The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Tell us what you think of The Bunker in our Listener Survey – five respondents will get the Bunker mug or t-shirt of their choice. It’s been ten years since China launched its colossal Belt and Road initiative, intended to usher in a new era of trade and economic growth. Has it achieved what it set out to? Or is progress starting to ebb? Alex Andreou is joined by George Magnus, an associate at the China Centre at Oxford University and author of Red Flags: Why Xi's China Is In Jeopardy, in The Bunker. • “People thought that the Belt and Road was a very planned and thought out centralised project from Beijing - it’s really nothing of the sort.” - George Magnus • “China sees the Belt and Road as fertile ground to get countries to align with its own governance priorities.” - George Magnus www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard and Liam Tait. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ncuti Gatwa, the first black actor* to play the Doctor in an ongoing role, joins a panel of Doctor Who experts to discuss the politics of the show in honor of its 60th birthday. They explore topics including the Doctor's evolving politics, the portrayal of politically dodgy themes in old episodes, and the politically incorrect episodes related to war and Nazis. They also touch on the character's versatility and the potential decline of the Marvel movie Empire. Total running time of the episode is approximately 1 hour and 32 minutes.

Steve Richards, host of Rock and Roll Politics, joins the discussion on political comebacks. They explore the tendency of former prime ministers to become backseat drivers, the rarity of political comebacks, the challenges faced by politicians attempting a comeback, and the risks and public interest in bringing back prominent figures involved in business.

Prof. Christina Pagel and Alex Andreou discuss key moments from the ongoing Covid-19 inquiry, including the lack of safety precautions in Number 10, the overwhelming pressure faced by frontline workers, and the need for serious leadership in politics. They also highlight the government's focus on public relations over public health, the impact of decisions influenced by media coverage, and upcoming testimonies in the inquiry. The podcast brings attention to the importance of learning from other countries and the necessity for transparency and adequate planning in handling a pandemic.

It’s Autumn Statement week and the Tory press are baying for tax cuts. Will they get their wish? Plus a possible hostage deal in Gaza, Argentina’s new president looks like a Vegas Wolverine and talks like Trump, Musk finds a new way to screw up TwitteX… and Doctor Who is back! Alex Andreou sets out the week ahead with Andrew Harrison. Tell us what you think of The Bunker in our Listener Survey – five respondents will get the Bunker mug or t-shirt of their choice. “Inflation is down which just means prices are going up less fast… when people come to do their Christmas food shop, they will notice.” “Twitter is going about as well as a SpaceX launch” “Our print media is out of control. They are partisan to the point of being fact-free and it cannot continue.” Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tell us what you think of The Bunker in our Listener Survey – five respondents will get the Bunker mug or t-shirt of their choice.On this week's Bunker Gold, let us take you back to September 2020…There’s an unseen epidemic of people dying while homeless, and journalist Maeve McClenaghan tells their stories in No Fixed Abode: Life and Death Among the UK's Forgotten Homeless. She tells Dorian Lynskey what she learned, how there was more to the 2010s explosion in rough sleeping than just austerity… and a radical solution to homelessness: give people places to live.• “From attending the funerals of homeless people I discovered how loved these people were”• “Dehumanisation drives the violence which homeless people experience”www.patreon.com/bunkercast 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tell us what you think of The Bunker in our Listener Survey – five respondents will get the Bunker mug or t-shirt of their choice.When we think of the mafia, we think of Tony Soprano and Don Corleone – men with gelled hair, tailored suits, cigars and machine guns. But today’s mobsters are increasingly young and social-media savvy. University of Essex criminology professor and author of Chasing the Mafia. 'Ndrangheta, Memories and Journeys Anna Sergi joins Rafael Behr in The Bunker to discuss the changing landscape of the Italian mafia. • “They are constantly jeopardising secrecy. They are showing the criminal network." – Anna Sergi • “Violence seems cool for the younger generations of the mafia. Showing the cult of violence on TikTok or Instagram gets attention. ” – Anna SergiSupport us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Rafael Behr. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tell us what you think of The Bunker in our Listener Survey – five respondents will get the Bunker mug or t-shirt of their choice.As religious fanatics surge to megachurches across the United States, how do those in charge garner such cult-like devotion? Inspiring total obedience from their followers, some have even made supporters abandon families to support their religious pursuits. How do these groups form, and what about the U.S culture makes them thrive?Adam Morris, author of American Messiahs: False Prophets Of A Damned Nation, joins Dr Seth Thévoz in the Bunker.American Messiahs Book Link• “Messiah’s offer members salvation from the here and now, they see the established religions as offering no comfort.” – Adam Morris• “These types of figures are uniquely amenable to the U.S, due to the societal structure, migrant population etc.” – Adam Morris• “Obedience to the leader is important, but also an obedience to the movement is necessary in these quasi-communist communes.” – Adam Morriswww.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Produced by: Adam Wright. Audio Editor: Simon Williams. 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

Tell us what you think of The Bunker in our Listener Survey – five respondents will get the Bunker mug or t-shirt of their choice.The Supreme Court has shot down the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. But Rishi Sunak is determined to see his policy through, even if it means defying the European Court of Human Rights. So what next for the controversial plan? Ros Taylor is joined in The Bunker by legal academic and head of the research at UK in a Changing Europe, Joelle Grogan to look at the fallout of the court decision. • “The supreme court found that Rwanda was unsafe for the policy, not that it was unlawful.” – Joelle Grogan• "The law cannot claim something is safe when it is not factually safe.” – Joelle Grogan• “A majority of Rwanda alternatives are also facing their own migration crisis.” – Joelle Groganwww.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. 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

Tell us what you think of The Bunker in our Listener Survey – five respondents will get the Bunker mug or t-shirt of their choice.Things are bad for Elon Musk. From the slow motion car crash at Twitter to his mission to eradicate the woke mind virus. Where did it all go wrong for the Tesla CEO and how has his politics warped his view of the world? Marie Le Conte is joined in The Bunker by tech journalist for Bloomberg and co-host of Elon Inc. Max Chafkin to discuss the divisive politics of the world’s richest man.  “Elon Musk is a weird mix of Taylor Swift and Warren Buffet” – Max Chafkin “The Twitter acquisition has been disastrous, not just from a financial standpoint but a personal disaster too.” – Max Chafkin “If you had to come up with his formula for success, over-promising is a huge part of it.” – Max Chafkin Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Liam Tait and Eliza Davis Beard. 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