The Bunker – News without the nonsense

David Cameron pushed his “big society” plan during his time as prime minister – but it didn’t work very well. Was it always doomed to fail? Seth Thevoz speaks to Peter John, head of the School of Politics and Economics at King’s College London, about the history and legacy of this policy position – as well as the lessons we can learn from it.  “The big society didn’t seem to stack up with wider policy changes.”  “The critics were out really from the start.”  “It proved to be embarrassing, and became a target of satire. It was easily targeted and ridiculed.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Audio editor: Alex Rees. 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

An Israeli ground invasion of Gaza appears imminent – what will this look like? Half a million Palestinians have already evacuated southern Gaza but their routes of escape remain unclear. How has the British government responded to the escalating conflict? Plus, what do the results of Poland’s election mean for the war in Ukraine? And finally, the Conservatives face a fight over Narine Dorries’s old seat in this week’s byelection. Can they hold on to it?Ros Taylor is joined in The Bunker by Gavin Esler to get you prepped for the week ahead.   “There’s hardly a cigarette paper between David Lammy and James Cleverley’s response to Israel.” – Ros Taylor “The attacks on the BBC are nothing more than the politics of distraction.” – Gavin Esler “Britain has cut its military back to levels not seen since 1715. We’re basically the mouse that roared.“ – Gavin Esler Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor and Gavin Esler. 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

In this week’s Bunker Gold, let us take you back to December 2022…Is the cost of having children making parenthood feel impossible? With childcare through the roof, insecure housing and the cost of living crisis starting to bite, it’s an anxious time for parents. Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, joins Ros Taylor to highlight how the poor provision for parents harms us all. “Ironically I was sacked from a children's charity for wanting a baby.” “Every ten minutes a woman is pushed out of their job.” “We have created a system where dads aren’t allowed to be more active in the family.” “Children aren’t a lifestyle choice, we are literally reproducing the labour market.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How has drinking shaped the history of the UK? From temperance to licensing Britain’s relationship with hooch has defined our public debates. Senior lecturer in public health from the University of Stirling, Dr. James Nicholls joins Seth Thévoz in The Bunker to discuss our complex history with the hard stuff.  “Social climbing happens in places where people drink.” – Dr. James Nicholls "Throughout our history women's drinking has always been condemned." – Dr. James Nicholls “The mortal panic over Gin in the 18th century was entirely justified.” – Dr. James Nicholls Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producers: Alex Rees and Liam Tait. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the very far-right of the GOP is a small but very disruptive group called the House Freedom Caucus. What does it stand for and how much power does it actually wield?Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jim Jordan are all high profile members – what do they want? Thomas Gift is founding director of the Centre on US Politics at University College London. He joins Andrew Harrison in The Bunker. “They don’t have a real coherent set of ideas.”  “Many of these individuals just like being on camera.”   “There are elements of the far-right that have gone far beyond Trumpism.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. 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

Germany’s far-right is on the rise. Alternative for Germany outperformed all expectations in this week's state elections, increasing their share of the vote across the country. To understand the AfD’s spike in popularity, Ros Taylor speaks to FT's chief Germany correspondent Guy Chazan.  “AfD was considered a regional party. This election changed that perception.” – Guy Chazan “It might already be too late to create a party that is a real rival to the AfD” – Guy Chazan “They oppose almost everything that the current government is doing.” – Guy Chazan Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have central banks ever recovered from the global financial crisis? Alex Andreou sits down with Uuriintuya Batsaikhan, economist for Positive Money Europe, to find out if banks really are to blame for all of our financial woes.  “Financial forecasting has become a wish for central banks rather than a goal.” – Uuriintuya Batsaikhan “High interest rates are a threat to green transition.” – Uuriintuya Batsaikhan “An independant bank that sets monetary policy for 20 countries is an unprecedented experiment.” – Uuriintuya Batsaikhan Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. 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

Straight after Keir Starmer’s keynote speech, Stella Creasy MP joined Jacob Jarvis to give her take on the Labour conference and what the leader of the opposition had to say. She gave her thoughts on policies, outlined her discussions at conference – with a key focus on Europe – and explained how she thinks voters can be persuaded to back Labour. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. 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

Politics happens all around us, not just in London. Britain’s political map is far more varied than the city of Westminster. Rafael Behr joins Matt Chorley, author of Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors, on a whistle stop tour of the car parks, village halls and seaside towns that shaped our political landscape.  "Nothing in politics is new. Everything has been done before and probably better.” – Matt Chorley “I like to take the piss out of politicians. It's a good way of hooking people into what's going on.”– Matt Chorley https://mattchorley.com/50-places-1  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Simon Williams. 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

Barry Gardiner MP sits down with Jacob Jarvis to talk through Labour’s priorities, the shift in vibe at this year’s conference and the Tory shambles… Recorded in the Heathrow Lounge at Liverpool’s ACC on Monday morning, we put our fingers on the pulse of what is happening at the annual party gathering. Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Produced by Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Artwork by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices