The News Agents
Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall host an award-winning daily news podcast that provides astute analysis and explanation of the day's news, with a healthy dose of scepticism and humor. Episodes are available every weekday afternoon. The News Agents is a Global Player Original podcast.
Episodes
Could this election spell the end of Netanyahu?
Next week some 7 million Israelis will go to the polls to decide the future of their country and whether to boot out Benjamin Netanyahu - a man who has dominated their country for nearly three decades. It’s the first election since the massacre of October 7th and his destruction of Gaza. Will voters blame him for the terrorism on home soil? Or will they believe him best placed to defend their inte
Why is Trump obsessing over men’s bodies?
There has always been a flamboyance to Donald Trump. His language, his hair, his addiction to the gay Anthem YMCA - but in recent weeks his chat on the campaign trail has become much more explicit. To cut to the chase, he’s spending more and more time talking about men’s arses. Is Trump becoming more unfiltered in his old age? Why does more and more of his recent attention seem to be fixed on the
Trump sides with Putin AGAIN
Four years of war, an estimated 450,000 deaths – and yet Donald Trump says Russia’s actions in Ukraine have been “fine”.The US president continues to unravel, on camera, as his personal ratings plummet to new lows (just 31% at the latest count) and the Republican Party readies itself for a disastrous midterm election result in November. Once again, Zelensky is on the receiving end of Trump's mood.
Why is France on the verge of a nervous breakdown?
After the horrifying scenes of violence and destruction all over France this weekend the Prime Minister has this morning called for partial curfews. Are these protests organic frustration amongst the young over rising costs and falling wages? Or is there a political movement afoot here? And is this something the rest of Europe is catching?Later, former Home Office minister Mike Tapp is fresh back
Will the racism in Reform topple Nigel Farage?
The day he was elected for the first time as MP for Clacton, Nigel Farage promised to root out the "few bad apples" from Reform. Farage told the country: "We’ll never have any of their type back in the organisation, you can have my promise on that”.ITV's latest piece undercover in Reform shows just how hollow that promise was. Their own MP Sarah Pochin condemns the "chauvinist" attitude in the par
Why can't footballers stop using Snus? - The Sports Agents
Manchester United’s Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid has left plenty to unpack — not least Lisandro Martinez’s explosive post-match comments. Mark Chapman and Nedum Onuoha react to the biggest talking points from another dramatic week in Europe.Then, we turn to something far less visible but increasingly common inside football: Snus and nicotine pouch use.Why has nicotine become so norma
Racism, misogyny, Islamophobia - Is this the real Reform?
ITV spent a year undercover with various elements of the Reform party. Last night, they published a taste of what is to come in the full programme this Sunday. The misogyny, racism, bigotry and stupidity is off the charts. Three councillors have resigned. Are they outliers? Or do they tell us what the party is really like? And is the Chairman right when he says this is just what ordinary Britain s
Why is Elon Musk sabotaging Ukraine?
Just days after Donald Trump signed a deal with Vladimir Putin to import Russian oil into America, Ukraine has been dealt a new blow from the US. Elon Musk has been accused of restricting the use of his Starlink devices - crucial satellites used by Ukraine in their war against the Kremlin. Why does it appear that MAGA seems intent on throwing the war for Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and, as Andy Burnham h
Why won't the Tories stop flogging Brexit?
Andy Burnham seems set on bringing the UK closer to the EU. How much closer still isn't clear - but some in Labour are now talking up the possibility of reversing Brexit entirely. Some Red Wall MPs aren't happy with that, but if Downing Street is serious about getting some growth into the economy, wouldn't it be one of the obvious levers to pull? And given, as the PM says, the public has moved mor
Has Putin made Trump look like an idiot again?
Donald Trump knows who his friends are and who his enemies are. And in 2026, with midterm elections just days away, Trump has decide his friend is Putin and his job is to lift sanctions to buy Russian oil - enriching the Kremlin in the process. He’s hoping it will bring down the price of diesel to convince consumers to vote for his party in the elections. But it’s a move that smacks of cowardice a
Polanski's by-election crash out - is he finished?
For Polanski, this was supposed to be a defining moment. He chose to put his own leadership on the line in the seat vacated by Keir Starmer. Instead, Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali won with 45% of the vote. With questions over the Greens’ economic offer, internal divisions and the fallout from their controversial conference motion on Zionism, is this the moment Polanski’s movement meets the limits of it
Premier League vs Man City | Nedum Onuoha: It feels like 'The End' - The Sports Agents
After the boardroom drama of the last fortnight the Premier League is back and focus shifts to Manchester City’s players who face the court of public opinion for the first time since the guilty verdicts vs Liverpool at Anfield.It’s going to be a bear pit and, as Liverpool await, lifelong City fan Nedum Onuoha opens up for the first time about how the Manchester City financial case has changed his
Did Trump just lose it in Texas?
Donald Trump’s latest campaign rally for the midterms was beset with hecklers as the president urged Texans to vote Republican.It was his third trip to the traditionally ruby red state this month alone. He made some characteristically inaccurate statements on stage, including calling Democratic senate candidate James Talarico a "christian who hates christianity", who also believes God is "transgen
Has Kemi decided Reform are a bunch of racists?
Kemi Badenoch's speech to the Tory party conference was much trailed for its tax cuts and its economic adventurism. What was not expected, however, was the manner in which she would choose to sock it to Reform. Drawing on her own family experiences, she called out the ethno-nationalism of the parties on her right, swearing she would not “unite with THAT”. This on the same day the Reform party - ma
How a ketamine-fuelled gang rape case divided America
How did a woman who consented to sex with one man end up being allegedly raped by seven? Why was her 'availability' shared on a frat house Snapchat group? And what do newly released phone transcripts tell us about what went on in the subsequent weeks? We delve into the horrifying Cornell University rape case that has divided America and ask how Trump has, once again, decided where the nation’s sym
Have the Greens just voted for a de facto ban on Jews?
The Greens have become the first UK political party to call for a one state solution in Israel - and passed a motion asserting that "Zionism is fundamentally incompatible with anti racist principles, equality and justice". The conference in Brighton voted to "support the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state" - but rejected an amendment which would have clarified that the motion w
Special Report: Has Zack Polanski peaked?
The Green party has growing pains. Its conference in Brighton this year is bustling - even despite members being urged to spend their time campaigning in Holborn and St Pancras this weekend. There's a big media presence. And there's a lot to celebrate; not least the local election results and that pivotal Gorton and Denton by-election win earlier this year.But that's only one side of the picture.
Is Man City case keeping Andy Burnham awake? - The Sports Agents
The Manchester City case has become a political story.As calls grow for City’s owners to be removed, Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he would be sorry to see them go.Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman are joined by Telegraph sports writer Owen Slot and The News Agents’ Jon Sopel to examine the latest fallout, what happens next for Manchester City — and what the case now means for the Premier League, it
WTF went on at RAF Fairford?
It's still not clear what happened at Fairford in the early hours of Sunday morning. Or why the five suspects arrested in connection with the incident were released on bail - a move even Donald Trump has criticised. But it is increasingly clear that Iran was involved. The News Agents sat down with the Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, for an exclusive inte
Andy Burnham’s dirty political secret
How much does it cost to top the Premier League? A secret £830 million, it seems. Manchester City, and its billionaire Abu Dhabi owners, have been found guilty of a scheme to hide millions pumped into the club, breaking UK spending rules – and possibly a few laws too. It's a problem that kicked off in the beautiful game, but is landing now in politics.In Burnham's celebrated first speech at the La
Did Andy Burnham just deliver one of the great political speeches?
Andy Burnham promised a speech of substance and he was true to his word. Big announcements on social care, the triple lock, electoral reform, the water industry, the EU - all tied together in a deeply emotional and passionate speech about his vision for Britain.If anyone in Labour had any lingering doubts about toppling Keir Starmer, Burnham put those to bed in an hour and ten minutes on stage in
Burnham’s first conference - is there really hope again?
There's a surprising buoyancy at Labour conference this year. For all the warnings of the grim economic backdrop and the myriad challenges facing Andy Burnham, his message of 'Hope Again' does seem to have registered, at least with the party faithful at Liverpool.But John Healey couldn't really sell sunlit uplands in his speech today - he was at pains to point out that this is NOT the 1990s. And a
How the Royal family gets away with it
What if King Charles did tell Earl Spencer that "we’ll forget [Diana] soon enough" in the days after her death? It's one word against another but the public discourse seems pretty settled - that Diana's brother is at best misremembering, at worst lying.How much has the Palace spin team forged that narrative? If you read the Palace statement closely, you'll notice that it never outright denies the
Andy Murray, Andre Agassi, Arthur Fery: Laver Cup All-Access Pass | The Sports Agents - The Sports Agents
The Sports Agents are at the Laver Cup 2026 in London for a special episode with three generations of tennis stars.Andy Murray joins Gabby Logan for a wide-ranging conversation about life after tennis, the intensity of competing at the very top, and how his relationship with the game has changed.Murray is joined by one of the biggest names in the history of the sport, Andre Agassi, who reflects on
Is Tony Blair getting in Andy Burnham’s way?
On the eve of Andy Burnham’s first party conference as Prime Minister, Tony Blair has entered centre stage - to talk about rejoining the EU. Is he nudging Burnham towards his own goal? Or putting unnecessary hurdles in the new PM's way? And what is the state of the relationship between them? We talk to The New Statesman’s Tom McTague.And, as a new mega MRP poll lands suggesting the current number
Will Piers Morgan make Earl Spencer pulp his own book?
"I made a small error and I've apologised and it will be put right in the second edition, but that's it." That's what Earl Spencer told Lorraine this morning. The error in question is about Piers Morgan. In his new book, Spencer claims that Morgan published a hidden camera photo of Diana in 1993 while working for the Daily Mirror. The big problem with that? Morgan didn't join the Mirror until 1995
How Trump silenced himself
It wasn’t meant to happen like this. When Trump decided to ban three news organisations from the White House in his latest iteration of an old man sulk, he didn’t expect the rest of the press to back them. But they have. No one took up the reins to lead the press pool - so last night went unfilmed. And various news outlets have decided not to take Trump audio either. Which is why, in a magnificent
Has Trump's war on the press just spectacularly backfired?
Trump’s war on the media has been deepening for decades - whether it’s been litigation, doxxing, intimidation or simply a ban on access - we kind of feel like we’ve seen it all before. But today one thing happened that changed all that - the broadcast media joined ranks and fought back.After three major outlets - CNN, MS Now and Politico - were shut out of the White House, other outlets pulled the
After the Reform scandal - does anyone still trust pollsters?
Opinion polls are supposed to tell us what the public thinks. But what happens when the people commissioning, funding and promoting those polls have a political interest in the results?The latest controversy surrounding Reform UK has put the polling industry under an uncomfortable spotlight. Allegations that polling commissioned by Reform was funded through an overseas company and that the party's
Meet Hull City's Acun Ilıcalı - The Premier League’s most UNUSUAL owner! - The Sports Agents
The story of Hull City owner Acun Ilicali is one of the most extraordinary in the Premier League...TV star turned media mogul turned football club owner, Acun is a force of nature — and in this special episode of The Sports Agents, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman meet the man himself, live and direct from Istanbul.This is the story of a man who lost his parents in a tragic car accident, saw his marri
Is the King gaslighting Diana's brother?
Buckingham Palace has said it doesn't comment on book releases as a matter of principle. And yet it has commented on a new book - from Princess Diana's brother - in a way that has sparked off a news cycle.Earl Spencer claims in his new book that in a heated row with Charles in the preparation for Diana's funeral, the then Prince spat out "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough". The Palace's r
Is Andy Burnham just Keir Starmer with TikTok?
Six weeks out from the budget some of the critics are already circling - warning the new Prime Minister not to play it safe as “a traditional tax and spend PM with better TikTok". Is Burnham in control of events? Or is the economy being thrown further off course by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea closing off?Later, pussycat impersonator, and leader of the Workers Party George Galloway, is back and st
Why are men in balaclavas descending on an Oxfordshire village?
It's referendum day in Piddington. A symbolic gesture that would see it "ceding from the UK" over their frustration with the setting up of of an asylum centre on their doorstep. They’ve argued that 1250 single foreign men is too much for their modest village of 350 to handle. But now - guess who’s coming to the rescue? Danny Tommo and his masked Patriot Platform - seemingly backed by Reform's Sara
Does £72m win you an election?
£36m donations are like busses for Reform - you wait ages for one and then two come along at once. Reform's £72m haul this weekend dwarfs the money raised by all the other parties - it is a simply unprecedented level of funding for British politics. There are complications. Are the donations within the rules? Could Labour change the rules to prevent them? And most importantly - can it actually mak
How 9/11 changed everything
Is 9/11 the most consequential event of our lifetimes? It's hard to think of another moment that so completely turned the world on its axis and rewired the assumptions that a generation had come to take for granted.The immediate human toll was unfathomably tragic - this was the most deadly terrorist attack in history, leaving thousands dead. But what came next - and how profoundly it changed polit
Boxing's Dirty Secret: Why so many fighters use PEDs | Garcia x Benn - The Sports Agents
Conor Benn’s super fight against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas has brought the issue of Performance Enhancing Drugs in sport back into the spotlight.While both boxers deny ever having taken PEDs, both have failed drugs tests and it remains a complex and emotive issue, particularly in potentially lethal sports such as boxing.On this episode of The Sports Agents we have the whole conversation and not jus
Did Trump just try to bribe American voters?
“If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000”. That's what Donald Trump told an audience of Republicans in Dallas last night. The 'Trump dividend' would cost America more than a trillion dollars. Critics are already announcing that the offer is illegal, And Democrats are bragging that this is a sign of just how desperate Donald Trump is ahead of the midterms which are looking bleak.
Has Andy Burnham stopped caring what Donald Trump thinks?
It’s easy to paint Britain as a post-industrial nation in decline, plagued by crime and high taxes. Indeed, many do. But there’s a new power to Britain’s role on the world stage as America abandons its former allies. Whether it’s Ukraine, security, or now sanctions against West Bank settlers, Britain is in the ascendance - and not overly concerned about moving in a different direction to the US.Ha
Has Burnham just started his first row with Trump?
The Israeli government has reacted with anger to the British foreign secretary’s planned ban on products from Israeli settlements.Ed Miliband described himself in the commons as a proud British Jew, but one unafraid to criticise the heinous behaviour of Netanyahu's government towards Palestinian communities in the West Bank.Has the UK government gone too far? Or not far enough? And what will it do
Is Reform happy for its supporters to assault people?
"Boo hoo". That was the reaction from Robert Jenrick, who wants to be Reform's Chancellor, to the videos showing a female heckler having her hair pulled and being beaten with a stick by Reform delegates at the party's conference in Birmingham. Lee Anderson has suggested a whip round for a new walking stick for one of the supporters involved.Reform is quick to point to the deluge of threats Nigel F
Another Reform scandal: Is Farage finished?
Reform conference in Birmingham was supposed to revivify Nigel Farage and his party. After unrelenting scrutiny over his undeclared £5m gift from Christopher Harborne, a parliamentary standards investigation, and a Clacton by-election which descended into farce, Farage needed this moment to get back on the front foot, set the terms of the media coverage, and show the country what Reform would look
'Dear Katie, How FAR we've come!'... Katie Taylor’s FAIRYTALE HOMECOMING - The Sports Agents
Not long ago, women’s boxing was a different sport.Banned in most countries and ridiculed in the rest, female fighters fought in the shadows.Until one night in 1996.That night Deirdre Gogarty, a painfully shy Irish woman and Christy Martin, a raging knockout artist from the coalfields of West Virginia spent 12 unforgettable minutes in each other's company and changed everything.Their fight put wom
Can Zack Polanski win Keir Starmer's old seat?
After a bit of will he won't he, Zack Polanski has thrown his hat into the ring and announced he will stand in Keir Starmer's old seat of Holborn and St Pancras (subject to the approval of the local Green party).It's a high stakes move for the Green leader. If he wins, in what should normally be a relatively safe Labour seat, he'll puncture Andy Burnham's argument that he can persuade Left voters
Why is Burnham getting blamed for a global debt crisis?
Andy Burnham faced Kemi Badenoch for his first PMQs and while she chose to open the session with some innuendo, the hard questions soon came. Burnham has shown himself adept at diagnosis but less quick to nail his solutions to the mast. How long does he have to NOT answer questions when debt is rising and the economic headwinds are moving against him? Is he prepared to spell out - in this summer o
Has Keir Starmer performed his final U-turn?
It's the first day back at school - and Keir Starmer suddenly announces he’s out. He'd sad he'd stay as an MP just a few weeks ago - so why the change of heart? Is it a cheeky bid to wrestle the headlines from his successor? Or is he just trying to get out of Burnham's way? And what happens now to his Camden seat - will Zack Polanski try and win it for the Greens? And if he can’t - or won’t - wher
Q&A Special: Harry and Meghan, Trump's midterm chaos, and another Farage by-election?
In this special Q&A edition of the show, Jon and Lewis answer your questions.They discuss how long the Burnham bounce will last, whether Trump will attempt to cancel the midterms, and if Harry and Meghan's return will complete reshape the Royal Family (and even make Lewis a monarchist in the process)?Plus, is there any chance Nigel Farage calls ANOTHER by-election in Clacton?The News Agents is
Does every Transfer SAGA need a villain? | Alvarez, Martinelli, Watkins - The Sports Agents
An explosive statement from Atletico Madrid described themselves as the "only victims" in the ongoing transfer saga surrounding their wantaway striker Julian Alvarez. Ian Wright has publicly criticised the way Arsenal have handled Gabriel Martinelli's reported exit this summer... but does every transfer saga NEED to cast someone as the villain?British football Agent Saif Rubie, who handled Yoane W
Is this Labour’s first woman leader?
The last two years has seen a meteoric rise for Labour's Miatta Fahnbulleh. From backbench MP, she has just joined Burnham's cabinet as the new Energy Secretary, taking over from Ed Miliband. Today, she joined us in the studio to talk about why she quit Starmer's government, the changes Labour needs, and her return as a front bench MP.And, with a Labour leadership contest always somewhere on the h
How did Dolly Parton unite a polarised America?
Dolly Parton always avoided talking politics. She said you could find her opinions in her songs. She wrote about abortion, female rights, heartbreak, and wandering eyes. And yet, across America today Democrats have expressed their adoration whilst Republican president Trump lowered the flags to half-mast.How did Dolly Parton unite people across the political divide? What is it about her that captu
Why is Elon Musk paying Rupert Lowe thousands to tweet?
Rupert Lowe has a lot to be grateful to Elon Musk for. Last month, on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he credited Musk with helping to restore free speech on X. And it was Musk who publicly backed Lowe and promoted him as a political alternative to Nigel Farage - paving the path for Restore Britain. But it would appear that Musk has also been helping to line the Restore Britain leader’s pockets. This year, L
Harry and Meghan - why can't the media leave them alone?
