The Briefing Room

The US and North Korea have been flexing their military muscles in recent weeks, testing and deploying new missiles. President Trump has said North Korea is "a big big problem" that he will deal with "strongly". This week he took the extraordinary step of briefing the entire US Senate on American options to deal with the North's nuclear programme, as American troops conducted live-fire exercises near the North Korean border. Senators said the briefing was "sobering". Here, David Aaronovich gets his own briefing, from one of America's top former diplomats in the region and from experts in Beijing and Seoul.CONTRIBUTORS:Daniel Russel: President Obama's Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, now Diplomat-in-Residence at the Asia Society Policy InstituteYanmei Xie: Chinese foreign policy analyst, formerly with the International Crisis Group, now with Gavekal Dragonomics.Jenny Lee: Opened the first western news bureau in North Korea, now with the Wilson Centre in SeoulProducer: Neal Razzell Research: Sarah Shebbeare

What are the political tribes which divide British voters today and how will June's general election shape Britain?Britain voted last year on the question of the EU - and following Theresa May's surprise announcement, we vote again on who should take us out. The nature of the result could define British political life for decades to come - so how will voters decide? And what might the impact of the campaign be on Britain's future outside the European Union?David Aaronovitch speaks to political experts to assess the upcoming campaign and its potential to shape the country Britain becomes. CONTRIBUTORSLord Peter Hennessy, Professor of Contemporary British History at Queen Mary University of LondonPeter Kellner, political commentator and veteran pollsterRosie Campbell, Professor of Politics, Birkbeck College, University of London David Runciman, Professor of Politics, University of Cambridge and host of the Talking Politics podcast Producer: China Collins.

What does Turkey's referendum mean for the UK's foreign policy?The UK has long seen Turkey as a bastion of stability in the Middle East: a Muslim-majority democracy, a NATO member and ally against so-called Islamic State; a physical and ideological bridge between east and west; and a fascinating and pleasant place to take our families on holiday.That stability is increasingly in doubt. A series of bloody terror attacks has made many holidaymakers think twice about Turkey. More fundamentally, Turks are in the midst of a bitter referendum campaign that could change how they're ruled. On the face of it, they should be united about Sunday's constitutional referendum. Most agree the current constitution, drafted by on the orders of the military following a coup in 1980, needs change. Yet the two sides have literally been throwing punches. Leading campaigners have been physically attacked; there's been a brawl in parliament. The Yes camp, led by the government, has painted its opponents as terrorists. The No camp say it's a power grab by the increasingly authoritarian president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. "The wrong choices have the potential to deliver catastrophe well beyond Turkey's borders," a UK parliamentary report found recently. "Turkey's democracy and democratic culture are under severe pressure."In this edition, David Aaronovich hears from:Chris Morris, the BBC's long-time Turkey watcherZiya Meral, Resident Fellow, the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict ResearchFirdevs Robinson, Turkish journalist and broadcasterGulnur Aybet, senior advisor to President ErdoganProducer: Neal Razzell.

What are the changes needed now to ensure the NHS is sustainable in the future?The NHS is facing one of the biggest crises in its history. With an ageing population, the increasing cost of drugs and treatments, and lack of funding for social care, the service is under more pressure than ever and the cracks are already starting to show. So will the system be able to cope in future as the UK's population gets older - and can the NHS survive?David Aaronovitch hears from expert witnesses including Dame Julie Moore, Chief Executive of University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and John Appleby, Chief Economist at the Nuffield Trust. Producer: China Collins.

The government says the housing market is broken and that it's holding the country back. As prices have risen, fewer people are able to get on the housing ladder, and more are now renting privately later into their lives. Many argue we're not building enough new homes. But is that the only problem? David Aaronovitch speaks to a panel of experts to find out and travels to Bristol to see what effect the housing crisis is having on the way people live there. Contributors:Dame Kate Barker, economist and author of a government review on housing supply Lindsay Judge, Senior Research and Policy Analyst at the Resolution FoundationEmma Maier, Editor, Inside Housing Councillor Paul Smith, Labour cabinet member for homes, Bristol City CouncilProducer: Phil Kemp Researcher: Sam Bright Editor: Innes Bowen.

What will happen if the Islamic State loses its state?The so-called Islamic State is rapidly losing territory, money and fighters in both Iraq and Syria. Iraqi government troops, supported by US and British special forces, have launched an offensive to take back the city of Mosul and an assault on the group's de facto capital city - Raqqa in Syria - is expected by the end of the year. Can the group continue to attract jihadi fighters from around the world and inspire attacks in its name, or will it be permanently weakened by the loss of its 'caliphate'? If so, could other terrorist organisations benefit from the vacuum it leaves behind? David Aaronovitch speaks to a range of experts and asks - can Islamic State be defeated and if so, what happens next?Guests include: Columb Strack, Senior Analyst, Middle East & North Africa at IHS Consulting Charlie Winter, Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR)Hassan Hassan, Senior Fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy and co-author of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Senior Research Fellow in Arabic at the University of Oxford Clint Watts, Robert A. Fox Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Program on the Middle East and former FBI Special AgentProducer: China Collins Research: Serena Tarling.

Bringing Britain's railways back into public ownership is a popular idea with passengers - but would it really make any improvements to service?Renationalisation of the railways is official Labour party policy. Polls suggest a majority of voters favour it too - and that was the case before the recent problems with Southern Rail. With the help of the Conservative former transport minister Michael Portillo, David Aaronovitch explores the history of British railway ownership, asks whether it's possible to make the privatised system work and finds out how a future government might go about bringing the railways back into public ownership.Contributors:Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside and Chair, Transport Select CommitteeLaurie Macfarlane, Economist, New Economics FoundationMichael Portillo, former Conservative Minister of State for Transport Michael Schabas, railways consultantChristian Wolmar, railways historian and journalistProducer: Phil Kemp Research: Sam Bright.

Can President Trump deliver on his pre-election promise to bring back outsourced manufacturing jobs, and end the 'bad deals' that have outsourced labour to countries like Mexico?This message was particularly powerful in America's Midwest - often referred to as the rust belt - where voters supported him in droves and helped him secure his narrow victory. But how can he deliver on his promise, and what does putting 'America First' mean for the rest of the world - including Britain? In the second part of The Briefing Room's two-part series on Trump's economy, David Aaronovitch explores what the President's trade policies might mean in practice.CONTRIBUTORSDavid Smith, economics editor for The Sunday TimesArthur Laffer, economist and former advisor to President Ronald Reagan Diane Furchgott-Roth, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and previously worked on Donald Trump’s campaign and transition teamProf Ted Malloch, Henley Business School of the University of ReadingMonique Ebell, economist at the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, LondonResearcher: Samuel Bright Producer: China Collins

Will President Trump's plan to put 'America first' make the USA richer?He's promised a raft of radical economic reforms including a huge cut in tax on businesses, an income tax cut, a massive reduction in regulation, and investment in America's infrastructure.His goal is to get America's economy growing at roughly double its current rate. He also wants to create 25 million new jobs, and put 'America first' in every policy decision. But are these goals achievable and are the measures he's proposing likely to work? David Aaronovitch explores what 'Trumponomics' might mean in practice and asks a range of experts whether his plans for the economy will lead to boom or bust.CONTRIBUTORSJim Tankersley, Policy and Politics Editor, VoxArthur Laffer, former advisor to President Ronald ReaganJohn Kay, visiting Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and fellow of St John's College, Oxford Diana Furchtgott-Roth, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and formerly worked on Donald Trump’s campaign and transition teamResearcher: Samuel Bright Producer: China Collins

Why did India's prime minister ban the use of the country's most widely used bank notes? On 8 November, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a stunning announcement. As of midnight that day, all 500 and 1000 rupee notes would no longer be legal tender. The announcement came as a shock not only to the Indian public, but also to businesses, banks and some of Mr Modi's closest advisors. Large queues formed at banks across the country as people tried to exchange their old notes for new ones and businesses came to a grinding halt. Agriculture was one of the sectors that was hardest hit. It was sowing season for India's farmers, many of whom had no means to buy the seeds, so reliant are they on cash transactions.So what was Modi trying to achieve through this shock and awe tactic? Is this a stroke of economic genius or a highly damaging political move? And did the move have the desired effect? David Aaronovitch speaks to a panel of experts to find out.CONTRIBUTORS: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author of a biography about Narendra Modi, Narendra Modi: The Man, The TimesIla Patnaik, former economic advisor to the Modi government and a professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and PolicyDouglas Busvine, Reuters bureau chief in New DelhiJustin Rowlatt, BBC South Asia CorrespondentProducer: Phil Kemp Research: Serena Tarling and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen.

How did British-Pakistani gangs come to dominate the drugs trade in Yorkshire?Earlier this month, police shot dead 28-year-old Mohammed Yasser Yaqub on a motorway slip road near Huddersfield. Their target was apparently armed and dangerous – a big time drug dealer, allegedly with a record of using violence to get his way.Yasser Yaqub’s death was followed by protests on the streets of Bradford and in nearby Huddersfield, hundreds turned up to a mosque for his funeral. The drugs business in West Yorkshire is largely controlled by gangs of Pakistani-Muslim heritage, who use their community contacts to aid their criminal operations - but how does such a religiously conservative community contain within it such a dangerous criminal element? David Aaronovitch heads to Dewsbury to find out.CONTRIBUTORSTony Saggers, Head of Drugs Threat & Intelligence at the National Crime AgencyDanny Lockwood, editor of The Dewsbury PressMo Ali Qasim, who has spent four years doing academic research into Pakistani-origin drug dealers in West YorkshireResearcher: Samuel Bright Editor: Innes Bowen

What happened after the buses left eastern Aleppo in December?After four and a half years of siege, the residents of eastern Aleppo were evacuated before Christmas. But the evacuees didn't disappear when they left the city and the Syrian Civil war didn't end with the end of the siege. Abdelkafi, an English teacher from Aleppo, relates his experience of leaving Aleppo by bus with his wife and young daughter. He describes days of hardship taking place under the eyes of the West.And as international figures prepare for negotiations in Geneva, David Aaronovitch finds out what the fall of Aleppo means for its citizens, Syria and the Middle East.Joining David in The Briefing Room are: Marianne Gasser, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Syria Lina Khatib, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House Aron Lund, Fellow of the Century FoundationProducer: Hannah Sander Researchers: Serena Tarling and Kirsteen Knight.

Liberalism died in 2016. This bold statement has been made by both right and left wing media in recent months. But what is liberalism - and can such a broad idea really be that vulnerable?Edmund Fawcett, author of Liberalism: The Life of an Idea, charts the rise and rise of liberalism, from Gladstone's social reformers to the economic liberalism of Margaret Thatcher. Sir Oliver Letwin MP played a key role in the Conservative Party's adoption of more socially liberal policies after 2005. He tells David Aaronovitch about embracing gay marriage, advocating green energy, and emphasising social justice.But is liberalism a luxury of the middle class? Lynsey Hanley discusses the link between social status and social conservatism. She explains why the working class may reject liberal values in defiance of the metropolitan elite.Producer: Hannah Sander Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

Civil war in Yemen has become a full regional conflict, with global implications - but how did it start in the first place?This week the Disasters Emergency Committee launched a major appeal for aid, with Yemeni children dying of malnutrition following 20 months of war.But what are the causes of Yemen's civil war and who is fighting? Is it correct to describe it as a "proxy war" between Saudi Arabia and Iran?David Aaronovitch is joined by two experts with intimate knowledge of Yemen to explain the back-story behind the conflict. CONTRIBUTORS:Dr Elisabeth Kendall, Senior Research Fellow in Arabic at the University of OxfordSafa al-Ahmad, journalist and documentary maker.Producer: Hannah Sander Researchers: Beth Sagar-Fenton & Kirsteen Knight

What are the policies and political decisions which led to the current crisis in prisons?Prison life isn't meant to be easy but it is supposed to be safe and secure. Drugs, violence, self-harm and suicide are all increasing problems.David Aaronovitch examines what's gone wrong and hears stories from inside the prison system. He explores what over-crowding and under-staffing means for prisoners and officers alike who live with it day in, day out.The programme also looks beyond the budget and staff cuts to explore the impact of sentencing changes, institutional leadership, and political opposition to more liberal policies which might ease the pressure in an overcrowded system. And we also discuss the current impact of drugs in prison and ask what role corrupt prison staff might play in the smuggling of contraband.What would it take to bring prisons under control and longer term, how can we stop the next prison crisis and get the system working properly again? CONTRIBUTORSCharles - a former inmate at a London prison, now working with the rehabilitation and education charity Key4LifeJohn Podmore - former Governor of HMP Brixton and HMP Belmarsh; author of Out of Sight Out of Mind: Why Britain's Prisons Are FailingHelen Arnold - Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Suffolk and Visiting Scholar at the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge UniversityJulian McCrae - Deputy Director of the Institute for Government and former Deputy Director of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (2009)Producer: Matt Bardo Research: Kirsteen Knight & Beth Sagar-Fenton

The Investigatory Powers Act - or Snoopers' Charter to its critics - is a highly controversial new law. On one hand, it clarifies a host of vague laws which were out of date with modern technology - but it also enshrines new powers of digital observation and surveillance, which will be available to the British intelligence services, the police, and a host of government agencies. In this programme, David Aaronovitch explores the specifics of this new law, including the new safeguards which it puts in place, including the new demand for warrants for government 'equipment interference' (or hacking) must now be signed off by a senior judge. He also discusses the new legal requirement for Internet Service Providers to store data about our internet browsing habits and the power for government authorities to demand access to this information. Does the new law mean we are safer? Better safeguarded against surveillance abuses? Susceptible to more government scrutiny? Or all three of these things?CONTRIBUTORSBella Sankey, Director of Policy at the civil liberties advocacy organisation LibertyDavid Anderson QC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation for the United KingdomSir David Omand, visiting professor at King's College London and former Director of GCHQProducer: Richard Fenton-Smith Research: Matt Bardo Editor: Innes Bowen

An independent review of police investigations into VIP sex abuse has found 43 police failings - but why did the police drop the ball with so many high-profile cases?The Henriques Review looked into the police investigations of public figures, including former Home Secretary Lord Brittan, retired army chief Lord Bramall and Harvey Proctor, a former Conservative MP. Justice Henriques criticises the police for choosing to believe uncorroborated accusations rather than approaching the investigations with an open mind. Speaking publicly for the first time Lady Diana Brittan tells reporter Alistair Jackson about the allegations made against her husband, the former Conservative minister Leon Brittan and the failure of the police to inform Lord Brittan before he died that no further action would be taken.He digs deeper into Operation Midland and Operation Vincente: police investigations that spanned several years, costing millions in tax-payers' money, and drew in large numbers of police officers. He speaks to people closely involved and finds out why the Metropolitan Police has now issued apologies.David Aaronovitch asks how historical sex abuse investigations should be handled and asks if police preoccupation with historic sexual abuse cases is hampering their ability to investigate more recent crimes.Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Producer: Hannah Sander

Theresa May has promised new trains, faster broadband and improved infrastructure. Critics accused her of adopting Labour Party politics. But is it left-wing to invest in infrastructure?During the Great Depression, John Maynard Keynes encouraged governments to dig holes until the economy was restored. The explosion of building in 1930s America is often seen as Keynes' words in action - but the New Deal was not as straightforward as we may think. The Economist's Soumaya Keynes finds out what really happened.After the 2008 crisis, politicians turned to Keynes' ideas once again. First Ed Miliband, then George Osborne and now Theresa May have pledged to build us out of trouble. How has this idea moved across the political spectrum - and could traffic lights and bridges really solve our economic woes?Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Sir John Armitt, President of the Institution of Civil Engineers Michelle Baddeley, Professor of Economics and Finance at University College London Tim Worstall, Senior Fellow at the Adam Smith InstituteResearcher: Jordan Dunbar Producer: Hannah Sander.

What does Black Lives Matter stand for in the UK?In the United States it is a protest movement formed in reaction to the killing of black people by police, and now there are BLM chapters in Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and London. The British organisation's most high profile action so far has been a blockade of airports and major roads - but what are the key issues driving the Black Lives Matter campaign in the UK? Joining David Aaronovitch in this edition of The Briefing Room are:Doton Adebayo, journalist and BBC 5 live presenter Stephen Bush, special correspondent at The New Statesman Kiri Kankhwende, political commentator for Media Diversified Researcher: Alex Burton Producer: Joe Kent

Illiberal democracy is gaining traction across Europe - a political philosophy which in part draws support from the far right, championing anti-migrant and anti-EU sentiment. Among the most visible illiberal democrats' is Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban who believes in the idea of nation states that govern in the interests of their indigenous populations, unencumbered by concepts like human rights, civil liberties and internationalism. David Aaronovitch explores how ideas once found on Europe's political fringes are becoming increasingly mainstream. CONTRIBUTORS Daphne Halikiopoulou, Associate Professor at the University of ReadingCas Mudde, Professor at the University of Georgia.Chris Bowlby, BBC journalist and former Prague correspondentProducer: Joe Kent Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen

As part of its response to the Brexit vote, the Bank of England will buy an extra £70 billion of bonds and will create new money to do so. The aim is to stimulate the economy and try to meet the government's 2% inflation target. But will it work? The Bank of England began its programme of quantitative easing back in 2009 following the financial crisis. It began buying bonds, mostly government debt, from pension funds and other investors Before this latest round of QE was announced, the Bank already owned £375 billion of bonds, around a quarter of total outstanding government debt. Its supporters say it has brought down borrowing costs for the government and for other investors and has helped to push up prices. Its detractors say it has caused hardship for savers and has led to pension funds having to compete with the Bank of England for increasingly expensive bonds, which has seen their deficits balloon.In this episode, David Aaronovitch explores how QE works and examines the evidence of its impact so far. Was the Bank of England right to return to the policy following the EU referendum? Will it ever be unwound?Guests:Frances Coppola, financial blogger Stephen Jones, Chief Investment Officer, Kames Capital Toby Nangle, Fund manager, Columbia ThreadneedleProducer: Phil Kemp.

Why has it been so difficult to find peace in Syria, and what are the complicating factors which are getting in the way of a deal? In early September the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced a new agreement to reduce hostilities in Syria - the second attempt this year to initiate a ceasefire in a 5 year long civil war which has so far cost around half a million lives and displaced millions more people.Within a week of the announcement, the US had bombed President Assad's troops - an accident, it says - and Russia was accused of blowing up an aid convoy. The deal looks like it is disintegrating fast.So why has it been so hard to find resolution in Syria? Could it be that international intervention is part of the problem - elongating the war, rather than finding resolution?In this week's programme, David Aaronovitch and guests explore the hugely complex process of negotiating peace in Syria - one which involves multiple international players, hundreds of opposition groups, a jihadi insurgency and an arrogantly defiant Assad regime. What is the missing link in the current negotiations which could sustain the country's progress on the path to peace?CONTRIBUTORSAmbassador Fred Hof, Director of the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Centre for the Middle East and former advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on transition in SyriaCharles Lister, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, Washington DC and author of The Syrian JihadYasmine Nahlawi, Researcher in International Law at Newcastle University and Advocacy & Policy Coordinator for Rethink Rebuild SocietyDr Chris Phillips, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Queen Mary University of London and author of The Battle for SyriaProducer: Richard Fenton-Smith Researcher: Alex Burton

It's one of the strangest developments in a very strange election campaign. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, says Donald Trump is "colourful and talented". For his part, the Republican nominee says Putin "is very much a leader ... far more than our president has been a leader." More than flattering words, on specific policy points - such as the civil war in Syria, the influence of NATO in Eastern Europe, and sanctions against Russia imposed over the conflict in Ukraine - Trump and his advisors seem sympathetic if not outright supportive of Putin's foreign policy objectives. Donald Trump's policies are a startling departure from the normally hawkish Republican Party establishment, and Hillary Clinton and the Democrats have wasted no time in painting Trump's Russia links as a threat to national security.Meanwhile, according to reports in the American press, Russian intelligence agencies are actively looking to disrupt the election. The hack of Democratic National Committee emails, whose contents were released in July, is just one noteworthy example. In this edition of the Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch asks is Donald Trump Russia's man, or just anxious to rebuild half-burned bridges? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room this week will be:Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC International Investigations CorrespondentAnne Applebaum, columnist for The Washington Post and director of The Transitions Forum, The Legatum InstituteFranklin Foer, fellow at the New America think tank and a contributing editor to Slate.comProducer: Michael Wendling Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen.

The Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has warned that his party could be taken over by old Trots - Trotskyist entryists, who have no interest in winning elections but instead see Labour as a vehicle for revolutionary socialism.But what is a Trot, who was Leon Trotsky and what do his followers in Britain actually want? David Aaronovitch is joined by:Prof John Callaghan, Salford University Amy Leather of the Socialist Workers Party Michael Crick author of 'The March of Militant' and a journalist with Channel 4 NewsDr Bert Patenaude, Stanford University, author of 'Trotsky: Downfall of a Revolutionary'Producer: Joe Kent Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Editor: Innes Bowen.

Jesse Morton was once a radical jihadi involved in the American offshoot of the banned British extremist group Al-Muhajiroun. Al-Muhajiroun's leader, Anjem Choudary, was convicted of inviting others to support the so-called Islamic State, and is awaiting sentencing. And Morton himself crossed the line and was sentenced to 11 1/2 years in prison for making violent threats in America. But while he was locked up, Morton underwent a profound transformation and is now speaking out against Islamic extremism. Morton, who is now free and working at a think tank at George Washington University, talks to David Aaronovitch about how he was seduced by jihadi ideology, how he snared others with radical interpretations of Islamic texts, and eventually how he came to see the errors in his own thinking and is working to repair the damage he caused along the way. CONTRIBUTORS: Jesse Morton Dominic Casciani, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent PRODUCER: Mike Wendling EDITOR: Innes BowenPHOTO CREDIT: Al Drago/New York Times/Redux/Eyevine

David Aaronovitch speaks to Milo Yiannopoulos about Donald Trump's new political base - the 'alt-right'.It's a mostly young, disparate movement which organises and congregates online, which has little in common with traditional Republicans. However, it's thanks to this new political base that Donald Trump clinched the Republican Party nomination, despite angering a long list of key groups of American voters - but what does the Alt-Right stand for?Its members are tribal and mostly sceptical about religion. They yearn for a strong leader and they loathe political correctness with a passion. Controversially, some leading figures have links to the white supremacist movement - a development which frightens many mainstream Republicans who promised a more inclusive party after Mitt Romney's defeat four years ago. And in an interesting twist, some of the leading voices in the movement come from Britain.In this episode, David Aaronovitch finds out more about the alt-right - who are they, what do they believe, and what role they will play in the Trump campaign and American politics at large.CONTRIBUTORS:Milo Yiannopoulos, senior technology editor, Breitbart NewsCathy Young, columnist, NewsdayREPORTER: Mike Wendling

Grammar schools are back on the agenda courtesy of Theresa May. Why has the Conservative party's love affair with an almost extinct system of educational selection endured? Step into The Briefing Room with David Aaronovitch to discover the history of the Conservatives' attitude to grammar schools - and the impact the system has on exam performance and social mobility.Contributors: Newsnight's Policy Editor Chris Cook Sir David Bell, former Department of Education Permanent Secretary and now Vice Chancellor of Reading University Social historian David Kynaston Laura McInerney, editor of 'Schools Week' Nick Hillman, former special advisor to David Willetts and now director of the Higher Education Policy Institute. Producers: Matt Booker and Wesley Stephenson Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

