The Bunker – News without the nonsense

The Life in the UK Test is the ultimate barrier to becoming a British citizen. But is it working – and how could we change it? Since its launch in 2001 the test has been criticised for failing to achieve its goal of integration, and making it harder for people to become citizens. Thom Brooks, author of Reforming the UK’s Citizenship Test: Building Bridges, Not Barriers, joins Yasmeen Serhan in the Bunker to ask: is it time for a new approach? “It’s not so much about building bridges, it’s about creating barriers on the arbitrary basis of a memory test.” “Other countries do not require a knowledge test like this to be a resident of a country.” “Americans and Australians - mostly native English speakers - have a pass rate of 97%. When it comes to Turkey, Iraq you see pass rates of less than 50%. There’s a big difference in different nationalities.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Yasmeen Serhan. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Artwork by James Parrett. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Levelling Up was a key policy after the Conservatives swept the Red Wall in 2019. Three years later and Tory chaos has the policy to bring greater equity between the North and the South floundering by the roadside. Rob Parsons, editor of The Northern Agenda joins Jacob Jarvis to find out if there’s still reason to be optimistic.  “Restoring pride to people’s places is definitely a good thing to do. Whether it will address these massive inequalities in skills and jobs and transport, is a different thing.” “A lot of people spent a lot of time and money bidding for this money, and they didn’t get it. There were places in the North where their bid was unsuccessful but the neighbouring town did. That did create bitterness, and it did create cynicism towards the criteria.” “There needs to be more to the conversation not just about giving pots of money, but power to raise their own money.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Sunak squirms under questioning, will anti-union legislation save his bacon? Plus, Brazil’s far-right storms the country’s congress – what can we expect next? And we discuss the latest from the US, plus as the family feud of the century as Prince Harry causes a royal furore. Hannah Fearn, columnist and reporter for The I and Independent, joins Andrew Harrison to discuss the week ahead.  “If Sunak continues a hardline stance on these strikes, he creates an atmosphere where a general strike is a possibility.”  “The length of time everything’s taken has made Sunak’s position more difficult, splintered the party and hurt the country.” “Angry supporters of Bolsonaro are seeing a playbook in the US they are wanting to try and emulate.”  Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison with Hannah Fearn. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. 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

Comparisons to the Winter of Discontent are everywhere. But are these accurate, or even helpful? With an autumn and winter of strikes, high levels of inflation and maxed out energy prices it’s an easy reference to make, but is it lazy? Colin Hay, professor of political sciences at Sciences Po in Paris, joins Andrew Harrison to discuss.  “It’s not really the story of a coordinated campaign by union leaders. It was the rank and file rejecting the advice of the union leaders and withdrawing their labour.” I’ve been asked throughout my career if THIS is a return to the Winter of Discontent. This is the first time I haven’t just blanketly said ‘no.’” “Labour has had the ghost of the Winter of Discontent dancing over its corpse in the intervening time.” “It’s quite impressive how much industrial and public sector disruption is currently in place at the moment when you consider how difficult it is to get a legal strike organised.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. 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 Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Republican Party is in a state of turmoil with Kevin McCarthy’s Speaker stalemate having sparked scenes not witnessed for a century. What is going on, where can it go next, and what does this mean for the GOP? Jacob Jarvis speaks to Julie Normal, co-director of UCL’s Centre on US Politics to discuss the chaos in the Capitol and what 2023 holds for American politics. Oh, and Donald Trump, unfortunately…  “For some it’s key policy differences, for some it’s personal differences - not liking Kevin McCarthy. For some it’s just a power play.” “Whichever way it goes it’s definitely not the way you want your party starting out their term in office, especially in the run up to an election. “The ironic thing with Trump is that a conviction or an indictment… would in some ways galvanise him even more. He loves to portray himself as a victim of the Deep State.” “Some Democrats were literally bringing popcorn to the House this week. Biden has basically said. ‘This is embarrassing, but it’s not my problem.’” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music and Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With all signs pointing to a recession, how will this one be different to those of the past? From strikes to sky high heating bills, we’ve begun 2023, much as we ended 2022. How long can this last, and is there any hope of our fortunes improving? Resolution Foundation’s research director James Smith joins Ahir Shah to tell us how this situation might play out.  “If we are pessimistic about the future and that feeds back into how [the Government] set their policies, it can become self fulfilling.” “The big thing here is that we are getting poorer as a country.” “We need to make sure the recovery from the pandemic and cost of living recession isn’t as bad as the financial crisis.” Presented by Ahir Shah. 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 ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unprecedented problems like climate change require innovative responses. Activist Natasha Walter, author of upcoming book Before the Light Fades: A Memoir of Grief and Resistance, joins Ros Taylor to explore what the histories of protest can tell us about current struggles.  “People forget just how radical the 1960s movements were.”  “To look back and remember how people stayed politically active is incredibly encouraging.”  “Civil disobedience is a vital part of society.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There seem to be more authoritarian figures than ever before. But is this true? And if so, what do these leaders have in common? Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present joins Alex Andreou to explore how authoritarianism has changed over time, and why the greatest strengths of ‘strongmen’ could also be their biggest downfall.  “Leader personality cults often present them as omnipotent.” “The same instincts of these leaders to win followers domestically can cause their downfall on the international stage.”  “Financial networks are key to controlling people.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Jet Gerbertson, Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters ProductionInstagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the NHS in crisis and strikes ongoing – will the Government’s New Year’s Resolution be to get a grip? Then further afield, we look to the alarming covid situation in China and a new Congress being sworn in in the United States. Plus, a few dates for your diary – there might even be some bits to look forward to… In our first show of 2023, Alex Andreou talks to Andrew Harrison to outline the year ahead.  “Everyone is incredibly scared, it’s not nice to live in a country and feel like if something happens to you nobody will turn up.” – Alex Andreou  “The government is doing so poorly it thinks a confrontation with the unions will help it.” – Alex Andreou  “The public has realised Brexit was a mistake, that is unshakable now.” – Alex Andreou “Things could get very messy on day one. There will be a lot of battles in Congress.” – Alex Andreou  Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. 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

Ahead of NYE nights out, listen back to our ode to nightclubs… No one looks back and remembers the nights they got plenty of sleep. But beyond a mere boogie, nightclubs play a vital role in shaping our collective and individual identity. Alex Andreou assembles an all-star spinning a-roundtable to chew on how COVID closures have impacted nighttime industries, why the pandemic has deprived us from more than a good party, and how culture goes beyond theatres and museums… Mairi Mackenzie is a cultural historian and consultant curator for the V&A Dundee exhibition Night Fever: Designing Club Culture. Bay Sisouphanh is Head of Event Sales at London’s Village Underground. Mark Wood is one half of the London Readers Wifes who DJ at Vauxhall institution Duckie. “You find your tribe at nightclubs.” – Mark Wood “People will always find an outlet for that need for pleasure.” – Mairi Mackenzie “Forget about children going back to school. When can we send the gays back to nightclubs?” – Mark Wood “There's a lack of perception around the value of nightclubs to the gaiety and the mental health of the nation.” – Mark Wood https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented and produced by Alex Andreou. Assistant producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. 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