It’s happening again. Six years after Harry and Meghan fled Britain for California, citing the relentlessness of the British press, the reaction to their homecoming has been fevered. Why can’t we leave them alone? And do they really want to be? What does it mean for the House of Windsor? And why is Harry the only senior figure in public life seemingly without state backed security these days? Jon
Special Report: The Trump hotel that could topple a government
How has a Trump family luxury development sparked a protest movement so large that it is threatening to bring down a European Prime Minister? Well that's exactly what has happened in Albania. A proposed 4 billion euro resort complex in on of the country's most cherished nature spots has led to the largest demonstrations seen there in over three decades.Dubbed the 'Flamingo Revolution' because of t
9 new Premier League managers... Who's got the toughest job? | New Season PREVIEW - The Sports Agents
It’s almost upon us.A mere month after the World Cup Final, we are staring down the barrel of a brand new Premier League football season and Gabby, Mark & Nedum are as excited as a bunch of rowdy kids on Christmas eve.Join the guys as they break down the most unpredictable Premier League season ever. We are talking about the Big 6 - who will be Mikel Arteta’s rival this season, how can Maresca
Would Jason Arday still be alive if he were white?
It's nearly a week on from the death of Jason Arday, the Cambridge professor who came under scrutiny after allegations of plagiarism were levelled against him. Even after his resignation, media coverage scrutinised his work, personal achievements and medical conditions. Former students and class mates were chased for interviews and the story continued to grow. At a vigil for Arday on Monday, Lord
Are data centres going to crash the world economy?
Borrowing costs have hit new highs in some of the world's biggest economies. While Trump's war with Iran is behind some of rise, it's the AI effect that is spooking some market analysts. A huge surge in corporate borrowing for AI development and data centre building has led to fears that there are risks involved in betting on an artificial intelligence boom - and investors are demanding higher ret
Has Trump fallen in love with his 'human printer'?
A leading Democrat was mid stump speech which he suddenly sent the crowd wild. It wasn’t his mention of Trump's failed Iran war. It wasn't an attack on his tariffs, or his failed cost of living policies. It was the moment he let slip that the only thing Trump is interested in is his ballroom and his "travel with Natalie". So who is Natalie Harp? Why have Democrats been pushing unsubstantiated innu
The Hounding of Jason Arday
The chancellor of Cambridge University today has condemned the "racist feeding frenzy" around Jason Arday. Arday was found dead on Friday after a relentless slew of articles querying the veracity of his academic work and life story. Was it really in the public interest to scrutinise every aspect of his life - even after he'd resigned from his post? Or did the controversy around Jason Arday's appoi
Farage beats the bin - so why are Reform MPs livid?
The people of Clacton will be relieved it’s over, but one candidate was conspicuously absent from the proceedings last night: Nigel Farage. He and his team will say he was advised not to attend because of a security threat, Essex police deny any such advice.Nonetheless, in a surprise to absolutely no one, Farage won the Clacton by-election, seeing off a record 33 other candidates. But just how imp
Is English Cricket failing the REAL test? - The Sports Agents
The England Men’s test cricket team are in a hole. After a spectacular collapse at home to New Zealand which saw the end of Stokes, McCullum and the ‘Bazball’ era earlier this summer England now face a must win series against Pakistan.But guess what?Their new test coach, who has never coached a test team, is in New Zealand and it’s all got Mark Chapman feeling a bit down about his favourite sport.
Why is Reform threatening to jail the boss of Vodafone?
Not content with calling a former Defence Secretary a "traitor" and getting a ticking off from Nigel Farage, Zia Yusuf has outdone himself today. He's accused Vodafone of aiding and abetting the "invasion of Britain" by handing out SIM cards to British charities - one such charity works with migrants in Calais. In an open letter today he's told the Vodafone board a Reform government would jail the
Are Israeli settlers out of control in the West Bank?
