The News Agents
Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host an award-winning daily news podcast: The News Agents. They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed. Episodes are available every weekday afternoon. You can listen to The News Agents on Alexa, just say "Alexa ask Global Player to play The News Agents" The News Agents is a Global Player Original podcast. For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/
Subscribe to this podcast
Episodes
-
Mehdi Hasan on America's 'Neo-Fascism'
Friday, 9 January 2026
We are barely a week into 2026, and already Donald Trump has toppled the president of Venezuela, threatened a NATO ally, labelled a protestor killed by ICE as a "professional agitator", and insisted his own morality is the only check on his otherwise total power.It appears that America's president is entering the second year of his term more aggressively, more defiantly, and more viciously. What does that mean for the US, and the wider world? And when Trump dismisses legal constraints, threatens to tear up the constitution, and brands entire ethnic groups as suspicious and "garbage", at wha...
-
Can football learn from Succession? - The Sports Agents
Friday, 9 January 2026
What does a strong succession plan look like? Before Darren Fletcher took over as Man United's interim manager he felt he needed Sir Alex Ferguson's blessing. But when everyone's still harping back to Ferguson, who left the club over 12 years ago, you know the succession plan has gone wrong.Man City will be taking note, as their own legendary manager Pep Guardiola isn’t staying forever. While Chelsea have used their multi-club system to take Liam Rosenior from Strasbourg - primed and ready to play in that system but leaving Strasbourg distraught.Mark catches up with football journalist Guil...
-
Did Trump's immigration police murder a woman in cold blood?
Thursday, 8 January 2026
The killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota has exposed just how fragmented American society is in 2026. The mother of three was shot repeatedly in her car by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, reportedly there as an observer of a protest against the immigration raids in the city.The shooting - and the administration's response - have been condemned by Kamala Harris, Governor Tim Walz, the Mayor of Minneapolis, and many other politicians. Mayor Frey urged ICE to "get the f*** out" of the city and said they were endangering residents.Footage appears to show Good ...
-
Why has President Trump seized a Russian oil tanker?
Wednesday, 7 January 2026
In dramatic scenes in the Atlantic this afternoon, American forces seized an oil tanker, 'the Marinera', flying the Russian flag. The British military was involved - supporting the US operation with air surveillance and a navy ship.The Kremlin has only said that it has been "following the abnormal situation with alarm" - but the maritime confrontation draws Russia and the US closer to direct conflict.It comes the day after the US, the UK, France, Germany and other allies reiterated their supported for security guarantees in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. But is the British army in any...
-
Trump tightens the screws on Greenland
Tuesday, 6 January 2026
Less than 3 days after kidnapping the Venezuelan leader, Trump has doubled down on his ambitions to make Greenland the 51st state - despite warnings that coming for the Danish territory would be the end of NATO.With one of Trump's top aides, Stephen Miller, declaring "nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland" is there anything that world leaders can do to stop Trump now?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
Which country will Trump strike next?
Monday, 5 January 2026
Not content with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One and appeared to spell out the countries now in his line of sight.Colombia is "very sick", according to President Trump. Iran will get "hit very hard" if it kills anti-government protestors. Cuba is "ready to fall", he declared. And, in words that have sparked concern across Europe, he repeatedly declared that America "needs Greenland" from a national security perspective, and that Denmark is incapable of defending it properly.It seems something of a damascene conversion from...
-
Special Episode: Is Trump now President...of Venezuela?
Saturday, 3 January 2026
In the dead of night, President Trump sent US forces into the Venezuelan capital Caracas and - after bombs and explosions - emerged with its kidnapped head of state, Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Trump claims they are extradited narco traffickers.In a press conference to mark the operation, Trump revealed that America is "going to run" the Latin American petro state, and oil does appear to be at the centre of his motivations for striking. US oil companies, he announced, will be sent into Venezuela to fix its broken infrastructure and start making the county money - and presumably make Americ...
-
2026 Q&A: Unlikely comebacks, the future of democracy, and Jon's acting debut
Thursday, 1 January 2026
Who is the most unlikely comeback of 2026? Will the Far Right continue to rise this year? And are things really starting to crumble in MAGA-land?In this special Q&A we look ahead to the year of 2026 and all that it could bring.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
2025 Awards: Rising stars, resignations, and the moments that defined the year
Thursday, 25 December 2025
It was a year of White House stand-offs, viral kiss cams, shock resignations, and the rise of the far right.From rising stars to jaw dropping moments, we look back at the defining stories of 2025 and hand out awards to the moments that shaped the year.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
Q&A: The case for Keir, 2026 elections, and is Britain ungovernable?
Tuesday, 23 December 2025
It's the final Q&A edition of 2025 and Jon and Lewis answer your questions - including the elections to look out for next year, whether algorithms are making the UK impossible to lead, plus - is there actually a decent case to be made in the defence of Keir Starmer? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
What the Hell just happened at MAGA-con?
Monday, 22 December 2025
The Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix was supposed to be a tribute to the work and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the influential conservative influencer who was assassinated in September. But it turned into something very different.Over the course of the weekend, it emerged that a struggle for very the heart and soul of the MAGA movement was playing out. Ben Shapiro took to the stage to warn of the "danger from charlatans who "traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty", slamming Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, and Tucker Carlson. Carlson hit back, claiming it was "hilarious" that there were attem...
-
Jess Phillips on the battle of her political life
Friday, 19 December 2025
As parliament wound down to a close, Jess Phillips ended 2025 with one of the government's boldest announcements to date. In the Commons, she declared a "national emergency: over the prevalence of violence against women and girls, and unveiled the government's strategy to halve it. It bookended a dramatic year for the Home Office minister, who in January found herself in the crosshairs of Elon Musk, labelling her a "rape genocide apologist" and called for her imprisonment. She's also faced calls to resign over the government's handling of the grooming gangs inquiry. And after she spoke in p...
-
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua: Who's in the most danger? - The Sports Agents
Friday, 19 December 2025
Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, is taking on YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul. Like it or not they’re two of the biggest names in boxing - and we’ll get into why that’s problematic...So why is the star of the London 2012 Olympics, who beat Wladimir Klitschko, fighting an influencer? Do fight fans believe it's not been scripted and what's actually more at risk - Paul's chin or AJ's reputation?Gabby & Mark sit down with Light-Heavyweight prospect and Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker - a showman in and out of the ring at a time when the sport is crying out...
-
Will America stop Europe from bailing out Ukraine?
Thursday, 18 December 2025
This week, the head of the British army warned the public that "more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means", given the increasing threats to the UK. European leaders are meeting today to discuss billions of dollars of seized Russian assets that are sitting in a vault in Brussels. Ukraine is desperate to use the money to help it fight two more years of war. Europe is on the brink of saying yes - but America is trying to stop them. Why? And will a war on our doorstep become more likely if we say no? Later - what is the link between Andrew Tate and Barron Trump? We speak to M...
-
The bombshell interview that's rattled MAGA
Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Vanity Fair may be contenders for this years 'scoop of the year' after securing a series of interviews with Trump's closest White House ally, Susie Wiles. The candid interviews provide a rare window into the West Wing and Trump's inner circle. She went much further than perhaps the President might have expected - describing the teetotal President as having “an alcoholic’s personality", the Vice President as a "conspiracy theorist", admitting the tariffs had been "painful", and suggesting the administration's approach to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal had been lacking. Why has she been airing t...
-
Trump v The BBC: who will the British public back?
Tuesday, 16 December 2025
Overnight came Trump's ten billion dollar lawsuit against the BBC. It claims malicious intent in the edit of his speech in the Panorama documentary. And it claims the programme would have been viewed in Florida ahead of the 2024 election. Is there a legal case here? Is there the political will to stand up to Trump? And where does the British public stand when it comes to backing the BBC?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
The Bondi massacre and the rise of anti-semitism
Monday, 15 December 2025
As the sun was setting on the first night of Hanukah, a father and his son opened fire on Jewish people celebrating on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. 16 people were left dead - forty remain in hospital, including the hero who tried to disarm one of the IS-linked terrorists. Jews around the world have been sounding the alarm on the rise of anti-semitism. They believe their fear has gone unheeded. Will this tragedy change anything? And how should governments police free speech that intimidates entire communities?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
What America's first dictator could teach Keir Starmer
Friday, 12 December 2025
Although some Labour MPs are still fawning over Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York, they may be better off looking to a very different sort of American politician if they want lessons they can draw on in the attempt to recover the party's fortunes. Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator for the Times, is one of the UK's best connected and closest observers of Keir Starmer's government. And he's written this week about how Huey Long, the wildly controversial 1930s Louisiana populist, provides something of a model that Starmer could seek to emulate. He came into the News Agents studio...
-
Pippa York: "I want the world to leave trans people alone" - The Sports Agents
Friday, 12 December 2025
Pippa York, then known as Robert Millar, was crowned the Tour de France King of the Mountains, winning three stages in the 1980s. But ever since she was five she wanted to be a girl. Years after quitting cycling, aged 41, she started a 10-year transition process to become Pippa York, who joins Gabby and Mark. What was it like racing the Tour de France with gender dysmorphia? And what does she make of the debate around trans-inclusion in sport now?Plus we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week from Mo Salah's shock outburst at Liverpool, to Mike Tindall's plans to create...
-
Trump - Pirate of the Caribbean?
Thursday, 11 December 2025
Trump has attacked a huge oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela - and when asked what would happen now to the oil responded “we will probably keep it". Is there actual strategy behind the piracy? Will it help him topple the illegitimate Venezuelan President Maduro? Or is it just about seizing assets? And what does Nobel peace prize winner Maria Machado make of Americas posturing? Later, why is Tony Blair interviewing Shabana Mahmood at his own Xmas party? Is this a not too subtle endorsement? Or a friendly festive chat? Is the replacement of Keir Starmer now an open secret even in Blair cir...
-
Exclusive: Did the Met “cover up” a paedophile ring?
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
An exclusive investigation by Andy Hughes, co-host of The Crime Agents and LBC crime correspondent, raises disturbing questions about whether a London police officer was operating a grooming gang in the capital. He speaks to Lewis about his report, the accusations of a cover up, and the Met police response. Later, Keir Starmer has been leading efforts today to get Europe to reform the ECHR. He's claimed that the best way to fight "the forces of hate and division" is to show that mainstream politics can fix the problem. Is he right? Jake Richards, the justice minister, came in to the News Ag...
-
The $100bn media battle that could change everything
Tuesday, 9 December 2025
Netflix and Paramount are locked in an epic fight to take over Warner Bros. Discovery. The price tag could well reach north of $100bn. And at stake - a huge back catalogue of blockbuster film and TV, a streaming giant, a Hollywood studio, even CNN.Enter Donald Trump, who's expressed concern about the potential for a monopoly, and also reportedly wants a say on any potential restructuring of the news network under new ownership. The outcome could result in the mother of all media monoliths. Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren has claimed that Netflix and Warner Bros. combined would capture clo...
-
Why is Trump warning about "civilisational erasure" in Europe?
Monday, 8 December 2025
European leaders have met in Downing Street once again to discuss peace plans for Ukraine, following Trump's latest proposal - but once again it seems Zelenskyy has wound Trump up, leaving America and Europe at odds. And another document from the Trump administration illustrates an even deeper division. The 33 page National Security Strategy says Europe is facing "civilisational erasure" and says the US has an obligation to “cultivate resistance” in order to "correct" the current trajectory of the continent. Why does Trump's new strategy read like it was written by the Kremlin? Are the US a...
-
How lawyers ruined Britain
Friday, 5 December 2025
While China is an engineering state, tech analyst Dan Wang says the America and the West are "lawyerly societies", reflexively blocking everything - good and bad - and it's halting real progress. Dan joins Lewis in the studio this Friday to discuss why Europe stopped building, how lawyers contribute to a slow in progress, and what all this means for wider geopolitivs and the rise of the far right. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
Sir Chris Hoy: "Government could save thousands of lives" - The Sports Agents
Friday, 5 December 2025
Six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy joins Gabby and Mark after his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis at just 47 years old. What more does Chris think the government should be doing to help? How has his sporting background helped him? And why is he excited for the Darts World Championship? And we bring you the best bits from The Sports Agents this week from President Trump meddling in the FIFA World Cup to rumours of a Serena Williams comeback.📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUv...
-
Nigel Farage "off his head" over anti-semitism and the BBC
Thursday, 4 December 2025
Reform's Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, popped up on the BBC today and appeared to dismiss the antisemitism claims of Jewish men who’d been at school with Nigel Farage as “politically motivated…made up twaddle“. Hours later, Farage exploded at a BBC reporter during a press conference, demanding an apology for what he said was "despicable" coverage of the antisemitism row by the BBC.Farage has previously admitted to the slurs but excused them as school boy banter. So, where does all this leave a party that claims to “take antisemitism very seriously"? Well, rather well off - some would observ...
-
Is Labour ready to reopen the Brexit debate?
Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Today's episode is an exclusive interview with David Lammy - Justice Secretary, Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Secretary. Is he prepared to ignore the internal Labour criticism of his jury plans? Does he admit the budget was a fiasco? And what is going on with Labour and Brexit right now. Are we about to see a change of plan?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
Is the jury system overrated?
Tuesday, 2 December 2025
In the sane world of the commons, the Shadow Justice Secretary was only two minutes into his speech before he called the justice secretary a “Lammy Dodger“ and accused him of going back on his previous position on jury trial. Today’s question is this does ending most jury trials speed up a sclerotic system? Or is it the wrong solution for the right diagnosis? Later, is public sympathy with the striking junior doctors? And do they really expect to win more pay?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
-
What was The Chancellor's biggest budget crime?
Monday, 1 December 2025
Rachel Reeves is accused of misleading the public, lying and “possible market abuse” by the opposition. They’ve called for her resignation. The Prime Minister, however, is standing by her and told us today the budget was a thing of “personal pride” for him. Meanwhile the OBR - the body that accidentally leaked the Chancellors budget an hour before it was given - have admitted this evening it was the worst failure in its fifteen year history. The run up to the entire budget was a fiasco. But was it a lie? And which bits do the public really understand or care about? Later, why is Trump about...
-
Salman Rushdie on political violence, free speech and BBC "cowardice"
Friday, 28 November 2025
Salman Rushdie has spent half of his life under the threat of death, but it is only in his latest novel - The Eleventh Hour - that he has devoted a whole book to the themes of mortality. It is his first return to fiction since an attempt on his life on 2022. This Friday, Rushdie joins Lewis and Jon in the studio to discuss his new book, political violence, and the "cowardice" of the BBC. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Weather
Travel News
How To Listen
Download Our Apps
Podcasts
-
AmericastCan the US really rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry?
-
Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Parenting HellS12 EP2: Prince Naseem Hamed