The Bunker – Your daily news Deep Dive

With a new monarch and PM, Britain faces stark change. How will these incoming figureheads handle this? What will this mean for the future of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth? Historian Sir Anthony Seldon joins author and former BBC journalist Gavin Esler to discuss the turmoil we face.

• “The United Kingdom is actually a relatively new concept.”
• “The Monarchy, unlike Prime Ministers, embodies continuity.” 
• “If the call comes to become a republic, it will be hard for Australia to resist it.” 
• “The United Kingdom is actually a relatively new concept.” “We’ve lost a huge force which was holding the UK together.”
• “We’ve almost forgotten there’s a new prime minister, in the wall-to-wall reporting.”

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Presented by Gavin Esler. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic 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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Six months into the Ukraine crisis, are western sanctions imposed on Russia really working? Dr Richard Connolly, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, joins Ahir Shah to explain the economic war sparked by Putin’s invasion, the effectiveness of Western sanctions, and why this hidden conflict isn’t going as well as expected. 

• “Russia is quite happy to sell oil cheaply to friendly countries, not so much the West.”
• “The Rouble is strong at the moment, but that doesn’t mean sanctions aren’t working.”
• “Russia have been preparing for this, we have not.”
• “Russia will get poor, but Europe will be getting a hell of a lot poorer because of the downgrading of energy relations.”
• “Regime change is always implicit behind sanctions.”

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Written and presented by Ahir Shah. 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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Pubs are a cornerstone of British culture. But with increasing numbers closing, and a long winter ahead, what can we do to save them? Ros Taylor is joined by Michelin star chef and hospitality champion Tom Kerridge to discuss how pubs are under threat and ways they may change in the future. 

• "Even if pubs look busy, they are working to incredibly tight profit margins."
• "As people have become more health conscious, they don't go to pubs during the day – so pubs really need to change."
• "The days where pubs open at 12pm, turn on the fruit machines and wait for people to come are gone."

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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 Robin Leeburn. Music: Kenny Dickinson. Group editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. 

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Queen Elizabeth II’s reign coincided with huge cultural and social shifts, so how did she respond to these changes? Following the Queen’s death, Ros Taylor is joined by Stephen Bates, former royal correspondent for The Guardian and author of Royalty Inc. Britain's Best-Known Brand to discuss changes seen in the Elizabethen era. 

• “The Queen had to be persuaded to do things, and then she went along with them.” 
• “The monarchy is very careful about its resources.”
• “There was a huge backlash against the monarchy in the 90s, especially around them not paying tax.”
• “The royals want to preserve the succession, so Charles will be a small c conservative king.”

https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast

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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Pageantry, pomp and poignancy have flowed in abundance since the Queen's death, while mourning has put democracy on ice. The panel unpacks the nation’s reaction – and tries to decipher what it all really means. Plus, the latest from the Ukraine counter-offensive, as it firmly appears the tide is turning against Russia. 

• “We rarely knew The Queen’s feelings on anything, a tough act for Charles to follow.” – Arthur Snell
• “There has been a lot of self-policing, but as far as I can tell there has been very little McCarthyism around The Queen’s death.” – Marie Le Conte
• “Truss’s speech about The Queen was really bad, but I have sympathy for her.” – Marie Le Conte
• “Russia has had a terrible war, it’s a war they can’t even admit they’re in.” – Arthur Snell

Presented by Ros Taylor with Arthur Snell, Justin Quirk and Marie Le Conte. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic . Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. 

The Bunker is a Podmasters production.

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With the nation in mourning following the death of the Queen, what can we expect to happen in the next few days? A state funeral will be held next week, and hundreds of thousands are due to visit London. Elsewhere, we discuss the situation in Ukraine, and the counter offensive there. Plus, the Met faces scrutiny after the shooting of Chris Kaba by a firearms officer. Alex Andreou and Yasmeen Serhan lay out the week ahead. 

• “People seemed to be more shocked by how it had hit them, they perhaps weren’t expecting to be as moved as they were.” – Yasmeen Serhan
• “It’s exposed quite how emotional the connection is to the monarchy, it’s a bond formed very early from childhood.” – Alex Andreou 
• “Liz Truss is going to be doing a lot in recent days, but the crises are not going to wait for a period of mourning to pass.” – Yasmeen Serhan 
• "You don't need to be a monarchist to understand the impact the Queen had." – Yasmeen Serhan

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Presented by Alex Andreou with Yasmeen Serhan. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic 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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As Kwasi Kwarteng becomes Britain’s latest Chancellor, how much power really lies behind the door of No.11? Howard Davies, chairman of the NatWest Group and author of The Chancellors: Steering the British Economy in Crisis Times, joins Alex Andreou to discuss the influence of previous Chancellors, and the challenges facing Kwarteng as he takes his place at the Treasury.

• “The treasury is unique in that it’s the only department not solely focused with spending Government money.”
• “A good Chancellor will be prepared to stand up to the Prime Minister.”
• “Sunak came into the treasury thinking Brexit was a good idea. That was a problem.”

patreon.com/bunkercast

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

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American society is in crisis, but can the iconic story Gone with the Wind explain the divisions ripping the US apart today? Professor Sarah Churchwell talks to Arthur Snell about her new book The Wrath to Come, which re-examines the controversial legacy of Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel, and what it tells us about American history and culture today.

• “Gone with the Wind does reject the idea that war is romantic, that is where it’s more modern.”
• “During the insurrection a white supremacist flag was carried in the US Capitol for the first time since the civil war.”
• “Anyone outside of the US sees Biden as centre-right. In America he’s painted as a socialist.“
• “Democracy in America hasn’t been achieved. It’s something we have to constantly fight for.”

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

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Stop pinching yourself, this isn’t a bad dream – Liz Truss will be Prime Minister. She’s sworn she’ll deliver – but how? And will she stick to her campaign stances or, unlike her icon Thatcher, will she be for turning? Plus, we look across the pond and assess Biden’s new combative stance. From being set for a midterm wipeout, has the tide turned?

- “Truss has a litany of things she has to deal with in a relatively short period of time.” – Yasmeen Serhan 

- “Truss is going to have a very modern work honeymoon – it’ll be one week long.” Yasmeen Serhan

- “People that worked for Theresa May are saying Truss has an awful in-tray.” – Yasmeen Serhan

- “We aren’t in for the most scintillating PMQs over the next two years.” – Justin Quirk

https://www.patreon.com/bunkercast 

Presented by Alex Andreou with Ahir Shah, Justin Quirk and Yasmeen Serhan. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic . Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Bunker is a Podmasters production.

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The Groundhog Day of the Tory leadership race is over and Liz Truss is due to become Prime Minister. Does she truly gasp the size of the task at hand? And is there any hope for competence in her Cabinet? Plus, more strikes and protests are due this week. And we take a look at the latest from the conflict in Ukraine. Arthur Snell lays out the week ahead with Ros Taylor.

• “If you could think of the worst time to become Prime Minister, this would be it.” – Arthur Snell 
• “Even Liz Truss in a terrible economic climate will get a bit of a bounce.” – Arthur Snell
• "You’d think she’d want to hit the ground running, instead, she’s just going to hit the ground, as she said.” – Arthur Snell
• "Britain has reached that stage on the international arena, where we’re just the guy who’s going through a midlife crisis.” – Arthur Snell 
• “Liz Truss has said there will be no rationing of energy – that’s fine until we’re having blackouts later in winter.” – Arthur Snell 

www.patreon.com/bunkercast 

Presented by Ros Taylor with Arthur Snell. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic 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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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.