The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Someone has to pick up the pieces after a disaster. What’s it like to deal with the aftermath of a catastrophe? Siân Pattenden talks to Lucy Easthope about her new memoir When the Dust Settles: Stories of Love, Loss and Hope from an Expert in Disaster . Lucy has been first at the scene of countless major crises over the last twenty years, from 9/11 to the Grenfell fire. She discusses planning for...

Ahead of the local elections, we look at the key political battles across Britain. Could a bad set of results force Boris Johnson out? Sir John Curtice, politics professor at the University of Strathclyde and BBC election night expert, joins Ros Taylor to discuss what to keep an eye on, and who the likely winners and losers might be. “Not all of the England is voting, and that is crucial.” “If Bor...

Our pop culture roundup. This week, time twists in new Apple TV+ thriller Shining Girls with Elizabeth Moss. How hip hop producer J Dilla turned music itself inside out. New cosmic explorations from electronic explorers Röyksopp . And much more. Breakout star of British science fiction Adrian Tchaikovsky is our special guest.  Hear all the music on our rolling playlists. Spotify : https://bit.ly/C...

Atrocities in Ukraine have sparked calls to prosecute Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Could that happen? Dr. Maria Varaki , lecturer in international law at King’s College London, talks to Alex Andreou about what constitutes a war crime, and the complex system of international courts that could bring the Russian president to justice. “Civilians have immunity from targeting, but in Ukraine they have...

Emmanuel Macron may have defeated Marine Le Pen – but that doesn’t mean France’s far right is finished. Where is the nation headed now? Emile Chabal , author of France , dials in from the country’s south to talk to Ros Taylor about why some Brits are so fascinated by the French President, what’s next for his defeated rivals, and what became of the gilet jaunes protests.  “I struggle to imagine a f...

What’s worse about the Mail’s attack on Angela Rayner? The sexism or the clumsy vindictiveness? Plus, Macron squeaks the French presidential election. Should we think twice before ordering Deliveroo? And exactly what sort of country is Britain becoming? Political journalist Moya Lothian-McLean – who’s written for Gal Dem, the New York Times, the BBC, The Guardian and VICE – is our special guest fo...

In France Emmanuel Macron has won again. What challenges will he face in his second term? And what does the result mean for Britain and the rest of Europe? Meanwhile, the UK continues to shirk responsibility over Ukrainian refugees, and the Mail reaches new lows with a disgraceful article about Angela Rayner. Ros Taylor is joined by Arthur Snell to look at the week ahead. “ This is a story about t...

Brexit came as a shocking nadir in British politics for many people – but looking back, was it really a surprise? In his latest book, All In It Together: England in the Early 21st Century, historian Alwyn Turner weaves politics and popular culture from the Millennium through to the EU referendum. He talks to Nick Cohen about the UK’s long hangover after Cool Britannia, why UKIP wielded such influe...

Pop culture polemic with guests folk-pop-chanson visionary Kathryn Williams and journo Jude Rogers, whose new book The Sound Of Being Human shows how music hardwires our brains. Will Russian Doll Season 2 match its timewarping predecessor? Steve Coogan’s Chivalry sails close to the #MeToo wind. Smart female-powered pop from Let’s Eat Grandma … and a lot more  Hear all the music on our rolling play...

How do we tackle new international threats from terrorism to forced migration as people flee climate change? Does diplomacy still work? How has big tech changed the game for global security? Former British ambassador, Oxford University Principal, and The Naked Diplomat author Tom Fletcher talks to Arthur Snell about his new book, Ten Survival Skills for a World in Flux … and why old school “maps a...

Priti Patel cements her position as honorary Minister for Outrage while Johnson apologises, but doesn’t, once again. We pick apart the Rwanda asylum scheme and assess the PM’s outrageous display in the Commons. And as the cost of living crisis bites, which streaming services will be first to go? Comedy writer Jason Hazeley is our guest this week.  “If everyone had behaved like Downing Street behav...

The PM faces a partygate reckoning amid the Rwanda refugee plan backlash. What more Government chaos is due this week? Boris Johnson will be in the Commons for the first time since his fine was confirmed, while Priti Patel is yet again courting controversy. Naomi Smith and Andrew Harrison unpack the latest and tee up the days ahead.  “It’s one thing to have attended a party. It’s another to have d...

The BBC: nest of woke lefty propaganda or tame right-wing mouthpiece? Or something more complex? As the BBC marks its 100th birthday and Nadine Dorries tries to kill off the Licence Fee, Simon Potter – author of This Is The BBC: Entertaining The Nation, Speaking For Britain? – talks to Andrew Harrison about the Corporation’s tangled roots, clouded future, much-contested purpose… and why politician...

How did Britain come to be one of the largest gambling markets in the world? Rob Davies , investigative journalist and author of Jackpot: How Gambling Conquered Britain , talks to Nick Cohen about how technology, advertising and liberalised laws combined to target some of the most vulnerable in society, the influence of the gambling lobby in British politics, and the urgent reforms the industry ne...

On our pop culture round-up: Special guest Will Young tells us about the art of mind maintenance, a life in pop, and more. Plus hard-bitten Dublin rock’n’roll from Fontaines D.C. , Catherine Tate’s Netflix prison comedy Hard Cell splits the panel, and futurist feminism in new Apple TV+ sci-fi anthology Roar. Journalist Craig McLean of The Face and the Telegraph joins Siân and Alex in The Bunker. ...

Anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny is the man Vladimir Putin fears most. Now a new documentary tells his story. Director Daniel Roher joins Arthur Snell to discuss his latest film Navalny, which tells the story of one man and his struggle with an authoritarian regime, and what the future holds for Russia and Putin in light of the invasion of Ukraine.  “ Navalny ’ s people were just waiting fo...

We live in a culture obsessed with the spectacle of youth. One in five Britons will be over 65 by 2030 – with the fastest-growing age group being the over-85s. What are the implications for us as a country with an increasingly ageing population? What are the issues that need challenging and policies that need changing? And how should we think about  ourselves  as ageing people? Tim Whitaker , Vice...

Is Johnson’s hit job on Sunak distracting from a Tory brand that’s falling apart? Does the West have the stomach for sanctions that will really bite on Russia? New Statesman editor Jason Cowley goes in search of the must mysterious country on Earth: England. And while Channel 4 is still around, what are the C4 programmes we love? Zoe Williams of The Guardian and Justin Quirk join Andrew Harrison f...

As the far right’s Marine Le Pen runs off against Macron, could France fall to extreme populism? Plus the briefing war against Sunak, Johnson’s photo op visit to Kyiv and Russia resets its war aims. Gavin Esler sets up the week ahead with Andrew Harrison.  “ A Le Pen presidency in France would be another victory for Putin.”  “The real scandal in British politics is not what is illegal, it’s what i...

Britain now removes more children from their parents than ever before. Is it possible to mend broken families? Polly Curtis , journalist and author of Behind Closed Doors , talks to Ros Taylor about complex factors that lead to families being split up, how the system fails both mothers and fathers, and what can be done to make sure it works for everyone. “We probably all know someone who has had a...

On our pop culture round-up: BBC2’s “genuinely moving” Paul Gascoigne documentary , reggae legend Horace Andy returns, and is Apple TV+ spy drama Slow Horses a Tinker, Tailor for the 21st Century? Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake joins us along with legendary beer writer Pete Brown – new book Clubland: How the Working Men’s Club Shaped Britain available for pre-order now.  Hear all the music on our...

Money makes the world go round, but how does it actually work? With economies across the globe in flux, understanding cash, currencies and crypto has never been more important. Gavin Jackson , lead writer for the Financial Times, joins Ahir Shah to talk about his new book Money in One Lesson: How it Works and Why, which covers the most important questions about money and how it shapes our societie...

For millions of people, social media isn’t a source of entertainment or information, but a way to reinvent themselves. So what if you could stop being a loser of our economic system by winning the internet’s attention? Channel 4 reporter Symeon Brown talks to Justin Quirk about his book Get Rich or Lie Trying , his gripping expose of fraud, exploitation, misogyny, environmental destruction, and th...

Russia’s withdrawal from some areas of Ukraine has unveiled new depths to the atrocities committed under Putin. With horrific images showing civilians’ bodies in the streets of Bucha, the panel unpacks what will come of these revelations. Plus, we look at how the cost of living crisis is biting those who might have been insulated so far. This week’s guest is The Independent ’s political sketch wri...

With Russia accused of massacring civilians in Ukraine, we look at the world’s reaction, and what will come next. How can nations push harder to punish Putin? Plus, we unpack the Hungarian election results, with Viktor Orbán having won a fourth term. And back home, partygate continues to rumble on. Alex Andreou and Arthur Snell look at the week ahead.  "Billions of Euros are sent to Russia for gas...