When the BBC obtained exclusive pictures of Special Air Service soldiers fighting Islamic State militants in Syria, the Ministry of Defence refused to comment. British Special Forces are now on the ground in Libya as well - although nobody ever voted in favour sending them, and there has never been a debate in Parliament about it. In fact, it's a long-standing cross-party tradition that the government doesn't comment on the operations of the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service, and other Special Forces units.In this edition of The Briefing Room, David Aaronovitch calls on expert researchers and former military offers to trace the development and current activities of Britain's Special Forces. Who are they and how many of them are there? Why, when we talk about military operations, do Special Forces not count as "boots on the ground"? And why are their activities so secret?CONTRIBUTORS:Mark Urban, Newsnight's defence and diplomatic correspondentRobin Horsfall, former SAS memberAnthony King, Professor of War Studies, University of WarwickEmily Knowles, Project Manager of the Remote Control Project, Oxford Research GroupDr Jon Moran, Reader in Security, University of LeicesterLt Col Stephen Grenier, author and former US Special Forces officerPRODUCER: Mike Wendling.

Britain faces big decisions when it comes to generating electricity - and ones we will all end up paying for. So what's the right choice? Theresa May surprised many by one of her first acts as prime minister: delaying a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset. She says she wants more time to consider the deal before making a final decision later this year. Hinkley Point C - if it's ever built - would be the first UK nuclear power plant to be constructed in more than 20 years. But the French-built, Chinese-funded project has been beset with delays since Tony Blair first pushed for new nuclear plants in 2005. David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts outline Britain's nuclear dream, find out what went wrong along the way, detail the alternatives and try to answer the question: what should we do next?Guests: Peter Atherton, energy analyst, Cornwall Energy Malcom Grimston visiting senior research fellow, Imperial College London Steven Thomas, professor of energy studies, Greenwich University Lisa Waters, economist, Waters Wye Associates Producers: Joe Kent and Mike Wendling Researchers: Alex Burton and Kirsteen Knight.

There was jubilation among many who were on the winning side of last month's EU referendum. But the vote, more than any in recent memory, laid bare the UK's divisions - not only in demographics but also social attitudes. Many of the 16m people who voted Remain expressed shock, sadness and even grief after the result. Two weeks ago The Briefing Room visited Wakefield in West Yorkshire to find out about those who voted Leave. In this programme, David Aaronovitch takes the opposite tack and visits Lambeth, the south London borough that stretches from the banks of the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament to the Capital's suburban fringes. He talks to long-standing residents and relative newcomers to find out what Remainers feel now. In in area where nearly four-fifths of those who voted backed Remain, is there a still a sense of upset over the result? And having been outvoted in one of the UK's biggest democratic experiments, what do they plan to do now?Interviewees in Lambeth include: Devon Thomas chair of the Brixton Neighbourhood Forum, local Green Party candidate Rashid Nix, Labour Party volunteer Gareth Rhys, Rosamund Urwin of the London Evening Standard, Tom Shahkli general manager of the Brixton Pound project, and Rui Reis, vice chair of the Portuguese cultural and football club in Stockwell.Studio guests: Cordelia Hay of Britain Thinks and Stian Westlake of NESTA.Producer: Mike Wendling Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

Turkey's president put the blame on the Gulen movement for an attempted coup - but what is it? The Briefing Room explores the roots and influence of this transnational Islamic religious and social movement.More than 50,000 people in the military, the judiciary, schools and other state institutions were arrested, sacked or suspended by the Turkish government since the thwarted coup attempt and President Erdoğan pointed the finger of blame at the exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen and his followers. Gulen has denied all involvement - but who is he, and what is his influence? David Aaronovitch talks to experts about the enigmatic movement Fethullah Gulen has inspired and asks how credible his claims of his involvement in the failed uprising are.CONTRIBUTORS Edward Stourton, BBC broadcaster and presenter of Islam Inc, a Radio 4 documentary about the Gulen movement.Firdevs Robinson, London-based journalist and former editor with BBC World Service.Gareth Jenkins, writer and analyst based in Istanbul.Ismail Mesut Sezgin, UK-based Fethullah Gulen supporter.Producers: Phil Kemp and Helen Grady Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

BHS was one of the biggest names on the high street, but it is now in administration and faces an uncertain future. What exactly happened, and who is responsible for its decline?Much of the focus has been on Sir Philip Green who sold the firm a little over a year ago to a little-known group called Retail Acquisitions. BHS had undergone a period of high growth during the first part of Green's 15 years of ownership, but its subsequent decline was accelerated by the economic crisis of 2008, and in recent years it racked up huge losses. Many accuse Sir Philip Green of trying to offload the company to duck its growing pension liabilities - one MP even called him the "unacceptable face of capitalism" - but there have also been suggestions that he's being unfairly tried in the court of public opinion.Green and the owners of Retail Acquisitions will face questions in front of a parliamentary select committee next month. Meanwhile the administrators are entertaining offers for BHS assets. Hanging in the balance are the company's 11,000 employees and more than 20,000 members of the company pension scheme. David Aaronovitch asks what happened to the retailer, and who's responsible for its decline?Producer/Reporter: Michael Wendling Researcher: Alex Burton

Why did so many people in the UK vote to Leave the EU? David Aaronovitch talks to residents in the pro-Leave city of Wakefield and finds out from experts why personal prosperity was a poor indicator of referendum voting intention.Guests include: Stian Westlake, Executive Director of Policy and Research, NEST, and author of 'The Intangible Economy' with Jonathan Haskel Ben Shimshon, BritainThinks, market research and communications consultancy Molly Crockett, Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford. Producer: Joe Kent Researchers: Alex Burton and Kirsteen Knight.

The Chilcot Report revealed that a key source of flawed intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war was a man known as Curveball. How did this obscure figure come to influence Britain's decision to go to war? David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the story of Curveball and what it tells us about why intelligence sometimes fails.Presenter: David AaronovitchGuests: Peter Taylor, BBC reporter and presenter of "Panorama: The Spies Who Fooled the World"; Stephen Grey, author of The New Spymasters; Valerie Plame, former CIA officer and author of "Fair Game"Producer: Joe Kent.

Immigration to the United Kingdom remains at a near-record high - but what are the political decisions and global trends which led to its rise in the first place?Unprecedented levels of immigration motivated many Leave voters in the EU referendum and in this week's programme David Aaronovitch charts a short history of immigration over the past two decades. Joined by a panel of experts bringing unique insight into the issue, they explore claims that the Labour party wanted to increase immigration to build support, through to the causes of the asylum spike in the early 2000s, and the impact of an expanding European Union. CONTRIBUTORSEd Owen, Former Special Advisor to Labour Home Secretary Jack StrawMadeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of OxfordDavid Goodhart, Journalist and commentator, former director of the thinktank DemosTony Smith, former Director General of the UK Border ForceProducer: Richard Fenton-Smith Researcher: Kirsteen Knight.

Northern Ireland-related terrorism now represents a “substantial” threat to Great Britain, according to MI5 - the security service. It believes that a terrorist attack is a "strong possibility" in Britain and "highly likely" in Northern Ireland itself. This reflects the continuing threat from dissident republicans. This week David Aaronovitch asks who are the New IRA?Joining him in The Briefing Room: Suzanne Breen - journalist at the Belfast Telegraph Henry McDonald - Ireland correspondent at The Guardian Peter Taylor - the writer and veteran BBC journalist Producer: Joe Kent, Researcher: Alex Burton, Editor: Innes Bowen (Image: Nationalist youths protest in their home town of Lurgan, Northern Ireland. Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty)

Labour activists, councillors, an MP and a former Mayor of London have all been suspended for comments which many regard as anti-Jewish. But why might a left of centre, progressive, pro-minority party have a problem with Anti-Semitism?Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room: Professor David Hirsh - the founder of the 'Engage' campaign against anti-Semitism on the Left Owen Jones - journalist and Labour party member Kerry-Anne Mendoza - activist and editor of The Canary. Editor: Innes Bowen, Producer: Joe Kent, Researcher: Kirsteen Knight, Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown