Moral Maze

Matthew Syed, a columnist and broadcaster, shares insights on social cohesion shaped by his experiences. Julie Siddiqui highlights her grassroots work promoting interfaith understanding. Professor Mona Siddiqui discusses pluralism and the governmental role in fostering community bonds. Ravi Gurumurthy presents statistics on race relations, while Lord Jonathan Sumption explores human nature's impact on social unity. Inaya Folarin-Iman adds her thoughts on national identity, questioning if genuine social cohesion can be achieved through policy alone.

ID cards are back on the political agenda, digital this time, being pushed by an influential group of Labour MPs, and – surveys suggest – public opinion, which is increasingly worried about illegal immigration and benefit fraud. Time was, when privacy was a free-born Briton’s birthright and a policeman asking for your papers anathema, the mark of foreign dictatorships. We live in a different world now where even your household gadgets are capable of gathering information on you. Is privacy out of date, or a moral good that’s the basis of freedom? Can we no longer tell the state – or Big Tech – to mind their own business, and does it matter?WITNESSES: Kirsty Innes, Director of Technology at Labour Together Rebecca Vincent, Interim director of Big Brother Watch Dr Hazem Zohny, University of Oxford Tiffany Jenkins, Cultural HistorianPANELLISTS: Rev Dr Giles Fraser Anne McElvoy Lord Jonathan Sumption Matthew TaylorChaired by Michael Buerk Producer: Catherine Murray Assistant Producer: Peter Everett Editor: Tim Pemberton

The National Health Service is at a crossroads. Systemic pressures are lengthening hospital waiting times. Resources are finite. That’s why the government is coming up with a 10 year plan to make the NHS ‘fit for purpose’. But what is the ethical purpose of the NHS? The ethical ambition has always been that everyone, regardless of their background, should have equal access to healthcare. It’s seen as a moral triumph of civilization and political suicide to meddle with it. But when we look at the statistics about the effectiveness of care alongside other comparative countries – the cancer survival rates, premature deaths from cardiovascular disease, and the disparities of life-expectancy according to UK postcode – is it time to question this foundational principle? This is not simply a matter of which funding model works best. It is fundamentally ethical. For example, rather than focussing on equality of access to healthcare, should the goal instead be the equality of health outcomes across society? In other words, should we prioritise care for the most disadvantaged patients? Or would doing so be addressing a symptom and not the cause of deeper intersecting inequalities? Practically, it’s a question of who gets treated first. Philosophically, it’s a collision between competing notions of equality and fairness. Should we care more about equality of outcome – being equally healthy – or equality of access – treating everyone the same? What is the ethical purpose of the NHS?Michael Buerk chairs a special debate at the Nuffield Trust Summit 2025.Producer: Dan Tierney Editor: Tim PembertonPanel: Mona Siddiqui Tim Stanley Matthew Taylor Inaya Folarin-ImanWitnesses: Kiran Patel Sheena Asthana Tony Milligan Jamie Whyte

Self-defence, as a justification for war, is much more difficult to argue if you strike the first blow. The Israelis say their devastating pre-emptive strike on Iran is a special, truly existential, case. A regime, long committed to their destruction was, according to Israel, within weeks of developing nuclear weapons, just one of which could effectively wipe out their state and most of its citizens. How far does that justify the abandonment of diplomacy, the targeting of leaders, the collateral damage and death? And, by the way, why is it ok for some countries to have The Bomb- and not others?Witnesses: Sir Richard Dalton, Jake Wallis Simons, Prof Mary Kaldor, Prof Ali AnsariPanellists: Carmody Grey, Giles Fraser, Inaya Folarin-Iman , Mona SiddiquiPresenter: Michael Buerk Producer: Catherine Murray Assistant Producer: Peter Everett Editor: Tim Pemberton

In this compelling discussion, guests Caroline Farrow, a Catholic journalist and mother of five, and Lisa Schipper, a Professor of Developmental Geography, delve into the moral complexities of parenthood in today's society. They analyze declining birth rates across developed nations and the economic implications of fewer children. Anna Rotkirch shares insights on population trends, while Sarah Ditum highlights cultural shifts surrounding family and gender roles. Together, they ponder whether there's a moral duty to have children or if personal choice should reign supreme.

In this insightful discussion, James Orr, a philosophy professor, raises ethical concerns about AI's impact on human identity. Matthew Taylor shares how AI could transform healthcare dynamics. Kaitlyn Regehr highlights the addiction to technology and its implications. Anne McElvoy analyzes current events shaped by AI, while Marcus du Sautoy explores AI's blend of creativity and logic. Dorian Lynskey emphasizes the importance of truth in an AI-dominated world, revealing the urgent need for responsible oversight in navigating AI's promise and peril.

Anne McElvoy, an executive editor at Politico, joins a panel that includes Ash Sarkar, a journalist from Navara Media, and Mariana Mazzucato, an economist from UCL. They dive into the moral implications of free trade amidst global economic tensions. Topics include the ethical dilemmas of tariffs set by Trump, the adverse impact on American workers, and wealth inequality. The discussion highlights the chasm between economic metrics and everyday realities, questioning how trade policies can be both a source of poverty alleviation and a mechanism of exploitation.

Last year was a record-breaking year for poetry sales. In the age of smartphone ‘doom scrolling’, that might seem surprising. But the boom is in part due to social media. The bestseller is the Scottish poet Donna Ashworth, who has been described as "a cheerleader of Instapoetry". Her verse is short, direct and shared online. She has both brought poetry to a new audience and prompted a backlash. According to the cultural commentator James Marriott, “The sales of such books say as much about a public appetite for poetry as the sales of “Live Laugh Love” signs do.” But if poetry is, according to Robert Frost, “when an emotion has found its thought, and the thought has found words”, then who is to say what “counts” as poetry or any other form of art? Meanwhile, Arts Council England, it is claimed, has lost the confidence of the classical music world. ACE has been criticised for its “Let’s Create” strategy, which aims to ensure access to the arts for all. John Gilhooly, the artistic director of Wigmore Hall, says this has led to the council “judging community events and the great artists of the world by the same criteria”. The tension between so-called ‘high art’ and popular culture is as old as the hills. Is it wrong to assert that some works of art are more culturally valuable than others? Or should art be judged on how it is perceived, appreciated and valued by its audience? After all, what gives art value? Does cultural elitism damage or protect art?Chair: Michael Buerk Producer: Dan Tierney Assistant producer: Peter Everett Editor: Tim PembertonPanel: Ash Sarkar Anne McElvoy Mona Siddiqui Tim Stanley.Witnesses: James Marriott Henry Normal J. J. Charlesworth Barbara Eifler

Join Ash Sarkar, a prominent voice on masculinity, historian Tim Stanley, and NHS leader Matthew Taylor as they tackle the pressing issues surrounding modern manhood. They explore the impact of social media on young men's identities, the rise of misogyny, and the clash between traditional and evolving gender roles. Clare Ford shares insights from her work with teens, while John Amaechi discusses emotional intelligence. With contribution from contrarian Brendan O'Neill and author James Bloodworth, this discussion navigates the complex landscape of masculinity today.

Inaya Folarin-Iman, a commentator and campaigner, engages with Ash Sarkar from Navara Media on the controversial two-tier justice system. Historian Tim Stanley provides historical perspectives while Giles Fraser discusses justice principles. Kirsty Brimelow shares her legal expertise and Henry Hill critiques the new guidelines. Sheldon Thomas, from Gangline, shares personal insights on preventing crime in young black men, while Rakib Ehsan highlights research on ethnic minorities in the justice system. They tackle biases, fairness, and the role of personal backgrounds in sentencing.