TRIGGERnometry

Robert Tombs, British historian and emeritus Cambridge professor, explores a thousand years of Anglo-French rivalry. They discuss how conflict forged national identities, Brexit’s impact on French ambitions, Napoleon’s vision for Europe, and the French Revolution’s path from chaos to authoritarian rule. Tombs also examines France’s 1940 defeat, Vichy collaboration, and the polarized political futures facing both nations.

Alex Browder, a British cryptocurrency researcher behind a major money-laundering database, investigates Russia’s sanctions-evasion stablecoin network and crypto funding for North Korean cybercrime. He explores why criminals favor cryptocurrency, the rise of meme-coin pump-and-dumps, recovering stolen digital assets, and practical ways to avoid crypto scams.

Tom Slater, a Spiked journalist focused on politics and free speech, and Winston Marshall, musician and political commentator, tackle culture-war flashpoints and looming technological fears. They debate Macklemore, Ed Sheeran, and political messaging on tour, then examine AI extinction risks, AGI, quantum computing, and global oversight. The conversation closes with migrant housing protests, illegal immigration, and the danger of political backlash.

Dan Hodges, a British political commentator and former Labour staffer, examines Andy Burnham’s strategy and the brutal financial choices facing Britain. They explore debt, welfare, growth, taxation, Covid spending, immigration, border enforcement and public consent. Hodges also assesses Reform’s funding controversies, Nigel Farage’s influence, internal instability and struggle to become a credible mainstream force.

Richard Miniter, an investigative journalist and bestselling author specializing in terrorism and national security, revisits 9/11 25 years later. He traces al-Qaeda’s rise, the road from earlier attacks to the day itself, and the overlooked warnings that preceded it. The conversation explores Flight 93, hijacker planning, aviation vulnerabilities, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s radicalization, and the courage of ordinary Americans.

Tony Lapidus is a British comedian and impressionist known for uncanny political and celebrity impersonations. He tears through caricatures of Milo Yiannopoulos, Peter Hitchens, Tucker Carlson, Piers Morgan, Russell Brand, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Tommy Robinson. Expect explosive satire, ego-driven monologues, culture-war absurdity, and a fascinating look at how voice, facial expression, and body language bring each character to life.

A sharp, funny tour through the internet’s slide from serious conservatism into attention-driven “slopulism.” The discussion examines Milo Yiannopoulos and immigration enforcement, the online right’s obsession with conspiracy and provocation, and the polarized debate surrounding the Lindsay Clancy case. It also explores how moral absolutism keeps audiences engaged while crowding out reasonable disagreement.

Frank Dikotter, a historian of modern China and author of Mao’s Great Famine, explores how propaganda and ruthlessness shaped Mao’s rise, the human and environmental catastrophe of the Great Leap Forward, and the power struggle behind the Cultural Revolution. He also examines China’s modern economic model, questioning whether debt, quotas, and political control disguise the scale of its success.

Tom Slater, a Spiked editor focused on politics and free speech, joins Winston Marshall, former Mumford & Sons musician turned political commentator. They debate Britain’s claim to the Falklands, military decline and oil interests, allegations surrounding Reform donations, and the party’s amateur organization. They also discuss Lindsay Clancy’s trial, severe mental illness, deinstitutionalization, and Andy Burnham’s tax and debt dilemma.

A former Metropolitan Police officer explains why he resigned after clashing with ideological training and institutional pressure. The conversation explores London’s crime crisis, dwindling recruitment, falling professional standards, two-tier policing concerns, stop and search, phone theft, and the challenges armed officers face. It also examines leadership failures and what rebuilding the police could require.