"The West Bank is at breaking point" - the words of a top UN official at a Security Council meeting in New York last night. Settler violence has been ramping up. Two Palestinian homes have been under siege with the weekend, with families warning that their supplies are running out. The IDF has denounced the “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable” establishment of settler outposts inside West Ban
The 'traitor' row tearing Reform apart
It turns out running a poll to ask Twitter whether Ben Wallace should be prosecuted for treason is perhaps not savvy politics.Zia Yusuf. the Reform home affairs spokesman has today been slapped down by his leader Nigel Farage for labelling the former Tory defence secretary a "traitor" for allowing thousands of Afghans into the country. Farage has said the language is "over the top" and that Yusuf
Why does a leading Democrat want to cancel Thanksgiving?
Is the Democratic party fundamentally metamorphosing? After Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan last week, attention is turning to another big test for the Democratic Socialists in Wisconsin. There, the progressive candidate is being dragged for old social media posts suggesting she wanted to cancel Thanksgiving. Is the Dem new breed too woke? Or are they exactly what the party needs to breathe n
What can Harold Wilson teach Andy Burnham?
A northern leader. A sudden change at the top. A cost of living crisis engulfing the country. A Labour party accused of tacking left. Not Andy Burnham in 2026, but Harold Wilson in 1963.Considering his priorities and his focus, Burnham would do well to learn the lessons from Labour's last great northern leader. A four-time election winner, a progressive pioneer, a comms master, who shaped the coun
The toughest EFL Championship season ever? - The Sports Agents
Who does football really belong to?After the highest grossing world cup of all time, and as FIFA & UEFA accuse each other of selling football’s soul, Gabby Mark & Nedum debate who sport belongs to and surprise, surprise it aint the fans.But are supporters in the stands really just props for a TV product or do they still have a genuine stake in the sports they pay so much to follow?Elsewher
Why is Nigel Farage “too woke” for Kemi Badenoch?
24 hours on from the Tory neo-Nazigate , a curious development. The candidate himself, Joshua Bonehill-Paine, has now withdrawn from the election in Somerset council - only to find himself promoted by the Conservative leader herself to a national advisory role.Why is 'no gaffes' Kemi choosing this eccentric hill to make her point - and what in fact is it? Meanwhile, she’s given an interview ruling
What was Kemi Badenoch thinking defending a convicted neo-Nazi?
UPDATE: Since publishing, the convicted antisemite Joshua Bonehill-Paine has withdrawn running as a Tory candidate, saying that if he carried on "other political parties will spend all their time focusing on my past rather than the work I'm doing today, or even fighting antisemitism in their own midst". Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, released at statement saying; "While I am sad that Joshua feels he
How Spain's migrant crisis is emboldening the hard right
Why are hard right politicians now flocking to the tiny Spanish enclave of Ceuta off the coast of Morocco? And why is Europe so spooked? After tens of thousands of migrants flocked to this northern corner of Africa, the EU has gone into emergency mode - nearly a hundred people died or drowned in an attempt to enter Spain through Ceuta. Italy has suspended free movement with Spain for a month. Othe
Will Farage and Lowe team up or tear each other apart?
Nigel hates Rupert but needs him and Rupert wants Nigel to beg. Could Restore and Reform ever do a deal to take on the newly invigorated Labour party? Or is there too much toxicity to even get on the phone?Later - Will FIFA president Gianni Infantino last the week after so many football associations have turned against him - and will Trump stick by the man who gave him the peace prize?The News Age
Is a financial collapse coming worse than the Wall St crash?
