Alas Vine & Hitchens

On this week’s show, Peter is chatting about Russell Brand and yet another Newsnight debate about drugs that went sideways, while Sarah will be talking about the toll dementia takes, not least on her father and family. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to ask has Peter unknowingly aligned himself with Trump (it’s very unlikely), why Private Eye can’t quite get him right, the grace of a good grandmo...

On this week’s show, Peter is chatting about his infamous Newsnight appearance alongside one Matthew Perry and Sarah is celebrating grandparents unlike a certain social media advert in Ireland. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to ask how the political right can ever hope to come back in to power or fashion again. Cities the pair would like to live in – don’t invite Sarah to Paris, ever. Where Spai...

On this week’s show, Peter would like to talk about the ever-declining Donald Trump while Sarah (and Peter) will be positing their manifesto ideas that could help propel any of the major parties to power. Probably. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to ask whether we are seeing the end of people reading actual books. How the pair react to sometimes ‘feral’ criticism. Marvel at the fact that we have...

On this week’s show, Peter would like to ask why British troops are playing wargames in support of Ukraine, and escalating the chance of war with Russia, while Sarah wants to know why Paris and huge swathes of France are on fire. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss the Unionist from Northern Ireland taking issue with something Peter said (who knew?). Why the Lib Dems aren’t half as bad as...

On this week’s show, Peter would like to talk about proportional representation (he’s not a fan), and as the government launches its ‘Prepare’ campaign, Sarah is busy preparing for the apocalypse. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss American politicians playing the fake Irish card. Why Peter did not get to fulfil his dream of being the captain of a Royal Naval destroyer. What did the sexua...

On this week’s show, Sarah would like to know why the government is handing out hijabs to channel migrants, and Peter would like to talk about capital punishment, especially in the USA. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss what might happen should we lose the Falklands, the slow erosion that is state surveillance, and even though Peter’s shed a lot of weight, why won’t his old trousers fit...

On this week’s show, Sarah will be asking why Russia is reviving its doomsday nuclear strike program and how worried should we be about that? And Peter will be looking at the latest news coming out of Northern Ireland as protestors attempt to stop the Orange Order march. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss De Gaulle's infamous 1967 ‘Vive le Québec libre!’ speech, the daunting amount of...

On this week’s show, Sarah will be looking at the latest revelations swirling around Earl Spencer’s book about his late sister, and Peter will be turning his attention back to Lucy Letby in light of the Thirlwall Inquiry.   And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss personal political responsibility, there seems to be so little of it left. The great and not so good Grammar schools, asking wh...

On this week’s show, Sarah will be asking if AI is really coming for all of us, and she doesn’t just mean our jobs. And Peter would like to know if Alastair Campbell has finally found God. Yes, that took us by surprise too.   And, as pupils nationwide drift back to the classroom, we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss what is school for? How can the Ukraine war possibly end? The latest news...

On this week’s show, Peter has been to the flicks to see the new de Gaulle movie (five stars from Peter), splashed out on some popcorn too, and Sarah is asking is Germany really going to war with Russia. And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss whether there could ever be such a thing as a united Ireland, the evilest person they’ve encountered, should Prince William get a hair weave and what th...

On this week’s show, Sarah will be talking about her U-turn on Lime and electric bikes (Peter is very pleased) and talking of Peter, he’ll be asking is TV a bad thing? He might also need help turning one on.   And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss whether the pair believe in a prenup agreement and would either one sign up if they ever got married again. Why was Peter’s 2015 pre-election...

On this week’s show, Sarah will be talking about the dark shadow cast upon this land as Harry and Meghan return to the UK and Peter would like to chat about the August night in 1968 when the Soviet Union crushed the Prague Spring.   And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss whether a journalist, if proved wrong, should change tack and apologise. Not that Peter has ever been proved wrong. Th...

On this week’s show, Sarah, in light of the Jason Arday case, will be talking about the nature of so-called witch hunts, while Peter will be ruminating on Clacton’s favourite son and bin beating by-election winner, Nigel Farage.    And we’ll be opening our mailbag to discuss regrets (Sarah’s had a few), a damn good childhood read or two, their respective lives as young journalists – ther...

On this week’s show, Peter will be asking why the foreign office is still going after Graham Phillips, and Sarah will be grabbing the popcorn and headed to the cheap seats to talk film/book adaptations, some good, some not so good. And we’ll be opening up our mailbag to discuss Sarah’s best nightie (she favours pyjamas), why MPs should live a full life before entering into politics, the correct us...

On this week’s show, Peter and Sarah hand over the floor to our listeners and dedicate the entire episode to responding to emails, WhatsApp notes and Spotify comments that you’ve been kind enough to send.    And what a mailbag it is with stories of duelling in the modern age, should utilities be in public ownership or private hands? Would Peter ever throw in his lot with the So...

On this week’s episode, Peter will be examining the increasing disintegration of one President Donald J Trump while Sarah will be asking if Artificial Intelligence is finally coming for us all. And the pair pore over our mailbag to chat about looking after your parents in later life, the legacy of former PM Jim Callaghan, asking what did the 1970s ever do for us? And the joys of the Northumbrian c...

On this week’s episode, Sarah’s looking back at the decade of flared jeans and glitter balls and asking why Andy Burnham wants to take us back to the 1970s. And talking of Burnham, Peter wonders if the new PM should now call a general election? And the pair pore over our mailbag to chat about the merits of corporal punishment (or lack of) with Peter recalling school days that sometimes featured a...

On this week’s episode, Sarah talks procrastination, though she has a few other things to do first, and as he’s named the sleaziest politician in the UK, Peter examines the latest Nigel Farage farrago.    And the pair pore over our mailbag to chat about the legacy of one Dennis Potter, why Peter is less than keen on the Singaporean state, on what the locals really call Wittenha...

On this week’s episode, as the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continues, Peter will be looking at the current situation in Iran and then Sarah and Peter will be comparing notes on their Desert Island Discs (Sarah tries unsuccessfully to convince Peter of the charms of Faithless), if the BBC ever come calling…    And the pair pore over our mailbag to chat about dogm...

On this week’s episode, Peter would like to know why Labour are taxing some private schools out of business and Sarah is asking if should we even care that Prince Harry might be coming back to the UK?    And the pair pore over our mailbag to chat about studying double smoking (and drinking cider), how e-bikes have no place even in hilly Lisbon, just how Conservative was Gordon Brown, and...

On this week’s episode, Sarah speaks candidly about her father’s recent passing, both muse on the brutality of modern politics as Kier Starmer steps down and Peter wonders why some nations crave war.   And the pair pore over our mailbag prompting Peter’s remarkable impression of an announcer on the Moscow Metro. They both offer up the funniest politicians they’ve encountered and revisit...

On this week’s episode, Sarah’s asking is eighty too old to be a world leader or any kind of politician and Peter would like to know why the Thought Police are coming after Janet and John.   And the pair pore over our mailbag to consider why Peter is s a Swissphile, to wonder what the Victorians ever did for us, how the Mamas and Papas were a musical apex for some and why is one of our p...

On this week’s episode, Peter has finally worked out how to defend the realm (so you might sleep safely in your beds), and Sarah is asking why do some authority figures often go after the wrong people, and leave the real criminals alone?   And the pair pore over our mailbag to consider Britain’s place in two world wars, the valuer of spoiling a ballot paper. What happened when Peter appeared...

On this week’s episode, Sarah is asking what happened in the brutal murder of student Henry Nowak and Peter would like to know why the Blair Creature has returned from the deep to haunt the Labour Party.    And the pair pore over our mailbag to consider what the Festival of Britain brought the UK and if we might ever see it’s like again. While Peter embraces the charms of Paris, Sarah le...

On this week’s episode, Sarah is asking why a judge thought it was a good idea to let three rapists walk free. And Peter would like to know what the deal is with ridiculous centigrade temperatures.    And the pair marvel over Peter’s rakish black eye and pore over our latest mailbag to answer listener questions on whether devolution really can work and is the blueprint for politics on a...