Episodes
"The West Bank is at breaking point" - the words of a top UN official at a Security Council meeting in New York last night. Settler violence has been ramping up. Two Palestinian homes have been under siege with the weekend, with families warning that their supplies are running out. The IDF has denounced the “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable” establishment of settler outposts inside West Bank villages but doesn't seem to be doing much to dismantle them. Why is the violence on the rise? Are the Israeli elections fuelling extremist action? And can anything be done to stop it? We speak t...
It turns out running a poll to ask Twitter whether Ben Wallace should be prosecuted for treason is perhaps not savvy politics.Zia Yusuf. the Reform home affairs spokesman has today been slapped down by his leader Nigel Farage for labelling the former Tory defence secretary a "traitor" for allowing thousands of Afghans into the country. Farage has said the language is "over the top" and that Yusuf will be getting a "ticking off". A poll today has Reform at their lowest since the 2024 general election. Are Reform crashing out hard? Why is it that after getting so much right - it now seems lik...
Is the Democratic party fundamentally metamorphosing? After Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan last week, attention is turning to another big test for the Democratic Socialists in Wisconsin. There, the progressive candidate is being dragged for old social media posts suggesting she wanted to cancel Thanksgiving. Is the Dem new breed too woke? Or are they exactly what the party needs to breathe new life into the fight against Trump?Later, why is Ukraine pummelling the Russian equivalent of Amazon - Wildberries - and is the tactic working? Jon speaks to the New York Times reporter Nataliya ...
A northern leader. A sudden change at the top. A cost of living crisis engulfing the country. A Labour party accused of tacking left. Not Andy Burnham in 2026, but Harold Wilson in 1963.Considering his priorities and his focus, Burnham would do well to learn the lessons from Labour's last great northern leader. A four-time election winner, a progressive pioneer, a comms master, who shaped the country in his image.Nick Thomas-Symonds was until recently the Minister in charge of our relations with the EU. He'd been on the Labour frontbench for 11 years - but Burnham's ascendance brought an en...
Who does football really belong to?After the highest grossing world cup of all time, and as FIFA & UEFA accuse each other of selling football’s soul, Gabby Mark & Nedum debate who sport belongs to and surprise, surprise it aint the fans.But are supporters in the stands really just props for a TV product or do they still have a genuine stake in the sports they pay so much to follow?Elsewhere as the opening weekend of the Championship looms large, the guys tell the tale of Lincoln City with CEO Liam Scully. For the first time in 65 years The Imps will kick a ball in the second tier of English...
24 hours on from the Tory neo-Nazigate , a curious development. The candidate himself, Joshua Bonehill-Paine, has now withdrawn from the election in Somerset council - only to find himself promoted by the Conservative leader herself to a national advisory role.Why is 'no gaffes' Kemi choosing this eccentric hill to make her point - and what in fact is it? Meanwhile, she’s given an interview ruling out any future pact with Reform - and lambasting THEIR leader as "too woke". All ok, Kemi?Later, the singer Tulisa was the victim of a sting 13 years ago by the Sun on Sunday. It nearly destroyed ...
UPDATE: Since publishing, the convicted antisemite Joshua Bonehill-Paine has withdrawn running as a Tory candidate, saying that if he carried on "other political parties will spend all their time focusing on my past rather than the work I'm doing today, or even fighting antisemitism in their own midst". Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, released at statement saying; "While I am sad that Joshua feels he won't be given the space to explain his position and represent his community, I am glad he is going to work with me and the party on tackling radicalisation as part of our Culture and Integration c...
Why are hard right politicians now flocking to the tiny Spanish enclave of Ceuta off the coast of Morocco? And why is Europe so spooked? After tens of thousands of migrants flocked to this northern corner of Africa, the EU has gone into emergency mode - nearly a hundred people died or drowned in an attempt to enter Spain through Ceuta. Italy has suspended free movement with Spain for a month. Other countries are suggesting they might follow suit. The government in Madrid is on the EU's naughty step - could it cause a bigger rupture?Later, MAGA cheerleader turned Trump-appointee Jeanine Pirr...
Nigel hates Rupert but needs him and Rupert wants Nigel to beg. Could Restore and Reform ever do a deal to take on the newly invigorated Labour party? Or is there too much toxicity to even get on the phone?Later - Will FIFA president Gianni Infantino last the week after so many football associations have turned against him - and will Trump stick by the man who gave him the peace prize?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Andy Burnham hasn't even been Prime Minister for two weeks, but the early verdict is positive. He's looked decisive, commanded the agenda and projected authority. The question is: will that matter?New governments often think they know what will define them but history has a habit of intervening. The biggest political events are often the ones nobody sees coming. Could the next defining crisis already be taking shape? This week saw a bruising sell-off in AI stocks as investors questioned whether the more than $1.5 trillion pouring into AI can ever deliver the returns being promised. Some are...
As Eddie Howe dramatically quits Newcastle 3 weeks before the start of a new Premier League season, Mark Chapman & guests unpack the financial meltdown which led to Newcastle losing their most successful coach for 70 years.The Athletic’s Chris Waugh explains the timing of Eddie Howe’s decision and asks if club captain Bruno Guimares’ seemingly imminent departure to Arsenal was the final straw?But how did Newcastle, a club with some of the richest owners in world football, find themselves in a situation where they have to sell their best players?Football finance expert Stefan Borson joins Ma...
Dr Anthony Fauci became a world-renowned figure during Covid - one of America's top virologists with a lifetime of public service to his name. And yet, in a Senate committee yesterday, he was condemned in the strongest terms by several Republicans, and had to plead the fifth amendment 100 times.He accused the senior GOP Senator Rand Paul (who chairs the committee) of having an "obsession" with him. Ted Cruz has said that his silence should lead to a contempt of Congress charge and potential jail time. How on earth has he became such an enemy of the American Right? And what does it say about...
Andy Burnham has set out plans to fix England’s struggling social care system - promising a new National Care Service, cross-party talks and a review designed to tackle a system he says is no longer working. But how quickly can reform happen, and who will pay for it?In this episode, we unpack the announcement, and ask whether the new PM can finally deliver meaningful change.Later, we're joined by Sky News' economics and data editor and of host of the 'Stuff Matters' podcast - Ed Conway - to analyse the economic challenges ahead for Burnham.The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Age...
Reform UK has referred Green party leader Zack Polanski to the police for "inciting murder" after a post he shared on social media.The image, shared and then deleted on Instagram, showed a man wearing a tee shirt with the words “we’re only making plans for Nigel” next to a picture of a guillotine.Farage has said: "“If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested, and so should Polanski”. The police are now "conducting inquiries".The Greens say that Polanski “condemns the image on the tee shirt” and that he had only ever accepted being tagged in a post that containe...
It's hard to think of a political alliance as tightly bonded as Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram. Both northern MPs who vacated Westminster to lead their respective City regions, they have even co-authored a book - 'Head North' - which lays out their roadmap to fix Britain. Many of the words, ideas and policies Burnham has unveiled in his first week in office are all laid out in that book. It's a manifesto for fundamentally rewiring Britain, for bringing a new set of values into politics, and for bringing development and opportunity to neglected northern towns and cities.They are self-descri...
There's been a flurry of policy announcements in Andy Burnham's first week as PM - but there is something more significant in the words he has been using to describe his mission. He's talked about reversing forty years of neoliberalism, about re-industrialising Britain, ending trickle down economics - fundamentally reshaping the British State and its driving purpose.He promised, on the steps of Downing Street, to be a "circuit breaker", delivering the biggest change to the country since Thatcher. It's big talk - and the stakes are high. But how can he put that into action? How can he demons...
Whisper it quietly - but are we witnessing the strange rebirth of good, old-fashioned two party politics?Andy Burnham and Kemi Badenoch are now the only party leaders with net approval ratings among the public. Labour and the Tories are both within touching distance of Farage's Reform in a number of polls. Burnham has had a strong first week, and he and Badenoch are dominating the political airwaves at the moment in a classic row around tax and the State.Nigel Farage's £5m donation and Claction by-election backfire seems to have taken the wind out of his sails. Zack Polanski too has struggl...
Spurs & Netherlands star Xavi Simons sits down with Gabby for an exclusive, in depth interview.As he recovers from the ACL injury which robbed him of a place at the World Cup, Xavi opens up on the pressures of being a 12-year-old social media star watched by millions of followers, growing up without a father, and the truth behind his controversial exit from Barcelona at just 16 years old.Xavi reveals all about his extraordinary footballing life, a life spent alongside Mbappe, Messi & Neymar, a life of incredible highs and bruising lows, one which led him from La Masia to London and the Prem...
Have we just crossed the AI Rubicon? OpenAI has revealed that one of its models was involved in an "unprecedented cyber incident". One of its AI programs escaped a controlled testing environment, got onto the internet, and hacked into another AI start up without being asked to do so.It's caused shockwaves in the tech industry - are we losing control of the AI we create? And whart should we make of OpenAI's admission that this type of incident is likely to become "more commonplace". We speak to LBC's tech correspondent Will Guyatt.Later, Andy Burnham's bus pledge lands well but there are loo...
Andy Burnham has gathered his cabinet, with several prominent Starmer allies shown the door and Burnham loyalists taking their place around the table. The cost of living is to be the defining mission of his premiership - announcing a cut to VAT on energy bills as his first major policy and a scrapping of Starmer's digital ID scheme to pay for it. But Former Chief Secretary to Starmer, Darren Jones, was quick to point out that the scheme itself was unfunded, highlighting the tough choices to come for Burnham's new Chancellor John Healey.Does his intervention speak to a wider disgruntlement a...
This week started like so many others - with a brand new British Prime Minister. At least Andy Burnham had the grace to acknowledge the speed with which this keeps happening, as he promised to end the circus (ie. stay longer in the job).As the afternoon drew to a close we still had no clear idea of the shape of his cabinet - only those being sacked from it. It could signal a leak-proof government - or does it speak to difficulties in getting the right people to accept their new roles? All should be revealed shortly. One thing is for sure, Labour is praying that Burnham gets this right. Ther...
On the day that Keir Starmer prepares to hand over the reins to the King of the North, Westminster is still reeling from the murder of Ann Widdecombe. This Friday, Jon sits down with Labour MP Sarah Sackman, a close friend and ally of Starmer, to reflect on his legacy and the mistakes that defined his premiership.What does Andy Burnham need to do to get Labour back on track? And has politics in Britain become too dangerous for those who serve in public life?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
With Gabby & Mark being shuttled around the USA (first class), Nedum Onuoha takes the reins of today’s show alongside football writer Julien Laurens and it’s explosive!The boys pull no punches after England’s abject surrender against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final. Julien's explains why he thinks England have a "loser’s generation” and Nedum reveals why head coach Thomas Tuchel is to blame for their collapse after going 1-0 up.Elsewhere there’s a World Cup Final to look forward to and Spanish author Guillem Balague joins the boys to discuss where it all went right for Spain ahead of ...
The last minute defeat by Argentina was a hard cross to bear if you’re an England fan. But what happened afterwards propelled the game into a whole different sphere. Argentine players paraded a banner that fans threw onto the pitch calling for Las Malvinas to be returned to Argentina.It is a highly political message. The kind FIFA is normally quick to ban. But at the time of writing FIFA has said nothing. Why? And what happens when politicians get in on the act too?Later, Keir Starmer flies into Kyiv as protests break out on the streets of Ukraine. Zelenskyy has just fired a highly popular ...
There were tears, there was gags, there were plenty of World Cup references. Keir Starmer's final PMQs had something of the last day of school about it as he and Kemi Badenoch shared some rare bonhomie and Starmer reflected on his time in No 10.Tributes to Ann Widdecombe were paid at the start of Starmer's last trip to the Chamber, and there was a rare friendly atmosphere in parliament with MPs clearly keen to show that there is common ground despite the weekly mudslinging.Will some Labour MPs be wondering why they've just sacked the man they stood to applause? Will normal service resume at...
Maradonna's 'Hand of God'. The Falklands war. The Beckham hissy fit. The religion of Messi. The backdrop to tomorrow's World Cup semi-final is steeped in intensity and passion - so much so that the FBI has judged it to be the highest risk match of the tournament. Just how much is riding on tomorrow’s game - and how do the geopolitics of our two nations affect what happens on the pitch? We speak to Gary Lineker who was playing for England against Maradonna in that game, Peter Frankopan - just back from the Falklands - who takes us through the historic rivalries of our countries, and Andy Mit...
The murder of Ann Widdecombe has sent shockwaves through Westminster and beyond. News came today that counter terror police have now taken over the investigation following "new information and evidence". So what has changed? What have detectives found? And how do police steer the fine line between informing the public and telling us too much too soon? We talk to the host of the Crime Agents podcast, Andy Hughes.Later, how does this feel if you’re a highly visible MP? Does the relationship between the public and our politicians have to change? And what part, if any, should political donation...
Recently, the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, has seemed particularly exercised by one woman on Labour's front bench. Yes, Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary and one of Keir Starmer's closest allies, has become something of an obsession for the Leader of the Opposition. Interviews come and interviews go, yet somehow Badenoch always seems to find a way to bring Phillipson into the conversation.Much of the hostility stems from Phillipson's determination to impose VAT on private school fees, a policy she has defended without apology. For that, Badenoch has branded her a "spiteful class wa...
Can Gianni Infantino survive his friendship with Donald Trump?The presidents of both FIFA and the USA have been busy this week ensuring that USA could field top scorer Folarin Balogun in their Quarter-final match against Belgium.Trump’s incredible intervention into football has rocked the sport and left FIFA’s credibility in tatters - particularly after England defender Jarell Quansah’s own red card ban is extended - is it one rule for Trump’s team and another for the everyone else?As FIFA stands accused of losing control of their own World Cup, and world leaders begin to ask questions, how...
The bad news isn't stopping for Reform and Nigel Farage. He's facing fresh questions about the timeline surrounding the £5m gift from a crypto billionaire. The police are investigating a separate donation made to Robert Jenrick (who has described the claims as a politically motivated smear). The party has urged volunteers to divert from the Greater Manchester mayoral contest - in an effort to shore up Nigel Farage in a contest against a bin that he himself has triggered.Just a few days ago, Farage thought his by-election gamble would put the focus squarely on him and pit his as a champion o...