Byline Times Podcast

Less than three months into his Premiership, Keir Starmer is having to face up to the realities of life inside the pressure cooker of Number 10. How well is he doing? There’s a been a mini rebellion by backbench MPs over the decision to scrap winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners; meanwhile the PM is seen to be living the high life at the expense of wealthy donors; and now there's mutiny...

As we approach the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, Adrian Goldberg assess the prospects for peace in the Middle East. His guests are Robin Barnwell, director of ITVX documentary 'Into The Abyss', and former UK diplomat Alex Hall Hall. Produced by Adrian Goldberg and Harvey White in Birmingham, for Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...

Adrian Goldberg discusses Keir Starmer's NHS reforms with Chris Thomas, who heads up the Commission on Health and Prosperity for the IPPR think tank; Dr John Puntis, co chair of the campaign group Keep Our NHS Public, and Matthew Hulbert from Leicestershire who lost his mum to sepsis in 2022 after she had to wait 11 hours for an ambulance. Produced by Adrian Goldberg. Learn more about your ad choi...

Adrian Goldberg investigates Russia’s attempts to influence Western democracy using disinformation, covert media campaigns and troll farms, with Pekka Kallioniemi, author of Vatnik Soup - originally a Twitter thread, now a book - and Byline Times executive editor Peter Jukes. The discussion covers Tenet, the Tennessee based company linked to right wing influencers,  which according to the US Justi...

The final report into the Grenfell Tragedy revealed that all 72 deaths were avoidable. Successive governments ignored warnings about the safety of tower block cladding, while the Department for Communities and Local government had embraced deregulation that weakened protections for residents. This comes after the Hillsborough Tragedy, the infected blood scandal, Windrush, and the the Post Office H...

Laila Mickelwait tells Adrian Goldberg how her campaign against sex trafficking and child abuse led to the world's most popular porn site Pornhub taking down more than 80% of its content. Laila's book 'Takedown' is available now. Produced in Birmingham for Byline Audio by Adrian Goldberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrian Goldberg meets barrister Christian Weaver, the face of 'The Law in 60 Seconds’ on You Tube. Christian has a new book out called ‘Your Right To Protest. Understand It. Use It’, a guide to making your voice heard without breaking the law.  Christian was the barrister in the case of Awaab Ishak, the two year old boy who died as the result of a mould infestation at his family’s council flat in...

Adrian Goldberg discusses Sir Keir Starmer's 'Things Can Only Get Worse (In The Short Term)' speech with Byline Times chief reporter Josiah Mortimer and Danisha Kazi, head of economics at Positive Money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Transport Secretary Louse Haigh has announced that local councils will be given back the right to select 20 mph zones and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, after the previous Conservative government threatened to give that power to the Department for Transport. Adrian Goldberg discusses the implications with Jon Burke, who introduced LTNs in the London borough of Hackney, and Izzy Romilly from the c...

Adrian Goldberg talks to Zarina Zabrisky and Peter Jukes in Odesa about Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia, which has turned the tables on President Putin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrian Goldberg talks to political satirist and comedian Matt Forde at the Edinburgh Fringe. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg for Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zarina Zabrisky, reporting from Kherson in Ukraine, tells Adrian Goldberg how drones, once used to for surveillance, are now being used to hunt down and target civilians in Ukraine. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg and Harvey White for Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrian Goldberg gets out and about to the Cotswolds with Corinne Fowler, author of "Our Island Stories: Country Walks Through Colonial Britain" and Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at Leicester University. They visit Sezincote, a remarkable country house that - unusually - gives a visual nod to the Imperial plunder which helped fund its construction. Corinne explains that although much of our...

Adrian Goldberg gets reaction to the Southport riots with Joe Mulhall, director of research at Hope Not Hate, the anti fascist organisation, and Dr Bethany Usher author of 'Journalism And Crime' and senior lecturer in journalism at Newcastle University. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg for Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrian Goldberg presents an alternative perspective on the Paris Olympics, with French journalist Jade Lindgaard, author of 'Paris 2024: Une Ville Face a la Violence Olympique' and Andrew Simms, from Cool Down, The Sport For Climate Network whose book Sporting Tales is out now. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg and Harvey White for Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

 Rachel Reeves has told the House of Commons in her first major speech as Chancellor that the Conservatives covered up the full extent of the UK’s budget deficit and that since taking office, Labour has discovered a £22 billion black hole in the nation’s finances. She says some unfunded projects will be scrapped altogether, including a road tunnel under Stonehenge; while millions of pensioners wil...

Adrian Goldberg talks to Jen Stout, author of 'Night Train To Odesa - Covering The Cost of Russia's War' Recorded at the Byline Festival in Dartington. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg and Phil Driscoll. Brought to you by Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Washington based UK diplomat Alex Hall Hall gives her assessment of Kamala Harris's presidential chances following Joe Biden's decision to stand down. Alex, now a writer for Byline Times and co host of the Disorder podcast, talks to Adrian Goldberg. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg for Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Packham - environmentalist, broadcaster and activist - gives his verdict on the convictions of five non-violent Just Stop Oil protestors who have collectively been sentenced to 21 years in jail. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg for Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Th e latest figures show that 7.6 million people have been waiting more than a year for hospital treatment and new Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said the NHS is 'broken'. He’s launched a 'warts and all' investigation headed up by Lord Ara Darzi – an independent peer and surgeon…   As we’ve discussed numerous times on this podcast, the funding provided for the Health Service by the Conservativ...

Jon Bloomfield and David Edgar talk to Adrian Goldberg about their latest release for Byline Books, The Little Black Book Of The Populist Right. Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg and Harvey White. Brought to you by Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the potential consequences of a second Trump presidency? Adrian Goldberg to Jay Rosen, professor of politics at New York University. Produced by Adrian Goldberg and Phil Driscoll. Brought to you by Byline Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should Joe Biden stay as the Democrat’s presidential candidate? Or should he go - leaving the way open for Kamala Harris to stand for the White House?   Several senior Democrats have suggested he should step down following a stumbling appearance on a recent TV head to head with Donald Trump, but Biden himself insists that he’s the man for the job and he’s carrying on.   Is that the right decision?...

Former BBC and LBC presenter Sangita Myska tells Adrian Goldberg why many voters from minority ethnic backgrounds have reservations about Keir Starmer.   Edited by Phil Driscoll. Recorded at the Byline Festival at Dartington Hall, Devon. Produced by Adrian Goldberg and Phil Driscoll for Byline Audio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the first round of voting in the parliamentary poll the clear winner with 33% of the votes was Marine Le Pen’s far right RN Party. They are the successor to the Front Nationale created by Jean Marie Le Pen, Marine’s Dad who famously declared that the holocaust was a 'detail' of history.   The RN were hoping to install their candidate Jordan Bardella as prime Minister, but ahead of the second...