The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Hit reality TV show The Traitors reveals how great some people are at lying – and how bad others are at detecting it. What lessons can we take from Claudia Winkleman’s backstabbing parlour game about the world of politics? Today in The Bunker, Ahir Shah speaks with The Guardian’s Zoe Williams to find out which of our politicians would flourish or flounder under the pressure. Stay tuned until after the credits for Ahir’s slightly spoilery final thoughts leading into the final two episodes.• “The very act of honesty has become a badge of shame in modern politics.” – Zoe Williams• “I paused the episode and said to my wife: ‘I think I finally understand how Boris Johnson happened’.” – Ahir ShahSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and Presented by Ahir Shah. Producer: Liam Tait and Chris Jones.  Audio production: Jade Bayley. Production Assistant: Adam Wright. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson.Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US election is being fought on many fronts, but what does the American public really care about most? Is it the economy, is it immigration, or is it simply the name of the person who sits in the Oval Office? Susan Davis is a political correspondent for NPR and host of the NPR Political Podcast. She joins Alex Andreou in The Bunker to discuss how the likely candidates will campaign on the most important issues.• “There’s a sense of nostalgia for Trump… people think ‘my life was better under Trump’.” – Susan Davis• “Anger is the greatest character in American politics.” – Susan Davis• “Immigration has been an unsolvable problem in US politics basically since the Reagan era.” – Susan DavisListen to NPR’s Political Podcast: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do people care most about at the moment – and how will this affect their votes in the upcoming general election? From immigration to the NHS, the economy to defence, there’s plenty for voters to think about. Ros Taylor speaks to Ben Walker, senior data journalist at the New Statesman and co-founder of Britain Elects. •“The priority amongst all Britons is not immigration, not the NHS, but still for solutions on the cost of living.” – Ben Walker•“The reality of politics is that feelings matter more than facts - if you’re feeling like your income is being squeezed, if you feel like your community is turning to dust, you’ll vote with that in mind.” – Ben WalkerSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by: Chris Jones and 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

Few TV dramas have had such an instant seismic effect as ITV’s miniseries on the Horizon scandal, Mr Bates vs The Post Office. How do searing stories of miscarriages of justice make it to screen in a ruthless television environment? And what makes them so effective at concentrating public outrage and forcing change? Simon Heath, CEO and Creative Director of World Productions, was Executive Producer of Line of Duty and the acclaimed Hillsborough drama Anne. He tells Andrew Harrison what makes true-life drama work – and how it does the job that World In Action used to do. • “To be able to launch a drama while a public inquiry is still ongoing is just fantastic because you’re able to point the audience immediately toward a live political issue, and the two things feed on each other.” - Simon Heath• “Some stories do lend themselves more readily to dramatisation, and there was something about the Post Office Scandal that you could essentially distil it down to the little people versus this out of control, faceless bureaucracy that was crushing them.” - Simon HeathSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Andrew Harrison. 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

“Ron DeSanctimonious” is out of the Presidential running meaning a two-way race between Trump and Nikki Haley in this week’s New Hampshire Primary. Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea start to filter through to the economy. The Lords get ready to savage the Rwanda Plan. And NASA opens up a can of asteroid dust – what could possibly go wrong? Gavin Esler sets out the week ahead for Andrew Harrison.Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Art by James Parrett. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump once said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and his supporters wouldn’t care. Not only does polling suggest that could be true – but since he was criminally indicted (not for shooting anyone) his loyalists have stuck by him. Thomas Gift is the founding director of UCL’s centre on US politics and he joins Jacob Jarvis in The Bunker to discuss what he believes are the five types of Trump voters. • “Trump supporters have been likened to a cult … and I don’t think that’s far off.” – Thomas Gift•“Whenever I think about the need for drama Republicans I think about the chaos caucus… they want to blow up the system.” – Thomas Giftwww.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hein de Haas, author of How Migration Really Works, joins Ros Taylor to discuss migration policies. They challenge common perceptions, highlighting the positive overall contribution of recent migration. They also explore the disconnect between political rhetoric and immigration policies, emphasizing the exploitation of migrant workers. The podcast calls for informed policy responses and a serious debate on the economy and labor market.

Gavin Esler and Joseph Webster discuss Russia's plot to put Trump back in the White House, including manipulating gasoline prices and perpetuating disinformation campaigns. They also explore the potential benefits for Russia under a Trump presidency and compare voter awareness between Taiwan and the United States.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss discusses the spectrum of far-right ideologies, online propaganda targeting vulnerable young men, and the need for digital media literacy. The podcast also explores the dangers of solely focusing on the far-right and emphasizes prevention and support.

Alex Andreou, commenting on military action against Houthi Rebels, highlights the danger of notifying enemies. He also warns about underestimating the threat of Russia. The podcast also discusses Keir Starmer's views on military action, the Republican caucuses in Iowa, challenges faced by Taiwan's president, and weather in Britain. They recommend checking out the Paper Cuts podcast.