The Bunker – Your daily news Deep Dive

The British Government’s COVID response has been assessed as literally the joint-worst in the world. How did we get here? DR SARAH WOLLASTON, former Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee and ex-Conservative, TIG and Liberal Democrat MP for Totnes, gives Naomi Smith a righteous take on the Government’s stubborn refusal to accept it could have done anything wrong… on the streams of misleading data… the looming medical supplies crisis… and what needs to happen to restore public trust. 

“There’s no sign of the Government admitting that anything could have been done differently.”

Presented by Naomi Smith. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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The nine-year civil war in Syria is among the most atrocious yet misunderstood and neglected conflicts in human history, with many westerners flatly ignorant of what happened and why. Writer, film-maker and Middle East expert OZ KATERJI explains how deliberate misinformation, Western complacency and realpolitik created a humanitarian catastrophe – and where we go from here. 

Produced and presented by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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From Washington to Whitehall to Bristol harbour, Black Lives Matter protests are dramatically reshaping politics across the world before our eyes. Former Obama homeland security advisor and US senate counsel AMY POPE joins us to discuss what this tumultuous fortnight means for Trump, Biden, American policing and American democracy. Plus, Britain grows a spine in its dealings with China. With a No Deal Brexit looking, is Johnson storing up trouble for our free-booting free trade future? 

Ian Dunt and Arthur Snell join Dorian Lynskey for this week’s full-length BUNKER.

• “It’s hard to observe social distancing when you’re pushing a statue into a harbour.” – Dorian Lynskey
• “I’ve prosecuted cases across the United States and I can tell you that the problem of police brutality is endemic.” – Amy Pope
• “Trump isn’t interested in solutions. He’s interested in abuse.” – Arthur Snell

Presented by Dorian Lynskey with Arthur Snell and Ian Dunt. Script and assistant production by Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Alex Rees. Produced by Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production.

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What’s it like to actually have COVID-19? Stand-up comedian SINDHU VEE tells Ian Dunt about the experience of being laid out by the virus – how to be an “Indian Mum Bad Cop” in trying circumstances – and what she learned along the way. 

• “When you can’t really breathe, your body is like, HOLY SHIT.”
• “I totally reached my target weight with COVID, though. And it lasted about two weeks.”
• “When you’re Indian, you have doctor friends coming out of your ears.”

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

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Which businesses could dig Britain out of the COVID recession? What will industry need to do to adapt to a new, socially-distanced reality? What are all those people involved in hospitality, services and entertainment going to do for a living? And is this a good time to start a business? Entrepreneur, investor and original mother of dragons DEBORAH MEADEN talks to Alex Andreou about the blank slate that is post-COVID business.

• “There are very few moments in business where everything changes. And this is one of them.”
• “We might find that we’ve changed forever how we go out and socialise in pubs or restaurants.”
• “My businesses have been through a scary moment. But now it’s become an exciting moment for us.”
• “You NEVER do everything at once in business. And with Brexit the Government is trying to do exactly that.” 
• “There’s no point in having your money sitting in the bank right now. Get it out. Get it working.” 

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

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The death of George Floyd has triggered an outpouring of protest in the US and a surge of unprecedented violence from police. Could these astonishing events really change the direction of politics and race in America? Journalism teacher and ex-Washington Post writer and editor MARCIA DAVIS reported on Ferguson and the nascent Black Lives Matter movement. From Washington DC she talks to Dorian Lynskey about a tumultuous week in the United States – and what needs to happen next. 

• “It’s got to be more than a hashtag this time.” 
• “This has been time of fear and worry but also joy and excitement for many of us – because maybe things are changing” 
• “There’s nothing good about the death of George Floyd… but it has galvanised people of all races in an unprecedented way.” 
• “Many young people are saying yes, Biden IS better than Trump… but they want more.” 

Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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We love Parris in the springtime. Times columnist, much-admired old school Tory and now Conservative exile MATTHEW PARRIS talks to Ros Taylor about the extraordinary place the Government has got itself into. What’s left of old-fashioned Toryism? Have we got to a place where people are happy for Government to make their decisions for then? And will the existential shock of the pandemic finally draw the Brexit poison out of Britain? 

• “It’s going to be harder and harder to make the case that there isn’t a magic money tree.”
• “Boris Johnson is afraid of Parliament. I think he suffers from imposter syndrome.” 
• “Boris Johnson is having to behave like a schoolmaster when he doesn’t even do his own homework.” 

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

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Comedian Mark Watson is this week’s special guest as Britain sacrifices public health for sunbathing and access to flatpack furniture. Are we mentally ready to get back out and be normal? Will FOMO be replaced by FOGO – Fear Of Going Out? What is the meaning of masks? Who’s behind the attacks on “Scum Media” and what are they trying to achieve? And what is ‘British Common Sense’ anyway? Ayesha Hazarika and Helen Lewis join Ros Taylor for this week’s full-length BUNKER.

• “What you’re allowed to do seems like a blokey charter… football, fishing, cars…archery?” – Ayesha Hazarika
• “Opening car showrooms should be very good for the nation’s optical health.” – Mark Watson
• “Dominic Cummings promised to unite the country and to be fair, he did achieve that. Everyone hates him.” – Ayesha Hazarika
• This government feels like people with gardens making rules for people who live in tower blocks.” – Helen Lewis

Presented by Ros Taylor with Helen Lewis and Ayesha Hazarika. Script and assistant production by Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickenson. Logo and artwork by Mark Taylor. Audio production by Alex Rees. Produced by Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production.

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When term starts in autumn, universities won’t look like what we’re used to. What will “bubble learning” look like? What sort of hole will the pandemic knock in University finances? Will there be a socially-distanced bar and/or Animal Rights Soc disco? And will Government bail out colleges – or let some fail in an orgy of academic Darwinism? Dorian Lynskey talks to Oxford Brookes History professor and commentator Glen O’Hara about higher education’s upcoming crisis – and why even that £9,000 per term fee doesn’t cover the cost of tuition. 

• “I wouldn’t use the term belt-tightening. I’d say blood-letting.” 
• “Blended learning is definitely the new black.”
• “The biggest hit will be felt at the biggest institutions like Leeds or King’s… The big boys will really suffer.” 
• “Universities are large-scale businesses with cafes, accommodation, bars and so on… In terms of income this is a perfect storm.” 

Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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There’s a nightmare economic downturn on the cards, but unions were deeply involved in the emergency bailout plans. Is organised Labour about to re-enter policymaking for the first time in over 40 years? What can unions do for women workers in an economy in turmoil? And how can we rebuild better? TUC General Secretary FRANCES O’GRADY tells Ayesha Hazarika about the role unions can play not just in fixing the economy, but in transforming it. 

• “Seven in ten care workers are on less than £10 an hour. What has gone wrong?”
• “Women are realising their own value. And that public support has been really important.” 
• “Let’s be ambitious for ordinary working people.”
• “The public mood has changed, when we’ve got so many so-called self-employed delivery drivers who don’t have those key rights.” 
• “This can’t all end with the clapping on Thursday nights.” 

Presented by Ayesha Hazarika. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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