The Bunker – Your daily news Deep Dive

How it started, how it’s going… This was a year that blew up Boris Johnson’s plans for post-Brexit Britain and forced the Conservatives into uncharacteristic economic intervention. What has 2020 done to a newly-purified party of true believers? Former Conservative MP David Gauke tells Ros Taylor about the state of the New Tories, what would have happened if Cameron hadn’t called a referendum on the EU, and how the Conservatives have become “a party of protest, not government”. 

• “It’s a discontented party. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s rebellious.”
• “It’s now hard to see that there’ll ever be pro-European advocacy in the Conservative party again.”
• “There’ll be a gravitational pull towards those socially conservative Red Wall voters… Anyone who’s expecting a return to Cameron-style government will be disappointed.” 
• “The Tory Party has taken on the personality of a newspaper columnist, rather than a traditional party of government.”

Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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The Labour Party has just endured its most self-torturing year since, well, last year. Is Keir Starmer beginning to turn the party’s fortunes around? Is the Left’s guerrilla war against the Leadership all noise or is Labour truly in a civil war? Does Corbyn even want to come back into the Labour fold? And above the infighting, is the Opposition doing enough opposing? Nick Cohen of The Observer gives his End of Term Report for the Labour Party to Dorian Lynskey. 

• “Britain is not a conservative nation – whenever Labour wants to win an election, it wins an election.”
• “Oppositions do lose elections, and they do it when people can’t imagine them as a government.”
• “Being next to the EU is like being in bed with an elephant. It might not notice you, but you notice everything it does.”
• “Of all the hills the Left has chosen to die on, it’s this Trumpian denial of Corbyn’s record on antisemitism.”

Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Logo and branding by Mark Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production

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How did it feel to be at the centre of protests for racial justice that shook Britain and the world? Imarn Ayton, an actor and drama teacher from Peckham, found herself on front covers and news bulletins across the world after she was given a megaphone at a protest in London – and decided to speak into it. She tells Jude Rogers what BLM has achieved, what was behind the infighting in the movement since the summer, and what needs to happen next. 

• “Black people have been marching for decades. The real turning point was seeing people of all colours marching in the streets.” 
• “The litmus test for society is overt racism, not covert racism. But covert racism is what causes the most damage.” 
• “Most people who adopt and love black culture don’t believe that they are covertly racist.” 
• “We need to have the most awkward conversations. We are still very much in denial about systemic racism.”

Presented by Jude Rogers. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Logo and branding by Mark Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production

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Angry, irrational rejection of key public health measures like lockdowns and masks was one of the ugliest aspects of 2020. How did lockdown deniers give scepticism such a bad name? Did the Brexiters’ war on experts make it harder to fight COVID? And deep down, do some lockdown deniers have a point? Alex Andreou talks to Queen Mary University politics professor Tim Bale and FT writer, honorary fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and author of How To Make The World Add Up Tim Harford about the power of wilful ignorance.

• “Over the past few years. middle finger, up-yours politics is what has resonated with many, many people.” – Tim Bale
• “Many sceptics didn’t go for the principled argument. They just argued that lockdowns kill more people or even that the virus isn’t all that dangerous.” – Tim Harford
• “How can the BBC allow business people to act as armchair epidemiologists?” – Tim Bale
• “The virus didn’t go away of its own accord. It went away because of the incredible sacrifice that so many people made.” – Tim Harford
• “The person in the street probably trusts experts MORE after the experience of COVID than they did beforehand.” – Tim Bale
• “Sweden was the poster boy for lockdown scepticism. But when you look at the infection and death figures – and the economy – Sweden is not that different from Britain.” – Tim Harford

Presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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What psychodrama is driving No Deal? Can the Tory Party be rescued from its embrace of nationalist unreason? And what is Boris Johnson like to work for? Former Cabinet Minister and power-walker Rory Stewart joins us Ayesha Hazarika, Arthur Snell and Andrew Harrison for this week’s panel edition.

