The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Tax consistently ranks as one of the most important issues to voters. So why can’t anybody in politics talk about it honestly? Alex Andreou asks Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, in today’s Bunker. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There’s a special offer for This Is Not A Drill listeners – Go to Incogni.com/thebunker to get an exclusive 60% off your annual plan. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Simon Williams. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In just three days, Brits will head to the polling stations to vote in the General Election. What do the polls show, and is there any chance of a Harry Kane-esque last minute Sunak win – or is it all over already? In other election news, France went to the polls yesterday, intensifying concerns about the country’s move to the far-right. Further afield, Biden has made a rallying comeback after a disastrous debate against Trump last week. But might he still step down? Plus, England miraculously salvage their spot in the Euros quarter finals, Glastonbury winds down, and Balmoral opens its doors to the public for the first time. The week ahead with Alex Andreou and Ros Taylor. We are streaming LIVE on election night! Come and join your favourite panellists from Oh God, What Now?, The Bunker and Paper Cuts on YouTube from 10pm on Thursday 4th July as we react to the results live - you won't want to miss it. Visit https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow and subscribe now. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There’s a special offer for This Is Not A Drill listeners – Go to Incogni.com/thebunker to get an exclusive 60% off your annual plan. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If Starmer wins, just how will his Labour government be different from those of the past? And is the party’s new identity inextricable from Starmer himself? Andrew Harrison asks Labour Party historian Anthony Broxton, who runs the ‘Tides of History’ project. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Incogni keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There’s a special offer for This Is Not A Drill listeners – Go to Incogni.com/thebunker to get an exclusive 60% off your annual plan. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Podmasters Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sunak’s cringe moments have received laser focus throughout the campaign. But what about messaging he’s putting out online? Who are parties targeting, where, and with what information? Jacob Jarvis asks Who Targets Me founder Sam Jeffers about the good, the bad and the ugly in online political ads throughout this campaign cycle. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Podmasters Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the rising cost of mortgages to a lack of social housing, the housing crisis is one of the most pressing issues in this election. Hannah Fearn is joined by one of the UK’s most high-profile housing campaigners, Kwajo Tweneboa, whose book Our Country in Crisis: Britain's Housing Emergency and How We Rebuild is due out in July, to look at the sorry state of housing in the UK. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Tom Taylor. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There have been plenty of memorable election stunts lately – with Ed Davey stealing the show so far in this campaign. But how far back does the history of these sorts of actions go? And do they work? Andrew Harrison is joined by Seth Thévoz to look at the history of political stunts and their impact on the polls. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Tom Taylor. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The betting scandal just keeps getting worse for Sunak – will it dominate the week, or will another gaffe knock it off the front pages? Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the week ahead in the election campaign, plus the latest from the French election, conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and the looming Biden vs. Trump debate. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 28 Jan 1986 the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after take-off, watched by a worldwide TV audience of millions. Seven crew members died and images of the tragedy etched themselves on the American mind. Now a new book Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space reveals the corner-cutting and corporate culture that made Challenger an accident waiting to happen. Author Adam Higginbotham talks to Andrew Harrison. Buy Challenger through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Nick Maynard says the scenes he has witnessed in Gaza are the worst he’s seen in his 36 years as a surgeon. He joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker to recount his most recent trip to the West Bank. • “We’re not politicians, we’re not lawmakers, we’re humanitarians – we’re just describing the appalling things that we have seen.” Click here to visit the GoFundMe page mentioned in today's episode. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Simon Williams. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Relations between Western nations and China are worsening. The US fears China’s growing global influence, but how far will it go to halt Xi Jinping’s ambitions? Sir Robin Niblett is a distinguished fellow at the international affairs think tank Chatham House and author of The New Cold War: How the Contest Between the US and China Will Shape Our Century. He joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker. Buy The New Cold War: How the Contest Between the US and China Will Shape Our Century through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

China’s often controversial imprisonments of foreigners has horrified the Western world. But is Beijing doing this as part of its war with the West? Alex Andreou asks Harvard University research affiliate Peter Humphrey, who spent two years in the Chinese prison system, and now campaigns for the release of others. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain’s older generations have historically played a key role in elections. But how pivotal is the ‘grey vote’ ahead of July 4, and who is likely to win it? Gavin Esler talks to the New Statesman’s senior data journalist and Britain Elects co-founder Ben Walker about who this demographic actually describes and what they want. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor AndrewHarrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Tories bang on about tax, despite it not shifting the polls at all, is the prospect of total obliteration for the Conservative Party growing? And what policy areas and set pieces should we look out for this week? Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the campaign trail latest, and look at news from France, Ukraine and the USA. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Kremlin’s spy networks are well documented – but what’s less known is how they shaped Russian history. In centering the rise and fall of Communism in Russia’s history, are we missing a crucial historical axis – the intelligence services which have long kept an eye on citizens across Russia and further afield. Yuri Felshtinsky, author of From Red Terror To Terrorist State: Russia’s Intelligence Services and Their Fight For World Domination from Felix Dzerzhinsky to Vladimir Putin, joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker to discuss whether the West fails to tell the full story of modern Russia. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s in the list of potential crises that could derail Labour’s first year, drawn up by Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray and nicknamed “Sue’s shit list”? Today Ros Taylor tells Andrew Harrison what happens to Labour if the prisons crisis boils over, the NHS hits a funding shortfall, or universities start going bust. If you missed Part 1 yesterday, listen now to hear Jonn Elledge explain the consequences of the possible £15bn bankruptcy of Thames Water, the looming collapse of one or more local authorities, and public pay running out of control. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new Labour government could be thrown into chaos by any one of six potential crises, each identified in a dossier of dire warnings prepared by Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray. What’s in this critical document, which was quickly nicknamed “Sue’s shit list”? Today journalist Jonn Elledge takes Andrew Harrison through three of them: the possible £15bn bankruptcy of Thames Water, the looming collapse of one or more local authorities, and public pay running out of control. In Part 2 tomorrow, Ros Taylor explains what happens to Labour if the prisons crisis boils over, the NHS hits a funding shortfall, or universities start going bust. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Macron’s snap election an act of desperation or a brilliant bluff? With young upstarts nipping at his heels, unprecedented alliances forming and his legacy hanging by a thread, Ros Taylor is joined by The Economist’s Paris bureau chief Sophie Pedder to get an insight into Macron’s election gamble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the SNP in turmoil and the Conservatives deeply unpopular, Scotland’s seats are potentially key to a Labour victory. Is Starmer’s party set to sweep up across the country? Gavin Esler talks to Glasgow Caledonian University Professor of Social Change Gerry Hassan, about Scotland’s role in the upcoming election. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emmanuel Macron's surprise snap election has shocked politicos. Why did he call it? Alex Andreou and Andrew Harrison discuss the landscape in France and the wider changes in Europe. Plus, where’s Sunak? We discuss the press dodging PM’s latest from the campaign trail. And manifestos are due this week – what should we expect? We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ’90s was a hugely consequential decade for the United States – for good and for bad. On the down side, we saw the rise of angry white men and the world’s worst TV channel. If only they’d stayed in the past. Jacob Jarvis speaks to Terry H. Anderson, author of Why the Nineties Matter, to discuss what made this ten year period so significant. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Produced by Chris Jones. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The European Elections are fast approaching – and the rise of the far-right is sparking concern. With some 373 million Europeans eligible to vote, this is a pivotal moment for democracy as a whole. Rafael Behr talks to political scientist Simon Hix, the Stein Rokkan chair in comparative politics at the European University Institute in Florence, about what this means for Europe – and the rest of the world. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump’s dominance of his political space is unprecedented, with the GOP in thrall to him despite all of his faults. There’s not much advice Biden should take from him, not morally or ethically at least, but could he benefit from copying his style somewhat? Chris Jones speaks to Berkeley professor of political science, Steven M. Fish, about his new book Comeback: RoutingTrumpism, Reclaiming the Nation, and Restoring Democracy’s Edge. You can buy a copy of Professor Fish’s book by following the link: https://www.rivertownsbooks.com/book-page/comeback We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Election campaigns are expensive to run, from travelling across the UK, to leaflets to adverts. So how are Sunak and Starmer going to spend their money? University of Sussex Senior Politics Lecturer Sam Power sits down with Ros Taylor to discuss how Sunak and Starmer are spending their campaign cash – and whether they’ll focus on traditional actions or pump it all into TikToks. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Labour try to brand themselves as the party of defence and the Tories go ever-more anti-woke, it’s the first head debate between Starmer and Sunak on ITV tomorrow – what can we expect? Plus, South Africa’s ANC has lost power after 30 years and now enters coalition talks. Big gains for far right parties are expected in the European Elections across 27 countries this week. And the US expects Israel to accept Joe Biden’s three-part ceasefire proposal, a huge development in the Israel-Palestine conflict. The week ahead with Ros Taylor and Andrew Harrison. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Presented by Andrew Harrison. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As AI becomes more intelligent, should we cease treating chatbots like robots and more like humans? Should they be held accountable to similar standards and laws? Amid the exponential growth of humanoid machines and interfaces, Chris Jones speaks to Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, co-author of As If Human: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence and professorial research fellow in computer science at the University of Oxford. Buy As If Human: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sunak banked on an improving economy when he went for an early general election. But does it matter if people aren’t feeling the changes? Do the Government’s claims that the UK is the fastest growing country in Europe stand up? And are the Tories now marked as the party of high inflation? Former Theresa May advisor Giles Wilkes talks to Andrew Harrison about the Tories’ high-stakes bet. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is England? Well, that depends on the myths and stories you listen to. Are these tales more fiction than fact? In their new book England: Seven Myths That Changed A Country – and How to Set Them Straight authors Tom Baldwin and Marc Stears seek the reality of England’s national story. They join Ros Taylor in The Bunker. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Buy England: Seven Myths That Changed A Country – and How to Set Them Straight through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Ros Taylor. 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. www.podmasters.co.uk Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sunak’s election campaign is going as you’d expect – he’s managed to annoy everyone and make himself look like an idiot at the same time. After the national service announcement, can we expect anything but red meat for Express readers in the coming days? And, on the other hand – what real stuff will Starmer be discussing? Plus we look at the latest in Europe ahead of the EU elections. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rishi Sunak’s hapless, rain-sodden election announcement left the country agog. Is this how he means to go on? Why did he choose now? Can he really handle six weeks of punishing campaigning? Hasn’t anyone in No.1 got an umbrella? Seasoned political journalist Steve Richards of the Rock N Roll Politics podcast forecasts stormy electoral weather with Andrew Harrison. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Podmasters Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio producer: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The upcoming Indian election will be the biggest in history, with one fifth of the world’s population voting. How consequential will it be – for the nation and the rest of the world too? Gavin Esler speaks to Rohan Venkat, consulting editor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Centre for the Advanced Study of India and editorial consultant at India’s Centre for Policy Research. • “India is an unusual democratic experiment. What happens in this election is important for democracy all across the South.” – Rohan Venkat • “This is one fifth of the population that we’re talking about. Whatever happens for India matters for all of humanity.” – Rohan Venkat We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Robin Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Say “monetarism” to anyone who was around in the early 80s and