Andy Burnham hasn't even been Prime Minister for two weeks, but the early verdict is positive. He's looked decisive, commanded the agenda and projected authority. The question is: will that matter?New governments often think they know what will define them but history has a habit of intervening. The biggest political events are often the ones nobody sees coming. Could the next defining crisis alre
Eddie Howe quits Newcastle... Why now? - The Sports Agents
As Eddie Howe dramatically quits Newcastle 3 weeks before the start of a new Premier League season, Mark Chapman & guests unpack the financial meltdown which led to Newcastle losing their most successful coach for 70 years.The Athletic’s Chris Waugh explains the timing of Eddie Howe’s decision and asks if club captain Bruno Guimares’ seemingly imminent departure to Arsenal was the final straw?
Why is MAGA trying to jail America's top doctor?
Dr Anthony Fauci became a world-renowned figure during Covid - one of America's top virologists with a lifetime of public service to his name. And yet, in a Senate committee yesterday, he was condemned in the strongest terms by several Republicans, and had to plead the fifth amendment 100 times.He accused the senior GOP Senator Rand Paul (who chairs the committee) of having an "obsession" with him
Is Andy Burnham betting his premiership on fixing social care?
Andy Burnham has set out plans to fix England’s struggling social care system - promising a new National Care Service, cross-party talks and a review designed to tackle a system he says is no longer working. But how quickly can reform happen, and who will pay for it?In this episode, we unpack the announcement, and ask whether the new PM can finally deliver meaningful change.Later, we're joined by
Should Polanski be arrested for his Farage Insta post?
Reform UK has referred Green party leader Zack Polanski to the police for "inciting murder" after a post he shared on social media.The image, shared and then deleted on Instagram, showed a man wearing a tee shirt with the words “we’re only making plans for Nigel” next to a picture of a guillotine.Farage has said: "“If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested, and so s
Burnham's best mate on what the PM does now
It's hard to think of a political alliance as tightly bonded as Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram. Both northern MPs who vacated Westminster to lead their respective City regions, they have even co-authored a book - 'Head North' - which lays out their roadmap to fix Britain. Many of the words, ideas and policies Burnham has unveiled in his first week in office are all laid out in that book. It's a m
Could Andy Burnham be the most important PM since Thatcher?
There's been a flurry of policy announcements in Andy Burnham's first week as PM - but there is something more significant in the words he has been using to describe his mission. He's talked about reversing forty years of neoliberalism, about re-industrialising Britain, ending trickle down economics - fundamentally reshaping the British State and its driving purpose.He promised, on the steps of Do
Are Farage and Polanski already yesterday's men?
Whisper it quietly - but are we witnessing the strange rebirth of good, old-fashioned two party politics?Andy Burnham and Kemi Badenoch are now the only party leaders with net approval ratings among the public. Labour and the Tories are both within touching distance of Farage's Reform in a number of polls. Burnham has had a strong first week, and he and Badenoch are dominating the political airwav
Xavi Simons: TRUTH about Barcelona, the original WONDERKID & Why Spurs feel different - The Sports Agents
Spurs & Netherlands star Xavi Simons sits down with Gabby for an exclusive, in depth interview.As he recovers from the ACL injury which robbed him of a place at the World Cup, Xavi opens up on the pressures of being a 12-year-old social media star watched by millions of followers, growing up without a father, and the truth behind his controversial exit from Barcelona at just 16 years old.Xavi
HackGPT: How AI escaped the lab and went rogue
Have we just crossed the AI Rubicon? OpenAI has revealed that one of its models was involved in an "unprecedented cyber incident". One of its AI programs escaped a controlled testing environment, got onto the internet, and hacked into another AI start up without being asked to do so.It's caused shockwaves in the tech industry - are we losing control of the AI we create? And whart should we make of
Burnham's bloodbath of the Starmerites
Andy Burnham has gathered his cabinet, with several prominent Starmer allies shown the door and Burnham loyalists taking their place around the table. The cost of living is to be the defining mission of his premiership - announcing a cut to VAT on energy bills as his first major policy and a scrapping of Starmer's digital ID scheme to pay for it. But Former Chief Secretary to Starmer, Darren Jones
