The Briefing Room

The Briefing Room episodes:

• 04.18.2024

  What does Iran want?

  David Aaronovitch and guests explore the thinking behind Iran's decision to attack Israel and ask what the short and long term aims of the Iranian regime are. Guests: Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist Ali Vaez, Iran...

  
• 04.11.2024

  What's happened to Hamas?

  Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to “eliminate” Hamas but after six months of death and destruction in Gaza what do we know about their status? David Aaronovitch talks to: Jennifer Jefferis, Teaching Professor at Georgetown University's Security...

  
• 04.04.2024

  What's the future of the state pension?

  The state pension system relies on the workers of today paying the pensions of current retirees. But does an aging population and rising costs threaten that model continuing? David Aaronovitch talks to: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal...

  
• 03.05.2024

  Election special 1. Is democracy in India under threat?

  2024 is the year of elections. According to one estimate just under 50% of all the people on earth live in countries where by December 31st there will have been a national vote. To mark this phenomenon we are broadcasting...

  
• 03.05.2024

  Election special 2. Elections without democracy

  2024 is the year of elections. According to one estimate just under 50% of all the people on earth live in countries where by December 31st there will have been a national vote. To mark this phenomenon we are broadcasting...

  
• 03.05.2024

  Election special 3. Uncertain times for the ANC in South Africa

  2024 is the year of elections. According to one estimate just under 50% of all the people on earth live in countries where by December 31st there will have been a national vote. To mark this phenomenon we are broadcasting...

  
• 02.28.2024

  How is technology changing warfare?

  In 1964, pre-historic remains were discovered at Jabal Aṣ-Ṣaḥābah - or Mountain of the Companions - in the Nile Valley near what is now the border of northern Sudan and Egypt. That site contained evidence of the earliest known warfare...

  
• 02.22.2024

  Russia: State of the Nation

  It is two years since Russia began its costly conflict against Ukraine. How does it fund its war effort, how do sanctions impact that and how tight is Putin's grip on power? Guests: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent Maria Shagina, Research...

  
• 02.15.2024

  The synthetic opioids claiming lives in the UK

  Deaths from synthetic opioids such as nitazenes and fentanyl are low in the UK but there are fears the problem could escalate and that figures don't show the true picture of the situation. David Aaronovitch explores how dangerous these drugs...

  
• 02.08.2024

  The crisis in dentistry: why is it happening and what should we do about it?

  This week a great queue of dentistless Bristolians appeared outside a new practice offering NHS treatment. That followed a report on children’s health which specifically referenced the poor and worsening state of their teeth. This week the government announced a...

  
• 02.01.2024

  What’s the point of Ofsted?

  This week the Education Select Committee said that Ofsted and the Government must rebuild trust and make major changes to school inspections. This follows months of news coverage of the death of Ruth Perry, the headteacher who killed herself following...

  
• 01.25.2024

  Is the UK prepared for more floods?

  The UK is experiencing more rain and more floods than previously, and because of climate change this is set to get worse. More than 6 million homes are at risk of flooding in the UK. What is the state of...

  
• 01.18.2024

  Why is local government in such trouble?

  It’s been another difficult week for local government. Birmingham City Council announced it needs to make up to 600 redundancies to help balance its books and Middlesbrough Council decided to apply to the Government for £15m of emergency funding to...

  
• 01.11.2024

  Israel-Gaza: Is it turning into a regional conflict?

  As if the conflict in Gaza wasn’t bad enough, the fighting has ignited old and new tensions elsewhere across the region. Since the surprise attack by Hamas on 7th October, clashes on the Lebanon-Israel border have restarted, attacks on US...

  
• 01.04.2024

  Brexit: Could we rejoin the EU even if we wanted to?

  It’s almost 4 years since the UK left the European Union. Recent polls show a majority of people want to re-join the EU. But is this a realistic option? So in this week’s programme David Aaronovitch asks could we re-join...

  
• 12.28.2023

  Aliens: Are we closer to finding intelligent life beyond Earth?

  Aliens are back on the radar after a US Congressional hearing in the summer that featured former intelligence officer, David Grusch. The US Air Force veteran was once part of a task force created to look into what used...

  
• 12.21.2023

  What’s behind the record homelessness figures?

  Housing charity Shelter’s latest figures show that homelessness has risen rapidly in the last year. In England, 279,400 people are living in temporary accommodation - an increase of 14% - most of whom are families. And the government’s own...

  
• 12.14.2023

  What can the UK learn from other countries about assisted dying?

  Euthanasia is illegal in the UK. All attempts to change the law have failed. Other countries have legalised Assisted Dying and/or Euthanasia. In this week’s Briefing Room with David Aaronovitch we find out what their experience has been...

  
• 12.07.2023

  Ukraine: what's the counter-offensive latest?

  The start of Ukraine’s counter-offensive against occupying Russian forces was hailed as the breakthrough moment of the war so far. Now six months on, we ask what happened? The Secretary General of NATO has said we should be ‘prepared for...

  
• 11.30.2023

  Net migration: What’s happening in the UK?

  UK net migration hit a record 745,000 in 2022 according to recently revised figures from the Office for National Statistics. That means the numbers coming to live in the UK were almost three quarters of a million more than those...

  
• 11.23.2023

  Israel-Gaza war: What's going on in the West Bank?

  In recent weeks, and for obvious reasons, all eyes have been on Gaza. But more Palestinians live in the West Bank, the other Palestinian territory, and the area is critical forany chances of durable peace. Or to an expansion of...

  
• 11.16.2023

  Introducing... When It Hits The Fan

  Who's in the news for all the wrong reasons? David Yelland and Simon Lewis invite you to join them in the world of crisis managers and spin doctors as they watch the week's biggest PR disasters unfold.

  
• 10.19.2023

  Israel/Gaza: What happens next?

  Israel and Hamas are at war and there are no signs of a quick resolution. But what would a resolution actually look like and who's actually going to try and negotiate one? David Aaronovitch talks to: Shashank Joshi, Defence...

  
• 10.12.2023

  What was Hamas thinking?

  David Aaronovitch and guests talk through the thinking behind Hamas's deadly attack on Israel, discuss what might happen next and ask what all this means politically. Guests: Jennifer Jefferis, Director of Curriculum at the Security Studies Program, in the...

  
• 10.05.2023

  If Trump gets re-elected what does the world do?

  David Aaronovitch and guests talk about what a second Trump presidency might mean for America's relationship with the world and discuss what countries are doing to prepare. Guests: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Inu Manak, fellow for trade policy...

  
• 09.28.2023

  What a murder in Canada tells us about India's place in the world

  When a Canadian Sikh was murdereed in British Colombia in June few predicted the diplomatic bust up that ensued. What does this say about India's relationship with the West? David Aaronovitch speaks to: Professor Gurharpal Singh, Emeritus Professor of Sikh...

  
• 09.21.2023

  The UK’s financial headache

  David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how Conservative and Labour preparations for the next election will be dictated by the state of the UK's public finances. Guests: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Mehreen Khan, economics editor...

  
• 09.14.2023

  Who do we think we are now?

  Two years ago we looked at Britain’s political geography and the role of identity and party loyalty. In this special programme in front of a live audience, David Aaronovitch and guests discuss what’s changed since then. David talks to: Paula...

  
• 09.07.2023

  No concrete plans?

  Some school buildings in England have been forced to close or do urgent repairs because they’re built with a potentially crumbling material, reinforced autoclave aerated concrete, known as RAAC. Lightweight and cheap, RAAC was widely used during the post-war...

  
• 08.31.2023

  What's the problem with Airbnb?

  The number of holiday lets in England rose by 40% between 2018 and 2021. There's been a similar boom across the UK and governments are at varying stages of legislation to regulate the industry and curb the problems associated with...

  
• 08.24.2023

  How much trouble is Donald Trump in?

  Former US President Donald Trump now faces multiple criminal and civil cases. Which are the most serious, what do they mean for his presidential campaign and could the US constitution prevent him from taking office if he wins the 2024...

  
• 08.17.2023

  The UK and the European Convention on Human Rights

  What is the European Convention on Human Rights, how does it impact what the UK government can do and what would the ramifications be if the UK left it? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room: Dr. Ed Bates, Associate...

  
• 08.10.2023

  What’s behind the Niger coup?

  Military unrest in Niger isn't an uncommon phenomenon. There have been five coups in the last 50 years. But what's behind the latest one and is a peaceful resolution possible? David Aaronovitch talks to: Paul Melly, Consulting Fellow at Chatham...

  
• 08.03.2023

  Is it Saudi's century?

  With vast financial resources and a new found desire to engage in regional and global diplomacy, Saudi Arabia has got the world's attention. But just how powerful can it become? David Aaronovitch talks to: Frank Gardner, BBC Security Correspondent ...

  
• 07.27.2023

  Can we meet the net zero challenge?

  As wildfires tear across southern Europe the need for urgent action on climate change becomes ever clearer. Reducing carbon emissions is a global challenge but can we meet it? David Aaronovitch talks to: Attracta Mooney, climate correspondent at the Financial...

  
• 07.20.2023

  The China Threat

  The government needs to radically change its approach to Chinese ambitions in the UK according to a report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee. The report says Chinese investment in the UK has gone unchecked. It warns that allowing...

  
• 07.13.2023

  What can schools do about record absences?

  The pandemic disrupted schooling everywhere. But since then record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Data from the Department for Education show that persistent absence - missing roughly seven days a term - is now at...

  
• 07.06.2023

  What happened to the Israel/Palestine peace process?

  It's 30 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords. That agreement spurred optimism that peace could be forged between Israel and Palestine. It didn't happen. Will it ever? David Aaronovitch talks to: Yolande Knell, BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Anshel Pfeffer,...

  
• 06.29.2023

  Why is Britain getting inflation so wrong?

  Despite the Prime Minister's pledge to halve inflation by the end of the year it's the Bank of England's job to deliver on that. Why is it struggling and what happens if it fails? Britain's facing an inflation crisis. Core...

  
• 06.22.2023

  Ukraine: the long game

  Ukraine's spring offensive has begun. But what can it realistically achieve? What can be done to prevent this becoming a 'forever war'? And in the meantime, how has this regional conflict impacted on global politics. Are we seeing a changed...

  
• 05.11.2023

  The Online Safety Bill

  The Online Safety Bill is a new set of internet laws to protect children and adults. It will place more responsibility on the technology giants to monitor content. Will it succeed? David Aaronovitch talks to: Joshua Rozenberg, legal commentator...

  
• 05.04.2023

  Ukraine: Is it all about to change?

  Recent movements by Ukraine and Russia's military forces suggest that the long awaited spring offensive could start any day. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the implications. Guests: Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the...

  
• 04.27.2023

  Sudan conflict: what led to this?

  David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the latest events in Sudan. Fighting has been commonplace ever since Sudan gained independence but what's behind the latest violence? Guests: James Copnall - currently presenting Newsday on the BBC World Service and formerly the...

  
• 04.20.2023

  Does Rishi Sunak's maths calculation add up?

  Rishi Sunak says the UK has an 'anti maths mindset' and that low levels of numeracy are damaging the economy. Will studying maths until the age of 18 solve the problem? David Aaronovitch talks to: Branwen Jeffreys, the BBC's Education...

  
• 04.13.2023

  The AI Revolution

  Artificial intelligence is going to change all our lives. There are seemingly limitless opportunities. But as computers get ever more powerful how much cautious do we need to be? David Aaronovitch talks to: Professor Michael Wooldridge, Director of Foundational AI...

  
• 04.06.2023

  Trump's Legal Woes

  David Aaronovitch and guests discuss Donald Trump's appearance in a New York court this week, his other looming legal cases and what all this means for him politically. Guests:: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Renato Mariotti, legal affairs columnist for...

  
• 03.02.2023

  The Windsor Framework

  David Aaronovitch and guests take a deep dive into the Windsor Framework. The original protocol was deemed unworkable but does this new deal solve Northern Ireland's trading arrangements? Guests: Peter Foster, FT’s public policy editor & editor of the...

  
• 02.23.2023

  Who's Afraid of The Wagner Group?

  The Briefing Room's David Aaronovitch is joined by a team of experts to find out more about the Wagner group, the mysterious private organisation, that's acknowledged by the Russian government to have been supplying soldiers to fight its war in...

  
• 02.16.2023

  Why was the Turkey-Syria earthquake so bad?

  The WHO have described last week's Turkey-Syria earthquake as one of Europe's worst natural disasters in the last 100 years. David Aaronovitch finds out why it was so deadly. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Stephen Hicks, Seismologist...

  
• 02.09.2023

  How worried should we be about avian flu?

  Avian flu has devastated poultry farms and wild bird populations around the world and now it's spread to mammals such as mink and seals. Cases in humans have been rare but worryingly fatal in more than half of the recorded...