The Prospect Podcast

Last week inflation hit double figures for the first time in 40 years, while real wages saw their largest drop since records began. So, what does this bleak picture mean for people on the lowest-incomes? Helen Barnard, Associate Director at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Stu Hennigan, author of the book Ghost Signs, Poverty and the Pandemic join Ellen Halliday to talk about the millions of Britons facing deep poverty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we talk about sentience and artificial intelligence? And why do we constantly compare the robots we build to human beings? Science writer Philip Ball and philosopher Julian Baggini join Sameer Rahim to discuss the new frontiers in artificial intelligence—including a project from DeepMind predicting the shape of every protein known to science—and what they mean for us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Summer is a sentimental education. A portal to feelings that, once experienced, are impossible to subdue," writes Sukhdev Sandhu in his recent piece for Prospect. On the podcast, Sameer Rahim and Emily Lawford join Sarah Collins to discuss the highbrow and lowbrow cultural highlights of the season, from Wagner's The Ring Cycle to Call Me by Your Name, from Romeo and Juliet to Love Island. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What progressive policies could Keir Starmer adopt that would actually win him an election? For the latest issue of Prospect, contributing editor Tom Clark went on the hunt for twelve tried-and-tested ideas from around the world that could help the Labour Party win. He joins deputy editor Ellen Halliday and Labour peer and former No.10 advisor Stewart Wood to discuss whether these ideas—which include a wealth tax, an independent regulator for public probity and an earlier retirement age for manual worker—would be workable in Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From politicians to scientists, from rappers to tech entrepreneurs, the Prospect team has selected its 50 Top Thinkers for a turbulent world. Alex Dean and Sarah Collins join deputy editor Ellen Halliday to discuss the thinkers and their ideas, the nomination process and the purpose of the exercise in 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leading human rights barrister Adam Wagner joins Richard Hermer, Murray Hunt and Helen Mountfield to dissect the rule of law under Boris Johnson. How has the law fared, what have been the points of concern and what should the new leader do to restore any damage done? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Conservative attorney general Dominic Grieve and political writer Sam Freedman join the podcast to discuss the hopefuls vying for the position of conservative leader—and the implications of the contest for the party and the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does an eventful week in Westminster mean for our democracy? And will Johnson survive until September? Political journalist and pollster Peter Kellner joins Dr Alice Lily, senior researcher at the Institute for Government to discuss the end of Johnson's premiership, the Tory leadership contest and what the government will do next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we still have such difficulty in grappling with the social force that shapes us most? Rapper and Orwell Prize-winning writer Darren McGarvey joins the Tom Clark to discuss his new state-of-the-nation book The Social Distance Between Us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the government trying to stuff the ballot box? Is the recently passed Elections Act a threat to democracy? Senior Editor and award-winning journalist Alex Dean joins the podcast to argue that the independence of the electoral commission is in jeopardy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.