Afternoon Empire with Ian Collins

Is Keir Starmer governing in the British national interest? With fresh polling suggesting more than half of Keir Starmer’s Cabinet could lose their seats at a general election, pressure is mounting on Labour’s direction, priorities and political strategy. David Wooding joins Mark Dolan, as he sits in for Ian Collins, to assess the political fallout, including the rise of Reform UK and warnings of...

Why is Britain more divided than ever? New polling suggests the country is now even more split than during Brexit, with deep divisions over politics, immigration, the economy and national identity. Former Home Office minister Ann Widdecombe and commentator Liam Deacon debate what’s driving the divide, from cultural tensions to trust in government and institutions. Peter Wilding, who coined the ter...

What can Keir Starmer contribute to the Iran ceasefire? After Donald Trump announces a two-week ceasefire between Iran and its adversaries and claims the Strait of Hormuz will reopen attention turns to Britain’s role in securing long-term peace in the Middle East. With Keir Starmer set to visit the region, we ask whether the UK can still act as a serious diplomatic player. Isabel Oakeshott and Pet...

Can Donald Trump bring peace to the Middle East or risk a wider war? As tensions with Iran escalate, Donald Trump has issued stark warnings, claiming he could “wipe out” Iran if it refuses a deal. We ask whether Trump’s approach is deterrence or dangerous escalation, and what it means for global stability, Israel, and the wider region. Former US Navy intelligence officer Malcolm Nance and Greg Swe...

Mark Dolan sits in for Ian Collins on the Afternoon Empire. He's joined by Mike Neville, former Met Police DCI, to discuss crime in Britain - as Waitrose has sacked an employee who stopped a shoplifter from stealing Easter eggs. Hilary Fordwich, US political commentator, shares her analysis of the rescue mission of a crew member after a US F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran, and reacts to Do...

How do we make Britain great again? With the economy under pressure, energy costs rising and questions over leadership growing, we ask what it will take to restore growth, confidence and national strength. Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith joins alongside The Spectator’s Michael Simmons and businessman Lance Forman to debate how Britain can boost productivity, cut costs and regain econo...

Who are the “far right” and who gets to define it? After thousands gathered in London for an anti-far-right march, we examine how the term is being used in modern Britain, and whether it’s becoming a political label rather than a clear definition. Former Number 10 adviser Oscar Reddrop joins to break down how governments and the media classify extremism, while Montgomery Toms from Freedom Watch GB...

Mark Dolan sits in for Ian Collins. Fuel prices, inflation and political controversy is Britain heading for another economic squeeze? As the Iran war drives up global energy costs, critics accuse Rachel Reeves of acting as a “petrol profiteer”, with warnings the UK could be hit harder than any other major economy. Maurice Cousins from Net Zero Watch, Sir Michael Fabricant, and Annunziata Rees-Mogg...

Is this government the enemy of working people? As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, anger is growing over plans that could see middle-income households footing the bill for targeted energy support. With Rachel Reeves’ proposed energy bailout focused on those claiming benefits, critics warn of a widening divide between working families and state support. Former Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans joins to...

Is Britain safe? Fears over national security are growing following reports of a potential Iranian sleeper cell operating in the UK, raising urgent questions about extremism, intelligence failures and the country’s ability to respond to emerging threats. Barak Seener from the Henry Jackson Society assesses the risk of sleeper cells, hostile state activity and what it means for Britain’s internal s...

Should public prayer be banned in Britain? A fierce debate has erupted over religion, free expression and public space after calls to restrict public prayer sparked political backlash. Theologian Theo Hobson and writer Jonathan Sacerdoti debate whether public displays of religion strengthen community life - or risk deepening division. The row comes as Kemi Badenoch accuses Keir Starmer of panderin...

Is technology making Britain safer or creating a surveillance state? As the government rolls out a major expansion of GPS tagging and live monitoring for offenders, including domestic abusers and violent criminals, we ask where the line is between public safety and personal privacy. Former Met Police detective Peter Bleksley and freedom campaigner Montgomery Toms debate whether increased surveilla...

Concerns about extremism, integration and social cohesion are back in focus as new polling suggests British Muslims are significantly more likely than the general public to hold favourable views of the Iranian regime, alongside more hostile attitudes towards the US and Israel. Dr Rakib Ehsan from the Policy Exchange joins to unpack what this means for community relations, foreign policy attitudes...

Should Keir Starmer assist the Americans? With tensions escalating in the Iran conflict and the strategic Strait of Hormuz under threat, pressure is mounting on Britain to support the United States militarily. Donald Trump has criticised Keir Starmer for refusing to join operations to secure the Gulf shipping lane, raising serious questions about the UK–US alliance, NATO cooperation and Britain’s...

Do you believe Keir Starmer has Britain’s back? As political pressure builds on the Prime Minister, we examine whether the government is showing strong leadership at home and abroad. Writer and broadcaster Emma Trimble and Jonathan Gullis debate the fallout from the controversial Al-Quds Day march in London, where protesters were filmed praising Ali Khamenei and chanting against Benjamin Netanyahu...

How do we kickstart the UK economy? With growth stalling and fresh figures showing Britain struggling to gain momentum, questions are growing about whether the government has a credible plan to get the economy moving again. Economist Paul Johnson joins to break down the latest UK GDP figures, why growth has slowed, and what policies could realistically boost productivity, investment and wages. Cam...

How much longer can Keir Starmer survive? Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister as new reports claim Keir Starmer ignored warnings from senior aides about the reputational risks surrounding Peter Mandelson and his links to Jeffrey Epstein. With the Mandelson controversy refusing to fade, Labour councillor Sebastian Salek and former Brexit Party press chief Liam Deacon debate whether Starmer’s...

Would you ever trust a digital ID? The government’s plans for a UK digital identity system are under renewed scrutiny amid warnings about privacy, surveillance and the power of the state. As Keir Starmer reportedly considers changes to digital ID proposals over privacy concerns, journalist and author Alex Klaushofer and Alexander Iosad from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change debate whether...

Islamophobia: is it a backdoor to blasphemy laws? The government’s new definition of anti-Muslim hatred, and the appointment of an “anti-Muslim hostility” tsar, has reignited a fierce debate about free speech, religion and the limits of criticism in Britain. Connie Shaw from the Free Speech Union joins to discuss whether the move risks chilling open debate, as schools are urged to monitor anti-Mus...

How can the UK ensure energy security as war in the Middle East threatens global oil supplies? With crude prices surging toward $100 a barrel and fears growing over a potential battle for the Strait of Hormuz, we examine whether Britain is prepared for a global energy shock. Former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe OBE explains what a conflict in the Gulf could mean for global shipping lanes, the Ro...

As tensions with Iran escalate and the transatlantic alliance shows signs of strain, questions are growing over Britain’s global standing. With criticism mounting from Washington and concerns about the UK’s military readiness, is the country losing influence among its allies? Columnist David Wooding joins to discuss the political fallout after Donald Trump’s latest attacks on Sir Keir Starmer and...

Britain’s role in the escalating Iran conflict is under intense scrutiny. Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and former Shadow Attorney General Sir Bill Cash debate whether the UK should be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the US and Israel, or holding back, as reports suggest Middle East allies feel Britain has “failed” them and Cabinet divisions emerge over Donald Trump’s war str...

Who would best lead Britain through war? We debate the leadership question dominating UK politics as Keir Starmer faces mounting criticism from allies and opponents alike, and even jibes from Donald Trump comparing him unfavourably to Churchill. Joining us: Katy Balls, Patrick Cockburn, Daniel Hannan, and Natasha Hausdorff. We discuss the UK’s war readiness, the future of the UK-US special relatio...

Iran war, UK foreign policy, and the risk of World War 3. Is Britain on the brink of a major Middle East conflict? As tensions rise between Iran, Israel and the United States, pressure is mounting on Keir Starmer over whether the UK should join military action. After criticism from Donald Trump, we break down the political fallout, the security risks, and what this means for Britain, NATO and glob...

Should the UK get involved in Iran? That’s the question dominating the latest episode as tensions in the Middle East escalate following reports of British backing for military action and suspected Iranian involvement in attacks near a RAF base in Cyprus. Security and intelligence expert Anthony Glees joins the show to assess the risks of escalation and what UK involvement could realistically look...