The News Agents

Latest Episodes:

Turkey-Syria earthquakes: How do we aid people under authoritarian regimes? Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

Authoritarian regimes in both Syria and Turkey make a devastating situation even more complicated. How do we get aid in to help quake victims when the humanitarian corridors are limited and social media communication is censored?

In Turkey many want to know where the 30 billion pounds of funding that was meant to make buildings earthquake-proof has gone.

Meanwhile, Russia is on the move - coming to Syria's rescue. What's the agenda there? We asked former Foreign Secretary and International Rescue Committee head David Miliband, Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell, and the Times's Hannah Lucinda Smith, who has lived in the regions for years and visited the quake epicentre this week.

The DEC is launching the Turkey-Syria Earthquake to deliver vital aid in the aftermath of earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria and raise funds to help its 15 charities to scale up their work to reach more of the millions of people affected. People need help now. Please donate at dec.org.uk.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Zelenskyy wants wings: Will Rishi grant his request for fighter jets? Feb 08, 2023

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With a mere couple of hours notice that Ukraine's President Zelensky was in town, The News Agents dropped everything to get to Westminster Hall to hear him address both houses of Parliament.

A speech that began with gracious tributes quickly got to its blunt point: A request for 'wings' - fighter jets - which the US and UK previously turned down.

So will this historic demand change the minds of the world leaders? In the hall were both the PM and former PM Boris Johnson. Zelensky paid thanks to both.

But The News Agents heard murmurings that Boris Johnson was muttering - all the way through the speech - about Rishi. We're sure it was all good thoughts...

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

High Drama, Low Politics: James Norton joins the cast Feb 07, 2023

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Rishi Sunak has had his first proper reshuffle (excluding the one he did as soon as he started).

What do the changes tell us about the priorities of this government? And what has he left?

TL:DR Dominica Raab remains in his job.

Then, we shift to the Calder Valley. James Norton is in HQ and talks playing a rapist, being from Yorkshire and what the PM is getting wrong with the arts.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

All (Dis) Quiet on the Westminster Front Feb 06, 2023

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Liz Truss is back.

And oh.

So are those pauses.

She tells Spectator TV she doesn't want to be PM again but she does want to promote her economic ideas. (You remember the ones that nearly melted the markets). We ask why there has been so little self reflection. And if her economic diagnosis might one day prove right...

And we speak to Malte Grunert - producer of the world's most harrowing film, All Quiet on the Western Front about German attitudes to war, modern warfare and German history.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Jeremy Corbyn on strikes, Starmer and anti-Semitism Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

Jeremy Corbyn’s time as Labour leader was one of the most extraordinary periods of modern politics. For a while he seemed like he’d moved the posts of politics. And yet now, he is a political ghost. He isn’t even a Labour MP.

In this wide ranging and exclusive interview, Lewis talks to the man himself, at length about the prime ministers he knew, the biggest period of industrial unrest for decades, his successor, his suspension and the anti-Semitism saga which engulfed his leadership.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

The Return of Liz Truss?! Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

Little birdies have told The News Agents we can shortly expect Liz Truss to re-emerge onto the political scene.

She's going to reiterate her ideology and perhaps address some of what went wrong in those fateful 49 days. Don't think of this as another bid for PM. She may be wanting to offer a Conservative template for future generations - think America's Republican firebrand Barry Goldwater in the 1960's who paved the way for Reaganism.

And on the subject of Republicans - the Culture Wars in the US are back with a vengeance. Donald Trump is talking transgender, Ron DeSantis is taking on race.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Full-on, dirty political gossip Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

A Labour MP has put the cat amongst the pigeons by calling Israel's government 'fascist' in the House of Commons.

She's been hauled in front of Keir Starmer. Watch this space. We'll be talking about the rising tensions and indeed violence in Israel - but we also wanted to take you behind the scenes to some of the briefings we have been hearing about those Dominic Raab bullying allegations and Boris Johnson's stately trip to the USA.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Is the UK regretting Brexit? Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

Brexit is three years old. And like a raging toddler after a missed lunchtime nap it's kicking and screaming its way through our national consciousness creating chaos as it goes. New polls suggest a sizeable proportion of those who voted for Brexit now regret it. What do those who created the Brexit deal make of it now? We talk at length to Lord David Frost - architect of the Northern Ireland Protocol and Chief Brexit Negotiator about why he still believes in it.

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Are the Tories suffering from 'Long Boris'? Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

New polls show more bad news for Rishi Sunak less than a day after his decisive action to sack his ministerial-code breaking Conservative Party Chair, Nadhim Zahawi. Why can't the PM catch a break? And is the Zahawi saga over - or is there more to come out?

We speak to former Chief of Staff at No.10 Gavin Barwell about what's happening at Tory HQ.

And, who do you trust more: Boris Johnson, or the Kremlin?

You can watch our episodes in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Nicola Sturgeon on Gender, Starmer and Prince Harry Jan 27, 2023

Show notes

We travel to Edinburgh and Holyrood, the home of the Scottish Parliament, and sit down in a meeting room in the belly of the building housing Scottish power.

In walks one of the most formidable people on this sceptred isle. Nicola Sturgeon. She gamely gives us nearly an hour of her time.

She’s the great survivor of British politics. She’s on her fifth Tory Prime Minister. She’s bestrode Scottish politics for a decade. And in the last weeks she’s found herself central to the British political conversation once again. Lewis talks to Scotland’s First Minister about her controversial Gender Recognition Reform Bill, about the coming battle (or deal?) with Labour and Keir Starmer, about the strengths and weaknesses of the prime ministers who have come and gone and who she’s observed, and even a bit on Prince Harry.

And, after finding out pre-interview that she's a regular listener of the podcast(!), who does she prefer: Emily or Jon?

Socials: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Rory Symon

Planning: Alex Barnett

Production: Gabriel Radus

Editor: Ellie Clifford

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

You can watch our interviews in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.