The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson’s two-hour sit down with Vladimir Putin has grabbed headlines worldwide. But can we really learn anything from it? Jacob Jarvis talks to Ian Garner, a historian of Russian culture and the author of Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth, to discuss how to interpret the interview – and what the Russian leader really should have been asked. • “Putin’s character was on display – he does tend to be very patronising. He’ll openly mock people for asking what he deems to be stupid questions.” – Ian Garner • “When Putin is talking about the past he’s not talking about a literal interpretation of events in the way we would expect. It is all about myth.” – Ian Garner Buy Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth [LINK: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/13277/9781787389281] 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. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Podmasters managing editor Jacob Jarvis. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Benjamin Netanyahu’s power is faltering. From losing international support, to the charges of fraud and bribery that he’s facing – pressure is mounting on the Israeli leader. So how much power does he have left and could this rift with President Biden be the final nail in the coffin? Chris Jones is joined by Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi, who recently wrote: The US Is Dealing With an Israeli Leader Who’s Losing Control. Nahal Toosi’s Politico column: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/08/netanyahu-israeli-leader-losing-control-00134146 • “Just being prime minister is not enough to protect him from having to stand trial.” – Nahal Toosi • “Netanyahu is using the ICJ ruling to support his position, creating an ‘us versus them’ narrative.” – Nahal Toosi www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Eliza Davis and Chris Jones. Beard. 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

This week: By-elections will prove yet another test for Sunak – but things aren’t smooth sailing for Labour either. Plus, updates as Israel strikes Rafah – what will this mean for the conflict? And, Trump latest as he delivers controversial comments on Russia. Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to tee up the week ahead. • “The level of defeat in these by-elections matters” – Alex Andreou • “Michael Gove defending you feels like one of the four horsemen of the Tory apocalypse” – Alex Andreou •“There is a balance to be struck between being cautious and being unambitious” – Alex Andreou • “There must be an international intervention now – it is enough.” – Alex Andreou Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. 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

The US life expectancy is at its lowest point in more than two decades – and behind that of some so-called ‘developing nations’? Why is this the case – and is anything being done about it? To answer these questions, Gavin Esler speaks to Dr Steven Woolf, lead author of the Journal of the American Medical Association’s report on health outcomes in the United States. • “It would be easy to blame this on a single cause such as the obesity epidemic, the opioid epidemic, guns: these are all big problems for the United States, but neither one by itself fully explains the systemic pattern of poorly performing against other high income countries.” – Dr Steven Woolf • “Studies have shown that even the so-called ‘advantaged’ populations of the U.S. die earlier than rich people in the UK. Across multiple categories of advantage – such as having health insurance, being a non-smoker, being white – all of these populations have been doing worse than in other countries.” – Dr Steven Woolf Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by: 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

We like to imagine society is structured by rationality and reason. But, really, isn’t everything a matter of chance? Ros Taylor talks to Brian Klaas, associate professor of global politics at UCL, about his new book Fluke: Chance, chaos and why everything we do matters, in The Bunker and to discuss how randomness shapes our lives. Buy Fluke by Brian Klaas 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. • “Unforeseen events have shaped everything economically and politically in our lives. The illusion of control causes us to be hubristic in how we navigate uncertainty, and that’s a very big problem social science needs to grapple with.” – Brian Klaas • “Very often people on the political left are worried about the idea of determinism because they say ‘this lets injustice off the hook’. The flip side of that is you believe that everyone dictates their own future – which is what the political right often says." – Brian Klaas www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. 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

Britain’s knife crime crisis is regularly called a “pandemic” in the media. But just how serious is the problem? Who suffers from it most? And does any political party have the right idea of how to combat it? To answer these questions, Andrew Harrison speaks to Dr James Alexander of London Metropolitan University’s criminology department. • “Knife crime is reported as a black issue, which is a problem with the media. It is more widespread than that, it is about poverty, it is about these people not receiving the support they need, regardless of their ethnicity.” – Dr James Alexander • "People are growing up in areas where knife crime is just a fact of life. They are desensitised to the idea of carrying a knife.” – Dr James Alexander • “The criminals they are often targeting are 14, 15, 16 year olds – they are children who need support to get back into education, and support for mental health issues." – Dr James Alexander Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Andrew Harrison. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. 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

Russia’s presidential election doesn’t take place until March – yet we already know the result. Vladimir Putin will beat the other 3 ‘candidates’ with ease to retake his place as president. But does that mean the vote doesn’t matter at all? Or could we still learn something from the result? Chris Jones talks to András Tóth-Czifra, fellow in the Eurasia program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and author of Controlling the Narrative: A Roadmap to Russia’s 2024 Presidential Election, in The Bunker. • “These elections are not taking place in a democracy – so it would be foolish to analyse them as if they were.” – András Tóth-Czifra • 'For the Kremlin this is a vital test of the officialdom – the political machinery that the federal government relies on to control the country.’ András Tóth-Czifra András’ research: https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/12/controlling-the-narrative-a-roadmap-to-russias-2024-presidential-election/ Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Chris Jones. Produced by: 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week: Rwanda rows continue as James Cleverly drags the Church of England into the migration dispute. Plus – Could Liz Truss make a return to frontline politics with the launch of her Popular Conservatism project? And in the Middle East, the RAF and the US air force continue their offensive against Houthi Rebel targets. Is the military campaign making a difference? • "Dragging the Church of England into the culture war seems risky.” – Ros Taylor • “The Home Secretary’s feud with the church is really all about the Rwanda Bill.” – Alex Andreou Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Ros Taylor. 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

Tucker Carlson’s getting weirder. Hard to believe it, we know. From promoting shamed conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ return to interviewing indictment riddled Donald Trump last year, he’s not shying away from controversy. What is Carlson’s end game and how much power does he have, not just through media ventures but in US politics too? Nikki McCann Ramirez is a politics reporter for Rolling Stone magazine and has watched more Carlson content than most could bear. She joins Jacob Jarvis in The Bunker. • “He’s always been a bit of a weirdo.” – Nikki McCann Ramirez •” “That interview with Alex Jones was awful to watch.” – Nikki McCann Ramirez • “It’s entirely Tucker centric at this point...his audience takes his word as gospel.” – Nikki McCann Ramirez Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Produced by: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

British politics can be laughable. But can poking fun at it actually spark change? Marie Le Conte speaks to professional prankster Oobah Butler, whose viral videos have amassed tens of millions of views online and caused real-world action in their aftermath. • “There’s something really lame about a prank. It’s quite a disarming thing to use. If it’s not punching upwards, it can’t be funny fundamentally. It’s fun to mess with institutions that ‘deserve it’ in a way that is beneath them – you’re dragging them down with you.” – Oobah Butler • "I don’t think I can call myself an activist. I’m down here in the mud.” – Oobah Butler Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Marie Le Conte. Produced by: 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

Sir Winston Churchill’s legacy is often discussed – but is usually more complex than conversations suggest. Some call him one of the greatest Britons of all time – in India, however, he is regarded as one of the key villains of imperial rule. Ahir Shah is joined by historian Walter Reid, fellow of the Royal Historical Society and author of Fighting Retreat: Churchill and India, to discuss how Churchill is remembered. • “Churchill was racist because he constantly belittled India. ” – Walter Reid • “He believed India’s role in the Empire had to be protected at all costs.” – Walter Reid Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ahir Shah. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard and Liam Tait. 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

