People Talk... Politics

Tune in for the new episode of People Talk…Politics! Max, Samantha and Felix discuss whether Israel is disproportionately targeted by international organisations. They debated whether the anti-Israel bias in the UN Human Rights Council, exemplified by Agenda 7, is systemic within the UN as a whole, argued whether the ICC arrest warrants against Israeli politicians are justified and discussed the future of UNRWA in light of the involvement of their staff in the October 7.

Our Policy Fellow Lucas Blasco Argullós recently interviewed Shaun Pinner, an ex-British soldier who served in the Ukrainian army, was captured by the Russians and released in a prisoner swap. They discussed Shaun’s extraordinary story and his experience in captivity. Shaun also shared his concerns about the influence of Russian propaganda in the West and spoke about the progress of the war, emphasising the need to supply Ukraine with more weapons and allow Ukraine to strike further inside Russian territory. Check out the latest podcast!

In the new podcast episode, our Policy Fellow Ellie Guaschi interviewed Professor Kian Tajbakhsh, former political prisoner in Iran released during a prisoner swap under the Obama administration. Professor Tajbakhsh shared his story and explained why it was naive to believe that ‘reformists’ could change the political and strategic direction of Iran back in the 2000s and is still naive now. He argued that Iran’s ultimate goal is to destroy Israel and establish hegemony in the Middle East.

In this podcast episode, Policy Fellows Blerton, Alex and Jack discussed the economic, political, and security implications of China’s involvement in the Middle East as the US is perceived to be disengaging from the region. They argued that partnerships with China are often asymmetric, which raises strategic concerns, and discussed China’s relationship with Israel and its role in the Israel-Hamas war. 

This conversation took place before the recent Beijing summit which saw Palestinian factions agree to unify. Have a listen to hear how our Fellows’ predictions match up with recent events!

Tune in for the new episode of People Talk...Politics! Our Policy Fellows Alex, Blerton and Jack discuss how emerging technologies are changing the character of warfare. They consider the ethical concerns surrounding the use of UAVs and precision-guided munitions, examine the distinct approaches to AI regulation in the US, EU and China, and question the resistance and fitness of existing legal frameworks to tackle new security challenges, such as cyber warfare. Make sure to give it a listen!

In this episode of People Talk...Politics, our Policy Fellow Matthew Brooker interviewed Rt Hon Sir David Lidington CBE, UK's longest serving Minister for European Affairs, Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office in Theresa May’s government. They discussed how internal divisions in the Conservative Party may affect its electability and what issues and policies the Tories should emphasise in their campaign. Sir David also shared his insights on the relationship between government, the civil service and local government, outlining potential reforms that could increase efficiency, transparency and decentralisation.

As Britain's involvement in a war does not seem like an outrageous fantasy anymore, our Policy Fellows Lucas, Baran and Orla discuss whether the UK defence spending is sufficient, explore the role defence may play in the upcoming general election, consider the UK's role in NATO and European defence and debate whether the current British "small high tech army" approach is sustainable.

Is an AI revolution upon us? In this episode of People Talk...Politics, Policy Fellows Calista Toner and Jonathan Gibson delve into the debate about opportunities and dangers associated with AI. They discuss how AI is revolutionising the defence industry and the character of warfare and argue that there is a threat of interference of malign actors in democratic practices and misinformation, including the use of deep fakes and bots on social media, which points to the proliferation of digital technologies and cyber warfare. They also debate whether AI should be regulated on the national or international level. 

With the looming general election, Policy Fellows Matthew and Ellie discuss why Conservatives are polling so poorly and argue that Labour and Kier Starmer aren't particularly popular with voters but are less unpopular than Sunak and the Tories. They discuss both parties' election strategies and outline the issues that are likely to dominate the campaign. Check out this episode of People Talk...Politics!

In this episode of People Talk...Politics, our policy fellows Blerton, Jack and Alex debate at what point free speech becomes hate speech, particularly in the context of anti-Israel protests and instances of antisemitism on university campuses, examine the existing legal framework for the protection of free speech in British universities and discuss how these policies may be improved.