world. “The Jenin Brigade aren’t going away, yes a number of them have been killed – but this isn’t over.” – Anshel Pfeffer “These bounties are a message to these activists that the Chinese Government is watching them.” – Laura Makin-Isherwood "French youth are questioning how the state interacts with the public, and who indeed they can trust." – Laura Makin-Isherwood www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Laura Makin-Isherwood and Anshel Pfeffer. Producer: Liam Tait. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Productivity in Britain is down – is an army of middlemen partly to blame? Ros Taylor sits down with Giles Wilkes, senior fellow at the Institute for Government, to find out why we need to cut back on what he labels ‘crud’ to revitalise our economy.  “Crud is artificial capitalism.” “The Conservatives did a lot of damage in the 80s and are now returning to the scene of the crime and asking who did this?” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NHS was formed 75 years ago. As it celebrates its diamond anniversary, the service seems to be under more pressure than ever. Andrew Harrison is joined by Roy Lilley to celebrate the 75th birthday of the NHS and to ask, will it make it to 80?  “The NHS is knackered isn’t it? Nobody can blame staff for wanting to leave.” “If we leave the NHS to get on with the job, it will roll up its sleeves and deliver.” “Virgin tried to come in and run the NHS like an airport, where are they now?”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Wagner Group made headlines with its 24-hour revolt against Vladimir Putin. Their leader, Yevgeny Prighozhin, is a shady character. Once a seller of hotdogs, he’s now made a career as a warlord, commanding thousands of troops in Ukraine and Africa. The mystery of Wagner is now clearing, says Ben Dalton, program manager for New America's Future Frontlines program. He joins Laura Makin-Isherwood in The Bunker to discuss how the group operates and how it harnesses the power of social media to recruit and fundraise. “The Wagner group has been very core to Russia's war effort in Ukraine.” – Ben Dalton. “Prigozhin has been remarkably savvy on social media, predominantly on telegram, in a way that reminds me of Donald Trump.” – Ben Dalton “As far back as 2017 Putin has been rewarding Wagner commanders for their role in Syria.” – Ben Dalton www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sunak has a brand new immigration policy which looks just like the old one. Does anyone support it? With train strikes looming and an NHS staffing crisis, looks like we’re in for another summer of discontent. In international news, following a weekend of riots across France, we ask if President Macron has lost control. Plus updates on attacks on the Westbank and the latest on Ukraine. Arthur Snell joins Alex Andreou to map out the week ahead. “Sunak’s immigration policy is headline grabbing but won’t reduce numbers.” – Arthur Snell “The Tories immigration plan is a very simple solution to a very complex problem." – Alex Andreou  “Macron's problem is he is from the elite, so he lacks a deep understanding of social problems." – Arthur Snell  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou and Arthur Snell. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Psychedelic drugs are regularly in the news as a fresh generation of scientists researches them. Who knows how they might be used in future – but, historically, how have they shaped the world already? The negatives of substance use are obvious – but what other impacts are there? From ceremonial plant medicines to the war on drugs; their cultural significance cannot be understated.  Dr Kasia Tomasiewicz is joined in The Bunker by Mike Jay to discuss his new book Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind.  “If you want to know how drugs change your own perception, there’s only one way of doing it.” “Pharmacies would sell products called ‘Mrs Winslow's Soothing Syrup’ which would be full of morphine and opium.” “Magic Mushrooms were ancient and sacred, people used them for spiritual experiences for millennia.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Book Link https://yalebooks.co.uk/page/detail/psychonauts/?k=9780300257946 Written and presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington, DC is home to the American political elite. Hordes of staff looking to make their names. Lobbyists and think tanks, all chasing a shot at success. The Trump years only intensified the culture - but has that changed the city for good or for worse? Ben Terris is a journalist for the Washington Post and the author of The Big Break: The Gamblers, Party Animals, and True Believers Trying to Win in Washington While America Loses Its Mind. He joins Arthur Snell in The Bunker to discuss why DC is unlike any other American city. Find Ben Terris’ book here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/ben-terris/the-big-break/9781538708057/?lens=twelve “The Trump years in DC were very disorientating for everyone in DC.” – Ben Terris. “Even with Trump gone, Trumpism is here to stay.” – Ben Terris. “There are a lot of people who treat Washington DC like the new frontier, to find fame, influence, and riches.” – Ben Terris. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bunker panel show returns to mark our ONE THOUSANDTH edition. Can voters wean themselves off the dark thrills of our political Age of Chaos? And what’s the long view on Trump’s legal troubles? The Guardian’s Raf Behr and US politics expert Julie Norman join Jacob Jarvis and Andrew Harrison for a special celebration edition. Exciting changes are coming in The Bunker: a new look plus new strands and music coming soon. There’s never been a better time to back us on Patreon, so sign up now for special extras: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast/posts  “Brexit was both a revolution and a massive fraud. You only get one of those moments of energy and upheaval every generation.” – Raf Behr “This destroys all of Trump's plausible defenses.” – Julie Norman “People like to feel a sense of agency, that what they’re living through is meaningful in some kind of way.” – Raf Behr Written and presented by Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Producers Kasia Tomasiewicz, Chris Jones and Liam Tait. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The news media is driven by clicks more than ever before. Who is winning the war for online attention? Brands like Vice and Gawker initially won the race – but are old-school papers dominating the online space again now? Ben Smith is the former editor-in-chief for Buzzfeed News, runs the news outlet Semafor, and is author of Traffic: Genius, rivalry, and delusion in the billion-dollar race to go viral. He joins Jacob Jarvis in The Bunker. “If you were a journalist covering politics in the mid-’00s, the online space was really exciting.” – Ben Smith “I don’t think you were doing anything called ‘going viral’ until Twitter came along.” – Ben Smith “The NY Times really absorbed a lot of the lessons and the culture of the internet.” – Ben Smith www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by managing editor Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NHS has been squeezed by successive Governments. The Covid-19 pandemic only worsened the crisis, highlighting the need for Parliament to focus on fixing our health service. Dr. Julia Grace Patterson is the author of Critical: Why the NHS is Being Betrayed and How We Can Fight for it – and says that politicians are doing nowhere near enough to fix the issue. She joins Hannah Fearn in The Bunker. Find a copy of the book here: ​​https://harpercollins.co.uk/pages/critical  “Health care is, unfortunately, a deeply political area and that comes with a lot of problems.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. “The way that Jeremy Hunt spoke about us in the press, we found that extremely difficult.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. “It started with junior doctors, but now the government has tried to scapegoat GPs.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. “Politicians approach the NHS in a very short-term-ish way.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patriotism could be the antidote to the divisions created by Brexit. Can you be a proud patriot even when you don’t agree with your country? Will patriotism ever cast off it’s sinister connotations of nationalism? Ros Taylor is joined in The Bunker by Sunder Katwala, author of How to Be a Patriot: Why love of country can end our very British culture war, to explore what British patriotism means in an increasingly globalised age.  “Dangerous patriotism is the version that says it's them or us.” “The European Identity sounds like a Whiter concept than British identity.” “People on the left have less problems with civic patriotism of cities over national identity.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/how-to-be-a-patriot-why-love-of-country-can-end-our-very-british-culture-war-sunder-katwala?variant=40133746294862 Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Russian revolution ended as quickly as it started, where does this leave Putin and the war in Ukraine? Rishi Sunak’s failure to deliver his 5 key pledges could prove to be his downfall as byelections loom. Plus we’ve got the results from the Greek election, an update on Britain’s cat pupil hysteria and a review of Boris Johnson’s latest rant for the Daily Mail. Hannah Fearn joins Alex Andreou to map out the week ahead.  “If Putin can’t control the people and media what does he have left?” - Hannah Fearn “People aren’t expecting that Prigozhin will go to Belarus for a nice retirement.” - Hannah Fearn “Long mortgage rates up to retirement are worryingly common.” - Hannah Fearn "Saying 'we're not the other guys' might work to get Labour into power but won't create a mandate." - Alex Andreou  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Hannah Fearn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edmund Burke’s principles have influenced generations of conservative thinkers and politicians. But who was this architect of modern day conservatism? Joining Seth Thévoz in The Bunker to reflect on Burke’s legacy is Richard Bourke, Professor of the History of Political Thought and author of Empire and Revolution: The Political Life of Edmund Burke.  “Burke was a defender of the right to rebel against a despotic government.” “Modern radical conservative movement looks nothing like Burke’s conservatism.” “He was a critic of the depredations of Empires, including the British Empire.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz & Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are more guns than people in America. How does this obsession shape US society? Gavin Esler is joined by Jennifer Carlson, author of new book Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of American Democracy, to explore the US fascination with guns, the people who are selling them, and how they shape a right -wing ideology. “There’s a feeling that you can’t rely on collective security so you need a gun.” “Gun policy is made at the state level, meaning it is very hard to regulate.”  “People compare not having a gun to not having a cell phone – it’s unimaginable.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691230399/merchants-of-the-right  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How alarming is China's tech ambition – and is there any limit to their quest for industrial dominance? From contentious recruitment policies, corporate espionage and not to mention the ten thousand meter hole they’re drilling into the centre of the earth, the nation seems desperate to bolster its position. Alex Andreou is joined in The Bunker by Dr Rogier Creemers to understand Xi’s quest for scientific world domination.  “China needs technology but doesn’t want to pay for it.” “If you think you can predict what will happen in China, you’re a liar or a fool.” “The west received junk which is probably already at the bottom of a landfill as China raked in billions in revenue.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two years ago, Saudi Arabia announced it was creating a city of the future: known as The Line. Is it actually going to happen? The proposed 110-mile-long smart city of skyscrapers would be fueled by green energy and controlled by Artificial Intelligence. While the urban experiment is currently under development, many believe that the city is just a sci-fi dream that will never see the light of day.  Joining Ros Taylor in The Bunker today is Matthew Blunderfield, the host of architecture podcast Scaffold, to answer the question: what would the perfect city of the future look like?  “Imagine a tower taller than the Empire State Building, extruded from Birmingham to Leeds and then doubled. That's the Line.” “There’s an underlying violence in forming this project.” “We don’t know what will happen to the ecosystem when we erect an enormous tall wall in the middle of a desert.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From earthquakes to terrorism – we live in a world of constant crisis. But are we prepared for it? Drawing on a wealth of experience as a former public servant and Director of GCHQ, Sir David Omand’s new book How to Survive a Crisis: Lessons in Resilience and Avoiding Disaster addresses responses to some of the greatest crises in recent memory. He joins Doomsday Watch podcast host Arthur Snell In The Bunker. “We must be future-proof to crisis, but we are more vulnerable than ever.” “The world of politics is hand-to-hand combat.” “What would you do when your world is turned upside down?” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/448107/how-to-survive-a-crisis-by-omand-david/9780241561331  Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant Producer: Matilda Snell. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Essex man” is a notorious caricature of Thatcherite Brits. How did the Conservatives win over the county? And where – if any – were pockets of resistance? Marie Le Conte is joined by Tim Burrows, author of new book The Invention of Essex: The Making of an English County, to explore the class dynamics and unexpected cultural politics of this much maligned county.  “There’s a feeling that people from Essex came up the social ladder too quickly.” “Home ownership has a lot to do with Conservatism in Essex.” “Essex could be a blank canvas for different political ideals.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://profilebooks.com/work/the-invention-of-essex/ Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you solve a problem like Boris Johnson? Sunak needs to escape the shadow of his predecessor but reciting his 5 goals doesn’t seem to be cutting it. Could a potential mortgage bailout be enough to get the general public back onside? Plus we’ve got the reaction to that Party Gate video, the latest on Ukraine's counter offensive, and Labour's resurgence in Scotland. Gavin Esler joins Alex Andreou to map out the week ahead. “If Sunak doesn’rt get a grip he will be the 4th conservative leader destroyed by Johnson.” – Gavin Esler “Boris Johnson was never popular, he was just more popular than Corbyn.” – Gavin Esler “The threat of having an election is enough to keep the backbench in line.” – Gavin Esler  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Gavin Esler. Producers: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Lords come under scrutiny, we’re joined by one of the good ones – Lord Alf Dubs joins Dorian Lynskey in the Bunker to discuss how his own experience as a holocaust survivor impacts his politics, the failure of consecutive home secretaries and how the Lords should be modernised under Starmer’s Labour party.  “Right wing parties across Europe exploit the asylum issue for their own shabby political ends.” “The Lords appointment system worked well, until you get a PM like Johnson who totally abused it.” “There's nothing unworthy about being an economic migrant but it doesn't give you the human rights protection of an asylum seeker.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Dorian Lynskey. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xylazine, also known as Tranq, is causing a horrific wave of drug deaths across America. It’s mixed with the opioid named fentanyl to cause a cheaper, longer-lasting, yet more dangerous high. Perhaps the most shocking effect is its ability to rot the flesh around the injection site. Megan Cohen is the founder of The Grace Project in Philadelphia. She runs an outreach scheme on Kensington Avenue, home to the largest open air drugs market on the East Coast. She joined Alex Andreou in The Bunker to discuss the serious threat Tranq poses. “These aren’t zombies out there, they’re people impacted by the disease of addiction.” – Megan Cohen “What we noticed is the doses were stronger and the overdoses were happening more often.” – Megan Cohen “What we’re seeing is that narcan isn’t reversing overdoses as it was before, because of xylazine.” – Megan Cohen “When it comes to the wounds we still don’t have answers.” – Megan Cohen Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you haven’t tried our new press review show PAPER CUTS yet, here’s a taster of today’s episode. This time it’s the Mail and Telegraph’s Johnson-related meltdown, the majesty of Glenda Jackson and much more as comedian Fin Taylor and writer-historian Alex von Tunzelmann join Andrew Harrison under a huge pile of newsprint. Hear the full episode here. We’re out mid-morning every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to look at the the day’s best headlines, wildest stories and weirdest opinions. Subscribe on your favourite app. It’s the perfect chaser to your daily Bunker… Illustrations by Modern Toss https://moderntoss.com/ Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Produced by Sophie Black. Design: James Parrett. Music: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Exec Producer: Martin Bojtos. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. PAPER CUTS is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our view of hackers has been warped by movie portrayals of hoodie-wearing computer whizzes. But what are they really like? These keyboard bashers have uncovered some of the world's darkest secrets – and even come close to destroying the internet. But why do they do it? Scott Shapiro searches for answers in his new book Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary Hacks. He joins Dorian Lynskey in The Bunker. “The hackers that I’ve spoken to, they’re by and large normal, psychologically speaking.” – Scott Shapiro. “Any time there’s a hack, people say “It’s a nation-state, it’s Russia” it’s a reflex.” – Scott Shapiro. “People don't like to talk about when they’ve been hacked, because it’s embarrassing.” – Scott Shapiro. “There are a lot of mistaken stereotypes about hackers, one is the romance of a lone wolf.” – Scott Shapiro. “Security analysts hate the word hacker.” – Scott Shapiro. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Dorian Lynskey. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz Audio production: Simon Williams Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cars are making us unhappy and unhealthy. From poor air quality, to mind numbing commutes and gridlocked city centres. Can anything be done to change car culture – or are we already on a highway to hell? Ros Taylor sits down with journalist and author of Carmageddon, Daniel Knowles, to discuss the rise of automobiles and asks if it’s too late to course correct.  “The problem to the average driver isn’t you, it’s everything else. ” “I think the car industry likes the idea of reducing civilian deaths without slowing down cars.” https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/730724/carmageddon-by-daniel-knowles/  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The question ‘What does it mean to be European?’ is challenging for many Brits, post-Brexit. Author Ben Judah says politics is pushing an ever-changing Europe apart. Ben attempts to remind people what Europe is away from politics in his new book, This is Europe. He joins Hannah Fearn in the Bunker. “Europe’s a lot of things. It can be an idea or a whole theatre for political action but I wanted to focus on the people” – Ben Judah “It was very important to me to show that Europe is much wider than it looks in Britain.” – Ben Judah “Europe is blurring with Asia and Africa and a new Europe is emerging through immigration.” – Ben Judah www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn Producer: Chris Jones Audio Production: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Theresa May is often ranked alongside the worst Prime Ministers ever. But, does she still get off lightly? And have we forgotten just how bad she was because of the chaos that’s come since? Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University London, joins Seth Thevoz in The Bunker to refresh our memories. “I don’t think she was ever destined to be a great Prime Minister.” – Tim Bale “Circumstance did combine to make it very difficult for her.” – Tim Bale “Clearly those she took with her from the Home Office weren’t the right people to be in charge in Downing Street.” – Tim Bale Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Seth Thevoz. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Artwork: James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Johnson rebellion promised a bang but delivered a whimper over the weekend. What now? Can Starmer capitalise on the Conservative Party chaos? Across the pond, Donald Trump is set for a day in a Miami courtroom – what should we expect? Plus we’ve got more on Nicola Sturgeon’s arrest and the latest from Ukraine’s counter offensive. Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to map out the week ahead. “Organising a coup takes a lot of work which I don’t think Johnson was willing to do.” – Alex Andreou  “Johnson inspires enthusiasm which he mistakes for loyalty.” – Alex Andreou  “If any other public official had done what Trump did, they’d be in the deepest darkest dungeon already.”– Alex Andreou  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sky is no longer the limit for entrepreneurs as they set their sights on space. SpaceX has made science fiction ideas a reality but who could be next in line to be the biggest name in space? Dr. Casey Handmer, the founder of Terraform Industries, takes Dr. Kate Devlin on a voyage through the world of space based start-ups looking to make their millions in space.  “SpaceX is one or two competitive startups away from losing market share.” “Politics is negotiable but physics is not.” “Super geeks who know how to make rockets are critical for national security”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Kate Devlin. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biden proudly told the world his debt ceiling deal averted “economic collapse”. He’s not wrong – but is he in the clear yet? Professor Larry J White has taught Economics at New York University for over 40 years. He joins Jacob Jarvis in the Bunker to discuss what the deal entails, how it will impact the nation and what concerns Biden still has economically.  “This was truly uncharted territory that has been avoided.” – Larry J White “It is, I'll have to use an economic term, NUTS!” – Larry J White “We avoided a catastrophe – and I truly believe it would have been a catastrophe.” – Larry J White Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production and Music: Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork: James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme remains an unsolved mystery. How did a lone gunman manage to murder him during the height of the Cold War, and why? Ros Taylor welcomes Jan Stocklassa to the Bunker to discuss his documentary, The Man Who Played With Fire, which attempts to answer once and for all: who killed Olof Palme? “There is a 37 year long cover up at the root of this investigation.” “He was not a run of the mill Swede, he wasn’t afraid to provoke people around the globe.” “Sweden has never had a politician who was so hated.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Clips Courtesy of Sky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy Street took a risk in leaving his role as managing director of John Lewis to become West Midlands mayor. He’s one of two Tory combined authority mayors, a role he describes as “trailblazing”. But despite his party loyalty, he hasn’t shied away from criticising Westminster – especially when it comes to Levelling-up. He sat down with Hannah Fearn in The Bunker to discuss his priorities and time in office.  “For me, it wasn’t about representing the party in Westminster. It was first and foremost about being an individual representative for the West Midlands.” – Andy Street “The truth is that Michael Gove and the Levelling-up Department have spent billions. But are we getting that message across? No.” – Andy Street “My relationship with Whitehall is positive, but immature. We make our proposals, and Whitehall will decide.” – Andy Street “Mayoral models are becoming popular because people want someone they can relate to, and with whom the buck stops.” – Andy Street www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer & Audio production: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sugar became a modern-day bogeyman during austerity. Why? And how did it come to represent personal responsibility? And who has been most instrumental in the fight against it? Hannah Fearn is joined by Karen Throsby, author of new book Sugar rush: Science, politics and the demonisation of fatness, to explore the disastrous consequences of the fight on sugar.  “Sugar became the perfect scapegoat for austerity.” “The war on obesity is a failure on its own terms.” “The language of conflict of foodstuffs always justifies quick, ill-thought-out measures.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book link: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526151544/  Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Soros is a holocaust survivor, one of the world’s richest people and the creator of the Open Society. He’s also given away $32 billion in his lifetime. So why is it that he incurs so much hate, not just from the American right but his own country, Hungary, too? Daniel Bessner is associate professor of international studies at Washington University and co-host of American Prestige podcast. He joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker to discuss. “He likes to repeat in his books that he has ‘an incredible ego’...“ – Daniel Bessner “The ultimate tragedy of Soros’ life is that capitalism has allowed him to become as rich as he has.” – Daniel Bessner “The world he wants is not possible in the economic world that made him.” – Daniel Bessner “The association of Soros the anti-communist just doesn’t fly anymore with the right in America.” – Daniel Bessner Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Johnson and Sunak play the blame game over the Covid inquiry. Will a trip to the USA help Rishi escape the shadow of the former PM? Plus, Labour is embroiled in infighting this week as the Jamie Driscoll drama plays out – can Starmer ignore it? Plus we’ve got the latest on the tragic train crash in India, updates from Ukraine and we ask the question, why is China drilling a hole to hell? Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to map out the week ahead. “Johnson is enjoying provoking Sunak.’ – Ros Taylor “Sunak’s popularity has gone down since local election results.” – Ros Taylor “Hanging out with Biden is good optics for Sunak, it makes him look like the world leader he isn’t.” – Ros Taylor Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The death penalty is supported by a large number of Brits. Why are so many people obsessed with it? And how does politics change how we see the role of the law? Seth Thévoz is joined by Lizzie Seal, professor of criminology at the University of Sussex to explore the fascination with this ultimate punishment.  “Popular support for the death penalty goes up following well-publicised social disorder.” “In the mid 20th century, the death penalty represented public order.” “Labour governments were more likely to be sympathetic to abolition.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz. and Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The US isn’t delivering on its pledges to reverse climate change. The Willow Project in Alaska, labelled by some as a “carbon bomb”, is a key example of that. But with global energy supply chains so massively disrupted by the war in Ukraine, are these kinds of projects justified? Michael Gerrard is the founder of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School. He joined Arthur Snell in the Bunker to discuss why pushing through new climate laws is so difficult. “We ARE NOT on the trajectory that we want to be.” – Michael Gerrard “The US climate commitments are not really legally binding.” – Michael Gerrard “The Supreme Court has become somewhat of an impediment.” – Michael Gerrard. “In the US there have been efforts going back to 2004 to hold oil and gas responsible for climate change.” – Michael Gerrard. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Arthur Snell Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ministerial code is a set of rules members of Government are expected to abide by. But they don’t all manage it. Is it fit for purpose? And have ministers become more unscrupulous – or do we just have higher expectations than we used to? Tim Durrant of the Institute for Government tells Ros Taylor that the system, tested to its limits during Boris Johnson’s premiership, works better than you might think. “We need to know that information coming from the government is honest and true.” – Tim Durrant “Ministers have a huge amount of power in public life and therefore it’s incumbent that they merit that.” – Time Durrant “I think you could almost argue that the removal of Boris Johnson was proof of the system working”. – Tim Durrant “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with expecting political leaders to be good people.” – Tim Durrant www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How secure do you feel in your job? From manufacturing plants to corporate boardrooms, the rise of artificial intelligence has sent shockwaves through the working population. Dr. Kasia Tomasiewicz sits down with Dr. Kate Devlin to talk about how our lives will change in an AI-driven economy. “If essays can be answered with AI, we’re not asking students the right questions.” “Who are we to say the best relationships are between two humans?” “The bigger question regarding AI is who gets to profit from it?”  Support us on Pateron: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tens of thousands of people are demanding an end to leasehold laws in England and Wales. They say they’re trapped by an avalanche of bills, whilst freeholders rake in the cash. Both Labour and the Tories (after A LOT hesitation) have vowed to reform leasehold laws. But how could they do it? It’s an issue that could turn many at the ballot box in next year’s general election. Harry Scoffin is a campaigner for Commonhold Now and joins Hannah Fearn in The Bunker. “Labour don’t think the Tories are being genuine on this issue.” – Harry Scoffin “How is it right that in this 21st century when you buy a flat you still don’t own it.” – Harry Scoffin “Being ripped off is being ripped off! Exploitation is wrong!” – Harry Scoffin “The way the Tories are going about this issue, they will be out of power for an entire generation.” – Harry Scoffin www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Hannah Fearne Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tories are in-fighting over supermarket price caps – can they agree on anything? And Boris Johnson is back sulking over Covid, will he stop acting like a teenager? Plus we’ve got the latest from Ukraine, the Turkish election results, and Biden’s proposed debt ceiling deal. Hannah Fearn joins Jacob Jarvis to give you the stories to look out for in the week ahead. “Boris Johnson is acting like a walking sulk.” – Jacob Jarvis  “It makes me incredibly angry that the Tories are treating the removal of liberties as a game.” – Hannah Fearn “Erdogan is proposing a ‘volunteer’ return of Syrian refugees which is very worrying.” – Hannah Fearn  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Hannah Fearn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio producer: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmett De Monterey was born with cerebral palsy, and as he grew up he realised that he was gay. He joins Alex Andreou to discuss his new book Go The Way Your Blood Beats about the challenges of facing two forms of prejudice, one against his disability and the other his sexuality. How do you fight to be seen in a world that refuses to see you? “As a teenager I would have liked to have read a book about these experiences.” “I wasted a lot of time internalising the narrative that I needed to be fixed.” “My mother knew that the world outside the family home would be harsh.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Go The Way Your Blood Beats is released on the 6th of July. Book link: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/451111/go-the-way-your-blood-beats-by-monterey-emmett-de/9780241570531  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s 60 years this month since National Service was abolished – but the idea remains popular. Could it ever work again, or is it just a pipe dream sustained by right-wing cranks? Jude Rogers is joined by Professor of History Richard Viven, author of National Service: Conscription in Britain 1945-1963, to explore the boredom, terror, and nostalgia of life under compulsory conscription.  “Military service was a bit like the workhouse for the poor, it was the last option.” “There was always more tedium over terror.”  “National Service is not meant to be a social service.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jude Rogers. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Proud Boys may not be proud no more after four of its members have been found guilty of seditious conspiracy. The neo-fascist group is accused of leading the Jan 6th assault on the capitol and has heavy links to Trump and other influential, right-wing figures. But just how deep does their power lie? And is that power flailing? And talking of the right wing, why is America still so captivated by Fox News, even post-Tucker Carlson? Gavin Esler is joined in the Bunker by Juliet Jeske, Proud boys expert and host of Decoding Fox News podcast. “Right-wing authoritarianism is very much what they’re drawn to.” – Juliet Jeske “McInnes was just this angry bigoted racist man who thought starting a group would be a good idea.” – Juliet Jeske “This is all about masculinity and they think they’re saving the Western world.” – Juliet Jeske “You’ll see something that’s not true on FOX and within 24 hours GOP politics will push the exact same thing.” – Juliet Jeske Written and presented by Gavin Esler Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Around 12,000 people in England and Wales volunteer as magistrates. That means they can sentence people to up to a year in prison. Yet they have barely any training and no legal qualifications. Penelope Gibbs, the director of Transform Justice, tells Ros Taylor about the problems with relying on a self-selecting, middle-class magistracy who may never have seen inside a jail. They talk about the difficulties in trying to hold remote hearings during the pandemic and how a cash-strapped system struggles to deliver justice. “The training for magistrates is woeful, and I and others have been saying that for years.” – Penelope Gibbs “There used to be really feisty magistrates who would speak out but gradually their independence has been ground down.” – Penelope Gibbs “It’s an incredibly closed and untransparent system.” – Penelope Gibbs “What happens in magistrates court is pretty hidden most of the time.” – Penelope Gibbs Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Sadiq Khan really clean up London? From the Met to the air, the Mayor of London has a tough road ahead of him. He speaks to Andrew Harrison to discuss his new book: Breathe and plans to tackle the climate crisis, the controversial ULEZ expansion and how a boy from Tooting ends up a fan of Liverpool FC.  “We don’t want money from the ULEZ. We want people walking, cycling or using public transport.”  “As Mayor I chose to tackle climate issues, Boris Johnson chose to bury his head in the sand.” “Cressida Dick didn't have a credible plan to address issues in the MET. ” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast You can purchase Sadiq's book here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/452035/breathe-by-khan-sadiq/9781529152784  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Recorded at Spiritland Studios. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sherine Tadros reported from war zones across the world. She joins Alex Andreou to discuss her new book Taking Sides: a memoir about love, war, and changing the world. How has she managed to stay hopeful after so much tragedy? And how can her story of personal strength inspire us to keep going against the odds?  “It is our instinct to survive that makes our story less believable.” “When you show strength in the face of great difficulty people often don’t believe you.” “I’m not saying that tragedies don’t hurt but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  BOOK LINK: https://scribepublications.co.uk/books-authors/books/taking-sides-9781914484254 Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following politics is tough, especially if you want to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. So how can you keep a cool head? Ros Taylor speaks to The Guardian’s Rafael Behr about his new book: Politics: A Survivor’s Guide: How to Stay Engaged without Getting Enraged. Raf opens up about his own journey and shares how we can find hope amidst the chaos.  “Remain rallies were very twee, maybe they should have been more French?” “Post Brexit politics is like trench warfare where politics is the Western Front and nothing is moving.”  “Lee Anderson, what is he afraid of? That he's not being respected enough?” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast BOOK LINK: https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/politics-a-survivors-guide/  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio producer: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suella Braverman has had a busy week with speeding ticket drama. Can the Home Secretary outrun another controversy or is this the end of the track? And with the Northern Irish council election in favour of Sinn Féin, is the future of Éire up for grabs? Plus we’ve got the results from the Greek elections, the latest from Ukraine and rumours of Boris Johnson’s continued downfall. Alex Andreou joins Andrew Harrison to map out the week ahead. “Suella Braverman is a world champ at getting sacked and coming back 5 minutes later.” – Andrew Harrison  “The Conservative dream of a whole nation playing golf when nobody collects the bins is impossible.” – Alex Andreou  “We might be looking at Sinn Féin in the north and south of Ireland, which is extraordinary.”– Alex Andreou  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Liam Tait. Audio producer: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Freemasons are often blamed when things go wrong. But are they behind a global conspiracy or are they just a glorified men’s drinking club? Siân Pattenden is joined by historian John Dickie, author of The Craft: How the Freemasons Made the Modern World, to discover the truth behind this secretive fraternal group who have been blamed for everything – from corrupting the police to the global financial crash. “They have nothing to do with stonemasons but still use their symbols as moral metaphors.” “The secrets are extraordinarily mundane.” “It’s not the content of the secrets, it's the rituals and sense of togetherness that matter.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America has a gun problem, and not just inside its own borders. Thousands of guns cross into Mexico every year, fuelling an epidemic of violence between drug cartels. Ioan Grillo is the author of ‘Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels’. He’s spent time with gun manufacturers, speaking to FBI agents and at murder scenes to decipher just how deep the issue lies. He joined Seth Thevoz in the Bunker from Mexico City. “Suddenly there were no longer just gang members with shaved heads and tattoos; these were paramilitary organisations with AK47s.” — Ioan Grillo “The level of destruction has increased exponentially.” — Ioan Grillo “For the Mexican cartels the easiest source of guns is the US, there’s a huge supply there and they’re relatively cheap.” — Ioan Grillo “The bloodshed they unleash down here with these weapons, it’s unbelievable.” — Ioan Grillo www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Seth Thevoz. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time to celebrate the birthplace of democracy with a Greek election! With more than 30 parties and coalitions vying for votes, the stage is set for political chaos. Isn’t democracy wonderful? Alex Andreou speaks to journalist and correspondent for ERT, Evdoxia Lymperi, to try and understand one of the year’s most unpredictable elections.  “This is a mute election, nobody is willing to speak to the pollsters.” “Greeks are not Germans. They have no tradition of coalition governments.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait and Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The overnight Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 shocked the world. But who is behind the hardline regime running the country? After 20 years of insurgency against the US-backed government in Kabul, how have they changed since they were last in power? Doomsday Watch host Arthur Snell is joined by Hassan Abbas, author of The Return of the Taliban Afghanistan after the Americans Left, to explore the factions vying for power and which international countries have their eyes on Afghanistan.  “The US were spending billions of dollars on a state-building project.” “The Taliban are not one ‘thing’ but many different factions.” “The Pakistani military has influence over the Old Guard in Afghanistan.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we stop terrorists before they act? Are our security services operating with expert proficiency or is it just luck? The answer is unfortunately a mix of both, but that’s no reason to despair. Hannah Fearn speaks to The Independent's home affairs editor Lizzie Dearden about her book, Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed, to get an insight into British terror attacks that were stopped in their tracks. “The pool of people susceptible to terrorism grew during the lockdown.” “Security services were so focused on stopping people from joining Isis that more attacks happened in the UK.” “So many terrorists receive a mental health diagnosis at the point of criminal conviction.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Homegrown/Jeffrey-Toobin/9781668013571 Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite endless scandals and psychodramas, the Tories keep getting into power. So why are the British obsessed with the Conservative Party? And will we ever get rid of them? Seth Thevoz is joined by Samuel Earle, author of Tory Nation: How One Party Conquered Britain, to ask how one party came to dominate our political imagination. “The election numbers seem more like a rigged casino than a functional democracy.” — Samuel Earle “The House of Lords seems to go against the grain of a liberal democratic society, yet it’s still here.” — Samuel Earle “Conservatives don’t like to see themselves as ideological people.” — Samuel Earle. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Seth Thevoz. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Battle lines were drawn this week as the Conservatives held two conferences – whose side are you on? In the blue corner Suella Braverman and a whole host of unsavoury fringe figures from the National Conservatism Movement. In the other blue corner it’s the Conservative Democratic Organisation aka the ‘bring back Boris brigade’ led by Nadine Dorries. Plus the Turkish election – is Erdogan’s time up? And yes, we’ll be talking about Eurovision. Alex Andreou joins Ros Taylor to explore the week ahead. “Boris wasn’t there which isn’t unusual as it wasn’t a paid gig.” – Alex Andreou  “We’ve gone ‘high skill high wage’ economy to a ‘let’s all pick some apples’ economy’” – Alex Andreou  “Unhappiness following the local council elections was subsided by the Coronation but now it's back with a vengeance.”– Alex Andreou  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Alex Andreou. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Liam Tait. Audio producer: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you tell if a politician is lying? Their lips are moving. That’s what the old joke would have us believe anyway. Rob Burley was a senior producer on some of the BBC’s flagship political shows so he knows what makes a good (and disastrous) political interview. Ros Taylor talks to Rob about his new book, Why Is This Lying Bastard Lying to Me?: Searching for the Truth on Political TV, to find out the tricks used by politicians to get away with their little white lies.  “Paxman just had enough, he decided he wasn’t going to play by the rules .” “Robin Day revolutionised TV interviews in 1958 and it’s gone downhill since then.”  “The morning after the Brexit referendum the BBC told me not to look into the 350m bus claims.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/why-is-this-lying-bastard-lying-to-me-searching-for-the-truth-on-political-tv-rob-burley?variant=40188508504142 Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right wing extremists are often considered lone wolves. But platforms like 4chan have made it easier than ever for extremist communities to grow. Alex Andreou speaks to best-selling author Jeffrey Toobin about his latest book, Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism, which explores the connection between the Oklahoma City bomber and the rise of modern day far right extremism. “It’s easy for extremists to find each other. That plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan was hatched over Facebook chat.” “The federal government has not done enough to challenge the idea that all terrorists are Islamic radicals.” “McVeigh did act alone, but he was part of a larger political force in the US.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Homegrown/Jeffrey-Toobin/9781668013571 Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Alex Rees. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump took over the phrase fake news – but dodgy journalism was an issue long before him. Has the media always been misleading? And how do we tell the difference between bad and fake journalism? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Andie Tucher, author of Not Exactly Lying: Fake News and Fake Journalism in American History, to discover the 300-year-old roots of fake news and why some journalists can’t admit it when they mess up. “Journalists make mistakes all the time – the reporting on Iraq being a key example.” “Sin of omissions can be as consequential as active misinformation.”  “There are huge limits on journalists, who often don’t like saying that.” “Fake journalism is much more worrying than fake news.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Book Link: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/not-exactly-lying/9780231186353 Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Cameron entered 10 Downing Street 13 years ago. Since he and his right hand man George Osborne got their hands on power it's safe to say things haven’t been going well. Political journalist Steve Richards, of BBC and Rock & Roll Politics fame, joins Andrew Harrison in The Bunker to discuss this gruesome twosome and the pain caused by austerity and Brexit that they are both intrinsically linked to.  “Cameron’s left this horrible horrible mess that was wholly avoidable and we are still living with the consequences.”  “Cameron sold himself very effectively and it's a really interesting case study in how easy it is to mesmerise the media.”  “What has followed has been so chaotic – so it’s easy to forget that the seeds were sown in the Cameron era.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis . Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Antisocial behaviour is constantly put under the spotlight by politicians. But what really causes it? Nick Pettigrew, author of Anti-Social, talks to Ros Taylor about what pushes it, how politicians try to shift responsibility for them onto individuals – and why shaming punishments don’t work. “Young people are as likely to be victims of antisocial behaviour as they are the causes of it.” “The safety net is more important than enforcement, someone with an investment in where you live is less likely to offend.” “Cleaning off graffiti in orange jumpsuits only isolates offenders further — it’s the modern stocks.” “If you deal with entrenched poverty antisocial behaviour will disappear overnight.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producers and audio editors: Robin Leeburn and Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Police came out in force for the Coronation. Can the Met ride out accusations of heavy handedness? And the Tories are still reeling from their local elections trouncing, how worried should they be? Plus, there's news from the US, Ukraine and the Home Office’s handling of refugees from Sudan. Hannah Fearn joins Jacob Jarvis to map out the news for the week ahead.  “Labour most feared Penny Mordaunt, and the coronation proves she is one to watch.” – Hannah Fearn “Labour can’t rest on their laurels, council elections show general mood rather than voting intention.” – Hannah Fearn “The Bring Back Boris thing could have troubled Sunak for longer if not for the coronation shifting focus.” – Hannah Fearn www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Hannah Fearn. Produced by Kasia Tomasiewicz with Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

King Charles III has just been crowned. What kind of king has he become? How has he handled the rift with Harry, and the Andrew problem? And has he managed to control his quick temper? Former Guardian royal correspondent Stephen Bates tells Ros Taylor that predictions Charles would ‘meddle’ in politics have been wide of the mark. They talk about whether the royal family will shrink further in the coming years, and if its remaining working members are now content to be dutiful but unexciting. QUOTES ‘The one thing that kills off the institution is the loss of a sense of public spirit and duty. You can get away an awful lot with an awful lot if you’re conscientious, reliable and smile for the cameras. Catherine and William have discovered that.’ ‘The British monarchy has a different place in the constitution than the Scandinavian monarchies do, and that’s perhaps one reason why they’re slower to adapt.’ ‘I doubt very much Charles would use a biro. He’s more of a fountain pen man.’ www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer and audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many anticipated a subdued Victory Day – and that was before the Kremlin claimed Ukraine attempted to assassinate Vladimir Putin. With this leading to even more cities scaling back their festivities, Arthur Snell asks Professor Stefan Wolff what exactly does Russia have to celebrate in 2023?  “Putin is trying to link Ukraine to a larger narrative that Russia is always being on the right side of history.” “The drone incident may be a way to downscale the victory day events.” “This is a narrative you can feed to a population deprived of a balance feed of news”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Liam Tait. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of the most controversial and extreme figures in US politics. Why is she the way she is? She’s a GOP member of Congress for Georgia’s 14th District, a role steeped in responsibility. And someone really should tell MTG that. She often spouts unproven conspiracy theories; has called President Biden the real enemy of the state and most recently backed Tucker Carlson after he was given the boot by FOX. Jay Bookman is a columnist for the Georgia Recorder – and he thinks she’s an idiot. He told Jacob Jarvis why. “She’s, if arrogance went on a blind date with stupidity, Marjorie Taylor Greene would be the result of that pairing.” - Jay Bookman  “Speaker McCarthy has said that he would be with her no matter what happens and that's a boundary that she’s willing to test.” - Jay Bookman “There’s a long long string of amazingly irresponsible statements and rhetorics by Marjorie.” Jay Bookman “She’s looking for attention and she’ll say and do whatever it takes to get that attention.” Jay Bookman “I don’t think she has an agenda other than her own celebrity, her own power.” - Jay Bookman www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis Producer: Chris Jones. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alastair Campbell has a plan to fix the crisis in our politics. Andrew Harrison talks to one of politics’ most controversial figures about where our democracies are going wrong, the poison of populism, the long shadow of Iraq, why Boris Johnson was so dangerous, and his new book But What Can I Do? Why Politics Has Gone So Wrong And How Can You Help Fix It.  “In my lifetime, most politicians have genuinely been trying to wrestle with problems. Populists try to exploit those problems.”  “You can’t be a leader without some moral compass. Johnson was chaotic, he didn’t manage people, he didn’t really care. He is not a serious person.”  “I was aggressive at times and I wanted the media to understand that if they stepped over a line, I was going to call them out.” “There are some people that will never accept what I say is true.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast BOOK LINK: https://linktr.ee/alastaircampbellbook  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Simon Williams. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone predicted it would fall apart immediately, but it didn’t. Six months later, Twitter seems to be chugging along but how long can it last? Kasia Tomasiewicz speaks with head of digital at iNews, Luke Bailey, to discuss Elon’s grand plan for the bird app.  “Musk is asking people to pay to see poor quality tweets and have people yell at them.”  “He’s pulled everything apart to find out just why Twitter made the decision in the first place.” “The twitter files exposed that there was a left wing bias but they were trying really hard to keep the platform balanced.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Produced by Liam Tait. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GB News positions itself as a noble endeavour to widen the voices in Britain’s national debate. Which is fantastic in theory, but over the last two years the output of the channel has proved ungovernable. Alex Andreou sits down with broadcaster, and future national treasure, Dr. Matthew Sweet to ask the question, how do you control a news channel that’s like no other? “If you are part of the conspiracist culture - then you understand the coded language they use on GB News”  “If you go on GB news you’re endorsing them. I don’t want to sit with them and make them equals.” “Why doesn’t GB news have a science editor? Because nobody with the qualifications would do the job!” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Liam Tait. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Local elections (for local people) are coming up this week. What would mark a good night for Starmer? And what will a bad one mean for Sunak, amid the cost of living crisis and strikes? Plus, as the coronation brings the role of the royals into the spotlight, we get ready to pledge allegiance… And war in Sudan and Ukraine rumbles on – what is the latest from these conflicts? Gavin Esler joins Alex Andreou to explore the news to look out for. “We have got the talent in this country to do things – but we tend not to have that talent in Government.” – Gavin Esler  “Most of us take local elections for granted.” – Gavin Esler “Cost of living might have become greedflation: costs falling and companies profiteering.” – Alex Andreou  “It seems like in Britain we are living in the pageantry of the past.” – Gavin Esler www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou and Gavin Esler. Produced by Jacob Jarvis and Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ukraine War is reshaping the world. Arthur Snell writes the first draft of its history. In this excerpt from Ep.1 of our new series: How Russia’s febrile history, Putin’s paranoid resentment and Western complacency led to an historic crime against a peaceful nation, the largest European land action since the Second World War… and a conflict of unprecedented brutality. Doomsday Watch: The Ukraine War is out now. Hear it wherever you listen to podcasts. Get every edition a week early and ad-free when you support the show on Patreon. Photo by Paul Conroy. Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Doomsday Watch is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside. Don’t we? Places like Blackpool, Jaywick and Skegness are among the poorest areas of the UK. Yet other resorts are so desirable that property-owners can afford to keep them empty for most of the year and rake in the profit from renting them out in summer. Madeleine Bunting, author of The Seaside: England’s Love Affair, tells Ros Taylor about her odyssey around the English coast, the threat posed by sewage discharges, and the special affection she holds for Brighton — a town where anything can seem possible. “There are still huge reserves of affection for seaside towns.” “People flock to seaside towns because they think that is where they can start again.” “There’s a hedonism to the seaside. It has always been about indulging fantasy.’ “The Essex coastline is fascinating, and often gets overlooked.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Producer and audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour’s attack ads against Sunak put targeted political advertising back in the spotlight. But the Tories have done more than their fair share of online attack ads too – not least to win over the public to *cough* Brexit. Have they gone too far? And how do we moderate what goes online? Alex Andreou talks to Kyle Taylor, founder of Fair Vote UK and author of The Little Black Book of Data and Democracy. “When social media emerged we thought it would be this public town square. The reason it’s been so successful is because it’s the exact opposite.” - Kyle Taylor “The thing about political ads is you do want more people to vote for you, but you only want to tell each box what they want to hear.” - Kyle Taylor “Taking things for granted in the digital age is a fool's errand.” - Kyle Taylor. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a bit of a week over in the US. First, after Fox News paid out almost $1 billion to Dominion, Tucker Carlson left the network. After that Biden announced he’d be running for president again, albeit slowly. And then if that wasn’t enough, Carlson released a pretty profound statement about his departure on Twitter. Hoping to unpack it all is Julie Norman, co-director of UCL’s Centre on US Politics. She joined Jacob Jarvis in the Bunker. “Tucker Carlson has been controversial for a while but through all of that his viewings were super high, the highest in cable news.” “One person that would maybe challenge Trump would be Tucker Carlson.” “Biden knows he’s going to get hit from the right as a big spender.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis Producer: Chris Jones. Music and Audio production: Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s relationship with Europe is…difficult. But some leaders, like Emmanuel Macron, see China as a conduit for peace in Ukraine. But can Europe really trust China to negotiate with Russia? Philippe Le Corre, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, sat down with Alex Andreou to discuss just that.  “The current situation, which is close to a cold war you might say, will not bring China closer to the West.”  “Whenever you talk to Chinese officials they will tell you that China is growing; you better get used to it.”  “It’s unacceptable for China to say this is not our war, we have nothing to do with this.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Liam Tait and Chris Jones. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public trust in the Met Police is at a nadir – with a raft of scandals and crimes involving serving officers having shook faith in the force. What’s gone wrong and can it ever win back the confidence of those it is meant to serve? Ros Taylor spoke to Kathryn Farrow, a doctoral student at Oxford University, who has studied the way British police forces work, to find out. “Officers do need to have a certain amount of discretion but the flip side of that is there’s often a lack of accountability.” “Especially in frontline policing, it’s not rare for officers to be off with stress.”  “I'm not sure to what point they will be able to recover that trust, they will have to show that they’ve changed.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Chris Jones. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NHS reels from crisis to crisis, with a waiting list of seven million and chronic workforce shortages. Why is it so hard to change a service that clearly isn’t working? David Haslam, a former GP who has chaired NICE and the BMA and is the author of Side Effects, tells Ros Taylor that a focus on hospital treatment means that public health and end-of-life care are shamefully neglected.  “It’s almost as if we’ve designed the health service based on the interests of specialists.’ “If you stay with the same GP over many years you have fewer hospital admissions, reduced out of hours care and a lower rate of early death. If that was a drug, we’d have invested in it massively.” “I find it completely extraordinary that hospices are generally funded as charities. We’d be up in arms if our maternity units were only funded by charity shops.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer and audio editor: Jade Bailey. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Kremlin has convinced many of Russia’s young people that its invasion of Ukraine is just. In fact, about 62 percent of Russians between the ages of 18 and 24 have shown approval, according to the Levada Center. But how has Putin curated this young generation of fascists? Dr Ian Garner, author of Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia's Fascist Youth, speaks to Arthur Snell to dig into exactly that.  “What you’re going to find is that you have a generation of children that believe violence is normal.” “These are teenagers, like what you may know at home, who are just teeangers who want to fit in.”  “What the state does is punt out certain materials into the social media world and then just lets people run with them.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Producer: Chris Jones. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dominic Raab finally resigned (definitely all his own choice) – what does it mean next for Sunak’s clown car Government? In Labour, Diane Abbott has had the whip removed – will she stand as an independent? Plus we bring international news from Sudan and Ukraine. Jacob Jarvis is joined by Arthur Snell to give you the stories to look out for this week. “Johnson didn’t believe in any standards, whereas you could argue Sunak has a miniscule level.” “The Tories are quickly resembling a clown car.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Arthur Snell. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Memories of the Second World War are often oversimplified through the lens of politicians. A common thread missed is that of love and sexuality – particularly the experiences of queer men. Kasia Tomasiewicz is joined by Luke Turner, author of the book Men at War: Loving, Lusting, Fighting, Remembering 1939-1945, to discuss the sexual revolution that happened during that period.  “It’s true the British can’t stop going on about the war. But there is so much left to discover.”  “Outsiders often have an interesting perspective.”  “I’d gotten sick of judging the past by the standards of the present.” “We still are incredibly repressed about sex in Britain.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lobbying is a key way in which politicians and pieces of legislation are influenced in the United States. But who exactly are these mysterious figures trying to manipulate people in power? How do they work – and what do they want? Jacob Jarvis joined by Amy McKay, associate professor of political science at the University of Exeter, whose work focuses on the influence of outside interests on public policy. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented and produced by Jacob Jarvis. Music by Jade Bailey. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BONUS EPISODE KLAXON: Fox News paid out almost $1 billion dollars to Dominion – but despite that, did Murdoch dodge a bullet? Or is the financial blow, sparked by the networks voting machine misinformation, a catastrophe? Jacob Jarvis was joined by Dan Cassino, political scientist and author of Fox News and American Politics How One Channel Shapes American Politics and Society, to unpack what this payout means for Fox News.  “This really is an admission that they knew what they were doing was false but they thought that they had to or they’d lose their audience.”  “The question is are they going to change their behaviour over this – and I think the answer is absolutely not.” “It seems very unlikely that anyone will lose their jobs over this, the reason is Fox News isn’t acknowledging this at all.” “I’d say you could replace someone like Tucker Carlson with Gonzo the Muppet and still get the same audience.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis Producer: Chris Jones. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saudi Arabia is experiencing a once in a lifetime moment of transformation, funded by their control over the world's oil supply. The nation is taking risks on a global scale like never before – and the ‘maverick’ prince Mohammed bin Salman, stands at the forefront of this change of strategy. Arthur Snell sits down with Bradley Hope, co-author of Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman's Ruthless Quest for Global Power to try and understand the ruler of Saudi Arabia.  “He went from completely unknown with no power or authority to the ruler of Saudiu Arabia through some cavalier and cunning activity.” “Business people of the world who had a moral objection to MBS are now back in the country cap in hand asking for investment.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast BOOK LINK https://www.johnmurraypress.co.uk/titles/bradley-hope-2/blood-and-oil/9781529347890/ Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Liam Tait. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Net Zero Scrutiny Group shares ties with the likes of the late Nigel Lawson and his network of “climate deniers”. They like fracking and have tried to link the cost-of-living crisis to the government’s net zero goals. But exactly who are they? What do they stand for? And who funds them? Andrew Harrison is joined by Sam Alvis, head of economy at The Green Alliance, to unpack exactly that. “They are no longer denying that climate change is a thing, but what they are saying is that actually the cost of it is much more of an issue.” “Often with these groups, and particularly with the net zero group, it's easier to understand what they don't like; the one thing we know they do like is fracking.” “It’s murky, we don’t really know where the money comes from to support the Net Zero Scrutiny Group.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production, Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investment zones have been hailed by some politicians as the solution to our economic woes. But what are the risks of economic gated communities? By existing outside of the usual rules of the state, do they undermine democracy? Alex Andreou is joined by historian Quinn Slobodian, author of Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy, to unpack why these zones are increasingly appearing across the globe and why politicians like Kwasi Kwarteng are so keen to back them.  “London has come to see the presence of the super-wealthy as a sign of urban health.” “Thatcher’s biggest legacy wasn’t creating democratic free markets, but creating sites for wealth hoarding for non-democratic forms of capitalism.”  Book Link: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/316685/crack-up-capitalism-by-slobodian-quinn/9780241460245 https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Audio production by Alex Rees. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy Burnham has thrived after switching Westminster for Manchester as a mayor. And he has high hopes for the North harnessing its voice more in the future. The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester spoke with Andrew Harrison about boosting regions outside of London, and dealing with names and not numbers in his role.  “You look at things through different eyes. You can deal with names not numbers.”  “Before these mayors in regions, where did people complain? People at least have one person to complain to.”  “Having made all these promises to the north, they were very quickly in default mode.”  “If you go with the rules of Westminster, in the end people don’t know who you are.”  “We’re building the answer for more places to set their own course.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strikes are going to go on and on as the Government continues not to strike deals with unions. Will this situation ever be resolved? And further afield, fatal clashes continue to break out in Sudan – what’s unfolding? Hannah Fearn joins Ros Taylor to lay out the news for the week ahead.  “The way people feel about the strikes is not following the usual pattern at this point.” – Hannah Fearn “For anyone who hoped the strikes were going away, we are moving to a summer and autumn of discontent.” – Ros Taylor Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor with Hannah Fearn. Produced by Jacob Jarvis with Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Space – the final frontier, and the next political battleground? As nations compete for dominance and resources, Andrew Harrison is joined by Tim Marshall, author of The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space Will Change Our World, to discuss how this might go beyond the confines of earth. “I was going to say the world is our oyster, but the universe is.” “If one country controls low earth orbit… they would be the gatekeeper of who could go out into space and beyond.” “The space industry will be worth a trillion dollars before 2030.” Pre-order The Future Of Geography here. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producers: Kasia Tomasiewicz and Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Reserve has a huge sway over the US economy – and therefore the world’s. But as well as financial clout, it also has a massive political impact. How does it run – and how do its actions impact us all? Alex Andreou is joined by Larry Jacobs, co-author of Fed Power: How Finance Wins and professor at the University of Minnesota, to discuss for The Bunker USA.  “It’s serving the interests of finance and working separate from democratic accountability.”  “The key thing to remember is it is its own operation. It stands alone with its autonomy.”  “It is not beholden to Congress. It doesn’t rely on Congress for any appropriation. Its officials have tremendous latitude.”  “The magnitude of its intervention is quite remarkable.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou. Music by Jade Bailey. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When did we all start wanting to invest in stock and shares? And who were the winners and losers of the investment boom? Dr Amy Edwards, senior lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Bristol and author of Are We Rich Yet?: The Rise of Mass Investment Culture in Contemporary Britain, tells Ahir Shah about how our lives changed forever in the 1980s as investment became a way of life rather than something you do. “Investment culture didn’t begin with Thatcher, but it really took off in the 1980s.” “Our entire culture changed with privatisation.” “There was a huge explosion in investment cowboys.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520385467/are-we-rich-yet Presented and written by Ahir Shah. Audio production by Alex Rees. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The KGB is one of the most notorious intelligence agencies of all time. Though long defunct, how did this Soviet network warp the world we live in today? Seth Thévoz is joined by Mark Hollingsworth, author of Agents of Influence: How the KGB Subverted Western Democracies. “The myth of the KGB being brilliant intelligence gatherers is largely exaggerated.”  “There was a game between the KGB and MI5 over what was really happening.”  “It was about planting doubt, sowing seeds of doubt, to weaken the United States.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Seth Thévoz. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Birmingham plays a key role in the Tory imagination – something that might shock some of its 1.1 million inhabitants. So what is the relationship between the Conservatives and Britain’s Second City? Marie Le Conte is joined by Richard Vinen, professor of history at King’s College London and author of Second City: Birmingham and the Forging of Modern Britain, to unpack the myth and memory behind this Tory spiritual home.    “You don’t have to like it to recognise how important Birmingham is.”  “Birmingham grew the most under Tony Blair – it’s a very New Labour city.” “The Tories have far less of a relationship with Birmingham than they think.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keir Starmer is staying on the attack while Sunak faces more strike conundrums with junior doctors staging a mass walkout. Is the Government going to resolve these issues – or just try to distract? Plus, we discuss the latest from Ukraine, protests in Georgia and Xi’s posturing over Taiwan. Jacob Jarvis is joined by Alex Andreou to tee up the week ahead.  “If [the right] can character assassinate you online, why should you have to play nice?” – Alex Andreou “Junior doctors came out of the pandemic and the government said ‘sorry, applause is all you get’” – Alex Andreou  “I can’t see Steve Barclay being the person qualified to fix this” – Jacob Jarvis “Leaked documents of any kind tend to be glorified as the definitive position, and they are often not” - Alex Andreou  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Bank Holiday, enjoy a Bunker from the archives… We all want control over our lives. But as we make more decisions digitally, the impact of algorithms on our choices grows. They help to sort the information presented to us and limit the options we see – shaping the products we buy, films we watch and even the partners we end up with. Andrew Harrison discusses the future of such technology with Kartik Hosanagar, author of A Human's Guide to Machine Intelligence: How Algorithms Are Shaping Our Lives and How We Can Stay in Control.  “Many people believe that algorithms are just providing us information and we comb through that and make our own choices… research shows otherwise.” – Kartik Hosanagar “They are not just helping us make the decisions that we would have anyway made… they are also influencing the decisions themselves.” – Kartik Hosanagar “These algorithms could be making choices in more personal and more important aspects of our lives, and also they could be making them autonomously.” – Kartik Hosanagar “Let’s make sure that for high stakes decisions, they are made by human beings.” – Kartik Hosanagar “Individually, it’s hard for us to stop this algorithmic tsunami.” – Kartik Hosanagar Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Britain has hundreds of abandoned villages. How did they fall victim to history? And how are the communities that once called these places home remembered? With more than 4000 villages at risk of flooding over the coming decades, these question feels more pertinent than ever. Hannah Fearn is joined by historian Matthew Green, author of Shadowlands: A journey through lost Britain, to dig up the ruins of our gone but not (quite) forgotten lands.    Matthew’s book is out in paperback from Faber and can be bought here: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571338030-shadowlands/  “The black death led to over 3000 disappeared villages.”  “It’s hard not to see an uncanny foreshadowing of our destruction from climate change.” “When we remember and tell the stories of our lost lands we never lose them.” “The more you meditate on ruins, the less of a ruin you become yourself.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Audio production by Alex Rees. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manchester’s music scene is famous the world over – but did Joy Division, the Haçienda and Factory Records really lead to a real estate boom that transformed the city? Journalist and adopted Mancunian Andy Spinoza tells Andrew Harrison how Tony Wilson’s empire triggered a boom that transformed the city’s skyline and more – as charted in his book Manchester Unspun: Pop, Property And Power In The Original Modern City.  BOOK ORDER LINK: https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Andy-Spinoza/Manchester-Unspun--Pop-Property-and-Power-in-the-Original-Modern-City/27859796  “Those leaders in Manchester didn’t dismiss the music as just a bunch of kids larking around. They could see this was the way economies were changing.” “All cities should give space to the artists to create their authentic homegrown culture and that should be away from officialdom and away from corporate interests.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Chris Jones. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Sweden most people have a great deal of trust in the state, but in recent years vaccine scepticism has gained ground. Ethnographer Mia-Marie Hammarlin spent time in the Swedish countryside sharing saunas and kitchen tables with women who refused the COVID vaccine. She explains how a belief in the power of nature and spirituality, bolstered by conspiracy theories found online, has convinced some Swedes to refuse jabs. “There are high levels of social trust in Sweden.” “Trust in nature and spirituality became a central belief for vaccine rejection.” “Vaccine sceptics furiously reject the notion they lack solidarity.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Jade Bailey. Audio production: Tomas Rojas. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the autumn of 1984, the Provisional IRA almost wiped out the British Cabinet. Five people were killed in the Grand Hotel bombing. As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, The Guardian’s Ireland correspondent Rory Carroll joins Gavin Esler to revisit the event that – had it been successful – would have changed British politics forever, and the way it did change history.  Rory’s book Killing Thatcher: The IRA, the Manhunt and the Long War on the Crown can be bought here: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/killing-thatcher-the-ira-the-manhunt-and-the-long-war-on-the-crown-rory-carroll  “In Ireland, Thatcher was a figure as hated as Cromwell.” “No one in the IRA knew what the consequences of killing a British Prime Minister would be.”  https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Audio production by Alex Rees. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next to births and deaths, taxes are one of life's only certainties. But with a tax system made up of a bewildering mish-mash of rates and loopholes, who are the winners and losers? And how can the system be hacked? Siân Pattenden is joined by the top-secret Rebel Accountant, author of Taxtopia, to explore how the tax system is scamming us all.  “The poorest in society pay the most amount of tax – the whole system is rigged.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Group editor Andrew Harrison. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Book link: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/the-rebel-accountant/taxtopia/9781800960886/  Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know what political failure looks like in Britain. But why does it happen? Why do governments pass bad laws and ignore looming crises? Ben Ansell, author of Why Politics Fails, tells Ros Taylor why a small number of party members can impose leaders on the rest of us, how self-interest scuppers our decision making, and what happens to a mature democracy when politics stops working. Have we turned a corner since the disastrous Truss premiership? Or are we in for more of the same? “We have moved to an American-style election process.” “More democracy in political parties has led to the many centrists in society feeling misrepresented.” “The breakdown of unions and church membership means now it’s just us and political parties, mediated by Twitter.” BOOK LINK https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/444113/why-politics-fails-by-ansell-ben/9780241992760 Presented and written by Ros Taylor. Audio production by Alex Rees. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is to be arrested this week – what drama can we expect to unfold? Plus in the UK the Tories are looking at potholes, while Labour gets ‘tough on crime’ – are we completely out of new ideas? And as Suella Braverman continues to dream about Rwanda, why won’t she admit any flaws to her plans? Arthur Snell joins Jacob Jarvis to lay out what’s happening in the week ahead. • “Trump is using his indictment to raise more funds.” • “London-based consultants create silly caricatures like ‘Swindon Woman’, it’s embarrassing.” • “Antisocial behaviour happens because the social realm has collapsed.”   Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Arthur Snell. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cold War fears of nuclear disaster have been replaced for many by the horrific prospect of climate oblivion. How can our past fears prepare us for the possibility of future catastrophe? Jude Rogers meets Dr Matthew Grant, a senior lecturer in History at the University of Essex, to discuss what lessons can be learnt from our ‘Protect and Survive’ days and how the past is shaping our responses to extreme weather. “The main fear of nuclear apocalypse wasn't that you'd die, but that you’d survive.”  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jude Rogers. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Artwork: James Parrett. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump has been indicted and his arrest looms – what the hell is going on? Will this be his downfall or a boost to the former president? Brian Klaas, Washington Post columnist and associate professor at UCL, joins Alex Andreou to discuss what we know now, the fallout and how this all might play out.  “There’s a viewpoint that Trump has stoked that any sort of criminal investigation involving him is automatically a witchhunt.”  “The only question that matters to Republicans is, ‘Do you think this is a crime?’” “I expect more indictments will arrive – because people had put the breaks on them, due to the perception of political motivation.”  “If this came out a few days before the 2016 election, I think Trump would have lost.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou. Music by Jade Bailey. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denmark is one of the least corrupt countries in the world. Gert Tinggard Svendsen of Aarhus University explains how Danes routinely hold each other to account for their actions so that political corruption is not tolerated. Wrongdoers find themselves outcast from Danish society, which acts as a powerful incentive to do the right thing. With Ros Taylor. “If you lie in Denmark, your reputation will be severely damaged. There’s no way back. You really have to do something extraordinary to compensate.” “There’s a saying, if two Danes meet they shake hands, if three Danes meet they form an association.” “The reason why many countries are poor is because they’re corrupt.” Gert Tinggard Svendsen is the author of Trust (Aarhus University). https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did Henry Dimbleby really quit his role as the Government’s food policy advisor “in disgust”? Why have its attempts to create a healthier nation through our diet proved such a failure? And what should they be doing instead? Ros Taylor talks to the founder of LEON and the author of Ravenous: How To Get Ourselves And Our Planet Into Shape about the salad shortage, changing Britain’s food culture, the dark side of Bake Off… and why we still depend on celebrity intervention to get kids eating decent school dinners.  “Politicians are out of step with the public. They really are sick of their kids being bombarded with ads for junk food.” “The term ‘Nanny State’ was coined by politicians who actually grew up with nannies…” “OK, telling people to eat turnips is funny in a downbeat Blackadder sense… but we really should be growing more vegetables in this country.” “Giving up meat can seem a bit worthy. We’re trying to create a positive ad campaign around eating less meat.” Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GB News launched with much fanfare two years ago and was swiftly mocked for the seeming ineptitude of its entire team. But, it’s still going – and getting more popular. And the questionable output is cranking up to be more extreme too… Should we be taking it more seriously? Jacob Jarvis asks William Turvill, associate editor of Press Gazette and media correspondent for New Statesman.  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brexit is done — insofar as it ever will be. But the Brexit we got was not the one most Britons wanted. Years of bad-tempered Parliamentary battling only came to an end when Boris Johnson purged his MPs and stopped the Commons from sitting, then called a general election. Ros Taylor is joined by Meg Russell and Lisa James, authors of The Parliamentary Battle over Brexit, to talk about the damage done, the legacy of those years — and whether we should ever have a referendum again.  “These terms of hard Brexit and soft Brexit only really come around after the referendum.” – Lisa James  “So much of the story of Brexit is what’s going on with the Conservative Party over these years.” – Lisa James  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mass protests in Israel as secular members of society fear a theocratic takeover from the religious right. Will Netanyahu be forced to halt his controversial judicial reforms? Plus, the focus of violent protests in France moves from Macron’s pensions reform to the President himself. Plus, what will be on the new SNP leader’s to-fix list? And Kwasi Kwarteng and Matt Hancock get caught out touting their Westminster influence at £10,000 a day. Hannah Fearn gives Andrew Harrison the stories to look out for this week. “In unprecedented scenes, Israelis are considering leaving the Jewish state.” “Macron beware – the strikes in France have been brewing long before the pandemic.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Andrew Harrison with Hannah Fearn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we support soldiers traumatised by war? And is the public too sheltered from the reality of life during and after conflict? As the 20th anniversary of Iraq reignites questions over the experience of war and care for service personnel, Arthur Snell is joined by Louise Jones, an ex-Army Officer who served in Afghanistan and an active Labour Party member, to discuss how war changes a person. “We have treated the Afghans we served with appallingly.”  “As a country, we have let down those who have protected us.” “Veterans and active soldiers are massively under-resourced, there is a crisis in mental health.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and Presented by Arthur Snell. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican Party was once hawkish in its stance towards Russia – but now some within its ranks seem sympathetic towards Putin and his regime. What’s changed? And why is there a split? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Jackie Calmes, columnist for the Los Angeles Times, to discuss.  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suella Braverman’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda has been described as inhuman. But what is the country actually like? And what does the nation’s Government get out of the deal? Award winning journalist Anjan Sundaram joins Arthur Snell on a deep-dive into a country few of us know, but is rarely out of headlines. Anjan describes life after the genocide, the Western blind-spot to present human rights abuses and the political coercion at the heart of the present regime.  Anjan wrote about the persecution of journalists in Rwanda in his book ‘Bad News: Last Journalists in a Dictatorship’. His forthcoming book Breakup on the war in the Central African Republic will be published in May.  “Rwanda is a surveillance state of the highest degree.” “Kagame has ruled over Rwanda for 30 years, and he has positioned himself as a global postcolonial leader.” “Partnering with the UK paints Rwanda as a safe haven instead of the dictatorship it is.”  “During the genocide, the West did very little to intervene and Kagame has used that for his own political agenda.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The UK is “muddling towards extinction”, says the Irish thinker and journalist Fintan O’Toole. Neglected by a Westminster political class that’s preoccupied by Brexit, the things that once held it together are disappearing. He tells Ros Taylor how England is embracing a nationalism it can’t articulate, why the SNP has failed to get what it wants, and why the UK is not the natural union that its supporters believe it to be. “The UK was not a natural occurrence.” “Englishness knows what it is not, but not what it is.” “With Brexit, this is always where it was going to end up — and no one in Britain cared.” “The English reluctantly accepted Scots, but only through an unequal relationship.” Fintan O’Toole’s latest book is We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland since 1958. https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NATO’s power has been thrown into sharp focus amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. How does it operate – and what has it got right and wrong of late? Alex Andreou is joined by Mark Webber, a professor of international politics at the University of Birmingham who is co-authoring the book What’s Wrong with NATO and How to Fix It, to discuss the military alliance. “Whenever NATO acts it is acting as the aggregate of its members, that is its great strength.” “What NATO has done very well is it has strengthened its own defences.”  “NATO enlargement is not a project that was anti-Russian, but where things failed is that project was not successful in bringing in Russia as a partner.”  “The US is still the dominant power in Europe after the Cold War.” “There is moral clarity around the current support for Ukraine – but that longer thought is important.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: … Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Iraq War began 20 years ago – what lessons have been, and what must still be, learned from this invasion? Arthur Snell, the host of Doomsday Watch who served as a diplomat in Iraq, joins Alex Andreou to discuss the mistakes that were made, the human and cultural costs of the conflict, and the arguments surrounding a conflict which fundamentally reshaped global politics. “There was a lot of groupthink and clustering around a set of predetermined conclusions.”  “The human losses, the cultural losses, the rise of Isis, there are so many long term effects of this war – to keep saying it was worth it to get rid of Saddam, you have to ask ‘What level of loss overwrites that argument?’” “There is a fundamental loss in confidence… people lost confidence that the Government was telling the truth.”  “This intelligence should have never gotten that far… the people best placed to examine this were not shown it.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Both Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are in hot water – how will each try to wriggle their way out of trouble? The former PM faces the privileges committee for a grilling, while the ex-President has said he could be arrested this week. It’s also the twenty year anniversary of the second Iraq war, while bank Credit Suisse has been bought by UBS, and the ICC has issued an arrest warrant against Putin. Alex Andreou is joined by Gavin Esler to give you the stories to look out for this week. “We’re not talking about one lapse of judgement from Boris Johnson, we’re talking about a pattern.”  “I mean this as a compliment, Sunak and Biden are quite boring – and that gives me optimism I don’t usually have.”  “With Trump and Johnson, politics was like a transatlantic reality TV show. Hopefully it is over now.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou with Gavin Esler. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people consider themselves reasonable. But are they? And what rules is that notion defined by? Siân Pattenden is joined by Kirsty Sedgman, author of On Being Unreasonable, to discuss what the response to breastfeeding in public, noisy theatre audiences, neighbourhood watch indiscretions and Edward Coulston show about society today – and whether our collective rules might be wrong.  ““Being ‘reasonable’ has usually meant being a man.” “The NextDoor app shows us the dangers of thinking you are reasonable – when really you aren’t.” “We need to take acting ‘reasonably’ seriously because it involves policing and power.” “Who are the rules of ‘being unreasonable’ harming?” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and Presented by Siân Pattenden. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Republicans play chicken with the debt ceiling, could America suffer a Liz Truss-esque financial meltdown? Alex Andreou speaks to Neil Malhotra, a professor of political economy at Stanford Graduate School of Business, to discuss this financial showdown being played out by Congress.  “Republicans see it as part of a game – this is an opportunity to extract concessions.”  “It’s like Liz Truss’ financial plans, it’s hard to know what might happen.”  “As you found in the UK – what happens first is that the markets anticipate everything.”  “If you’re willing to let the country go down, you’re in a much stronger negotiating position than if you’re not. Republicans are in a stronger position because they’re viewed as though they’d tank the whole thing.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou. Music and Audio Production by Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tax breaks for the 1%, business giveaways that won’t make a difference, free child care that turns out to be a fraction of what’s needed, and nothing for public services. Does Jeremy Hunt’s Budget make sense? Is he loading the pain onto the next government because he knows it won’t be Conservative one? And can he put the post-Truss tax-cutting headbangers back in their box? New Economics Foundation chief exec and Bunker regular Miatta Fahnbulleh takes the Budget apart for Andrew Harrison.  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The unexpected “accidental” deaths of prominent Russians have become a dark joke in the West. But the truth about ‘Sudden Russian Death’ syndrome is even darker. Bill Browder campaigned for the Magnitsky Acts against Russian corruption and wrote Freezing Order: A True Story of Russian Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath. He tells Andrew Harrison about the chaos within wartime Russia; what turned Putin from a reformer into a despot; and why Ukraine must win this war.  You can get Bill's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Freezing-Order-Laundering-Surviving-Vladimir-ebook/dp/B09RKQFJXZ “As the Russian economy grinds to a halt, anyone with assets is caught in the crossfire.” “In Russia, when money is scarce it is more important than human life.” “Oligarchs are not independently rich. They are dependent on Putin’s favour. He can take everything away in a second.” “Either Ukraine wins or Russia wins. And if Russia wins they won’t stop at Ukraine.” Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tomas Rojas. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war in Syria began twelve years ago today. But who are the key players in this complex conflict? And how have changes of leadership in neighbouring countries and the recent earthquake changed how the war is being fought? Alex Andreou is joined by Christopher Phillips, professor of international politics at the Queen Mary University of London and author of The Battle for Syria: International Rivalry in the New Middle East, to discuss the current status of the conflict. “Things have settled into a familiar if miserable pattern.”  “Iran and Russia propped up Assad through money and foreign mercenaries.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and Presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are going through a polycrisis – with multiple catastrophes playing out at once. But despite fuel costs, war and climate change – many remain optimistic. Is this a sign of delusion or pragmatism? Hannah Fearn is joined by Ben Page, CEO of market research leaders Ipsos, to unpack the psychological impact of our current crises, and why some look on the brighter side. “Lots of inequalities have been exposed by the pandemic – you can’t move for crisis.” “People have a tendency towards optimism bias.” “If you’re a Western European, your mid-40s seem like the worst years of your life.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the illegal migration bill set for its second reading – how will Braverman and Sunak feel now it faces some serious scrutiny? And with the BBC in crisis over the Gary Lineker debacle, will anyone take the fall? Plus it’s budget week – we discuss why Hunt might be happy for this to be a dull announcement… Arthur Snell joins Jacob Jarvis to outline the stories to look out for this week. “The question now isn’t if Lineker broke the rules, but why the BBC can’t handle the decisions it makes.” “You can tell that Boris Johnson is seething with jealousy that Sunak gets to talk about submarines with Biden.” Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Arthur Snell. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Good samaritans or narcissistic egotists: what is behind the rise in YouTube philanthropy? Ros Taylor is joined by Rhodri Davies, the founder and director of ‘Why Philanthropy Matters’, to discover why influencers like MrBeast are turning to charitable causes – and how their realm of influence could expand. “YouTube philanthropy videos generate unimaginable amounts of money.”  “Many YouTube stars have maintained their fandom through charity videos.” “We are witnessing a transformation in how philanthropists raise money.” “There is a fine line between cynicism and celebration.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump twisted the GOP beyond recognition during his time as president. What did it stand for before this aberration – and could it ever revert to a sane, sensible and serious party again? Jacob Jarvis discusses with Julie Norman, co-director of UCL’s Centre on US Politics. “Many in the party recognise the GOP doesn’t have a strong message – so they are trying to limit the role of the state.”  “Trump’s voters are very concerned about election integrity, fears he manipulated expertly.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 17th Century the English slaughtered one another, beheaded their king, fought bitterly over religion and politics, and acquired a taste for coffee and newspapers. Jonathan Healey, Associate Professor of Social History at the University of Oxford, tells Andrew Harrison how their world turned upside down shapes our own in his new book THE BLAZING WORLD: A New History of Revolutionary England. Includes Cromwell, cross-dressing, regicide, seditious libel, the New Model Army (not that one), the Levellers (not those), the ‘Blazing World’ itself (perhaps the first science fiction novel) and the Roundhead-Cavalier rivalry explained in terms of Half Man Half Biscuit…  • “During a ‘skimmington’ you could break all the rules and slag off politicians… you could turn the world upside down.” • “Catholics would hold cross dressing weddings to mock Protestants.” • “Punk takes its name from the 17th century slang for prostitute.” • “The tale of Guy Fawkes has lost all its violence.” Thif podcaft hath been written and uttered by Mafter Andrew Harrifon. Miftress Kafia Tomafiewicz did finely produce it and My Lord Jacob Jarvif was ye Lead Producer. Miftress Jade Bailiy did edit ye sounds within and divers idolatrous musicks were supplied by Mafter Kenny Dickinfon of far Manchester. “Lucifer over Lancashire!” We warrant that YE BUNKER is withal a Podmafterf Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mhairi Black joins The Bunker to discuss the future of Scottish independence, her party’s ne leader and the quirks of Westminster. Following Sturgeon standing down as SNP leader and Scotland’s first leader, she joins Marie Le Conte to speak about what will come next – and what might happen under her successor, whoever that may be.  “If you’re in a democracy and you can’t get a reply from a minister, then your democracy’s not very good.”  “I still think Sturgeon is head and shoulders above pretty much any politician in the UK. She understands normal people’s lives, even though she hasn’t been living one.”  “I have no doubt Scotland will be independent, it’s not a matter of if but when it happens. The case speaks for itself.”  “Westminster is failing us… internationally, there are plenty of examples of what Scotland could be like.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Marie Le Conte. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the ERG to the CGG, the different factions within the Conservatives build up a picture of the divisions within the party. But what do all of the different groups stand for, and why don’t we seem to see the same splintering within Labour? Professor Tim Bale, author of The Conservative Party After Brexit, joins Marie le Conte to find out.  “Tendencies mean that the party is more easily managed, factions make it much harder to manage, and they make governing much harder as well.” “There’s a lot of groups that got going under Thatcher, mostly to protect her legacy.  “I think if you're a leader a faction can be a real springboard for you into the leadership but you can also become a prisoner to that faction.” “There’s a degree to which belonging to a faction can give you some legitimacy when you’re speaking, it can amplify your voice.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer:Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour’s shock General Election loss in 1992 still haunts the party – and nobody wants to tempt fate by mentioning 1997’s landslide victory either. Will the next Election be a ’92, a ’97 or something else entirely? Steve Richards of the Rock & Roll Politics podcast explains what lay behind Neil Kinnock’s defeat and the trauma it inflicted on Labour; how it created the control freakery of the New Labour era; and what it all means for Keir Starmer.  Listen to Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards on all platforms: https://kite.link/RNRP  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sunak tries to dish out some hard right catnip on small boats – but then here’s Johnson offering his rancid father a knighthood. Can’t Rishi catch a break? Also, is the Hancock/Oakeshott WhatsApp epic really persuading Britain that lockdown was a disaster? Or just reminding them of how awful the Cabinet are? Plus Sue Gray, strikes latest, Raab in firing line and more. Hannah Fearn sets out the week ahead with Andrew Harrison.  “Boris nominating his father for a knighthood shows he’s the ultimate reverse nepo baby.” “From cronyism in Westminster to small boats in the channel, we are a joke on the world stage.” “You have to be honest in politics or you end up with insane conspiracy theories.” Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Hannah Fearn. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lambasted by the Tory press for calling Boris Johnson a “known liar” at the Edinburgh TV festival when she was head of news at Channel 4, Dorothy Byrne is now President of Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. She talks to Ros Taylor about the pressures facing young female students, the future of C4, why we’re not treating violent porn seriously enough, and how ITV and Sky breached key broadcasting standards during the search for Nicola Bulley.  “The ones who tell you ‘people don’t trust TV news any more’ are the ones who don’t WANT you to trust it.” “The level of anxiety, stress and depression among young women is frightening – and it’s going up and up and up.” “Young people know that social media news often isn’t true.” “Sky and ITV’s treatment of the Nicola Bulley case was a breach of trust to the viewers and to her family.” Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida could well be America’s future. Governor Ron Desantis presides over an increasingly right-wing and combative “loudocracy” and he thinks he can become President by out-Trumping Trump. So why is the Sunshine State so notoriously bizarre? FLORIDA MAN Craig Pittman, author of The State You’re In: Florida Men, Florida Women, and Other Wildlife, tells Andrew Harrison about Matt Gaetz, socialised mermaids, and why Florida produces more madness than it can consume.  “You put that many people in a confined space and they’re bound to start ramming each other’s cars and chasing each other with machetes.” “For Floridans, being free doesn’t mean I can do what I want. It means YOU have to do what I want.”  “We have a huge cost of living yet our leadership would rather talk about drag shows and Disneyworld.”  “We have more shark bites than anywhere in the world except Australia – I think because we’re so tasty.”  Get Craig's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Youre-Florida-Women-Wildlife/dp/081306886X  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Music and audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Germany seems to have had a blind spot over Russia – why is that? And how has their relationship changed following the war in Ukraine? Alex Andreou is joined by John Lough, author of Germany’s Russia Problem, to unpack when their relationship changed, what it means for Europe, and why the Berlin Wall still casts a long shadow over German politics. “Russia changed direction in 2005 but Germany didn’t take note.” “Despite knowing a lot about Russia, Germany has been very naive.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz.Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stella Creasy, who feels like a Labour grandee these days, talks to Ros Taylor about Brexit, Tory negligence and removing barriers to get more mothers into politics. Creasy discusses the work she’s done from opposition, and talks tentatively about a future where Labour might be in Government… “Women have always wanted to be involved in politics, but it’s about the environment we create for them.” “We’ve really struggled as a country because of austerity… imagine how much stronger we could have been.” “I know how much is at stake. I think the British people want to hear the case for the alternative.”  “Isolating Britain from the world makes us smaller, not taller.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer and audio editor: Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a generational divide between who votes Conservative and who votes Labour – and it’s a problem for both parties. It used to be thought that as people got older, they naturally became more conservative – but that pattern has broken. Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London joins Marie Le Conte to delve into why. “Denigrating young people is an absolute constant throughout human history – we always think the current generation of young people are absolutely awful… all the way back to Socrates.” “There doesn’t seem to be a solution to intergenerational connection without a solution to housing because it’s so at the heart of life chances, wealth generational, feeling of independence.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood has shaped how we see spies – but who are these people who secretly walk among us? How hard is it to become one? Siân Pattenden unpacks the world of espionage, and discusses why the next James Bond will be a woman with Ava Glass, author of the new spy novel The Chase, who previously worked alongside spies in the civil service.  “The highest level of security clearance takes a whole year to pass.” “Spies rarely wear tuxedos and drink martinis.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rishi Sunak is meeting Ursula von der Leyen to seal a new deal to get Brexit done again, again. Will the agreement get sealed? And what fallout will any such settlement spark? Plus, we return to the strikes and discuss the SNP leadership latest. Ros Taylor joins Alex Andreou to discuss the week ahead. “It all depends on whether the DUP think they can get anything more out of it or not.” – Alex Andreou  “There’s nothing Johnson would like more than return as Prime Minister… but my sense is that the energy is moving away from him.” – Ros Taylor  “People just want Brexit to go away.” – Ros Taylor  “The reaction to Kate Forbes shows that in Westminster we don’t know Scotland as well as we think we do.” – Ros Taylor  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou with Ros Taylor. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As NHS waiting lists get longer, more people are turning to private healthcare. Is this skipping the queue accelerating a decline to a two-tier system, or will the demand for more encourage policymakers to fund the NHS properly to raise the standards? Efua Poku-Amanfo from the Institute for Public Policy Research joins Hannah Fearn in the Bunker to find out.  “Young people 18-25 specifically… were less likely to have confidence in the NHS “There will be groups in our society who have options, whilst not ideal… the concern is for those who get left behind “For older people there’d often be a nostalgia to having a family doctor… young people are less likely to have that kind of nostalgia for the NHS.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The USA is built on ‘the American dream’. But what exactly is it? Does it actually exist? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Jim Cullen, author of The American Dream: A short history of an idea that shaped a nation, to ask where the idea came from and why it still has such a strong hold over American life. “The English pilgrims are central to the creation of the American Dream.”  “At the heart of the American Dream is that pure belief that society can be better.”  “The American Dream is the soft power of possibility.”  “Two streams run through American history, the puritanical idea of a new way and the money-making dream.” Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zelensky’s story of a comedian turned President of Ukraine and now war leader is stranger than fiction. So who is the man we have cheered on as he stands up to the Russian invasion? Siân Pattenden is joined by journalist Steven Derix, co-author of the new biography Zelensky, to take a peek behind the curtain of a life lived in the media spotlight, before being thrown into violent conflict.  “Ukraine is one of the countries least known to the public.” “He’s a boss everywhere he goes.” “His parents wanted him to be a diplomat, which is ironic given where he has ended up.” “He wanted to be the President of Peace.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been one year since the full scale invasion of Ukraine began. From fanning the spirit of freedom, to how internally displaced people are coping, through to what Ukraine needs now from its friends and allies across the West – Olga Tokariuk, freelance journalist and fellow at the Reuters Institute for Journalism, joins Alex Andreou to reflect on the last 12 months.  “I could see the spirit of freedom and the spirit of commitment to democracy and human rights… that gave me confidence that Ukrainians would not just give up on those.” “For the moment Ukraine doesn’t have enough means to launch further counter offensives.” “Those people who have decided to stay in Ukraine, we’re supporting the economy, we’re buying things, we’re paying taxes.” “Seeing President Biden paying respect to Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian protestors… had a very profound symbolic importance.” www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Jet Gerbertson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis.  THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Britain is all but in recession. We’re far less productive than other European countries, and take the industries that do well for granted. Trussonomics was one idea to boost growth — and we all know how that turned out. But if cutting taxes isn’t the solution to our problems, what is? Greg Thwaites from the Resolution Foundation joins Ros Taylor in the Bunker to find out.  “Most of the growth that we've had in the economy hasn’t come from people being more productive, it’s from people doing more work.” “What the average UK worker can produce in an hour, it takes the average French or German or US worker ten minutes less to produce.” “You can liken the UK to a passenger jet that’s flying on one engine: it’s not safe.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer:Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group editor: Andrew Harrison.THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Financial Crisis, many expected a new approach to the economy to be taken. Instead, lessons were forgotten quickly and countries continued to rack up debt whilst subscribing to the old order of things. Martin Wolf, author of The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism joins Alex Andreou to discuss whether we’re destined to repeat the past.  “After communism failed, the western leaders… came to feel that our systems had won, they were overwhelmingly successful.” “The working class which had been atomised… this story of resentment and anger against elites and immigrants is a very powerful story.” “What economics is wrong about is the assumption that a reasonably competitive economy can be sustained without consistent and active engagement.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sunak is trying yet again to establish his leadership – but will he ever be rid of Boris Johnson? With a Northern Ireland deal touted, we outline the looming showdowns. Plus, amid right wing protests over immigration – will the Government do anything but stoke them? And internationally, Turkey and Syria are still suffering the effects of the earthquake, while it’s coming up to a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to outline the week ahead. “Politics feels very 2018 right now.” “The majority of Tory MPs now are addicted to chaos, they know nothing else.” “Entire regions are being pulled down, and cities abandoned en masse.”  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A good apology can make or break a politician. So why are so many public figures so bad at saying sorry? Jacob Jarvis unearths the fine art of apologising with ‘sorry watchers’ Susan McCarthy and Marjorie Ingall, co-authors of Sorry, sorry, sorry: the case for good apologies. “We rarely teach children why they should apologise, we just tell them they should.” – Marjorie Ingall “Apologising is hard, and so it’s instinctive to protect ourselves because we don’t want to mess up.” – Susan McCarthy Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nikki Haley has come forward as Trump’s first major challenger for the GOP nomination in 2024. Who is she – and why does she want to challenge him? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Danielle Vinson, professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University, South Carolina, to discuss. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Giorgia Meloni was elected PM of Italy, many considered her the spiritual heir to Mussolini. Grappling with the energy crisis, she’s toned down much of her rhetoric - but is she just biding her time? John Hooper, author of The Italians, joins Ros Taylor to look at what we know about this enigmatic leader.  “Does she still hanker after neo-fascism? She denies that absolutely… but it’s still an unresolved question.” “She's anything but consistent, but she’s managed to convince people that she’s somebody who sticks to her principles.”  “She’s been pushed into a second class in the EU whilst people figure out if she’s really become the conservative that she claims to be.” www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Jet Gerbertson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Stu Hennigan took up a job as a council food parcel delivery driver during lockdown, he realised he had a “front row seat to the end of the world”. Every day he kept a diary as he witnessed families struggling with isolation, poverty, and the worst impacts of austerity. He joins Hannah Fearn to talk about his book Ghost Signs. “This is literally like front row seats to the end of the world.” “There was a little girl one day who started dancing when she saw all of the food. You’d have thought I was Father Christmas when I showed up at her house.” “To me the book is about austerity as much as it’s about the pandemic. The pandemic is just the framing story.