The News Agents

Latest Episodes:

Will Labour just be another version of the Tories? Apr 09, 2024

Show notes

It is a truth near-universally acknowledged (amongst pollsters at least) that Labour will be the largest party at the next election.

But how would they actually differ from the Tories in terms of what they do once in power?

They've pledged not to raise taxes and not to remove the recent cuts. They're determined to be fiscally responsible - which means little room for spending plans.

So what will actually change - at a moment when the country is crying out for repair?

We talk to Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

And - Suella has returned from Israel and come to the LBC studios to share her thoughts on the Middle East and the shape of the Tory party. Does she represent a significant chunk of the country in what she thinks? We discuss.

Oh and Liz Truss was given advice by the Queen - which she ignored...

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Rory Symon and Arvind Badewal

You 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/

Is Angela Rayner really in trouble? Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

Police are re-examining claims Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner may have broken electoral law more than a decade ago by failing to pay a capital gains tax worth around £2000. Is there a real story here? Is it about impropriety? Class? Big money vs. small money? And who’s behind it?

Later author of Autocracy Inc. Anne Applebaum on Donald Trump's plan to “end the Ukraine war“ and why it makes no sense.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Rory Symon and Arvind Badewal

You 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/

Weekend Edition - The Sports Agents Apr 06, 2024

Show notes

This week on The Sports Agents, your questions for Gabby & Mark on everything from Olympics predictions, to how the panel on Match of the Day is selected!

Plus, Sky Sports NFL analyst Phoebe Schecter on Louis Rees-Zammit's chances of becoming a regular starter for the reigning Super Bowl champs, after he made the switch from Rugby to NFL.

And a closer look at the 'fractured' state of Golf - a week away from The Masters - with English pros Richard Bland and Laurie Canter on the reality of playing on the controversial breakaway LIV Golf tour.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Ian Hislop on Boris Johnson, Piers Morgan and political satire in the age of the absurd Apr 05, 2024

Show notes

Ian Hislop, editor of The Private Eye and team captain on Have I Got News For You sits down with Lewis for an extended conversation about political satire in the modern era of the Westminster psychodrama, and what it was like to have contestants like Piers Morgan and Boris Johnson on his show.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly and Arvind Badewal

You 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/

Why is David Cameron being reported to the ethics adviser? Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

In the early hours of Thursday morning Layla Moran - the only British MP of Palestinian heritage- received news she’d been longing to hear for months.

Her family had finally escape from Gaza. Through perilous crossings and treacherous check points a family of five - including a seventy year old grandmother and two young children- had walked to safety.

As Layla herself recognises their relief is starkly contrasted with the two million others who can’t escape. Today we hear that story.

And we ask why the Lib Dem’s have referred Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron to the ethics adviser over questions of whether he concealed what he knew about the illegality of Israel’s war. We will discuss whether there is a case for government to answer. And where the war in Gaza goes now.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly and Arvind Badewal

You 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/

Why is the UK still selling arms to Israel? Apr 03, 2024

Show notes

The Prime Minister has called the Israeli Prime Minister's actions in Gaza 'increasingly intolerable' in a phone call with Netanyahu after the deaths of three British aid workers in an Israeli airstrike.

The words are tougher than we've seen before.

But the PM is now coming under pressure to end arms sales to Israel. Will he wait for America to move first? Is he watching to see where public opinion goes? Should Keir Starmer be more forthright - as the Lib Dem leader has been - in taking the initiative and call for arms sales to end - something many in his party are desperate to see.

We speak to Zarah Sultana , the Labour backbencher who's been at the forefront of this appeal - and to former Labour front bencher Jess Philips.

Later, what time is it on The Moon and why does NASA believe we need to sort it out?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly and Arvind Badewal

You 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/

Why did JK Rowling want to be arrested? Apr 02, 2024

Show notes

A new law has Police Scotland saying that they'd investigate every online hate crime.

But what they've categorised as a hate crime has caused controversy. Why? And should the state decide what is and isn't a protected characteristic?

And - Israel accept responsibility and apologise for a rocket strike that's killed foreign aid workers in Gaza. It comes after a precision stirke on the Iranian consulate in Syria. What is the IDF doing - and is it ostracising their greatest allies the US even further?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly and Arvind Badewal

You 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/

(Easter) Weekend Edition - The Sports Agents Mar 30, 2024

Show notes

This week, The Sports Agents dug into why Arsenal are still in a league of their own when it comes to the commercial success of their Women's team, how Gabby became 'obsessed' with Andy Murray and if Gareth Southgate would be a perfect fit for Man United's new owners?

And to keep you going over the extended Easter weekend Gabby & Mark also found out all about Corinthians FC - one of the finest teams in English football history, that you've probably never heard of!

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Q&A Special Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

Your questions answered in a special Q&A edition of the podcast with Emily, Jon and Lewis.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly and Rory Symon

You 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/

Is the world running out of babies? Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

Forget everything you know about an exploding world population.

The sad truth is, our birthrate is plummeting globally to the point where there soon won't be enough young workers to take care of the aging population.

What happens then? Can you financially incentivise people to have kids? Should we be thinking harder about immigration?

And why does this subject - and its pronatalist rhetoric - so often become the domaine of the authoritarian right?

We'll hear from Elon, Jordan and Jacob - about why we should all be having more babies.

Plus Robert Colville and Stephen J Shaw.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly and Arvind Badewal

You 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/