The Bunker – News without the nonsense

The Spring Statement is due this week – is there anything to look forward to or will it be just cuts, cuts, cuts? Gavin Esler talks Jacob Jarvis through what Reeves has planned, and what it means for Starmer’s government. Plus, they discuss the latest from the US and look at conflicts across the world. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Simon Williams. 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

Warning! Mild spoilers. As acclaimed sci-fi workplace satire Severance reaches its season 2 climax, we assemble three assiduous followers of Lumon Industries to refine the data on this hypnotic show’s appeal. Are the mind-wiped “innies” more real, moral beings than their “outies”? What does the severance procedure mean? And where is the series heading? Join Marie le Conte, Jonn Elledge and Andrew Harrison for a Waffle Party in podcast form. Let not weakness live in your veins… • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump's economic policies have experts scratching their heads – and while the US isn't yet in recession, many believe one is imminent. The true impact of Trump's disruptive tactics remains uncertain, yet the consequences could be felt worldwide. Today on The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Jonathan Portes, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at King’s College London, to unpack the fallout from MAGA economics and what it could mean for the rest of the world. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. https://www.patreon.com/c/bunkercast Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the age of the visionary political leader over? Why have unserious political entertainers and bland technocrats replaced inspirational, storytelling presidents and prime ministers? Is it all down to the internet, again? Seasoned political journalist Steve Richards of the Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast joins Andrew Harrison to ask: where have all the great leaders gone… or were they always just an illusion? • Buy Steve Richards’ books The Prime Ministers and The Prime Ministers We Never Had through our affiliate bookshop. 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 for early episodes and more • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Sara Farolfi.. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The backlash against Elon Musk is growing – and Tesla is paying the price. Sales have plunged, showrooms have become hotbeds for protest, and owners are finding their cars defaced with swastikas. Yet the CEO continues to entangle himself in populist politics worldwide and seems more focused on working for the US government than running his own companies. Today on The Bunker, Adam Shaw is joined by journalist Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist for the Financial Times, to explore whether the revolutionary electric vehicle company can withstand the weight of its CEO’s reputation. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. https://www.patreon.com/c/bunkercast Written and presented by Adam Shaw. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The government’s benefit plans have caused turmoil within the Labour party and backlash more broadly – what might they change? Plus, what can we expect from a Trump-Putin call this week, and why is Cummings back in the news? Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the news to look out for in the week ahead. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. 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

When earning a little extra money leaves you worse off, women end up spending all their additional earnings on childcare, and the benefits system actively encourages low wages, it’s no wonder many people make a rational decision not to work. But our nine million “economically inactive” people are a drag on growth as well as an affront to human potential. As Keir Starmer goes to battle with his own party over cutting benefits in a bid to get people back into work, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak joins us to ask: can we make working work for everyone? • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost no major event in America goes by without conspiracy theorists making up bizarre narratives to explain what’s “really” going on. Why has this mindset taken hold – and why has Trump embraced it? In January, catastrophic wildfires devastated Los Angeles, destroying communities and claiming 29 lives. Before the fires were even extinguished, conspiracy theories thrived online – and further amplified by President Trump's misinformation about the disaster response. Chris Jones is joined by journalist Mike Rothschild, author of Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories and himself a victim of the fires, who warns of America’s shift toward conspiracy theories under Trump's administration and explores effective ways to combat them. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. https://www.patreon.com/c/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gen Z's reported pivot to the right has come as a shock for many – but should we have seen it coming? Trend forecaster Sean Monahan joins Zing Tsjeng in The Bunker to unpack what's behind this generational shift. What sparked Gen Z's political awakening – and what impact will their political evolution have on our future? • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. https://www.patreon.com/c/bunkercast Written and presented by Zing Tsjeng. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Democracy is in decline across the globe – with authoritarians alarmingly on the rise. Constance Hunter, chief economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit, joins Ros Taylor to discuss the Economist’s latest Democracy Index – and to ask which nations have fallen away from democracy and why. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Tayor. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s turmoil on the right of British politics – what’s going on and is it all Donald Trump’s fault? Rafael Behr joins Jacob Jarvis to unpack the Reform in-fighting and Starmer’s polling boost. Plus, they discuss civil service reforms, the latest US economic turmoil and what’s going on in Canadian politics. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. https://www.patreon.com/c/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Rafael Behr. Audio production: Tom Taylor. 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

