Julia Hartley-Brewer

Belfast is burning — and the government's answer is to crack down on you for talking about it. A second night of disorder gripped the city after knife-attack suspect Hadi Alodid, a Sudanese national, was granted asylum via a Tory fast-track scheme requiring nothing more than a ten-page questionnaire. No face-to-face interview. No proper vetting. Just a tick-box exercise — and five years' leave to remain.Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by former senior military intelligence officer Philip Ingram, who warns that foreign powers — Russia, China, Iran — are actively stoking division on British streets, and that the rioting in Belfast is exactly the kind of domestic chaos they want to see. Meanwhile, only one asylum seeker has been returned to Ireland since 2020, despite a formal agreement to do so, as people-smuggling gangs exploit the open Irish border with impunity.Then, in a bombshell moment live on air, news breaks that Defence Secretary John Healey has resigned — unable to secure the funding Britain desperately needs to defend itself. Sir Ian Duncan Smith calls it out bluntly: a Chancellor blocking the Defence Investment Plan, a Prime Minister too weak to overrule her, and a nation sleepwalking into the most dangerous geopolitical moment since the 1930s. Ships tied up in port. No Royal Navy presence in the Mediterranean. And a government more concerned with appeasing its own backbenchers than protecting the realm.The message is clear — our borders are open, our defences are crumbling, and the real crime, according to this government, is noticing.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Sudanese asylum seeker, Hadi Alodid, has appeared in Belfast Magistrates Court charged with attempted murder, threats to kill, and possession of a knife — after a horrific street attack that left victim Stephen Ogilvie, an NHS radiographer, fighting for his life and without his left eye. Bail was refused. The court heard the suspect told medical staff "I will kill you" and was found armed with a knife on top of his victim when police arrived.The attack has ignited violent disorder on the streets of Belfast — firebombing, masked mobs going door to door, and clashes with police. Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by conservative commentator Benedict Spencer to unpick the rage, the politics, and the uncomfortable truth that governments have ignored the warnings of the British public for decades.Siobhan Whyte, mother of Rhiannon Whyte — murdered in a frenzied 23-stab attack by an asylum seeker at a Walsall hotel — joins Julia to demand answers. She reveals her daughter's killer had already been denied asylum in Germany and Italy, and arrested in Germany before being welcomed into England.Former police officer Norman Brennan, with nearly 50 years in law enforcement, warns that unless the government gets a firm grip on borders and crime, Britain is heading towards full-scale civil disorder. He also lifts the lid on stop and search, knife crime statistics, and why so many officers have been left unable to do their jobs.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Sudanese man has been arrested in north Belfast following what can only be described as an attempted beheading — a horrific, graphic attack captured on video. Meanwhile, the BBC initially buried it beneath the headline: "Man taken to hospital with serious injuries after Belfast stabbing." Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Henry Hill, Political Editor of The Critic, who explains why journalists strip out the most critical details of violent crimes — and why the Public Order Act is being weaponised to protect hypothetical racists over real victims.Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice joins live as the Belfast attacker's identity is confirmed on air. He pulls no punches: the public has a right to know the full history of this individual — now, not in two years' time after a court case. He also reacts to the bombshell Telegraph revelation that £28 billion in taxpayers' money was handed to terrorist groups including ISIS, hostile states such as Russia, and Chinese military-linked companies — through foreign aid and COVID relief loans — which was then actively covered up by the Conservative government.Lord Daniel Hannan, Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, connects the dots: a bloated, unaccountable, ideologically captured state that selects in favour of dangerous migrants, funds our enemies abroad, and then buries the evidence. He also takes aim at Kemi Badenoch's pledge to scrap the public sector equality duty — welcome, he says, but the real rot runs far deeper than any single piece of legislation.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is busying himself with AI summits and an expected announcement of social media bans for under-16s — a move that looks suspiciously timed ahead of the Makerfield by-election. Is it genuine child protection, or is it political theatre designed to sustain the PM's legacy? Also, the murder of Henry Nowak continues to dominate the national conversation. JD Vance's claim that Henry died "the way a civilisation dies", while also placing the blame on mass migration, sparked a furious response from David Lammy — who rang up the US Vice President to tell him he was wrong. Mail on Sunday commentator Dan Hodges joins Julia to dissect whether Vance crossed a line, and why linking the killing directly to mass migration was both deliberate and dangerous. Independent MP Karl Turner goes further — calling Lammy's TV appearance an embarrassment and urging Number 10 to keep him well away from the cameras.And with Andy Burnham widely tipped to win Makerfield and launch a Labour leadership bid, both guests weigh in on whether he has any actual plan — or whether charisma and a casual wardrobe are all he's bringing to the table.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Rowley reacts as Burnham's Makerfield pitch fuelled Labour leadership rumours, as Henry Nowak's murder intensified policing rows and political pressure. Nowak's family met Badenoch and Starmer, while Elon Musk's comments drew rebukes amid calls for calm and accountability. Royal finances faced scrutiny over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's cottage arrangements, raising questions about privilege, transparency and public trust.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Prime Minister and Hampshire's Chief Constable insist there is no two-tier policing. But Hampshire Police's own documents, in black and white, explicitly state that officers must not treat people the same or be colourblind. Officers who underwent the force's mandatory DEI training reported feeling pressured — afraid to say the wrong thing. One in five feared being rejected for speaking their minds. Is this institutionalised groupthink running through policing, the NHS, the civil service, and more?Brendan O'Neill argues that Keir Starmer is not protecting Henry Nowak's legacy — he is using it as a political shield to deflect scrutiny from the very policies that shaped this tragedy. Nigel Farage was heckled in the Commons while bringing up many people's experience of two-tier policing. Yet in 2020, the same political class praised Black Lives Matter rage from the rooftops.Kemi Badenoch, fresh from a meeting with Henry's family, makes the case for sweeping away identity politics entirely — and explains why consistency under the law, not special treatment for any group, is the only path forward.Plus: Lord Mann's report recommends banning all political badges in the NHS — and Julia asks why anyone ever thought that was acceptable in the first place.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The murder of Henry Nowak sent shockwaves across Britain, after the body cam footage of police handcuffing a dying, stabbed teenager whilst he told them he couldn't breathe and had been stabbed. Julia Hartley-Brewer unpacks what this case reveals: the deadly consequence of an institutionalised ideology that has infected British policing from top to bottom.Julia is joined by commentator Benedict Spence, who argues against the left's narrative that Nigel Farage is politicising this story against the wishes of the family. He says murder is inherently political and that no victim's family holds a monopoly over public debate. Together they dissect the violent protests in Southampton, the accusations of exploitation levelled at Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, and the uncomfortable truth that two-tier policing isn't a conspiracy theory — it's written down in black and white in policing race action plans.Then, Rick Prior — former Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, who was suspended for daring to say exactly this — joins Julia to explain how DEI training, the Police Race Action Plan, and the institutional obsession with "equality of outcomes" over equal treatment has left officers terrified of being labelled racist. The result is a culture where an accusation of racism outweighs a boy bleeding to death on the pavement.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The body cam footage from the murder of Henry Novak is incredibly disturbing. A young man, stabbed and dying, tells police four times he's been stabbed and nine times he can't breathe — and is handcuffed and left to die with two pints of blood in his lungs. His killer was never even handcuffed.Julia Hartley-Brewer doesn't hold back. She is joined by Reform UK's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick, Shadow Policing Minister and Conservative Deputy Chairman Matt Vickers, and former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Mike Neville.Is this proof of two-tier policing in Britain? All three guests say yes. The rot, they argue, runs far deeper than two officers at a crime scene. It goes straight to the top — the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs Council, the Home Office race action plans, and decades of critical race theory embedded throughout the establishment.Why did Keir Starmer take the knee for George Floyd but stay silent for three days after Henry Nowak's killer was convicted? Why are words treated as more dangerous than knives? And what would it actually take to tear this broken system down?Also: the Mandelson Files and the bombshell WhatsApp message from Pat McFadden that exposes exactly what Labour MPs really think about taxpayers' money.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer breaks down what hundreds of bombshell texts, WhatsApps, and emails are expected to reveal about Peter Mandelson's controversial appointment as UK Ambassador to the United States. Also under discussion is Nicola Sturgeon's BBC interview in which she claims to be serving a sentence for a crime she did not commit. Julia and former Conservative government adviser Claire Pearsall question the idea that Sturgeon knew nothing about her husband Peter Murrell embezzling £400,000 from the SNP — including an £80,000 Jaguar, a £125,000 camper van, and 108 loo rolls bought the day before Sturgeon told the nation not to stockpile.Plus: the Hague rules the UK does NOT have to pay Rwanda £100 million. Was the £700 million Rwanda scheme a catastrophic waste of your money?And Tory plans for benefit ration cards for criminals — sensible policy or political fantasy?Then, political commentator James Mathewson joins for a fiery on-air clash over trans rights, Donald Trump, Reform UK, and whether James Murray is a coward for finally admitting that trans women are not women.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over a million young people aged 16 to 24 are currently not in education, employment or training. Former Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn argues that without urgent action, that figure could rise to one in six within five years. How has this happened? Milburn points to young people's ‘aspiration', but a job market that is failing them, following increases to employer's national insurance and the minimum wage. Julia adds young people's attitudes… and failed parenting. Ryan Wayne from the Tony Blair Institute joins the show to discuss the report, as well as Tony Blair's criticism of the government. Julia questions his boss's legacy — mass immigration from Eastern Europe, the 50% university target, and net zero — arguing they systematically dismantled opportunities for a generation of young Brits.Lord Daniel Hannan, incoming Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs, lays out the economics that have led to our current malaise: punishing hikes in National Insurance, the Rayner Employment Rights Bill, and a near two-thirds rise in the minimum wage since lockdown have made hiring young people a risk too far for businesses. Add to that a welfare system riddled with perverse incentives, a surge in mental health diagnoses with patients coached by online influencers, and a lockdown hangover we've barely begun to recover from — and the picture is bleak.Also: Dame Helen Mirren, 80 years old and walking through London with her husband, is subjected to a foul-mouthed tirade by a pro-Palestine activist. Philip Ingram MBE connects the dots between Iran's Revolutionary Guard and the radicalisation driving these shocking street confrontations.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Blair has dropped a political bombshell on Keir Starmer's desk. In a scathing 5,700-word essay, the former Prime Minister and three-time election winner says Labour has no coherent plan to fix Britain, is governing from a "soft left comfort zone," and will lose the next general election unless it ditches net zero, slashes the welfare bill, stops the boats, and stops pretending that swapping leaders is the same as changing course.Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who finds remarkably little to disagree with in Blair's brutal assessment, despite their different parties. He breaks down exactly where this government went wrong — arriving with a historic landslide on just 33% of the vote and then standing completely still. No plan. No direction. Just a budget that hammered small businesses with national insurance hikes, a soaring minimum wage, and crippling business rates — the very engine room of British jobs and growth.IDS also reflects on his own record reforming welfare under Universal Credit — cutting between £28 and £32 billion from the budget and delivering the lowest number of workless households since records began — and why Labour's half-hearted attempts to repeat that are doomed to fail.Also: the Makerfield by-election is descending into farce, with Reform and the newly formed Restore Britain tearing chunks out of each other while Andy Burnham eyes the prize. Is this just a parade of oversized egos? Plus, Nicola Sturgeon and the motorhome that apparently nobody saw — for two years, on her mother-in-law's driveway.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicola Sturgeon's estranged husband Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP party funds. That money was used for four coffee machines worth £9,000, £2,000 on salt and pepper shakers, an £80,000 Jaguar, and a motorhome parked on his mother's driveway. Sturgeon claims she knew absolutely nothing about where the money came from.Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Tom Slater, editor of Spiked, to unpick whether that defence is credible. Julia is unconvinced. For a couple who travelled to work together, jointly led the SNP for years, and were legally responsible for signing off the party accounts, the "I saw nothing" response needs to be fully investigated.Also: two teenage boys convicted of rape are spared custodial sentence, despite overwhelming evidence — including footage they filmed themselves. During sentencing, the judge said he wanted to avoid unnecessarily criminalising them. The Attorney General Lord Hermer has now referred the case to the Court of Appeal, but as Julia and Tom argue, the real problem lies deeper, within the sentencing guidelines themselves, which appear to treat youth, low IQ, and ADHD as excuses.And with the Makerfield by-election looming, polling expert Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, joins Julia to break down why this is no ordinary by-election. With Andy Burnham's personal vote, a resurgent Reform UK, and Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain potentially splitting the right-wing vote, the result is likely to pave the way to a new Prime Minister. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Office for National Statistics has released the migration figures for the last quarter — and whilst the government is celebrating, Julia Hartley-Brewer isn't buying it. She's joined by Reform UK Councillor and Deputy Leader of Durham County Council Darren Grimes, who forcefully argues that nobody voted for the rampant levels of migration over the past decades. From David Cameron's broken promise of reducing it to tens of thousands, to Boris Johnson's staggering 944,000 net arrivals, the British public have been consistently lied to — and are now footing the bill in housing, healthcare, schools, and council translation contracts running into the tens of thousands.Former Head of UK Border Force Tony Smith then joins to drill down into the raw data. Net migration is down to 171,000 — but 88,000 new asylum claims, a 3% boat removal rate, and nearly a fifth of the UK population now foreign-born tells a very different story.Also: Julia discusses the viral clip of Rachel Reeves getting heckled at a Leeds petrol station… and her questioning the British-ness of her heckler. Plus, the Reform candidate for the Makerfield by-election faces media scrutiny over deleted tweets.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scrutiny of Andy Burnham, Labour's candidate for Makerfield, continues. As the Labour party wrangles over who should be leader, Andy Burnham is hoping a successful campaign in Makerfield will prove to party and country that he can beat Reform and turn a hitherto spectacularly unpopular government around. But after his U-turn on Brexit, now his commitment to trans ideology is coming under fire… as his previous comments suggesting that trans-identified men should have access to women-only spaces emerged. Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves has reportedly been discussing voluntary price caps with supermarkets – to keep the prices of essential goods down. Immediately, a furious reaction from retail groups ensued. Karl Turner MP calls it ‘nearly the barmiest idea I've ever heard'. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All eyes are on the Makerfield by-election, where Andy Burnham is hoping he can scrape through a tight race, beat Reform and become Labour leader… and then the PM. His hopes are coming under strain as the media, and his political rivals, train their eyes on him. Both Wes Streeting and Keir Starmer said over the weekend they would want to (eventually) look at re-joining the EU. That places Burnham in a bind – Labour members are generally pro-EU, while around 60% of Makerfield constituents voted for Brexit. Lo and behold, following Streeting and Starmers' statements, Burnham U-turned on a previous pledge to re-join the EU. His critics say this is true to form, pointing to previous ideological flexibility for political expediency. In reaction to these U-turns, Lord Hannan expresses dismay with politicians who renege on their promise that the 2016 Brexit referendum would be a ‘once in a generation' vote – explaining that Brexit was a problem with execution, not ideas. He also argues that any deal to return us to the EU would inevitably lead to the EU imposing punishing demands on the UK, including losing the pound. And Lord Foulkes trots out the Starmerite line… arguing that the PM's downfall is the fault of the media, run by ‘multi-millionaires who live abroad', rather than personal failure.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is (currently!) vowing to lead Britain through its current crisis — but are his supporters falling away? James Lyons, Starmer's former Director of Communications at Number 10, joins Julia to dissect the Prime Minister's extraordinary resilience — or delusion, depending on who you ask. With U-turns piling up, MPs briefing against him, and a leadership circus consuming Westminster, Lyons gives an insider's view of the man at the centre of it all.Then it's the by-election that has been branded the ‘most significant in 50 years'. Andy Burnham is heading to Makerfield — a seat that voted 65% for Brexit, where Reform swept the recent local elections. Is this a bold political gamble to prove he can beat Reform UK… or a catastrophic miscalculation? And did Wes Streeting's comments about wanting to rejoin the EU deliberately torpedo Burnham's chances before he's even on the ballot?Richard Tice, Deputy Leader of Reform UK, makes the case that his party are throwing everything at Makerfield — and explains why he thinks the Tories are simply irrelevant. He also faces tough questions on Nigel Farage's undisclosed £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harbour, the Standards Commissioner investigation, and whether Reform can actually govern if civil servants go on strike.Plus: TikTok censors a Reform immigration video using the Online Safety Act — and Julia asks whether Nadine Dorries has repented for helping create it.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is defying his own party, the public, and political gravity. But is he going anywhere? After a humiliating set of local, Welsh, and Scottish election results, the knives are out in the Parliamentary Labour Party. Yet the would-be challengers — Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband — can't seem to land a blow. Spiked Online's Brendan O'Neill joins Julia to break down why this isn't just a Starmer problem… it's a problem with the entire political class.Then, as King Charles delivers the King's Speech, the verdict is damning: recycled announcements, no serious plan for the economy, nothing on immigration, doubling down on net zero, and dragging the country back towards the EU. Robert Colvile, Director of the Centre for Policy Studies and Sunday Times columnist, digs into the numbers: Britain is borrowing over £100 billion a year, welfare spending now exceeds income tax receipts, and the bond markets don't care who leads the Labour Party… despite some MPs saying that the bond markets will have to ‘fall in line'.The brutal truth? Whoever takes over from Starmer inherits the same in-tray: wars in Ukraine and Iran, an energy crisis, a ballooning welfare bill, an ageing population, and a public that refuses to hear difficult choices. As Colvile puts it: you can change the Prime Minister, but you can't change the bond markets.Julia Hartley Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can Keir Starmer survive the increasing assault on his leadership? In a dramatic, fast-paced day of political turmoil, cabinet ministers including Yvette Cooper, Shabana Mahmood and John Healey are reported to have told the Prime Minister he must set out a timetable to leave. Meanwhile, more and more MPs and even ministers have publicly called for him to go. Yet Starmer is digging in, daring his enemies to trigger a full leadership contest.Mail on Sunday commentator Dan Hodges breaks down Labour's meltdown after a disastrous set of local election results. With nearly 100 MPs publicly calling for Starmer to go, Hodges explains why the Prime Minister's defiant stand is a surprisingly clever political manoeuvre… but ultimately a losing battle. Wes Streeting must move now. Andy Burnham remains the northern king-over-the-water. And Angela Rayner's tax affairs are proving far more toxic on the doorstep than she would like.Then, Labour MP for North Durham Luke Akehurst mounts a staunch and unusually honest defence of the Prime Minister — pushing back hard on Julia's challenge that Starmer has delivered nothing of substance. From the Workers' Rights Act to the Renters' Rights Act, Akehurst makes the case for loyalty, stability and giving the government time to deliver. With the King's Speech tomorrow, more resignations expected, and the bond markets wobbling, the clock is ticking for Number 10.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer examines Keir Starmer's chances of staying as prime minister. After Labour lost over 1500 councillors in local elections on Thursday, the floodgates have opened: over 50 MPs have demanded Keir Starmer resign. They want a leadership contest - with Angela Rayner, Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting all listed as potential candidates. To garner any remaining support, the PM made a speech this morning, wherein he vowed to nationalise British steel, bring the UK to the ‘heart of Europe', and a youth experience scheme with the EU. He also took responsibility for the local election results. But it wasn't enough to stem the calls for him to go. Catherine West MP, a relatively unknown backbencher who caused panic over the weekend by saying she would challenge Keir Starmer if nobody in the cabinet did by this morning, decided the speech wasn't enough to stop her from asking MPs to support a timeline for Sir Keir to leave. She did row back on her leadership challenge threat though. With her guests, Julia reacts to the speech. She debates Lord Foulkes, Labour peer, on whether Keir Starmer is right for the job. She asks Richard Tice MP about a £5m donation he didn't declare, and a Reform councillor saying ‘Nigerians should be melted down to fill in potholes'. Then, Karl Turner diagnoses what's wrong with the Labour party, and backs Angela Rayner as the next Labour leader. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer and Claire Pearsall discuss the news that Australia is preparing to receive - and arrest - ISIS linked families. With Chris Phillips, former counter terror officer, she questions the repatriation of “walking time bombs” who may have committed serious crimes following Islamist radicalisation. The conversation shifts to the latest health panic: the Hantavirus. As British passengers self-isolate following a cruise, Julia asks whether we are witnessing another bout of state-sponsored scaremongering. Professor Carl Heneghan joins to provide a dose of reality on the actual risks of human-to-human transmission.Finally, Julia unleashes on the "immorality" of Britain's welfare system. With news that 1.5 million migrants are claiming Universal Credit, Julia and Claire debate the collapse of the social contract, as civil servants "swing the lead" at home and Britain deals with the culture of a lack of shame in living off the taxpayer.