The News Agents

Latest Episodes:

Will conscription ever happen in the UK? Jan 25, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Has the government really ‘captured’ the BBC? Jan 24, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Rory Symon & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Will Israel get its hostages home? Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Are British institutions really too 'woke'? Jan 22, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

The dangers of 2024 and how to manage them - with Britain’s oldest foreign secretary Jan 19, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Rishi, Coffey, Kigali and...Count Binface Jan 18, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Have the Tories stopped caring about the rule of law? Jan 17, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Is Rishi Sunak about to sack Lee Anderson over Rwanda rebellion? Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

This week on The News Agents USA: Donald Trump dominates in Iowa: is the Republican race already over? Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

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.

Has Rishi's party decided he's no good? Jan 15, 2024

Show notes

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 Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & 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/

And, The News Agents now have merch! To get yours, head to: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents