The Bunker – News without the nonsense

The NHS has been squeezed by successive Governments. The Covid-19 pandemic only worsened the crisis, highlighting the need for Parliament to focus on fixing our health service. Dr. Julia Grace Patterson is the author of Critical: Why the NHS is Being Betrayed and How We Can Fight for it – and says that politicians are doing nowhere near enough to fix the issue. She joins Hannah Fearn in The Bunker.Find a copy of the book here: ​​https://harpercollins.co.uk/pages/critical  “Health care is, unfortunately, a deeply political area and that comes with a lot of problems.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. “The way that Jeremy Hunt spoke about us in the press, we found that extremely difficult.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. “It started with junior doctors, but now the government has tried to scapegoat GPs.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. “Politicians approach the NHS in a very short-term-ish way.” – Dr. Julia Grace Patterson. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriotism could be the antidote to the divisions created by Brexit. Can you be a proud patriot even when you don’t agree with your country? Will patriotism ever cast off it’s sinister connotations of nationalism? Ros Taylor is joined in The Bunker by Sunder Katwala, author of How to Be a Patriot: Why love of country can end our very British culture war, to explore what British patriotism means in an increasingly globalised age.  “Dangerous patriotism is the version that says it's them or us.” “The European Identity sounds like a Whiter concept than British identity.” “People on the left have less problems with civic patriotism of cities over national identity.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Book Linkhttps://harpercollins.co.uk/products/how-to-be-a-patriot-why-love-of-country-can-end-our-very-british-culture-war-sunder-katwala?variant=40133746294862Written 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

The Russian revolution ended as quickly as it started, where does this leave Putin and the war in Ukraine? Rishi Sunak’s failure to deliver his 5 key pledges could prove to be his downfall as byelections loom. Plus we’ve got the results from the Greek election, an update on Britain’s cat pupil hysteria and a review of Boris Johnson’s latest rant for the Daily Mail. Hannah Fearn joins Alex Andreou to map out the week ahead.  “If Putin can’t control the people and media what does he have left?” - Hannah Fearn “People aren’t expecting that Prigozhin will go to Belarus for a nice retirement.” - Hannah Fearn “Long mortgage rates up to retirement are worryingly common.” - Hannah Fearn "Saying 'we're not the other guys' might work to get Labour into power but won't create a mandate." - Alex Andreou  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Hannah Fearn. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz and 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

Edmund Burke’s principles have influenced generations of conservative thinkers and politicians. But who was this architect of modern day conservatism? Joining Seth Thévoz in The Bunker to reflect on Burke’s legacy is Richard Bourke, Professor of the History of Political Thought and author of Empire and Revolution: The Political Life of Edmund Burke.  “Burke was a defender of the right to rebel against a despotic government.” “Modern radical conservative movement looks nothing like Burke’s conservatism.” “He was a critic of the depredations of Empires, including the British Empire.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz & 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

There are more guns than people in America. How does this obsession shape US society? Gavin Esler is joined by Jennifer Carlson, author of new book Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of American Democracy, to explore the US fascination with guns, the people who are selling them, and how they shape a right -wing ideology. “There’s a feeling that you can’t rely on collective security so you need a gun.” “Gun policy is made at the state level, meaning it is very hard to regulate.”  “People compare not having a gun to not having a cell phone – it’s unimaginable.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Book link:https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691230399/merchants-of-the-right Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How alarming is China's tech ambition – and is there any limit to their quest for industrial dominance? From contentious recruitment policies, corporate espionage and not to mention the ten thousand meter hole they’re drilling into the centre of the earth, the nation seems desperate to bolster its position.Alex Andreou is joined in The Bunker by Dr Rogier Creemers to understand Xi’s quest for scientific world domination.  “China needs technology but doesn’t want to pay for it.” “If you think you can predict what will happen in China, you’re a liar or a fool.” “The west received junk which is probably already at the bottom of a landfill as China raked in billions in revenue.” www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten 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

Two years ago, Saudi Arabia announced it was creating a city of the future: known as The Line. Is it actually going to happen? The proposed 110-mile-long smart city of skyscrapers would be fueled by green energy and controlled by Artificial Intelligence. While the urban experiment is currently under development, many believe that the city is just a sci-fi dream that will never see the light of day. Joining Ros Taylor in The Bunker today is Matthew Blunderfield, the host of architecture podcast Scaffold, to answer the question: what would the perfect city of the future look like?  “Imagine a tower taller than the Empire State Building, extruded from Birmingham to Leeds and then doubled. That's the Line.” “There’s an underlying violence in forming this project.” “We don’t know what will happen to the ecosystem when we erect an enormous tall wall in the middle of a desert.” www.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

From earthquakes to terrorism – we live in a world of constant crisis. But are we prepared for it? Drawing on a wealth of experience as a former public servant and Director of GCHQ, Sir David Omand’s new book How to Survive a Crisis: Lessons in Resilience and Avoiding Disaster addresses responses to some of the greatest crises in recent memory. He joins Doomsday Watch podcast host Arthur Snell In The Bunker. “We must be future-proof to crisis, but we are more vulnerable than ever.” “The world of politics is hand-to-hand combat.” “What would you do when your world is turned upside down?” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Book link:https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/448107/how-to-survive-a-crisis-by-omand-david/9780241561331 Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Assistant Producer: Matilda Snell. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Essex man” is a notorious caricature of Thatcherite Brits. How did the Conservatives win over the county? And where – if any – were pockets of resistance? Marie Le Conte is joined by Tim Burrows, author of new book The Invention of Essex: The Making of an English County, to explore the class dynamics and unexpected cultural politics of this much maligned county.  “There’s a feeling that people from Essex came up the social ladder too quickly.” “Home ownership has a lot to do with Conservatism in Essex.” “Essex could be a blank canvas for different political ideals.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Book link:https://profilebooks.com/work/the-invention-of-essex/Written and presented by Marie Le Conte. Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you solve a problem like Boris Johnson? Sunak needs to escape the shadow of his predecessor but reciting his 5 goals doesn’t seem to be cutting it. Could a potential mortgage bailout be enough to get the general public back onside? Plus we’ve got the reaction to that Party Gate video, the latest on Ukraine's counter offensive, and Labour's resurgence in Scotland. Gavin Esler joins Alex Andreou to map out the week ahead. “If Sunak doesn’rt get a grip he will be the 4th conservative leader destroyed by Johnson.” – Gavin Esler “Boris Johnson was never popular, he was just more popular than Corbyn.” – Gavin Esler “The threat of having an election is enough to keep the backbench in line.” – Gavin Esler  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou with Gavin Esler. Producers: 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