Constitutions are the rulebooks of government, but how does each country get its own peculiar arrangements? Linda Colley, author of The Gun, The Ship, And The Pen: War, Constitutions And The Making Of The Modern World, tells Ros Taylor about the extraordinary circumstances – from Napoleon to Catherine the Great to America’s Founding Fathers – that produced the operating systems for states. Why was America’s sacred Constitution less of a high-minded document and more of “a grimly necessary plan by a group of men who felt themselves under siege”? And does a British Constitution even really exist? 


“The US Constitution was driven by short-term necessity rather than highfalutin’ ideas.”

“One Law Lord once described the British Constitution as a trackless desert.” 


Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Logo and branding by Mark Taylor. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters production
 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Daily: BORN IN CRISIS How constitutions are created

Your daily Need To Know on news and politics. Every morning The Bunker cuts through the noise to make sense of what’s really going on, with smart explainers, interviews, fresh perspectives and under-reported stories to rescue you from everyday Punch and Judy news coverage. It’s the only way to start the day. From the producers of Oh God, What Now?
Our regulars include: Alex Andreou • Gavin Esler • Hannah Fearn • Andrew Harrison • Jacob Jarvis • Marie le Conte • Jude Rogers • Yasmeen Serhan • Ahir Shah • Siân Pattenden • Ros Taylor.
• Sign up to support the podcast and get episodes ad-free and early: patreon.com/bunkercast
• Apple users: Get all of our core shows ad-free and early with the Podmasters Originals super-subscription.
The Bunker is a Podmasters production.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

News

Politics

Government

Britain and America’s link is often called the “special relationship”. But is it that special anymore – or is it actually pretty one-sided? Angus Hanton is a businessman and entrepreneur and the author of Vassal State: How America Runs Britain. He argues that the relationship has changed for the worse – and that Britain has become the 51st state of the United States at great cost to its economy. He joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker to discuss. 
 
Buy Vassal State: How America Runs Britain through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. 
 
• “We’re being taken over at scale and the government doesn’t care.” – Angus Hanton 
• “I think this has contributed to our impoverishment and higher tax rates.” – Angus Hanton 
 
If you want more US politics – listen to our new podcast American Friction, out every Friday in the run up to November’s election. Available here, or wherever you get your podcasts. 
 
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit, 
 
Support us on Patreon.  
 
Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does America basically rule Britain?

Swearing is a part of life. But is there a place for it in politics? Would Parliament function better if politicians were allowed to use a bit more profanity? Alex Andreou discusses this with Philip Seargeant, senior lecturer in applied linguistics at The Open University and author of The Art of Political Storytelling.
• “Swearing always has a purpose.” – Philip Seargeant
• “The idea that language can be particularly harmful has come more from the younger generation.” – Philip Seargeant 
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.
www.patreon.com/bunkercast   
Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.
 Instagram | Twitter  
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does politics need a bit more swearing?

Starmer’s referencing of Thatcher has enraged the left – but is it anything beyond symbolic politicking? And is he really Thatcherite at all? Andrew Harrison speaks to Robert Saunders, a reader in modern British history at Queen Mary University of London, about the legacy of Thatcher and how it ties in with modern Labour policy. 

• “It’s worth remembering that Margaret Thatcher herself borrowed ideas from the left.” – Robert Saunders
• “I think Thatcher would be quite alarmed by what she would see in a Reeves-Starmer manifesto.” – Robert Saunders 
• “Truss and Sunak were giving two different memories of Margaret Thatcher in the last Tory leadership contest… it was like two branches of the same religion.” – Robert Saunders 
• “Margaret Thatcher has become a myth. And the nature of myths means every generation can give different tales about them.” – Robert Saunders

We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.

Support us on Patreon.

Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson and artwork by James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

Instagram | Twitter 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Iron Lad – How Thatcherite is Starmer really?

Rishi Sunak is trying to spin his local election trouncing as best as he can – what bluster should we ignore this week? Plus, the latest from Gaza as Israel strikes Rafah. And, the Trump trial rolls on – while Xi visits Europe for the first time in five years. Alex Andreou talks Jacob Jarvis through the week ahead.  
 
• “There’s a sort of electoral ruthlessness to the Labour Party at the moment.” – Alex Andreou 
• “Sunak should call an election, he won’t, but he should.” – Alex Andreou  
• “If Sunak should do something then that usually suggests he won’t do it.” – Jacob Jarvis 
• “This is a critical moment for Netenyahu.” – Alex Andreou  
• “There is a weird mix of entitlement and scattergun strategy going on from Trump in his court case.” – Jacob Jarvis 
 
Want to hear more about the American election? Then listen to our new podcast, hosted by Jacob Jarvis, ‘American Friction’ – out every Friday in the run up to November’s vote.  
 
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. 
 
Support us on Patreon.
 
Written and Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Foregone delusion – Start Your Week with Alex Andreou and Jacob Jarvis

Is “fandom” one of the drives behind our dysfunctional politics? That’s the thesis of Dr Phoenix Andrews new book I Heart Politics – who writes about how people power is behind a series of quake moments in recent political history. He joins Andrew Harrison to discuss whether the phenomenon and power of fandom is overlooked in contemporary politics, and how the fandoms of politicians like Trump, Farage and Thatcher affect the cultural zeitgeist.

• “The world feels mad, but finding people with a common passion is uplifting.” – Dr Phoenix Andrews
• “Political fandom is basically Eurovision with consequences.” – Dr Phoenix Andrews

We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.

Buy Phoenix Andrew’s book I Heart Politics: How People Power Took Over the World through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast

Written and Presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Adam Wright and Liam Tait. Audio Production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Artwork: James Parrett. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Daily: BORN IN CRISIS How constitutions are created

Download our free app to listen on your phone