Daily Politics from the New Statesman "Build the tunnel right through stonehenge" | Anoosh & Will's weekly round-up
Mar 21, 2026
They debate the cancelled Stonehenge tunnel and local fights over planning decisions. They cover the end of Infowars and the collapse of Meta’s metaverse bet. Conversation turns to oil and plastic supply risks from Middle East disruption. They critique hawkish US rhetoric about warfare and flag up big political gambles on housing, taxes and regional economic policy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Heatherwick's Flashy Projects And Public Failures
- Heatherwick's high-profile projects include the Routemaster revival and the failed Bee of the Bang sculpture in Manchester, which had loose spikes and was sold for scrap.
- Will and Anoush use these examples to show how blockbuster design attention doesn't guarantee long-term public utility or maintenance funding.
Infowars Closure Amid Legal Fallout
- Infowars announced it will close next month after legal and bankruptcy troubles following defamation judgments over Sandy Hook claims.
- Will notes Alex Jones owes over a billion and prior auction attempts (including The Onion's bid) were blocked by a judge, leaving the platform's future uncertain.
Meta Retreats From The Metaverse
- Meta is winding down Horizon Worlds after massive VR investment failed to make the metaverse mainstream.
- Anoush and Will highlight Zuckerberg's $80bn VR bet and the mismatch between Silicon Valley vision and consumer appetite for headsets.