The Prospect Podcast

UK Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson has made headlines for his contested allegiances within the party.Journalist Kevin Maguire joins Prospect to discuss the burning question often heard around Westminster: what's Tommy up to? Will he form, as teased, a National Government — or has his reputation as a blustery schemer softened over the years?You can read Kevin's profile of Tom Watson in the latest issue of Prospect, also available online here: bit.ly/2VP0ivhPlus: Alex Dean on 'Boris-proofing Brexit' and Sameer Rahim on the art of cultural appreciation over Easter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a child conceived using a donor sperm wants to meet their biological father?Wendy Kramer, the “donor detective”, runs the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR) which has 63,461 members and has so far connected 16,779 individuals around the world with their donor parents or half siblings. In our May issue, journalist Stefanie Marsh follows Kramer’s work, uncovering the tricky questions on anonymity and reconciling donor rights with the rights of children. She talks to us about the experience behind the story: “it’s one of the most moving bits of journalism I’ve had to investigate.”Plus: Alex Dean on Brexit’s constitutional crisis, and Sameer Rahim on whether literary fiction has met its “climate realism” moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to translate a work of fiction—and can we really call one translation "better" than others?Writer Miranda France joins Prospect to discuss the strange art of literary translation.Plus: Alex Dean on whether we're heading for a general election and Sameer Rahim on why we need more mean reviews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1961, two things happened that seemed to change our idea about evil forever: Hannah Arendt reported on the trial of Adolf Eichmann, and a Yale experiment showed the apparent willingness of subjects to issue electric shocks to their fellow human beings—just because they were told to.But what if everything we thought we learnt that year was wrong?Stephen Reicher and Alex Haslam discuss how we misunderstand the nature of evil.Plus: Steve Bloomfield on the march against Brexit, and Sameer Rahim on why Ricky Gervais isn't funny anymore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A truly global approach to climate change doesn't just involve a policy shift—it will mean changing how we live our lives together. Author and researcher Mike Berners-Lee joins Prospect to explain why he's (cautiously) optimistic.Plus: Steve Bloomfield on the schools funding crisis, and Sameer Rahim on how Muslims are represented in British literature. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week human rights barrister Adam Wagner talks tribal politics, twitter, and how to achieve a more civilised online world. Wagner speaks from experience, having recently been involved in a simmering online row about anti-Semitism on the left. His recent piece on the subject appeared in our march issue. Plus: Alex Dean on how the Tory Party turned its back on Europe, Sameer Rahim on A Confederacy of Dunces and books that come back into fashion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does Brexit mean for the British constitution—and can we go back and do the vote again? Professor Vernon Bogdanor joins Prospect's Tom Clark and Alex Dean to discuss the future of Brexit. Plus: Sameer Rahim on Michael Jackson and Alex asks, have we reached the end of the two party system? (Hint: no) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Prospect gets inside the craze for tracking everything from our steps to our alcohol intake with Barbara Speed—including who the Quantified Self movement are, and why the 10,000 steps goal is basically made up. Plus: Alex Dean roots for the backstop, and Sameer Rahim goes all Marie Kondo on his bedside books Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're all making more of an effort to cut down on waste—but does it matter? Reporter Wendell Steavenson takes us through the surprising truth about British recycling (spoiler: lots of it doesn't get recycled).Plus Alex Dean and Sameer Rahim talk Brexit winners and losers, and a new Shakespeare interpretation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former ambassador to Europe Stephen Wall joins Prospect's Alex Dean to discuss Parliament's Brexit problems, including why the backstop is such an issue, why Labour MPs are struggling, and what might happen in a second referendum.Plus: Sameer Rahim, Tom Clark and Stephanie Boland discuss the harassment of MPs and commentators near parliament, and Channel 4's An Uncivil War. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.