The Bunker – Your daily news Deep Dive

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has changed the world forever, but what was it like to be in Kyiv as the first bombs fell? Luke Harding, foreign correspondent at The Guardian, joins Arthur Snell to reveal all about the grim reality of Putin’s war, and the unheard human stories behind the headlines, covered in his new book Invasion: Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival.

• “A mum and two kids came into my shelter with colouring books, and you just knew people were already dying.”
• “Russian occupation means terror and murder.”
• “Deep down Putin is a coward, and I would be surprised if he used a nuclear bomb.”
• “Crimea is where Ukrainians used to go on holiday, but Russia has turned it into a ghastly military garrison.”

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Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. 

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Hunt’s cuts bonanza faces dissection from angry MPs this week. How will he handle the pushback? Plus, there are rumours of a Swiss-style EU deal – could this possibly happen? Then we cast an eye to the US, with ripples still coming from the midterms and Trump’s presidential announcement. And with the Qatar World Cup underway, what has reaction been to the tournament so far? Yasmeen Serhan joins Alex Andreou to discuss the news to look out for in the days ahead. 

• “There’s some buyers' remorse with Brexit and the economic impact we’re starting to feel… the elephant in the room is the B word.” – Yasmeen Serhan
• “I think people are quite fearful of spending cuts… there’s room for a clash between public perceptions of what the public thinks and the Government thinks.” – Yasmeen Serhan
• “It seems to me the budget is slowly unravelling, there’s lots of noise from low tax Tories.” – Alex Andreou

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Presented by Alex Andreou with Yasmeen Serhan. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Hunt’s cuts upon cuts have left the nation worried, depressed and frightened. Is there any hope beyond austerity 2.0? Marc Stears, director of the UCL Policy Lab, author of Out of the Ordinary and former Ed Miliband speechwriter, speaks to Ros Taylor about the state of Britain and its future prospects.

• “The reality of the economy is an extraordinary living standards squeeze that people confront in their daily lives.” 
• “Anger, rage, unpredictability – you see that everywhere at the moment, but particularly in the Conservative backbenches.”
• “We’re probably overly gloomy as to where we might be able to get, but not gloomy enough about where we are now.” 
• “People are fed up with overly grandiose stories which turned out to have nothing in them.” 

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Presented by Ros Taylor. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Alex Rees. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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It’s official, Trump is running for President in 2024. Does anyone really want him to – or is it foolish to underestimate him? Julie Norman, Co-Director of the UCL Centre on US Politics, joins Jacob to tell us why calling Trump the underdog could play straight into his hands. 

• “As much as Trump gets leverage in promoting himself, bashing Biden also plays well with his base.”
• “I think Trump knows that what is appealing about Trump is himself - and it's why some of the Trump backed candidates didn’t do so well. He has a cult of personality around him that is bigger than his children and the people around him.”
• “Whether one loves or hates Trump it’s important not to discount him.”

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Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees and Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Jade Bailey. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER USA is a Podmasters Production.

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Dirty air filing homes across the UK is leading to an increase in asthma and lower life expectancy. But just how filthy is it? And are we doing anything meaningful about it? Ros Taylor talks to David Green, senior research fellow in the aerosol science team at Imperial College London. 

• “Scientists have found particles from polluted air in unborn babies.”
• “Some of the highest levels of pollution are experienced in cars.”
• “Government anti-pollution measures benefit the public purse in the long term because we spend less on things like childhood development.”
• “Outside of London, industrial hubs contribute a huge level of air pollution – Port Talbot’s factories make it the most polluted place in the UK.”

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Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. 

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Gina Miller, described as an “establishment wrecking ball,” speaks to Alex Andreou about battling Brexit and her desire to “reboot” the system. After rising to prominence taking on the Government’s authority to trigger Article 50 without a vote in Parliament, her fight has been taken to the stage in the play Bloody Difficult Women. She’s gone on to launch the True & Fair political party, and is aiming to oust Chris Grayling from his Parliamentary seat. 

• “Because everyone was talking about sovereignty, I thought people would be supportive of my case.” 
• “If someone is abusing me and not what I’m saying – I’ve probably won.” 
• “The whole system of government is not fit for purpose. And the main parties will not go as far as I think is needed to reboot it.” 

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Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees and Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. 

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Suella Braverman has called the asylum system broken – but she’s probably focused on the wrong parts. What needs fixing? Home Office incompetence has led to a backlog in processing claims – while the Government is focussing on a new deal with France to reduce people crossing the Channel in small boats. Colin Yeo, a barrister specialising in migration issues sits down with Arthur Snell, to tell us just how Brexit broke the asylum system – and how to speed it up once and for all. 

• “I think it boils down to incompetence when it comes down to it.”
• “Instead of refocussing resources they’ve just ignored it and it’s made things worse.”
• “If someone is from Syria it doesn’t take long to realise that they’re probably a refugee”
• “I don’t trust the Home Office when they start quoting statistics that aren’t in the public domain.”

https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast

Written and presented by Arthur Snell. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz Audio production by Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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As climate activists ramp up provocative protests, the Government is cracking down by bolstering police powers. How far will this go? Ros Taylor is joined by David Mead, professor of UK human rights law, to discuss the incoming public order bill – and how it could impact groups such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion. 

• “There’s certainly been a step up of climate activists over the last couple of months.” 
• “These groups have a deliberate tactic of being arrested. In their view they need more provocative actions to get publicity. They’ve had a step up.”
• “We should be very worried here of a chilling effect.” 
• “Peaceful protest does include serious disruption.” 

Support us on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast

Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees and Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. 

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Britain braces itself for “eyewatering” cuts to cover the £60bn bill for Trussonomics. And Jeremy Hunt braces himself for the howls of the Tory Right. Plus: Braverman turns bagwoman to sign a migrants deal with France. And good news! The Democrats take the Senate and Trump gets the blame! Alex Andreou gives Jacob Jarvis the run-down on the coming week.

• “We’re now trying to fill a much bigger hole caused by the Truss-Kwarteng fiasco.”
• “The cuts will have to go much further simply because the markets no longer trust us.”
• “To impose cuts on this scale when you know they will kill people is just immoral.”

Support us on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast

Written and presented by lead producer Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees and Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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The BBC is constantly under siege – how can it survive the 360 degree onslaught it faces? Does it make a rod for its own back? Or is stuck in a perennial catch-22? Siân Pattenden is joined by Patrick Barwise author of The War Against the BBC, to discuss the embattled broadcaster. 

• “People pay for far more services that they don’t use than paying for the BBC.”
• “What is contested is impartiality.”
• “The organised attacks on the BBC come from the Right.”
• “It is a miracle it's so productive given how tightly it has been squeezed.”

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Written and presented by Siân Pattenden. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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