The Bunker – News without the nonsense

The US life expectancy is at its lowest point in more than two decades – and behind that of some so-called ‘developing nations’? Why is this the case – and is anything being done about it? To answer these questions, Gavin Esler speaks to Dr Steven Woolf, lead author of the Journal of the American Medical Association’s report on health outcomes in the United States.• “It would be easy to blame this on a single cause such as the obesity epidemic, the opioid epidemic, guns: these are all big problems for the United States, but neither one by itself fully explains the systemic pattern of poorly performing against other high income countries.” – Dr Steven Woolf• “Studies have shown that even the so-called ‘advantaged’ populations of the U.S. die earlier than rich people in the UK. Across multiple categories of advantage – such as having health insurance, being a non-smoker, being white – all of these populations have been doing worse than in other countries.” – Dr Steven WoolfSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We like to imagine society is structured by rationality and reason. But, really, isn’t everything a matter of chance? Ros Taylor talks to Brian Klaas, associate professor of global politics at UCL, about his new book Fluke: Chance, chaos and why everything we do matters, in The Bunker and to discuss how randomness shapes our lives. Buy Fluke by Brian Klaas through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.• “Unforeseen events have shaped everything economically and politically in our lives. The illusion of control causes us to be hubristic in how we navigate uncertainty, and that’s a very big problem social science needs to grapple with.” – Brian Klaas• “Very often people on the political left are worried about the idea of determinism because they say ‘this lets injustice off the hook’. The flip side of that is you believe that everyone dictates their own future – which is what the political right often says." – Brian Klaaswww.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain’s knife crime crisis is regularly called a “pandemic” in the media. But just how serious is the problem?  Who suffers from it most? And does any political party have the right idea of how to combat it? To answer these questions, Andrew Harrison speaks to Dr James Alexander of London Metropolitan University’s criminology department.• “Knife crime is reported as a black issue, which is a problem with the media. It is more widespread than that, it is about poverty, it is about these people not receiving the support they need, regardless of their ethnicity.” – Dr James Alexander• "People are growing up in areas where knife crime is just a fact of life. They are desensitised to the idea of carrying a knife.” – Dr James Alexander• “The criminals they are often targeting are 14, 15, 16 year olds – they are children who need support to get back into education, and support for mental health issues." – Dr James AlexanderSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Andrew Harrison. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia’s presidential election doesn’t take place until March – yet we already know the result. Vladimir Putin will beat the other 3 ‘candidates’ with ease to retake his place as president. But does that mean the vote doesn’t matter at all? Or could we still learn something from the result? Chris Jones talks to András Tóth-Czifra, fellow in the Eurasia program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and author of Controlling the Narrative: A Roadmap to Russia’s 2024 Presidential Election, in The Bunker. • “These elections are not taking place in a democracy – so it would be foolish to analyse them as if they were.” – András Tóth-Czifra• 'For the Kremlin this is a vital test of the officialdom – the political machinery that the federal government relies on to control the country.’ András Tóth-CzifraAndrás’ research: https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/12/controlling-the-narrative-a-roadmap-to-russias-2024-presidential-election/ Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Chris Jones. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard and Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week: Rwanda rows continue as James Cleverly drags the Church of England into the migration dispute. Plus – Could Liz Truss make a return to frontline politics with the launch of her Popular Conservatism project? And in the Middle East, the RAF and the US air force continue their offensive against Houthi Rebel targets. Is the military campaign making a difference?• "Dragging the Church of England into the culture war seems risky.”  – Ros Taylor• “The Home Secretary’s feud with the church is really all about the Rwanda Bill.” – Alex AndreouSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tucker Carlson’s getting weirder. Hard to believe it, we know. From promoting shamed conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ return to interviewing indictment riddled Donald Trump last year, he’s not shying away from controversy. What is Carlson’s end game and how much power does he have, not just through media ventures but in US politics too? Nikki McCann Ramirez is a politics reporter for Rolling Stone magazine and has watched more Carlson content than most could bear. She joins Jacob Jarvis in The Bunker.• “He’s always been a bit of a weirdo.” – Nikki McCann Ramirez•” “That interview with Alex Jones was awful to watch.” – Nikki McCann Ramirez• “It’s entirely Tucker centric at this point...his audience takes his word as gospel.” – Nikki McCann RamirezSupport us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Produced by: Chris Jones. Audio production: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

British politics can be laughable. But can poking fun at it actually spark change? Marie Le Conte speaks to professional prankster Oobah Butler, whose viral videos have amassed tens of millions of views online and caused real-world action in their aftermath. • “There’s something really lame about a prank. It’s quite a disarming thing to use. If it’s not punching upwards, it can’t be funny fundamentally. It’s fun to mess with institutions that ‘deserve it’ in a way that is beneath them – you’re dragging them down with you.” – Oobah Butler• "I don’t think I can call myself an activist. I’m down here in the mud.” – Oobah ButlerSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Marie Le Conte. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sir Winston Churchill’s legacy is often discussed – but is usually more complex than conversations suggest. Some call him one of the greatest Britons of all time – in India, however, he is regarded as one of the key villains of imperial rule. Ahir Shah is joined by historian Walter Reid, fellow of the Royal Historical Society and author of Fighting Retreat: Churchill and India, to discuss how Churchill is remembered.• “Churchill was racist because he constantly belittled India. ” – Walter Reid• “He believed India’s role in the Empire had to be protected at all costs.” – Walter ReidSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ahir Shah. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard and Liam Tait. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jürgen Klopp impressed the football world with his honest reasons for quitting as Liverpool manager. But how come so few politicians know how to quit when they’re ahead? Andrew Harrison talks to Oh God What Now regular Seth Thévoz about the history of political exits – and the times when leaders from Harold Wilson to Thatcher, Major and Blair just couldn’t let go.•“Even politicians who’ve said ‘I am definitely standing down’ find all sorts of creative reasons to hang on to power just a little bit longer.” - Seth Thévoz•“It’s actually quite sad speaking to retired politicians, especially if they’ve been turfed out of the office. One minute being at the center of power, making decisions, and the next minute nobody wants to interview them, nobody wants to quote them or ask their opinion on anything." - Seth Thévozwww.patreon.com/bunkercast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a bad Brexit news week as new regulations are put in place. Plus, Sunak’s woes continue – but Hunt’s going to try and help him out. And we discuss the latest from conflicts and elections across the globe, including Trump being made to look like a loser. • “The government is once again farming out its problems caused by Brexit to companies.” – Alex Andreou • “The last thing Sunak needs is to be seen as being helped by Labour because his own back benches are too fractious” – Alex Andreou • “If Trump has to start selling stuff that could make him look like a loser, which is fatal to his image.” – Alex AndreouSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices