The News Agents

Four people, at least, died this morning, after their dinghy capsized in the freezing waters of the English Channel. The more than 40 on board were trying to travel from France to England, presumably in search of a better life.

And yet, the Government could stop Channel crossing deaths tomorrow or at least substantially reduce the numbers and risk of death. And Labour, the party in opposition, could try and push that agenda. But neither do. Why? Well, because it's deemed politically unpalatable. Lewis explains why.

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

You can watch our interviews in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

At the next election we will all be expected to show voter ID. Which is fine if you have a passport or a driving licence - but much much harder if you don't.

The Conservative party believes the change is important to counter voter fraud -and say it's really not a big ask to get people to ID themselves at the polls when they do for so much else.

Opposition parties say they are trying to find a solution to a problem that doesnt exist. And worse, that the people they will disenfranchise will be the poorer, more marginalised voters who are dont have the paperwork ready (and dont naturally vote conservative). So what is behind the reform? And what effect will it have?

Also - Sam Bankman-Fried - one of the few men in the world who knows what it's like to lose 40 billion dollars - has just been arrested in the Bahamas and charged over money laundering and fraud. We revisit the Cryptocurrency con.

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

You can watch our interviews in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

The funding model of the NHS has always seemed sacrosanct, untouchable.

We boast about having the finest service in the world - free at the point of demand to everyone. But - it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see the service is now at breaking point. The waiting lists, the A&E queues, the morale of doctors and nurses, the impending strikes and the shortage of staff more generally.

So is anyone brave enough to start talking about alternatives? And does private investment in the NHS - as demonstrated by New Labour under Tony Blair - actually work or just make things worse?

Also on the News Agents - England lost a major football tournament this weekend, but no one's blaming the players or the manager. What on earth is happening?

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

You can watch our interviews in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Lewis heads to the scene of a raucous picket line to speak to CWU union members on strike. But how much worse will strikes get this winter?

Lewis casts an eye over all sectors taking industrial action over pay, workers rights and terms and conditions.

And then, we talk to England vs. France. But not the football. We're joined by two French people who have lived in the UK for decades; and they discuss the complex relationship between England and France; culturally, historically and in the present day, post-Brexit. Philippe Auclair, singer-songwriter and football journalist, and star of TV show First Dates, Fred Sirieix.

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Comedian Joe Lycett joins Emily and Jon in News Agents HQ.

He tells us why being so angry with the government makes him do 'silly' things, 'shredding' £10,000 in a stand-off with David Beckham, and whether he'll replace Matt Lucas as the presenter of The Great British Bake-Off.

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

You can watch our interviews in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Overnight in Germany three thousand police have made two dozen arrests after uncovering a far right plot to overthrow the German state.

The group were preparing for Day X- and an attempt to storm the Bundestag, the German parliament, taking MPs hostage. It’s the stuff of horror, nightmare and fantasy - conspiracy rooted in Germany's pre-war history and America's modern QAnon movement.

Today we speak to a senior MP from Germany’s governing SPD party, Nils Schmid, and from the author of Going Dark, Julia Ebner - who’s gone undercover with conspiracy networks and made extremism her life’s study.

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

You can watch our interviews in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

The Tory Peer Michelle Mone is to take a leave of absence from the House of Lords to 'clear her name' from the allegations she profited to the tune of more than £20 million from a PPE Covid contract. She hasn't voted in the Lords since the end of April - just days before her home was raided by the National Crime Agency. And today, Labour has urged the lower chamber, the House of Commons to vote to secure the release of secret texts, emails and documents relating to the 200 million pounds of contracts secured by the PPE Medpro company.

And we talk to Lord Ed Vaizey - former Tory Culture Minister - about clandestine conversations between the UK and Greece on how to return the Parthenon (Elgin) Sculptures (Marbles) to Athens. Is this about art? theft? history? Or is it diplomacy?

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

You can watch our interviews in full at https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

On today's episode we launch the Christmas Countdown - our (and your) favourite soundbites of political inanity of 2022.

Please send in the moments you want us to revisit and react to.

But before we get there, we talk about Sir Keir Starmer's plans to abolish the House of Lords and redistribute the economy more faithfully around the country. Is it justifiable to have an unelected upper chamber in 2022? And what would the replacement actually look and sound like? We speak to Baroness Hilary Armstrong, a Labour peer, and Conservative MP Vicky Ford.

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

You're 30 years old, worth billions as a result of a crypto exchange you've set up - and in the space of one Sunday afternoon it all turns to dust. What must that feel like?

On this episode of The News Agents we speak to someone who's been there, done that and has got the badge (the prison sentence). Nick Leeson single-handedly brought down one of Britain's most famous financial institutions in 1995 - Barings Bank - and spent four years in a Singapore jail as a result. He speaks to us about the tight spot Sam Bankman Fried now finds himself in, and how similar it was to his own.

Planning: Melissa Tutesigensi

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Donald Trump is insisting he was set up by Kanye (Ye) West over that dinner party he accidentally hosted for a white supremacist leader. NBC News is reporting Trump's fury at West - who he thinks is deliberately trying to embarrass him off the electoral map. But some think Trump can do that all by himself. Today, we hear from a former advisor to two Bush presidents (George H.W & George W.) who tells us the stringent security around ex-presidents means NO ONE could turn up to dinner without clearance.

And talking of former populist leaders, Boris Johnson has announced he will stand again in his relatively marginal West London seat. He could very well lose. What's that all about?

Planning: Melissa Tutesigensi

Social Media: Georgia Foxwell

Video: Will Gibson-Smith

Production: Gabriel Radus

Deputy Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

For exclusive daily videos from The News Agents visit Global Player: https://www.globalplayer.com/videos/brands/news-agents/the-news-agents/

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.