The Bunker – News without the nonsense

What’s so seductive about the end of everything? What happens when you’re writing a novel about an apocalyptic future, and then an apocalyptic future arrives? NAOMI ALDERMAN, author of bravura sci-fi gender reversal novel The Power and now showrunner for its upcoming TV adaptation, talks to Dorian Lynskey about the appeal of Armageddon fiction in the midst of an actual global disaster. Plus, a guide to the end-of-the-world novels that are really worth reading… and why our best guide to the current crisis is Groundhog Day. “Every Utopia is a dystopia for somebody” “Every death is a tragedy, and this is a serious time. But it’s worth remembering that many of us are going live through the most luxurious plague humanity has ever experienced.” “Maybe it’s time for the return of the Utopia. I could certainly use one now.” Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Audio production by Alex Rees. Produced by Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters production.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Exiled Tory moderniser LORD ANDREW COOPER talks to Naomi Smith about the grave consequences of ignoring Brexit because of COVID-19, why the crisis government is neither “socialist” nor “conservative” but populist nationalist, and why Johnson’s stubborn refusal to extend Transition would devastate an economy already enfeebled by the Coronavirus. “Brexit turned the party from a mainstream project into a sort of cult. They’ve become an English Nationalist party… and they know the crisis has transformed the landscape on which they have to govern.” – Andrew CooperWe’re recording remotely and still working on our sound, so please excuse our audio quality for the moment. Presented by Dorian Lynskey with Helen Lewis and Arthur Snell. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Script and assistant production by Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Corona Age sets in, will it change our politics and economy more fundamentally than your average here-today-gone-tomorrow World Existential Crisis? What does the outpouring of national gratitude towards the NHS mean for its future? And will the Government’s fumbling of the EU ventilator bulk-buy develop into a full-blown scandal? Plus special guest Darren Jones, MP for Bristol North West, joins us to explain what the Keir Starmer’s Labour Party will look like. “We’ve seen a lot of self-defeating austerity in recent years, where things that were supposed to save money ended up costing vast amounts more elsewhere. That’s what we need to stop.” – Helen Lewis“Everyone’s talking about the Second World War, but we’re not trying to mobilise people. We’re trying to demobilise them.” – Arthur SnellWe’re recording remotely and still working on our sound, so please excuse our audio quality for the moment. Presented by Dorian Lynskey with Helen Lewis and Arthur Snell. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Script and assistant production by Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He advises on the BBC’s Horrible Histories and now he’s podcasting to keep kids from going stir-crazy on lockdown. Historian GREG JENNER tells Ian Dunt what the Plague in 17th Century Florence can tell us about public emergencies, why past crises are no guide to what could happen in this one, and his new book Dead Famous: An Unexpected History Of Celebrity From Bronze Age To Silver Screen. It seems political celebrity is 300 years old, and one Dr Henry Sacheverell was the incendiary Nigel Farage of 1709…“I’ve seen people on Twitter asking ‘Is this how socialism arrives?’ Are these the test conditions for things like Universal Basic Income? This is not a normal crash.” “As a historian I’m fascinated, but as a person I have no idea what’s going to happen next.” There’s a BUNKER DAILY every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and the main full-length panel show every Wednesday morning. Lockdown conditions mean we’re having to use available audio tech, so please bear with our variable sound quality. We’re working on it. Presented by Ian Dunt. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guardian columnist ELLIE MAE O’HAGAN talks to Dorian Lynskey about how the Corona wrecking ball will reshape society, the big changes coming in the Labour Party, and her upcoming book The New Normal. What does Labour need to jettison from the Corbyn era and what should it keep? What will people want from politics after the end of the Crisis? Plus, why baking sourdough is the new “writing your King Lear”…“The material circumstances of this era show that we can’t go back to the supposed stability of the past.” – Ellie Mae O’HaganSubscribe for a BUNKER DAILY every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday plus the main full-length panel show every Wednesday morning. Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Corona has shown us that weakness anywhere is weakness everywhere.” Labour leadership candidate LISA NANDY tells Naomi Smith how the crisis has utterly transformed politics in Britain. Do we need a National COBRA drawing on talent from outside party politics? Plus this former opponent of a second EU referendum says refusal to extend transition will devastate British companies. And how did last night’s amazing national round of applause for the NHS feel in Wigan?“This is a moment when we could go either way as a country. We could pull together as a country or will we decide to go it alone?” – Lisa NandyPresented by Naomi Smith. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NEW: A daily Bunker mini-cast for the duration of the lock-in, and maybe beyond.On today’s debut edition, the emergency Corona Bill changes our rights in ways unthinkable in normal times, with extra ministerial powers, suspension of protections for mental health patients and “huge, swingeing powers” for police to disperse gatherings and detain people for testing. Ros Taylor talks to human rights barrister ADAM WAGNER about the grave implications of this necessary but daunting legislation. “When we see major crises, societies tend to turn in and look for strong and decisive action. There’s often universal approval for restrictions on the way we live… For me, that rings alarm bells.” – Adam WagnerPresented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Audio production by Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER DAILY is a Podmasters production.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How’s your lockdown? What tipped Johnson and Cummings over the edge from “herd immunity” to total shutdown? Why is the Government that spent £100m on Brexit adverts not committing a penny to public health advertising on social media? And what is Rishi Sunak going to do now he’s Prime Minister? Plus, is Corona the unexpected reset moment we needed on climate change? Campaigner Natalie Fee has thoughts. And will culture and creativity be COVID-19’s collateral damage?“If any other party were in power it would not be getting off as lightly for their failure to get to grip with this.” – Naomi SmithWe’re recording remotely and still knocking the kinks out of the system so please excuse our sound quality. Produced and presented by Andrew Harrison with script and assistant production by Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LO-FI REMOTE RECORDING, completed right before Sunak’s £330bn announcement… Corona bites harder. Can Boris Johnson persuade us to trust the science after so many years of telling us not to trust experts? What’s more likely to motivate people to self-isolate: a sense of duty or outright fear? Should the British government’s go-it-alone approach provoke confidence? And have we inadvertently trained people to stockpile? Plus, will the eventual reconstruction of the world economy mean the much-criticised Utopian ideal of Universal Basic Income will become mainstream policy? Campaigner Jonny Ross-Tatam of Basic Income North thinks so. “Johnson has abused and broken down people’s trust in him. And now he wants it, I’m not surprised that the reaction is, why the hell should we listen to you now?” – Ros“This is making us all nostalgic for Brexit. I’d kill for the Malthouse Compromise now, and not a real-life scene from ‘Contagion’.” – Ayesha Hazarika Presented by Dorian Lynskey with Ayesha Hazarika and Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer: Jacob Archbold. Audio production: Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters production.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If Keir Starmer’s victory is a done deal, what battlegrounds should Labour’s new leader choose? Standard/Buzzfeed/Telegraph journo Marie le Conte and former Labour MEP Rory Palmer debate the future of Starmerism. Plus Marie explains what the hell’s happening in France – and the don of football writing Philippe Auclair explains why despite a frenzy of busts and exposés, world football’s corruption problems are worse than ever. Produced and presented by Andrew Harrison with script and assistant production Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices