The Why? Curve

Meanwhile in Ukraine

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

While the world’s attention has been fixed on the Iran war, the conflict in Ukraine has not gone away - and what’s happened in the Gulf is changing the situation there too. Putin has more money from the rise in the oil price, and has seen the US use its diminishing stockpile of weapons against Iran rather than sending them to Ukraine. Kyiv meanwhile has made new friends in the Gulf by assisting in anti-drone warfare - new friends with deep pockets. David Galbreath, Professor of War and Technology at the University of Bath, tells Phil and Roger how all this is likely to affect the outcome of the fighting in Ukraine.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Arab View of Trump’s War

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT

As Iran gets pounded by the US and Israel, how are the Arab nations of the Gulf feeling about the resulting disaster to their economies, and the missiles and drones landing on their cities? This wasn’t a war they wanted, and they are being left to pick up the pieces, including getting access to the Straits of Hormuz to export oil and gas. Dr Mira Al Hussein, of the Centre For The Study Of Islam In The Contemporary World at Edinburgh University, joins Phil and Roger to discuss the Gulf Arabs concerns about this conflict.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americans Don't Like This War

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

The Iran war is not going down well in the US. Donald Trump's MAGA movement is badly split - this was the president who promised an end to 'forever wars' and provide a stable economy, yet troops could soon be on the ground in Iran and the price of filling up your car keeps rising. So how damaging is all this going to be for the president in a year of crucial elections? Or - if he somehow wins a great victory - could it be the saving of his presidency? Phil and Roger ask Paul Whiteley, Professor of Government at the University of Essex

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cuba Next?

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:00:00 GMT

With the Iran war not going entirely as planned, does Donald Trump have his eye on another easier regime-change much closer to home? Cuba has been on his to-do list for a while, but the signals are that he needs a quick win right now, and Havana fits the bill. The Communist regime there is on its knees anyway, with its oil from Venezuela cut off, and its economy falling apart, 67 years after the Castro revolution. So could Cuba cut a deal, and what would that look like? Professor Joseph Gonzalez of Appalachian State University, North Carolina, who is writing a history of US-Cuba relations, tells Phil and Roger a surprising number of Cubans would welcome a new dose of US neo-colonialism

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The End of International Law?

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 02:00:00 GMT

The US attacked Iran without even trying to get the UN onside. It’s made it pretty clear it doesn’t feel the need to work within the UN charter, or any other rules it doesn’t like. So when the world’s biggest power ignores international law and does what it wants, has the whole system broken down? Are we now in a world where nations are unconstrained? Or has that always been the case, and the rules were just a fig-leaf to conceal the realities of power politics? Phil and Roger ask Dr Ben Murphy, Deputy Director of the International Law and Human Rights Research Unit at the University of Liverpool.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gunboat Diplomacy?

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:29:29 GMT

The US aircraft carrier groups were in place to threaten Iran as talks were still happening - and they helped launch the war when Donald Trump felt the negotiations were not going as he hoped. Iran’s foreign minister said Trump ‘bombed the negotiating table’. So is this the new pattern in big power geopolitics? Talk, but have a big stick waiting to ensure concessions. Or is it a return to a nineteenth century imperial style of big-power domination and intimidation? Andrew Latham, Professor of Political Science at Macalester College, and Senior Washington Fellow at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, talks to Phil and Roger about the return of gunboat diplomacy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Britain Ungovernable?

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

A government with a thumping majority that can't seem to run the country. U-turns every week and a permanent sense of crisis. And none of this is new - Johnson, Truss, Sunak, May. The country doesn't seem to be able to find a set of politicians who are able to get on with running things. Or is it just that we won't let them, because every problem becomes a social-media-fuelled crisis? Is the Starmer administration just a symptom of a system that doesn't work? Tom Skinner, a former special adviser to five Conservative prime ministers, tells Phil and Roger what it feels like inside a Number Ten under siege, and what needs to change to make the UK governable again.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome To The Splinternet

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 01:45:58 GMT

The internet transformed the world with free information on everything for everyone, but is that era ending? The Chinese and Iranians can control what their people can see and read, and in the West there's a growing push to stop the young and vulnerable from getting access to violent, disturbing or pornographic material. Tech firms are being threatened with regulation unless they impose safeguards. Does all this signal the internet turning gradually into the 'splinternet', with the loss of a valuable freedom, or is it an overdue reassertion of sovereign power over Silicon Valley? Scott Malcomson is a fellow of the German council on Foreign Relations, and back in 2016 wrote the book "Splinternet: How Geopolitics and Commerce Are Fragmenting the World Wide Web". He tells Phil and Roger how things have changed since then.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Epstein’s Hidden World

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 06:51:03 GMT

Champagne on the beach of a private island in return for cosy deals and confidential memos - has the Epstein saga lifted the lid on a world of elite partying and low morals at the heart of political and business decision-making? Could the conspiracy theories about global control by hidden cabals have a kernel of truth? Ronen Palan, Professor of International Politics at City St George’s University, tells Phil and Roger it’s not a new phenomenon in the world.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creating Life

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:53:01 GMT

Have we just, quietly, passed a key stage in human evolution? Scientists in California say they have created - not adapted - a virus. Artificial intelligence has enabled them to write the genome from scratch, and while a virus isn't, by definition, alive, they say they have the means to go further - to create life. What this could bring is a massive leap forwarded in treating disease, but it could also bring terrible risks - designer babies, insuperable biological weapons. Is this a technology anyone can control? Adrian Woolfson, co-founder of the biotech company Genryo, and author of "On the Future of Species: Authoring Life By Means of Artificial Biological Intelligence" tells Phil and Roger about the astounding opportunities and dangers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Right Going Wrong?

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Is Reform UK looking increasingly like Conservatives 2.0? High-profile defections like Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman help add experience to Nigel Farage's party, but will they also mean it's not really the new force in UK politics many of its adherents want? And, as Kemi Badenoch's Tories drift further to the right, where do centre-conservative voters go? What is the future of the right in Britain? Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London, tells Phil and Roger.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chaos of Trump World

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:26:45 GMT

There has been a seismic and permanent shift in the international order, and the President of the European Commission says this new world is defined by raw power. So where do the pieces fall after Donald Trump's threats to take Greenland, and his intervention in Venezuela? Is the global order now just a matter of money and military force? Is Europe in any position to say no to the man in the White House? Phil and Roger ask Stefan Wollf, Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teens Turned Off

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Australia has launched itself into combatting the bad effects of social media on kids by banning under 16s from using them. It’s a world first, and a huge experiment that’s brought resentment from some young people, scepticism from many adults, and a collective shrug from most social media companies. So a month into the ban - is it working? Is it an infringement of free speech? And will youngsters just find a way around the restrictions? Or is it the start of a global push back against the power of Meta, TikTok and the rest? Phil and Roger have been speaking to Paul Wallbank, a tech journalist with the Sydney Daily Telegraph

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marriage Guidance

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

As divorce lawyers enter their busiest season, how sustainable is modern marriage? Plenty of couples never bother to formally marry, and the rate of break-ups in those who do has been rising. Does the model of lifelong partnership, sanctioned by law, work in an era of constant choice about everything from mobile phones to relationships? Are permanent couples the happiest form of human interaction? Phil and Roger get guidance from Dr Veronica Lamarche, senior psychology lecturer at the University of Essex.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MAGA Movies In 2026?

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Is Donald Trump aiming to reshape Hollywood? His supporters are putting money into making movies that reflect the MAGA outlook - old-fashioned heroes in action films - and bury what they see as the liberal woke influence on moviegoers. The struggle between Netflix and Skydance over who will buy Warner Bros is part of that. So will 2026 be the year that cinema turned to the right? Sarah Atkinson, Professor of Screen Media at King’s College London, tells Phil and Roger what to expect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anglican Agony

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The first Christmas for the new Archbishop of Canterbury, and the first Christmas message by a woman in that office at the head of the Anglican communion. Sarah Mullally leads a global church in crisis - over child abuse, gay marriage and diminishing congregations. Can it survive the huge divisions on doctrine and practice between the faithful in the global south, and those in the rich West? Phil and Roger ask Professor Andrew McGowan, Dean of the Divinity School at Yale University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Starmer Stuffed?

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Just eighteen months after a massive electoral victory, the man who leads the Labour party and the country seems to be unable to govern effectively, and it's widely assumed he will be replaced in 2026. Sir Keir Starmer has some of the worst poll ratings in modern political history, and few of his MPs want him to stay prime minister, but who will replace him? When, and how? And what chance will they have of dealing with the country's myriad problems? Robert Ford, Professor of Political Science at Manchester University, tells Phil and Roger what lies ahead for the Labour Party and British politics.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's happening in Gaza

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:44:14 GMT

Two months after the ceasefire came in to effect, what's happened in the Gaza Strip? As the world's attention moves away, how are the two million Palestinians there coping, without shelter and with little food and medical care? Do the regular reports of Israeli airstrikes signal a fracturing peace? And who is in charge? The second stage of the peace plan is supposed to come into effect in a few weeks - but what will that amount to for the future of Gaza and its people? Simon Mabon, Professor of Politics at Lancaster University, rejoins Phil and Roger with the latest on the prospects for avoiding further conflict.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can we afford the welfare state?

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:14:06 GMT

With growing numbers of claimants for benefits, pensions and social care, and little sign of growth in the economy, how can we balance the books? Has the whole idea of supporting every member of society ‘from the cradle to the grave’ been superseded by financial conditions? Or is it just a matter of raising more taxes from the richest in society, following the Scandinavian pattern? Phil and Roger ask Peter Starke, Professor of Political Science and Public Management at the University of Southern Denmark.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are We Already At Hybrid War With Russia?

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:07:22 GMT

Hacks of major parts of the UK economy, drones putting European airports out of action, a British politician convicted of taking bribes - does Russia's campaign of influence and disruption amount to hybrid warfare against the West? Is there any way to tackle it effectively inside liberal democracies? And is it the precursor to a real conflict? Phil and Roger discuss this with Christian Kaunert, Professor of Policing and Security at the University of South Wales

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BBC - Yet Another Crisis

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 09:40:07 GMT

Why is the BBC in semi-permanent crisis? Is there a way the premier national and international broadcaster can escape a cycle of scandal and resignations? After more than a century, does it need to revisit what it is for, and how it is funded? And, in an age of streaming and citizen journalism, is there still a point to having the BBC? Phil and Roger ask Simon Potter, Professor of Modern History at Bristol University, and author of the centenary history "This Is The BBC"

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holding Out For a Hero

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Everyday heroes - what is it that makes some people put themselves in harm's way to save others, while most of us flee from danger? The recent events on a train at Huntingdon - in which a railway employee appears to have suffered terrible injuries by putting himself in front of a man wielding knife - suggest there are those who choose, in a moment of crisis, to put their lives at risk. Why do they do that? Would YOU fight, or would you flee? Phil and Roger examine the psychology behind heroism with Frank McAndrew, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Knox College in Illinois

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Horribilis - The Future of the Monarchy

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:58:50 GMT

Is it time our ancient monarchy got a modern makeover? When a prince of the realm can be downgraded to plain Mr Mountbatten Windsor, has something fundamental shifted in the magic and mystique? The accident of birth means that not all members of the royal family will be morally-upstanding and dutiful. So can a time-honoured but expensive and tainted institution be reformed in a way that fits the 21st century, or is it time to shelve the whole thing in favour of a republic and a president? Francesca Jackson of Lancaster University tells Phil and Roger about her research into the public’s views of constitutional monarchy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flat Earth - Are We All Becoming The Same?

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Is everything becoming the same? High streets all over the world with identical shops, people consuming the same burgers, the same video games, the same social media, the same music? Are we losing what makes us different - the cultures, the foods, the languages? In a world of online hyper-connectivity, is it going to be a flattened, greyer world that our children inherit? Or should we welcome universal homogenisation - the convenience of a one-size-fits-all planet? Phil and Roger get the views of Dr Mike Hynes, lecturer in Environmental Sociology at the University of Galway.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is China an enemy?

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

How do you deal with the world's second largest economy when it seem to be intent on spying in the UK, persecuting dissidents here, and hacking into our computer systems? Is the priority national security, or keeping on good terms with our third-largest trading partner at a time when we are in desperate need of economic growth? The challenges of the collapsed spy trial, and whether to give the go-ahead to a new Chinese embassy in London, have brought all these questions to the fore. So Phil and Roger got the view of George Magnus, an associate at the China Centre at Oxford University, a research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, and former chief economist of UBS.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Papers Please!

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Will we all soon be required to show our ID cards? The government says it wants a digital and universal ID system in place to counter illegal working and benefit fraud. It’s been tried before, and many of its opponents say it will fail again. But what is the case for ID cards? Will they solve any problems? Or are they an affront to liberty and a waste of money? Phil and Roger ask Dr Tim Holmes, lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Bangor University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are The Tories Toast

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 03:00:00 GMT

The most successful political party in Europe is contemplating oblivion. The Conservatives, soundly rejected last year by voters, have a leader no-one likes, the fewest MPs in their history, and an existential threat from Reform UK’s rise. Is there a way back, as there was after 1997? Or is this the moment the Tories run out of ideas and time? Phil and Roger ask Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary, University of London, and author of “The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Pseudoscience Taking Over?

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 04:25:13 GMT

The US president says paracetamol use can cause autism, and climate change is a giant con. A British GP tells the Reform party Covid vaccinations led to cancer in the royal family. Surveys show faith in conventional science is declining. So are fringe theories and fake medicines becoming mainstream? Is there a risk to our health and the planet as people and politicians are drawn to ideas that aren’t subject to peer review or normal standards of evidence? Phil and Roger hear from Dr Santosh Vijaykumar, associate professor of psychology at the University of Northumbria.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump Whisperer?

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Keir Starmer has made a point of cosying-up to President Trump - even bringing him to the UK for an unprecedented second state visit - but does it actually make any difference to relations between London and Washington? Is the UK a useful ally? A client state? Or a quaint irrelevance in a world dominated by China, Russia and India? And is the rush of tech investment any more than a way of cementing the power of US tech giants in Britain? David Hastings Dunn, Professor of International Politics at the University of Birmingham, tells Phil and Roger it’s going to be hard for the UK to stay friends with a volatile leader like Donald Trump.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anyone Seen The LibDems?

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 22:00:00 GMT

Whatever happened to the LibDems? The largest number of MPs for almost a century. The country’s right wing in chaos. The government in meltdown. Surely the one confident, united party should break through? But the LibDems seem to be absent. Phil and Roger speak about this to Paul Whiteley, Professor of Government at the University of Essex.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour’s Money Problems

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:30:00 GMT

The chancellor has ten weeks to find a way to balance the books. But is she going to raise taxes - and risk harming economic growth? Or does she cut the welfare budget - and bring misery to many of those who voted her government into power? Has Keir Starmer now taken control of the process from Rachel Reeves - and these dilemmas? Kallum Pickering, Chief Economist at Peel Hunt, takes Phil and Roger through the options for November’s budget and the likely choices.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Put Out More Flags

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:49:33 GMT

Flags are everywhere - Union Jacks and the Cross of St George going up on lamp posts, walls, street-corners and even roundabouts. Is it an attempt an intimidation by the far-right, or just a sign of patriotic spirit? Is a society that doesn’t usually wear its national identity on its sleeve, beginning to want to run it up the flagpole? And which flag? Does it depend if you feel English or British? And is all this a form of exclusion for those who don’t see themselves as either? Phil and Roger ask Michael Kenny, Professor of Public Policy at Cambridge University, and author of The Politics of English Nationhood

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Asylum Seekers - Time To Change The Rules?

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The anger around asylum seekers and small boat crossings is rising - and providing fuel for Reform’s surge in the polls. Governments of any colour seem unable to get control. Reform and the Tories say it’s time to withdraw from the human rights conventions that stop deportations. But, short of that, is there a way to update the rules, while still safeguarding those fleeing war and persecution? Phil and Roger ask Bernard Ryan, Professor of Migration Law at Leicester University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine - Any Closer To Peace?

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:40:52 GMT

Lots of high-level diplomacy - handshakes for European leaders in the White House, the red-carpet for Putin in Alaska - but does any of this bring the end of fighting closer? Will a Russia/Ukraine summit ever take place? Can Zelenskyy get real guarantees of future security for his country? Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security at Birmingham University, tells Phil and Roger he doesn’t have confidence Donald Trump can bring about peace in Ukraine.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Palestine Action - Protesters or Terrorists?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Scenes few had expected in the UK - retired vicars carried away by the police for holding up a poster saying “I support Palestine Action”. The banning of the group by the Home Secretary has led to mass protest and mass arrests, the police and courts overwhelmed by dealing with those who do not accept that direct action and criminal damage constitute terrorism. Yvette Cooper says she has evidence it is NOT a non-violent group and it is right to bracket it with Al Qaeda and ISIS, but many, even in her own party, aren’t convinced. So where does the law stand on this? Is the terrorist label a way of suppressing legitimate protest? Or a reasonable and just way to deal with those committed to unlawful actions in support of a cause? Phil and Roger ask David Mead, Professor of UK Human Rights Law at the University of East Anglia

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Are We All So Angry?

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:57:59 GMT

Rage is on the rise. On social media, on our roads, outside migrant hotels - things are getting under our skin that once would have caused mild irritation, and now lead to blind fury. Are we a more aggressive society? Or do we just feel more able to express it? Or are there more things to be angry about? Dr Nadja Heym is associate professor in Personality Psychology and Psychopathology at Nottingham Trent University, and she tells Phil and Roger the boundaries of acceptable anger seem to be changing.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump in Trouble?

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Donald Trump can’t escape the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein, and he seems to have fallen out with many of his closest supporters over the failure to disclose the Epstein files. So, after 6 months of whirlwind policy making and broad success, are cracks beginning to appear in MAGA? Is he rather too involved in the foreign wars his base wanted to get shot of? Are the tariff policies going to mean fewer and more expensive items on supermarket shelves? Dr James D Boys is a senior research fellow at University College London Centre on US Politics and he tells Phil and Roger why he thinks MAGA will still stick with Trump.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Verdict on Juries

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Are committees of randomly-selected amateurs the best way to decide someone’s guilt or innocence? As the government studies a report that recommends the right to jury trial be restricted further, to ease the court backlog, is there a case for changing the justice system further? There have been many severe and tragic cases of people being wrongfully convicted by juries over recent years, and claims jurors have not understood the evidence. Or are juries a tried and tested part of our democracy, a bulwark against judges and laws that are out-of-touch? Phil and Roger examine the evidence from Dr Lee John Curley, lecturer in applied psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University and a specialist in juror decision-making

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sudan - the Horror of the Forgotten War

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:30:00 GMT

Far away from the headlines, a war is raging in Africa that has taken at least 150,000 lives, has displaced 12 million people from their homes, and created what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Sudan is being fought over by two armies, with rape, bombardment of civilian areas and massacres a normal part of the conflict. There are no major peace initiatives and there is little aid getting in. The world has largely shrugged and turned its back. Justin Willis, Professor of Modern African History at Durham University tells Phil and Roger about the human cost and the prospects for an end to the Sudan civil war.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir - A Year to Forget

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 10:01:08 GMT

How did it all go so wrong for the Labour government? A massive majority of MPs, and a country yearning for change, but now, a year on: rock-bottom poll numbers and a seeming inability to get bills through parliament. Can Labour learn and improve? Can they roll back the growing disenchantment with both the main parties? Can they get some wins? Robert Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester, tells Phil and Roger they need to improve their messaging and make some courageous decisions

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ozempic Nation?

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:50:00 GMT

Has the rise of new weight-loss drugs become a game-changer for the obesity crisis?Can we all now inject ourselves thin? Will restaurants and gyms go out of business as we don’t want to eat, and don’t need to exercise? The drugs are becoming available on the NHS and will soon be in pill form - and they seem to be safe. But does the medical treatment ignore the complex social and economic background to obesity? Phil and Roger ask Dr Martin Whyte, associate professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Surrey.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK Rail - On The Right Track?

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 06:52:07 GMT

Why is it that we can't seem to run a railway project that's on time or affordable? Why do our trains also fail to turn up or charge reasonably? Is nationalisation going to make difference. Phil and Roger ask Paul Plummer, Professor in Rail Strategy, and Director of University of Birmingham Centre for Rail Research & Education,.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World on the Edge

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:51:00 GMT

The conflict between Israel and Iran shows no sign of easing and the threat of US involvement has heightened concerns about a war that is rapidly getting out of control. How does this end? Can Iran be forced away from building a nuclear bomb? Can Israel be reassured about its security? Is there a way to de-escalate when none of those involved seem to want that? Phil and Roger quiz Simon Mabon, Professor of International Politics at the University of Lancaster

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democracy On The Rocks?

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:00 GMT

More than a quarter of UK voters back a party that’s only got 5 MPs. Labour won a stonking majority in parliament last year with just over a third of the vote. What’s happening to our democracy? Does the system still work? Or is the social media-fuelled clamour for instant policy-fixes not suited to going to the ballot box once every five years? Is autocracy becoming more attractive to voters who want efficiency in government? Phil and Roger get the views of Scott Williamson, associate professor in Comparative Political Economy at Oxford University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Crypto Becoming Credible?

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:34:57 GMT

Is the Wild West of digital currency now becoming a respectable place to put your money? President Trump likes it, and his vice president, JD Vance, backs a US government digital reserve. Does that mean the crazy volatility of Bitcoin and the rest will calm down? Or is the essential ungovernability of blockchain money going to remain? Phil and Roger ask Dr Larisa Yarovaya, associate professor of finance and director of the centre for digital finance at Southampton University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tanks, Troops or Drones? Spending the Defence Bonanza

Thu, 29 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Billions in new spending for the UK’s defence, but how to spend it? Does Britain need more soldiers? More shells for artillery? More tanks? Or are drones the future of warfare? What has Ukraine’s war against Russia told us about what weapons we need to stand up to Putin? Dr Bence Nemeth, co-founder of the Centre for Defence Economics and Management at Kings College London, tells Phil and Roger what’s needed, and what’s affordable.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Migrants - Not The Issue They Think It Is

Thu, 22 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Keir Starmer has launched his bid to claim back migration policy from the right - talking about the UK becoming an “island of strangers” unless the number of incomers is slashed. But is he correct that this is at the top of voters’ list of concerns? Is tackling this what will win back the Red Wall? Do most Britons really want big cuts in the number of immigrants? Claire Kumar, senior researcher at ODI Global, tells Phil and Roger about her findings suggesting attitudes towards migration across the UK very different from those in snap opinion polls and tabloid headlines.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

India-Pakistan: Endless Enmity?

Thu, 15 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The confrontation between the two south Asian neighbours this month seems to have been resolved into a ceasefire. It is almost certainly only a pause of conflict, in a toxic relationship that has lasted since 1947. And the stakes have risen - both nations now have their finger on the nuclear trigger. That’s why the world shudders when New Delhi and Islamabad launch a new session of vituperation or actual violence. So can the nations find a way to live together harmoniously? Phil and Roger ask Kate Sullivan de Estrada, Associate Professor in the International Relations of South Asia at Oxford University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine - Does The US Now Have Skin In The Game?

Thu, 08 May 2025 06:30:00 GMT

The minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv is pretty opaque, but does it at least give the Trump administration a reason to stick with Ukraine? Or will the president just walk away from the whole crisis, as he has threatened? And can Kyiv keep the war going with just help from the Western European nations? Plus - why is Putin so opposed to a long ceasefire, when it could give him the chance to rearm and reset his forces? Phil and Roger put all this to Dr Stephen Hall, assistant professor of Russians and Post-Soviet Politics at the University of Bath

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conclave Consensus - Choosing A New Pope

Thu, 01 May 2025 15:33:41 GMT

The leader of 1.4 billion Catholics is about to be decided by 132 men in red hats, locked away in a renaissance chapel beneath one of the greatest artworks in human history. The conclave of cardinals is supposed to be guided in its choice by the Holy Spirit, it will there also be some very secular political concerns dictating their votes? Do they want to continue Pope Francis’ progressive agenda, or, in the light of the conservative mood across the Atlantic, revert to more traditional positions on immigration, the plight of the poor and inclusion of minorities? Dr Sara Silvestri, senior lecturer in religion and international politics at City St George’s, tells Phil and Roger the church needs a conciliator as the new pope.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reform Revolution?

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:41:06 GMT

Local elections are usually a yawn, but the results next week could overturn the political geography of the UK. Will Reform, riding high in the polls, cause a Tory meltdown, unseating Kemi Badenoch? Will it suggest it’s more than just a protest party, and one that could be a contender for government? And what will happen when it leads councils and has to make actual policy decisions? Rohan McWilliam, senior lecturer in History at Anglia Ruskin University, and author of Popular Politics, lays out the prospects for Phil and Roger.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show me where to put the money

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Anyone with money faces a dilemma right now. Where do you invest it? Historically it’s been quite simple. If you are prepared to take risks, buy shares. If you want to play it safe, buy government bonds because, although the returns can be quite slim, you know major economies, like the US, will always repay their debt. But now bonds aren’t such a safe choice.

Last week Donald Trump did a u-turn on his highest tariff levels because US government bonds were being sold off, pushing up the interest the government has to pay to attract buyers. In short, the cost of servicing debt was sky-rocketing for the US government.

It was a pivotal moment. Simon French, Chief Economist and Head of Research at Panmure Liberu, describes how there’s less confidence in US net now and investors are looking to Europe as a safer place to see a return on their investments.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The White House Ruled by Pathocracy

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:15:14 GMT

The most powerful man in the world doesn't listen to advice, makes up facts, changes his mind on a whim, thinks he was sent by God to save the USA, and loves nothing better than flattery - is he a classic malignant narcissist? Does the man with his finger on the nuclear trigger also have a personality disorder? Dr Steve Taylor, senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University and author of "Disconnected: The Roots of Human Cruelty", tells Phil and Roger that the US may now be subject to a "pathocracy" and what that might mean for those trying to deal with Donald Trump's America.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Return of Toxic Masculinity

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT

Is the pendulum swinging back against gender equality, with aggression and misogyny encouraged by influencers and populist leaders championing traditional roles and behaviour? Is the rise in attacks on women a symptom of this? Is there a risk of young men being drawn to a masculinity that glorifies violence, and gives them a role and purpose they lack? Phil and Roger explore all this with Dr Elizabeth Pearson of Royal Holloway University of London, author of “Extreme Britain: Gender, Masculinity and Radicalisation in Britain.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Time to Shrink the State?

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 08:39:42 GMT

Is the state too big? As Rachel Reeves announces cuts in welfare and civil servants, is it a recognition that the administration of the UK needs to slim down? Is there inefficiency and capacity we can’t afford? Does the UK need a US-style purge of government jobs? Or does that risk harm to those who depend on state-support for genuine need? Phil and Roger ask Patrick Diamond, Professor in Public Policy at Queen Mary University of London

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aid Emergency

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The aid tap is being turned off. USAID has suspended all its programmes and the UK is diverting much of the budget for overseas development to buying tanks and bombs. Projects to vaccinate, medicate and educate have been suspended for millions of the world’s poorest people. So what will happen? Will China step in to fill the gap? Will societies already in crisis collapse altogether? Michael Jennings, Professor of Global Development at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, tells Phil and Roger some people will die as a direct result, and the prospects of others finding a way out of poverty will be drastically set back.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine - Peace In Our Time?

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Is the ceasefire going to happen? Will Moscow sign up? And where will it leave Ukraine - the country that was subject to the largest land war in Europe since 1945? Donald Trump has forced through Kyiv’s cooperation. Can he do the same with Russia? Does he even want to? David Galbreath, Professor of War and Technology at the University of Bath, sets out to Phil and Roger the likely next steps, as the chaotic diplomacy of President Trump careers onward.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Closing Credits?

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:22:54 GMT

Is cinema dying? The Oscars were the usual triumphant mix of glamour, glitz and terrible speeches, but is the film industry what it was? Streaming, video games, Covid and the cost of living have led to a downturn in audience figures in the US and the UK, although there are faint signs of a revival. Do we still want to sit passively in a big dark room to be entertained, or would we rather be in our own homes, interacting with the characters and stories? Does the old model of cinema still work? Sarah Atkinson, Professor of Screen Media at King’s College London, tells Phil and Roger it will survive but it needs to change.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How To Handle The Donald

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 06:55:32 GMT

Taking over Greenland, turning Gaza into a US resort, switching sides over Ukraine - the world has faced a whirlwind of Trump initiatives in the opening weeks of his presidency, some madcap, some sinister. How are foreign leaders and diplomats supposed to deal with this? Is he serious? Or is he just trolling the international liberal establishment? Or a bit of both? Is it best to flatter the man in the White House and hope he can be persuaded to change his mind? Or should we write America off as a reliable ally, and rush to build our own defences? After the last 4 weeks, what will still be standing at the end of four years? Dr Maria Ryan, Associate Professor of American History at Nottingham University not to assume anything is off the table with Donald Trump.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Towns - Old Ideas?

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:32:13 GMT

Labour is promising 12 new New Towns across England, to spur growth and provide housing. But those who know Telford, Milton Keynes, Welwyn Garden City and the rest might question the model - concrete social engineering hasn’t always been successful in bringing prosperity, especially if there aren’t enough jobs in the area where they’re built. But is there a case for New towns as regeneration in the country’s forgotten and neglected parts? Can we build better and more effectively than we did in the 50s and 60s? Phil and Roger hear from Amrita Kulka, Associate Professor of Political Economy and Public Economics at the University of Warwick.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winning The Trade War

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:19:52 GMT

Donald Trump wants big tariffs on US imports, and the countries affected are threatening retaliation - it’s the beginning of a trade war, with China, Canada, Mexico, the EU and others weighing in. So how does Britain ride this out? Can Keir Starmer’s government find ways not to get caught in the crossfire, and maybe even benefit from not being high on Donald Trump’s target list? Or do we need to get onside with the non-US nations in this fight for the future of global commerce? Simon French, chief economist and head of research at Panmure Liberum, takes Phil and Roger through the UK’s options

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deeply Seeking - China’s AI Challenge

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 05:31:27 GMT

Have you tried DeepSeek? China’s new, cheap artificial intelligence app has startled Sillicon Valley. It’s wiped billions from the worth of some of big tech’s biggest names - Nvidia, Microsoft, Google - because it seems to be able to do what they can’t, quicker and better. So is this the wake-up call western tech needed, or a threat to our assumptions about AI leadership, or even a fraud engineered by the government in Beijing? Dr Daniele D’Alvia, lecturer in Banking and Finance Law at Queen Mary University of London - he takes Phil and Roger through the technical and financial implications of DeepSeek

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WFH No More?

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 08:45:16 GMT

Emails on the beach - we all left the office in 2020, and some of us never went back. But is business calling time now on working from home? Is it part of the problem for UK productivity? Are we working as hard when we can Zoom in from the sofa? Or is hybrid working, Tuesday to Thursday in the office, the new normal? Abigail Marks, Professor of the Future of Work at Newcastle University speaks to Roger and Phil… from her living room

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump - How Crazy Will It Get?

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:00:00 GMT

The 47th president of the United States has begun his administration with a rush of executive orders intended to change the direction of the US. Some seem destructive but predictable - moving against undocumented migrants and re-leaving the Paris Climate Accord. Others just MAGA crowd-pleasers - declaring there are only two genders and renaming the Gulf of Mexico. But what does freeing the people who assaulted police officers in the Capitol on January 6 suggest about justice under Trump? What does leaving the World Health Organisation say about America's place in the world? Will the US become a very different sort of country in the next four years, or will it all be reversed with a disillusioned electorate and a Democrat victory in 2028? Phil and Roger get the picture from Dr Thomas Gift, Associate Professor of Political Science at UCL, and founding Director of the UCL Centre on US Politics.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sick Men of Europe

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:00:22 GMT

France and Germany are the pillars of the EU, the strongest economies and most stable democracies - except they’re not: Paris and Berlin are caught in crisis, with their political systems failing to produce effective leadership, and their economic models generating debt and recession. Can the EU and its key members find a way to unite nd prosper, as Russia presses on its eastern flank? Dr Simon Toubeau, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at Nottingham University sets out to Phil and Roger how Europe’s major players can turn the corner.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starmer Stuck - Labour’s Poor Start

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 08:00:21 GMT

Labour’s first six months in office has been something of a disappointment, with rows about pensioners’ energy payments, farmers’ inheritance tax and a budget that satisfied nobody. So is it unreasonable expectations from a party in government for the first time in 14 years, or a weakness of leadership in a time of crisis? Phil and Roger ask Rohan McWilliam, Professor of Modern British History at Anglia Ruskin University what Keir Starmer can do to make it all work in 2025.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What May Kill You in 2025

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 08:00:50 GMT

Alien invasion? AI takeover? A new pandemic? Nuclear war? The list of dangers to mankind is long, so what could ACTUALLY bring the curtain down on planet Earth this year, and what is the likelihood? Are we more at risk from our own folly, or from natural disasters about which we can do little? Haydn Belfield of the Cambridge University Centre for the Study of Existential risk takes Phil and Roger through the chances of global cataclysm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Epidemic of Loneliness?

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 08:00:57 GMT

More people living on their own, fewer social connections - is the UK facing an epidemic of loneliness? And not just among the elderly. Young people are reporting higher levels of social isolation, too. And there’s evidence loneliness can damage your health. So is it down to social media replacing face-to-face interactions? Or are people happier now to admit the problems we have always had? Phil and Roger get the latest research on loneliness from Louise Arseneault, Professor of Developmental Psychology at Kings College London.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A New Age In Syria

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:00:40 GMT

A sudden change in Syria. The men with beards and guns, labelled terrorists by the West, have seized power from a murderous dictator. Is this a recipe for peace in a war-blighted land? Can the US and Europe do business with the new rulers in Damascus? Will Russia have to withdraw? And could the redrawn map of the region lead to the end of a seemingly endless cycle of violence? Phil and Roger discuss all this with Michele Groppi, senior lecturer in defence studies at King’s College London, and president of the ITSS think tank in Verona

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Workplace Abuse

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 08:00:32 GMT

Rape, sexual assault, bullying - the list of allegations of abuse by powerful men in some of Britain’s most important institutions keeps growing. Many of the claims go back decades, with victims scared to bring complaints because they could lose their jobs. And many allegations were ignored or buried by the organisations. So why did the Church of England, the BBC, Harrods and the others fail to act? What needs to change in corporate culture to allow bosses and stars to be challenged? David Collinson, Professor of Leadership & Organisation at the University of Lancaster Business School tells Phil and Roger what can and should be done.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Is Africa Left Behind?

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:08:20 GMT

40 years since Band Aid - the lyrics and attitudes have dated badly, but the problem is still there. Africa remains desperate and underdeveloped and the only part of the world regularly threatened by famine, civil war and military coups d’etat. Why is this continent not thriving despite its vast natural resources and talent? Why do so many of its best and brightest choose to emigrate? Phil and Roger explore the question of Africa’s failure to move to the levels of development and wealth seen in Asia and the Middle East, speaking to Dr Emmanuel Mensah, assistant professor at the Utrecht University School of Economics.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tractors in Whitehall

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:00:23 GMT

Who’d be a farmer? You have tiny profit margins. You’re held to high environmental and welfare standards against cheaper less-scrupulous foreign imports, and now you’re facing unaffordable inheritance taxes….. Is it worth working the soil in modern Britain? Is the job more custodianship of the land than running a profitable business? Peter Gittins is a lecturer at Leeds University Business School, and he help run his family-owned livestock farm in West Yorkshire - he gives Phil and Roger a picture of what its like to be a farmer now, and the challenges they face.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Matter Of Life And Death

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 07:55:30 GMT

Should we be allowed to take our own lives? Should doctors or friends be allowed to help us? For the first time in a decade, MPs have a bill to consider on assisted dying. Parliament and the cabinet is split, and there are vigorous campaigns on both sides. Will it open the door to euthanasia for convenience, with old people and the disabled pressured not to be a burden? Or is it a measure of compassion for the suffering and the desperate? Phil and Roger talk through the new bill and its limitations with Dr Sam Carr of the Centre for Death and Society at Bath University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting Ready For The Storm

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 08:00:55 GMT

How ready are we for the results of climate change? While leaders talk at COP29 about lessening global warming, some of the extreme weather predicted by scientists is already here. The hundreds dead in the Valencia floods suggest governments need to do more to keep us safe. Do we need to build differently, or live in more secure places? Can we be adequately protected from the increasing numbers of wildfires or hurricanes? Phil and Roger get the latest research from Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health at University College London

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sum of All Fears

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 07:03:52 GMT

The Donald is back. Another Trump presidency - with a Republican-dominated congress. So how will a world that looks back on 2016-2020 and shudders, deal with a volatile, unpredictable narcissist, who is now also convicted felon, in the White House? What will it mean for Ukraine, for Gaza, for China, for Europe? Paul Whiteley, Emeritus Professor of Government at the University of Essex, walks Phil and Roger through the likely challenges of Trump 2.0 for a world he says is now in a much more dangerous place.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Election - An American Horror Story?

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 08:00:24 GMT

Just days from one of the most divisive and consequential elections in US history, what are the chances of a second Trump presidency, or the first woman being installed in the White House? And how true are the alarming predictions of what it might mean for America and for the world? Dr Thomas Gift, Associate Professor of Political Science at UCL and founding director of its Centre on American Politics, tells Phil and Roger the vote is too close to call, with unpredictable changes of allegiance from traditional allies on both sides of the political divide. And Dr Gift has personal experience of what’s happening in the most important swing state - Pennsylvania.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not Budging on the Budget

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 07:26:30 GMT

Hard times and hard choices, but the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, seems determined to inflict pain on consumers, taxpayers and businesses in the short term, to plug what she says is a £40bn hole in the nation's finances. But does she need to? And is she going to hit the right targets, given that she has boxed herself in by committing not to raise income tax, VAT or National Insurance on employees? And is recalculating national debt by taking into account assets a sensible way of allowing her to borrow more - without spooking lenders? Simon French, Chief Economist and Head or Research at Panmure Liberum, tells Phil and Roger what she could and should do in Labour's first budget.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nips and Tucks

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:00:32 GMT

Why do so many of us opt to go under the knife to change our appearance? Cosmetic surgery is having a boom, with injections as well as scalpels and offering cheaper and barely-regulated treatments. It can be dangerous as well as pricey, and often ineffective, so why do it? Is it down to a distorted perception of beauty, conditioned by social media and reality TV? Does it need more regulation, as well as a push to ease social pressures? Phil and Roger ask Ruth Holliday, Professor of Gender and Culture at Leeds University, and co-author of the book "Kitsch! Cultural Politics and Taste"

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Middle East On The Brink

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 10:54:19 GMT

A year after October 7 and the landscape shaped over decades is irrevocably changed - Palestinians and Israelis killed in unprecedented numbers, Hezbollah and Hamas decapitated, Iran humiliated. And no end in sight to the bloodshed and destruction. So where have the pieces fallen? What chance of any kind of ceasefire on any front?What hope for the remaining Israeli hostages? Will things change further after the election hiatus in the US - Israel's biggest backer? Can Prime Minister Netanyahu cling to power indefinitely? Simon Mabon, Professor of International Politics at Lancaster University, tells Phil and Roger what the next year might bring

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blue Funk

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 07:00:55 GMT

The Tory ship seems rudderless, and the vote for a new captain less than enthralling. After their underwhelming Birmingham conference, what hope is there for the Conservatives - hitherto the most successful political organisation in Europe? With the fewest MPs in its history, and missing many of the former big beasts of Toryism, does the party’s salvation lie in lurching further to the right to win back supporters from Reform? Or is the safe ground in the centre where the Lib Dems have drained their vote? Phil and Roger get the views of Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London, and Thor of “The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Love Labour’s Lost

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 07:00:15 GMT

The Labour Party in government for the first time in 14 years, but this week’s party conference seemed an exercise in damage control rather than celebration - delegates voting against the cabinet on winter fuel payments, and cabinet ministers having to announce they won’t accept any more free clothes or glasses. How did the honeymoon end so soon? Or is the scale of the problems they have inherited so daunting it requires harsh medicine that will never make them popular? With such a huge parliamentary majority, do they, in any case, need to care? Matthew Flinders, Professor of Politics at the University of Sheffield, tells Phil and Roger their biggest problem is the lack of an overall strategic vision.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just Grow Up - The Infantilisation Of Our World

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:00:47 GMT

Are we all failing to become adults? Does the world treat us as if we need to be told to carry a water bottle on a train, or hold onto a handrail, or that a bag of nuts may contain…. nuts? The way our politics and culture like simple messages and avoid challenge or risk or complexity suggests to some that we are becoming an infantile society, incapable of understanding nuance or facing the world of adults. Phil and Roger talk about all this with Keith Hayward, Professor of Criminology at the University of Copenhagen, and author of the book ”Infantilised: How Our Culture Killed Adulthood”.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exit X? Curbing Social Media

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 07:30:53 GMT

X banned in Brazil. The boss of Telegram detained in France. Is state power finally moving to curb the big social media sites? There’s been a lot of talk about reining-in X, TikTok, Instagram, Snap and the rest, but have governments now decided make the sites accountable for the harm they cause - misinformation, child abuse and societal division? Or are the Elon Musks still beyond control and regulation? Robin Mansell, Professor of New Media and the Internet at the London School of Economics, tells Roger and Phil the economic pressure from advertisers will probably be a more effective curb.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK/EU - A Closer Disunion?

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 07:00:45 GMT

Keir Starmer is pushing for a reset of relations with the European Union, but has ruled out rejoining in his lifetime. So how close can or should the UK get? How welcome is Britain in Brussels after all the Brexit grief? And does the changing tone of public opinion here mean he can easily get past the toxicity of Brexit for both the Labour Party and the country? David Henig, Director of the UK Trade Project at the European Centre For International Political Economy, tells Phil and Roger how the path back to the EU might begin.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Central Banks - Power Without Reponsibility?

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:07:02 GMT

Interest rates, inflation, monetary control. What is it that central bankers actually do - and are they the right people to be doing it? The last decades have seen huge turbulence in the global economy - the Great Recession, then post-Covid inflation, so is the system working? Is it right that a political decision - balancing price-rises against the cost of borrowing - should be in the hands of unelected bankers? Dominic Caddick of the New Economics Foundation takes Phil and Roger through what the central bankers can do, and how their job could be made more effective.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kamala’s Coronation

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 08:30:10 GMT

Happy days are here again for the Democrats, as their new candidates gear up for the US presidential election. But does the razzmatazz conceal a weakness on the ticket that will be exposed once Harris and Walz have to face hostile interviewers? Dr Thomas Gift, Associate Professor of Political Science at UCL and founding director of the Centre on US Politics tells Phil and Roger why he still thinks there could still be a Trump victory in November.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting It Right On The Far Right

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 07:00:57 GMT

Riots and disorder on a scale Britain hadn’t seen in a decade, but then the streets re-taken by anti-racist crowds - what to make of what happened after the Southport stabbings? Keir Starmer said the white men throwing rocks and setting fire to hotels were “far right”. Was he correct? And what does “far right” mean? Is it a coherent political force in the UK, or just a bunch of drunken yobs? Phil and Roger look at the evidence with Aurelien Mondon of Bath University and the Reactionary Politics Research Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Universities In Crisis

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:00:43 GMT

As students get ready to see if their A levels match up to their offers, how sure can they be the universities will still be there to award their eventual degrees? Higher education is in something of a financial crisis - not enough money from fees, not enough foreign students to make up the shortfall, and the best academics heading abroad for higher pay. Is the whole model of young people building up huge debts for sometimes questionable courses sustainable? Will some universities have to close or merge in order to survive?

Chris Millward, Professor Practice In Education Policy at the University of Birmingham, gives Phil and Roger the prospects for Britain’s higher education.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olympic Winners?

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 07:00:42 GMT

Paris, after a damp start, is sprinting through the games - but at what cost? Closed bars and cafes behind security barriers, fewer visitors in the run-up to the Olympics, and a massive bill for all the building-work and administration. The money from the tickets and broadcast rights goes to the International Olympic Committee, so will the city benefit at all? Many venues are turning down the chance of staging big sports events like this because the costs - social as well as financial - outweigh the gains, and can land cities with huge debts. So what is the answer? Leave it to the money-no-object venues like Qatar and Saudi Arabia? Or spread a games over several countries? Or have one permanent venue, funded by all? Professor Simon Chadwick of SKEMA Business School in Lille tells Phil and Roger how hosting the Olympics needs an overhaul.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harris v Trump - What To Expect

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 07:00:31 GMT

The US presidential election has been upended by the replacement of one candidate, and the attempted assassination of the other. Can Karmala Harris unite the Democrats and compete effectively with Donald Trump? Has a near-death experience changed The Donald, or just made more of his supporters sure he is God’s chosen leader? And why did Joe Biden wait so long to acknowledge his obvious incapacity? Phil and Roger get the picture from Dr Thomas Gift , Associate Professor in Political Science at University College London, and Director of the Centre on US Politics

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making Stuff

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:47:56 GMT

As the new Labour government pushes to get the UK economy growing, is it time we became a big manufacturer once again? For decades the driver of the economy has been services, but is that too difficult to sustain? Should we go back to making stuff - this time microprocessors, software, AI programs? Ali Bigdeli, Professor of Industrial Service Innovation at Aston University tells Roger and Phil what the shape of the new economy could be. It's all to do with servitisation apparently.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wish You Weren’t Here - The Tourism Trap

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 07:00:58 GMT

We all need a holiday right now, somewhere drier and hotter than Britain. But do our favourite resorts want US? Protesters fire water pistols at visitors in Barcelona, thousands turn out in Tenerife to tell holidaymakers to go home. Tourists, they say, force up prices, clog the streets and destroy the very thing they have come for - beauty, tranquility and local culture. Are we all too addicted to travelling too often and in the wrong way? Phil and Roger ask Marina Novelli, Professor of Marketing and Director of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Advanced Research Centre at Nottingham University/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Election Day - But Does Your Vote Count?

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What's the point in voting? The answer, if you're not in a seat where there's a chance your candidate will come first or second, is not much. The first-past-the-post system means many, or even most of us, are effectively disenfranchised at each general election. So is there a better, fairer way to run our polling? A proportional system, perhaps? Or is there a risk that that would mean no clear outcome and we will have constant unstable coalition governments? Dr Heinz Brandenberg, senior lecturer in politics at the University of Strathclyde, picks through the options for democracy with Phil and Roger.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Final Furlong

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 07:00:21 GMT

Just a week to go before a voting day that’s likely to lead to a radical change in the UK’s political landscape. But what have we learnt about the parties and the personalities that will dominate the new politics, after a parliamentary clean-out of the old team? Will Labour have to cut back even its modest ambitions in the face of economic reality? Will the Conservatives suffer a reversal, or a full-on existential catastrophe? Rob Ford, Professor of Politics at the University of Manchester, and co-author of Brexitland, takes Phil and Roger through what may happen on and after July 4th

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not Ready For Government - Should We Train Politicians?

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:00:22 GMT

With Labour almost certain to take the reins of power on July 5th, almost none of the incoming ministers have ever run anything bigger than a church fete. Right away they will have to take over billion-pound budgets and huge departments. Is it ridiculous to put gifted but untrained amateurs in charge of the world’s sixth-largest economy? Sir Geoff Mulgan thinks there should be tuition in how to govern for all politicians. The former Blair adviser - now professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at University College, London - tells Roger and Phil that having leaders who know what they’re doing from day one is crucial for our democracy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting Through - Connecting with voters in 2024

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 07:00:45 GMT

TV debates, TikTok stunts, falling off a paddleboard - does any of it influence how people vote? What works in an election campaign? Does ANYONE read a manifesto? How can politicians connect effectively with the public? Or has everyone already made up their minds? Dr Matt Walsh, head of the School of Journalism, Media and Culture at the University of Cardiff, tells Phil and Roger what, if anything, actually moves the dial.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s No Money Left - What The New Chancellor Might Find

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 07:00:46 GMT

Promises galore - more doctors’ surgeries, pension triple-lock plus, free social care, a boost in the size of the army - but how much of any of this can we afford, whoever gets into Number 10 on July 5th? The huge public debt, lack of investment and productivity, and politicians refusal to countenance tax increases all point to sums that don’t add up. Dr Michael Nower of Durham University takes Phil and Roger through the harsh realities behind the campaign rhetoric in the UK’s 2024 election.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

International Justice?

Thu, 30 May 2024 07:00:26 GMT

Are leaders ever held to account for starting wars or killing civilians. The International Criminal Court has already issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, and one is in prospect for Israel’s prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. Is it right to try to prosecute the leader of a democracy with a functional justice system of its own? Does a court that has mainly jailed African dictators over the last 20 years but ignored the actions of great powers, have any credibility? Dr Clare Frances Moran, lecturer in public international law at Aberdeen University tells Phil and Roger what’s at stake and why it matters.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine - On The Brink Of Defeat?

Thu, 23 May 2024 07:00:08 GMT

The new Russian offensive towards Kharkiv suggests Moscow has seized the initiative in the two-year conflict. With not enough ammunition or soldiers, can Kyiv hold the line? Is the support from the EU, NATO and the US going to last — especially if Donald Trump returns to the White House in January? But also can Vladimir Putin’s war economy in Russia be sustained long enough to gain him eventual victory? Phil and Roger get a perspective on the course of Europe’s longest war since 1945 from Christoph Bluth, Professor of International Relations and Security at the University of Bradford.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social Media For Young People - Moral Menace Or Moral Panic?

Thu, 16 May 2024 07:00:40 GMT

With almost everyone under 30 on TikTok or Instagram, and claims of rampant bullying, sexploitation and pornography - is there any way to protect young people from the harmful effects? The social media giants wring their hands but do nothing. Governments launch inquiries and claim they’re doing something, but the awful stories keep piling up. Could there be effective regulation? Should we even try? Dr Emily Setty of the University of Surrey tells Phil and Roger - equipping young people to deal with what they see is better than trying to stop them seeing it

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Small Boats Leading To Small Votes? - UK Politics In 2024

Thu, 09 May 2024 07:40:10 GMT

As the smoke clears from the low-turnout council elections, what have we learnt about the prospects for the upcoming general election? Are the Tories heading for oblivion, or (as Rishi believes) a hung parliament? Is Labour damaged by the Gaza war, or by its own overcautious attitude? Can Reform be anything other than a box to put a cross in for disillusioned Conservatives? Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary, University of London, tells Phil and Roger it’s still far from clear that Keir Starmer will get a landslide, or that the Tories won’t find a way out of their death spiral.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Migration - What's Driving The Small Boat Journey?

Thu, 02 May 2024 07:00:40 GMT

Why do they do it - people willing to crowd into small boats, put their lives at risk and pay thousands of pounds to cross the Channel? There's no sign threats of deportation to Rwanda will make any difference to their efforts to reach the UK. Phil and Roger have been speaking to someone who's researched the motivations of those making that risky crossing - Dr Jessica Hagen-Zanker, senior research fellow at the ODI, tells us what is driving the desperate efforts to get to the UK, and what effect government policies have on controlling all this, as outlined in her article https://theconversation.com/why-many-policies-to-lower-migration-actually-increase-it-227271

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danger Zone - The Middle East Crisis

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 07:00:05 GMT

On the edge of global conflict - the world held its breath as Israel and Iran attacked each other directly for the first time. But have we really stepped back from the brink? There’s no end in sight to the bloodshed in Gaza, and anger is building globally over the lack of progress in bringing in aid. Can a wider conflict be avoided, with the risks to oil prices and trade routes? Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, guides Phil and Roger around the flashpoints in the world’s most troubled region.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Growing Problem - Can We Keep Expanding The Economy?

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:44:24 GMT

Growth in our economy - that’s what politicians tell us we need. But do we? And what sort of growth? And won’t that just hurt the planet even further? Is expanding GDP the only way to keep us all happy and comfortable? Daniel Susskind, Professor of Economics at King’s College, London, gives Phil and Roger his view - that growth IS necessary, but the sort of growth that recognises more than just economic priorities

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it 1939 in Europe?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:09:03 GMT

A dictator set to succeed in grabbing another sovereign nation, and challenging, with tanks and missiles, the political landscape of Europe - is this, as the Polish prime minister says, our 1939? Should the West be ready for the collapse of an arms-starved Ukraine, and a victorious Vladimir Putin poised to challenge NATO right on its borders? If Donald Trump wins the US election this year, will reliance on Washington no longer be an option for halting Russia’s expansion? David Galbreath, Professor of War and Technology at the University of Bath gives Phil and Roger his analysis of the crisis ahead

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Is Populism So Popular?

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:00:24 GMT

Populist parties are gaining ground - Reform in Britain looks likely to be a major challenge for the Tories. And Donald Trump's MAGA movement looks set to propel him into the White House in November. Across Europe, too, and in Brazil, the Philippines and Turkey, we have seen the rise of groups appearing to take on the establishment on behalf of the people. So what IS populism? Why does it seem to have such a hold on our current politics? And what are the risks of government based on antagonism and fear? Andy Knott , a senior lecturer in politics and philosophy at the University of Brighton, tells Phil about the roots and consequences of populism.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Electric Cars In The Slow Lane?

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:00:54 GMT

What’s happened to electric cars? Weren’t we all supposed to be driving one by now? Is it the cost, the range or the lack of charging points? Is the government still on track to phase out new petrol cars, and reach net zero on emissions? Tom Stacey of Anglia Ruskin University steers Phil and Roger through the complexities of electrifying the driving experience for all of us.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prisons In Crisis

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 10:44:03 GMT

Our prisons are at breaking point - too many inmates and not enough cells. How did we get to the point of having more a higher proportion of the population behind bars than any other country in Western Europe? Why do politicians promise “tough on crime” sentences, without providing the means to deliver that? And does prison work, anyway? More than half of those who serve short sentences, go on to be convicted again. Mark Day, deputy director of the Prison Reform Trust takes Phil and Roger through the challenges of sorting out our out-of-control system of incarceration.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Councils of Despair

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:00:36 GMT

What happens when the bins aren't collected, the roads are full of holes and the libraries are shut - because the council's gone bankrupt? That's the dilemma facing local government. Europe's largest local authority, Birmingham, has just issued a notice saying it's effectively gone bust. Many others have done the same or are about to. So what has gone wrong with the system? Is the way we pay for local services in dire need of reform? Professor Peter Murphy, Director of the Public Policy and Management Research Group at Nottingham Trent University, tells Phil and Roger how bad things are and what needs to change

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Gaza Effect

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 07:33:03 GMT

Gaza casts a long shadow. In the midst of an economic crisis, in an election year, with transport, education and the NHS all limping along, what is the dominant subject, splitting parties and deciding by-elections? A war 2,000 miles away, over which the UK has next to no influence. Allegations of Islamophobia and anti-semitism are rife across the political spectrum. Even the normal processes of the Westminster parliament seem to be challenged by this issue. So why has the Gaza war assumed such a huge profile in UK politics? Robert Ford, Professor of Political Science at Manchester University, tells Phil and Roger how it has come to dominate our discourse.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK Budget - Fiscal Headroom Or Financial Headache?

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:26 GMT

It’s a question taxing Jeremy Hunt - cut back on what we all pay to the government, or use his small surplus to prop up schools, hospitals and other neglected public services? Is his budget intended to rescue the UK economy, or to try to lessen an imminent Tory election defeat? Frances Coppola, the economist and author of “The Case For People’s QE”, takes Phil and Roger through the chancellor’s choices and the likely consequences

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Generation Game - And Why Boomers Are Cheating

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:19:36 GMT

Why are the prospects for young people so much worse than for their parents’ generation? They can’t buy a house, their rents are extortionate, they have a massive student debt and there’s no job security, plus they’re inheriting a climate-damaged planet. Is it all down to the greed of the baby-boomers? Or are feckless, apathetic work-shy, oversensitive youngsters their own worst enemy? And what can be done to fix intergenerational inequality? Liz Emerson, CEO and co-founder of the Intergenerational Foundation, tells Phil and Roger what needs to happen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Matter of Life and Death. Who Decides?

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:00:40 GMT

Should we have the right to end our lives in the way we choose - with others allowed to help us? Euthanasia is back on the agenda after a number of celebrities pushing for a change in the law. But what about the risks - the sick and elderly feeling they are a burden to be dispensed with? The devaluing of life itself? Dr Sam Carr lecturer at the Department of Education and the Centre for Death and Society at Bath University talks to Phil and Roger about the issues surrounding assisted suicide

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the world ready for Trump 2.0?

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:59 GMT

Donald Trump could be back in the White House this time next year. Politicians from London to Berlin to Canberra are scratching their heads about how to deal with another season of Trump World - he’s promised to end the Ukraine war in one day, threatened to leave NATO, do deals with authoritarian leaders in Beijing and Moscow. Can the familiar western democratic way of doing things survive when the most important country is led by a man who doesn’t respect those values? Dr Andrew Gawthorpe, a historian of the US at Leiden University, tells Phil and Roger what sort of storm could come from a new Trump presidency.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rough Justice, No Justice

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:55 GMT

Many thousands of people are in prison for crimes they didn’t do, and their chances of getting their cases reopened are minimal at best. The Post Office scandal showed how hard it is to reverse a miscarriage of justice, even when the truth is obvious to all. The Criminal Cases Review Commission is slow and inefficient, as has been shown by recent headlines - cases decades old were finally resolved and innocent people were freed after years behind bars. So how can we make sure that the system works properly? How do we speed up the process so that people’s lives are not wasted as they are punished for something they didn’t do? Glyn Maddocks KC is a solicitor who has spent many years working to overturn miscarriages of justice. He tells Roger and Phil what needs to happen to ensure the innocent go free.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Broken Britain - Can it be Mended?

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:00:45 GMT

Unheated classrooms, cancelled trains, delayed operations, potholed roads - it’s hard to avoid the impression that the UK isn’t working properly, that our systems are failing, that something has gone badly wrong. Is this because we have failed to invest? Have we outsourced pubic services to companies that have no interest in maintenance? Or do we have to face up to not being able to afford the kind of country we expect to live in? George Monbiot, the writer and Guardian columnist, sets out for Roger and Phil the ways the UK could be mended, and what he thinks needs to happen to end broken Britain.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Red Sea Crisis - Choking The Global Economy

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:55 GMT

The UK and US launched air strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen after their missile-attacks on international shipping - could this all turn into a regional conflict? London and Washington tell Iran to stay out, but its backing for Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis suggests it’s already involved. So can this be stopped from exploding into something much bigger, with an even more devastating effect on global trade? Shahin Modarres of the International Team For the Study Of Security tells Phil and Roger about the risks for all of us from this regional crisis

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democracy in Crisis

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:00:52 GMT

It's the biggest year in the history of democracy - more than half of the people on earth have the chance to choose, through the ballot box, who governs them. So why is democracy - the system that gives the ultimate power to the people - in such deep trouble? Autocracies like China say their form of government works better. "Illiberal" democracies like Russia claim the countries where your vote actually counts, are weak and failing. And even beacons of democratic values like the US are caught up in threats of dictatorship and allegations of vote-rigging. Do those who say a system can't work if it's paralysed by instant popularity and short-term vote-winning, have a point? Is there something fundamentally wrong with western style of government? Natasha Lindstaet, Professor of Government at the University of Essex tells Phil and Roger why democracy is in trouble, and suggests some ways to fix it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rishi v Keir - What To Expect in 2024

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 08:00:55 GMT

It's going to be a momentous year in British politics, with a Tory administration staggering towards what almost everyone thinks will be an electoral wipeout, and a Labour leadership desperate to avoid any mistakes on their path back to power. In Scotland the SNP are looking at the damage from a year of savage headlines, and, among the smaller parties, the LibDems and Reform are seeing the polls moving in their favour. So what can we expect from 2024? Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London takes Phil and Roger through the likely scenarios.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Choice Cuts - the Best of The Why Curve so far

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 08:00:51 GMT

A look back at the highlights of 2023 on WhyCurve.com . Phil and Roger covered everything from tax-cuts to racism, from AI to Rwanda, with experts and researchers. So here's a New Year gift - their pick of the best and most insightful discussions of the past year or so.

Featuring:

Michele Groppi of the Defence Studies Department at King’s College, London on Israel and Gaza
Stefan Wolff, professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham on the endless war in Ukraine
Tim Gardiner, senior policy fellow at the Health Foundation on ways of funding the NHS
Joan Costa-i-Font, Professor of Health Economics at the London School of Economics on dealing with obesity
Dr Sam Power of the University of Sussex on the awarding of peerages
Robert Hazell, professor of government and the constitution at University College London on how we appoint Prime Ministers
David Mead, professor of human rights law at the University of East Anglia on protest laws
The FT's Martin Wolf on attracting foreign investment into the UK
Economist Francis Coppola on the benefits of government debt

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Present Tense - The Changing Ways We Give

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:50 GMT

The last-minute dash to the shops, the frantic hunt for something just right for your cousin…. The giving season can be tough, but has buying online changed the way we think about gifts? Is it now intangibles - experiences, subscriptions, game credits - that dominate our presents? Are we buying less of the overpriced tat that used to fill our stockings? Claire McCamley, senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Huddersfield, guides Phil and Roger through the changing world of giving

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rwandan safety? The uncomfortable truth.

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:39 GMT

Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill has passed its first hurdle - it says, as a matter of law, the East African state is “safe”. But is it? Is it a place we could confidently send those who have arrived on our shores seeking asylum, and be sure they would not be at risk? Or is it, in fact, a dictatorship with a history of persecuting and killing those who disagree with the president? Michela Wrong, a journalist who has spend decades reporting on Rwanda, and wrote the book Do Not Disturb - an account of the murder of a Rwandan opposition leader - give Phil and Roger a clear picture of just how safe Rwanda is.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can It Be Profitable To Save The Planet?

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 07:09:11 GMT

The COP28 was big on promises, but can they be taken seriously when the location the president and so many of the participants are signed up to big oil? Is the secret to getting serious on mitigating climate change, getting capitalism on board? So that making money from saving the planet can become a real option? Julian Caldecott, Director of Creatura, an environmental consultancy, guides Phil and Roger around the necessities and mechanisms of making capitalism a true friend of the earth.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Forgotten War - Whatever Happened To The Ukraine Conflict?

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 12:38:12 GMT

All eyes have been on Gaza since October, but what has been happening in the confrontation between Ukraine and Russia - the biggest European land war since 1945? Has the West lost hope of defeating Vladimir Putin here, and is President Zelenskyy being persuaded to turn a stalemate into some sort of truce? Ukrainian doctoral research scholar and security specialist Igor Shchebetun at Sumy State University, tells Phil and Roger his country is deliberately being starved of weapons to make such a settlement inevitable - containing Russian ambitions but not defeating them

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A tax cut that’s good for Britain or a last-ditch hope for the Tory party?

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:52:45 GMT

Jeremy Hunt delivered his Autumn statement this week, with 110 policy measures. The most significant of those was a 2% cut in National Insurance contributions. Roger and Phil ask Simon French, Chief Economist and Head of Research at UK investment bank, Panmure Gordon, whether the main aim of the cuts was to bolster the chances of a win for the Conservatives at the next election? On this week’s podcast Simon says that, political cynicism aside, there is a need to boost growth in the economy, and administering cuts in tax through National Insurance ensures that it is the working population that benefits. But will it make that much difference, when those same people face higher tax contributions through the freezing of the income tax thresholds? A wide-ranging discussion that includes the need for more comprehensive tax reform, plus a snapshot on the economic wellbeing of Phil’s barber.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The real bill for energy

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 08:00:38 GMT

Drill, baby, drill - but does it make sense to hand out, every year, new North Sea extraction licences for oil and gas as the UK government has promised? Aren’t we supposed to be ending our reliance on fossil fuels? Or is it essential for energy security to harvest what we have on our doorstep? And is the cost of a more rapid transition to renewable sources of energy too high for hard-pressed families struggling to pay their bills? Phil and Roger quiz Gavin Bridge, Professor of Economic Geography at the University of Durham, and Fellow of the Durham Energy Institute, on the costs and benefits of more North Sea extraction.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Animal Rights and Wrongs

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 08:00:45 GMT

Should animals have rights? Should dogs and cats be able to sue you for not feeding them on time? Should farm animals be able to get an injunction to stop us eating them? There’s a growing movement to recognise that many of our fellow creatures are sentient, feel pain and loss, and therefore, perhaps, should have legal rights. But how could this work? How would it change our lives? And where do we draw the line - fairness for fleas? Justice for microbes? Phil and Roger consult Dr Stephen Cooke, associate professor of Political Theory at the University of Leicester.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI - technology breakthrough, or the end of humanity?

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 08:00:14 GMT

Artificial intelligence is everywhere - and politicians and business leaders are rushing to get on top of what could be an advance bigger than the Industrial Revolution. But could it also be a risk to human life on the scale of an asteroid collision or nuclear war? Is there any practicable way to control something we barely understand? Or will caution stop us from reaping the huge benefits for universal prosperity? Tony Prescott, Professor of Cognitive Robotics at Sheffield University lays out to Phil and Roger both the risks and gains from AI.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is racism, and is it on the rise?

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 07:00:04 GMT

Accusations of attempted genocide from one side of the current Middle East crisis, and furious claims of anti-semitism from the other, show how deeply perceptions of racism still inform global conflicts. But what causes racism? What is the basis of the fear and anger it creates? Has it always been part of human society? How do we deal with it in a world where borders signify less and less, and communities increasingly come from many diverse backgrounds? Phil and Roger get guidance from Professor Alastair Bonnett of Newcastle University, author of “Multiracism: Rethinking Racism in Global Context”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Middle East on the Brink

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 09:46:29 GMT

It’s a dangerous moment in one of the world’s most volatile regions. How far will Israel go to avenge the brutal killings inflicted by Hamas? Will the slaughter of innocent Palestinian civilians change global sympathies? Will Israel get bogged down in a long bloody battle inside Gaza. And will Iran and Lebanon get dragged into a widening conflict that brings violence from angry Muslims onto the streets of Europe and the US? Michele Groppi of the Defence Studies Department at King’s College, London, tells Phil and Roger about what went wrong at the start of the latest violence, and what could happen next

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer - not enough glitter?

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:00:24 GMT

Labour has a real chance of forming the next government, but does it have the sense of mission, the “vision thing” to carry voters with it? Matthew Flinders, Professor of Politics at Sheffield University tells Phil and Roger that Keir Starmer is still on course to lose next year’s election, unless he and his party can uncork some of the spirit that brought Tony Blair into Number 10 in 1997

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blue Yonder

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 09:23:56 GMT

Where are the Conservatives going? Into opposition next year, almost certainly. But what sort of party will it be? Are the Tories becoming a far-right populist fringe, wedded to harsh rhetoric on immigration, culture, crime, gender and Europe? Or will a heavy defeat at the ballot box force the most successful political organisation in Europe to move back toward the centre to rebuild its attraction to voters? Phil and Roger get the views of Dr Christopher Kirkland, senior lecturer in politics at York St John University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who are you really? Online identity wars.

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 09:18:14 GMT

Should we be able to be anonymous online? If we all knew who we were, would the conversation be more civil? Would the bots and trolls be exposed for what they are? Or would it open vulnerable people to attack - dissidents pursued by hostile regimes? Would the free speech at the heart of the net disappear? Dr Catherine Flick, reader in Computing and Social Responsibility at De Montfort University tells Phil and Roger what works in trying to clean up the online world, and how hard it is to police especially with trans-national actors.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine War - How Will It End And When?

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:30:22 GMT

After eighteen months of fighting in Europe’s biggest conflict since 1945, is there any sign of an end? Tens of thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars spent, but the frontlines have barely moved. The weather will shortly bring land warfare to a halt - when it resumes in the spring, will Ukraine’s new western weaponry deal a knockout blow to Russian forces? Or will patience run out among Kyiv’s allies and force a deal with Vladimir Putin? Christoph Bluth , professor of International Relations and Security at Bradford University sets out the prospects for Phil and Roger and the likely timescale

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tough Medicine

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:30:11 GMT

Should the NHS be buying anti-obesity drugs? Should councils be subsidising fruit and vegetables? Or is it better to spend scarce resources on antibiotics and cancer medicines? How do we weigh up the best purchases to get the healthiest outcomes for all of us? With a health service in a deepening crisis of resources, Joan Costa-i-Font, Professor of Health Economics at the London School of Economics, lays out to Phil and Roger what we can afford to do, and what we can’t afford NOT to do, to keep Britain healthy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Museums - stuck in the past?

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:00:22 GMT

Are museums showing their age? Displays of dusty objects, looted or stolen during the imperial past, now, it seems not even safe in their cases. Is it time to reconsider what our museums should hold? And how we represent our past - and the past of other cultures? Dan Hicks, Professor of Contemporary Archaeology at Oxford University and Curator of World Archaeology at the Pitt Rivers tells Phil and Roger that we don’t even know much of what our museums hold, and we need to rethink what we are doing with the collections.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US Election 2024 - The Trump Card?

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:14:55 GMT

The 45th president of the United States will go on trial next March just as the campaign hots up to install the next chief executive of the world’s most powerful democracy. It will be the most turbulent election year since the civil war, with the prospect that Donald Trump could be competing from inside a prison cell. Joe Biden will be the oldest person ever to serve in the White House if he succeeds. And if he does, few think Trump supporters will accept the result. So what will happen? Thomas, Gift, associate professor in political science at University College London and founding director of the Centre on US Politics, guides Phil and Roger through the likely outcomes

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ghost Workers

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 07:30:05 GMT

Where have they all gone? The UK’s economically active workforce has shrunk. More of us are staying at home - some from ill-health, some retired early, some have given up looking for employment. At the same time, businesses are complaining they can’t fill posts, and unemployment is at a record low. So wages have to rise to attract the few who might actually apply. What’s happening to the workers? Naomi Clayton, deputy director of research and development at the Learning and Work Institute explains to Roger and Phil how we got here, and what needs to be done to get Britain back to work.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China Crisis

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:00:06 GMT

China is dealing with deflation and stagnation - the world’s second biggest economy has failed to bounce back out of Covid, and that will affect us all. So why is this happening, just as most other major economies are beginning to emerge from post-Covid inflation? Is it the iron control of the Communist Party on a capitalist system? Is it Chinese consumers failing to consume? And what happens when the state fails to deliver on the social contract with its people - that prosperity is the reward for staying out of politics? Kent Matthews, Professor of Banking and Finance at Cardiff Business School tells Phil and Roger what to expect as Beijing tries to get to grips with the problem.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blue Funk

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 07:00:46 GMT

Are there any Conservative MPs confident of keeping their seats in next year’s election? The awful poll numbers keep rolling in, along with gloomy economic headlines and a sense of a government in office, but not in power. Can the Tories pull out of their nosedive? Or is Europe’s most successful vote-winning political force doomed to a defeat as spectacular as the one they handed Labour back in 2019? Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London, outlines the Tories’ challenges to Phil and Roger, and how all this will shape the next decade of UK politics.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not Personal, Just Business

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 07:00:38 GMT

Should a business be able to choose its customers? If a bank doesn’t support your politics, should they be able to de-bank you? Nigel Farage’s closed account has seen the resignations of the heads of NatWest and Coutts, but will it also see a change in the rules to prevent discrimination on grounds of political opinion? Dr Aine Clancy of Liverpool University tells Phil and Roger what the law says, and how far any company can or should refuse to do business with those it doesn’t like.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World on fire

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 09:38:05 GMT

Holiday islands burning, global temperature records smashed - are we fast reaching a point-of-no-return in the consequences of climate change? Is it still realistic to try to keep the world’s temperature increase to 1.5C? Or, as public opinion in some places shifts against curbing emissions from old cars, is the political will fading to make hard choices? Tim Lenton, founder of the Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter, tells Phil and Roger what’s still possible to curb the effects of global warming.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Must Try Harder - Why Britain’s Economy Is Bottom Of The Class

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 07:00:52 GMT

Why is the UK trailing the rest of the developed economies when it comes to growth and the post-Covid recovery? Why is our inflation higher, our investment lower, and our prospects gloomier? Is it poor leadership, or just the nature of an economy too slow to adapt to the modern world? Or is it just Brexit? Simon French, managing editor, chief economist and head of research at Panmure Gordon, tells Phil and Roger where it has gone wrong for UK PLC, and what needs to happen to reverse that.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh, those Russians

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:11 GMT

The coup that wasn't. The mutiny that failed. What happened when the leader of the Wagner mercenary group attempted to march on Moscow? And what happens now? Is Vladimir Putin fatally weakened? Is the Ukraine war closer to its end? Vera Tolz-Zilintekevic, Professor of Russian Studies at Manchester University, takes Phil and Roger through some pretty alarming scenarios for the year ahead.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hard Tax

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 07:00:10 GMT

Is our revenue system too taxing? Are the thousands of pages of rules and regulations just an invitation to fraud and expensive accountants - with low earners left to fall into the traps set by HMRC? Or do we need to be able to take into account all the subtle nuances of modern life with allowances and exemptions to ensure a fair and equitable system? Judith Freedman is the Pinsent Mason Professor of Taxation Law and Policy at Oxford University, and she tells Phil and Roger of the simplifications that could and should be done.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gong Wrong

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 07:00:41 GMT

Is there any honour in the honours system? Boris Johnson's resignation list has again shone an embarrassing light into how and who we reward for public service. Should relatives of the prime minister and useful political allies become sirs or dames? And worse - should they get seats in the House of Lords, giving them real legislative power? When they're people whose sole claim is that they put money into the coffers of political parties, doesn't that have the whiff of bribery and corruption? Or is this all a necessary nod to vanity and snobbery, that keeps the wheels of our system working, as it has done for centuries? Imperfect certainly, but functioning? Dr Sam Power of the University of Sussex tells Phil and Roger what's gone wrong with the gongs, and what can and should be fixed.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Are We Lagging On Broadband?

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:10:37 GMT

Fast internet access is the key to progress, so why has the UK still got that annoying blue circle? Why have up to a million Britons logged off from their broadband over the pass year? Is there a migration to 4G on your mobile? Or is the whole system lagging badly, with outdated systems and cables? Roger and Phil are joined by Professor Peter Cochran, a technologist and futurist and formerly BT’s chief technology officer, to ry to solve the conundrum of keeping Britain reliably online

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mind Field

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 10:16:24 GMT

As more and more people are diagnosed with conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or Asperger’s, are we seeing an epidemic of mental ill-health? Is modern life toxic for our minds? Or are we just recognising conditions that were always there? And is it good to put medical labels on what are just aspects of being human - eccentricity or sadness? Jane Caro of the Mental Health Foundation tells Phil and Roger how greater understanding and recognition of what people are feeling can improve happiness in society.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Open for Business?

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 09:21:13 GMT

Despite doom-laden predictions that the UK will be a foreign-investment vacuum post- Brexit, money is still flowing into the country. The question is, is it doing any good? The last quarter saw a rise in investment in the UK’s finance sector, which might create more jobs in the city but is it going much for the real economy, or the lives of people outside London? This week Phil and Roger talk to Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the FT and ask what does Britain need to do to attract the sort of money that will help the economy grow.

Brought to you by Wigmore Associates Wealth Management

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No, Minister

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 07:00:05 GMT

Liars, cheats and charlatans - we don’t have a generally rosy view of our politicians. So how much should we expect from the people we choose to govern us? Should government ministers have to come up to higher standards than we expect of ourselves? Is the Ministerial Code of Conduct - drawn up and run by the prime minister - the best way to make sure of ethics and honesty at the heart of government? Dr Catherine Haddon of the Institute for Government leads Phil and Roger through the minefield of regulating the behaviour of those we elect.

This episode is supported by Wigmore Associates, who provide portfolio management services on both a discretionary and advisory basis, together with pension, tax planning and inheritance tax advice to Individuals, Trusts, Pension Schemes, Family Offices, and Charities.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Homes Under The Hammer

Thu, 25 May 2023 07:00:42 GMT

Somewhere to call home - do you rent, own, or live with your parents? The choices are diminishing for the under 30s, and older people who own their houses are suddenly facing a massive uptick in mortgage rates. The UK has a housing crisis and it’s going to test whether a property-owning democracy is still the best model to follow. Is it a question of using tax and regulation to push house-builders and to straighten out the rental sector? Or something more fundamental? Mark Stephens, Professor of Land, Property and Urban Studies at Glasgow University, tells Phil and Roger this is a real crisis and needs real and urgent solutions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Protesting Too Much? The Rights and Wrongs of Public Dissent

Thu, 18 May 2023 06:30:25 GMT

Do we have the right to protest? What are we allowed to do, to show we don’t approve? And is it right to disrupt other people’s lives and businesses to make our point? The arrests during the coronation showed the new powers police have to deal with demonstrators, but are they too draconian, or just a reasonable response to the new disruptive ways protesters have found to draw our attention to their cause? David Mead, professor of human rights law at the University of East Anglia tells Phil and Roger what they now can and can’t do to make their point.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe in Harmony Or Out Of Tune?

Thu, 11 May 2023 07:00:26 GMT

Singalonga Europe - a festival of colour and music that unites a continent and spreads colour and joy to a dull and damp May? Or an orgy of naff tunes, high camp and absurd self-regard that shows up all the bitterest national rivalries Europe has nurtured? Does it even matter? It does, says Dr Dean Vuletic, author of “Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest,” and he tells Phil and Roger it provides an invaluable insight into modern Europe’s cultural and political history.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thrown By The Throne

Thu, 04 May 2023 07:00:22 GMT

What are the prospects for the man about to be crowned? As Charles formally receives the insignia of the monarch and the blessing of the church, how long can a thousand year-old principle of hereditary succession be sustained? Is Britain still not ready to elect the man or woman who is head of state? Or is continuity itself a measure of national maturity? And would we really prefer to have a ceremonial president who would likely be - on present form - a footballer or a reality TV star? Alice Hunt, associate professor of history at Southampton University, gives Phil and Roger guidance from the the time England did become a republic in 1649, and some thoughts about our monarchical future.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Passing Water

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 07:00:34 GMT

What’s the problem with our water? Untreated sewage is pouring into our rivers and onto our beaches. Despite the wettest March for 40 years, a hosepipe ban has been imposed in Devon. Something is going badly wrong with the companies that run our privatised water system. Is it just a lack of investment? Dr Kevin Grecksch lectures in Water Science Policy and Management at Oxford University - he gives Phil and Roger the details on what has gone wrong and what needs to change.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

False Coin

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 06:47:25 GMT

Bitcoin, dogecoin, etherium - cryptocurrencies are part of our world, and they seem to be a store of value, but are they actually WORTH anything? The price fluctuates wildly and there are plenty of stories of theft, fraud and criminality in crypto exchanges. They coins are largely unregulated and have no backing from states or central banks, so is their notional value a kind of mirage? Is it all a scam? Professor Brian Lucey of University College Dublin sets out the basis of blockchain and the cryptos based on it, and the likely future of this monetary innovation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Small Boats - Big Boasts

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 07:50:55 GMT

How should Britain deal with migrants crossing the Channel in small boats? The government’s ideas include expulsion to Rwanda, and housing asylum seekers in barges moored off the Dorset coast. They have been accused both of failing to live up to promises to cut the numbers arriving on our shores, and also being cruel and vindictive towards those who are seeking safety or a better life. So is there a policy that is humane, effective, practicable and, at the same time, legal? Phil and Roger ask Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Northern Ireland - New Troubles Brewing?

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 07:00:44 GMT

It's a quarter of a century since the Good Friday Accord was signed, but is Northern Ireland now at its most perilous moment since then? With the main unionist party refusing to go back to Stormont, there seems little chance of devolved government resuming, and tensions are building in a way that hasn't been seen in 25 years - the threat level level has been raised to "severe" and a senior policeman is still in hospital six weeks after being shot by dissident republicans. The post-Brexit border issue seems impossible to resolve without either a hard border between Belfast and Dublin, or the Windsor Framework arrangements that, in unionist eyes, damage the bond that keeps the province inside the UK. Dr Peter John McLoughlin, senior lecturer in politics and international relations at Queen's University, Belfast, takes Phil and Roger through the risks to peace and the prospects for Northern Ireland's future.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Metaverse. Reality or Virtual Hype?

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:22:53 GMT

What is the Metaverse? Why are tech firms and big finance houses buying into it with billions of dollars? Will we all have to learn to live and play and bank in virtual worlds? Or is it all hype? And with the current concern about artificial intelligence, is it all just too dangerous? Phil and Roger try to get the answers to all this from Steve Benford - he’s the Dunford Professor of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham and cofounder of the Mixed Reality Laboratory.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Grey Suits Running the Global Economy

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 08:00:19 GMT

How much interest you pay on your home loan is determined largely by the unelected representatives in the world’s central banks. This week the Bank of England took its turn in announcing rate hikes in their bid to keep prices under control. They also have a mandate to ensure stability in the banking sector. The way things are right now, you might question whether they’re up to either task. Phil and Roger ask Dr Supriya Kapoor (Assistant Professor in Finance at the Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin) whether central banks are pursuing the right approach, whether we have the right people in these jobs, and whether it makes sense to keep the functions of monetary policy (by the banks) and fiscal policy (by the government) separate, particularly at times like these.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Great Divide

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:00:54 GMT

The chancellor has told us how he’s going to slice the national cake this year, but there are those who say he has done nothing to push back against the growing gap in British society - that those who have are getting more, and those who don’t are getting less. The wealth gap, one of the worst in Europe, has increased over the last 20 years, and many see the consequent divide in attitude, social values and politics, with a surge in extremist views, growing as well. Are we, then, increasingly, TWO nations? Despite that, Pat Thane, Professor of Contemporary History at King’s College London, and author of the book Divided Kingdom: A History of Britain from 1900 to the Present, tells Phil and Roger we may actually be moving closer now to a post-Brexit consensus on major national questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Work in Progress

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:56:45 GMT

In the 1930’s John Maynard Keynes predicted that, with automation and new ways of working, we’d all be working a 15 hour week. Many of us grew up being told that there would be more time for leisure. Yet, here we are, working as hard as ever. Except those who saw the pandemic as an opportunity to leave the workforce altogether. For many, we might be working harder, but spending more time working from home, without the drudgery of the daily commute. So, are we finding a new, more balanced way of working? How are companies adapting to this shift in behaviour? And are some of the fundamental issues of work, like bad management, ever going to shift. Phil and Roger have a barrage of questions for Clare Kelliher, Professor of Work and Organisation at Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University, and author of several books on the subject, including ‘New Ways of Organising Work’ and ‘Flexible Working In Organisations’

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hong Kong - Is the Shine Coming Off The Pearl Of The Orient?

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 08:00:55 GMT

Hong Kong is re-emerging from almost two years of COVID isolation, but can it resume its place an Asia’s leading financial hub? Or has Beijing’s imposition of strict security laws made it little different from China’s other economic dynamos like Shanghai or Shenzhen? It’s taken a massive hit over the last year- GDP down by 3.5% - and suffered a brain-drain as some of its brightest and best have left for freer environments in the UK or Taiwan. Dr Yan-ho Lai of the Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London and a co-conveyor of the Hong Kong Studies Association gives Phil and Roger his view of the prospects of his home city 25 years after it was handed back to China.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shaken. Can science predict the next big earthquake?

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 08:00:09 GMT

The earthquakes that rocked southern Turkey and northern Syria seemed to come from nowhere - an instant of catastrophic destruction that killed around 50,000 people, demolished hundreds of thousands of homes and left a legacy of loss and poverty that will last for generations.

But could it have been avoided? Could we, at least, have known it was coming and been prepared? Or do we just have to shrug and accept the risks of living in quake-prone areas?

Mark Allen, Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Durham, talks to Phil and Roger about the challenges of earthquake forecasting and prediction, and the chances of science ever being able to provide accurate warnings in good time of what our planet may be about to do to us.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Going Wild

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 08:00:33 GMT

Is it a good idea for big areas of Britain to be returned to nature? The idea of re-wilding is spreading fast - that allowing some land to go back to its wild state is good for the environment, and works economically, too, in a country that has lost so much of its biodiversity and woodland. The case seems to be gaining support in government. But what about the need for food-production and housing? And do we really want to return to some kind of primeval Britain with wolves and lynxes roaming huge forests? Alastair Driver is director of ReWilding Britain, former Head of Conservation for the Environment Agency - he leads Phil and Roger through the case for letting and helping nature rebuild our countryside.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whatever happened to COVID?

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 08:00:44 GMT

Is it over?

It’s just three years since the global pandemic began to take hold, and now we’re back to a sort-of normal - few wear masks any more, and most have had vaccines and boosters. But people are still being infected and some are dying, while a few have long-term conditions that mean they have to keep isolated. And then there is long COVID, affecting millions with life-changing debilitation. So what’s the current status of this disease, and is it with us forever? Professor Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia, one of the leading medical voices during the height of the pandemic, tells Phil and Roger where we now are with COVID-19

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine - the Endless War?

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 08:30:02 GMT

Spring is coming to Ukraine along with the prospect of new offensives in the war that began almost a year ago. Kyiv is getting new weapons from the West, and Russia has hundreds of thousands of freshly-trained mobilised reservists as well as a new commander. But will the stalemate end? Will Ukraine be able to push Russia back nearer to its borders, or will Russia regain the initiative and march on Kyiv once more? Will Ukraine’s long night of horror and death come to an end anytime soon? Not very likely, Stefan Wolff, professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham, tells Phil and Roger - this, he says, is a war without an obvious conclusion.

The Why Curve is brought to you with the help of Wigmore Associates Wealth Management, providing portfolio management services on both a discretionary and advisory basis, together with pension, tax planning and inheritance tax advice to Individuals, Trusts, Pension Schemes, Family Offices, and Charities. Visit https://www.wigmore-associates.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should the government spend its way out of the doldrums?

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 07:53:29 GMT

This week we learnt that the government racked up its highest December budget deficit on record. In fact, there have only been a few months which were higher, and all during the throws of the COVID pandemic. So, does the government need to cut back on spending and give the country another dose of austerity? Or can it keep spending. Modern Monetary Theorists say a government with its own sovereign currency can keep spending so long as there are resources that can be put to productive use. Are they right? Frances Coppola is a financial writer, who knows from the inside the workings of banks and governments. She says she is a 90% advocate of MMT. So, is it the right answer for Britain right now?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up the workers!

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 10:15:07 GMT

Picket lines, placards and disruption - strikes have returned to British life and almost-forgotten trade unions are back in the headlines in a way they haven’t been since the 1970s. Membership is up - though still nothing like the levels when union leaders were regular visitors for beer and sandwiches in Number 10. But is the cost of living crisis empowering the unions again, to fight for those, especially in the public sector, who can barely afford the basics? Gregor Gall, Professor of Industrial Relations at Glasgow University and editor of the Scottish Left Review, tells Phil and Roger why organised labour is back on the scene of UK politics

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservative Blues

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 09:27:18 GMT

Is the party over? After 13 years in power, are the Conservatives looking at more than just electoral failure sometime between now and 2025? Has something fundamental shifted in UK politics post-Brexit and post-COVID? Are the Tories looking at an existential crisis as their support base shrinks or dies off? Paul Whiteley, Emeritus Professor at Essex University’s Department of Government has been crunching 70 years of polling data and he shares it with Phil and Roger. It won’t be happy listening for Number 10

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cyber War - Lost In Action?

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 07:30:58 GMT

Whatever happened to cyber-wars? Wasn’t the future of fighting supposed to be keyboard warriors and hacks of government systems? Yet, in Europe’s first major war since 1945, we’re back to trenches and tanks, missiles and mines. So was all the talk of online offensives overblown? Is it still hardware and flying metal that rules the battlefield? Ciaran Martin was the first CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, now professor at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of government - he guides Phil and Roger through what computers can and can’t yet do in modern warfare.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Crystal Ball

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 07:30:05 GMT

In a special New Year episode, Phil and Roger quiz Martin Raymond, co-founder of The Future Laboratory, about what 2023 holds for the UK and the world. The most likely tech developments, the next health emergency, what businesses will succeed or fail .....and will it, at least, be an improvement on 2022? The hopes and the fears, the risks and the rewards of the next 12 months, all laid out for your pleasure.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Faithless

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 07:30:50 GMT

So this is Christmas, and what have we done…… with the faith that is supposed to be the reason for all the presents and crackers and turkey? Fewer than half of us actually believe in Jesus and would call ourselves Christian. More than a third don’t adhere to any religion at all. So is the UK now “post-Christian”? And how should we adapt in a country that still, nominally, has a state church? Phil and Roger explore the issues with Abby Day, Professor of Race, Faith and Culture at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fixing the productivity gap

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 07:30:41 GMT

The UK has a productivity problem. When it comes to how much output we each produce the UK is well behind our northern European counterparts, and its going from bad to worse. COVIDA hasn’t helped. According to the Office of National Statistics, public service productivity is 6.5% below the pre-coronavirus pandemic level.

Professor Philip McCann, Chair of Urban and Regional Economics at Alliance Manchester Business School at The University of Manchester, reckons productivity is a huge problem for the UK. On this week’s podcast he highlights why the UK is so different. And it’s not, as Liz Truss famously suggested, that British workers are amongst the “worst idlers in the world”. Prof McCann suggests its more to do with how we have structured our public administration.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Say what?

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 07:30:30 GMT

Freedom of expression is supposed to be one of the most fundamental human rights, but don’t there have to be SOME limits? Especially on social media where unmediated, violent, threatening words or damaging lies can and do create real-world harm? Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has thrust all this into a big debate about what is censorship and who should be the censor. Rita Mota, Professor of Society, Politics and Sustainability at ESADE University Barcelona, tells Phil and Roger why she has co-authored an article claiming free-speech absolutism threatens human rights.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scots on the Rocks

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 07:30:38 GMT

Unwilling colony or vital part of the union? Scotland now knows it can't hold a new referendum unless the UK government says it can - the path to independence is blocked for the foreseeable future. So what happens next?

Will the SNP be able to press for a new vote by getting majority backing at the next election? Will the verdict of London judges provoke greater support for breaking away? Could a new Labour administration in Westminster be forced to cut a deal with the SNP? Or is the whole issue of independence now buried for a generation? Michael Keating, professor of Scottish Politics at the University of Aberdeen guides Phil and Roger through the likely outcomes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good COP, bad COP?

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 07:21:42 GMT

World leaders, journalists, climate campaigners – they all jetted in to the air conditioned hotels of Sharm El-Skeikh earlier this month for COP27, but was anything actually achieved. After 27 of these meetings to tackle climate change has anything actually been achieved? Are we all fiddling whilst the planet burns? Will politics and business interests determine our destiny rather than science, just as they did in the movie Don’t Look Up?

This week Phil and Roger talk to journalist Lucy Siegle, who writes and broadcasts regularly on environmental issues. Lucy is just back from COP27 and gives her thoughts on what’s been achieved this time around.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Goodbye To The Good Friday Accord?

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 07:30:32 GMT

Northern Ireland is facing its biggest crisis since the Good Friday Accord ended the Troubles almost 25 years ago. The protocol that came out of Brexit puts the province outside the the EU but inside the customs union, so there has to be a border somewhere. But relations between nationalists and unionists have broken down over an arrangement that puts that customs border between the province and mainland Britain, and that means the Stormont government doesn’t function. So with more elections unlikely to break the deadlock, Katy Hayward, professor of political sociology at Queen’s University Belfast, tells Phil and Roger about the risks to peace between the communities and what happens next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Degree of Doubt

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 07:30:00 GMT

How valuable is higher education? If your degree isn’t one that’s going to help you get a good job, is it worth the huge debts you’ll be saddled with when you leave? The government wants to phase out degrees that don’t improve students’ “earning potential” - so goodbye gender studies or surf science? And what about art and literature, history and pure sciences? Chris Millward, professor of practice in education policy at Birmingham University walks Phil and Roger through what’s valuable and what isn’t in higher education.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ready for Sunak’s Bitter Pill?

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 07:30:44 GMT

In a couple of weeks Jeremy Hunt, this month’s Chancellor, will present his Autumn Budget, heavily overseen by Rishi Sunak, our latest Prime Minister. So what can we expect? The noises from Downing Street are suggesting we have to prepare for some bad news, with difficult choices supposedly being made about how to get the budget back on track. Does that mean more austerity? Higher Taxes? Or both? And who will feel the hurt the most.

Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, suggests there’s a danger that the government will go too far, whilst hurting those who feel cuts the most. For example, increasing welfare payments in line with growth in wages rather than prices will save £13 billion per year, but who is paying the price for that? Certainly not those who got rich from asset investments when interest rates were low.

So just how does the government perform the magic balancing act of reducing debt, compensating for inflation and supporting energy costs, without slowing the economy to a trickle? Join Vicky with Roger and Phil, discussing what should be in the Hunt-Sunak budget.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breaking China

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 06:30:39 GMT

A display of raw power at the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, as Xi Jinping has his predecessor dragged off the podium. So how much should we in the West be afraid of the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao? From the clothes we wear to the phones in our pockets, to the videos we post on TikTok, China is part of how we live our lives, so should we be concerned at the push for global dominance of the 21st century's new superpower? There's a move in Washington, London and Brussels to disengage, but is that even possible now, or are we already in too deep? George Magnus, research associate at Oxford University's China Centre, and at SOAS walks Phil and Roger through the risks and possibilities.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apocalypse Soon?

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 06:30:49 GMT

Are we facing nuclear war? It seems extraordinary but many analysts and advisers in western capitals believe there’s a good chance Vladimir Putin could use a nuclear weapon to save his regime from defeat in Ukraine. 32 years after the Cold War ended we are back to contemplating nuclear war, and wondering how to avoid it, without rewarding Russian aggression or giving in to blackmail. This week Phil and Roger walk through the scenarios with Jeremy Shapiro, formerly of the US State Department, now director of research at the European Council on Foreign Relations - and consider the chances of avoiding Armageddon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Police Emergency

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 06:30:20 GMT

The thin blue line is getting thinner and less effective. When chief constables have to assure the public they WILL turn up for reported burglaries, something has gone badly wrong. Are the police in tune with the society they protect? Did something change when they were given huge new powers during COVID? Are they racist? Are they misogynist? Are they too busy taking the knee or monitoring online offensiveness to actually police real crime? Phil and Roger hear from Dr Rick Muir, director of the Police Foundation that what’s needed is more resources and a recognition that officers can only be a sticking-plaster on society’s deeper problems

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the prescription for the NHS?

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 20:22:43 GMT

We’re a sick nation - and the prognosis for the NHS is not good. It’s showing all of its 75 years, as patients wait in ambulances outside A&E or struggle to speak to - much less see - their own GP. So what’s the remedy? Just more - more money, doctors, nurses, hospitals? Or better systems of provision? And how should we pay for it - could some of us pay when we see our doctor? Tim Gardner, senior policy fellow at the Health Foundation, tells Phil and Roger there need to be tough decisions about how much we value and are willing to pay for our health.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiscal event or economic suicide?

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 22:07:36 GMT

Last week Kwasi Kwarteng delivered his ‘fiscal event’, unsupported by any analysis from the Office for Budget Responsibility. He said we wouldn’t apologise for focusing on economic growth. He’s also refused to apologise for the market response, which has seen the pound sink to a record low and the Bank of England forced to step in and buy-up bonds to stop the collapse of many pension funds, suffering from rapidly rising longer-end gilt yields.

Even if the approach was to work, is there any sense going for growth at a time when the central bank is trying to slow the economy down to subdue the rate of inflation? It’s a question Phil and Roger put to the FT’s Chief Economics Correspondent Martin Wolf.

As you’ll hear in this week’s Why Curve, it’s clear he has a great many concerns about Kwarteng’s approach to managing the economy, not least his disregard to public debt. Growth, he says, won’t be resolved by cutting taxes. And investors focus on economies that are stable; we haven’t seen any of that the last few days.

Burt what of those who say markets and commentators have over-reacted to Kwarteng’s budget. The Telegraph’s Ambrose Evans-Pritchard says all this conjecture is the “pathological catastrophism of the pro-Brussels commentariat.” Could he be talking about Martin?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hard Labour

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 08:39:40 GMT

A weak Tory prime minister, a dire economic crisis, a government seemingly set on making the rich richer while an election looms - an open goal for Labour surely? What could possibly go wrong? But the mood among the party faithful as they meet in conference in Liverpool is anything but confident. Corbynism may be buried, but Keir Starmer lacks charisma, his team are not exactly household names, and can YOU name a single Labour policy? Phil and Roger talk to David Kogan, Labour historian and adviser, about whether, after 12 years in opposition, the party can revive and be fit enough to aim once again for government.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Cold War 2

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 06:00:40 GMT

The Cold War was supposed to be over twenty years ago, but are China and Russia now a new bloc of autocracy, posed against western democracies in competition for global dominance? And do they have a point - are states where electors don’t have to be appeased every four or five years, better able to plan and make difficult decisions? Do Brexit and the presidency of Donald Trump show up the weak points of liberal democracy? On this week’s episode Phil and Roger raise all this with Dr Natasha Kuhrt, senior lecturer in international peace and security at King’s College London, and ask if the current Cold War with Beijing and Moscow could eventually turn hot.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Well I didn't vote for her!"

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 06:30:42 GMT

Is our democracy broken? We have a new prime minister - but who elected her? When a few Conservative party members have the choice of who holds the top job in the country, has something gone wrong with the system? When the last holder of that job (also chosen by the Tory membership) leaves with the appointment of his choice of his friends and supporters to the House of Lords, does it smell a bit of cronyism? This week Phil and Roger ask Robert Hazell, professor of government and the constitution at University College London, if the whole system needs an overhaul, and whether it's time for the ancient network of practices and understandings to be formalised into a written constitution. Is it time to take back control.....of our democracy?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Last Days Of The BBC?

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 06:30:59 GMT

Is the national broadcaster moving towards some kind of closedown? With the likely next prime minister challenging the BBC’s accuracy, and one of its most prominent former presenters questioning its impartiality, while the frozen licence fee and inflation mean it can do less and less, is there a better model of public service broadcasting? A century after its foundation, should the corporation cede the field to the newcomers - Netflix and Disney? Patrick Barwise, emeritus professor of management and marketing at London Business School and co-author of The War Against The BBC tells Phil and Roger why, despite its problems, the BBC remains a vital part of our national life and needs all of our support.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Net Zero Chance?

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 05:45:45 GMT

The world knows we’ve got to break our addiction to fossil fuels, and we need to move to a future where we no long pollute our atmosphere. But how quickly can we reach this utopian future? How far are current worries about being able to afford to heat our homes going to delay Net Zero? Can we still enjoy the benefits of a growing economy without destroying the planet? Can we reach it quickly enough? Will we ever reach it? Phil Dobbie and Roger Hearing put all that to Professor Richard Black from the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit, and find a strange optimism - he says renewable energy is paving the way, not just because of our concern for the environment, but also because it’s the most cost effective solution

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sleepwalking into a crisis

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:16:21 GMT

UK inflation is now in double digits. We got there faster than expected and the Bank of England is likely to keep raising interest rates because they believe that’s the only way to contain prices. Not long ago the same bankers were arguing that there was no need for a change in their monetary policy because the problem was a transitory lack of supply. That’s still the case, of course, so why do they think hiking rates will make much difference now? This week Phil and Roger talk through the build-up to Britain’s cost of living crisis, and ask why is so much reliance being placed on the Bank of England to fix the problem.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Levelling-Up Or Levelling Over?

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 06:30:41 GMT

As prices rise everywhere, and poverty looms for many, whatever happened to the levelling-up that was supposed to equalise the more-deprived parts of Britain with the wealthy southeast? Almost 3 years after Boris Johnson won a stonking majority, winning-over former Labour seats in the “Red Wall”, have those areas seen any improvement in health, transport, skills-training and opportunities? There IS a plan - a white paper launched in February - but, with one of the candidates to be the next prime minister openly talking of channelling funds back to the southeast, is there any chance the plan will be more than just hot air? Paul Swinney, director of policy and research at Centre For Cities, guides Phil and Roger around what could be done to level up Britain and the prospects of it actually happening.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin's Foot on the Gas

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 06:30:38 GMT

Winter is coming, and Europe is looking at a chilly one. Germans are told – take a cold shower or turn down the thermostat and use 15% less gas. And the European Commission is looking at EU-wide measures to deal with what could be a major crisis. It’s all because Russia is tightening the valves on the gas pipeline into the EU. Moscow says it’s technical problems but few doubt it’s pushback for the sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine invasion. Germany is especially reliant on Russian gas, but much of Europe is scurrying around to find alternative energy sources before winter arrives. How long will public sympathy for Ukraine last when the heating goes off? Will EU leaders face pressure from frozen pensioners to, maybe, compromise a little with Putin? Phil and Roger read the meters with Daniel Gros, Director of the Centre for European Policy Studies - and find out why he thinks Europe WILL get by without freezing

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fears of Flying

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 06:30:27 GMT

When did flying become such a grim experience? Endless queues. Cancelled flights. Airport chaos. And stacked like sardines when you do eventually get aboard. With Heathrow capping the number of daily passengers and tickets shooting up in price, plus the harm to the environment, is it time to disembark from flying? At the same time, with huge waits at Dover and Folkestone to get across the Channel by train or boat, do holidaymakers really have a choice? Phil and Roger put all this to independent aviation analyst Alex Macharos, who has the latest industry assessments of the future of flying and whether the changes they’re making post-Covid will keep our holiday plans in the air and give airlines and airports a safe landing.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taxing times for Tory leadership

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 06:30:23 GMT

The Tory party leadership challenge is down to two players – Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. Sunak wants to keep taxes where they are, preaching fiscal conservatism, and fearing releasing more money into people’s pockets will only add to inflation, which is already at 9.4 percent. Truss wants to help people navigate the cost-of-living crisis, by reversing the recent hikes in national insurance. So which approach is right in the current economic climate? It’s a question Phil and Roger put to Simon French, Chief Economist at Panmure Gordon & Co. He’s no stranger to the workings of government, after a dozen years at the Department of Work and Pensions and The Cabinet Office. Is he prepared to tell us who he’d like to see inside Number 10?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lies, Damn Lies and Politicians

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:30:26 GMT

Who are the least trusted people in society? Journalists? Car-sellers? Bankers?

Nope. Politicians are top of the list. And you only have to look at the headlines to see why: Partygate here, Donald Trump’s false election fraud claims in the US, the claims of WMD before the Iraq war in 2003, and of course the original “gate” – Watergate. But surely politicians have ALWAYS lied? Isn’t it just what happens when you have to persuade people to vote for you? Or have Trump and Johnson taken us into a new era of almost instinctive dishonesty? Is there grave danger in assuming our leaders are lying to us? Does it undermine democracy? Phil and Roger hear from barrister Julian Burnside how a big lie about migrants won an Australian election in 2002, from former US Congressman John Leboutillier on how dishonesty has poisoned political discourse in America, and from Professor Alan Renwick of UCL’s Constitution Unit on the risks to the UK’s democracy from the death of trust

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He/She or Them? The Gen on Gender

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 07:00:41 GMT

The most toxic issue of our times – why have trans rights become such a bitter question in politics, sport, and even bathrooms? Some feminists say allowing those born biologically male to identify and be treated as female risks rolling back hard-won rights for women. Trans activists say it is a matter of human rights, and another aspect of the battle for recognition and acceptance already largely won by gay men, bisexuals, and lesbians. It’s a debate that has descended into name-calling, cancelling and threats of violence, but Phil and Roger nevertheless attempt to see if there’s a way, at least, to define the terms - what exactly do we mean by “sex” and “gender”? – and explore why there is so much anger on both sides. We get the views of the journalist Jo Bartosch who has written widely, and controversially, about the subject. Two middle-aged white men plunge into one of the most acrimonious culture battles of the 21st century. What could possibly go wrong?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin Gives NATO Back It’s Mojo

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 06:54:49 GMT

No longer “brain-dead”? NATO leaders have been meeting in Madrid at one of the most important - and dangerous - points in the alliance’s 70-year history. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given NATO a new purpose, and new members, after it seemed to lose its way in the post-Cold War era. But can NATO stay united? What if Vladimir Putin offers a ceasefire that lets him keep his conquests? Will NATO members give Ukraine enough of the right weapons to hold the line against Moscow’s aggression? And what are the risks that NATO could be dragged into fighting directly with Russia. - the war it was set up to prevent? Today Phil and Roger hear from the Telegraph’s Defence and Security Editor Dominic Nicholls on the risks and likely outcomes of a confrontation that will determine the future of Europe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain hits the buffers!

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 06:51:02 GMT

The largest rail strike in 30 years is crippling the train network, causing disruption for millions as tens of thousands of staff walk out, demanding more money and better conditions. But is this a wider issue than a simple industrial dispute? After all, even in normal times we rarely stop moaning about late-running and ticket prices, and comparisons with trains in Germany and France leave us looking as if we’ve been backed into a siding. Today Phil and Roger hear from Christian Wolmar, whose new book 'British Rail' makes the case for re-nationalisation of the nation’s railways. What’s the destination for Britain’s trains? How do we get there? And will we arrive in time to make us all revert to public transport, as the risks of climate change mean we all need to park our cars and climb aboard a train?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The recession we have to have

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 16:27:18 GMT

Today the Bank of England lifted interest rates again, for the fifth time in a row. Earlier this week interest rates in the US were raised by 0.75%, with much to follow. The reason for the hikes? It’s because inflation is shooting up, largely because of supply chain problems resulting from the war in Ukraine and COVID lockdowns in China. We’re also seeing a shortage of people to fill jobs, giving more people the opportunity to push for higher wages. How will raising interest rates fix those problems? Today Phil and Roger get Kallum Pickering, Senior Economist at Berenberg Bank in London, to explain how he sees monetary policy working in today’s unique set of circumstances. Is a recession an inevitable consequence? In fact, is it necessary if we are to curb inflation? To paraphrase Paul Keating, the Australian Prime Minister in the late nineties, is this going to be the recession we have to have?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three Big Questions on the Rwanda Solution

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:59:48 GMT

The first batch of asylum seekers to be sent to Rwanda are due to fly out next Tuesday. There are likely to be delays, possibly indefinitely, as lawyers challenge the legality of the government’s plans to send those who arrive by boat offshore to Rwanda, with no right to claim asylum in the UK. In this first edition of ‘The Why? Curve’ Roger Hearing says the question of legality is one issue – there’s also the question of whether it’s ethical, and whether it’ll work. Phil Dobbie says the Australian experience of offshoring hasn’t been the success many are suggesting, whilst Mr Alp Mehmet, chair of Migration Watch UK, says something has to be done and it’s one part of a larger package of measures needed to dissuade people from risking their lives crossing the channel from France. Perhaps the ultimate question is, if it isn’t going to work, if if it isn’t going to stop people smugglers ferrying asylum seekers across the Channel, why do it?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Why Curve is coming

Fri, 27 May 2022 20:38:36 GMT

We're ready to kick off on 9th June and every Thursday thereafter. So check your favourite podcast app to subscribe. If we're not there yet, we will be soon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.