Jürgen Klopp impressed the football world with his honest reasons for quitting as Liverpool manager. But how come so few politicians know how to quit when they’re ahead? Andrew Harrison talks to Oh God What Now regular Seth Thévoz about the history of political exits – and the times when leaders from Harold Wilson to Thatcher, Major and Blair just couldn’t let go. •“Even politicians who’ve said ‘I am definitely standing down’ find all sorts of creative reasons to hang on to power just a little bit longer.” - Seth Thévoz •“It’s actually quite sad speaking to retired politicians, especially if they’ve been turfed out of the office. One minute being at the center of power, making decisions, and the next minute nobody wants to interview them, nobody wants to quote them or ask their opinion on anything." - Seth Thévoz www.patreon.com/bunkercast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a bad Brexit news week as new regulations are put in place. Plus, Sunak’s woes continue – but Hunt’s going to try and help him out. And we discuss the latest from conflicts and elections across the globe, including Trump being made to look like a loser. • “The government is once again farming out its problems caused by Brexit to companies.” – Alex Andreou • “The last thing Sunak needs is to be seen as being helped by Labour because his own back benches are too fractious” – Alex Andreou • “If Trump has to start selling stuff that could make him look like a loser, which is fatal to his image.” – Alex Andreou Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. 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

Hit reality TV show The Traitors reveals how great some people are at lying – and how bad others are at detecting it. What lessons can we take from Claudia Winkleman’s backstabbing parlour game about the world of politics? Today in The Bunker, Ahir Shah speaks with The Guardian’s Zoe Williams to find out which of our politicians would flourish or flounder under the pressure. Stay tuned until after the credits for Ahir’s slightly spoilery final thoughts leading into the final two episodes. • “The very act of honesty has become a badge of shame in modern politics.” – Zoe Williams • “I paused the episode and said to my wife: ‘I think I finally understand how Boris Johnson happened’.” – Ahir Shah Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Ahir Shah. Producer: Liam Tait and Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bayley. Production Assistant: Adam Wright. Art by James Parrett. 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 US election is being fought on many fronts, but what does the American public really care about most? Is it the economy, is it immigration, or is it simply the name of the person who sits in the Oval Office? Susan Davis is a political correspondent for NPR and host of the NPR Political Podcast. She joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker to discuss how the likely candidates will campaign on the most important issues. • “There’s a sense of nostalgia for Trump… people think ‘my life was better under Trump’.” – Susan Davis • “Anger is the greatest character in American politics.” – Susan Davis • “Immigration has been an unsolvable problem in US politics basically since the Reagan era.” – Susan Davis Listen to NPR’s Political Podcast: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do people care most about at the moment – and how will this affect their votes in the upcoming general election? From immigration to the NHS, the economy to defence, there’s plenty for voters to think about. Ros Taylor speaks to Ben Walker, senior data journalist at the New Statesman and co-founder of Britain Elects. •“The priority amongst all Britons is not immigration, not the NHS, but still for solutions on the cost of living.” – Ben Walker •“The reality of politics is that feelings matter more than facts - if you’re feeling like your income is being squeezed, if you feel like your community is turning to dust, you’ll vote with that in mind.” – Ben Walker Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by: Chris Jones and 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

Few TV dramas have had such an instant seismic effect as ITV’s miniseries on the Horizon scandal, Mr Bates vs The Post Office. How do searing stories of miscarriages of justice make it to screen in a ruthless television environment? And what makes them so effective at concentrating public outrage and forcing change? Simon Heath, CEO and Creative Director of World Productions, was Executive Producer of Line of Duty and the acclaimed Hillsborough drama Anne. He tells Andrew Harrison what makes true-life drama work – and how it does the job that World In Action used to do. • “To be able to launch a drama while a public inquiry is still ongoing is just fantastic because you’re able to point the audience immediately toward a live political issue, and the two things feed on each other.” - Simon Heath • “Some stories do lend themselves more readily to dramatisation, and there was something about the Post Office Scandal that you could essentially distil it down to the little people versus this out of control, faceless bureaucracy that was crushing them.” - Simon Heath Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Andrew Harrison. Produced by: 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

“Ron DeSanctimonious” is out of the Presidential running meaning a two-way race between Trump and Nikki Haley in this week’s New Hampshire Primary. Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea start to filter through to the economy. The Lords get ready to savage the Rwanda Plan. And NASA opens up a can of asteroid dust – what could possibly go wrong? Gavin Esler sets out the week ahead for Andrew Harrison. Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Art by James Parrett. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump once said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and his supporters wouldn’t care. Not only does polling suggest that could be true – but since he was criminally indicted (not for shooting anyone) his loyalists have stuck by him. Thomas Gift is the founding director of UCL’s centre on US politics and he joins Jacob Jarvis in The Bunker to discuss what he believes are the five types of Trump voters. • “Trump supporters have been likened to a cult … and I don’t think that’s far off.” – Thomas Gift •“Whenever I think about the need for drama Republicans I think about the chaos caucus… they want to blow up the system.” – Thomas Gift www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Migration is one of the most divisive issues in the UK – socially, politically, and economically. But a lot of the information we consume is propaganda, and many of the assumptions made are wrong. Hein de Haas, author of How Migration Really Works, offers Ros Taylor insights which could lead to effective migration policy. • “The overall contribution of recent migration has been positive rather than negative.” – Hein de Haas • “There is actually no difference between Left and Right wing governments in terms of the immigration policies they implement.” – Hein de Haas www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. 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

The 2024 US Presidential election will likely see Biden and Trump back on the ballot. And, if previous elections are anything to go by, Russia will play a key role in manipulating things in Trump’s favour. Joseph Webster, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and editor of the China-Russia report, joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker, to discuss what Russia seeks to gain out of a Trump presidency, and how they might just get it. • “Gasoline prices are a major determinant in U.S. elections. Anything that Russia can do to lower or increase prices will have a big impact.” – Joseph Webster • “Disinformation campaign efforts by the Russian state and by figures associated with the Russian state will almost certainly persist into 2024.” – Joseph Webster www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Alex Rees. 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

Young people, particularly young men, are increasingly becoming radicalised toward the far-right. Often chronically online and extremely vulnerable to manipulation, just how big of a risk do they pose? And what can be done about it? Alex Andreou joins Cynthia Miller-Idriss, founding director of the Polarisation and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at the American University in Washington, DC, in The Bunker. • “The far-right is really a spectrum for supremacist ideologies; which include white, christian, western, or misogynist supremacies, but also anti-government and anti-democratic supremacies.” – Cynthia Miller-Idriss • “The real shift we are seeing now compared to previous generations is that, where you used to have to be taken by the arm and invited by an individual to join a group, now all of that propaganda comes right to you online.” – Cynthia Miller-Idriss www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Alex Rees. 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

PM Rishi Sunak faces the commons today to explain military action against Houthi Rebels. Plus – the Rwanda bill is back. Will the Conservatives be satisfied with the latest draft? Across the pond – The Republican Party caucuses in Iowa. Is a Trump victory inevitable? And finally President Biden has congratulated Lai Ching-te following his victory in the Taiwan election, how will Beijing respond? • "You simply cannot notify your enemies that you’re about to take military action." – Alex Andreou • “We are vastly underestimating the threat of Russia.” – Alex Andreou • “Democratic nations are always at a disadvantage when it comes to war.” – Alex Andreou Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Ros Taylor. 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

A special crossover episode with This Is Not A Drill, our geopolitics podcast. Why are UK and US navies defending Western shipping against missile attacks and hijacks from rebels in the poorest country in the Middle East? The battle between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia threatens to spill over into a wider regional conflict – and Iran is fanning the flames. What happens next? Gavin Esler talks to Helen Lackner, author of Yemen In Crisis, to find out who the Houthi are, what they want, what their rebellion means for the West… and whether the war could spread. Follow This Is Not A Drill on your favourite podcast provider for weekly interviews and reports on the world’s flashpoints. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Art by James Parrett. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. TINAD music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER and THIS IS NOT A DRILL are Podmasters Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brainwashing has been utilised as a political tool for centuries. How exactly is it weaponised today? Daniel Pick, author of Brainwashed: A New History of Thought Control, discusses the history and contemporary manifestations of thought control with Alex Andreou, in The Bunker. • “Brainwashing seeks both to decimate and damage the mind – and to infiltrate ideas and to organise ideologies in a systematic way.” – Daniel Pick • “Behavioural units exist within governments, including Downing Street, to advise on the best way to nudge people in a benign way. Such units were utilised, for example, during the Covid pandemic.” – Daniel Pick www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. 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