watch the chill run down their spine. Margaret Thatcher tried to conquer inflation by using a fringe economic credo of slashing the money supply. The result was a collapsed economy and unemployment on a colossal scale. What was monetarism? Did it work, even in its own terms? And where are its echoes today? Tim Lankester – then the PM’s private secretary for economic affairs, now author of Inside Thatcher’s Monetarism Experiment – takes Andrew Harrison back to an age of scorched earth economics. • “She set out to get inflation down, but it didn’t work out well at all. There was a massive deflation of the economy and unemployment almost doubled.” – Sir Tim Lankester • “Manufacturing suffered enormously. Output went down by almost 20%. These were pretty bad years for the economy.” – Sir Tim Lankester Buy Inside Thatcher’s Monetarism Experiment through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Simon Williams. Produced by Eliza Davis-Beard. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Art by Jim Perrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conspiracy theorists and disinformation around issues such as the Coid-19 pandemic have created an army of non-expert experts around the world. With the advancement of AI and social media dominating people’s lives, properly researched information from trusted sources is needed now more than ever. But has society already gone too far? Tom Nichols is a writer for The Atlantic and the author of “The Death of Expertise: The Campaign against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters”, and joins Ros Taylor in The Bunker. Buy The Death of Expertise: The Campaign against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash destabilise Iran, worsen its conflict with Israel, reignite the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ protests – or all three? Plus the infected blood scandal turns out even worse than anyone thought. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case faces the COVID inquiry. And are the Tories deliberately driving British universities into crisis? The week ahead with Alex Andreou and Andrew Harrison. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The most searing drama of the 1980s, Alan Bleasdale’s Boys From The Blackstuff turned Thatcher’s unemployment crisis into unmissable TV. Unemployed builder “Yosser” Hughes’s desperate plea “gizza job” became a catchphrase. Now the story comes to London in an acclaimed stage adaptation by James ‘Dear England’ Graham. Barry Sloane, cast as Yosser, talks to Andrew Harrison about why the Blackstuff still matters, the legacy of original Yosser actor Bernard Hill… and the power of dark humour. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Simon Williams. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vladimir Putin has surrounded himself with loyalists who have kept him in power for 20 years. Earlier this week, Russian defence minister and close ally of Putin, Sergei Shoigu, was removed from his post. But the author of The New Politics of Russia, Andrew Monaghan, says Shoigu’s removal was less of a sacking, as Western media suggests, and more of a promotion. He joins Chris Jones to discuss how Putin’s inner circle operates. Buy The New Politics of Russia through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit, Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard and Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain has a spy problem, with a significant surge in threats from China, Russia and Iran in recent months. What kind of covert operations are they running? Gavin Esler sits down with former MI6 director of operations and intelligence and director of transnational threats and political risk at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Nigel Inkster, to find out just how concerned we should be. • “We’re seeing a significant upsurge in espionage and other forms of covert activity directed at western countries.” – Nigel Inkster • “At the end of the day, there is always going to be a role for the human source, for secret agents, because you need to know what is going on in the minds of key decision makers… you can’t interrogate a tape recorder or a satellite.” – Nigel Inkster We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might have seen a flurry of alarming headlines and articles about bird flu in recent weeks. Some reports are comparing it to COVID-19, and positioning it as the next potential worldwide pandemic. How concerned should we be? Alex Andreou asks Devi Sridhar, Professor and Personal Chair in Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh. • “Previously, you’d have to be in very close proximity with an infected bird. That is changing. For the first time, we have now confirmed cow to human transmission – that is a signal that something is different here.” – Devi Sridhar • “It’s like a lottery. There are millions of viruses circulating among animals.” – Devi Sridhar We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brits have a bad reputation abroad – but what about Britain as a whole? To discuss how other countries look at Britain, Rafael Behr speaks to FT journalist Michael Peel, author of What Everyone Knows About Britain (*Except the British). • “Looking at Britain from overseas made Brexit easier to see coming.” – Michael Peel Buy What Everyone Knows About Britain (*Except the