The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Trump’s plan for Hollywood isn’t really a plan, yet. He claims to want to boost the film industry – but will he revive it or wreck it even more? As he talks about tariffs on movies coming into the US, we try to pick apart what he actually means. Daniel Bessner , historian, journalist and co-host of the American Prestige podcast, joins Alex von Tunzelmann to discuss. • We are sponsored by Indeed. G...

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK seems to be going from strength to strength – and running in politics isn’t cheap. So where are they getting their money from? Seth Thévoz speaks to Peter Geoghegan, author of the Democracy for Sale substack , to discuss where the cash is coming from and how it’s being raised.  We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.       Listen to t...

Keir Starmer’s migration speech has sparked a backlash – from across the political spectrum and for various reasons. Do we have a “problem” with migration – and what does the PM actually think he’s solving? Gavin Esler speaks with migration policy expert and campaigner Zoe Gardner to unpack what’s really going on, what circumstances are impacting the numbers, how we can be more honest about the si...

Keir Starmer presented the US/UK trade deal as a jobs-saving triumph. Badenoch claims we were “shafted”. What’s the real picture? Will car, beef and ethanol (?) exports to the US make a difference to our economy? Why are the people who demanded Brexit so furious that we’ve signed exactly the sort of deal Brexit was supposed to facilitate? And while we’re here, what’s the truth about the Indian tra...

Labour is announcing a raft of new immigration rules to “toughen up” in what is being branded a “crackdown”. What are they announcing and what will it mean? Ros Taylor and Gavin Esler discuss the latest proposals. Plus, they look at the latest from Ukraine peace talks and ask what Trump is getting up to this week.     We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.  ...

Try the latest edition of our new podcast where ex-Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe and former Mirror editor Alison Phillips bring you the truth about true crime.  On this episode: When police shoot dead a suspect the consequences are huge. But how is the decision to shoot to kill made? Is firearms policy fit for purpose? And is it right that the officer cleared of murdering Londoner Chris Kaba...

The SDP blasted through politics in the early 80s, hoovering up blockbuster by-election wins and a quarter of the national vote. They were a gift to the Thatcher Government – splitting the opposition vote and ensuring Tory power. So how come today’s insurgents, Reform UK, aren’t seen as a boon to Starmer but a mortal threat to Labour *and* the Conservatives? Steve Richards of the Rock & Roll P...

Mark Neville is on the ground in Ukraine, not just taking pictures but also delivering aid and exposing the realities of the conflict through his work. He joins Dorian Lynskey in The Bunker to discuss his new project Diary of a Volunteer , the ethics of conflict photography, the toll of PTSD, and the role photographers play in shaping how wars are remembered. Links to Mark’s work:  https://www.ins...

The death of Pope Francis has raised questions over the future of the Catholic Church – and what type of successor we might see. Could they follow the progressive path he set, or are they likely to be more conservative? To discuss what might happen next, Ros Taylor is joined by David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to...

The fallout of the local elections have left Labour and the Tories in a tizz, with neither party entirely sure how to react to Farage’s gloating. So what way will Starmer end up leaning? Ros Taylor talks Jacob Jarvis through the latest domestic politics, plus we look at elections around the world, and lessons which can be learned.    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 spo...

Bunker listeners, try a bite-sized sample of our brand new podcast CRIME SCENE . Every week ex-Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe and former Mirror editor Alison Phillips lift the lid on how criminal investigations really work. In our debut episode: The horrific shooting of an innocent nine-year-old girl in Dalston in 2024 laid bare bitter rivalries between London’s armed gangs. Are police...

What explains the world better? The unattainable relics and archaeological finds that fill museums – or the simple snowglobes, plushies and other knick-knacks in their gift shops? Ahead of a new exhibition Cursed Objects in Museum Shops , curator and Podmasters veteran Kasia Tomasiewicz unearths the true meanings of the souvenirs and objets de tat we often ignore but shouldn’t. Includes discussion...

O Canada! Liberal PM Mark Carney sweeps to victory (well, minority government) in the Canadian General Election. Did Trump’s unhinged plans for annexation and his tariff moodswings make him the worst ally Canadian Tories could wish for? And what happens now that Canadians are broadly agreed that yes, Canada should continue to exist as a country? John Michael McGrath of our friends in Ontario, the...

Donald Trump’s first 100 days have been some of the most consequential ever. But, is that a good thing for him? Or could it come back to bite him? Doug Sosnik, former advisor to President Bill Clinton as well as several Governors and Senators, joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss what to look out for in the coming months in terms of what could hurt Trump.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://inde...

Wall Street is erratic, global trade is unravelling and world leaders are more divided than ever. The similarities to 2008 are growing more apparent – but the crisis this time looks very different. Archie Hall , Britain economics reporter for The Economist , joins Alex von Tunzelmann to explore the global fallout, the risks to Britain’s fragile recovery, and whether there is still time to avert an...

Who will be the big winner at the local elections – and will Farage make it sound like it was Reform UK no matter what happens? Plus, Trump marks 100 days in office – how does this stand up to previous presidents? Gavin Esler joins Jacob Jarvis to talk through the news to look out for for the week ahead.  Subscribe to Crime Scene, the truth about true crime with Bernard Hogan-Howe and Alison Phill...

Political allegories and woke wars, Patrick Troughton’s louche sex life, the madness of Tom Baker, Doctor Who ’s strange grip on Britain’s psychic landscape… Fascinating new book Exterminate! Regenerate! The Story of Doctor Who is a bigger-on-the-inside popular history of Who for the general reader. Author John Higgs talks to confirmed Who addict Andrew Harrison live onstage at the Rock’n’Roll Boo...

What do we really mean by free speech? How has the definition changed over time? And why is it always so contentious? As the issue remains the cause of political arguments across the world, Seth Thévoz speaks to Fara Dabhoiwala , historian and the author of What is free speech? The history of a dangerous idea to ask who decides what we can and can’t say? • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https:/...

Donald Trump spent his last campaign distancing himself from Project 2025. But since returning to office, he’s followed its blueprint with surprising precision. It's already reshaped American life and the workings of government – but could the most dramatic changes still be ahead? Today on The Bunker , Jacob Jarvis sits down with David A. Graham , author of The Project , to explore Project 2025 an...

Labour’s election guru, a modern-day Macchiavelli, the power behind the PM, a “permanent insurgent”… Starmer’s Chief Of Staff Morgan McSweeney is perhaps the most powerful unelected person in politics. Who is he? What does he want? Is he behind the party’s lurch right – and can he win Labour a second term? Steve Richards of the unmissable Rock and Roll Politics podcast tells Andrew Harrison what m...

Rachel Reeves heads to Washington this week – what should we be looking out for? Plus, we unpack what happens now after the death of Pope Francis and look to the latest news from America. Ros Taylor joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the week ahead in news.    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.      www.patreon.com/bunkercast        Written and presented by J...

From ‘cleanfluencers’ to home gurus, the ideal of a spotless home has never been so aspirational. But why are women still being told that inner peace is only a bottle of disinfectant away? Today on The Bunker , Coco Khan is joined by Emma Casey , author of The Return of the Housewife , to find out why we are still selling the idea that cleaning is the new path to feminist empowerment. • We are spo...

What if your neighbour was a Russian spy? In 2010, the FBI arrested ten deep-cover agents living quiet suburban lives across North America, their true identities hidden even from their own children. Today on The Bunker , Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Shaun Walker , author of The Illegals , to take a closer look at one of the most shocking espionage operations in modern history and what it revea...

Trump’s trade war has intensified the rivalry between America and China – while Beijing’s retaliation has exacerbated worldwide market meltdowns. Has the US president actually had a plan, and what does China make of his actions? Journalist and China commentator Cindy Yu joins Gavin Esler to discuss the trade war and which side might be more confident of ending up on top.  • We are sponsored by Ind...

At first the social media ‘Like’ button was just an easy way to get users to interact. Now people click a Like button some seven billion times a day, creating a colossal dataset that companies can use to sell to us, mislead us and predict what we want. And liking itself gets user addicted to a dopamine loop of gratification. Where did the Like button come from and what is it doing to us? Silicon V...