The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Plenty of us enjoy blasting out a few swear words – but what makes it feel so good? Richard Stephens, a senior lecturer in psychology at Keele University and author of Black Sheep: The Hidden Benefits of Being Bad, tells Jacob Jarvis how swearing can stop pain, make us stronger and help us form closer friendships.  “Swearing does appear to make you stronger.” “People are more disinhibited after swearing.”  “Swearing can be a social bonding tool.” “You can enjoy a well placed swear word, can’t you? You can think, ‘That was skillful.’”  Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

China’s leader Xi Jinping is poised to smash precedent and take on a third term. But how has he consolidated his power? And what role have stringent regional Covid lockdowns played in him tightening his grip? Alex Andreou discusses this with Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute and regular contributor to the China in Context podcast.  “China’s lockdown policy has increased the ability of the communist party to gain control.” “Xi likes the narrative that China is the only country to win the fight against Covid.” “The Chinese government can’t accept that its vaccines are less effective.” “China has a sort of health nationalism.” Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Alex Andreou. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Robin Leeburn Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If talk of gilt markets, securities, and liabilities leaves you baffled – then fear not, we’ve got you covered. In just twenty minutes, Giles Wilkes, former economics special adviser to Theresa May and Vince Cable and now a senior fellow at the Institute of Government, explains to Alex Andreou what gilts are and why they are at the centre of the current economic storm.  “The gilt market has never reacted this badly to anything in my memory.” “Interest rates play a billion roles in the economy…too many to point at one and say, it's better that it's higher.” “Market confidence will be restored. Eventually. But serious damage has been done in the eyes of international markets.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Has France replaced the UK in the so-called ‘special relationship’ with the US? Journalist and European Research Fellow Rym Momtaz talks to Ros Taylor from Paris about the similarities between Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron, that awkward AUKUS moment over submarines, and why Macron might become the “Obama of France”… “When Trump was President, Macron tried to set up a bromance.” “It's a misconception that Democrats get along better with their European counterparts.” “Macron is trying to be seen as driving the EU response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.” Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Trump, to Johnson, and Truss – are politicians really stupid? Or are they just pretending to be so that we’ll vote for them? Siân Pattenden delves into the state of our political psyche with Dean Burnett, neuroscientist and author of The Idiot Brain, to find out the science behind why we vote for stupid politicians. “Calling politicians ‘idiots’ defangs them. It makes us feel reassured instead of terrified.”  “Sounding clever doesn’t connect politicians to the electorate.”  “Politics really suffers when it becomes the reserve of the rich and powerful, because it becomes a game.” Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why does Liz Truss think fracking holds the answer to our energy crisis when so many experts disagree? Will it blight our ‘green and pleasant land’ – or does it simply not work in Britain? Ros Taylor talks to Jon Gluyas, director of the Durham Energy Institute at the University of Durham, about earthquakes, flammable water and where our energy policy is going wrong.   “We have known fracking doesn’t work in the UK for decades.” “We are global leaders in wind technology. So, let’s focus on that.” “We need a well thought through energy policy, something we haven’t had for fifty years.” “Offshore oil fields provide far more of an opportunity than onshore fracking.” Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a shock move, OPEC oil-rich nations cut back their production. Are we in for a 1974-style oil crisis? And has the Middle East just sided with Putin? Plus, the heroic protests in Iran where young women rebel after the killing of Mahsa Amini. At home: what next for Truss as she evolves from u-turns into donuts? And the end of the World Service as we know it. Special guest Dr. Julie Norman, associate professor in politics and international relations at University College London, joins us in The Bunker for high-level politics talk… and some big news about the podcast.  “With this move OPEC has laid down its cards with Russia – it’s a slap in the face to the US and Europe.” – Julie Norman “What is so striking about the protests is it is fundamentally a women-led movement.” – Yasmeen Serhan "If you spend a decade purging a party of moderation, you don't get one kind of crazy, you get loads." – Alex Andreou Presented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou and Yasmeen Serhan. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic . Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Truss’s tailspin of u-turns is due to continue as she tries to charm her MPs when Parliament returns. What more chaos with Liz can we expect this week? And, with peerages to be confirmed – what nasty surprises will end up in the Lords? Plus, we look at the latest from Ukraine as strikes hit Kyiv. Justin Quirk talks to Alex Andreou to plot out the days ahead.  “If Truss thinks she can ask the country to reward her to fix a problem she’s created, she’s getting really terrible advice.” – Alex Andreou  “They’re trying to make the tax cuts they already made add up…They are reaching a stage where they will have to start u-turning on them.” – Alex Andreou  “Liz Truss wants to avoid any by-elections because there’s no such thing as a safe Tory seat.” – Alex Andreou  www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Justin Quirk with Alex Andreou. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic 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 Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The planet is burning. So does it make sense to pour billions (and tons of carbon) into space exploration? Or could it help solve Earthly problems – including climate change? On the eve of the first moonshot in 50 years, Tereza Pultarova of Space.com joins Andrew Harrison to weigh up the pros and cons of extraterrestrial research, from the space industry’s carbon debt to moon treaties, space junk and the coming turf war on the Moon. “Space rockets often create mini-punctures in the ozone layer. It’s a big worry.”  “We are flying plants into space and hoping they will mutate and become drought resistant.”  “Incredible amounts of energy goes into avoiding the rubbish that now litters earth’s orbit.”  “China is flexing its space muscles, and the West can’t afford to fall behind.” Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do we see so many political u-turns? What makes politicians turn 180 – and why are some so against it? After Liz Truss’s budget flip flop laid waste to the Thatcher comparison she dreamed of, Ros Taylor talks to Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University, about why we see such drastic changes of course in modern politics.   “U-turns are more likely because voters are now less tribal.” “Journalists make a great deal of U-turns, mainly because they facilitate them.” “Boris Johnson could make lots of U-turns because he didn’t believe in anything except himself.” Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Ros Taylor. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices