Episodes
On the week of Keir Starmer's resignation as Prime Minister, Jon and Lewis host a special Q&A edition of The News Agents, answering the questions you have about the future of the country.How will Andy Burnham's cabinet take shape? What will his policies look like? And is he surrounded by "duplicitous" colleagues?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
After Scotland’s humbling at the hands of Brazil, Mark has his say on FIFA’s “crap way to qualify for the knockout stages of a World Cup”...Former USMNT, Spurs & Aston Villa Goalkeeper Brad Friedel joins Gabby & Mark to talk about the sporting miracle which is inspiring Mauricio Pochettino and his USA team’s belief that they can go all the way at their home world cup.And with qualifiers set to end today, we meet Wimbledon wildcard Marcus Willis to talk about the gruelling realities of qualifying for the big slams if you’re a player outside the top 50.📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? ...
Overnight, President Trump offered his first slither of a thought on the incoming prime minister Andy Burnham, calling him “extremely liberal" and a mayor of a "town” - which - arguably could have been much worse.Does Burnham need to put his relationship with Trump centre stage? Or just ignore him? Will Trump be as relevant to Burnham as he was to Starmer?Later, has the water closed over the Starmer premiership without a ripple? Why have we moved on so quickly? Are we in danger of turning the office of prime minister into a pop up shop?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://...
Kemi Badenoch looked like - not for the first time - she was going to make the Chancellor cry in the Commons today. She accused her of treachery and betrayal in her behaviour towards the PM. Badenoch then turned her sights on Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, and accused her of being a spiteful class warrior. Why was the Tory leader so vicious in her seeing off of Keir Starmer and his team? Is this the result of being terminally online? Is it a reflection of a more authentic politics? And if the public disapprove of this discourse why has her popularity seemingly improved?Later, ...
You’re going to hear from a staunch Burnham ally today - a blunt speaking man at the heart of his last leadership campaign - and an MP who recently lost the whip from Keir Starmer.Can Karl Turner tell us what Andy Burnham thinks? And what he wants to do? And isn’t there hypocrisy in anointing another leader without going to the country first?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
And just like that, Keir Starmer became the sixth British prime minister to resign in ten years - triggering a leadership contest it’s increasingly likely no one will enter. Wes Streeting has pulled out of the race. Andy Burnham is arriving at Parliament where he will be sworn in as MP. If there is no challenger, he could be PM in just over two weeks' time. Is this the most perfect heist in political history? Does Starmer have a right to feel aggrieved? And does Burnham have an actual plan?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc...
Overnight in Makerfield, Andy Burnham showed how to win more than fifty percent of the vote on the Labour ticket. It was political smack for his party. A reminder that they still have the electoral chemistry to win decisively in tight races where Reform has stormed in the past.Keir Starmer is pretending nothing big has happened - and said Reform were already on the wane. He is refusing to make way for Burnham - who is rather hoping for a coronation rather than a bloody contest. So who will fire the first shot'? And when? Is it just a matter of choreography? Or are things about to get messy?...
Once you’ve listened to Trumps friends slag off his deal with Iran , you can’t help wondering what his critics will say. In one fell swoop, Trump has lifted sanctions on Iran, invited investment into the country to help the same old regime recover, agreed to a sixty day trial period on the reopened Strait of Hormuz, and "moved on" from his wish to help the Iranian people escape their tyrants. What has he achieved in this war? Precisely nothing. Who knows that? Practically everyone.Later, we speak to Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minster Radek Sikorski about diplomacy in the age...
England are used to a winning start in tournaments... but are we used to it being this... FUN?The 3 Lions beat Croatia 4-2 in their World Cup opener and Thomas Tuchel's 'entertainers' have seemingly already captured the nation.A now famous half-time team talk is said to have inspired the players. Is Tuchel's emotional and tactical management style what England need to get over the line?And on the players themselves, are we going to witness a tournament where Harry Kane has his name up with Messi, Mbappe and Haaland?Journalist and co-host of The Football Boardroom Henry Winter joins Gabby an...
Whatever happens in Makerfield in the next 24 hours, the outcome will be momentous. If Andy Burnham wins, we could see him challenge Keir Starmer for Prime Minister by the end of the week. If Burnham loses, then Labour are plunged into a whole new level of existential crisis. Either way, this will be one of the most significant by-elections in British electoral history - the stakes could hardly be higher.Jon, Emily and Lewis have this special report from the constituency. What do the people of Makerfield want to see change in Westminster? Are voters happy with the prospect of potentially el...
10 years on from the murder of MP Jo Cox, there is a grim warning from her sister Kim Leadbeater: the atmosphere in politics now is "probably worse".Leadbeater warns of people trying to "sow division" in our country - and that's a division that Russia is seeking to exploit. One of the arsonists convicted of trying to firebomb Keir Starmer's house had also been tasked by Kremlin-linked actors with putting up far-right posters, seeking to stoke community tensions.How can it be that, after the tragic murders of Jo Cox and David Amess, our politics continues to slide towards polarisation, anger...
In what feels like one of the few genuinely radical decisions of his premiership, Keir Starmer has announced an almost complete ban on social media for the under 16s, starting next spring. Messaging apps will not be included, but YouTube (ie “television”) will.Does the ban make sense? Will it actually happen? And is Starmer now thinking about legacy projects at this febrile moment of his leadership? We speak to the AI minister Kanishka Narayan.Later Jess Asato MP found herself undressed by Grok - along with around 3 million others. She’s now suing Elon Musk to make sure X takes responsibili...
Armed Forces minister Al Carns and a couple of junior frontbenchers followed the Defence Secretary John Healey in resigning from government last night.Healey's accusation was a stinging one - that Keir Starmer is failing to commit to keeping the nation safe from attack. That, after Starmer pledged only a few months ago to put "petty politics" to one side and be bold on British defence.He now faces a testing week like no other. His Defence Investment Plan, long delayed. is due to be launched on Monday. Can that go ahead? If the PM gets through that, he faces the prospect of Andy Burnham retu...
Around lunch time today, as The News Agents were battling their own excitement in the shape of a fire drill, the Defence Secretary suddenly resigned without warning. He left with a devastating critique of the Starmer government failures in his wake. The loyal and highly regarded Healey resigned out of frustration that promises made on defence spending weren’t being kept. And that the Prime Minister wouldn’t even set a date for the increases to happen. Has Starmer “failed to keep the country safe"? And a week out from the Makerfield by-election, is this the nail in the coffin for Starmer’s l...
Nedum touches down in USA and joins Gabby & Mark to discuss the opening game of the World Cup 2026; How excited are the locals, dark horses for the tournament & more...But with such a constant stream of controversy in the days leading up to the first match - fans fleeced for tickets, a Somali referee banned from entering US, national teams greeted by ICE on arrival and FIFA President Gianni Infantino's call for everyone to just "chill out" - has a World Cup ever been harder to love?The Athletic's Adam Crafton also joins to debate whether the questions will actually stop, once the football s...
Belfast was ablaze last night, 24 hours after the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. Houses, cars and buses were set on fire during riots across the city. It has since been announced that Ogilvie has lost an eye in the attack and 30-year-old Hadi Alodid has been charged with his attempted murder.The British government are laying at least some of the blame at the door of X owner Elon Musk, accusing him of whipping up tensions online ahead of the disorder.Lewis is on the ground in Belfast with Andy Hughes from The Crime Agents with a special report on the events that unfolded last night.Lat...
This morning Kemi Badenoch put equality laws at the centre of a new political dividing line, pledging that a future Conservative government would scrap the Public Sector Equality Duty. She says that “modern Britain is the least racist country on earth” and warned that fears of being accused of racism are leading authorities to not intervene to prevent crime.What is Badenoch’s evidence that equalities duties are pushing “divisive” agendas? When did ‘common sense’ become satisfactory guidance? And why are some parts of the Right now suggesting that white people are the most discriminated agai...
President Trump told the FTs' Edward Luce that he "called all the shots" over the Iran ceasefire. Shortly before he spoke, Iran had launched missiles at Israel."He [Netanyahu] won’t have any choice... He doesn’t call the shots", the President insisted. He told Fox that he was going to instruct Israel's PM not to retaliate. Netanyahu pointedly ignored those comments and started bombing Iran back. So is Trump becoming increasingly impotent in the Middle East crisis? And what part does the upcoming Israeli election play in Netanyahu's plans for war?And Later, we talk to Edward Luce about when ...
It is now hard to imagine that just three weeks ago, Wes Streeting was still serving in Keir Starmer's cabinet. As Health Secretary, Streeting gave the PM one of his biggest success stories from Labour's so far deeply troubled time in government - getting waiting lists down, and dragging the NHS into the 21st century.In the short time since he left role, he has become one of Starmer's biggest problems. His criticism of the PM is blistering, his analysis of where Labour has gone wrong is compelling, and his finger is twitching over the leadership contest trigger, waiting - so he says - for A...
Two police officers - both nominated for bravery awards - have been doxxed on the internet through a Musk disinformation campaign, where he called one a "scumbag" who should be in prison. One former officer is now in hiding, fearing for her safety after death threats. Neither was anywhere near Henry Nowak on the night he died.Musk famously supports Rupert Lowe over Nigel Farage. Is the Right of British politics now tearing itself apart over who gets to sound more extreme? Is any of this helping British citizens solve a knife crime epidemic? We ask Lord Blunkett, former Home Secretary, wheth...
On Sunday the first contested Presidential elections at Real Madrid for 20 years will take place, so Gabby, Mark & Nedum are joined by Spanish football writer Guillem Balague to discuss some of the false promises being made on the campaign trail...Will any of Erling Haaland, Rodri, Jose Mourinho or Jurgen Klopp head to the Bernabeu this summer?And as Liverpool edge closer to appointing Andoni Iraola - four of the biggest clubs in the Premier League will be managed by coaches from the Basque country - what's so unique about football culture there and how did such a tiny region of Northern Sp...
Nigel Farage was accused by many in the Commons today of inciting violence with his call for people to respond to a young man’s murder with "pure cold rage". The Reform UK leader explicitly ignored the wishes of Henry Nowak's family - who had urged politicians not to use Henry's death to ramp up tensions - to suggest that the anger seen in Southampton last night could even get worse. As he spoke, he was jeered and accused of hijacking a personal tragedy for political gain. The question perhaps is whether Farage's rhetoric on race has hardened - and if so why? Is it the spectre of the Makerf...
The footage is almost unbearable to watch. 18 year old Henry Nowak, stabbed and bleeding to death on the floor - telling officers he couldn't breathe - being handcuffed by police responders rather than treated. Bodycam footage, released with the consent of Henry's family, shows that as Henry shouts out that he has been stabbed, one officer responds: "You’ve been stabbed? I don’t think you have, mate." The killer, Vickrum Digwa, had lied and claimed that Henry had racially attacked him. How did the police get their response wrong?The Home Secretary has called the footage "disturbing and trag...
America is the only major country where visitor numbers fell last year. In fact it had its worst year for international tourism since 2008- barring the pandemic. Are tourists scared? Or has Trump put them off? Is this why Trump's Ambassador for Tourism is on a whistle stop tour of Europe drumming up business before the World Cup? We speak to the US Special Envoy.Later why was a Facebook whistleblower silenced on stage at Hay Festival? We bring you Sarah Wynn-Williams - full throated and in vision - discussing her book Careless People in her first and last interview.The News Agents is a Glob...
In his essay this week on the way forward for Britain, Tony Blair posits that "governing in the age of AI will be the principal challenge. And opportunity" for our political class.Karen Hao certainly agrees that it will be one of the defining challenges of our lives. An MIT grad, she started off in Silicon Valley, before turning to journalism and becoming one of the most authoritative reporters on the new world of AI. She is deeply alarmed by the AI race, and by the companies - and men - leading the pursuit.Her book, 'Empire of AI', contends that these new giants of industry have weaponised...
The day after Tony Blair spoke to The News Agents we ask whether his comments have started a healthy debate, changed the leadership race, or galvanised the whole party against him. The only man to win three elections for Labour speaks from experience and confidence. But is his diagnosis right for today? Will he ever be trusted on foreign affairs? And is efficacy more important than Democracy in 2026?Later, we talk to Alan Milburn who’s basically diagnosed that Britain is pretty f****d for young people. What’s the answer?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to yo...
Mark & Nedum are joined by West Ham's all-time Premier League goalscorer Michail Antonio, days after the club's relegation - ending a 14-year stay in the top flight.Michail lifts the lid on major decisions which he feels contributed to the club's decline in recent years; the controversial move to the London stadium, club training facilities, the appointment of Graham Potter as manager and how the club handled his exit last year following a very public car accident.Plus, Jarrod Bowen's West Ham future & World Cup squad omission, Declan Rice's Champions League chance and more.Michail Antonio'...
Since Keir Starmer took office almost two years ago - the first Labour Prime Minister in 14 years - Tony Blair has been holding his tongue.But that has all changed in a dramatic fashion. Blair is profoundly concerned, about the UK's future, the leadership of his party, and of the wider political conversation taking place.In a 5,700 word essay, he lays out a brutal assessment of the lack of serious policy thinking going on in government, warns of a "slide towards relegation from the Premier League of nations", and pens what is effectively his own manifesto to try and turn the country's fortu...
Robert Kenyon, Reform's candidate in Makerfield, was a week on from defending his Facebook Nazi friend when things got ugly. Over the sunny bank holiday weekend old tweets resurfaced showing not only his utterly creepy views about women but also his original anti-Brexit stance. And yes, you can guess which one is the real headache for Reform. Polls suggest they are currently in second place behind Andy Burnham, with the even harder right Restore party snapping at their heels and threatening to eat into the vote. So is it time to take action? Or just dig in behind their candidate?A Reform UK...
As billionaire wealth soars to unprecedented heights, calls to “tax the rich” are getting louder across the world. But while politicians on the left often champion wealth taxes, governments have repeatedly struggled to make them work in practice. So why have they failed? And could that finally be changing?This Friday, Lewis is joined by French economist Gabriel Zucman, the architect of the so-called “Zucman Tax” and one of the most influential voices in the global debate on inequality. Drawing on his new book We Need to Tax Billionaires, Zucman explains how extreme wealth has created what s...