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zack Polanski's Green Party surge comes under fierce scrutiny as Julia Hartley-Brewer asks whether the bubble has finally burst amid allegations of antisemitism, radical policies and growing questions over the party leader's past claims.Former Senior Military Intelligence Officer Philip Ingram MBE joins Julia to examine the Greens' controversial platform — from wealth taxes and net zero targets to leaving NATO, scrapping Trident and legalising drugs — and whether protest voters are now seeing what lies beneath the party's “nice” image.As local elections loom, the pressure on Keir Starmer intensifies. With Labour facing potentially disastrous results in Wales, Scotland, London and the Red Wall, Julia and Philip discuss whether the Prime Minister could soon face rebellion from his own MPs, a major reshuffle, or even a leadership challenge. Rachel Reeves' future also comes under the spotlight as UK borrowing costs rise and the markets react nervously to Labour's economic direction.Then, Julia turns to the escalating Iran crisis. Donald Trump's shifting position on escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, fears of military escalation, and the West's ability — or inability — to confront hostile regimes are all on the table.Also on the podcast, Spiked Online's Brendan O'Neill delivers a blistering assessment of Zack Polanski, the Green Party, antisemitism allegations and what the rise of radical protest politics says about Britain today. He also weighs in on Labour's collapse in its traditional heartlands and whether anyone — from Andy Burnham to Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting or Ed Miliband — can rescue the party from freefall.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure on borders, crime and national security as small boat arrivals over the Channel head towards 200,000 since the crisis began. Only a fraction have been removed from Britain.Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Spiked Online editor Tom Slater to take on the biggest stories shaking Westminster: alleged Iranian attempts to destabilise Britain, rising antisemitism on UK streets, the failure to proscribe the IRGC, and growing anger over “two-tier policing” at protests and football fixtures.As Labour battles a collapse in support among Muslim voters and the Greens surge in some inner-city areas, Julia asks whether Starmer's party has lost control of the debate on Gaza, antisemitism and public order.Also: Reform UK's proposal to build migrant detention centres in Green-voting areas — and deport hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants. Is it serious policy, political theatre, or a brutal challenge to the open-borders Left?Former Sun political editor Trevor Kavanagh joins Julia to react to the small boats milestone, the scale of illegal migration, and whether any government can regain control of Britain's borders.Plus: Kemi Badenoch's pitch on zero-tolerance policing, shoplifting, vandalism and street crime; Nigel Farage's rising profile; Labour's local election nightmare; and the growing speculation over who could replace Keir Starmer if the party turns on him — Angela Rayner, Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting or Shabana Mahmood?Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer takes on the day's biggest stories as Keir Starmer faces a crunch Commons showdown over claims he misled Parliament on Peter Mandelson's vetting. With bombshell evidence, Labour unrest and fresh questions over trust, competence and cover-up, is the Prime Minister finished? Plus, the King addresses Congress, shoplifting chaos on Britain's high streets, and growing alarm over Iran-linked threats. Ruthless, fair and unmissable from Talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer takes on the biggest stories shaking Britain and beyond — from growing pressure on Keir Starmer over sleaze claims and Labour infighting, to the latest Donald Trump assassination attempt, royal diplomacy in America, and outrage over attacks on British troops. Ruthless, fair and unmissable, this is the Julia Hartley-Brewer Podcast from Talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer says closer co-operation with France will help stop the small boats crisis — but is Britain paying hundreds of millions for more failure and inaction?Alex Phillips - stepping in for Julia - is joined by former Border Force chief Tony Smith to break down Labour's latest Channel deal, including the extra cash for France, the promise of tougher beach enforcement, the role of French riot police, and why surveillance alone will not stop illegal crossings in the Channel.They also look at the key questions ministers still have not answered: what happens when migrants are intercepted, why detention capacity matters, whether Belgium is now becoming a new launch point, and how people-smuggling gangs are using social media and encrypted platforms to stay one step ahead. If you want serious insight into border security, illegal migration and the real-world limits of government policy, this is essential listening.Also: Andrew Allison from Popular Conservatism joins Alex to discuss the mounting pressure on Keir Starmer, the mood inside Labour, and the growing row around Attorney General Lord Hermer.They examine concerns over the power of unelected figures at the heart of government, the controversy surrounding legal claims brought against British soldiers, and wider questions over who is really shaping policy on national sovereignty, immigration and the Chagos Islands.In response to claims he had prosecuted British soldiers despite knowing claimants were lying, a spokesman for Lord Hermer said that he had “always acted with the highest professional standards, and the suggestion the Attorney acted for individuals with the knowledge that their claims were false is categorically untrue”.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is facing fresh questions over the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal after the explosive evidence from former senior civil servant Olly Robbins — and the pressure on No.10 is building. Julia Hartley-Brewer asks: is the Prime Minister a dead man walking? With claims of disquiet from inside Downing Street, accusations of “jobs for the boys”, and Labour figures openly turning on their own leader, this row is fast becoming a full-blown crisis for Starmer.Joined by former Conservative adviser Claire Pearsall and independent MP Karl Turner, Julia tears into the toxic culture at the heart of government, whether Starmer misled Parliament, and why Labour nerves are jangling after PMQs and before the local elections. If the drip-drip of revelations continues, can No.10 survive the summer — or is this the scandal that finally breaks him?Also: Julia reacts to the alarming poll showing half of young people would never fight for Britain, asking what it says about patriotism, identity and whether this country is still worth defending. There's also the growing fallout from the Iran crisis and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, with warnings of higher fuel costs, rising energy bills, supply chain shocks and fresh pain for British households already squeezed by Rachel Reeves' faltering economy.And fury too over the tobacco and vapes bill, as MPs wave through a lifetime smoking ban for anyone born after 2008 — a common-sense health measure, or another open goal for smugglers, black-market gangs and the nanny state?Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is under huge pressure after Sir Olly Robbins gave explosive evidence on the Peter Mandelson appointment — as he describes an 'atmosphere of pressure' to approve Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. Julia reacts to the extraordinary claims that Mandelson's appointment was effectively treated as a done deal before the vetting process had run its course, with senior figures allegedly pushing for approval and little appetite inside government to stop it. If warning signs were already there, why was the process handled in this way? And if Starmer knew more than he later admitted, did he mislead Parliament?Veteran journalist Adam Boulton joins Julia to give his verdict on Robbins's defence, the sacking of officials, and whether the Prime Minister has made the crisis even worse by trying to pin blame on everyone around him. Was this simply a disastrous political judgement — or evidence of a deeper culture of arrogance at the heart of Labour?Also: Blue Labour founder Lord Maurice Glasman tears into the Labour establishment's obsession with Peter Mandelson, explains why the party is losing working-class voters, and warns that Starmer now looks like a leader with no clear direction and no easy escape. The allegations discussed in this episode are denied by Peter Mandelson, who has not been charged - as of the time of publishing.