• “Churchill desperately cared about detail… but I couldn’t get Boris to engage in the Foreign Office at all.” – Rory Stewart
• “Boris’ Brexit Deal is all about the drama, not the detail.” – Ayesha Hazarika
• “International politics is about local wisdom. On Iraq, Labour was too centralised and bureaucratic.” – Rory Stewart
• “We’ll still be negotiating with the EU by 2040” - Arthur Snell
• “Politics was deeply damaging for my mind, soul, and body… Ultimately, politics is bad for you.” – Rory Stewart

Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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It’s the final, final week where everything definitely goes down to the wire… again. As Boris Johnson ends Brexit as he began it, choosing between two alternatives he doesn’t really believe in or care about, Ros Taylor sets out the week ahead. Plus: Will London go ti Tier 3, will schools close and will Donald Trump ever shut up, man? Also, bidets!

• “Johnson is a man hovering on the edge of indecision… He simply cannot make up his mind”
• “We cannot seem to let go of him. As long as we remain obsessed with Johnson, we will be trapped in this situation.”  
• “I guarantee you that Johnson is agonising right now. This is more important than any of his other bad decisions that have ruined this country.”” 

Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Never let it be said we don’t mix it up… We lure Geoff Norcott, famously the only* right of centre comedian out there, into The Bunker and attempt a civilised conversation. How does a working class son of a trade unionist end up on the political right? Why does right wing comedy reiterate the same tired punchlines about “wokeness”? And how does he think Brexit – which he voted for – is going? 

* Not really, but listen and find out. 

• “I’m not the ONLY right-wing comedian… but when we have the Christmas party, we don’t have to hire a big room.”
• “The idea of a room full of people agreeing with each other doesn’t appeal to me, whoever they are.” 
• “Every wing of politics has trashed their own brand.”
• “Stewart Lee always makes me laugh even though I’m the person he’d probably hate the most.”
• “As a straight, white, middle-aged man, yeah I’ve taken advantage of BBC diversity quotas.”
• “I’m not anti-woke. I’m anti- bad ideas.” 
• “I voted for a Deal and if there isn’t one, I’ll be angry.” 

Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Our 200th edition. Everyone wants to go home and visit their folks for Christmas, right? And the Government is fine with it… right? Christina Pagel of Independent SAGE and UCL’s Clinical Operational Research Unit tells Ian Dunt why packing yourself into unventilated homes with aged relatives, school kids and students might not be a very good idea. What are the best ways to have a safer Christmas? How dangerous is public transport? And what’s worse, hurting your family’s feelings – or damaging their health?

• “People are pretty clear about what they OUGHT to do. What they WILL do is another matter.
• “It’s really hard to think of home as a dangerous place.” 
• “The idea that I might give my parents COVID month before they could get vaccinated? I don’t know if I could live with that.”
• “We’re all good at social distancing from strangers. But when you’re out with your mum, it’s a different matter.” 
• “What are the worst things you can do at Christmas? Singing and shouting.” 

Presented by Ian Dunt. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofrenijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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One day you’re one of the world’s most powerful people, the next you’re out of work. So what do ex-leaders get up to when they leave office? And are they ever any good at it? BBC Radio producer and author of The Ex-Men: How Our Former Presidents and Prime Ministers are Still Changing the World Giles Edwards takes Ros Taylor behind the closed doors of members-only clubs – and reveals how these ex-men (and women) still shape public life without us even knowing. 

• “You can get more done in fifteen minutes as Prime Minister than fifteen months as a former Prime Minister.” 
• “Clinton touched something in the Democratic Party soul that Obama didn’t.”

Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Fishing, level playing fields… as the scales tip the EU Trade Deal, will an arrogant Boris Johnson choose No Deal for the hell of it? The COVID vaccine is here but do we need to brace ourselves for “vaccine nationalism”? Special guest Magid Magid – former Lord Mayor of Sheffield and Green MEP – tells us about generational changes in politics, the green future, and what it’s like when you’re a migrant kid playing “cultural bridge” for your parents. And what do MPs’ Spotify Wrapped lists tell us about the next generation of politicians? 

• “If the Government don’t get a deal, it will be a point of honour for Johnson not to return to the negotiating table next year.” – Ros Taylor
• “People in Brussels are sick and tired of this… They’re in despair with the UK.” – Magid Magid
• “Brexit has changed European countries’ attitude to the EU. We’re not exactly bracing for a Frexit or a Swexit.” – Yasmeen Serhan
• “We’ve now arrived in a place where nothing short of No Deal will satisfy the Brexit ultras.” – Ros Taylor

Presented by Alex Andreou with Yasmeen Serhan and Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Logo and branding by Mark Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production

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