The Bunker – News without the nonsense

The PM faces a partygate reckoning amid the Rwanda refugee plan backlash. What more Government chaos is due this week? Boris Johnson will be in the Commons for the first time since his fine was confirmed, while Priti Patel is yet again courting controversy. Naomi Smith and Andrew Harrison unpack the latest and tee up the days ahead. “It’s one thing to have attended a party. It’s another to have destroyed evidence about it.” “Priti Patel is probably pretty close to being reshuffled.” "Sending refugees to Rwanda is not a value for money policy." www.patreon.com/bunkercast Bridgen article: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dishonest-mp-bridgen-lied-about-conduct-in-family-dispute-hplmlxmmx Presented by Andrew Harrison with Naomi Smith. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The BBC: nest of woke lefty propaganda or tame right-wing mouthpiece? Or something more complex? As the BBC marks its 100th birthday and Nadine Dorries tries to kill off the Licence Fee, Simon Potter – author of This Is The BBC: Entertaining The Nation, Speaking For Britain? – talks to Andrew Harrison about the Corporation’s tangled roots, clouded future, much-contested purpose… and why politicians from left, right and centre always seem to hate it. • “Once you let broadcasting into politics, you’ll never get politics out of broadcasting.” • “The BBC has a mission to expand its empire into every single media possible.” Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant producer: Elina Ganatra. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did Britain come to be one of the largest gambling markets in the world? Rob Davies, investigative journalist and author of Jackpot: How Gambling Conquered Britain, talks to Nick Cohen about how technology, advertising and liberalised laws combined to target some of the most vulnerable in society, the influence of the gambling lobby in British politics, and the urgent reforms the industry needs to make. “In a world where technology was evolving rapidly, gambling regulation simply wasn’t fit for purpose.” “For every person who is a gambling addict, six other people are affected by that.” “People get huge amounts of hospitality lavished on them when they can be relied on to lose thousands of pounds.” “For some people, the dopamine rush of putting their money at risk is irresistible.” “The gambling lobby has MPs in the contact book like you wouldn’t believe.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Nick Cohen. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On our pop culture round-up: Special guest Will Young tells us about the art of mind maintenance, a life in pop, and more. Plus hard-bitten Dublin rock’n’roll from Fontaines D.C., Catherine Tate’s Netflix prison comedy Hard Cell splits the panel, and futurist feminism in new Apple TV+ sci-fi anthology Roar. Journalist Craig McLean of The Face and the Telegraph joins Siân and Alex in The Bunker. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064b “My desert island mental health advice is don’t expect something from people they're not willing or capable of giving.” - Will Young “My therapist also said, if I was your boyfriend I’d dump you’ - Will Young “As a man, watching ‘Roar’ I felt uncomfortable, but in a good way.” - Alex Andreou “For me, this wasn’t a ‘Roar’, more like a squeak.” - Craig McLean “I'm a bit disappointed with Skinty Fia as the rattling punk energy in the first two records is gone… maybe they’ve lost some of their spark since moving away from Dublin.” - Craig McLean “The main thing about ‘Hard Cell’ is that I just didn’t find it funny; it falls a bit flat.”- Siân Pattenden Presented by Siân Pattenden and Alex Andreou. Producer Jelena Sofronijevic with Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny is the man Vladimir Putin fears most. Now a new documentary tells his story. Director Daniel Roher joins Arthur Snell to discuss his latest film Navalny, which tells the story of one man and his struggle with an authoritarian regime, and what the future holds for Russia and Putin in light of the invasion of Ukraine. “Navalny’s people were just waiting for that knock at the door.” “How can this guy who does this dangerous work not think about his mortality? The rest of the of the world does.” “Navalny showed the Russian people that they don’t have to be afraid of Putin.” “Navalny reminds us that we must not be apathetic. Evil proliferates when good people do nothing.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Arthur Snell. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We live in a culture obsessed with the spectacle of youth. One in five Britons will be over 65 by 2030 – with the fastest-growing age group being the over-85s. What are the implications for us as a country with an increasingly ageing population? What are the issues that need challenging and policies that need changing? And how should we think about ourselves as ageing people? Tim Whitaker, Vice-Chair of Positive Ageing London, talks to Jude Rogers about the future of ageing. “When you're 100, you normally get a letter from the Queen. That will have to change.” “Older people contribute to society in different ways than younger people.” “There's a danger of ghettoising older people by sending them into care homes.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jude Rogers. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Johnson’s hit job on Sunak distracting from a Tory brand that’s falling apart? Does the West have the stomach for sanctions that will really bite on Russia? New Statesman editor Jason Cowley goes in search of the must mysterious country on Earth: England. And while Channel 4 is still around, what are the C4 programmes we love? Zoe Williams of The Guardian and Justin Quirk join Andrew Harrison for this week’s roundtable Bunker. “How is it sexist for Akshata Murthy to be asked to pay taxes in our own country? The sexism defence is just a ju-jitsu deployment of our own values against us.” – Zoe Williams “It was legally correct for Sunak’s wife to have non-dom status, ethically dubious – and politically ridiculous.” – Jason Cowley “It’s really puzzling what it takes for the British public to riot, and what it takes for the authorities to take it seriously.” – Zoe Williams “What Gareth Southgate showed is that you don’t have to choose between Englishness and tradition.” – Jason Cowley https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Justin Quirk and Zoe Williams. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic . Assistant producer Elina Ganatra. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the far right’s Marine Le Pen runs off against Macron, could France fall to extreme populism? Plus the briefing war against Sunak, Johnson’s photo op visit to Kyiv and Russia resets its war aims. Gavin Esler sets up the week ahead with Andrew Harrison. “A Le Pen presidency in France would be another victory for Putin.” “The real scandal in British politics is not what is illegal, it’s what is allowed.” “It is possible that Le Pen could win if the French decide, like America did, that they just want a bit of entertainment.” Presented by Andrew Harrison. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant producer Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: 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

Britain now removes more children from their parents than ever before. Is it possible to mend broken families? Polly Curtis, journalist and author of Behind Closed Doors, talks to Ros Taylor about complex factors that lead to families being split up, how the system fails both mothers and fathers, and what can be done to make sure it works for everyone. “We probably all know someone who has had a brush with the social services system.” “A lot of these kids don’t want to be separated, they just want their parents to change.” “There is going to be a new leap in transparency in the family courts, and that will open our eyes to these cases.” “Being told by the state you’re a failed parent is laden with the most horrific shame.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On our pop culture round-up: BBC2’s “genuinely moving” Paul Gascoigne documentary, reggae legend Horace Andy returns, and is Apple TV+ spy drama Slow Horses a Tinker, Tailor for the 21st Century? Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake joins us along with legendary beer writer Pete Brown – new book Clubland: How the Working Men’s Club Shaped Britain available for pre-order now. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064b “I found ‘Gazza’ incredibly moving and upsetting. I was watching it in tears.” – Pete Brown on ‘Gazza’ “The best part of ‘Gazza’ is you see that this gift is really a curse.” – Andrew Harrison on ‘Gazza’ “It’s the sound of a band knowing they’re creating something glorious but not sure that they can control it, like the wheels could fall of at any minute” – Pete Brown on New Order’s Temptation Presented by Siân Pattenden and Andrew Harrison. Producer Jelena Sofronijevic with Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money makes the world go round, but how does it actually work? With economies across the globe in flux, understanding cash, currencies and crypto has never been more important. Gavin Jackson, lead writer for the Financial Times, joins Ahir Shah to talk about his new book Money in One Lesson: How it Works and Why, which covers the most important questions about money and how it shapes our societies. “Money is something we all believe in, but we’re not entirely sure why.” “We didn’t start with barter, the first money was actually made out of clay tablets.” “Hyperinflation only happens when a government decides something is more important than stopping hyperinflation.” “Bitcoin is an attempt to opt-out of the banking system we’ve become used to.” “Deflation, when prices fall, is actually a lot worse than inflation as our debts don’t change.” “If you’re interested in people, you should be interested in money. It tells us so much about who we are.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ahir Shah. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For millions of people, social media isn’t a source of entertainment or information, but a way to reinvent themselves. So what if you could stop being a loser of our economic system by winning the internet’s attention? Channel 4 reporter Symeon Brown talks to Justin Quirk about his book Get Rich or Lie Trying, his gripping expose of fraud, exploitation, misogyny, environmental destruction, and the dodgy financial traders of Instagram. “Anyone promising guaranteed returns is almost certainly a scammer.” “The Wolf of Wall Street is just hip hop in a film.” “Influencer traders rule the platforms, and the platforms are almost unable to respond.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Justin Quirk. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/get-rich-or-lie-trying/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia’s withdrawal from some areas of Ukraine has unveiled new depths to the atrocities committed under Putin. With horrific images showing civilians’ bodies in the streets of Bucha, the panel unpacks what will come of these revelations. Plus, we look at how the cost of living crisis is biting those who might have been insulated so far. This week’s guest is The Independent’s political sketch writer Tom Peck. “All the cards are not in Putin’s hands. Putin has got immense problems.” – Gavin Esler “Putin has put himself in a trap of his own making.” – Yasmeen Serhan “It’s hard to imagine seeing worse images than the ones we saw in recent days.” – Yasmeen Serhan "The battle for Ukraine is not being won or lost on the front pages of British newspapers." – Tom Peck “Historically, when things get difficult for the middle classes, things get difficult for the Tories.” – Tom Peck "When you cut Universal Credit, you clobber the powerless and the voiceless." – Tom Peck Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison with Gavin Esler and Yasmeen Serhan. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Russia accused of massacring civilians in Ukraine, we look at the world’s reaction, and what will come next. How can nations push harder to punish Putin? Plus, we unpack the Hungarian election results, with Viktor Orbán having won a fourth term. And back home, partygate continues to rumble on. Alex Andreou and Arthur Snell look at the week ahead. "Billions of Euros are sent to Russia for gas. Banning it would have a huge impact on Russia’s economy in the medium term.” – Arthur Snell “One hoped that Orban’s closeness to Putin might have changed the outcome of the election.” – Arthur Snell “If you’re in a town which doesn’t vote for Orban, then you’ll find yourself starved of resources.” – Arthur Snell “I don’t think the British public have moved on over partygate.” – Arthur Snell Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou with Arthur Snell. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is life like for Hong Kong activists detained then forced into exile after daring to defy Beijing? Simon Cheng was imprisoned in 2019, and fled to Britain later that year, establishing the expat group Hongkongers in Britain. He talks to Ros Taylor about his brutal experience in detention, his new life and the threat to democracy in his home city. “Increasingly the younger generation in Hong Kong don’t think they are Chinese.” “Provided the regime isn’t changed, I have no chance of going back to Hong Kong.” “I miss my hometown, my friends and my family, but I need to be able speak out freely.” “One day if the regime changes, we could be back in Hong Kong with democracy and freedom.” “I will continue to speak out for those people who can’t speak in Hong Kong.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We welcome indie-rockin’ winger Pat Nevin (Chelsea, Everton, the Camden Falcon) to talk music and his new book The Accidental Footballer. Plus Wet Leg’s long-awaited debut album, Marvel’s Egyptological psycho-drama Moon Knight, Oscar-winning deaf family dramady Coda, an erotically-charged Ruth Wilson in True Things AKA 9½ Weeks In Ramsgate… and much, much more. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064b “I once managed to fit four Camera Obscura references into one sentence of commentary.” – Pat Nevin “Ruth Wilson’s character feels like a real woman… If not yourself then definitely someone you know.” – Anna Smith “The truly ignorant person is the one that thinks they know everything.” – Pat Nevin Presented by Siân Pattenden and Andrew Harrison. Producer Jelena Sofronijevic with Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacques Peretti’s mother, Alina, survived World War Two in Poland, Siberia, and finally, Auschwitz. They talk to Siân Pattenden about their book, Little Bird of Auschwitz, coming to terms with how Alina understood the Holocaust as a child, finding the courage to put harrowing memories to paper …and how the investigative journalist learned more about the woman who would never let him call her “Mum”. “My mum took a Zhivago-esque Odyssey across Europe.” - Jacques Peretti “I wasn't brave enough to write this book myself, but my son gave me the opportunity.” - Alina Peretti “People assume that the Holocaust was a Jewish experience. But the degenerate category extended to anyone the Nazis didn't like.” - Jacques Peretti “The debate between Hitler and his officers happened right in front of my mum.” - Alina Peretti https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production https://www.hodder.co.uk/titles/jacques-peretti/little-bird-of-auschwitz/9781473646438/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Loneliness is something we’ve all felt at some point in our lives, particularly throughout COVID. But it can also have great value for society. Philosopher and social human rights expert Professor Kimberley Brownlee guides Ros Taylor through the important questions about being alone. Is solitary confinement an effective form of punishment? Have isolation policies been effective during the pandemic, or have they exposed care homes as “warehouses” for the elderly? And is loneliness really a moral injustice? “Our social needs are needs with a capital N. We thirst for connection.” “In China, children have a legal duty to visit and engage with their elderly parents.” “We risk becoming socially malnourished without even being aware of it.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a difference a week makes. Rishi Sunak’s stock has plummeted dramatically, how far can it fall? We unpick the Chancellor’s sorry Spring Statement. Plus, while COVID cases are rising, free tests are being ditched in England. What could possibly go wrong? And with three-time grand slam champ Ash Barty retiring from tennis, we weigh up the pros and cons of quitting while you’re ahead. “Sunak had an absolute shocker. Day one the headlines were awful from both sides.” – Miatta Fahnbulleh “I don’t think Sunak expected this backlash, which shows how out of step with the country he is.” – Miatta Fahnbulleh “I think this is worse than the Osborne years.” – Miatta Fahnbulleh “It’s very easy to get popular shoving money into people’s mouths.” – Ahir Shah “We’re seeing the real Rishi Sunak, and people are horrified.” – Ahir Shah “Hospital workers having to pay for their own tests to make sure they’re safe to work is insane.” – Justin Quirk Presented by Andrew Harrison with Ahir Shah, Justin Quirk and Miatta Fahnbulleh. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As fallout from Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement boosts tensions in Government, we look at how this might unravel further. And with Zelenskyy suggesting Ukraine could consider Russia’s neutrality demands, is there hope for an end to the war? Plus, rising COVID cases, Prince William’s reflections on his Caribbean tour and a controversial night at the Oscars. Ros Taylor and Alex Andreou look at the week ahead. “This seems like a very slow-moving war of attrition, that Russia is losing." – Alex Andreou "Even allies on the same side of a war have different objectives." – Alex Andreou "The UK still sees itself as the dominant entity in the Commonwealth." – Alex Andreou "Will Smith's actions have overshadowed the achievements of other people." – Alex Andreou Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor with Alex Andreou. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just 9% of all the plastic ever produced on planet Earth has been recycled. So where does the other 91% go? Despite our demand for disposable goods, the UK is hardly a plastic mountain. From litter on the Turkish littoral, to the second-hand textiles that flood Africa’s markets and South America’s deserts, there’s a chasm between where environmental damage is created, and where its impact is most destructively felt. Istanbul-based journalist Ruth Michaelson tells Jelena Sofronijevic about how we can tackle the West’s problem with waste, without simply outsourcing the climate crisis overseas… “There is a whole global chain of underpaid labour that suffers when you put your plastic bottle in the recycling bin.” “If we were not exporting our plastic waste, we would have to think about what we are doing with it.” “There's a whack-a-mole quest to find new destinations for plastic waste.” “The countries that claim to recycle the most also export the most waste.” “Environmental responsibility should fall on individual companies, not countries.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented and produced by Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s pop culture review: Aldous Harding’s couture cocoon-pop, bizarre Betamax horror in new movie Broadcast Signal Intrusion, and Sky doc Super Greed charts the fiasco that was the European Super League. Journo, DJ and football fiend Anthony Teasdale helps Siân and Andrew run the VAR van of entertainment. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064b “Somehow the horror is more horrifying because it taps into childhood fears.” – Sian on Broadcast Signal Intrusion “What’s more rebellious and punk rock than building a warm and furry barrier against the outside world?” – Andrew on Aldous Harding Written and presented by Siân Pattenden and Andrew Harrison. Producer Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can historical fiction be relevant to today’s society but faithful to the facts of the past? Author Laura Shepherd-Robinson joins Nick Cohen to discuss her approach, as she talks us through her novel Daughters of Night, a crime thriller set in the brothels of Georgian London. “When writing my books I choose to focus on issues that still have great resonance today.” “Many MPs declared that their main reason for going in Parliament was to defend slavery and those who practiced it.” “An average prostitute in Georgian London could make in one night what a housemaid made in a year.” “The Georgian period was a time when we were turning our minds towards liberal democracy.” “Working in politics you see power dynamics close up, and that helped when writing this book.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Nick Cohen. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The pandemic and a decade of underfunding has ground courts to a halt in England and Wales. How can this be fixed? Joanna Hardy-Susskind, of Red Lion Chambers, joins Ros Taylor to unpack the issues. As criminal barristers prepare to take industrial action over levels of legal aid funding, they address the implications for those in the legal system, and what the Government needs to be doing. “This is not action criminal barristers want to take, and we don’t take it lightly at all.” “The backlog in the justice system has created a perfect storm, with many barristers now leaving.” “It’s a ticking time bomb, this profession could easily slip backwards in terms of diversity.” “We don’t have enough barristers, there are trials taking place where the defence or prosecution chairs are empty.” “Sometimes I represent people who are innocent, and the wait for justice is crippling.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is discussed, could Vladimir Putin’s word possibly be trusted? Is his sway both in and outside his nation waning? We look at the chances of an agreement and what one might look like. Plus, we assess economic crises and talk about the prospect of more prescriptive healthcare in a world changed by COVID. Dr. Marc Berenson, senior lecturer at King’s Russia Institute, is this week’s guest. "It’s hard for Ukraine to give anything up because they haven’t done anything wrong.” – Ayesha Hazarika “Putin has solidified the unity of the EU.” – Ayesha Hazarika “Ethics don’t pay the bills, and governments around the world are seeing gas prices soar.” – Yasmeen Serhan Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou with Ayesha Hazarika and Yasmeen Serhan. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With ongoing devastation in Ukraine and a biting cost of living crisis here at home, the outlook remains bleak. The Government remains under ever-increasing scrutiny – is there any indication of positive change, or just hints at political manoeuvres? Will those in need continue to face the brunt of the hardship? Justin Quirk is joined by Naomi Smith to look at the week ahead. “We’re failing refugees the world over, I’m afraid.” – Naomi Smith “In organisations with a bad culture, a bad output, the fish rots from the head.” – Naomi Smith “We have seen precisely nothing of a substance that will help to level up the country.” – Naomi Smith “We need an intervention that isn’t just about tax cuts but also help for those on low incomes.” – Naomi Smith Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ Presented by Justin Quirk with Naomi Smith. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whatever you think of him, Nigel Farage has been one of Britain’s most influential politicians. His campaign to take the UK out of the EU went from a fringe viewpoint to government policy, but how did he do it? Political journalist Michael Crick joins Dorian Lynskey to discuss his latest book One Party After Another, which takes a deep dive into the life of one of Britain’s most controversial political characters. “Farage is the most important politician of this century.” “I wouldn’t write off the idea of this net-zero referendum happening.” “You can understand why Farage admires Vladimir Putin, he uses many of the same methods.” “The Conservatives were terrified of Farage getting into the House of Commons.” “Farage’s GB News contract has meant fewer appearances on other broadcast outlets.” “Farage is addicted to public attention, he would rarely turn down an interview.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Dr Catherine Anne Davies, AKA Welsh multi-instrumentalist The Anchoress, joins us on the rerelease of The Art of Losing – and for an album whose central theme is loss, there are as many bangers as you can wave a stick at. Plus, death on the installment plan - podcast producer Rob Fitzpatrick talks about series two of Upload on Amazon Prime, and Classic Objects, the new album from Norwegian musician and novelist Jenny Hval. And there’s a buzz around Balkan cinema, as Siân and Jelena see award-winning Kosovan post-conflict movie HIVE. “My songs are not Nick Cave mournful ballads, but Dylan Thomas rages against the dying of the light.” - Catherine Anne Davies “I thought that rock stars couldn't have PhDs. But I'm also proud of myself for my lyrics rhyming Monopoly and misogyny.” - Catherine Anne Davies “Amazon Prime series often poke fun at the platform that sustains them.” - Sian Pattenden “Religion was the way we made sense of life and death, and now we do it with TV.” - Catherine Anne Davies “I found a sonic freedom and enjoyment in Jenny Hval's Classic Objects.” - Rob Fitzpatrick Written and presented by Siân Pattenden and Alex Andreou. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is Britain so accommodating to the super-rich? Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the World talks to Ahir Shah to discuss how our nation came to assist kleptocrats to the extent we see today. As question marks over oligarchs’ riches hit the headlines, we look at how we got here. “There is this deeply ingrained service industry that helps anyone with money do anything.” “Whoever they are, if they’ve got money, we’ll take their money and help them solve their problems.” “We don’t stop people doing things, we help people do things.” “The problem isn’t Russian money, it’s money. And if it wasn’t Russian money it would be someone else’s money.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ahir Shah. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cultural organisations are becoming more assertive in boycotting Russia. But how effective are their sanctions? Can these moves compare with economic clampdowns? Jelena Sofronijevic talks to Professor Andrew Bertoli about how sports influences international security, whether sanctions hurt individuals more than states, and whether these actions are really useful for Ukraine. “The IOC and FIFA have had very cosy relationships with Putin in the past.” “The three times Putin has launched an invasion have always followed the Olympics.” “Even weaker or mixed signals from international organisations will be stronger than those sent by individual states.” “Cultural sanctions don’t stop military action directly, but they do signal support to those affected.” “For big organisations, the damage that would come from remaining neutral far outweighs the damage that stems from taking a side.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented and produced by Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Government has been bounced into doing more for Ukrainian refugees, but are new plans just shifting responsibility? Plus, we discuss how Russia is trying to win the information war – and dissect the facts from fiction. And finally, we take a look at what’s going on with Spotify, after a major outage and dip in subscribers. Mathilda Mallinson, of the Media Storm podcast and co-founder of Refugee Media Centre, is this week’s guest. "There's such a bad faith approach in the right-wing media reporting on refugees." – Arthur Snell "This is a very racist lesson as to why we haven't been treating other populations as refugees." – Mathilda Mallinson “What we have in Calais now is a two-tiered system.” — Mathilda Mallinson “I imagine a lot won’t be able to go home… for many it will be because the lives that they had are not available for them to return to.” — Arthur Snell "For all Russia's craziness inside Ukraine, I still don’t think they're crazy enough to do something inside a NATO country." — Arthur Snell Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison with Arthur Snell and Ahir Shah. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The horror of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to shock the world. Is more involvement from the West inevitable? What might that look like? Meanwhile, the UK’s position on refugees is shifting, while sanctions have also been bolstered. But is the Government doing enough? Alex Andreou is joined by Gavin Esler to look at the week ahead. “One stray missile lands in Poland and who knows where we’ll be.” – Gavin Esler “Putin must be asking what success looks like now, and I don’t know the answer to that.” – Gavin Esler “The Government is hamstrung by its own rhetoric over migrants and channel crossings.” – Gavin Esler “Russia is a country of incredible cultural riches, and it’s become a money making machine for certain people.” – Gavin Esler “It seems to be that Putin has lost the international information battle.” – Alex Andreou Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou with Gavin Esler. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nuclear war is back in people’s minds after Vladimir Putin put Russia’s deterrent on high alert. How real is the threat? And if an atomic conflict did break out, what would it look like? Dr Matthew Harries, Senior Research Fellow in Nuclear Policy at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), joins Ros Taylor to discuss the likelihood of atomic warfare, and what Putin’s threat really means. “Russia is a nuclear armed state, so we have to take escalation very seriously.” “Vladimir Putin knows nuclear weapons are scary, and talking about them is a tactic designed to intimidate.” “A no-fly zone would NATO in direct conflict with Russia. They would respond.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our pop culture review: Dancefloor existentialists Electribe 101, Microdisney mastermind returns with Telefís, Netflix comedy sci-fi The Adam Project and more with guest Grant Nicholas of Feeder. Journalist and author of Leaving the Building: The Lucrative Afterlife of Music Estates Eamonn Forde joins Grant of skate-surf rock-punk survivors Feeder to discuss a great lost album of British dance music, “theocratic electropop from the Irish diaspora”, Netflix’s attempt to do Spielberg… and much much more. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064b “Not only did the Catholic Church control the country, but so too did RTÉ…” – Eamonn Forde on Telefís Written and presented by Siân Pattenden and Andrew Harrison. Producer Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We often hear that laughter is the best medicine. But healthcare providers in Bristol have taken the message seriously and are now prescribing comedy courses to help people recover from PTSD. It’s just one case of “social prescribing” that’s sweeping throughout practices across the country. Jelena Sofronijevic talks to Professor Gurch Randhawa and former service user Debs Teale about what constitutes “social medication,” why there’s no magic pill for long-term problems in politics and big pharma, and how housing and education impact health today. “Social prescribing will only be successful when it is rolled out in a consistent way.” - Gurch Randhawa “The beauty of social prescribing is that it can be anything creative.” - Debs Teale “I get nervous when systems privilege the medical model of becoming unwell and receiving a prescription to manage it.” - Gurch Randhawa “It's not a National Health Service, it's a National Sickness Service.” - Gurch Randhawa https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented and produced by Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Western coverage of the bloody civil war in Syria might indicate that the conflict is over. But in the northwest, rebels are still fighting back against Bashar al-Assad, and the war crimes against civilians committed by his deadly regime. Ammar al Selmo is a member of the White Helmets. He dials in from northwest Syria to tell Arthur Snell about the organisation’s humanitarian efforts, how working as a first-responder is “like a drug”…and why continued Western support is critical for the region. This edition recorded before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Now that the regime is using drones and laser targeting, they can't claim that attacks on civilian targets like hospitals and schools are accidental.” “What's happening in Syria affects what's happening in Ukraine. We are connected.” “Those who physically survive the war in Syria still have psychological rubble.” “We must remember these war crimes to keep history alive, and hold people accountable.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production https://www.whitehelmets.org/en/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Among Putin’s missteps has been underestimating the support Ukraine would muster. Why is he losing the information war? Meanwhile, Russia faces a raft of sanctions from the West. We analyse the wider impact of those actions, and the moves taken by our Government. Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, of King’s Russia Institute, and Tatton Spiller, the founder of Simple Politics, are this week’s guests. “Zelenskyy is the most media trained President in history.” - Tatton Spiller “Since 2014, Putin has portrayed Ukraine as having a fascist government.” - Gulnaz Sharafutdinova “Where the UK is falling short is sanctions that target individuals.” - Miatta Fahnbulleh “In Russia, prices on electronics have risen by 30% due to sanctions.” - Gulnaz Sharafutdinova “Putin is fighting two wars, one in Ukraine and one in Russia.” - Gulnaz Sharafutdinova Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor with Miatta Fahnbulleh. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Harrowing scenes of families fleeing Ukraine have seen the Government pressured to do more for them. Will it? As Russia’s bombardment persists, it emerged the UK had only issued 50 visas to refugees escaping the invasion. Home Secretary Priti Patel has faced pointed criticism – are there any excuses? Will new proposals be enough? Alex Andreou is joined by Yasmeen Serhan to look at the week ahead. “Kyiv is still standing, it’s still Ukrainian, but it’s an incredibly dire situation.” – Yasmeen Serhan “People don’t want to leave their homes, people want to go home… but they also want to be safe, they also want to live.” – Yasmeen Serhan "The resolve of the Ukrainian people and government has been incredible to witness." – Yasmeen Serhan "The government is underestimating the extent to which Brits would be willing to help." – Yasmeen Serhan Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou with Yasmeen Serhan. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine an app able to dictate social media trends at the click of a button. Digital researcher Ayushman Kaul talks to Alex Andreou about ‘Tek Fog’ – software he reports can do exactly that. They discuss corrosive impacts already seen in India, tracked in a nearly two-year long investigation for The Wire, and worrying implications for democracies the world over. “Operators who use this app can manipulate social media trends en-mass, including on Facebook and Twitter.” “There is a global industry emerging in this grey space between tech and politics, where disinformation for profit services are being offered.” “Using platforms like Tek Fog, you can target people in a way that you could never target them before.” “I wish there was a silver bullet to cure this disinformation epidemic that we’re facing.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunk After a sneaky single drop from their new album A Bit of Previous, Scottish indie pop megastar Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian joins us to talk about making floating music festivals and his Sundance Award-winning film. Crime writer par excellence William Shaw speaks to Siân and Jelena about The Dropout on Disney Star starring Amanda Siegfried as disgraced biotech billionaire Elizabeth Holmes, and The Weather Station’s latest album, How is It That I Should Look at the Stars, and Andrew Harrison and Linda Marric go to see The Batman. Plus, we listen to the the new Butcher Boy anthology 'You Had A Kind Face'. It’s available to order at https://needlemythology.tmstor.es/ - and the first ones in get a limited edition postcard set. “Songwriting is moaning to music - and I've been doing it for 26 years now.” - Stuart Murdoch “We're in the age of the newsroom drama. It's a new kind of history-making.”- Jelena Sofronijevic “My Buddhist nun appeared to me in a dream, and helped me pick the songs from the album to turn into singles.” - Stuart Murdoch “This Weather Station album sounds like it's recorded in a room where's she afraid of waking the neighbours.” - William Shaw Written and presented by Siân Pattenden and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cryptocurrencies have boomed in recent years, but are they here to stay? Amy Castor, an independent journalist whose work focuses on cryptocurrency and financial fraud, talks to Justin Quirk to explain some of the myths around crypto, if e-currencies really can work as an alternative to the normal financial system, and the strange world of NFTs. “Crypto was designed as an e-currency, but it’s mainly used for speculation.” “There is mind-boggling amounts of money going into this space, in the hope more will come in.” “Bitcoin is a cult, there are those who believe it will save people in Argentina.” “The people that will lose in this are the unsophisticated investors who join the game too late.” “Those who invested in Bitcoin in November have already lost half of their investment.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Justin Quirk. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s the situation like on the ground in Ukraine? Nearly a week after Russia invaded, veteran war correspondent John Sweeney dials in from Kyiv to give Arthur Snell the lowdown on Europe’s first ground war since 1945, and why Putin’s gamble might have backfired. “From day one I thought Putin had made a mistake, and this invasion is not going well.” “This feels to me like Twilight of the Gods, Putin has made a miscalculation.” “Putin is pulling the military levers and they’re not working.” “Putin is a rational actor, blundering around in a dark bunker of his own making.” “It feels like this war is very 20th century. Putin is a Tsar, entirely out of touch with his people.” “I think Putin is finished. His regime has reached the beginning of the end.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Arthur Snell. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is a humiliated Putin even more dangerous than a victorious Putin? Can the incredible bravery of the Ukraine and President Zelensky win out? And how many fronts can Putin fight on, at home, globally and in the economic sphere? In a week where Russia tried to pin a potential nuclear war on Liz Truss, ex-diplomat and security expert Arthur Snell, The Atlantic’s Yasmeen Serhan and former Labour spin doctor Ayesha Hazarika join Alex Andreou to get the latest on the most serious crisis in Europe since the Second World War. Find resources to help the Ukrainian people here: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ “It’s being widely said that Putin can’t win this war without committing atrocities.” – Arthur Snell “Putin is acting on emotion and that’s really worrying.” – Yasmeen Serhan “Ironically for someone who funded the Brexit movement, Putin has done wonders for EU integration.” – Arthur Snell “Liz Truss looking like she’s got under the Russia’s skin will be a huge help for her leadership campaign.” – Ayesha Hazarika https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Ayesha Hazarika, Yasmeen Serhan and Arthur Snell. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Setting up the week ahead: Putin threatens nuclear war, EU sanctions bite Russia, French presidential elections. Would Putin really use a nuclear weapon to salvage his collapsing war on Ukraine? Will EU sanctions and plans to supply weapons to Kyiv damage the Russian regime’s plans? Plus the French presidential elections, the Policing Bill and more. Arthur Snell and Ros Taylor set up a worrying week. “Putin has deeply underestimated Zelensky… He has proven to be a formidable wartime leader.” “If Putin can’t take Kyiv on a small scale, will he simply pulverise the city?” “Putin is smart enough to know that using nuclear weapons could mean the end of Russia within days” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey and Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eugenics might be considered a horrific relic of the past, but the concept still has its advocates today. Dr Adam Rutherford, science writer and author of Control, talks to Dorian Lynskey about efforts by the powerful to dictate reproduction throughout history, the legacy of eugenics in our language and literature, and present day conversations about tinkering with the DNA of unborn children. “Winston Churchill drafted numerous bills which included mass sterilisation.” “If you only engage in science to the point where your political views are reinforced, then you’re not doing science right.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast https://www.amazon.co.uk/Faster-Stronger-Smarter-Troubling-Eugenics/dp/1474622380 Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Assistant producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s pop culture review: Untold tales of British metal, the star of the National Theatre’s astonishing Wuthering Heights, new Johnny Marr and more. Journalist and author of Denim And Leather: The Rise And Fall Of The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal Michael Hann tells untold tales of rock’s most unfairly despised genre. Actor and cabaret phenomenon Lucy McCormick on her stunning role as Emily Brontë’s original riot grrrl of the moors Cathy in Wuthering Heights. And what’s Johnny Marr’s new album like? Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunk Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064b "All extreme metal comes from Venom." - Michael Hann "I love haunting the stage. It feels so goth." - Lucy McCormick "These metal bands did it all for themselves right up until the record labels signed them." - Michael Hann "Death and comedy is basically my thing." - Lucy McCormick Written and presented by Siân Pattenden and Andrew Harrison. Producer Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We live in a world of chaos, with Western democracies facing overlapping geopolitical, economic, and political crises. How did we get here? Professor Helen Thompson is co-host of the Talking Politics podcast – and she was Ahir Shah’s Director of Studies at University. They unpack her new book Disorder, how the fault lines in the Sino-American relationship, NATO, and the EU have all been decades in the making, and the “crisi-tunities” for years to come. “Most of the commentary on Brexit and Trump was far too superficial.” “So long as oil has a place in our energy supply, then the geopolitics of oil come with it.” “There's a genuine political fear in Washington that the geopolitical winner of green energy will be China.” “We're living in a world where supply and demand is much more complicated.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ahir Shah. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beijing 2022 was the first Winter Olympics to rely almost exclusively on fake snow – at great cost to the environment. But is it possible to make sports more sustainable, and will we even be able to have the Winter Olympics in the future? Dr. Madeleine Orr is a sports ecologist at Loughborough University London, and the founder of The Sport Ecology Group. She tells Jelena Sofronijevic about why pollution impacts competition, how international organisations exercise total control over local laws and taxes…and whether 2022 was really the “greenest and cleanest” Games yet. “When we think about sports, we’re not thinking about the environments where they take place.” “The more we use artificial spaces, the more original biodiversity loss.” Written and presented by Jelena Sofronijevic. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This edition recorded before Putin’s speech and the Russian incursion into Ukraine. “Levelling up” is a mantra for Boris Johnson, but what is his government actually doing about it? Our special guest Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire and former MP, joins us to discuss tackling inequalities between regions. Plus, we discuss moves to tackle “legal but harmful” content online. What does that mean? And what career best prepares you for politics? Spoiler alert: it isn’t being a Telegraph columnist. “The government must stop putting metro mayors into beauty competitions to bid for small pots of money.” – Tracy Brabin “Michael Gove is a bit of a disruptor who wants to deliver. But his levelling up plan has no new money and the same old story.” – Tracy Brabin “MPs are completely in the thick of online abuse on every form of social media… they get the worst of the internet every day in their inbox.” – Marie Le Conte https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison with Justin Quirk and Marie Le Conte. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Recorded by Jade Bailey, audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is still looming. Can further diplomacy prevent war? There are reports of a summit between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden. What could it achieve? Plus, COVID restrictions are due to be ditched in England, and MPs return to Parliament after a recess. Where will their focus be? Alex Andreou is joined by Yasmeen Serhan to discuss the week ahead. “It feels like we’re waiting for someone to blink. There’s a lot of mixed narratives.” – Yasmeen Serhan “Any diplomacy is better than the alternative.” – Yasmeen Serhan “If you are serious about living with COVID, the monitoring aspect of it is key.” – Alex Andreou "Johnson has squashed the scandal sombrero by stretching out these inquiries." – Alex Andreou "The government has to focus on crises closer to home – like the weather." – Yasmeen Serhan www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou with Yasmeen Serhan. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices