The Bunker – News without the nonsense

There’s turmoil on the right of British politics – what’s going on and is it all Donald Trump’s fault? Rafael Behr joins Jacob Jarvis to unpack the Reform in-fighting and Starmer’s polling boost. Plus, they discuss civil service reforms, the latest US economic turmoil and what’s going on in Canadian politics.    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.      ht...

Elon Musk is one of many space nerds and sci-fi dreamers fascinated by living on Mars. But, is this just a terrible idea? And how bad would earth need to get for it to make any sense? Kelly Weinersmith, co-author of A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss the cons of going to the red planet.  Buy A City on...

What do you do when the planet’s most evil man is in the White House? Ask Superman! “Bad guy wins power” is a comics mainstay, and now it’s happening for real everywhere. Lifelong comics readers Ian Dunt of Origin Story (DC) and Andrew Harrison (Marvel) team up to see what classic stories can tell us about the tyrant-vs-hero dynamic. Featuring President Lex Luthor from Superman , Mayor Kingpin fro...

Eighty years ago, the world witnessed an unprecedented act of devastation: the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As the Second World War reached its conclusion, American bombers dropped two nuclear weapons in a final effort to force Japan’s surrender and bring the conflict to an end. Today in The Bunker , Gavin Esler is joined by Richard Overy , author of Rain of Ruin: Tokyo, Hiroshima an...

From FDR to Trump, every modern president has had brushes with organised crime. So how have secret pacts, betrayals, and under-the-table deals influenced the commander-in-chief? Today on The Bunker , Seth Thévoz is joined by Eric Dezenhall, author of Wiseguys and the White House , to explore the not-so-hidden ties between the leader of the free world and the mob. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go t...

Trump’s attitude towards Ukraine leaves Europe in an uncertain position – how will it handle this new era? Gavin Esler joins Ros Taylor to discuss the turbulent situation after that horrendous Oval Office meeting and a major meeting of European leaders over the weekend.  Want more insight on the Zelenskyy and Trump meeting aftermath? Listen to our sibling podcast American Friction: https://linktr....

February is LGBTQ+ History Month, and The Bunker is celebrating with a special two-part panel on the queer media that shaped us. From groundbreaking films and cult classics to the books and pop icons that defined generations, we’re exploring the stories that not only influenced queer identity but also shaped how the LGBTQ+ community is seen by the world. Natasha Devon is joined by author and activ...

February is LGBT History Month, and The Bunker is celebrating with a special two-part panel on queer history. In this episode, we’re diving into the heroes and villains of the community: from the icons you know to the overlooked figures who deserve their moment in the spotlight. Natasha Devon is joined by author and activist Paul Burston and comedian Sharon Wanjohi to explore the legacies of trail...

A new WhatsApp scandal seems to emerge from Westminster nearly every day at the moment. So, how did the messaging app take such a hold on MPs, how does it keep them locked in – and could they ever quit it? Marie Le Conte joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast   Written and presented by Jacob Jarv...

‘ No Prime To Die ’? Amazon takes over creative control of James Bond from the Broccoli family who turned the suave spy into a movie icon. What happens now? Will Amazon simply rinse the I.P. with ever-cheesier spin-offs like Disney did with Star Wars ? Is 007 still relevant in a world where real-life Bond villains run tech companies and countries? Can you still make a hero out of a heavy-drinking,...

Jordan Peterson’s right-wing conference hosted a weird mix of climate change skeptics and conspiracy theorists – but also the leader of the opposition. How did a fringe movement with roots in conspiracy theory secure a prime spot at London’s ExCeL Centre and draw in such an array of speakers? Stella Tsantekidou , author of The Human Carbohydrate , joins Seth Thévoz to unpack her experience at The...

Keir Starmer heads to America to meet Trump this week – how will he navigate this meeting? And what would mean success from discussions over the future of Ukraine? Rafael Behr joins Jacob Jarvis to talk through 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 Jacob Jarvis with R...

Is it really five years and 1,500 editions since we launched The Bunker? It is! For this special episode, Labour legend and former leader Neil Kinnock joins us to talk about the story Labour should be telling… what his battles against Thatcherism can teach Starmer about fighting the rising right wing… the dangers of a radicalised Conservative Party… and how to hit Reform UK where it hurts. With An...

Germany’s far-right have been thrown into the international spotlight after US Vice President JD Vance met with Alice Weidel. But what does the AfD actually stand for? Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Annette Dittert , senior correspondent for ARD German TV , to look at Germany’s far-right problem and to find out if the AfD is really a successor to the Nazi Party.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go...

US aid accounts for more than 40 percent of aid spending across the globe – or at least it did until Trump cut it off. Today in The Bunker , Jacob Jarvis speaks with Michael Sheldrick , co-founder of Global Citizen , to discuss the impact of these cuts and what other nations can do to fill the gap. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/b...

Donald Trump acts as though he’s a master Putin-whisperer – but is he simply just being played by the Russian leader? Ian Garner , a historian focused on Russian propaganda and culture, and the author of Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia's Fascist Youth , joins Chris Jones to discuss the relationship between these two world leaders, their latest discussions and what we can read from their lat...

Donald Trump appears to be selling out Ukraine in talks with Putin, meanwhile his authoritarian power grab in the US continues. What can we expect from negotiations in the coming days? And how will Europe react? Gavin Esler and Jacob Jarvis discuss the latest news and how it will impact the rest of the world in Start Your Week.  We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsore...

For the first time, a woman will serve as White House Chief of Staff – but who is Susie Wiles? As Trump’s closest confidante, is Susie Wiles the most powerful woman in the world? Today in The Bunker , Jacob Jarvis speaks with Michael Kruse , senior staff writer at POLITICO , to explore Wiles’ history, her influence over Trump, and whether she can keep Elon Musk under control. • We are sponsored by...

In a world where politicians and oligarchs make wild plans, we often hear the cry “They’re reading too much science fiction.” But instead, should our leaders read MORE about alternate futures and the unforeseen consequences of technology? Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky – of Children of Time and Dogs of War fame – tells Andrew Harrison why science fiction’s job is more complex than...

Trump denied links to Project 2025, the right-wing manifesto for a conservative president, throughout his campaign. But despite this, many of his actions in office so far have looked familiar to those who read the document. To discuss how closely he’s following it, Gavin Esler speaks to Andy Kroll from ProPublica , who’s been diving into the connections and their implications.  • We are sponsored...

A shock new poll has put Reform ahead of Labour for the first time – could this be just a short-term protest, or could this be the start of a shake-up of Britain’s status quo? Today in The Bunker , Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Ben Walker , senior data journalist at The New Statesman and founder of Britain Elects to discuss the numbers and ask if it’s time to start worrying about them. • We are...

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From school canteens to prison kitchens, the quality of the meals served in public institutions is often alarmingly poor. But rather than accepting this, could fixing the issue boost Britain in ways we might not realise? In today’s episode, Coco Khan speaks with Kevin Morgan , Professor of Governance and Development at Cardiff University and author of Serving the Public , to explore how better ins...

Billionaires are often praised as disruptive innovators, philanthropists, or brilliant problem solvers – but they’re also a clear sign of growing inequality. So, are they ever truly a force for good? Today in The Bunker , Zing Tsjeng is joined by Carl Rhodes , Dean of the UTS Business School at the University of Technology Sydney and author of Stinking Rich , to answer the question: is there such...

Trump’s first term might have been a political nightmare, but at least it was a golden age for truth-telling journalism. But this time, news outlets from the Washington Post to CNN have bent the knee to MAGA with indecent, craven haste – while papers like the New York Times have retreated, terrified, into euphemism. What do the news oligarchs think they’ll get from Trump? And will there be anythin...