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Keir Starmer really not know Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting — or is Downing Street's defence simply impossible to believe?In this episode of The Julia Hartley Brewer Podcast, Julia is joined by commentator Dan Hodges and former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith to dissect the growing row over Peter Mandelson's appointment, the claims that officials knew for weeks, and the extraordinary questions now hanging over the Prime Minister's judgment.If Mandelson was considered too high-risk for the usual clearance process, how was he allowed into one of the most sensitive jobs in British diplomacy? And if concerns about his links to Russia, China and Jeffrey Epstein were already widely known, why was he appointed at all?Dan Hodges lays out why he believes it is “inconceivable” that nobody in Downing Street was aware of the failed vetting outcome, while Sir Iain Duncan Smith argues the real issue is not whether Starmer was formally told, but whether he already knew enough to stop the appointment himself.Julia also examines the wider fallout: accusations of a cover-up, claims of a national security failure, and fresh scrutiny over whether the Prime Minister misled Parliament when insisting due process had been followed.As pressure mounts on Number 10, this is the inside analysis of the Mandelson scandal, Keir Starmer's credibility, and the political storm now threatening to engulf Labour.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is under fierce pressure after explosive claims surrounding Peter Mandelson's appointment and the handling of his security vetting – as reports emerge that Mandelson FAILED the vetting. Keir Starmer says (implausibly) that the Foreign Office failed to tell cabinet that he had failed. On Talk today, Ben Habib and former Sun political editor Trevor Kavanagh tear into the Prime Minister's defence, asking the question at the heart of the scandal: if serious concerns were raised about Mandelson, who knew what — and when? Was Downing Street genuinely kept in the dark, or is this another carefully lawyered denial from a government already accused of saying only what it thinks it can get away with?They examine reports that officials pushed ahead with Mandelson's appointment despite failing security vetting, and why Starmer appears to have spent so much political capital backing one of Labour's most controversial operators. From Mandelson's long history of resignations and comebacks to renewed scrutiny of his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the conversation turns to the wider culture of protection, secrecy and entitlement at the top of British politics.Plus: Ben Habib argues this is bigger than one man — it is a symptom of a rotten Westminster system that rewards insiders, shuts out voters and closes ranks when challenged. Trevor Kavanagh says the official story simply does not add up, pointing to senior aides, missing phones, wiped messages and the growing belief that the establishment still thinks the rules are for everybody else.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public anger erupted into protests after Surrey Police refused to release meaningful descriptions of the men suspected of a shocking alleged gang rape in Epsom — while deploying riot police to the peaceful demonstration by local residents demanding answers. The response begs the question: are authorities more interested in managing public reaction than protecting the public?Former military intelligence officer Philip Ingram warns that withholding basic information creates a dangerous vacuum, fuels mistrust and risks even greater unrest. Brendan O'Neill says the scenes in Epsom are yet more evidence of “two-tier policing” — with ordinary, law-abiding Britons treated more harshly than violent mobs on the streets. Note: the police were seemingly unable to prevent feral teenagers from rampading through Clapham. Also: Shabana Mahmood vows action against lawyers accused of helping migrants game the asylum system with false claims about sexuality, religion and domestic abuse. But journalists have exposed this taxpayer-funded racket for years - so it is surprising the BBC has finally decided to pick up the story. Despite Mahmood's statement, public trust in the Labour government's ability to address our border crisis is at record lows. And one year after the Supreme Court ruled that biological sex defines whether someone is a man or a woman in law, why are government departments, councils and NHS bodies still refusing to fully protect women-only spaces? Julia and her guests take aim at Labour's weakness, the collapse of common sense in public institutions, rising anti-Semitic violence, and the wider sense that Britain's leaders no longer put citizens first.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Reeves blames Donald Trump for the fallout from the Iran conflict just as the IMF warns Britain could suffer the biggest economic shock among developed nations. Julia Hartley-Brewer asks if this is really Trump's fault, or whether Labour's high-tax, net zero agenda left the UK dangerously exposed to soaring energy prices, weak growth and another brutal hit to living standards.Also in this episode, Labour claims success after moving 10,000 migrants out of asylum hotels. But is this really a win for the country, or simply a cynical accounting trick designed to hide the cost from the public? Julia is joined by former Conservative adviser Claire Pearsall to debate asylum hotels, shared accommodation, the ballooning welfare bill and why so many voters feel they are footing the bill for a system that no longer works.Julia also tears into Wes Streeting's claims about sexism in the NHS, asking why ministers seem more interested in grievance politics than fixing the real failures in healthcare and protecting women's dignity.And: Falklands veteran Simon Weston issues a chilling warning over Britain's military weakness. With fresh alarm over defence cuts, troop numbers, energy insecurity and the growing threats from Russia and the Middle East, this is a blunt look at how vulnerable Britain has become.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three little girls — Bebe King, aged six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine — are dead. Eight more children carry life-changing injuries. And a devastating Phase One inquiry report has confirmed what many of us already feared: this was a preventable catastrophe, ignored because of incompetent parenting, a failure to take responsibility, and squeamishness about AR's race and autism. Julia Hartley-Brewer and Tom Slater of Spiked tear apart the Southport Inquiry's findings — a report so damning it indicts virtually every agency meant to protect us. Police who found Axel Rudakubana on a bus with a knife and simply took him home. Teachers silenced for daring to call him sinister, accused of racial stereotyping. Mental health workers too frightened to enter his home without police escort. And parents who knew about the ricin, the Al-Qaeda manual, and the machete — but said nothing.This is the story of a country where woke cowardice has become more dangerous than the killers it refuses to confront. Where political correctness has cost lives — in Southport, in Nottingham, in Manchester. Where no single person is ever held responsible, because committees make decisions and individuals escape accountability.Lord Walney, former government adviser on political violence and extremism, joins the debate — on whether Rudakubana's parents should face criminal prosecution under Section 38B of the Terrorism Act, on the chronic failure of the Prevent strategy, and on whether AI surveillance could be our last line of defence.And with Lord Robertson warning that Britain's security is now "in peril," Julia addresses our country's calamitous defence strategy. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Parry and Julia discuss the Southport Inquiry - which found major failings among government agencies who failed to take responsibility for Axel Rudacabana - despite warning signals that he was a threat. The report also blamed his parents for their failure to prevent Mr Rudacabana's attack. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer is facing fury over plans critics say would tie Britain back to Brussels by the back door, with ministers seeking sweeping powers to align UK food and agriculture rules with future EU law without full parliamentary scrutiny. Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Conservative commentator Benedict Spence to ask whether Labour is quietly unpicking Brexit, and why voters are still being told that every economic woe, from stagnation to inflation, is somehow Brexit's fault.They also react to Reform UK's latest intervention on immigration, as Nigel Farage lays out the claimed cost of the “Boris wave” of legal migration under Boris Johnson. With warnings that 1.6 million arrivals between 2021 and 2024 could leave British households facing a £20,000 bill through pressure on welfare, the NHS and infrastructure, Julia asks whether Westminster is finally being forced to confront the true cost of mass migration. The debate also turns to indefinite leave to remain, welfare for foreign nationals and what a serious border policy would actually look like.Also: Rear Admiral Chris Parry joins Julia on the Iran crisis, Donald Trump's bid to choke Tehran's exports through the Strait of Hormuz, and the looming threat of an oil shock that could hammer family finances and send inflation soaring. Can the US force the Iranian regime to blink, or is the world drifting towards a much wider conflict?And Julia reacts to growing backlash over the Chagos Islands as more questions are asked about Keir Starmer's judgement on sovereignty, security and Britain's shrinking military clout.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Iran ceasefire descends into confusion and fresh strikes raise fears of a wider regional war, Julia Hartley-Brewer asks the question many Britons will be thinking: why is Keir Starmer posing as a global statesman abroad when he cannot even control the English Channel at home?Brendan O'Neill, Chief Political Writer at spiked, joins Julia to tear into the misinformation surrounding Israel, Hezbollah and the wider Middle East crisis. He argues that much of the media coverage deliberately ignores the scale of the missile threat Israel has faced, slams those in Britain who excuse or glorify Hezbollah, and warns that anti-Israel activism on the streets has exposed a deeply worrying moral collapse on the Left.He also lays into Starmer's Gulf trip, saying it is laughable for a Prime Minister who has failed to stop the small boats to pretend he can help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Julia and Brendan also discuss Britain's vulnerability to rising oil, gas and fuel prices, and why decades of net zero dogma and political cowardice have left the country dangerously weak, over-dependent and exposed to global shocks.Also: retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, former commander of the US Army in Europe, gives Julia his blunt assessment of the so-called ceasefire, Donald Trump's bombastic rhetoric, and whether America has really stepped back from the brink.And: Ben explains why mixed messages from Washington are fuelling instability, why NATO has been damaged but not broken, and why Britain and its allies must get tougher on Russian aggression, shadow fleet tankers and Moscow's testing of Western resolve.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has declared a “big day for world peace” after brokering a two-week ceasefire with Iran — but has the world really stepped back from the brink, or has Tehran emerged stronger than ever? Julia Hartley-Brewer unpicks the fallout from six weeks of conflict, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the growing fear that the West has once again failed to finish what it started.With Iran reportedly demanding sanctions relief, compensation and control over key shipping routes, Julia asks whether this was a decisive act of strength, or a humiliating climbdown dressed up as victory? As oil prices, global markets and the cost of living hang in the balance, she examines what this means for Britain, for Israel and for the wider West.Also: Keir Starmer heads to the Gulf claiming Britain can help secure peace, despite the UK looking increasingly irrelevant on the world stage. The embarrassment deepens with fresh scrutiny of Britain's military decline after HMS Dragon, sent to protect British interests, suffered technical problems and had to turn back.Julia is joined by Claire Pearsall and Jake Wallis Simons to debate whether Iran has been destroyed or emboldened, why Britain is no longer taken seriously in global defence, and whether Western leaders still understand what it means to confront an enemy.Plus: why was Kanye West granted a visa in the first place before being barred from the UK over anti-Semitism concerns? And should doctors be banned from striking, just like the police, prison officers and armed forces?Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell joins Julia Hartley-Brewer for his verdict on the latest junior doctors' strike — and why Wes Streeting must not give in again. After last year's 29% pay deal, the BMA is now demanding another 26%, with strike action already costing the NHS an estimated £3 billion since 2023. Dorrell warns that every Health Secretary eventually learns the same lesson about the BMA, and says ministers must stand firm on what is rational, affordable and fair. Julia also takes aim at the absurdity of using 2008 as the benchmark for “full pay restoration”, arguing public service pay contributed to the unsustainable economic environment that contributed to the 2008 financial crash.Also: Tom Slater joins Julia to take on a wider story of national decline — from a student loan system that traps young people in spiralling debt, to a university conveyor belt producing too many costly degrees and too few British-trained doctors. Why are bright young people being locked out of medical school while the political class pretends immigration is the only answer?And then there's the collapse of law and order. Julia reacts to the case of a Waitrose worker sacked for confronting a shoplifter, and asks why decent employees are punished while thieves are effectively given free rein. Plus: should Kanye West be banned from performing at Wireless after his antisemitic outbursts, or is Britain once again applying totally inconsistent rules depending on who says what? And finally, a rare note of optimism as Julia and Tom celebrate the Artemis 2 mission and the spirit of exploration that still lifts humanity above the daily grind of broken Britain.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Brendan O'Neill, Chief Political Writer at Spiked, to react to Trump's latest Iran address to the nation, a row over Nato after he threatened to leave it, and the claim from much of the Left that this is an “unprovoked war”. They argue that Iran's regime has already destabilised the region, that Britain cannot pretend the crisis has nothing to do with us, and that UK households will feel the pain through rising oil prices, market shocks and higher bills.They also take aim at Starmer's instinct to answer every crisis with warmer ties to Brussels, asking whether Labour is using global instability to push Britain back towards the EU by the back door. And as Rachel Reeves reportedly rethinks North Sea drilling, Julia and Brendan expose how Net Zero dogma has left Britain dangerously vulnerable, less energy secure and more exposed to global shocks.Also: fury over an ITV drama about Elizabeth I reportedly seeking a trans actor for the lead role, sparking a row about woke revisionism, women's erasure and the rewriting of British history. And after two nights of chaos in Clapham, they ask how Sadiq Khan can still claim London is safe. From weak policing and disappearing discipline to absent fathers, failing schools and a justice system too timid to punish bad behaviour, Julia and Brendan debate what is driving Britain's growing sense of disorder.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer says Britain is “ahead of the game” on the cost of living — while families face rising fuel, energy, rent and tax bills.In this episode, Julia Hartley-Brewer dissects the Prime Minister's latest press conference, his vague five-point plan, and Labour's failure to explain how ordinary working people are meant to cope with the economic shock caused by the Iran conflict and threats to the Strait of Hormuz. As Donald Trump sends mixed messages on oil, NATO and America's role in the region, Julia asks the key question: is Starmer showing strength, or simply drift?Julia is joined by Claire Pearsall to discuss soaring household costs, Ed Miliband's energy promises, tax on fuel, and why so much of Labour's “help” seems designed for Westminster talking points rather than real life in Britain.And former detective and Rochdale whistleblower Maggie Oliver gives her verdict on the long-awaited grooming gangs inquiry. She warns that survivors are still being failed, accountability is still missing, and the authorities responsible for years of cover-ups may once again escape justice. If this inquiry does not lead to prosecutions, reform and the truth about ethnicity, culture and institutional failure, what exactly is the point?Also: Julia reacts to the BBC's handling of serious allegations surrounding star presenter Scott Mills, questions elite double standards after Tiger Woods' latest car crash scandal, and dismisses the anti-space hysteria around Artemis II and the mission to the moon.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is under pressure over the long-delayed national grooming gangs inquiry, after years of dismissing calls for a full investigation as “far right”. Now, with Baroness Anne Longfield's terms of reference finally published, serious questions remain over whether the inquiry will truly uncover the full scale of one of Britain's darkest scandals.In this episode, Julia Hartley-Brewer speaks to former Sun political editor Trevor Kavanagh and Rotherham grooming gang survivor and campaigner Sammy Woodhouse, who gives a harrowing first-hand account of the abuse she suffered, the institutional failures that let it happen, and the political class's refusal to face the truth.Sammy warns that the scandal is not confined to a handful of northern towns, but is happening across the UK, with children still being failed by police, councils, social workers and politicians. She and Trevor both argue that unless the inquiry squarely addresses the role of ethnicity, culture and religion — and the fear of being called racist or Islamophobic — it will fail victims yet again.Julia also tackles the wider establishment crisis: from Labour's handling of NHS strike threats to the continuing failure to scrap non-crime hate incidents and rein in Britain's “thought police”.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As oil and gas prices jump following the Iran crisis, Julia Hartley-Brewer why it feels like Labour is rewarding dependents while punishing the people who get up early, go to work and pay the bills. Sir Iain Duncan Smith joins Julia to tear into the row over MPs receiving a £3,300 ‘cost-of-living payment', a 6.2% increase in benefits and the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap. He argues ministers could give immediate relief by cutting fuel duty and energy taxes, and says Britain is mad to sit on North Sea oil and gas while importing more expensive energy from abroad. IDS also takes aim at Ed Miliband's net zero agenda, calls out the “medicalising” of anxiety and depression, and warns the welfare bill is spiralling as more adults and children are classed as disabled. He also backs a ban on first-cousin marriage, saying the health risks are too serious to ignore.Then Baroness Kate Hoey says Labour is losing touch with the strivers who keep the country going. With pump prices rising, fears of fuel rationing growing and family budgets already stretched, she says ministers are making life harder for workers while chasing green fantasies. Hoey also warns that Keir Starmer's EU reset is a Brexit betrayal in slow motion, with the proposed youth mobility scheme amounting to free movement by the back door.Also: Hoey questions the unanswered issues surrounding Morgan McSweeney's missing phone, says Starmer's judgement over Peter Mandelson raises serious concerns, and argues Red Wall voters will not forgive a government that hikes costs, weakens borders and edges Britain back towards Brussels.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's show with Alex Phillips: the extraordinary row over Morgan McSweeney's allegedly stolen phone, the missing messages linked to Peter Mandelson, and the growing suspicion that Labour's version of events simply does not stack up. Former Conservative adviser James Price joins Alex to ask: why were conflicting details reportedly given to police, why was such a sensitive device seemingly treated so casually, and why does every new Labour scandal come wrapped in yet another convenient explanation?Also: fury over reports that Sir Sadiq Khan could be heading to the House of Lords. After years of criticism over knife crime, policing, transport and London's wider decline, Alex asks whether a peerage would be a reward for failure, or a tactical move to shore up support in a fracturing Labour party. With politics shifting to populist parties and Labour facing pressure on multiple fronts, can the government do anything to prevent voters flocking to other parties?And former Sun political editor Trevor Cavanagh joins the show for a hard-hitting discussion on illegal migration, small boats, border control and the public anger over crimes committed by people who should never have been allowed into the country in the first place. They discuss why Britain still seems unable — or unwilling — to defend its borders, protect its streets and tell the truth about the consequences. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove joins Philip Ingram on Talk War for a hard-hitting conversation on the global security crises reshaping the world.From the escalating confrontation with Iran and Donald Trump's response, to growing pressure on NATO, the threat from Russia and China, and serious questions over whether Britain is prepared for modern conflict, this episode tackles the biggest defence and intelligence issues facing the UK and the West.Philip Ingram, former senior British military intelligence officer, and Sir Richard Dearlove dig into:the latest tensions involving Iran, the US and the Strait of Hormuzwhether further American military action is likelythe reality of the UK's military readinessdefence spending, missile defence and Britain's vulnerabilitiesthe intelligence relationship between the UK and the USthe threat posed by the IRGCpolitical leadership, national resilience and the future of British securityIf you want sharp analysis on war, geopolitics, intelligence, defence policy and national security, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Listen now to Talk War with Philip Ingram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour MP Karl Turner tells Julia Hartley-Brewer he simply does not believe Morgan McSweeney's missing phone story adds up. Turner says the explanation “won't wash”, compares it to the worst Westminster excuses of recent years, and admits the entire saga reflects badly on the Prime Minister's judgement.Former senior military intelligence officer Philip Ingram also warns that any loss of a device used by the Prime Minister's chief of staff raises serious national security questions. If sensitive contacts, messages or political discussions were on that phone, he says, investigators should already have carried out a full risk assessment and mitigation exercise.McSweeney reported a phone theft to police. Downing Street says any suggestion the incident was linked to the humble address over Peter Mandelson is “categorically untrue”, and insists the government will comply in full.Also: "Will the real Prime Minister please stand up?" Julia asks whether Ed Miliband is undermining the PM's authority as Labour refuses to back more North Sea oil and gas licences, even with conflict in the Middle East placing pressure on prices. Turner says we should be using Britain's natural resources.And on migration and asylum, Turner concedes the system is failing, deportations are not happening, and taxpayers are still footing the bill for soaring numbers of asylum seekers in hotels and other accommodation. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by former Conservative government adviser Claire Pearsall for a wide-ranging discussion on the biggest political stories of the day.In this episode, Julia and Claire debate:whether working families could end up subsidising another energy bailoutthe impact of the Iran crisis on oil prices, gas supplies and household billswarnings that the British Army is now too small to defend UK interests effectivelyconcerns over Britain's defence spending, recruitment and military readinessthe latest on the Golders Green ambulance arson attack and the arrests madecriticism of London Mayor Sadiq Khan for failing to visit the scenequestions around social media restrictions and device limits for teenagersWes Streeting's latest NHS reform plans and falling public confidence in the health serviceanger over failures in handling a meningitis outbreakA sharp, outspoken look at energy policy, national security, law and order, and the state of Britain's public services. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has Donald Trump been talking to Iran to end the war? Or are his announcements intended to calm the markets? Julia Hartley-Brewer discusses the confusion over Washington's shifting messages, the threat to the Strait of Hormuz, and what a longer Iran conflict could mean for Britain's safety, energy prices and economic stability.With Keir Starmer refusing to give a clear timetable for lifting defence spending to 3%, Julia asks whether Britain is already dangerously exposed in a world growing more unstable by the day. From the risk posed by Iran's missile capability to questions over Diego Garcia and the UK-US alliance, this is a hard look at whether Britain is prepared for the threats it now faces.Also in this episode: why soaring energy bills are the result of political choices, and not just global crises. Julia tears into the Net Zero consensus, green levies and Britain's dependence on costly energy as Rachel Reeves prepares yet more “help” for households already squeezed to the limit.Plus, why white working-class boys are still among the most failed groups in Britain, and why identity politics continues to block an honest conversation about class, culture and opportunity. And the growing anger over sky-high vet bills, as the Competition and Markets Authority takes aim at a sector dominated by a handful of giant firms.Julia also speaks to Republican strategist Matt Terrill, former chief of staff to Marco Rubio, on Trump's Iran strategy, the nuclear threat, and whether Starmer has weakened the special relationship.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer says the antisemitic arson attack on four Jewish ambulances in Golders Green is "deeply shocking".Julia Hartley-Brewer asks the question many will be asking: do Britain's leaders really think these violent, antisemitic acts come out of nowhere?In this episode, Julia is joined live from the scene by Gideon Falter of the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, who explains how the Hatzalah emergency service is funded by the Jewish community, staffed by volunteers, and serves people of all faiths and backgrounds in North London. After ambulances were torched outside a synagogue, he warns that Britain has spent years tolerating intimidation, conspiracy theories and open hatred.Julia also speaks to Lord Walney, former government adviser on political violence and extremism, who says this kind of attack is the predictable result of weakness, double standards and a refusal to confront antisemitism before it spirals into outright violence.Also: Julia and Benedict Spence discuss the growing threat from Iran, Donald Trump's ultimatum over the Strait of Hormuz, fears over soaring energy prices, and what an attempted missile strike on the Diego Garcia base says about Britain's vulnerability in an increasingly dangerous world.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A major political fault line has opened up in Britain over mass public prayer, integration, immigration and Labour's growing fear of losing ground to both the Greens and Reform UK.In this episode, Trevor Kavanagh, former political editor of The Sun, joins Talk to give his blunt verdict on the Trafalgar Square Muslim prayer event. Was it a harmless act of faith or a political show of strength in the heart of London? Trevor argues Britain's leaders are too frightened to confront the rise of Islamist influence, while free speech is being steadily eroded by accusations of “Islamophobia” whenever anyone dares to speak out.He also warns that Labour's reliance on bloc votes, the growth of the Green Party, and the political establishment's refusal to deal with illegal migration and cultural division are pushing Britain into dangerous territory.Then Karl Turner, Labour MP for Hull East, joins the show for an interview on the crisis inside Keir Starmer's party. He admits Labour is in serious trouble ahead of the local elections, warns the party could be heading for a catastrophic backlash, and says Starmer must urgently change direction or face a challenge. Turner also opens up on Angela Rayner's role, Ed Miliband's net zero agenda, North Sea oil and gas, jury trial reform, and whether Labour is drifting back towards Brussels.Alex Phillips broadcasts on on Talk from Friday to Sunday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour is in fresh turmoil over immigration, as Angela Rayner attacks plans to make migrants wait longer for permanent settlement, and Downing Street refuses to say whether the reforms will survive.Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Brendan O'Neill, chief political writer at spiked, for a furious takedown of Labour's latest wobble on borders, benefits and British sovereignty. As ministers flirt with watering down Shabana Mahmood's migration reforms, Brendan asks the question millions of voters are already asking: whose side is Labour actually on?He slams the political class for treating basic border control as somehow “un-British”, and warns that both Labour and the establishment still refuse to grasp the scale of the Boris-era migration ‘betrayal'. With public trust shattered and working-class communities among the hardest hit by the impacts of mass migration, is this exactly why more voters are turning to Reform UK?Also in this episode: Brendan reacts to the row over mass Islamic prayer in Trafalgar Square, the furious backlash against Nick Timothy, and the wider crisis of free speech when any criticism of Islam is instantly branded “racist” or “Islamophobic”.And Julia speaks to Tony Smith, former head of the UK Border Force, on why Britain remains powerless to remove illegal migrants and foreign criminals. He explains how the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 8 “family life” claims and weak political leadership have turned deportation into a farce — even for offenders who should plainly be removed.From small boats to soft-touch courts, this is a devastating look at why Britain still cannot defend its own borders.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Tom Slater, editor of spiked, for a fearless look at the stories Britain's political class would rather avoid.They begin with the growing backlash against assisted dying, after Scotland votes down plans to legalise it. Julia and Tom ask whether so-called safeguards ever really hold, and whether Britain is being pushed towards a moral and medical disaster seen elsewhere in the West.Also in this episode: the Kent meningitis outbreak and the astonishingly slow response from public health officials, raising fresh questions about whether Britain's bureaucracies have learned anything at all.Then to leadership maneuvers in the Labour Party, as Angela Rayner warns Keir Starmer's government is already running out of time. Is Labour collapsing under the weight of its own incompetence? And with voters losing faith in both main parties, is this exactly why more people are turning to Reform UK for answers?Julia and Tom also tackle the escalating Iran conflict, Donald Trump's attacks on Starmer, and the West's growing inability to face down serious geopolitical threats.And then the big row over mass Islamic prayer in Trafalgar Square. Is this harmless religious expression or a visible sign that Britain's leaders are too weak to defend the country's identity, public space and traditions?Plus, former British diplomat Edmund Fitton-Brown joins Julia to warn that Islamist entryism inside the civil service, academia and the BBC is now impossible to ignore. He explains how fear of being labelled “Islamophobic” is silencing debate, distorting policy and leaving Britain dangerously exposed.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Hartley-Brewer speaks to Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch about Donald Trump's criticism of Keir Starmer, the importance of preserving the UK–US “special relationship”, and whether Britain should have taken a different stance on US operations and access to Diego Garcia. Badenoch argues Labour has failed to plan ahead on defence, calls for greater North Sea oil and gas extraction, and attacks a potential fuel duty rise, while dismissing talk of “closer ties” with the EU as a slogan rather than a growth strategy. Later, former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe OBE assesses escalating risks around the Strait of Hormuz, the operational impact of decades-long cuts, and why the UK's mixed messaging means it is involved but not commanding events.Also: a Gail's Bakery row after a Guardian column called one bakery's location near a Palestinian-owned business as an "act of heavy-handed aggression". Discussion includes the extent of intimidation of Jewish-linked businesses and warnings about antisemitism in public life.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's The Julia Hartley-Brewer Podcast, Julia and Benedict Spence examine Donald Trump's threats towards NATO allies and the UK's position on the Iran conflict. She asks whether Britain should deploy the navy to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and what the closure of one of the world's most important shipping lanes means for oil prices, energy bills and the British cost of living. Plus: the £53m support package for families hit by soaring heating oil costs, pressure on Ed Miliband's Net Zero policies, and the latest fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein revelations and questions around the vetting of Lord Mandelson.Then, Julia is joined by Matt Goodwin, author of Suicide of a Nation: Immigration, Islam and Identity, for a conversation on mass immigration, integration vs multiculturalism, British identity, free speech, and the long-term political impact of demographic change. They discuss Britain's approach to Islam and Islamist ideology - pertinent following the Al Quds protest in London supporting the hardline Islamic regime in Iran.Matt Goodwin was the losing candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, representing Reform UK. He blamed the Muslim vote for his loss to the Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, who appealed to Muslims in the constituency using messaging in Urdu, praising diversity, and taking a staunchly pro-Gaza stance. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.