The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Hunt’s budget hasn’t shifted the dial for the Tories like they wanted – what will they try next? Plus, we’ve got curious tales of Boris Johnson’s trip to Venezuela and of a doctored Royal family photo… Plus, the latest from Biden vs. Trump and an update on the situation in Gaza. Alex Andreou talks Jacob Jarvis through the news to look out for this week.   • “We know the Tories are headed for defeat, and because Sunak is too afraid to call an election, we are forced to watch them mess up again and again.” – Alex Andreou   • “The moment Biden said ‘we’re in campaign mode’, Trump was on the back-foot.” – Alex Andreou “ • It’s not clear if Trump is asking for money to fund his campaign, or his legal bills.” – Alex Andreou  • “The negotiations about a ceasefire seem to be stalling.” – Alex Andreou  Support 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

Warning: major spoilers from the beginning. In a special weekend bonus, we look at the political resonances of Denis Villeneuve’s $200m-grossing space-and-sand opera Dune. What does Frank Herbert’s saga of desert rebellion, imperialism and mystic feminist conspiracy tell us about our world? Can jihadis be heroes? Why do fascists love Dune? Is Muad’Dib a hero or a monster? And is it science fiction’s job to explain our reality to us? Novelist and Professor of Nineteenth Century Literature Adam Roberts joins fellow Dune-head Andrew Harrison to spice up your life. This edition should only be played AFTER you’ve seen Dune Part Two. www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented by Andrew Harrison. Original music and audio production by Simon Williams. Art by James Parrett. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The relationship between the United States and Israel is hugely significant – but it’s under serious strain. Is President Joe Biden going to be pushed to rethink some long-held positions regarding this connection? Stephen Walt, professor of international relations at Harvard University and author of The Hell of Good Intentions: America's Foreign Policy Elite and the Decline of U.S. Primacy, tells Gavin Esler how Biden might end up revising his stance. • “The U.S. is absolutely vital to Israel. They have provided billions of dollars in aid, as well as diplomatic protection.” – Professor Stephen Walt • “What makes it a ‘special relationship’ is that the U.S. provides all of this support pretty much unconditionally, no matter what Israel does... but this is a strategic liability for the U.S. now.” – Professor Stephen Walt • “What Israel is currently doing in Gaza is completely inconsistent with American values... this war makes Biden look either clueless or heartless.” – Professor Stephen Walt www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and Presented by Gavin Esler. 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

British politics is a shambles, from the economy to the cost of living to the NHS and public standards. But is this age of disorder worse than the endgames of past governments? Steve Richards, former BBC political correspondent and host of the Rock & Roll Politics podcast, tells Andrew Harrison how this dying government ranks among key moments of fin de siècle political acrimony from recent decades. From epic scandals to strikes, corruption and shameful resignations, are we really living through the worst days ever?   • “The divisions within the Tory party are much more visible… Sunak has completely failed to contain them.” – Steve Richards  • “We think of politics as showbiz for ugly people but politics is also football for people who can’t play sport.” – Andrew Harrison   We’re now on TikTok as well as Instagram and Twitter. Follow us to keep up with news about our latest episodes and more: www.tiktok.com/@bunkerpod   Get Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards every Tuesday.  Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast   Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scandal after scandal has eroded public trust in Westminster politics in recent years. Fresh research from the Institute For Government suggests that 65 percent of the public doesn’t think the current government behaves to high ethical standards. What does that mean for the next Government? And can MPs ever win back public trust? Or is it lost forever? Tim Durrant is programme director for the IFG and joins Ros Taylor to discuss this research and these issues. IFG’s research: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/rebuilding-trust-public-life • “It’s not straightforward – but I think the need for change is widely recognised.” – Tim Durrant• “If you have a PM who’s very clear that they expect their colleagues to behave in a certain way, and if they don’t there will be sanctions, that will shift the dial a bit.” – Tim Durrant• “Starmer has set himself a high bar and Labour recognises that.” – Tim Durrantwww.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Chris Jones. 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

With the NHS in constant crisis, we constantly hear it’s at risk of being privatised. How close to the truth is that? To find out, Alex Andreou speaks to Health Service Journal editor Alastair McLellan. They discuss the state of the health service, what reforms are happening, and what change is needed.   • “Everywhere you look, the NHS is really struggling. It’s not that care now is worse than it was in 1970 - it’s that care now compared to what it could be is the greatest gap we’ve seen since the formation of the NHS.” – Alastair McLellan • "It’s hard to find a Tory voter working for the NHS.” – Alastair McLellan  Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Instagram | Twitter  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeremy Hunt has promised “sensible tax cuts” in his Budget – but will they be enough to satisfy backbenchers? Across the pond – will Super Tuesday solidify Trump as the Republican Presidential nominee? And what will Biden say in his State of the Union address? And finally, we have the latest on the Israel/Hamas conflict, as Israel lists its conditions for a ceasefire.  • “Jeremy Hunt needs to give his backbenchers just enough to keep them quiet.” – Ros Taylor• "There is an argument for rebalancing the Tax burden in favour of younger people." – Ros Taylor www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Ros Taylor. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. 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

Liz Truss is looking to spread her particular brand of chaos to the United States after trashing her reputation in the UK. She popped up at the latest CPAC, to give a speech to a crowd of baffled right-wingers who simply didn’t know who she was. What is CPAC, who is Truss hanging out with and what is she trying to achieve? Ben Jacobs is an American political journalist and joins Jacob Jarvis in The Bunker to answer those questions.• “CPAC is a Trump show...this is full Trump fandom” – Ben Jacobs• “The folks who knew who Truss was were sceptical.” – Ben Jacobs.• “For hundreds of years people have been coming to the US to start afresh – she’s just following in their footsteps.” – Ben Jacobswww.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. 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

Most people know who Keir Starmer is – but don’t know much about his character. Who is the Labour leader really? Tom Baldwin is a journalist, political adviser and author of the newly published Keir Starmer: The Biography. He’s spent time figuring out who the man who’s likely to become the next Prime Minister really is – and joins Ros Taylor in The Bunker to discuss what he’s learned.Buy Keir Starmer: The Biography 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.• “He’s complicated like Britain is… and I think the media have largely got him wrong.” – Tom Baldwin• “A lot of politicians like to pretend they like football to make them look normal… Starmer uses football as an anchor to pull him back to normalcy.” – Tom Baldwin• “In politics everyone wants to place you on an ideological spectrum and he doesn’t like that.” – Tom BaldwinSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter | TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abbas Gallyamov wrote scripts for Vladimir Putin for 3 years from 2008. He describes Vladimir Putin in that time as ‘logical’ and ‘in control of his emotions’. Now, after Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine he says Putin is ‘erratic’ and unrecognisable. His opposition to Putin has reportedly landed him on the Kremlin’s wanted list. He joins Chris Jones from exile away from his motherland, to discuss how Putin has changed, his popularity and the upcoming March election.•”Back then he was totally different, he was absolutely logical and in full control of his emotions.” – Abbas Gallyamov.•”These polls are about the number of brave people that dare, in the current situation, to say they don’t trust Putin.” – Abbas Gallyamov.•”Who on Earth in Russia would answer ‘do you or do you not trust Putin?’ - it’s like opening the gates to hell.” – Abbas Gallyamov.www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written, presented and produced by Chris Jones. 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