The Prospect Podcast

Sven Beckert, Harvard history professor and author of Capitalism: A Global History, explores capitalism as a man-made system shaped by trade, coercion, and politics. He traces global origins beyond Europe. He discusses labor mobilization, child labor, AI’s risks to work, rising authoritarian tendencies, and whether alternative economic logics are possible.

The Gorton and Denton byelection was a sensation for the Greens—and it hurt Labour’s pride. With the May elections approaching, the UK’s governing party looks set for a beating. But what about Reform?Peter Kellner, former director of polling company YouGov, joins Ellen and Alona on the podcast to discuss how Labour and its competition are faring. After coming second in Gorton and Denton, Reform may have actually peaked, Peter argues.Plus, Kellner has met every Labour leader since Harold Wilson, and shares both his favourite anecdotes and the lessons he thinks the party’s next leader needs to know.For more political coverage from Prospect visit our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Gen Z-er Alice Garnett commands her peers to get down to the pub, while Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu recounts the mystery disappearance of a statue from her neighbouring village. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock celebrates television adverts, while Vitali Vitaliev cherishes the small things in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renad Mansour, senior research fellow at Chatham House with expertise on Iran and regional armed groups. He argues the conflict is far from over. He explains why the US cannot simply declare victory. He outlines Iran’s long-war mentality and the signals from Supreme Leader succession. He examines local groups’ incentives and the fragmented logic of proxy networks.

This week, Ellen is joined by journalist David Aaronovitch, who warns about the extreme wealth and unaccountable power of America’s new elite.From John D Rockefeller to Jeff Bezos, David explores the parallels between the “robber barons” of the late 19th century and today’s tech titans. He argues that the US is experiencing a second Gilded Age, in which the elite enjoy lavish lifestyles—as well as unchecked power and influence.David also discusses Jeff Bezos’s wedding, the Amazon-produced Melania film, and Donald Trump’s relationship with tech CEOs.In a post-Epstein era, are there means to check this power? And what happens if we can’t?To read David Aaronovitch’s cover essay of the latest magazine, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Ansell, political columnist who decodes polling and party trends, and Tom Clark, on-the-ground reporter from Gorton and Denton, discuss a tense three-way contest. They describe local mood swings, tactical decisions around candidacies, and what a Labour, Greens or Reform result might signal for national politics. The conversation focuses on turnout, split votes and shifting trust in traditional parties.

Ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ellen and Alona are joined by researcher Maksimas Milta. Maksimas is the Ukraine Country Director at The Reckoning Project, which trains journalists to document war crimes and human rights violations.He talks about the mood in Ukraine as the civilian casualty rate surges—as well as the difficult process of seeking justice: from collecting testimonies from Russian prisoners of war, to working with the media.And as the third round of Ukraine-Russia peace talks take place in Geneva, brokered by the United States, what are Ukrainians hoping for? What does Europe need to do? And will anything change?To read more “What makes a traitor?”, Jen Stout’s piece on The Reckoning Project in Ukraine, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined again by Prospect editor and former Labour speechwriter Philip Collins to unpack the government’s ongoing crisis.With Peter Mandelson currently under investigation by the Metropolitan Police, Starmer’s premiership came close to collapse. He appears to have clung on for now—but how long can he survive as prime minister? And why, in his moment of peril, did no other contenders for PM come to the fore?Philip discusses what surprised him about Wes Streeting’s WhatsApp messages to Mandelson, and whether the departure of Morgan McSweeney from 10 Downing Street will have any impact on the government’s direction. He also analyses the implications of Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s call for Starmer to resign. Will it harm his chances in the upcoming Holyrood elections?Plus, beyond Mandelson, they explore whether political culture is now too close to money—and if politicians, in general, are too vulnerable to the wealthy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Anglican priest Alice Goodman observes that Jesus would not be considered manly enough by today's far-right, while actor and writer Sheila Hancock ditches The Traitors in favour of a programme about Irish dancing. Sarah Collins, who lives with OCD, faces a collapse in her emotional geography after a year of travel, while Kiran Sidhu swaps The News at Ten for Postman Pat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Geoghegan, investigative journalist and editor of Democracy for Sale, unpacks the newly released Epstein files and what they reveal about power, money and impunity. He describes the documents, the scale of abuse they suggest, and how elite networks protected perpetrators. They also explore legal silencing, the risks of unvetted public releases, and the broader stakes for accountability and democracy.