Profile

It's been an eventful few weeks for the Labour Party - especially for its deputy leader, Angela Rayner MP. Over the course of a topsy-turvy weekend, leaked plans to sack her from her role as party chair and national campaigns coordinator triggered an outcry, which, in turn, led Keir Starmer to instead offer a major promotion. Her back-story is, however, unusual for one who has risen so high, so quickly in British politics. Coming from an impoverished background, and leaving school at 16 with no qualifications and a baby on the way, she soon blazed a trail as a formidable union rep with Unison in the North West before being elected as an MP in 2015. By speaking to close personal friends, well-known public figures and commons commentators, Mark Coles reveals the character, underlying motivations - and even the unexpected musical tastes - of the woman who many believe could be the first ever female leader of the Labour Party.Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Stefania Okereke Studio manager: Neil Churchill Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Paul Connolly Editor: Richard Vadon and Alex Lewis

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hugely popular, credited with bringing stability and modernisation to his country in his 8 years of leadership. But his critics say lately he has been too absorbed with his political ambitions and not focused enough on protecting the country from the pandemic. Could the disastrous second wave of coronavirus that has engulfed India dent the unassailable rise of Narendra Modi?Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Stefania Okereke Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Chloe Hadjimatheou Editor: Richard Vadon and Alex Lewis

Brexit, Coronavirus and now ‘Sofagate’. It's been a challenging year for the first female President of the European Commission, who’s been criticised for the EU’s response to Covid-19 and blamed for a delay in getting people jabbed. Now, the organisation she heads is suing vaccine manufacturer, AstraZeneca, over delays in supplying doses. This week, she told the European parliament how she'd been left standing during a recent meeting in Turkey, because she is a woman. Her male counterparts took the only chairs available. Mark Coles profiles the Brussels-born German politician whose passion for the job means she lives, works and sleeps in the office. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Alex Lewis

The rags to riches story of the billionaire brothers from Blackburn, Lancashire who have grown their business from a single petrol station in 2001 to a global empire of six thousand garage forecourts in less than twenty years. Notoriously private, the brothers became national news last year after buying the supermarket giant, Asda. Last week they added the fast-food chain, Leon, to their portfolio. And now they’re rumoured to have their eye on Caffé Nero. Talking to family, friends and business associates, Mark Coles discovers how different the brothers are, what fuels their passion for petrol stations and how they cope with media attention. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Richard Vadon

Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland - who's facing calls to resign over the policing of a republican funeral during the pandemic, sparking violent disorder and protests.Simon Byrne, who's 57, is a policeman through and through. He joined the Metropolitan police as a teenager, straight out of school. Rising through the ranks, he took on senior roles in Merseyside, Manchester, London and Cheshire. He's now head of police in Northern Ireland, a post which many regard as the most difficult policing job in the UK, if not the world. Less than two years in post, and with the added challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit, Simon Byrne finds himself in a situation where policing and politics have collided.Becky Milligan talks to friends and colleagues about the man with a reputation for getting things done, a love of steam trains and a commitment to public service.Researcher: Stefania Okereke Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Richard Vadon

The billionaire banker whose finance firm has collapsed and who is now at the centre of a lobbying scandal involving ex-Prime Minister, David Cameron. Alexander "Lex" Greensill, grew up on his family’s sugar cane and melon farm in Queensland, Australia. After moving to the UK, he went into investment banking, founded a supply chain finance empire - complete with private jets - and, under David Cameron, secured a role in Britain’s Conservative-led Coalition government. After leaving office, the ex-PM became an adviser to the firm – Greensill Capital - which went bust last month, putting at risk 50,000 jobs worldwide. Mark Coles charts the rise and fall of the farmer’s son who, so the story goes, began his finance company to help small firms get paid more quickly by big businesses.Researchers: Matt Murphy and Stefania Okereke Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Richard Vadon

Emerald Fennell is the first British woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director. The film, that she also wrote - 'Promising Young Woman' - has been called a 'revenge-comedy', a movie for the #MeToo era. Fennell's rise has been meteoric - showrunner for the second series of 'Killing Eve', she's also well-known for her roles in front of the camera, including her portrayal of the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, in 'The Crown'. Becky Milligan tells the story of a prolific and multi-talented young woman. Presenter: Becky Milligan Researchers: Matt Murphy and Stefania Okereke Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Linda Pressly Editor: Richard Vadon

AstraZeneca's CEO faces scrutiny as his company's vaccine, and its roll out, comes under fire. Mark Coles explores the life and career one of big pharma's biggest names. The oldest of four boys, Pascal Soriot grew up in a working class area of Paris. He took the helm at AZ in 2012 after years in top jobs across the world. One of his first challenges was to fight off a takeover from Pfizer. The AZ vaccine, currently not-for-profit, was hailed as a life saver for millions. But with accusations of confusing drug trial data, dishonest dealings with the EU and safety fears, has the AstraZeneca CEO lost his shine? Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Matt Murphy Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Linda Pressly Editor: Rosamund Jones

Journalist, controversialist, celebrity - Mark Coles explores the explosive career of Piers Morgan, one of the country's youngest-ever and best-known newspaper editors. In the spotlight, again, this time for storming off the set of ITV's "Good Morning Britain", colleagues, competitors, friends and foes detail a roller-coaster career. If it started with a desire to report from behind the headlines, as years passed he has all too frequently become their subject. Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Matt Murphy Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Rosamund Jones:

The attorney general of Minnesota is the lead prosecutor in the trial for murder of George Floyd who died in May last year. His death became front page news after a video showed a white police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. It sparked massive civil unrest and forced a wider debate about law enforcement and racial inequality. Keith Ellison's role in the trial which started this week will be closely watched. He was born in Detroit in 1963, one of five brothers to parents with high expectations and a strong sense of social justice. As a young law student he became involved in community activism, a path which led to his election to Congress in 2006, the first muslim to achieve that. Becky Milligan talks to his family and friends. Producer: Sally Abrahams Researchers: Maia Lowerson & Matt Murphy Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Rosamund Jones