The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Britain is all but in recession. We’re far less productive than other European countries, and take the industries that do well for granted. Trussonomics was one idea to boost growth — and we all know how that turned out. But if cutting taxes isn’t the solution to our problems, what is? Greg Thwaites from the Resolution Foundation joins Ros Taylor in the Bunker to find out.  “Most of the growth that we've had in the economy hasn’t come from people being more productive, it’s from people doing more work.” “What the average UK worker can produce in an hour, it takes the average French or German or US worker ten minutes less to produce.” “You can liken the UK to a passenger jet that’s flying on one engine: it’s not safe.” www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer:Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group editor: Andrew Harrison.THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the Financial Crisis, many expected a new approach to the economy to be taken. Instead, lessons were forgotten quickly and countries continued to rack up debt whilst subscribing to the old order of things. Martin Wolf, author of The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism joins Alex Andreou to discuss whether we’re destined to repeat the past.  “After communism failed, the western leaders… came to feel that our systems had won, they were overwhelmingly successful.” “The working class which had been atomised… this story of resentment and anger against elites and immigrants is a very powerful story.” “What economics is wrong about is the assumption that a reasonably competitive economy can be sustained without consistent and active engagement.” www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor Andrew Harrison.THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sunak is trying yet again to establish his leadership – but will he ever be rid of Boris Johnson? With a Northern Ireland deal touted, we outline the looming showdowns. Plus, amid right wing protests over immigration – will the Government do anything but stoke them? And internationally, Turkey and Syria are still suffering the effects of the earthquake, while it’s coming up to a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to outline the week ahead. “Politics feels very 2018 right now.” “The majority of Tory MPs now are addicted to chaos, they know nothing else.” “Entire regions are being pulled down, and cities abandoned en masse.”  Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A good apology can make or break a politician. So why are so many public figures so bad at saying sorry? Jacob Jarvis unearths the fine art of apologising with ‘sorry watchers’ Susan McCarthy and Marjorie Ingall, co-authors of Sorry, sorry, sorry: the case for good apologies. “We rarely teach children why they should apologise, we just tell them they should.” – Marjorie Ingall “Apologising is hard, and so it’s instinctive to protect ourselves because we don’t want to mess up.” – Susan McCarthy Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nikki Haley has come forward as Trump’s first major challenger for the GOP nomination in 2024. Who is she – and why does she want to challenge him? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Danielle Vinson, professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University, South Carolina, to discuss.www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker 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

When Giorgia Meloni was elected PM of Italy, many considered her the spiritual heir to Mussolini. Grappling with the energy crisis, she’s toned down much of her rhetoric - but is she just biding her time? John Hooper, author of The Italians, joins Ros Taylor to look at what we know about this enigmatic leader.  “Does she still hanker after neo-fascism? She denies that absolutely… but it’s still an unresolved question.” “She's anything but consistent, but she’s managed to convince people that she’s somebody who sticks to her principles.”  “She’s been pushed into a second class in the EU whilst people figure out if she’s really become the conservative that she claims to be.” www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowWritten and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Jet Gerbertson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Stu Hennigan took up a job as a council food parcel delivery driver during lockdown, he realised he had a “front row seat to the end of the world”. Every day he kept a diary as he witnessed families struggling with isolation, poverty, and the worst impacts of austerity. He joins Hannah Fearn to talk about his book Ghost Signs. “This is literally like front row seats to the end of the world.” “There was a little girl one day who started dancing when she saw all of the food. You’d have thought I was Father Christmas when I showed up at her house.” “To me the book is about austerity as much as it’s about the pandemic. The pandemic is just the framing story.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Hannah Fearn. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rishi Sunak believes everyone should learn maths until the age of 18, but not everyone agrees. Tim Oates, director of research at Cambridge University Assessment, talks to Ros Taylor about why some of us find maths so hard, why girls still underestimate their ability, and how good teaching makes a difference.  “Some research says that we should see maths as a language, a foreign language. If you come to that learning late it becomes harder. “In the economy we have a gross shortage of technician level applicants which are vital for the future of our society. I’m afraid a lot of those [jobs] are numerate and require mathematics and science. [Rishi Sunak] is on to something.”  “I think we need to be honest about maths and say it is tough to learn another language, but it’s worth doing - in terms of financial management… how to unlock occupations by showing to employers that you’re capable.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Ros Taylor. Producer Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Activists have demanded the return of contentious museum objects for decades – why are museums now starting to listen? Arthur Snell is joined by Dan Hicks, professor of contemporary archaeology and author of The Brutish Museums: The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution, to bring some much needed clarity to a debate beset by culture war clashes.  “Museums are moving with the time, but some on the hard right are weaponising the debate.” “In the 19th century, museums were put to work towards cultural supremacy – we now recognise this as wrong, so we have to move forward.” “You wouldn’t tell a biologist the latest developments in their field.” “There is so much ‘whataboutism’ in this debate – and time's up.” For 20% off the book add the code BUNKER20 here: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341767/the-brutish-museums/ Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Produced by Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your guide to news in the week ahead. Does Gove’s country house meeting indicate that the Brexit edifice is cracking? Civil service spending on government “credit cards” explodes by 70%. The Turkish earthquake exposes colossal corruption and corner-cutting in the country’s construction industry. Will Erdoğan finally pay a price? And in Ukraine, things take a turn for the worse in Bakhmut. Arthur Snell sets out the week ahead with Jacob Jarvis.  “Apparently one civil spent £2,500 on home brew equipment disguised as ‘I.T.’”  “Whether a sensible Brexit workaround survives first contact with David Frost or the ERG remains to be seen.” “Are these giant objects Chinese balloons or alien invasion? We just don’t know yet.” Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices