The Bunker
Your daily need to know on news and politics. Every weekday morning The Bunker cuts through the noise to make sense of what’s really going on, with smart explainers, interviews, fresh perspectives and under-reported stories to rescue you from everyday 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.• Hannah Fearn • Andrew Harrison • 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 a...
Our new show CRIME SCENE – Armed Response – What happens when police shoot a suspect?
Try the latest edition of our new podcast where ex-Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe and former Mirror editor Alison Phillips bring you the truth about true crime.
On this episode: When police shoot dead a suspect the consequences are huge. But how is the decision to shoot to kill made? Is firearms policy fit for purpose? And is it right that the officer cleared of murdering Londoner Chris Kaba in a police roadblock now faces gross misconduct charges? Bernard and Alison share unprecedented insider knowledge on real cases including Kaba, Mark Duggan and Jean Charles de Menezes.
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Mutiny in the UK – How the SDP explains Reform UK – with Steve Richards
The SDP blasted through politics in the early 80s, hoovering up blockbuster by-election wins and a quarter of the national vote. They were a gift to the Thatcher Government – splitting the opposition vote and ensuring Tory power. So how come today’s insurgents, Reform UK, aren’t seen as a boon to Starmer but a mortal threat to Labour *and* the Conservatives? Steve Richards of the Rock & Roll Politics podcast takes Andrew Harrison back to the heady days of the Gang Of Four to see what the SDP can tell us about the power and the possible fate of Farage’...
Capturing the reality of war in Ukraine – Kyiv-based artist Mark Neville with Dorian Lynskey
Mark Neville is on the ground in Ukraine, not just taking pictures but also delivering aid and exposing the realities of the conflict through his work. He joins Dorian Lynskey in The Bunker to discuss his new project Diary of a Volunteer, the ethics of conflict photography, the toll of PTSD, and the role photographers play in shaping how wars are remembered.
Links to Mark’s work:
https://www.instagram.com/marknevillestudio
https://www.postcodeukraine.com/
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The real Conclave – Inside the contest to be the next Pope
The death of Pope Francis has raised questions over the future of the Catholic Church – and what type of successor we might see. Could they follow the progressive path he set, or are they likely to be more conservative? To discuss what might happen next, Ros Taylor is joined by David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University.
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Acrimony in the UK — Start Your Week with Ros Taylor and Jacob Jarvis
The fallout of the local elections have left Labour and the Tories in a tizz, with neither party entirely sure how to react to Farage’s gloating. So what way will Starmer end up leaning? Ros Taylor talks Jacob Jarvis through the latest domestic politics, plus we look at elections around the world, and lessons which can be learned.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Ho...
A taster of CRIME SCENE, our new podcast – Episode 1: Guns of London
Bunker listeners, try a bite-sized sample of our brand new podcast CRIME SCENE. Every week ex-Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe and former Mirror editor Alison Phillips lift the lid on how criminal investigations really work. In our debut episode: The horrific shooting of an innocent nine-year-old girl in Dalston in 2024 laid bare bitter rivalries between London’s armed gangs. Are police they fighting a losing battle against guns in the Capital?
Want to know more? Search CRIME SCENE for the full episode and subscribe for new episodes every Thursday.
Presented by Bernard Hogan-Howe and Alison Ph...
Tat’s Life – The secrets behind “Cursed Objects” in gift shops
What explains the world better? The unattainable relics and archaeological finds that fill museums – or the simple snowglobes, plushies and other knick-knacks in their gift shops? Ahead of a new exhibition Cursed Objects in Museum Shops, curator and Podmasters veteran Kasia Tomasiewicz unearths the true meanings of the souvenirs and objets de tat we often ignore but shouldn’t. Includes discussion of the rubber Charles Duckens, a cuddly Black Death Plague Flea and the Hello Kitty Pearl Harbor collection.
• Visit the exhibition Cursed Objects in Museum Shops from 2 May-26 June.
Written and presented by Group Editor An...
Blame Canada! How Carney triumphed over Trumpism – and what it means
O Canada! Liberal PM Mark Carney sweeps to victory (well, minority government) in the Canadian General Election. Did Trump’s unhinged plans for annexation and his tariff moodswings make him the worst ally Canadian Tories could wish for? And what happens now that Canadians are broadly agreed that yes, Canada should continue to exist as a country? John Michael McGrath of our friends in Ontario, the onpoli podcast gives Andrew Harrison the rink-side view of history.
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How Trump's first 100 days will come back to bite him
Donald Trump’s first 100 days have been some of the most consequential ever. But, is that a good thing for him? Or could it come back to bite him? Doug Sosnik, former advisor to President Bill Clinton as well as several Governors and Senators, joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss what to look out for in the coming months in terms of what could hurt Trump.
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A New Financial Crisis – Could 2025 get as bad as 2008?
Wall Street is erratic, global trade is unravelling and world leaders are more divided than ever. The similarities to 2008 are growing more apparent – but the crisis this time looks very different. Archie Hall, Britain economics reporter for The Economist, joins Alex von Tunzelmann to explore the global fallout, the risks to Britain’s fragile recovery, and whether there is still time to avert another financial crisis of the magnitude of 2008.
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Reform over function? – Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Jacob Jarvis
Who will be the big winner at the local elections – and will Farage make it sound like it was Reform UK no matter what happens? Plus, Trump marks 100 days in office – how does this stand up to previous presidents? Gavin Esler joins Jacob Jarvis to talk through the news to look out for for the week ahead.
Subscribe to Crime Scene, the truth about true crime with Bernard Hogan-Howe and Alison Phillips, out on Thursday
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
The weird world of Doctor Who explained at last – Live bonus with author John Higgs
Political allegories and woke wars, Patrick Troughton’s louche sex life, the madness of Tom Baker, Doctor Who’s strange grip on Britain’s psychic landscape… Fascinating new book Exterminate! Regenerate! The Story of Doctor Who is a bigger-on-the-inside popular history of Who for the general reader. Author John Higgs talks to confirmed Who addict Andrew Harrison live onstage at the Rock’n’Roll Book Club https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/ in London’s cosmic Walthamstow.
• Buy Exterminate! Regenerate! The Story of Doctor Who through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small...
Trash talking – The real history of free speech
What do we really mean by free speech? How has the definition changed over time? And why is it always so contentious? As the issue remains the cause of political arguments across the world, Seth Thévoz speaks to Fara Dabhoiwala, historian and the author of What is free speech? The history of a dangerous idea to ask who decides what we can and can’t say?
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Project 2025 – What's coming next from the new 'deep state'?
Donald Trump spent his last campaign distancing himself from Project 2025. But since returning to office, he’s followed its blueprint with surprising precision. It's already reshaped American life and the workings of government – but could the most dramatic changes still be ahead? Today on The Bunker, Jacob Jarvis sits down with David A. Graham, author of The Project, to explore Project 2025 and how its authors’ growing influence could shape the future of the Trump administration.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
Buy The P...
Is Morgan McSweeney Labour’s enforcer or Starmer’s controller? – with Steve Richards
Labour’s election guru, a modern-day Macchiavelli, the power behind the PM, a “permanent insurgent”… Starmer’s Chief Of Staff Morgan McSweeney is perhaps the most powerful unelected person in politics. Who is he? What does he want? Is he behind the party’s lurch right – and can he win Labour a second term? Steve Richards of the unmissable Rock and Roll Politics podcast tells Andrew Harrison what makes McSweeney tick.
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Tricks of the trade — Start Your Week with Ros Taylor and Jacob Jarvis
Rachel Reeves heads to Washington this week – what should we be looking out for? Plus, we unpack what happens now after the death of Pope Francis and look to the latest news from America. Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the week ahead in news.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
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Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. T...
'Cleanfluencers' – Inside the online cult pushing housewife propaganda
From ‘cleanfluencers’ to home gurus, the ideal of a spotless home has never been so aspirational. But why are women still being told that inner peace is only a bottle of disinfectant away? Today on The Bunker, Coco Khan is joined by Emma Casey, author of The Return of the Housewife, to find out why we are still selling the idea that cleaning is the new path to feminist empowerment.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
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Notorious KGB – What Moscow's spies teach us about Russia
What if your neighbour was a Russian spy? In 2010, the FBI arrested ten deep-cover agents living quiet suburban lives across North America, their true identities hidden even from their own children. Today on The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Shaun Walker, author of The Illegals, to take a closer look at one of the most shocking espionage operations in modern history and what it reveals about Putin’s spy games.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
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Trump vs. China – Who will win the trade war? – with Cindy Yu
Trump’s trade war has intensified the rivalry between America and China – while Beijing’s retaliation has exacerbated worldwide market meltdowns. Has the US president actually had a plan, and what does China make of his actions? Journalist and China commentator Cindy Yu joins Gavin Esler to discuss the trade war and which side might be more confident of ending up on top.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
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Under my thumb – How the LIKE button hacked our brains
At first the social media ‘Like’ button was just an easy way to get users to interact. Now people click a Like button some seven billion times a day, creating a colossal dataset that companies can use to sell to us, mislead us and predict what we want. And liking itself gets user addicted to a dopamine loop of gratification.
Where did the Like button come from and what is it doing to us? Silicon Valley veteran Bob Goodson, co-author of Like: The Button That Changed The World, tells Andrew Harrison about the cloudy hist...
I’m steel standing! — Start Your Week with Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis
The Trump tariff mayhem rolls on and back at home steel is grabbing the headlines. What’s going on now and how will these stories develop? Rafael Behr joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss all this and more in Start Your Week.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
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Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Rafael Behr. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters P...
Doom and doomers — Should you be preparing for the end of the world?
What would you do if the world as we know it came to some sort of catastrophic end? Well, you’d be forgiven for not being prepared for it – but doomsday preppers across the globe think they are. To discuss the phenomenon of people bracing for armageddon, and the theories around why they do this, Jacob Jarvis is joined by the co-authors of Be Prepared: Doomsday Prepping in the United States, Robert E. Kirsch and Emily Ray.
Buy Be Prepared: Doomsday Prepping in the United States through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund th...
Can radical honesty fix the climate “polycrisis”? – with Mike Berners-Lee
The climate crisis is spiraling, Trump’s back in the White House, and the headlines keep getting worse. It’s easy to feel powerless. But what if the first step toward saving the planet is something you learned in primary school? In this episode of The Bunker, Zing Tsjeng sits down with Mike Berners-Lee, author of A Climate of Truth, who argues that radical honesty about what’s happening, who’s responsible, and what must change might just be our most powerful tool against the looming polycrisis.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://I...
Enemy of the State – How dangerous is Trump's national security purge?
Why is Donald Trump dismantling America’s national security apparatus? And how dangerous will this be for the US and the world? The commander-in-chief recently dismissed six National Security Council staffers, reportedly at the request of right-wing influencer and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer.
Today in The Bunker, national security journalist Ben Makuch joins Jacob Jarvis to ask: Who is Laura Loomer, and why does she have the ear of the president? Plus, they unpack the global consequences of Trump’s ongoing efforts to hollow out the United States’ security infrastructure.
• We...
French Toast – Is this the end of Marine Le Pen?
French far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzlement and handed a five-year ban from running for office – a verdict she has promised to overturn. Could this be the end of the Le Pen political dynasty?
Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Emile Chabal, professor of contemporary history at Edinburgh University, to explore the tale of money, ambition, and political survival. Could this be Le Pen’s coup de grâce or lead to a political renaissance?
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The end of the globe as we know it? — Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor
Trump’s tariffs have created turmoil and Starmer has declared “the world as we know it has gone”. So, if it truly is the end of “globalisation” – what does that mean for us now? Gavin Esler joins Ros Taylor to discuss the news to look out for in the week ahead.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harriso...
Trump’s tariff tantrum – “Monumentally bruising to the global economy”
Liberation Day? More like Liquidation Day. Trump’s malicious and ignorant tariff package has horrified the worlds of business and economics. What does it all mean? Did Britain really get off “lightly” as the Trump fanboys claim? Dmitry Grozoubinski – director of ExplainTrade and author of Why Politicians Lie About Trade – talks Andrew Harrison through the wrongheaded tactics, fantasy maths and tatty showmanship of what The Economist calls “the most profound, harmful and unnecessary economic error in the modern era.”
• Buy Why Politicians Lie About Trade through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning...
How London became the world’s dirty money capital
Nearly 40 per cent of the world’s dirty money flows through London, but what role have British institutions played in helping wealthy elites launder cash? Today on The Bunker, Tom Mayne, journalist and co-author of Indulging Kleptocracy: British Service Providers, Postcommunist Elites, and the Enabling of Corruption, joins Seth Thévoz to discuss how deregulation, weak enforcement, and the UK’s libel laws have enabled corruption to thrive in the capital.
Buy Indulging Kleptocracy: British Service Providers, Postcommunist Elites, and the Enabling of Corruption through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker...
Did Boomers really destroy the future?
The generation born after the War? They hoarded all the wealth and now they’re hoarding the political power. Millennials? Lazy, self-absorbed, could afford a house if they cancelled Netflix. Generation X? Nobody cares. These are the clichés – but are they really true?
Bobby Duffy, KCL Professor of Public Policy and author of The Generation Divide: Why We Can’t Agree and Why We Should, tells Alex von Tunzelmann why both the avocado/Netflix Millennial AND the selfish Boomer caricatures are wrong… what really shapes the identities of generations… why we must fix the huge probl...
Northern uproar – How Canada is standing up to Trump
Thought that Trump’s bizarre threat to annex Canada as the “cherished 51st state” was just another spur-of-the-moment brainfart? In Canada they’re taking it deadly seriously – and America’s global bully act is reshaping Canadian politics. John Michael McGrath of Ontario politics podcast On Poli joins us to explain how Trump has made Canadians more patriotic, the challenge facing new premier Mark Carney, whether an actual shooting war could erupt… and the true meaning of “Elbows up”.
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Tariffs, don’t like it — Start Your Week with Alex von Tunzelmann and Jacob Jarvis
Trump’s trade war continues with Starmer desperately seeking to keep Britain out of it as much as possible. What’s going to happen next? Alex von Tunzelmann joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss this and more as they look at the week ahead in news.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
www.patreon.com/bunkercast
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE...
YIMBY vs. NIMBY – Can Labour’s new building plans work?
Labour promises to take the brakes off building with its new Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Will the downgrading of rights to object on environmental, local and procedural grounds anger voters more than new homes will mollify them? Has the government created the right incentives to get its mythical 1.5m new homes built? And have the YIMBYs really defeated the NIMBYs? A special roundtable with Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy at the Town and Country Planning Association; Housing & Residential Property Journalist of the Year Hannah Fearn; and NIMBY-Hunter General Jonn Elledge.
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'Hipster eugenics' – Why the US far-right is obsessed with babies
America’s far-right is obsessed with people having babies. Why are they focused on this and where did ‘pronatalism’ come from? Carter Sherman is a reproductive health and justice reporter at Guardian US and joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss why people like Musk and JD Vance have jumped on this bandwagon and what it means for politics and people across the United States.
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Written an...
Is British TV dying?
Is British TV in crisis? On the surface, it looks like a golden age – hits like Bridgerton, Baby Reindeer, and Adolescence are winning international acclaim. But behind the scenes, it’s a different story. Traditional broadcasters are losing ground to streamers, and homegrown hits like Mr Bates vs. The Post Office could struggle to get commissioned as budgets tighten.
To break it all down Scott Bryan, TV critic and writer of the Worth Watching Substack, joins Alex von Tunzelmann in The Bunker to look at the current state of British TV and find out what can be done...
Has crypto captured the Trump Administration?
Since winning re-election Donald Trump hasn’t just embraced the shady world of cryptocurrencies, he’s cheerleading and even shilling for crypto – and profiting from it himself. Why is Trump going all-in on impenetrable digital currencies? What do the Crypto-Bros think they’ll get from hooking up with MAGA? And could a crypto-addicted US financial system collapse the real economy like subprime mortgages did? Tech journalist and self-styled “crypto sceptic” Molly White of the essential industry newsletter Citation Needed explains all to Andrew Harrison.
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Spring into action — Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Jacob Jarvis
The Spring Statement is due this week – is there anything to look forward to or will it be just cuts, cuts, cuts? Gavin Esler talks Jacob Jarvis through what Reeves has planned, and what it means for Starmer’s government. Plus, they discuss the latest from the US and look at conflicts across the world.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
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Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing Edit...
The Staff of Nightmares – How Severance nails our life/work imbalance
Warning! Mild spoilers. As acclaimed sci-fi workplace satire Severance reaches its season 2 climax, we assemble three assiduous followers of Lumon Industries to refine the data on this hypnotic show’s appeal. Are the mind-wiped “innies” more real, moral beings than their “outies”? What does the severance procedure mean? And where is the series heading? Join Marie le Conte, Jonn Elledge and Andrew Harrison for a Waffle Party in podcast form. Let not weakness live in your veins…
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• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunk...
Trumpcession – How the MAGA economy could break the world
Trump's economic policies have experts scratching their heads – and while the US isn't yet in recession, many believe one is imminent. The true impact of Trump's disruptive tactics remains uncertain, yet the consequences could be felt worldwide. Today on The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Jonathan Portes, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at King’s College London, to unpack the fallout from MAGA economics and what it could mean for the rest of the world.
• We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
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Where have the great political leaders gone?
Is the age of the visionary political leader over? Why have unserious political entertainers and bland technocrats replaced inspirational, storytelling presidents and prime ministers? Is it all down to the internet, again? Seasoned political journalist Steve Richards of the Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast joins Andrew Harrison to ask: where have all the great leaders gone… or were they always just an illusion?
• Buy Steve Richards’ books The Prime Ministers and The Prime Ministers We Never Had through our affiliate bookshop. You’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Book...
Can Tesla survive Elon Musk?
The backlash against Elon Musk is growing – and Tesla is paying the price. Sales have plunged, showrooms have become hotbeds for protest, and owners are finding their cars defaced with swastikas. Yet the CEO continues to entangle himself in populist politics worldwide and seems more focused on working for the US government than running his own companies.
Today on The Bunker, Adam Shaw is joined by journalist Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist for the Financial Times, to explore whether the revolutionary electric vehicle company can withstand the weight of its CEO’s repu...
