Politics Uncensored

Benjamin Netanyahu has different plans then Donald Trump, aiming to expand their territory to make "Greater Israel", argues Professor Scott Lucas.No Zoe today so Ali breaks down the war in Iran so far before being joined by Professor of International Studies at the Clinton Institute in Dublin, and founder of the EA WorldView, Scott Lucas to chat about the shaky ceasefire between the US and Iran. We also rerun Zoe's interview with Matthew Spence, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy under Obama.After this Scott Lucas joins the show, where he breaks down the different aims in this war for Israeli Leader Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, arguing that Israel wants to expand, creating "Greater Israel" in Lebanon."No one wins" a war, argues Lucas, as they explain the ever-increasing death tolls, the targeting of civilian infrastructure and JD Vance's plans to become President after Trump leaves office.They also discuss the UK's role in the war, and the US's precarious position with its allies.Guest Bio:Scott Lucas became Professor of International Politics in 2014, having been on the staff of the University of Birmingham since 1989 and a Professor of American Studies since 1997.He began his career as a specialist in US and British foreign policy, but his research interests now also cover current international affairs --- especially North Africa, the Middle East, and Iran --- New Media, and Intelligence Services.A professional journalist since 1979, Professor Lucas is the founder and editor of EA WorldView, a leading website in daily news and analysis of Iran, Turkey, Syria, and the wider Middle East, as well as US foreign policy.Host: Ali MilaniGuests: Scott Lucas and Matthew SpenceProducer: Hugh Smiley

On today’s show, we found out about the billionaires who really own London with investigative journalist Andrew Kersley. Then Zoe and Ali discuss Trump’s bold claim that his “objectives” in Iran are nearly complete.But first it's the Week Unwrapped:Grenfell was a “tragedy” but “everyone dies in the end”, this is what the now former Reform housing spokesman, Simon Dudley, said in an interview with Inside Housing. These comments have sparked outrage from Grenfell campaigners and the politicians alike. Simon Dudley this week in an interview with Inside Housing said in response to a question on whether he thought Grenfell was a warning about insufficient regulation. ‘That (Grenfell) was a tragedy. It was a failure" But he doesn’t believe the current regulatory regime is proportionate saying “Sadly, you know, everyone dies in the end. It’s just how you go, right?”--The Israeli Parliament has passed a highly controversial law mandating the death penalty for West Bank Palestinians convicted of carrying out deadly terror attacks. The bill has been described by opponents as "Immoral"--Long serving Labour MP Karl Turner lost the whip this week after a “pattern of behaviour” for opposing the government. Turner has been especially vocal in opposing David Lammy’s Jury Trial reforms, he said he was "disappointed to be suspended without prior discussion”. --Welcome back, who is it that owns London? It’s been a well known fact that much of the capital is bought up by foreign private investors, but who are they? And how far does their ownership spread? Investigative Journalist for the Londoner Andrew Kersley joins the studio to break down his excellent piece: Revealed: the billionaires who really own London32,611 properties in London are owned by overseas entities. We can do this because a recent change in the law is forcing these foreign companies to register their real owners.a story that concerns some of London’s most iconic pubs, Camden market, President Trump’s golf buddy and even an Oxford Street Harry Potter store whose landlord is seemingly the sanctioned Libyan government.--Hosts: Zoe Grunewald and Ali MilaniGuest: Andrew KersleyProducers: Hugh Smiley and Jules Bradford

On today’s show, Meta and Google found negligent in social media addiction trial joining us to discuss this landmark ruling is Tech Reported for Politico Aaron Mak.But first it's the week unwrapped:Failed Reform candidate Matt Goodwin’s new book is reportedly filled with falsehoods and hallucinations after allegations that he extensively used ChatGPT to write it. Prompting him to have the nickname, MattGpt.The Reform UK candidate who lost a crunch by-election last month has defended using AI to help write his latest book.Matt Goodwin came in second place, behind the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer, in the Gorton and Denton vote – a sign that Nigel Farage’s party may be losing momentum with voters.Now the ex-university academic, who came under fire during the campaign for calling for women and young girls to be given a “biological reality” check, has had to defend his use of ChatGPT on his latest book, Suicide of a Nation: Immigration, Islam, Identity.The book has been described as a “story of how Britain, one of the most remarkable countries on earth, is not just in decline but is committing national suicide”.--Morgan Mcsweeney has claimed that his phone, containing all his messages for friend of a nonce Peter Mandelson has been stolen. The convenience of which has led to some doubting this claim. Keir Starmer today said it was “far-fetched” to claim that Mcsweeney is lying. --And finally Nigel Farage has hinted that one of his former MPs in Essex, who quit Reform UK after allegations of financial misconduct, could rejoin his party.Nigel Farage has hinted that one of his former MPs in Essex, who quit Reform UK after allegations of financial misconduct, could rejoin his party.James McMurdock gave up his party whip last year over questions about his eligibility for Covid-19 support loans that he received through two companies. He denied any wrongdoing.Asked during a local election campaign visit to Corringham in Essex, Farage said "I'm hoping we can get this thing ironed out".McMurdock sits as an independent for South Basildon and East Thurrock, which includes Corringham, and he confirmed he would like to rejoin the party.--After this, Technology Reporter for Politico, based in the US, Aaron Mak joins the show to explain several landmark social media rulings.Meta has just lost a court case that could have huge implications for children in the future. The company behind Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook has just been fined $375 million dollars for damaging children’s mental health and exposing them to sexual content.But that is not the only court case which Meta has lost this week. Yesterday a woman successfully won her case over her childhood addiction to social media.In a small court in Los Angeles, both Meta and Youtube were found liable. Now they are facing a wave of 40 more similar lawsuits.Los Angeles CaseThe woman, known as Kaley, was awarded $6m in damages (NYT) She also received an additional $3m punitive damages (NYT) Jurors determined Meta and Google "acted with malice, oppression, or fraud" (NYT)Kaley said she started using Instagram aged nine and YouTube aged six, and encountered no attempts to block her because of her age (NYT)Meta and Google said they disagreed with the verdict and intended to appeal (BBC)Meta said: "Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.”Meta faces a wave of more than 40 similar lawsuits Child Social Media CaseA court in New Mexico ruled that the company behind WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook was liable for how its platform exposed children to sexually explicit content and predators.Meta says it will appeal the decision and that it works hard to keep people safe on its platforms.Experts say the ruling could now have big consequences around the world (NYT)There are currently more than 2,000 active cases looking at social media harm in the US (BBC)Guest Bio:Aaron Mak is a technology reporter at POLITICO. As an undergraduate, he interned at POLITICO Magazine and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Aaron later worked as a technology reporter at Slate, where he won a Writers Guild of America award for a feature delving into Asian men’s rights groups on social media. Aaron holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale College and a JD from Yale Law School. In his free time, he likes watching cult classics and listening to cloud rap.Hosts: Zoe Grunewald and Ali MilaniGuest: Aaron MakProducers: Hugh Smiley and Ruth Rashleigh

On todays show, Deputy Green Leader Mothin Ali to discuss Nick Timothy, Tory MP describing Ramadan prayers as an “act of domination”. Then, Matthew Spence, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy under Obama joins to break down the US war with Iran.But first it's the week unwrapped. Ali couldn't make it today so comedian, satirist and host of Privacy Settings on FUBAR Radio its Will Sebag-Montefiore! Zoe and Will discuss Nigel Farage's Cameo conundrum and Angela Rayner's splash back in headline politics.Nigel Farage has found himself in hot water after selling videos on Cameo in which he endorsed a neo-Nazi event, repeated extremist slogans and supported a man convicted over his involvement in a far-right riot recently.Nigel Farage has sold videos in which he endorsed a neo-Nazi event, repeated extremist slogans and supported a man convicted over his involvement in a far-right riot recently.Farage charged £155 for one video he made in 2025 for a man he was told had received a 16-month sentence for his involvement in a far-right riot. The Reform leader told the man to “keep acting in the right way”.He was paid £141 for another video in which he promoted an event by a Canadian neo-Nazi group, which used the clip in propaganda alongside fascist salutes and antisemitic imagery. Farage called the event “the best thing that ever happened”.Farage has been producing content on the platform for 5 years now, and charged at least £374,893 most clips are trivial Happy birthday’s and Happy Valentines Fellow Reform MP Lee Anderson, who had already been warned about commercial filming in Westminster, sold two videos filmed from what he called the “beating heart of democracy in Westminster” in early February 2025.In the rest of the cameo, sent as a Valentine’s Day wishes to “Steve”, a Reform voter and member. “Make sure you treat the missus to something really nice and hopefully get you down here to Westminster one day and come and say hello to Reform UK. Have a good one, fella,”--Then Deputy Green Party Leader Mothin Ali joins to discuss Tory MP and Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy, who described Ramadan prayers in Central London as "an act of domination". Many politicans across the Right have come out in defence of Timothy, including Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage.Mothin Ali describes this moment as "really dangerous", arguing that "there's no outrage when there's Passover or Hanukkah celebrations. Or there's Easter celebrations, or the or the Sikh celebrations"Guest Bio:Mothin Ali is a British politician who has served as Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, alongside Rachel Millward, since September 2025. He has also served as a member of Leeds City Council for Gipton and Harehills since 2024.--After this, as speculation that Donald Trump might call time on the Iran War grows, Matthew Spence, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy under Barack Obama, joins the show to break down the history of US-Iran relations, why Trump is struggling in the war so far and the role that Israel has played in the invasion.Guest bio:Matthew Spence is a co-Founder and Board Member of the Truman National Security Project and Truman Center for National Policy.Matt is Managing Director and Global Head of Venture Capital Banking at Barclays, where he focuses on emerging technology companies, with a focus at the intersection of defense technology, cybersecurity, and national security. He also serves as Professor of Practice at Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Management and Law School.Before entering the private sector Matt held senior roles in the government in national security. Matt served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, where he was the principal advisor to three Secretaries of Defense on U.S. policy toward the Middle East. He received the Secretary of Defense Award for Outstanding Public Service.