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor Andrew Harrison.  THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rishi Sunak believes everyone should learn maths until the age of 18, but not everyone agrees. Tim Oates, director of research at Cambridge University Assessment, talks to Ros Taylor about why some of us find maths so hard, why girls still underestimate their ability, and how good teaching makes a difference.  “Some research says that we should see maths as a language, a foreign language. If you come to that learning late it becomes harder. “In the economy we have a gross shortage of technician level applicants which are vital for the future of our society. I’m afraid a lot of those [jobs] are numerate and require mathematics and science. [Rishi Sunak] is on to something.”  “I think we need to be honest about maths and say it is tough to learn another language, but it’s worth doing - in terms of financial management… how to unlock occupations by showing to employers that you’re capable.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor Andrew Harrison.  THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Activists have demanded the return of contentious museum objects for decades – why are museums now starting to listen? Arthur Snell is joined by Dan Hicks, professor of contemporary archaeology and author of The Brutish Museums: The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution, to bring some much needed clarity to a debate beset by culture war clashes.  “Museums are moving with the time, but some on the hard right are weaponising the debate.” “In the 19th century, museums were put to work towards cultural supremacy – we now recognise this as wrong, so we have to move forward.” “You wouldn’t tell a biologist the latest developments in their field.” “There is so much ‘whataboutism’ in this debate – and time's up.” For 20% off the book add the code BUNKER20 here: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341767/the-brutish-museums/  Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your guide to news in the week ahead. Does Gove’s country house meeting indicate that the Brexit edifice is cracking? Civil service spending on government “credit cards” explodes by 70%. The Turkish earthquake exposes colossal corruption and corner-cutting in the country’s construction industry. Will Erdoğan finally pay a price? And in Ukraine, things take a turn for the worse in Bakhmut. Arthur Snell sets out the week ahead with Jacob Jarvis.  “Apparently one civil spent £2,500 on home brew equipment disguised as ‘I.T.’”  “Whether a sensible Brexit workaround survives first contact with David Frost or the ERG remains to be seen.” “Are these giant objects Chinese balloons or alien invasion? We just don’t know yet.” Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New series preview: How much do we really know about the people who make the headlines? In a provocative new series the acclaimed journalist Michael Crick, formerly of BBC, C4 and Newsnight, delves into the backgrounds of the powerful and the influential. In this first episode: Few newspaper editors wield as much power as the Daily Mail’s Paul Dacre. Feared and courted by politicians, he’s imposed his singular vision of Britain on successive governments – while sometimes stretching the law in pursuit of justice. But what makes Dacre tick? What does he want? And how might this epic career end? Like this excerpt? Hear the complete episode on all platforms right now here. And subscribe for new episodes every Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Extra Edition: What can a bloody, violent, horribly funny comic book cop tell us about policing in the real world? 2000AD comic’s Judge Dredd began in 1977 as a brutal satire on law and order for delinquent kids – and then Dredd’s world of militarised police started to come true. Is Dredd a warning of the future or a manual for how to oppress a society? Lifelong Dredd fan Andrew Harrison talks to Michael Molcher, author of I Am The Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future, about Hayek, Voltaire, the Apocalypse War, policing by consent, Crime Blitzes, Stuart Hall, and Judge Death as a model for policing. (Yes, this episode’s not for everyone. But what’s the point of having a podcast company if you can’t talk about what you love, eh?) Image by Mike McMahon. “Dredd’s a Rorschach test. You can tell a lot about someone if they’re saying ‘yes, we need Dredd on our streets’.” “Dredd arrived at the time of Dirty Harry and The Sweeney, a time of copaganda… He’s an incredible predictive warning of the law and order endgame.” “The Judges are the culmination of a police state… The administer everything from welfare to warfare.” “The steamroller of law and order is reaching its destination… The last of those pesky rights are being eroded.” Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. “Hic! It’s Jedge Drudd!” THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Palace of Westminster is crumbling. There are risks of fires, floods and the walls are stacked with asbestos. Will Parliament ever get fixed? And will it take someone being hurt for movement to happen? Marie Le Conte is joined by Dr. Alexandra Meakin, a lecturer at the University of Leeds whose PhD thesis was titled Understanding the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster, to discuss the issues.  “Fire is a big risk, a huge one you can’t ignore.” “Behind the ornate beauty of the building, it’s in a bad state.”  “MPs believe there must be a cheaper or quicker way to do the work, and that’s why they keep asking for reviews.”  “Catastrophe really has only not happened out of luck so far.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Marie Le Conte. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union this week and focused on wanting to “finish the job”. Can he achieve his goals despite a split Congress? Julie Norman, co-director of UCL’s Centre on US Politics, joins Alex Andreou to discuss the US president’s standing, hopes and the limits to his power in the second half of his first term – and whether he’ll run for a second…  “Biden knows the political reality and he knows what’s going to win over independents as he looks to 2024.”  “Joe Biden seemed comfortable with the back and forth and he made Republicans look rather silly, if nothing else.”  “We can see the State of the Union as a mini launching and a set piece for what a Biden campaign would look like.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou. Music and audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Artwork: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During China’s Cultural Revolution, pupils murdered their teachers, children betrayed their parents and society was torn apart in the name of progress. Decades on, it inspires both horror and nostalgia — but is rarely mentioned in public. Tania Branigan, author of Red Memory, tells Ros Taylor how China’s citizens deal with the Revolution’s violent legacy – and what it can teach us about China today.  “There was a kind of idealism there, the inevitable joy and excitement that young people would feel in an upheaval of that kind”.  “Many people in China regard the Cultural Revolution with a certain nostalgia, a time when people were somehow purer and there was more meaning.” “I certainly don’t know how I would have behaved if I lived through that era, and I don’t think many of us can.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor Andrew Harrison.  THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we overcome opportunist strongmen leaders, who grab power while nations are in turmoil? As countries battle stagnant growth, high inflation and inept governments, we’ve seen a rise in autocracies. Charles Dunst, author of Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman joins Andrew Harrison to ask what the allure of these dictators is and why they are thriving in uncertain times.  “The majority of autocracies don’t work, but in the richest ones there is no yearning for democracy.”  “If you’re a developing country, the road to riches often leads to the Singapore model.”  “Meritocracy has become a dirty word.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is a deal over the Northern Ireland protocol really imminent? Due to Northern Ireland’s land border with the Republic, there were always going to need to be unique arrangements post-Brexit. A resolution of some kind is being touted, but what might this look like? Amanda Ferguson, a Belfast-based freelance journalist and commentator, joins Ros Taylor to discuss. “I think Boris Johnson knew exactly what he was doing, he just wanted to get Brexit done.” “It should be pointed out that everybody acknowledges there are issues with the protocol.” “We could be in a scenario where the EU and the UK have a deal, but then it’s not backed by the DUP – and then we’re back to square one.”  “There has to be something that satisfies everybody, it can’t be just a one way street.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine nuclear missiles are flying towards the UK and you’re in charge of our response. What do you do? It’s unlikely you’ll have to make this tough a decision – but we all face pressure and choices. How do our brains behave under tension? Moran Cerf, a neuroscientist at the Kellogg School of Management, talks to Ros Taylor about the psychological pitfalls in human decision-making. “Our brains are still the brains of humans who lived in a savanna with about 200 people around them.”  “We just face too many decisions… you have too many options and too many dimensions.”  “Most of life is filled with small choices that don’t really matter… if you accept that you can start making them without regret.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liz Truss has broken her silence, a mere 100 days after leaving office – what Tory drama will this spark in the days ahead? And with Johnson in the headlines, why do our former Prime Ministers continue to haunt us? Plus we look at the NHS strikes and the Chinese balloon mystery. Jacob Jarvis is joined by Hannah Fearn to give you the low-down on the week ahead in politics. “Truss's lack of self-awareness is staggering.” “We haven’t recovered from Covid because of Brexit and Truss.” “The political and moral hand has been on the side of the NHS nurses.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Hannah Fearn. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mafia conjures up images of the Sopranos rather than hardened criminals for many of us. So what is it really – and how has it changed? With the arrest of mobster Matteo Messina Denaro putting mafia violence back in the spotlight, Felia Allum, author of Camorristi, Politicians, and Businessmen: The Transformation of Organized Crime in Post-war Naples, joins Alex Andreou to discuss the changing face of criminal organisations.  “In Italy, the mafia is like a virus that wracks the body.” “The mafia was tied to the creation of the Italian state.” “The mafia want political leverage.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House Chief of Staff sounds like a pretty big job, right? But what do they actually do? With Ron Klain departing from the role, Jeff Zients has been chosen as his successor. What does Biden need from him? Jacob Jarvis is joined by David B. Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Akron who is co-authoring The President's Chief of Staff: Evolution of a White House Institution. “You can see the footprints of the White House Chief of Staff all the way back to George Washington.”  “At the beginning it was more of a managerial role. They have four roles, the administrator, the guardian, the advisor and the proxy.”  “They’re there to protect the president’s political interests and guard his time.”  “The Chief of Staff if they’d doing their job makes sure all the voices that need to be heard are heard.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Music by Jade Bailey. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

HS2 has been beset with calamity – what promises have the Government broken on this flagship project? Christian Wolmar, journalist and train expert, joins Ros Taylor to discuss what has gone wrong and why it’s so hard to build a high-speed railway in Britain. “HS2 is costing £100 million a week – imagine the end cost.” “We never holistically planned the project, and we’ve muddled through to huge costs.”  “Building a high-speed rail from a poor to rich area impoverishes the poor area.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Germany’s delay sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine frustrated European allies – will it do lasting damage to relations on the continent? Was this a missed opportunity for Scholz to have led the way internationally in the fight against Russia? Alex Andreou speaks to Jeremy Cliffe, New Statesman’s writer-at-large based in Berlin, to discuss Germany’s position and what it tells us about the nation.  “Germany’s perspective on the world has required adjusting… it has edged towards making more responsibility.”  “It took too long for Scholz to grapple with the problems, reflection is one thing, putting one’s head in the sand is another.”  “Germany’s political culture moves quite gradually and slowly.”  “Being highly methodological and efficient can also lead to great inefficiency.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Alex Andreou. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are so many over-50s leaving the workforce – and can we get them back? With people changing how they live post-pandemic, large numbers have left the labour market. What made them make this shift? And how are the NHS and care crises also playing into this? Ros Taylor is joined by Scott Corfe, director of Public First, to discuss.  “The overwhelming majority of these people who have dropped out of the labour market don’t want to return to work.” “For people who left in the pandemic it seems like for many this is a retirement story, rather than an ill-health story.”  “Brits seem to have a more negative views of work than Germany and the US.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From making works of art to writing essays and driving cars – is there anything AI can’t do? Dr. Stephanie Hare, author of Technology Is Not Neutral: A Short Guide to Technology Ethics, joins Andrew Harrison to ask how worried we should be about new technologies, how we can make them better, and if we should let robots vote.  “Fashions change, and we might get tired of AI in the same way we got tired of flares.” “After years the government has completely failed to regulate technologies like biometrics data.” “The EU set the gold standard in privacy and data protection – we need to follow them.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Music and audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadhim Zahawi was unceremoniously but entirely predictably sacked at the weekend – what will be the Tory fallout? We forecast the sleaze as the Government continues to fight fires on all fronts. Plus we look at the widespread strikes and the latest from Ukraine. Ros Taylor is joined by Arthur Snell to outline the days ahead. “Zahawi projected the image of someone who isn’t in touch with normal people who doesn’t feel much shame about his actions.” – Arthur Snell “Sunak is surrounded by a pretty ramshackle gang, he’s never going to be able to present being an ethical group of people – because those people are not available.” – Arthur Snell  “The new ethics advisor seems to be very good at his job which is worrying for Tory members.” – Arthur Snell “When you have a conversation where the witnesses are only Vladimir Putin and Boris Johnson, the chances of an accurate account are quite limited.” – Arthur Snell  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor with Arthur Snell. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millennials and Gen Z are ditching the booze, while older generations are sticking to the same habits. What does this changing approach to drinking by young people mean? Professor John Holmes of the University of Sheffield joins Ros Taylor to find out what our drinking habits tell us about society as a whole. “Young people are drinking less in most high income countries. They’re either not drinking at all, drinking smaller amounts, and binge drinking less often.” “Across the Covid period, about a quarter of people drank less, about a quarter drank more.” “The Government is getting a political bonus from taxing beer less, but getting a revenue bonus from taxing wine more.” Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billions of dollars are spent on political campaigns in the US, even by the losers. Where is the money going?Jacob Jarvis speaks to Kyle Tharp, managing editor of FWIW News, to ask about the trends in political strategy, where cash is being wasted and how fundraising is the “wild west of American politics”.  “Republican campaigns are very old school and rely a lot on right wing media to carry water for them.” “It’s insane the amount of money and the amount of groups in our political ecosystem.” “Grassroots fundraising is the wild west of American politics.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Jade Bailey. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As sea levels rise, flooding will become more likely across the globe. But is Britain prepared for the inevitable rising waters? Ros Taylor is joined by Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, to assess when floods might hit and how to prepare for them.  “We are going to see many more floods in the summer.” “Our great pressure for housing is making flooding inevitable.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The abrupt end of China's Zero Covid policy shocked the world. What do we know about the consequences of this change in tack? Accurate figures from Xi Jinping’s Government are hard to come by and the Chinese people are torn in two directions: with excitement about opening up and fear as Covid rips through the population. Cindy Yu, assistant editor at The Spectator, joins Alex Andreou to find out what the mood is like, and what opening up means for the rest of the world. “Twenty years ago we were talking about ‘The Chinese Century’. I don’t think China is going to take over the USA at this rate.” “In terms of Taiwan or Russia, China is going to want to do the stable thing for now. “All of this will have a positive impact on the world economy because China is so integrated into the world economy.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group editor: Andrew Harrison.THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Austerity is a staple fixture of our political system. How did it become such a dominant economic policy? And is it really a ‘prudent’ and ‘realistic’ way of organising our economics? Philosopher and historian Clara Mattei, author of The Capital Order: How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way to Fascism joins Ahir Shah to explore how austerity came to become the water we swim in and why we can’t imagine a world without it. “Austerity has become the water we swim in.”  “We use very specific economic models from the 1900s, in which the worker loses agency while the entrepreneur is championed.” “The purpose isn’t to ‘trickledown’, it is to incentivise those at the top.” “In the US the richest 400 families pay the lowest tax.” “Even Lenin had to accept austerity.”  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ahir Shah. Producers: Jet Gerbertson, Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airbnb has enabled people to earn more by letting second houses as holiday lets than to families. What does this mean for locals in tourist areas? With housing provision at an all time low, the Welsh Government is looking at a system of carrots and sticks to incentivise landlords to prioritise locals. Can this problem be fixed? Dr Steffan Evans from the Bevan Foundation talks to Hannah Fearn about the communities facing an Airbnb boom.  “In every single Welsh local authority bar one a property owner could make as much money in 10 weeks as letting out the house to the housing authority for an entire year.” “Properties that were down as holiday homes decided to flip to Airbnbs to get out of having to pay extra council tax.” “Don’t think about the maximum amount you can make, maybe yes, get your money back, but think about the community's needs more broadly.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fasten your seatbelts, because it’s going to be a rocky week in UK politics as sleaze comes back with a vengeance. How will Sunak handle backlash to his car misdemeanour, Johnson’s loan scandal and Zahawi’s ongoing tax quagmire. Plus, we look at the latest news on strikes. Alex Andreou talks to Jacob Jarvis to outline the week ahead. “Part of the government is so incestuous, it doesn’t even realise it has a problem.” “Sunak’s made an idiot of himself by getting a fine and messing up gaining ground.”  “The public perception is that the government always has money for their mates, so the strikes will soon succeed.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmanuel Macron feels firmly like an elder statesman of Europe – but while his global prowess grows, how is he doing at home? With his power held together by coalition, can he be the reformer he wants to be? Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief for The Economist, speaks to Ros Taylor to discuss the French president’s changes in tack and the future of his nation’s politics.  “It has been forced on him to govern differently and that's no bad thing.”  “Macron has reassessed and changed his judgement of the risks and seen it is important to back Ukraine all the way.” “There are a number of ambitious, would-be successors to Macron, but it’s too early to see who might come through.”  “Macron is incredibly engaging, he doesn’t try to duck questions – but he has failed to project that in public.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Donald Trump bleeds out politically, a new generation of paranoid and conspiracy-minded MAGA Republicans has captured the party. A nightmare hardcore Freedom Caucus holds House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hostage, and nationally, the GOP just gets crazier. Do we have to steel ourselves for MAGA 2.0 – a deTrumpified extreme right in America? UCL politics professor Brian Klaas tells Andrew Harrison what they stand for and why they’ll be so hard to beat.  “This wasn’t about principles. It was a personal vendetta. Kevin McCarthy just isn’t a true believer in the Trump camp.” “If enough crazies vote against raising the debt ceiling you will have a self-imposed global recession which will make Liz Truss look like a blip”.  “The Democrats need define the Republicans as the crazy party… These are some actual lunatics in charge there.” Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer Jet Gerburtson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the right to roam is eroded, Caroline Lucas, MP and former leader of the Green Party, joins Ros Taylor to discuss what we can do about it. In the wake of the high court decision to support landowners over wild campers, are we being excluded from our green and pleasant land?  “Landowners are creating an atmosphere of intimidation.”  “In the South Downs a quarter of the land is owned privately”  “It was found that access to green space could save the NHS £2 billion” “People want to step away from the footpath and feel the wildness of nature.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s hard to plan for the future when the present seems so grim. But is a nihilistic attitude to pensions creating a ticking time bomb for millennials? And have scandals and corporate embezzlement meant we have all lost faith in the safety net of our twilight years? Disillusioned Bunker host Marie Le Conte is joined by Dr. Hayley James, senior research fellow in the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston University, to ask what (if anything) can restore trust in the pensions system. “ We often hark back to a ‘golden age’ of pensions that hasn’t always existed.” “The gender pension gap is huge, bigger than the gender pay gap.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A special taster of our new series. Search for Jam Tomorrow in your favourite podcast app or visit https://kite.link/JTS1 How did Britain’s dreams of a new postwar world go unfulfilled? And what does that mean for us today? In the first of a new documentary series from the makers of Oh God, What Now?, Ros Taylor looks at the legacy of the War itself. Ιdeals of the Blitz Spirit and dreams of wartime heroism still shape everything from pop culture and entertainment to the Brexit debate. But the truth of the War is more complex and less comforting. What will it take for us to see the Second World War – and ourselves – clearly? •  “If you’re going to have a foundation myth it might as well be one where you destroy Nazism.” – Al Murray •  “If the response to air raid wasn’t stoicism there was a fear that morale would break down.” – Lucy Noakes •  “The Keep Calm And Carry On poster was designed for a type of war that never arrived.” – Henry Irvine •  “Britain went into the war not alone but at the head of the world’s biggest empire… When Britain went to war, so did vast part of the world.” – Lucy Noakes Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Jade Bailey. Voiceovers by Imogen Robertson. Original music by Dubstar. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Jam Tomorrow is a Podmasters production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clean, safe power from nuclear fusion is the Holy Grail of energy research – but how close is it to reality? A breakthrough in December, when a fusion reaction produced more energy than went into the experiment, suggests it could be. Dr. Sharon Ann Holgate, author of Nuclear Fusion: The Race to Build a Mini-Sun on Earth, joins Andrew Harrison to unpack the science and ask whether this science fiction staple could become fact.  “A Tokamak reactor? Imagine you’ve gone to the bakers, bought yourself a doughnut, and for reasons best known for yourself you’ve decided to have it gold plated.” “Some of us call the fusion reaction ‘inherently safe’ because it doesn’t have the ability to run away with itself in the way a fission reactor can.” Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone who uses Britain’s railways can see things aren’t running smoothly. How do we solve this mess? From cancelled trains and driver shortages, to the rolling series of strikes, a nation that once prided itself on its railway appears to have let services go off the rails, as it were. Christian Wolmar, author of British Rail: A New History, joins Ros Taylor in The Bunker to find out what needs fixing.  “It’s absolutely ideological…it wouldn’t cost anything to take these franchises back”. “The department of transport is demanding productivity increases along with a pay rise. That is a mistake.” “It’s a ‘nobody gives a damn' railway. There’s nobody in charge and everybody has given up.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Government's handling of strikes gets worse, it tries another tack: make strikes and protests impossible in certain industries. Can the Tories pull it off? Plus, Westminster vs Holyrood on gender recognition, the Brexit beast rears its head again, and has Joe Biden’s cache of documents in his garage offered the Republicans an open goal? Alex Andreou sets out the week ahead with Jacob Jarvis.  “The Government’s problem is that they went into the strikes with no exit strategy.”  “The Government picked this fight with the unions to show off their economic competence – and it hasn’t worked out for them at all.” “Stopping a protest that hasn’t happened yet sounds a bit thought-crimey.” Written and presented by Alex Andreou and Jacob Jarvis. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finland is the happiest country on earth. What can we learn from this Nordic nation? How is its education, health care and housing systems different to ours? Ros Taylor speaks to Danny Dorling, professor of human geography at the University of Oxford and author of Finntopia: What We Can Learn from the World's Happiest Country, to work out what makes it such a well-functioning state. “Finland has ended up doing remarkably well, if you’re trying to show people what is possible and what is different, let’s look there.” “Government ministers in Finland resign upon immediately making the smallest of mistakes, they simply go, no questions asked.” “There aren’t good schools and bad schools, there are just good schools. Teachers have a lot of autonomy.” Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The QAnon conspiracy theory has run rampant throughout America’s far-right. Why won’t it die? Could it ever disappear? Jacob Jarvis speaks to Mike Rothschild, author of The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything, to discuss the state of the cult-like belief structure, how it has evolved over time and what might replace it should it ever go away.  “Q is very good at taking the events of the day and reinterpreting them through the lens of the conspiracy.” “It’s really turned into a choose your own adventure version of conspiracy theories.” “Now that all of this stuff is so mainstream and all of these beliefs have infiltrated every part of politics from the national to the hyper local - it is millions and millions of people who believe in some aspect of QAnon.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NHS is in a worse position than during the height of the Covid pandemic. What can the Government do to remedy its woes? From bed capacity to oxygen supply, to staff shortages, where does the solution begin? As NHS staff strike en masse, Roy Lilley, writer of the NHS Managers Network newsletter, and former vice-chair of West Surrey and North East Hampshire Health Authority joins Alex Andreou to find out.  “This was eminently settleable when it started. Now of course everyone has dug a great big hole for themselves.” “At the moment because we can’t get people home they’re on the wards, because we can’t get them off the wards they’re queuing up in A&E, because they’re in A&E ambulances are queuing up outside, and because the ambulances are queuing when you call up you can’t get an ambulance.” Presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benjamin Netanyahu is back in power at the head of the most right-wing government in Israel’s history. By allying himself with religious extremists including the Jewish Power Party, has the great escape artist of Israeli politics put his country’s democracy in the hands of theocrats? What do the new far-right ministers want? And will Netanyahu protect the rights of Arab Israelis, women and LGBTQ+ citizens the way he claims he will? Anshel Pfeffer, writer for Haaretz and Israel correspondent for the Economist, tells Andrew Harrison about the meaning of a dark new phase in Israeli politics.  “The centrist and centre left parties refused to sit in a government with Netanyahu≥ Now he’s fully reliant on the far right and the ultra orthodox parties”. “The ultra orthodox are at most 20% of the population, but they’re the ones shoring up Netanyahu’s administration”. “Netayahu says he’s the one who is safeguarding the freedoms of the Israeli public, rather than them being protected by the Government and the law” Read Anshel Pfeffer in Haaretz: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-01-06/ty-article/.highlight/the-end-of-israeli-democracy-its-real-but-can-still-be-prevented/00000185-8265-d4ba-add5-aaf74d660000 www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Life in the UK Test is the ultimate barrier to becoming a British citizen. But is it working – and how could we change it? Since its launch in 2001 the test has been criticised for failing to achieve its goal of integration, and making it harder for people to become citizens. Thom Brooks, author of Reforming the UK’s Citizenship Test: Building Bridges, Not Barriers, joins Yasmeen Serhan in the Bunker to ask: is it time for a new approach? “It’s not so much about building bridges, it’s about creating barriers on the arbitrary basis of a memory test.” “Other countries do not require a knowledge test like this to be a resident of a country.” “Americans and Australians - mostly native English speakers - have a pass rate of 97%. When it comes to Turkey, Iraq you see pass rates of less than 50%. There’s a big difference in different nationalities.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Yasmeen Serhan. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Artwork by James Parrett. Group editor: Andrew Harrison.  THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Levelling Up was a key policy after the Conservatives swept the Red Wall in 2019. Three years later and Tory chaos has the policy to bring greater equity between the North and the South floundering by the roadside. Rob Parsons, editor of The Northern Agenda joins Jacob Jarvis to find out if there’s still reason to be optimistic.  “Restoring pride to people’s places is definitely a good thing to do. Whether it will address these massive inequalities in skills and jobs and transport, is a different thing.” “A lot of people spent a lot of time and money bidding for this money, and they didn’t get it. There were places in the North where their bid was unsuccessful but the neighbouring town did. That did create bitterness, and it did create cynicism towards the criteria.” “There needs to be more to the conversation not just about giving pots of money, but power to raise their own money.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Sunak squirms under questioning, will anti-union legislation save his bacon? Plus, Brazil’s far-right storms the country’s congress – what can we expect next? And we discuss the latest from the US, plus as the family feud of the century as Prince Harry causes a royal furore. Hannah Fearn, columnist and reporter for The I and Independent, joins Andrew Harrison to discuss the week ahead.  “If Sunak continues a hardline stance on these strikes, he creates an atmosphere where a general strike is a possibility.”  “The length of time everything’s taken has made Sunak’s position more difficult, splintered the party and hurt the country.” “Angry supporters of Bolsonaro are seeing a playbook in the US they are wanting to try and emulate.”  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Andrew Harrison with Hannah Fearn. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comparisons to the Winter of Discontent are everywhere. But are these accurate, or even helpful? With an autumn and winter of strikes, high levels of inflation and maxed out energy prices it’s an easy reference to make, but is it lazy? Colin Hay, professor of political sciences at Sciences Po in Paris, joins Andrew Harrison to discuss.  “It’s not really the story of a coordinated campaign by union leaders. It was the rank and file rejecting the advice of the union leaders and withdrawing their labour.” I’ve been asked throughout my career if THIS is a return to the Winter of Discontent. This is the first time I haven’t just blanketly said ‘no.’” “Labour has had the ghost of the Winter of Discontent dancing over its corpse in the intervening time.” “It’s quite impressive how much industrial and public sector disruption is currently in place at the moment when you consider how difficult it is to get a legal strike organised.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production  Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican Party is in a state of turmoil with Kevin McCarthy’s Speaker stalemate having sparked scenes not witnessed for a century. What is going on, where can it go next, and what does this mean for the GOP? Jacob Jarvis speaks to Julie Normal, co-director of UCL’s Centre on US Politics to discuss the chaos in the Capitol and what 2023 holds for American politics. Oh, and Donald Trump, unfortunately…  “For some it’s key policy differences, for some it’s personal differences - not liking Kevin McCarthy. For some it’s just a power play.” “Whichever way it goes it’s definitely not the way you want your party starting out their term in office, especially in the run up to an election. “The ironic thing with Trump is that a conviction or an indictment… would in some ways galvanise him even more. He loves to portray himself as a victim of the Deep State.” “Some Democrats were literally bringing popcorn to the House this week. Biden has basically said. ‘This is embarrassing, but it’s not my problem.’” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music and Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With all signs pointing to a recession, how will this one be different to those of the past? From strikes to sky high heating bills, we’ve begun 2023, much as we ended 2022. How long can this last, and is there any hope of our fortunes improving? Resolution Foundation’s research director James Smith joins Ahir Shah to tell us how this situation might play out.  “If we are pessimistic about the future and that feeds back into how [the Government] set their policies, it can become self fulfilling.” “The big thing here is that we are getting poorer as a country.” “We need to make sure the recovery from the pandemic and cost of living recession isn’t as bad as the financial crisis.” Presented by Ahir Shah. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unprecedented problems like climate change require innovative responses. Activist Natasha Walter, author of upcoming book Before the Light Fades: A Memoir of Grief and Resistance, joins Ros Taylor to explore what the histories of protest can tell us about current struggles.  “People forget just how radical the 1960s movements were.”  “To look back and remember how people stayed politically active is incredibly encouraging.”  “Civil disobedience is a vital part of society.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There seem to be more authoritarian figures than ever before. But is this true? And if so, what do these leaders have in common? Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present joins Alex Andreou to explore how authoritarianism has changed over time, and why the greatest strengths of ‘strongmen’ could also be their biggest downfall.  “Leader personality cults often present them as omnipotent.” “The same instincts of these leaders to win followers domestically can cause their downfall on the international stage.”  “Financial networks are key to controlling people.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Jet Gerbertson, Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the NHS in crisis and strikes ongoing – will the Government’s New Year’s Resolution be to get a grip? Then further afield, we look to the alarming covid situation in China and a new Congress being sworn in in the United States. Plus, a few dates for your diary – there might even be some bits to look forward to… In our first show of 2023, Alex Andreou talks to Andrew Harrison to outline the year ahead.  “Everyone is incredibly scared, it’s not nice to live in a country and feel like if something happens to you nobody will turn up.” – Alex Andreou  “The government is doing so poorly it thinks a confrontation with the unions will help it.” – Alex Andreou  “The public has realised Brexit was a mistake, that is unshakable now.” – Alex Andreou “Things could get very messy on day one. There will be a lot of battles in Congress.” – Alex Andreou  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices