The News Agents

Latest Episodes:

Should Lucy Letby have been made to go to court? Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

Lucy Letby has been given a whole life order for her crimes. She joins only a small group of prisoners to be given a sentence so severe that they can never be considered for parole. But she wasn't in court today to hear it for herself. She chose not to appear, much to the victims' families fury.

The Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition want the law to be changed to force criminals to face their days of reckoning in person. It sounds simple - but is it? Lewis discusses with a former Old Bailey judge and a victim of the Manchester Arena Attacks whose own cowardly perpetrator also refused to confront the court.

And after the Lionesses' near miss in Sydney we ask why politicians always sound so weird when talking about football. We talk to the politico's politico and genuine football obsessive, Lord Danny Finkelstein.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Producer: Will Gibson-Smith

Did Covid-19 leak from a lab? Aug 18, 2023

Show notes

Covid is back in the news - there is a new mutation of Omicron which is potentially more infectious than the last.

Some are sounding the alarm. We talk about whether you should be worried (spoiler -probably not). But while it's in the news we thought we'd examine a question long lurking at the sidelines of the Covid news story - where did it come from?

Is the lab leak theory increasingly credible? Plenty in Washington, including big elements of the Biden administration think so. And if it is - why are we not talking about it? What might be the biggest story of our time?

Lewis talks to a leading expert who sits on SAGE and a journalist who has done the running on the story from the very beginning.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Producers: Rory Symon and Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Producer: Will Gibson-Smith

Are ministers right to say: don't worry too much about exam results? Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

It's A-level results day and the message from the Education Secretary is to urge students not to worry too much about the results, that no-one will ask about them in 10 years' time.

The PM has also said that there are plenty of other options available to those who didn't get the grades they need. But is this really the message for ministers to send to kids who have been studying for these things for years?

And would they be saying the same to their own kids? We also analyse whether this was the year to revert to a 2019 marking system, with a generation still deeply affected by the pandemic.

Jon and Lewis also discuss the life and broadcasting legacy of chat show king Michael Parkinson who has died at the age of 88. He invented the chat show format for UK television. We talk through the changes in TV which have taken place over the last half century and why we won't see Parky's like again.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Planning: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Will Gibson-Smith & Rory Symon

A financial turning point for women's football? The Lionesses reach the WC final Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

England's women's football team reach the World Cup final, beating the hosts Australia. But with the highest paid footballer in the equivalent of the Premier League paid less in a year than some male players get in a week, will this prove a watershed moment in attempts by many to push for greater financial parity? We speak to Kieran Maguire, football economist.

And back in the world of Westminster - what does falling inflation mean? A governmental success in one of their key targets, or is this the calm before the storm with wages and public sector - both inherently inflationary - rising. We speak to editor of Red Box, Lara Spirit.

commentary courtesy of BBC Sport.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Video Producer: Will Gibson-Smith

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

This week on The News Agents: USA - Why is Donald Trump being charged like a mafia boss? Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

Emily and Jon host a new weekly podcast; giving you everything you need to know about the world of US politics and how it affects you.

Episodes are available every Tuesday exclusively on Global Player and all other platforms every Wednesday.

Find the latest episode of News Agents USA here on Global Player.

How many suspected spies are there in the UK? Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

What were three spies living in Great Yarmouth and Harrow doing in the UK? Today it was revealed that three Bulgarian nationals were arrested in February and they've been in custody since - they were apparently working for Russian security services. They're awaiting trial but yet to enter any pleas.

They'd been in the country for years, even baking cakes for their neighbours. So what were they up to? And how common is it for Russian spies to be hanging around in Britain? Jon asks former head of the MI6 Russia desk, Christopher Steele.

And exactly two years on from the Taliban taking back power in Afghanistan, we talk to journalist Yalda Hakim about the conflict and discuss her work to get Afghan women back into education.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Video Producer: Rory Symon

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

Morality in football: should Manchester United bring back Mason Greenwood? Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

Mason Greenwood was one of the most exciting talents in world football two years ago. A superstar in the making.

But in January 2022, a social media video surfaced of Greenwood - he was arrested on suspicion of rape, coercive behaviour and assault - suspended by United, and he's not played since.

But, charges were dropped earlier this year and the club now have a decision to make. Should Greenwood play for their club again? Or should they take a moral stand? We talk to The Athletic's Adam Crafton, and Em, who's protesting at tonight's Premier League opener.

And we look at the government ditching cancer screening targets. Is this a good idea if they're constantly being missed... or does this just mean that more people will not be seen before it's too late? We speak to former Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Video Producer: Rory Symon

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

Has 'Small Boats Week' been a disaster for the Tories? Aug 11, 2023

Show notes

A week that was dedicated to show that the Conservatives have a plan on how to 'stop the boats' has instead been dominated by tragedy - the death of 41 migrants in the sea near Lampedusa while the deputy chair of the Tory party told Channel-crossing migrants to 'f*** off' back to France - and farce - as 39 asylum seekers were removed off barge accommodation just days after moving in due to a bacterial infection in the nearby waters.

Has this week been a major step back for Rishi Sunak in his attempts to fulfil one of his flagship policies? We discuss with Sir Craig Oliver, former director of communications at No.10.

We talk parliamentary standards with Sir Chris Bryant - and Gary Lineker joins us to justify to heartbroken Spurs fan Jon why Harry Kane is right to leave Tottenham for Bayern Munich.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Video Producer: Rory Symon

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

How students are getting screwed…again Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Generation screwed. A hoard of students tens of thousands of pounds in debt, but with nothing to show for it. We speak to students who've been affected and hear from the university and college union boss, Jo Grady- who backs the striking staff.

And, the Tory internecine warfare continues after a shambolic selection process to pick their candidate for London mayor. But do they still have a pathway to win next year's election with Trump-fan Susan Hall if Jeremy Corbyn throws his hat in the ring?

And... some marriage advice for Lewis ahead of his wedding.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Video Producer: Rory Symon

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

Will Rishi Sunak now tell Lee Anderson to "f*** off"? Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party Lee Anderson went on TV last night and openly admitted that his own party are failing to 'stop the boats'. That's the same party that announced at the start of this year that one of their five priorities was to ... stop the boats.

Anderson has always been a law unto himself, and sometimes this has worked to Rishi Sunak's benefit. But is he now becoming a serious problem for the Tories as they try to build their case for re-election next year?

And - we speak to the Emily Bolton - founder of Appeal, the charity that helped Andy Malkinson get out of prison - after we spoke to Malkinson yesterday. She has shocking revelations about the state of the prison and justice system in the UK today.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Video Producer: Rory Symon

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