The Bunker – News without the nonsense
Podmasters
News without the nonsense, every weekday morning. In episodes that fit your commute*, The Bunker cuts through the noise to make sense of what’s really going on in news, current affairs, politics, economics and culture. We bring you smart explainers, interviews, fresh perspectives and under-reported stories to as a refreshing alternative to repetitive Punch and Judy news coverage. It’s the only way to start the day. From the producers of Oh God, What Now?Our regulars include: Gavin Esler • Ros Taylor • Alex von Tunzelmann • Andrew Harrison • Zing Tsjeng • Jacob Jarvis • Emma Kennedy • Rafael Behr • Seth Thévoz.• Sign up to support the podcast and get episodes ad-free and early: patreon.com/bunkercast• Apple users: Get all of our core shows ad-free and early with the Podmasters Originals super-subscription.(* Even if it’s just from the kitchen to the front room. )The Bunker is a Podmasters production.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 20, 2026 • 36min
Here comes the Rayner again – Weekly Wrap-Up with Alex von Tunzelmann
Alex von Tunzelmann, author and historian known for clear historical analysis, joins to dissect a turbulent week. They debate Angela Rayner’s warning and whether it signals real leadership maneuvering. Public health alarms over a Kent meningitis cluster get urgent attention. The conversation also covers shifting UK party dynamics, mixed US messaging on Iran, and a surprising baseball triumph for Venezuela.
Mar 19, 2026 • 31min
Back the Future? – What is Europe for in the 21st Century?
Roderick Beaton, historian and author of Europe: A New History, maps how European identity was forged over millennia. He traces core values like law and democracy. He examines postwar integration, tensions around Germany, EU enlargement, Brexit’s effects, migration and cultural integration, and how history can frame Europe’s uncertain future.
Mar 18, 2026 • 39min
The rise of “Muskism” – Will we live in Elon Musk’s nightmare future?
Ben Tarnoff, writer and technologist dissecting tech, state power, and Musk’s projects. Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history, explores Muskism’s political and historical roots. They map Muskism as a social-operating ideology, show how states and firms blur, probe humans-as-programmable systems, and debate whether this tech‑wrapped vision can outlast its creator.
Mar 17, 2026 • 33min
The secret history of nuclear weapons
David Holloway, historian and emeritus professor at Stanford, maps the hidden international story of nuclear weapons. He recounts near-misses like the Cuban Missile Crisis and Berlin standoffs. He traces how Mutual Assured Destruction emerged, why proliferation stayed limited, and how shifts since the Cold War reshape nuclear incentives today.
7 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 33min
Dire Straits – Start Your Week with Ros Taylor and Andrew Harrison
They break down Iran's blockade of the Straits of Hormuz and the global oil shock it could trigger. They consider Britain's possible involvement and security risks. They cover UK energy measures from solar balconies to targeted support for oil-heated homes. They discuss calls for a UK nuclear capability, EU energy politics, Labour’s EU outreach, and a dash of Oscars and culture-war banknote furore.
Mar 13, 2026 • 30min
The Mandelson Files: What do they tell us about Starmer? – Weekly Wrap-Up with Zoë Grūnewald
Zoë Grünewald, Leeds Westminster editor known for sharp political analysis, breaks down the Mandelson documents and what they suggest about Keir Starmer’s judgement. She assesses Trump’s Iran U-turn and Kemi Badenoch’s mixed messaging. She also covers oil-price effects on UK policy and the symbolic removal of hereditary peers. Short, pointed takes on current political theatre.
Mar 12, 2026 • 27min
Law & Order: Artificial Intelligence Unit – How do we police A.I.?
Dr Federica Fedorczyk, Research Fellow and AI ethics specialist studying AI’s impact on criminal justice. She explores a wide range of AI harms from deepfakes and election interference to surveillance and cyberattacks. Discussion covers mapping foreseeable misuse, platform and product liability, regulatory choices across jurisdictions, and how non-regulatory tools like courts and social pressure shape outcomes.
11 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 34min
Is Trump vs Iran just a re-run of Bush’s war on Iraq?
Renad Mansour, a Chatham House Middle East expert and co-creator of BBC Two’s Once Upon a Time in Iraq, analyzes parallels between an attack on Iran and the 2003 Iraq war. He discusses shock-and-awe rhetoric, unclear war aims and administration chaos. He examines regional spillover, arming proxies and the human cost across Iran, Lebanon and Iraq.
Mar 10, 2026 • 32min
Inheritance Tax – Is everything we know about “Britain’s most hated tax” wrong?
Dan Kemp, former Global CIO at Morningstar and founder of Portfolio Thinking, brings investment and fiscal-policy expertise. He tackles why inheritance tax provokes strong feelings despite low revenue. The conversation covers frozen thresholds and rising property values, how inheritances shape middle-class hopes, messy exemptions like farm relief, the Bank of Mum and Dad wealth transfer, and calls for simpler, fairer rules.
9 snips
Mar 9, 2026 • 34min
Don't mention the war! – Start Your Week with Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis
Rafael Behr, Guardian columnist and political commentator, breaks down why recent US/Israeli strikes amount to real war and what that means for UK involvement. He explores how legality shapes Starmer’s stance, the British right’s pro-war posturing, and whether force is overtaking diplomacy. Short, sharp takes on geopolitics and political strategy.
