The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Was Keir Starmer right to defenestrate Rebecca Long-Bailey and will this reset the DAYS SINCE LABOUR BUST-UP clock to zero? Special guest Philip Seargeant, author of The Art of Political Storytelling, explains how narrative crowded out truth in politics and what we can do about it. And what can everyone learn from Liverpool FC’s Jürgen Klopp – even if they hate football? Helen Lewis and Ahir Shah join Andrew Harrison for this week’s full-length Bunker podcast.  “The thing about the Labour Left’s anger on social media is, Twitter is what they’ve got left.” – Helen Lewis “It's hard to find models of masculinity that aren’t brittle or blokey. But Klopp is authoritative and also quite caring too.” – Helen Lewis Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Script and assistant production by Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there a real free speech crisis in universities or is it just another confected Culture War squabble? With people like Amber Rudd banned from speaking simply for having been in government, is No Platform overreaching itself? And how did a bunch of defrocked Marxists end up the main advocates of a very conservative vision of free speech? British-Australian academic EVAN SMITH, author of No Platform, talks to Dorian Lynskey about the tangled roots and “mission creep” inherent in the practice of shutting people up. “Nigel Farage was exposed to the sunlight of debate pretty regularly. How well did that work out?”Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the pandemic an extinction event for news media, or a strange opportunity? Is trust in journalism really collapsing in the age of populism? And is the BBC still top of Dominic Cummings’ To Destroy list? Don of media analysts RAYMOND SNODDY – ex media editor at the Times and FT – talks to Andrew Harrison about the media’s COVID-born existential crisis.Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Immigration is the topic most guaranteed to drive good sense out of the room. Will opinions be changed by COVID’s sobering reminder of the irreplaceable work that immigrants do? Has Black Lives Matter shown us the progress we’ve made – or the progress we haven’t? And will the Government use COVID quarantine as cover for even more repressive immigration rules? MINNIE RAHMAN of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants talks to Alex Andreou about the myth of the immigrant freeloader and the unforeseen cruelties of the Hostile Environment. “Let’s face it, any migrant is just one lost document away from becoming a victim of the Hostile Environment.”  “You can’t have a two-tier system where some people can access services and some can’t. We’re only as healthy as our neighbours.” Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If shops and pubs can reopen, why can’t pools? Swimming saves the NHS and social care some £357m a year, yet the Government’s mishandling of community sport is a microcosm of its muddled approach across Coronavirus. How badly will this affect young swimmers? And how does COVID-19 fare in chlorinated water anyway? Swim England chief exec JANE NICKERSON explains as enthusiast swim fan Ros Taylor goes off the deep end.  “If we’re working on science, what makes a cinema or a pub better to open than a swimming pool?” “The children who are missing swimming lessons now could become a lost generation.” “We talk about protecting the NHS. Well keeping people fit and healthy IS protecting the NHS.”  Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you wearing your facemask? If not, WHY NOT? Plus: Has Britain’s shambolic response to COVID exposed something worse than bad leadership: a deep-seated rot in the British state itself? What’s going to happen when mass unemployment hits the sharp-elbowed, politically-engaged middle classes? And most importantly, when can we finally, finally get our highlights done? Ros Taylor welcomes Ayesha Hazarika, Nina Schick and Alex Andreou into our specially-hardened Bunker for this week’s panel show. Stay tuned for Alex’s deep-dive on anti-COVID “moustache and beard snoods” and PPE niche porn…  “There are people now who’ve only heard of older people as a burden… We wheel out our veterans and then let them drown with COVID.” – Alex Andreou “The infamous Red Wall is a blessing and a curse for Boris Johnson.” – Ayesha Hazarika “Britain needs to complain more and whinge less.” – Alex Andreou Presented by Ros Taylor. Script and assistant production by Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Alex Rees. Produced by Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hundreds of thousands of people should be heading to Glastonbury right now. Instead the live music industry is hanging on by its fingernails, hundreds of venues are threatened with closure, and the Government hasn’t included music in its ‘Cultural Renewal Taskforce’. Music agent JAMES WRIGHT of United Talent Agency talks to Andrew Harrison about what this multi-billion pound industry needs to survive.  “Music is this country’s cultural background. And it’s being taken away from people.” “Our business just doesn’t work with ANY social distancing in place.” Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As China tries to impose its authority on Hong Kong, can the former British colony retain some semblance of independence? What’s behind the creeping authoritarianism of Beijing’s Fugitive Offenders Bill? And are Britain’s moves on British National Overseas passports anything more than a gesture? Professor KERRY BROWN, Professor of Chinese Studies at King’s College London and Director of the Lau China Institute, talks to Naomi Smith about Hong Kong’s moment of truth. “China’s definition of ‘what is terrorism?’ can be incredibly extensive.”Presented by Naomi Smith. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In India, Narendra Modi’s populist BJP government has stripped back rights further than in almost any advanced democracy. The country’s COVID response has caused nightmarish problems for the world’s most populous country. And now we’ve seen a bizarre hand-to-hand clash with Chinese troops on the Himalayan border. Is India on the verge of historic trouble? The Guardian’s southern Asia correspondent HANNAH ELLIS-PETERSEN explains the BJP’s mix of religious fanaticism and 21st century troll politics to Dorian Lynskey.  “Modi’s COVID response has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in 50 years.” “COVID has been branded a ‘Muslim disease’… The BJP are calling it ‘Corona Jihad’.”  “The BJP is accusing democracy protestors of being terrorists.” “Even before Coronavirus, India’s healthcare was already on the brink of collapse.” Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What will it take to translate the unprecedented debate on racism and bias into action? Battersea Labour MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities MARSHA DE CORDOVA talks to Naomi Smith about a moment that could change Britain.  “Each of us has a responsibility to ensuring that this moment is a catalyst for change.” “Don’t call it Black History. It’s just history.” “No-one could look at that video of George Floyd and be the same again.”  “We don’t need any more reviews. I am reviewed out. We need action.” Presented by Naomi Smith. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices