The News Agents

On the eve of Andy Burnham’s first party conference as Prime Minister, Tony Blair has entered centre stage - to talk about rejoining the EU. Is he nudging Burnham towards his own goal? Or putting unnecessary hurdles in the new PM's way? And what is the state of the relationship between them? We talk to The New Statesman’s Tom McTague.

And, as a new mega MRP poll lands suggesting the current number of parliamentary seats each party would win if the election were held tomorrow, we analyse why a snap election is so unlikely.

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"I made a small error and I've apologised and it will be put right in the second edition, but that's it." That's what Earl Spencer told Lorraine this morning. The error in question is about Piers Morgan. In his new book, Spencer claims that Morgan published a hidden camera photo of Diana in 1993 while working for the Daily Mirror. The big problem with that? Morgan didn't join the Mirror until 1995. He's launched legal action against Diana's brother - and speaks to Jon and Emily.

Later, Andy Burnham will be pleased that his first face to face with Donald Turmp went off without any major hiccup. Their meeting on the sidelines of the UN was actually pretty chummy in large part - so why is the UK now having to rethink its plan for the Chagos Islands as a result?

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The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It wasn’t meant to happen like this. When Trump decided to ban three news organisations from the White House in his latest iteration of an old man sulk, he didn’t expect the rest of the press to back them. But they have. No one took up the reins to lead the press pool - so last night went unfilmed. And various news outlets have decided not to take Trump audio either. Which is why, in a magnificent volte-face Trump ended up crashing socialist Mayor Mamdani's press conference in New York so he could find the cameras. He looks ridiculous. He knows he’s going to lose in the courts. So why are his enablers still pretending everything makes sense?

Later, why are London gangs creating their own video game out of real gang violence? An exclusive report from the streets of London by The Crime Agents Andy Hughes.

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Trump’s war on the media has been deepening for decades - whether it’s been litigation, doxxing, intimidation or simply a ban on access - we kind of feel like we’ve seen it all before. But today one thing happened that changed all that - the broadcast media joined ranks and fought back.

After three major outlets - CNN, MS Now and Politico - were shut out of the White House, other outlets pulled their participation from the pool team. They're refusing to cover his visit to New York. So has Trump’s move spectacularly backfired?

Later, why is the German chancellor calling his own ejection result a ‘disaster’? And does it mean he’s going to follow Keir Starmer out of his own job?

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Opinion polls are supposed to tell us what the public thinks. But what happens when the people commissioning, funding and promoting those polls have a political interest in the results?

The latest controversy surrounding Reform UK has put the polling industry under an uncomfortable spotlight. Allegations that polling commissioned by Reform was funded through an overseas company and that the party's involvement was not disclosed when the results were published have prompted investigations. Reform denies any wrongdoing, while two senior party officials have stepped down.

This Friday, Luke Tryl from More In Common joins us to explore the power that political polling has, if it can change the course of an election, and how much should we really trust the numbers?

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The story of Hull City owner Acun Ilicali is one of the most extraordinary in the Premier League...

TV star turned media mogul turned football club owner, Acun is a force of nature — and in this special episode of The Sports Agents, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman meet the man himself, live and direct from Istanbul.

This is the story of a man who lost his parents in a tragic car accident, saw his marriage collapse, faced financial ruin in his early twenties — and somehow emerged to create a global media empire.

Acun tells us about the energy of the people which drew him to Hull City, how he inherited a club divided from its supporters, and how he set about rebuilding that bond.

It’s been a wild ride for Acun & Hull City, from surviving relegation to League One on goal difference to winning promotion to the top tier and upsetting the Premier League’s big boys - expect passion, energy and the ultimate underdog story in this very special episode of The Sports Agents.

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Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Senior Producer: David Finch

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

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Buckingham Palace has said it doesn't comment on book releases as a matter of principle. And yet it has commented on a new book - from Princess Diana's brother - in a way that has sparked off a news cycle.

Earl Spencer claims in his new book that in a heated row with Charles in the preparation for Diana's funeral, the then Prince spat out "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough". The Palace's response: "His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss."

Why has the Palace chosen to pick this public spat? Why are the Royal family unable to go a week at the moment without descending into some form of internecine warfare? And should this sort of family squabble even be published in the first place?

Later, the EU's love affair with Canada has caused Donald Trump to sit up and pay attention. He's threatening to stop trade with Europe if it feels "hostile" to America. Mark Carney says that "no one is going to dictate our culture." So what happens now?

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Six weeks out from the budget some of the critics are already circling - warning the new Prime Minister not to play it safe as “a traditional tax and spend PM with better TikTok". Is Burnham in control of events? Or is the economy being thrown further off course by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea closing off?

Later, pussycat impersonator, and leader of the Workers Party George Galloway, is back and standing in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Will this split the Green vote?

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It's referendum day in Piddington. A symbolic gesture that would see it "ceding from the UK" over their frustration with the setting up of of an asylum centre on their doorstep. They’ve argued that 1250 single foreign men is too much for their modest village of 350 to handle. But now - guess who’s coming to the rescue? Danny Tommo and his masked Patriot Platform - seemingly backed by Reform's Sarah Pochin, who's said protestors would "not be unwelcome" in the village. Is this what the people of Piddington wanted?

Later, Donald Trump has told us all not to worry about the myriad warnings coming out about AI and its potential to kill us all. He's got the ultimate guardrail. And it turns out, it's him. Should we all sleep easier tonight?

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

£36m donations are like busses for Reform - you wait ages for one and then two come along at once. Reform's £72m haul this weekend dwarfs the money raised by all the other parties - it is a simply unprecedented level of funding for British politics. There are complications. Are the donations within the rules? Could Labour change the rules to prevent them? And most importantly - can it actually make a difference? Could two crypto billionaires potentially swing an election for Nigel Farage?

Later, Anthony Scaramucci on how Trump is raking it in from crypto - and where American democracy has gone wrong.

The News Agents is a Global production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/