British) through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In your round-up of the week ahead… Rishi Sunak warns that the UK is about to face its most dangerous years ever. The Israeli assault on the Gazan city of Rafah is imminent. And, what does Russia’s new incursion into Ukraine north of Kharkiv mean? Plus, the Trump trial continues with testimonies scheduled from his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. And why were EU flags banned from the Eurovision finale? • “Rishi Sunak says the challenges of the next few years are so enormous and so scary that only Conservative innovation and Sunak’s own bold ideas can help us face it.” – Ros Taylor • “Sunak is undoubtedly trying to distract attention from the state that the country is in. If you look at what’s going on in Russia, the NHS will look less depressing.” – Ros Taylor We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Ros Taylor. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Jade Bailey. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain and America’s link is often called the “special relationship”. But is it that special anymore – or is it actually pretty one-sided? Angus Hanton is a businessman and entrepreneur and the author of Vassal State: How America Runs Britain. He argues that the relationship has changed for the worse – and that Britain has become the 51st state of the United States at great cost to its economy. He joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker to discuss. Buy Vassal State: How America Runs Britain through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • “We’re being taken over at scale and the government doesn’t care.” – Angus Hanton • “I think this has contributed to our impoverishment and higher tax rates.” – Angus Hanton If you want more US politics – listen to our new podcast American Friction, out every Friday in the run up to November’s election. Available here, or wherever you get your podcasts. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit, Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Swearing is a part of life. But is there a place for it in politics? Would Parliament function better if politicians were allowed to use a bit more profanity? Alex Andreou discusses this with Philip Seargeant, senior lecturer in applied linguistics at The Open University and author of The Art of Political Storytelling. • “Swearing always has a purpose.” – Philip Seargeant • “The idea that language can be particularly harmful has come more from the younger generation.” – Philip Seargeant We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Starmer’s referencing of Thatcher has enraged the left – but is it anything beyond symbolic politicking? And is he really Thatcherite at all? Andrew Harrison speaks to Robert Saunders, a reader in modern British history at Queen Mary University of London, about the legacy of Thatcher and how it ties in with modern Labour policy. • “It’s worth remembering that Margaret Thatcher herself borrowed ideas from the left.” – Robert Saunders • “I think Thatcher would be quite alarmed by what she would see in a Reeves-Starmer manifesto.” – Robert Saunders • “Truss and Sunak were giving two different memories of Margaret Thatcher in the last Tory leadership contest… it was like two branches of the same religion.” – Robert Saunders • “Margaret Thatcher has become a myth. And the nature of myths means every generation can give different tales about them.” – Robert Saunders We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rishi Sunak is trying to spin his local election trouncing as best as he can – what bluster should we ignore this week? Plus, the latest from Gaza as Israel strikes Rafah. And, the Trump trial rolls on – while Xi visits Europe for the first time in five years. Alex Andreou talks Jacob Jarvis through the week ahead. • “There’s a sort of electoral ruthlessness to the Labour Party at the moment.” – Alex Andreou • “Sunak should call an election, he won’t, but he should.” – Alex Andreou • “If Sunak should do something then that usually suggests he won’t do it.” – Jacob Jarvis • “This is a critical moment for Netenyahu.” – Alex Andreou • “There is a weird mix of entitlement and scattergun strategy going on from Trump in his court case.” – Jacob Jarvis Want to hear more about the American election? Then listen to our new podcast, hosted by Jacob Jarvis, ‘American Friction’ – out every Friday in the run up to November’s vote. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Audio production: Jade Bailey. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is “fandom” one of the drives behind our dysfunctional politics? That’s the thesis of Dr Phoenix Andrews new book I Heart Politics – who writes about how people power is behind a series of quake moments in recent political history. He joins Andrew Harrison to discuss whether the phenomenon and power of fandom is overlooked in contemporary politics, and how the fandoms of politicians like Trump, Farage and Thatcher affect the cultural zeitgeist. • “The world feels mad, but finding people with a common passion is uplifting.” – Dr Phoenix Andrews • “Political fandom is basically Eurovision with consequences.” – Dr Phoenix Andrews We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Buy Phoenix Andrew’s book I Heart Politics: How People Power Took Over the World through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Adam Wright and Liam Tait. Audio Production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Artwork: James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The brand new podcast from the makers of The Bunker. Bewildered by the US Presidential Election? Don’t worry, American Friction has got you. Every Friday Chris Jones, Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramírez of Rolling Stone join expert special guests to count down to America’s most rancorous election in generations. Get the full episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major platforms. Follow us on social media: Twitter Instagram TikTok Written and presented by Chris Jones, Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramírez. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fox News is regularly criticised for being sensationalist, full of conspiracies and obsessed with Trump. But, what’s it like if you really watch it for hours on end? Jacob Jarvis did just that and he talked to Dan Cassino, a political scientist at Fairleigh Dickinson University and author of: Fox News and American Politics: How One Channel Shapes American Politics and Society, about what he saw. What is the channel, which has been America’s most watched cable news station for twenty years, really all about? • “What’s happened over the years to Fox News is it’s turned into something akin to a celebrity gossip magazine.” – Dan Cassino • “If you come to the US Fox News is on wherever you are and that’s how it’s meant to be consumed… with about 30% of your brain.” – Dan Cassino • “We’re still living in the world that Fox News Created.” – Dan Cassino We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by Jim Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump’s followers are often described as cult-like. But how much does the former president actually act like a cult leader? Does he employ the same coercive control tactics utilised by infamous infamous figureheads of the past – like Jim Jones and Sun Myung Moon? The Cult of Trump author and leading mind control expert Steven Hassan tells Rafael Behr how perceiving Trump as a cult leader might let us better understand the current political climate. • “People don’t care that Trump has ninety-one criminal charges against him, that he has over 40,000 documented lies. They refuse to believe he lost the election. Their minds have been hacked.” – Steven Hassan • “There are a lot of different cults in the cult of trump.” – Steven Hassan We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Satire has been pronounced dead more times than disco. As the political world has lurched into chaos, satirists have struggled to match the absurdity of the figures they mock. But what happens if politics gets boring? Andrew Harrison is joined by Jan Ravens to find out how satire can survive beyond the next general election. • “Liz Truss’s tragic flaw is that she hasn't grown up. She is still a little girl expecting approval.” – Jan Ravens • “Satire can't bring down the government, but it can attach an idea to people that they can never shake off.” – Andrew Harrison • “I'm very happy to do without my Liz Truss impression if it means we can do without her in any position of power whatsoever.” – Jan Ravens We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by Jim Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We live in a world of borders – and often take them for granted. But they’ve shaped the world in myriad ways over the centuries. Our politicians go to extreme lengths to secure them and in some cases build giant walls to protect them. So what can we learn from examining their history? Andrew Harrison is joined by Jonn Elledge, author of A History of the World in 47 Borders: The Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps, as we talk about the weird and wonderful history of the lines on our maps. • “Open borders aren’t inherently progressive, Genghis Khan was in favour of them!” – Jonn Elledge • “When you look back through history, You have empires, you have cities but there aren’t many borders.” – Jonn Elledge • “Borders in Europe only really started settling down in the 17th and 18th centuries.” – Jonn Elledge We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Buy Jonn Elledge’s book A History of the World in 47 Borders: The Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. 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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s the local elections this week – just how bad does it look for Rishi Sunak? As general election rumours swirl, he’s going to be crossing everything in the coming days… And there was the no confidence vote in Scotland lined up – but it’s been reported Humza Yousaf will quit before it happens. Plus, Trump’s trial continues – will he contain his rage as it rolls on? Then finally we turn to Gaza and look at the latest in terms of ceasefire talks. All that and more in Start Your Week, with Ros Taylor and Jacob Jarvis. • “Sunak wants to give the impression that the Rwanda deportations will happen and that no legal issues will get in the way” – Ros Taylor • “Calling an election for July might actually be advantageous for Sunak.” – Ros Taylor We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. Support us on Patreon. Written and Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. ENDS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices