The News Agents

Very little political news is truly jaw dropping. But this morning's was. Natalie Elphicke, on the Conservative right of the party, and MP for Dover, has defected to Labour.

She crossed the floor before Prime Minister's Questions and was warmly welcomed by Keir Starmer. It was not so long ago that Rachel Reeves was telling Elphicke to "fuck off", after her comments about Marcus Rashford. And it was not so long ago Elphicke herself was defending her convicted sex offender husband as being the 'victim of dirty politics'. Is this really the new face of Labour?

Later, why has Astra Zeneca pulled it's Covid vaccine from the shelf. Is this about legal woes? Or commercial ones? And where is this country now on vaccine hesitancy?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"!

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

https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

The government is determined not to let a little thing like a disastrous set of local elections put it off its stride.

Over the course of the bank holiday we were told that 'the plan is working... it just needs a little more time'.

Labour is having none of it - accusing the PM of 'gaslighting' the public over the state of the UK economy.

But what if the economy DOES start to improve? What if inflation DOES start to fall? Can the public be pursuaded things... can only get better...?

We have an extended interview with Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Later. What do Javier Milei and Liz Truss have in common? Erm, nothing. Nothing whatsoever it transpires....

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

https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Cip Credits:

Rachel Reeves speech on Tuesday 7th May

Andrew Mitchell on Sky News

Andrew Griffith on BBC Radio 4

Rishi Sunak on Sky News

Mark Harper speaking to Lewis Goodall on LBC

Ione Wells speaking to Javier Milei in Buenos Aires for BBC News

Liz Truss interviewed on GB News

The local election and mayoral results flood in.

How bad are they for the Tories? How much of that is Reform? And how well have Labour actually done?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"!

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

https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Cip Credits:

Ben Houchen with Sophie Ridge on Sky News

Rishi Sunak talking to BBC News

Andrea Leadsom with Jo Coburn on PoliticsLive on BBC Two

This week on The Sports Agents, Gabby & Mark explored whether a Premier League salary cap will actually help smaller clubs bridge the gap to the 'Big 6' and if it could lead to a bigger drain on top English talent...

Former Lioness Jill Scott was in the studio to explain why Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham is the obvious candidate to succeed Bayern Munich's Harry Kane as England captain - as they went head-to-head in the Champions League semi-finals.

And legendary boxing promoter Frank Warren joined us to reflect on his rivalry with the Hearn family, the British public's complicated relationship with Tyson Fury and the night he was shot outside one of his shows...

Catch up with the full episodes for more on Billy Vunipola's Mallorca arrest and Jadon Sancho's resurgence in Dortmund.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

After several delays, Brexit checks finally came into force this week - adding cost and delay to how small businesses can get their goods into the UK. It'll see prices pushed up on the consumer's end too.

But, you won't hear either main party discussing this in great detail. Why? As an election issue - it's almost radio silence - even as the UK becomes the worst performing economy in the G7.

We'll hear from Peter Foster from the Financial Times and What Went Wrong With Brexit on the Brexit economics and Labour's strangled relationship with this issue - and from Tim Shipman - chronicler of Brexit diaries with No Way Out - on what the Conservatives now make of the brexit they delivered.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"!

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

https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

As of this week, Rishi Sunak can boast he has sent asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Admittedly, it was just one guy. Admittedly he was paid £3k to go. Admittedly he'd already failed the asylum test to remain in Britain and admittedly - crucially - he went voluntarily. This is NOT the same forced deportation plan that Rishi promised would "stop the boats".

But don't let pesky details get you down. The headline - conveniently dropping before tomorrow's local elections - make it sound like the Rwanda plan is flying.

Later - what should you be looking out for in the Glastonbury weekend of fun that is the local elections.

And what's going on with the protests on US college campuses - are we next?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"!

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

If the Palace of Westminster were a village - the Head of Counter Terrorism police tells us - NO one would dare to live there.

Today we ask why so many of our MPs face threats to life - and what it's doing to our democracy more broadly, in terms of how they vote and speak out.

Also, should we be concerned about actual terrorist acts from countries like China and Russia and Iran - are they operating on our streets - without the public even knowing?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"!

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

On the stroke of midday, Humza Yousaf, Scotland's First Minister, made the announcement that just a week ago would have been unthinkable.

Acknowledging the miscalculations he made in the sacking of his Green cabinet members last week - and the confidence vote he would - in all likelihood - have lost - the head of the Scottish government resigned.

For fifteen years the SNP have been a political behemoth in Scotland - writing the rules of devolution and looking to a time of future independence. But after a year of utter political turmoil, is their time in power up?

Today, we look at how we got here, the mistakes made, and who can take the party forward.

We talk to a potential future leader, Stephen Flynn, and ask what this means for Labour at the General Election and for the shape of British politics more broadly.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"!

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

In 2024 Britain nearly 140,000 kids are homeless. Just because you don’t see them on the street doesn’t mean they’re not there. This is Britain’s temporary accommodation crisis, one which is worsening.

Temporary accommodation was once a safe harbour for a few days, a week, a month or so at most.

Now, thanks to rocketing rents and inadequate housing supply, more and more families find a single room in a hotel or accommodation block their permanent home.

In this latest News Agents Investigates series, Lewis hits to road to find out just how big a problem it is, where it comes from and why so many working class kids may find themselves ruined by forces outside their control.

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Video Production: Rory Symon

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"!

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

This week on The Sports Agents...

A Premier League launched an attack on VAR via their social media account - and threatened legal action... Is there actually any legal recourse for victims of a dodgy offside decision? The Athletic's David Ornstein joined us on the pod to discuss the chaos at Nottingham Forest.

Ultra-marathon runner Jasmine Parris then spoke to Gabby & Mark about becoming the first women to ever complete the Barkley Marathons and just what it takes to conquer the legendary 100-mile race.

With the NFL Draft taking place this weekend and the number one pick going to Mark's beloved Chicago Bears, former Dallas Cowboys star Jason Bell told us how it all works and why the ingenious system should be the envy of European football.

And after Liverpool's defeat to Everton in midweek we asked if Jurgen Klopp has announced his Anfield departure too soon.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.