The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Russia’s threatening moves on the borders of Ukraine have led to a frantic diplomacy blitz. Can Vladimir Putin be urged back from the brink? Plus, as COVID rules are due to be ditched in England, is that the right call? Or simply a distraction for Boris Johnson? And, with Futurama returning to and Neighbours leaving our screens, we choose the TV shows we’d like to resurrect and others to scrap. Financial Times journalist and author of Britain Alone: The Path from Suez to Brexit Philip Stephens joins our weekly panel. “Nobody knows what Putin wants.” – Arthur Snell “The City is well-known as the London Laundry, and the Russians are the best users of that.” – Philip Stephens “There aren't many big beasts left prowling in the Tory forest.” – Philip Stephens “More Brits have been vaccinated than watched the Euros final.” – Yasmeen Serhan Support The Bunker on Patreon for early, ad-free episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented by Andrew Harrison with Arthur Snell and Yasmeen Serhan. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following Cressida Dick’s resignation, we look at the looming clashes over who will become the next Met police chief. What are the priorities for whoever gets the role? Plus, the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine persists. Is war imminent? And after Boris Johnson was handed a police questionnaire over Partygate, what can we expect next? Justin Quirk is joined by Naomi Smith to discuss the week ahead.  “The fish rots from the head and a bad leader… is one that will mean that awful culture pervades and that cascade happens through an organisation.”  “We’ve got to hope and pray that we can have a force we can be proud of.” “Changing the culture within an organisation can take years, and the Met will be no exception.”  “After Brexit and Trump, Putin knows that the West isn’t as united as it has been.”  “Much of the left in Western politics have a blind spot when it comes to Russian imperialism.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Justin Quirk with Naomi Smith. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all want control over our lives. But as we make more decisions digitally, the impact of algorithms on our choices grows. They help to sort the information presented to us and limit the options we see – shaping the products we buy, films we watch and even the partners we end up with. Andrew Harrison discusses the future of such technology with Kartik Hosanagar, author of A Human's Guide to Machine Intelligence: How Algorithms Are Shaping Our Lives and How We Can Stay in Control.  “Many people believe that algorithms are just providing us information and we comb through that and make our own choices… research shows otherwise.” – Kartik Hosanagar “They are not just helping us make the decisions that we would have anyway made… they are also influencing the decisions themselves.” – Kartik Hosanagar “These algorithms could be making choices in more personal and more important aspects of our lives, and also they could be making them autonomously.” – Kartik Hosanagar “Let’s make sure that for high stakes decisions, they are made by human beings.” – Kartik Hosanagar “Individually, it’s hard for us to stop this algorithmic tsunami.” – Kartik Hosanagar https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunkWriter, director, actor, singer, dancer - THE NOTORIOUS RBB Rikki Beadle-Blair joins us to talk Riot Act, LGBT+ History Month, and a lifetime of activist art. Jelena, Alex, and Siân don their scrubs for This is Going to Hurt, the BBC’s new med-drama with Ben Wishaw. And the meat goes on with Pam and Tommy on Disney, and two new mega-shows - Francis Bacon and Louise Bourgeois – for this week’s Art Corner special on BEASTS. “Equality means equality of opportunity to be idiots.” - Rikki Beadle-Blair “The constant self-portraiture on Instagram is irritating.” - Rikki Beadle-Blair “This is Going to Hurt makes the NHS feel so fragile. It made me ask what I can do to help the Adam Kays of this world.” – Siân Pattenden “The talking penis in Pam and Tommy felt weirdly Disney to me, like something out of Beauty in the Beast!” – Alex Andreou Written and presented by Alex Andreou, Siân Pattenden, and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With environmental destruction threatening our oceans, what might a fresh plan to protect them look like? Chris Armstrong, political theory professor at the University of Southampton, joins Ros Taylor to discuss his new book A Blue New Deal, which outlines a manifesto for protecting our seas. “Our reliance on the ocean has diminished, before air travel we had to use it to get to the other side of the world.” “Although the ocean absorbs most the carbon we emit, it has limits and we are reaching them.” “We need to engage in radical thinking in order to save our oceans.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented by Ros Taylor. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christine Lee’s recent designation as a Chinese agent of influence by MI5 has breathed new life into calls to reassess the country’s influence in Westminster. Yet as the world’s second-largest economy, China is widening its reach across the globe – and democratic nations are complicit. Journalist Joanna Chiu, author of China Unbound, tells Arthur Snell about its murky “United Front” and New Silk Road projects, whether Western ignorance equals wilful involvement in China’s authoritarian regime…and why Chinese immigrants should be better protected overseas. “Chinese politicians are expected to self-report.” “You have to feel sympathy for anyone trying to work within the Chinese legal system.” “China has designed laws to make its businesses complicit in its security regime.” “Western leaders created a narrative to justify and excuse their engagement with a foreign, authoritarian power.” “Chinese immigrants aren't welcomed for their expertise. They're treated with suspicion.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Arthur Snell. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Productionhttps://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/china-unbound/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amid a profound and worsening cost of living crisis, we discuss whether the Government is rising to the challenge. Is the public being shortchanged? Plus, with the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a huge courts backlog, Evening Standard courts correspondent Tristan Kirk joins us to talk about the pressures on the justice system. And after Facebook reported its first ever drop in daily users, what’s next for the social media giant? “It feels like the Chancellor, with all his riches, hasn’t understood the gravity of the situation.” - Miatta Fahnbulleh  “If you want a quick way to solve this issue, increase Universal Credit and don’t raise the cap as much.” - Miatta Fahnbulleh “If Sunak doesn’t get into Number 10 before the pain arrives, then he might miss his moment.” - Tom Peck “Myself, and I assume the Downing Street police officers, would think No.10 would be following their own rules.” - Tristan Kirk  https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented by Ros Taylor with Tom Peck and Miatta Fahnbulleh. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Boris Johnson’s senior team in chaos, we discuss what comes next as we brace for yet another calamity-packed week. Letters of no confidence continue to be sent – but will the number hit the 54 needed to spur a vote? Meanwhile, ongoing border check disagreements are causing turmoil in Northern Ireland. And on her Platinum Jubilee, the Queen kept busy, declaring her wish for Camilla to become Queen consort. Andrew Harrison is joined by Alex Andreou to forecast the days ahead.  "February 2022 to February 2022 doesn't look great on a CV."  "Satisfaction will turn into dislike very easily."  "The mess of Downing Street is leaking into the legislature."  "This is political, not constitutional. The DUP are drowning in the polls."  "The Queen is in a process of tidying up the Royal Family." Presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Northern Ireland has been plunged into political turmoil following DUP first minister Paul Givan’s resignation over Brexit border controls. What does this mean for Stormont? And how will it affect May’s assembly elections? Belfast-based journalist Amanda Ferguson joins Naomi Smith to explain the crisis, and what could happen next. “The DUP will say this is about the protocol, the other parties will say this is about the election.” “The only way Northern Ireland’s position in the UK can be changed is if people vote for it.” “While some people are supportive of the DUP, a lot of the public are aghast at what they’ve done.” Presented by Naomi Smith. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hear all the music on our rolling playlist: https://bit.ly/CultBunkEMMY, BRIT and BAFTA award winning composer Howard Goodall tells us about his new remembrance cantata ‘Unconditional Love’, a career of composing pretty much every memorable British comedy theme tune ever, Brexit’s effect on musicians and much more.Howard joins guest Sophie Harris plus Alex and Jelena (for the first time) to explore the many folds of Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II – a movie about a movie within a movie about a movie, Cate Le Bon’s latest album, Pompeii, plus we head into the Courtauld to find out what’s behind their new exhibition Van Gogh Self-Portraits. “Streaming should have democratised music. But there's very few people at the party.” – Howard Goodall “Cate le Bon’s Pompeii refers to a life interrupted. It's the perfect lockdown album.” – Sophie Harris “Young people have sacrificed a lot to keep us alive during COVID. Now we must pay them back by listening to them.” – Howard Goodall  Written and presented by Alex Andreou and Jelena Sofronijevic. Audio production by Alex Rees. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices