The News Agents

Keir Starmer has gone out of his way to break with his party's antisemitic past and to reshape the Labour parliamentary party. But this weekend, shadow ministers found themselves in the unenviable position of having to defend the Labour candidate for Rochdale for 'mistakenly believing a conspiracy theory' instead of calling him out for his antisemitic remarks about whether Israel had turned a blind eye to the Hamas atrocities as 'a green light for a full on Gaza invasion'. Azhar Ali is standing against George Galloway which is perhaps why Labour is nervous. What should happen to all those other MPs suspended by the party leader for antisemitic remarks?And where does this leave Keir Starmer on his Middle East foreign policy more widely? Also, Trump has encouraged Russia to invade NATO countries that dont pay their bills. Well of course he has. Why is Europe surprised? And has it figured out America under Trump is not going to care about our security? We discuss why we've been so slow to listen to what he's saying.**This episode was recorded before Labour withdrew their support for Rochdale candidate Azhar Ali**Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

When will strikes end - and are Labour the party to stop the constant drumroll of them?We're joined by the most charismatic man on the left of British politics - who has become synonymous with the public sector striking. Mick Lynch.And later, we talk all things Biden as he hits back against accusations that his mind is ailing - only to then make yet another gaff.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

The worst kept secret in politics was freed from its shackles today as Sir Keir Starmer confirmed Labour would drop their 28 billion pound spending pledge on the green economy.It will confirms Rishi's criticism of a flip-flop leader. Why is Keir running scared of spending? Later, is Rishi's own party calling on him to apologise for his trans gag in the Commons yesterday? Why won’t he? We discuss where it’s left him.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

How has Rishi Sunak shown so little emotional intelligence that he ended up making his customary 'trans joke'?In the presence of the mother of a brutally murdered trans teenager. What does this tell us about the disconnect between his politics and the people he serves? And what does it mean for the divisive culture war that has formed the rump of so much recent conservative campaigning?Today we discuss decency, standards in public life and leadership with Lord Simon McDonald, and ask whether we've allowed intolerable rhetoric to become normalised in the slapstick of party politics.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Liz Truss and her mates have been selling their version of popular conservatism in central London this morning. They were delighted to see Lewis at their launch who spoke to Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nigel Farage about both their vision and their seeming hypocrisy. We ask Sir Charles Walker, of the same party, if he recognizes this brand of conservatism or if they are in fact “useful idiots“ for the right-wing fringe Reform UK party .Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Northern Ireland's new first minister Michelle O'Neill has had her knuckles metaphorically rapped by the PM - who's warned politicians to "focus on the day to day" of the brand new power sharing deal - and not start conversations about a united Ireland. Could Ireland really unite within he decade? How many voters want to see that happen? And are we missing the bigger picture of what this deal actually means and where the vulnerabilities still lie? Later, Chris Steele is the former MI6 officer sued by Trump over the 'pee pee gate dossier'. That case has now been thrown out by a judge. He talks us through what it was like being sued by the former president and his fears that the US security services will be cowed into covering up what they know - if Trump returns.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Justice Minister and MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Mike Freer, announced he would be leaving politics this week, fearing for his and his family's safety after an arson attack on his office. Years on from the two shocking murders of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, we ask why has it become so dangerous to become an MP?Lewis travels to Mike Freer's burnt-out constituency office in North London, and we hear from Kim Leadbeater MP, the sister of Jo Cox, who now sits in Parliament as an MP in her late sister's constituency.Later, LBC's Henry Riley tells a tale about one Laurence Fox.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Paris is under siege. And this time, it's the farmers. But why?After weeks of tractors on the straße in Germany, France are hit by similar trouble. It's causing great consternation for an increasingly weak French president Emmanuel Macron.So today we ask, is Macron losing control of France as the far-right rises in Europe? And how big of a problem is this for the EU in Brussels?Later, we talk to the Conservative mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street. Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

It’s been four years since we formally left the EU - and its been eight years of trying to square an impossible circle. How do you keep Brexiteers happy, the EU on board and Northern Ireland’s government up and running, all at once?Well today Rishi came through with a deal which might - big emphasis MIGHT hit the spot. We take you through what we know. Later, Nicola Sturgeon explains to the Scotland Covid inquiry which she didn’t, sorry did, sorry didn’t really delete her WhatsApp messages. It all gets a bit emotional.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Last weekend the Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch made clear - in her trademark no nonsense style - that she wished all those trying to plot against and undermine Rishi Sunak would shut up and go away. In unrelated news, the Guardian revealed last night she's part of a Whatsapp group called.... The Evil Plotters. Are the rumblings of Prime Ministerial removal getting louder? Is policy being dictated by those he fears? And what to make of the IMF warning his chancellor NOT to cut taxes at the next election because our public services can;t afford it? Later, we look at the power sharing deal in Northern Ireland - could this be Rishi's legacy? And we ask whether Laurence Fox, who lost his libel case at the High Court, can or cannot be called 'a racist'.We approached Mr Fox for comment and he had nothing to add.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Emily and Jon host a weekly US politics podcast in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential election; giving you everything you need to know about the world of US politics and how it affects you.Episodes are available every Tuesday or Wednesday, on Global Player.Find the latest episode of News Agents USA here on Global Player.

The Telegraph editor began the morning by asking how ‘everyday British life would change in a global conflict’. Trump has already called it for WW3. On today’s episode we ask why the language has ratcheted up and whether we are already in a war without fully realising. How will President Biden respond to the deaths in Jordan of US servicemen?And is this all part of the Israel-Hamas war - or is Iran using that as a pretext to provoke America?Later, why is Truss at war with Rishi-again - this time, over vaping.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Alabama has executed convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith with nitrogen gas, the first time this method of capital punishment has been used anywhere in the world.On today's show Lewis asks how it has come to this, and whether the US government will be gassing more of its criminalsLater, we take a huge handbrake turn to talk to the creator of the year's biggest TV show and cultural phenomenon - The Traitors. He tells Lewis how they choose the Traitors and even hints at a celebrity version.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

The head of the army - General Sir Patrick Sanders - has said the UK needs to train and equip a citizen army to be on the front door for any future war with Russia. The PM has hastily ruled out conscription but on today's episode, we consider whether the era of peace is over. And ask what we are prepared to do if the threats deepen. Later, election denier Trump has talked up a purge of bureaucrats and security forces. Are we happy to nod Trump through as he advocates a police state? And why are senior politicians here cheering him on?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

The week started with Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary calling out the BBC for bias and a failure of impartiality. She struggled to give many examples of either. Today, Prospect magazine has done a deep dive into what it calls ‘the right-wing cabal waging war on the principles of our public broadcaster‘. Is the BBC in thrall to the government? Or is it another institution the government is fighting? Later, What was Sir Simon Clarke hoping to achieve by calling for the PM to go? And is the rebellion now dead - or just getting going.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Today we hear from Ziv, who was at the Nova music festival and saw her friends die. Her boyfriend is a hostage. And from Eli whose 18 year old daughter Liri is being held by Hamas. And we ask the Israeli government why they’re so convinced their plan is working. The Israeli government insists their war against Hamas is working. But there are 130 Israeli hostages still in Gaza, and many many thousands of dead civilians. Later, we discuss voter ID and whether the Tories are disenfranchising the young from voting.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

PSA: If you want all the latest on the departure Ron de Santis and the Republican Presidential primary race we have a full bonus episode for you on The News Agents: USA. Find it here.Keir Starmer has accused the Conservative Party of 'desperate, divisive and damaging' politics by picking fights with British instutitions like the National Trust and the RNLI. The Labour leader has previously stayed clear of the culture wars and stuck on the hard-fought territory of the economy and the new shape of the Labour Party. But today's speech placed charities and cultural insititutions at the heart of British life as something he was prepared to defend. Has he given the Tories new amunition? Or found a whole new constituency of voters?Plus - PopCon - not the fantastic snack but the new Tory group headed up by one Liz Truss. But will the most unpopular British leader of modern history be able to make the Popular Conservatives at all relevant as he gear up to this year's election?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

2024 is still young but from Gaza to Ukraine to Pakistan, somewhere new is seemingly pulled into the mire of geopolitical clashes what seems like every day. In an extended interview, Lewis asks Lord David Owen - Britain's oldest foreign secretary - about the state of the world and where we fit in. And, ahead of an election that could see Labour and Lib Dems play a prominent role in the balance of Westminster power, we ask the man who left the Labour Party to found the SDP party - the precursor to the Liberal Democrats what he makes of the parties, and of Westminster today. Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Rishi won his Rwanda bill as the rebels all but melted away. But how much of a victory is it - and can he convince the Lords to leave it alone? The former deputy prime minister is having trouble finding Rwanda. And the former Deputy Chair is unhappy with Labour sniggling(?) at him. Rishi's poll position just got worse. Later, we look at the issue raising alarm bells for the medical community. As the government passes new legislation on their regulation - are physicians associates putting patients lives at risk? And before we go Count Binface graces The News Agents galaxy so we never again forget his name....Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

After a couple of dramatic resignations last night from Tory rebels, the government appears fairly confident it CAN get it's Rwanda bill through the commons. But at what cost? Rishi has had to fight both flanks of his party. And those on his right are increasingly sounding like they're prepared to sack off the ol' rule of law to stop judges getting in the way of Rwanda flights taking off. Is the government prepared to follow them? And what kind of Conservatism would that be? Later, we look at Iran flexing its muscles in the region - why is it attacking Syria, Iraq and Pakistan?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

60 Tory rebels are currently off signing amendments to Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill including - checks notes - his two deputy chairmen who are on the government payroll. What message does this send out? And why havent they resigned their posts if they cannot even back their Prime Minister?Rishi is trying to fend off ANY amendment but he is - checks notes again - in the process of hiring extra lawyers, with 5,000 more sitting days - to make sure every individual migrant appeal gets fast tracked out of the way. Is this really the best use of our overstretched legal system? And, we look at the effect boundary changes could have on the election and - if you're looking for Iowa caucus coverage we have a whole episode on the US elections on our sister podcast The News Agents USA out this evening - find it here.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Emily and Jon host a weekly US politics podcast in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential election; giving you everything you need to know about the world of US politics and how it affects you.Episodes are available every Tuesday, on Global Player.Find the latest episode of News Agents USA here on Global Player.

A mystery is afoot: in a critical week for the Government's Rwanda policy - with a looming Commons vote in 24 hours - a YouGov poll has emerged which spells Tory election disaster for Rishi. Look closely and you see that the poll started on December 12th - the same day the Rwanda policy last went through the Commons. Could it be the two are in fact related? In other words, are senior conservatives trying to spell out to Sunak that he must harden up his policy or face wipeout? Or even replacement? And if so, how should Rishi respond? We talk to former Levelling Up Minister Sir Simon Clarke, and Conservative Home's Editor Paul Goodman. And with Iowa temperatures down at -28 degrees celsius, will the big winner of the first Republican caucus be... the sofa?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

The war in Gaza has escalated. The UK, US and allies have attacked Houthi militia in Yemen, who themselves have been attacking Western shipping routes in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, on Thursday South Africa took Israel to court, in the ICJ, the International Court of Justice in The Hague.They contend that Israel is committing acts of genocide in Gaza. Israel denies the claims. In this episode Lewis asks whether the case is credible and what might happen if Israel loses. He also talks in an extended interview to Eylon Levy, the ubiquitous spokesman for the Israel government to ask him when the war might end and how Israel can continue to justify the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Chris Christie - the only Republican candidate to publically call out Trump’s flaws - has pulled out of the presidential race. Does his departure open the door to Nikki Haley - to beat Trump to the Republican nomination? If she wins the New Hampshire primary in ten days time then all bets are off. Last night saw a cantankerous debate between the two candidates left in the race - whilst Trump was AWOL once again. Is this the last chance Republicans have to turn the race around? Also, who is Stephen Bradshaw, what did he do, and why has he become the latest villain in the post office scandal?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

The wrongly convicted Post Office victims have waited up to twenty years to have their prosecutions cancelled. Today, in one swift sentence, the Prime Minister declared them null and void. An initial payout will be made to each of 75 thousand pounds - a drop in the ocean for many of those who've lost livelihoods, homes and jobs. But it is at least a start. Why did the solutions suddenly come so thick and fast (I think we know). What does it tell us about the way we consume news, scandal and corporate malpractice?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

One of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged trafficking victims has stood by her claim that sex tapes exist of Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton on Little St James Island, and has painted a lurid picture of Donald Trump's sexual activities. Sarah Ransome - who was in her twenties at the time - had accused Epstein of filming guests on his island in compromising situations, only to then withdraw her testimony and say she made it all up. But today, as court documents disclosed her allegations, she confirmed her original testimony to ITV's Good Morning Britain. Is she a credible witness who's faced intimidation or a fantasist? A spokesperson for Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group said on Monday: “We categorically reject all allegations made by Sarah Ransome. In 2016, Ms Ransome retracted her claims and then in 2019 after settling her claims with Epstein and Maxwell, she also admitted to The New Yorker that the “tapes” had been “invented”. The allegations are baseless and unfounded. “The actions of Jeffrey Epstein were abhorrent and we support the right to justice for the many victims impacted by his abuse.” Donald Trump's spokesman also said Sarah Ransome's claims about the former president were "baseless", "simply false and have no merit".And with regards to Virginia Guiffre, Prince Andrew said he has never met her and has denied her allegations.We talk to an investigative journalist at the Miami Herald, Ben Wieder, who forced the court to make those documents public. Also today, where does the Post Office saga lead us now? And are politician's able to force a change of the law?Editor: Tom HughesProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Emily and Jon host a weekly US politics podcast; giving you everything you need to know about the world of US politics and how it affects you.Episodes are available every Tuesday, on Global Player.Find the latest episode of News Agents USA here on Global Player.

Why are more than 700 postmasters still trying to clear their names and access even the most basic compensation more than two decades after they were falsely accused of theft? On today's episode Adeep Sethi tells us how his family warned the Post Office in 2002 about Horizon's problems - he has the proof in a newspaper article. Twenty two years on, and torn apart, they are still fighting for justice. We ask Tory MP and campaigner David Davis whether British justice has failed. A spokesperson for Fujitsu - who rolled out the Horizon system - said: "Fujitsu has apologised for its role in their suffering. Fujitsu is fully committed to supporting the Post Office Horizon IT statutory Inquiry in order to understand what happened and to learn from it. Out of respect for the Inquiry process, it would be inappropriate for Fujitsu to comment further at this time.”And how did Helen Harrison - partner of disgraced Tory MP Peter Bone - get selected as the candidate for his newly vacated seat of Wellingborough? It's a News Agents mystery.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

What's next for Ukraine and Russia? For Israel and Gaza? As tensions expand and inflame in the vital trading channel of the Red Sea and Russia continues to bombard Ukrainian cities, what is next for both regions?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

The Prime Minister has pretty much ruled out a May election. He said today that he is "working on the assumption" that the General Election will be in the second half of the year... but he is yet to nail down an exact date.We discuss why he's holding out, the possible dates to put in your diary and how that could cross over with the US Presidential election in November.And later, the Labour leader Keir Starmer sets out his ambitions for the election year.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

It's 2024. (Almost certainly) election year. Parties are in election mode and the pressure is on the PM to demystify when he will call the public to the polls.When will he? Why would earlier or later suit him? And will any date change the Tories' stuttering chances?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Arvind Badewal & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

In part two of their end of year review, Jon, Emily and Lewis look back on the news from the months of July to December.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Arvind Badewal & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

In part one of their end of year review, Jon, Emily and Lewis look back on the news from the months of January to June.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Arvind Badewal & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Your questions answered in a (very merry) Christmas Q&A special with Jon, Emily and Lewis.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Arvind Badewal & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

75% of democracies in the world go to the polls next year. It's a year of enormous significance - not just for the US and for the UK, but for massive geopolitical bodies - South Africa, India, Russia etc. Where will we be come this time next year? Lewis (mostly) talks to those that know the regions best.Editor & birthday boy: Tom HughesSenior Producer & special correspondent: Gabriel RadusProducer : Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Macron relents to the far-right and introduces tough immigration laws into multicultural France. What does this mean for the right-wing Marine Le Pen's hopes of being president - and for a country whose history is so interlinked with migration?Our new Health Secretary calls junior doctors 'doctors-in-waiting' - is that the best way to end a new flurry of strikes that could further cripple our limping health system?And Liz Truss gets a new portrait at her old home.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

The Supreme Court of Colorado has used an arcane section of the 14th Amendment of the US constitution to disqualify Donald Trump from standing for president, on the grounds of the part he played in mounting an insurrection against the state. It’s got to be a good thing, generally, if insurrectionists aren’t allowed to stand for high office. But the judgement raises critical questions about the power of the law versus the power of democracy. And who decides who is and who isn’t an enemy of the state. Trump‘s rivals fear he will use the ruling to rocket fuel his next stint of fundraising, by calling it a witch-hunt. Democrats are waiting to to see if it’s overturned by the Supreme Court - the ultimate arbiters. Meanwhile on the mean streets of Wellingborough - another by-election looms after the suspension of Tory MP Peter Bone. We take you to both Colorado and Wellingborough you lucky things…Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Wes Streeting is hoping to become the first Labour Health Secretary in 14 years. How honest is he prepared to be about what the health service needs and what Labour is prepared to spend? On today's episode, he tells us that frankly the system we have is "not the envy of the world". Can they really fix it by closing a non-dom tax loophole and praying for growth? We also hear what he really thinks of Israel's actions in Gaza and of the death threats he's received in his own constituency.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

What did Michelle Mone mean when she said all she’d done was “lie to the press“ after she threatened journalists with lawsuits if they dared to investigate her story? Today we follow all the unanswered questions - is our defamation law serving the public?What did the government know about the missing Mone millions? And should she still sit in the House of Lords?Tax Lawyer Dan Neidle and Labour shadow minister Nick Thomas-Symonds join us.After that, we speak to former UK Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher on the horror and pain that the war between Israel and Hamas continues to inflict on all those affected; and is Jon Sopel running a covert cannabis farm in his basement?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

The Far Right are growing in strength, power and number across Europe and beyond. In election after election extremist forces are becoming bigger and bigger players, destroying old more traditional conservative parties. In this episode of The News Agents Investigates, Lewis heads to the Netherlands, where an old political face, Geert Wilders, could now be king of all he surveys. But Holland is just one story, a microcosm of one of the biggest political tales of our time- the slow collapse of the centre and the forces of moderation on the right of politics. Online conspiracy, misinformation and the polarisation arising from the Gaza War is fuelling the fire. Liberal democracy could be burnt along with it.Producer: Laura FitzPatrickVideo Producer: Rory SymonThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Prince Harry won, the press lost. In a landmark court verdict, a high court judge on Friday ruled that phone hacking and other unlawful practices to obtain stories were "habitual" at the Mirror Group's newspapers. The judge also said that senior executives at the company knew about these methods, as did Piers Morgan, who once edited the Daily Mirror. Morgan has taken to the airwaves to once again deny. Lewis asks what this ruling means for Harry, the royal family, the press and Piers Morgan himself. He talks to a lawyer representing the victims of phone hacking, a former Daily Mirror editor and a former phone hacker.Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Vladimir Putin’s “Results of the Year “ was a marathon televised chat show where for 4+ hours he answered none of the questions the Russian public desperately wished they could ask. “When will the war end? When are our soldiers coming home? Are you as ill as the rumours suggest? Why is the Russia on TV not the real Russia?"Today we ask if Putin’s buoyant mood suggests he thinks he’s about to win the Ukraine war. We talk to those from the Bush and Obama administration who know all about Putin's methods well and ask if América is going to give up on Ukraine. Later we discuss disgraced Scott Benton - the Blackpool South MP who could be out of a job … cue *another* by-election..Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

The incoming chair of the BBC, Samir Shah, has suggested that Gary Lineker may have breached BBC guidelines with his 'ad hominem attacks' on two Conservative MPs. It was only two months ago that the BBC drew up its new social media guidelines - Do they make sense? Does Lineker care? And how much is the corporation responding to pressure from the right wing papers? Later - Mark Drakeford is stepping down as Wales First Minister - and is Rishi out of trouble now after winning last night's Rwanda vote?Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Emily and Jon host a weekly US politics podcast; giving you everything you need to know about the world of US politics and how it affects you.Episodes are available every Tuesday, on Global Player.Find the latest episode of News Agents USA here on Global Player.

Rishi Sunak faces a crucial vote tonight in the Commons over his new Rwanda bill. It's not proving to be an easy week with his party split over whether the bill goes too far or indeed that it does not go far enough. So just how did the Prime Minister get himself into a position where his whips are scrambling at the last minute to get this vote passed? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Rishi Sunak is in a dark room in Paddington talking about the decisions he made as Chancellor to the covid inquiry. Meanwhile, various huddles of Tory MPs are meeting to decide whether or not to vote through the key Rwanda bill tomorrow, one backbencher, the ERG leader Mark Francois, has told the government to rip it up and start again. We ask former deputy chair of the party Paul Scully if Rishi could lose the vote.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

In an extended interview, Lewis Goodall speaks with the former speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow.They discuss his difficult relationships with various Tory PMs (Cameron, May and Johnson), his switch from the far-right to the centre left, the bullying allegations that ended his political career. Plus, the TV show Traitors. He's in the next series.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory SymonYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

An impromptu Prime Minister's press conference this morning raised more questions than it answered. Rishi Sunak was responding to the resignation of Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick last night - which blindsided the government - and left the PM defending his Rwanda policy and promising he would disapply human rights law to get it through. Today - a stark message for those in the party trying to cause trouble - from Tory backbencher and 1922 committee stalwart Sir Charles Walker - who joins us on the show.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickPlanning Producer: Alex BarnettSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory SymonYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com

Boris Johnson’s appearance before the Covid Inquiry always had the feeling of the end of season pre-Xmas finale. It began with protests from the bereaved - who Johnson had avoided by arriving early. He offered his apology , insisted the UK death rate had been comparatively normal, and couldn’t quite explain what if anything he thought he’d got wrong. Later- Suella in the Commons. What was that speech about?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/Editor: Tom HughesSenior Producer: Gabriel RadusProducer: Laura FitzPatrickSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon & Shane FennellyYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://www.TheNewsAgentsStore.com