Planet Normal

The summer silly season isn’t yet upon us but already things have descended into circus mode, with Boris Johnson’s resignation as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. But did he jump or was he pushed? And will he go down without a fight?

Allison thinks Boris Johnson is being hung out to dry in a ‘witch hunt’ and doesn't believe any former Prime Minister deserves. 

Whilst Liam is quick to identify the holes in the recent Covid inquiry, which he thinks shows our country in a poor light.

With Westminster descending into chaos could there be one hell of a political ‘ding dong’ on the cards for the upcoming by-elections in England?

Also boarding the rocket this week is Russian specialist and author Owen Matthews, who in light of Putin’s recent offensive in Ukraine joins our co-pilots to share why he thinks we may be a long way off a peaceful resolution to the war.

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Call of the Witch Hunt, Boris has already lost: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2023/06/14/boris-johnson-privileges-committee/ 

Listen to The Lockdown Files: https://podfollow.com/the-lockdown-files 

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There’s a lot to discuss this week; the latest lockdown report, Sir Keir Starmer taking on the Unions and some High Court action. Your co-pilots are strapped in ready to give their take.

It's a big week for the covid misinformation brigade as the latest lockdown report lands in the rocket. Is retribution in the air? As for the country's own inquiry, it all seems to be taking an awfully long time (as Liam says, even the Italians have finished theirs!) .

The co-pilots also examine Sir Keir Starmer’s latest net zero policies. Allison thinks its supporters need to get out of 'Ed Milliband’s windmills of your mind' and into the real world. While Liam thinks the policies will cause implications for our carbon footprint and could cost more.

Also strapping into the rocket this week is author and journalist Brendan O'Neill who tells our co-pilots the negative labelling of free speech could have damning consequences for our democracy, as laid out in his new book, A Heretic's Manifesto: Essays on the Unsayable.

And brace yourselves, there’s a spot of karaoke from our co-pilots…

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Listen to Chopper’s Politics: https://www.playpodca.st/chopper |

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Where are all the grown ups? This is the burning question our co-pilots are asking today. Amongst the latest drama at Westminster not to mention the This Morning sofa, our co-pilots feel as if they’re now  living through the looking glass.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s energy strategy is under (a carbon emitting) fire, which Allison describes as an act of ‘national suicide’ too reliant upon foreign strategies to be virtuous enough for the green lobby. Whilst Liam thinks the Labour leader needs to put more care into his strategy in order to appease vital voters in Scotland.

Hopping aboard the rocket today to share his moving story is Jon Chapple, who fell victim to the NHS becoming a ‘covid only health service’, leading to a late Stage four cancer diagnosis.

And one listener has some entertaining tips for dealing with pesky garden visitors…

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Donate to Jon Chapple’s appeal: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2023/05/30/crowdfunding-germany-bowel-cancer-nhs-failures/

Read Debbie Hayton: Kathleen Stock and the rejection of reality: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/kathleen-stock-and-the-debate-over-gender-reality/

Listen to Chopper’s Politics: https://www.playpodca.st/chopper |

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Inflation has slowed but the latest bombshell immigration figures are in. Could the Conservative party be heading for a possible 1997-style landslide election defeat? Liam thinks the latest immigration figures could give Labour the leg up they need, but only if they start ‘talking tough’ and stop trying to appease their most Left leaning voters.

Joining the rocket this week is Nigel Farage, who buckles in next to the co-pilots to give his take on the latest immigration figures, and why he thinks this government cannot overcome the issue because they will never leave the European Convention of Human Rights.

Also on the podcast, Allison is concerned the Whitehall 'blob' is still slowing down government business with more revelations about Lockdown parties under Boris Johnson and Suella Braverman's speeding ticket.

And resident economist Halligan is on hand to take us through the highs and lows of inflation; is there a sense of retribution in the air, after whispers from the Bank of England that they may have overestimated numbers?

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Listen to Chopper’s Politics: https://www.playpodca.st/chopper |

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We saw two mini conferences this week from Tory Land: both the National Conservative conference and the Social Conservative Democratic Organisation had speakers from across the party both claiming they know what is best for members going forward. Are we about to see a full blown Tory identity crisis?

Allison predicts the last nail in the Conservative coffin might be on the horizon when the net immigration figures are released next week, whilst Liam thinks that the potential betrayal of the Tory manifesto could see more extreme political forces try to grab their votes. 

Joining our co-pilots this week is Danny Kruger, MP for Devizes, who boards the rocket to tell our co-pilots that he thinks there is a dominating presence in the heart of government that is preventing the party’s manifestos from being fulfilled.

And diving into the mailbag, one listeners plea to Universities has our co-pilots seething…

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Listen to Chopper’s Politics: https://www.playpodca.st/chopper |

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The local elections results are in and your co-pilots are on hand to deliver their verdict. But who won the all important sweepstake, Allison or Liam?

Liam thinks the Conservatives should be quietly confident with the results, but suggest they should reframe the threat of an anti-Tory coalition as a ‘coalition of chaos’. Allison however, is doubtful that the governing party can hold the country together, comparing recent policy announcements to ‘moving deck chairs around the titanic’.

Joining our co-pilots this week is Planet Normal listener and professional rowing coach Jane, who shares her despair at the lack of regulations with trans athletes competing with women in competitive rowing events.

And the Planet Normal mailbag is bursting with some brand new bards this week…

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Listen to Chopper’s Politics: https://www.playpodca.st/chopper |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

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NB: This episode was recorded on Wednesday May 3rd 2023

It’s a big week on the rocket, as England faces local elections and The Coronation in one orbit. But will the pomp and circumstance be enough to distract from potentially troublesome poll results for the Tory party? Your co-pilots have their predictions ready.

Allison thinks Rishi Sunak might have to pull off a miracle to help the Conservatives weather this election, and that a new branch of the party might emerge from the rubble. Liam still thinks the results are hanging in the balance and will depend heavily on the state of the economy.

Joining our co-pilots this week is leading economist Stephen King, author of ‘We Need to Talk about Inflation’, who joins our co-pilots to do just that! 

And both co-pilots share their thoughts on the latest guestlist for the weekend’s coronation of King Charles III.

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Listen to Being the King: https://podfollow.com/being-the-king

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With concerns about the London marathon and FA cup final due to protests, our co-pilots weigh in on the latest protest psychodramas dominating the news this week.

Allison thinks public patience with these sorts of protests is wearing thin and that more realistic net zero targets need to be set. Whilst Liam is optimistic that the renewable energy debate is shifting towards a bigger focus on technology rather than ‘moral virtue’.

Joining our co-pilots this week is author Professor Matthew Goodwin, who explains to our co-pilots how our culture has become skewed towards a "new elite" class, and his fears that universities have become “ideological monocultures” that do not tolerate different opinions. 

And the rocket’s resident economist Halligan explains why soaring inflation rates on food could have a ripple effect on the results of the upcoming local elections.

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

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As the country’s junior doctors hit the picket lines, your co-pilots hit the rocket of sweet reason to dissect what’s really going on in our ‘first class' National Health Service.

Allison thinks the NHS might have finally kicked the bucket and questions whether we should start sending patients abroad for treatments, whilst Liam thinks the strikes represent bigger failings of our political and media classes.

Joining our co-pilots this week is trade economist Catherine McBride, who is on hand to explain exactly what the mouthful that is the CPTPP really is, and why she thinks that controversial 0.08% figure is in her words, "arse-covering".

And Allison surprises Liam with some particularly enlightening insights on the economy…

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Listen to Ukraine: The Latest: www.playpodca.st/ukraine|

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The campaign starting gun has been fired and the race to the local elections has begun. But which horse is the current front runner in the eyes of our co-pilots?

Allison believes the Conservatives are heading for a huge election defeat and a chasmic ideological party split. However Liam doubts that Keir Starmer lacks the charisma to achieve a 1997 style landslide. 

Also on the podcast, our co-pilots weigh in on the latest political developments across the pond, and ponder over what former president Donald Trump’s arrest says about the state of democracy in America.

Joining our co-pilots for a return trip on the rocket is Lord Jonathan Sumption who shares his thoughts on the upcoming lockdown inquiry, and why he wishes it wasn't so judicial and "quasi-forensic".  

Plus our co-pilots pay a heartwarming tribute to recent and revered rocket guest, the late Nigel Lawson.

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Listen to Ukraine: The Latest: www.playpodca.st/ukraine|

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