Elon Musk is one of many space nerds and sci-fi dreamers fascinated by living on Mars. But, is this just a terrible idea? And how bad would earth need to get for it to make any sense? Kelly Weinersmith, co-author of A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the cons of going to the red planet. Buy A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? 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 https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you do when the planet’s most evil man is in the White House? Ask Superman! “Bad guy wins power” is a comics mainstay, and now it’s happening for real everywhere. Lifelong comics readers Ian Dunt of Origin Story (DC) and Andrew Harrison (Marvel) team up to see what classic stories can tell us about the tyrant-vs-hero dynamic. Featuring President Lex Luthor from Superman, Mayor Kingpin from Daredevil, Chief Judge Cal from Judge Dredd, and the USA’s Ambassador to Iran… The Joker? • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Charlie Duffield. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eighty years ago, the world witnessed an unprecedented act of devastation: the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As the Second World War reached its conclusion, American bombers dropped two nuclear weapons in a final effort to force Japan’s surrender and bring the conflict to an end. Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Richard Overy, author of Rain of Ruin: Tokyo, Hiroshima and the Surrender of Japan, to discuss the final days of World War II, the ethics of destroying entire cities, and how it reshaped the nature of warfare. Buy Rain of Ruin: Tokyo, Hiroshima and the Surrender of Japan 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. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From FDR to Trump, every modern president has had brushes with organised crime. So how have secret pacts, betrayals, and under-the-table deals influenced the commander-in-chief? Today on The Bunker, Seth Thévoz is joined by Eric Dezenhall, author of Wiseguys and the White House, to explore the not-so-hidden ties between the leader of the free world and the mob. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump’s attitude towards Ukraine leaves Europe in an uncertain position – how will it handle this new era? Gavin Esler joins Ros Taylor to discuss the turbulent situation after that horrendous Oval Office meeting and a major meeting of European leaders over the weekend. Want more insight on the Zelenskyy and Trump meeting aftermath? Listen to our sibling podcast American Friction: https://linktr.ee/americanfriction We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Tom Taylor. 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

February is LGBTQ+ History Month, and The Bunker is celebrating with a special two-part panel on the queer media that shaped us. From groundbreaking films and cult classics to the books and pop icons that defined generations, we’re exploring the stories that not only influenced queer identity but also shaped how the LGBTQ+ community is seen by the world. Natasha Devon is joined by author and activist Paul Burston and comedian Sharon Wanjohi to dive into the media that defined queer experiences, challenged norms, and sometimes • Buy Paul Burston’s We Can Be Heroes: A Survivor’s Story here. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Natasha Devon. Written and produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

February is LGBT History Month, and The Bunker is celebrating with a special two-part panel on queer history. In this episode, we’re diving into the heroes and villains of the community: from the icons you know to the overlooked figures who deserve their moment in the spotlight. Natasha Devon is joined by author and activist Paul Burston and comedian Sharon Wanjohi to explore the legacies of trailblazers, troublemakers, plus the ones we'd happily shove back into the closet and never speak of again. • Buy Paul Burston’s We Can Be Heroes: A Survivor’s Story here. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Natasha Devon. Written and produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new WhatsApp scandal seems to emerge from Westminster nearly every day at the moment. So, how did the messaging app take such a hold on MPs, how does it keep them locked in – and could they ever quit it? Marie Le Conte joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis.. Audio editor: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘No Prime To Die’? Amazon takes over creative control of James Bond from the Broccoli family who turned the suave spy into a movie icon. What happens now? Will Amazon simply rinse the I.P. with ever-cheesier spin-offs like Disney did with Star Wars? Is 007 still relevant in a world where real-life Bond villains run tech companies and countries? Can you still make a hero out of a heavy-drinking, womanising figure from Britain’s imperial past? Film journalist Helen O’Hara, editor-at-large of Empire magazine and host of the Empire Film podcast joins Andrew Harrison to look at Bond’s future. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Peterson’s right-wing conference hosted a weird mix of climate change skeptics and conspiracy theorists – but also the leader of the opposition. How did a fringe movement with roots in conspiracy theory secure a prime spot at London’s ExCeL Centre and draw in such an array of speakers? Stella Tsantekidou, author of The Human Carbohydrate, joins Seth Thévoz to unpack her experience at The Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference to find out what its rise in popularity could mean for the future of British politics. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. 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

Keir Starmer heads to America to meet Trump this week – how will he navigate this meeting? And what would mean success from discussions over the future of Ukraine? Rafael Behr joins Jacob Jarvis to talk through the week ahead in news. 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 Rafael Behr. Audio production: Tom Taylor. 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 it really five years and 1,500 editions since we launched The Bunker? It is! For this special episode, Labour legend and former leader Neil Kinnock joins us to talk about the story Labour should be telling… what his battles against Thatcherism can teach Starmer about fighting the rising right wing… the dangers of a radicalised Conservative Party… and how to hit Reform UK where it hurts. With Andrew Harrison and Alex von Tunzelmann. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Germany’s far-right have been thrown into the international spotlight after US Vice President JD Vance met with Alice Weidel. But what does the AfD actually stand for? Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Annette Dittert, senior correspondent for ARD German TV, to look at Germany’s far-right problem and to find out if the AfD is really a successor to the Nazi Party. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US aid accounts for more than 40 percent of aid spending across the globe – or at least it did until Trump cut it off. Today in The Bunker, Jacob Jarvis speaks with Michael Sheldrick, co-founder of Global Citizen, to discuss the impact of these cuts and what other nations can do to fill the gap. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices