After the arrest of comedian Graham Linehan for social media comments, Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says we cannot go on behaving like this and expect our friends in the United States to go on supporting us in our quest for a free sociey. We are humiliating ourselves internationally and spiralling into a broader delegitimation crisis. Argentinian President Milei calls himself an anarcho-capitalist. But what is that? Tim explains a world of scholarship dating back over 150 years. And with the Tories so low in the polls, distrusted and in no man's land, he asks if the Conservative Party might already have died.

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With Keir Starmer replacing his PPS, the third senior member of staff to leave, political commentator Mike Indian says it gives an impression of ineffectiveness and fosters a bunker mentality at the government's heart. Now that Reform is having to put meat on the bones of policies with its deportation plan, Labour must address the small boats problem. Although the Budget will now be largely written, Mike's advice is for the Chancellor to be bold and use a wealth tax to pay down debt and encourage people to save for their grandchildren's future and help bring down the cost of living.

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Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks at the increasingly farcical row over cryptography. As so often, the new bill's unintended consequence could leave the UK's young people even more susceptible to malign influences. He is fascinated by Nowcast's poll putting the Conservatives behind the Greens and SNP. Could we be returning to the 19th century conservative vs liberal political picture? And despite what some commentators say, Tim believes that the UK's current financial predicament is far worse than in the 1970s and that a bond crisis could come upon us out of the blue.

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Political commentator Mike Indian worries about the outcome of the Ukraine summit in Alaska, given that Trump does not see Russia as the aggressor while Zelenksy has not been invited. With Vance's trip to the UK, we are seeing a very different relationship than other recent US presidencies, one where the American government appears genuinely interested in Britain. Rachel Reeves will be glad that UK growth is stronger than expected. But she must still raise revenue in the Autumn budget and it's looking increasingly likely that there will be massive changes to Inheritance Tax.

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Political commentator Mike Indian discusses the move by Macron, Starmer and Carney towards recognising a Palestinian state. While largely a symbolic gesture which presents a number of complicating factors, the Netanyahu goverment is clearly losing support in the West. Discussing the doctor's strike, with a call for a 29% rise after getting 22% last year and Wes Streeting's tough language, Mike feels they may be overplaying their hand. He finds Donald Trump holding court during his UK visit fascinating but thinks Starmer is better than most leaders at handling Trump. As the ONS confirm the second highest population increase since WW2, Mike points out that without migration the population of many Western countries would fall. He finds himself deeply suspicious of the rhetoric of many politicians on the right on this topic.

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Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that we are living in changeable times and that the major political parties we have known all our lives may not hold sway for much longer. Jeremy Corbyn has finally agreed to join a new hard-left party with Zara Sultana, although the name won't be announced until its first conference. Pollsters suggest 10% of voters could support it, mirroring what is happening on the right with the Conservatives and Reform. Kemi Badenoch's reshuffle is instantly forgettable and confirms something is going seriously wrong with the Tories. Meanwhile Reform remains consistently ahead of Labour and is now trying to add form and structure, building a board and ensuring it is ready for the next election, which Tim feels could be in 2028.

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Political commentator Mike indian discusses the removal of the whip of the four MPs who led the welfare rebellion. Despite Labour's massive majority, it is proving hard to maintain party discipline. Rachel Reeves has emerged as Starmer's co-Prime Minister with market reaction to her tears in the Commons strengthening her position, as there seems no possible alternative Chancellor. The Afghan data breach, and the superinjunction covering it up, is a spectacular blunder by the British state. It heightens the impression of incompetence at the top and the belief that civil servants are never held to account. Lastly, Mike turns to the lowering of the voting age to 16, wondering if Reform might not be the party that benefits most from it.

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Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that it is now obvious that the welfare state begun by Lloyd George and Churchill in 1909 is on an unsustainable path and that the political cowardice of MPs has to end. The OBR has warned how vulnerable the UK's position is, yet not even Labour can get a grip on it. Tim discusses his own recently published "manifesto" as to how a failing state where nothing works can be rescued by private enterprise, pointing out the growing trend for people turning to private providers. And he highlights the massive sea change in the public's attitude towards private healthcare.

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Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that the wheels are coming off the welfare project that began in the early 20th century. The state can no longer do it all and either massive changes are made proactively or it will happen reactively through a money market crisis. Sadly, few politicians show the necessary pragmatism and we may already be seeing the early signs of a legitimation crisis. He also looks at Donald Trump. The domestic picture is mixed but, internationally, he cannot remember a US President moving so many dials so rapidly and in such significant ways.

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