The Bunker – News without the nonsense

How do we overcome opportunist strongmen leaders, who grab power while nations are in turmoil? As countries battle stagnant growth, high inflation and inept governments, we’ve seen a rise in autocracies. Charles Dunst, author of Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman joins Andrew Harrison to ask what the allure of these dictators is and why they are thriving in uncertain times.  “The majority of autocracies don’t work, but in the richest ones there is no yearning for democracy.”  “If you’re a developing country, the road to riches often leads to the Singapore model.”  “Meritocracy has become a dirty word.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Andrew Harrison. Assistant 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

Is a deal over the Northern Ireland protocol really imminent? Due to Northern Ireland’s land border with the Republic, there were always going to need to be unique arrangements post-Brexit. A resolution of some kind is being touted, but what might this look like? Amanda Ferguson, a Belfast-based freelance journalist and commentator, joins Ros Taylor to discuss. “I think Boris Johnson knew exactly what he was doing, he just wanted to get Brexit done.” “It should be pointed out that everybody acknowledges there are issues with the protocol.” “We could be in a scenario where the EU and the UK have a deal, but then it’s not backed by the DUP – and then we’re back to square one.”  “There has to be something that satisfies everybody, it can’t be just a one way street.”  Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine nuclear missiles are flying towards the UK and you’re in charge of our response. What do you do? It’s unlikely you’ll have to make this tough a decision – but we all face pressure and choices. How do our brains behave under tension? Moran Cerf, a neuroscientist at the Kellogg School of Management, talks to Ros Taylor about the psychological pitfalls in human decision-making. “Our brains are still the brains of humans who lived in a savanna with about 200 people around them.”  “We just face too many decisions… you have too many options and too many dimensions.”  “Most of life is filled with small choices that don’t really matter… if you accept that you can start making them without regret.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Liz Truss has broken her silence, a mere 100 days after leaving office – what Tory drama will this spark in the days ahead? And with Johnson in the headlines, why do our former Prime Ministers continue to haunt us? Plus we look at the NHS strikes and the Chinese balloon mystery. Jacob Jarvis is joined by Hannah Fearn to give you the low-down on the week ahead in politics. “Truss's lack of self-awareness is staggering.” “We haven’t recovered from Covid because of Brexit and Truss.” “The political and moral hand has been on the side of the NHS nurses.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Hannah Fearn. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The mafia conjures up images of the Sopranos rather than hardened criminals for many of us. So what is it really – and how has it changed? With the arrest of mobster Matteo Messina Denaro putting mafia violence back in the spotlight, Felia Allum, author of Camorristi, Politicians, and Businessmen: The Transformation of Organized Crime in Post-war Naples, joins Alex Andreou to discuss the changing face of criminal organisations.  “In Italy, the mafia is like a virus that wracks the body.” “The mafia was tied to the creation of the Italian state.” “The mafia want political leverage.” www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Alex Andreou. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

White House Chief of Staff sounds like a pretty big job, right? But what do they actually do? With Ron Klain departing from the role, Jeff Zients has been chosen as his successor. What does Biden need from him? Jacob Jarvis is joined by David B. Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Akron who is co-authoring The President's Chief of Staff: Evolution of a White House Institution. “You can see the footprints of the White House Chief of Staff all the way back to George Washington.”  “At the beginning it was more of a managerial role. They have four roles, the administrator, the guardian, the advisor and the proxy.”  “They’re there to protect the president’s political interests and guard his time.”  “The Chief of Staff if they’d doing their job makes sure all the voices that need to be heard are heard.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Music by Jade Bailey. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HS2 has been beset with calamity – what promises have the Government broken on this flagship project? Christian Wolmar, journalist and train expert, joins Ros Taylor to discuss what has gone wrong and why it’s so hard to build a high-speed railway in Britain. “HS2 is costing £100 million a week – imagine the end cost.” “We never holistically planned the project, and we’ve muddled through to huge costs.”  “Building a high-speed rail from a poor to rich area impoverishes the poor area.”  Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Ros Taylor. 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

Germany’s delay sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine frustrated European allies – will it do lasting damage to relations on the continent? Was this a missed opportunity for Scholz to have led the way internationally in the fight against Russia? Alex Andreou speaks to Jeremy Cliffe, New Statesman’s writer-at-large based in Berlin, to discuss Germany’s position and what it tells us about the nation.  “Germany’s perspective on the world has required adjusting… it has edged towards making more responsibility.”  “It took too long for Scholz to grapple with the problems, reflection is one thing, putting one’s head in the sand is another.”  “Germany’s political culture moves quite gradually and slowly.”  “Being highly methodological and efficient can also lead to great inefficiency.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are so many over-50s leaving the workforce – and can we get them back? With people changing how they live post-pandemic, large numbers have left the labour market. What made them make this shift? And how are the NHS and care crises also playing into this? Ros Taylor is joined by Scott Corfe, director of Public First, to discuss.  “The overwhelming majority of these people who have dropped out of the labour market don’t want to return to work.” “For people who left in the pandemic it seems like for many this is a retirement story, rather than an ill-health story.”  “Brits seem to have a more negative views of work than Germany and the US.”  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From making works of art to writing essays and driving cars – is there anything AI can’t do? Dr. Stephanie Hare, author of Technology Is Not Neutral: A Short Guide to Technology Ethics, joins Andrew Harrison to ask how worried we should be about new technologies, how we can make them better, and if we should let robots vote.  “Fashions change, and we might get tired of AI in the same way we got tired of flares.” “After years the government has completely failed to regulate technologies like biometrics data.” “The EU set the gold standard in privacy and data protection – we need to follow them.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Music and audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices