People Talk... Politics

John Spencer is the Chief of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point's Modern Warfare Institute, and the Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute. Spencer also has over 25 years of active military service as an infantry soldier, achieving the rank of Major.  He sat down with Nadav Tikochinsky, Pinsker Centre Policy Fellow, to reflect on his own experience in combat, how non-state actors are changing urban warfare, and how he sees the rules of war being misunderstood and manipulated. 

In this episode, Pinsker Centre Policy Fellows Nadav, Sophia and Ava examine French influence in the Middle East today. They discuss the unique nature of the Franco-Lebanese relationship, and whether France are uniquely placed to broker peace between Lebanon and Israel. 

In this episode, Jacob Gibson, a Policy Fellow at the Pinsker Centre, interviews the Shalom Hartman Institute's Rabbi Elhanan Miller. The pair discuss leadership changes in some of Israel's neighbouring countries, and what those changes might mean for Israel. They then go on to discuss Israel's strategy in Gaza and its relationship with the new US administration.   TIMESTAMP: Please note that this episode was recorded on Wednesday February 12th, amid speculation that Hamas planned to halt the hostage release which had been agreed in phase 1  of the ceasefire negotiations. 

In our first episode of 2025, Pinsker Centre Policy Fellow, Charles Aldous, sits down with Lord Brady. The pair discuss major changes in British politics over the past two decades, before focussing on Lord Brady's tenure as the head of the influential 1922 committee. 

Tune in for the new episode of People Talk…Politics! Max, Samantha and Felix discuss whether Israel is disproportionately targeted by international organisations. They debated whether the anti-Israel bias in the UN Human Rights Council, exemplified by Agenda 7, is systemic within the UN as a whole, argued whether the ICC arrest warrants against Israeli politicians are justified and discussed the future of UNRWA in light of the involvement of their staff in the October 7.

Our Policy Fellow Lucas Blasco Argullós recently interviewed Shaun Pinner, an ex-British soldier who served in the Ukrainian army, was captured by the Russians and released in a prisoner swap. They discussed Shaun's extraordinary story and his experience in captivity. Shaun also shared his concerns about the influence of Russian propaganda in the West and spoke about the progress of the war, emphasising the need to supply Ukraine with more weapons and allow Ukraine to strike further inside Russian territory. Check out the latest podcast!

In the new podcast episode, our Policy Fellow Ellie Guaschi interviewed Professor Kian Tajbakhsh, former political prisoner in Iran released during a prisoner swap under the Obama administration. Professor Tajbakhsh shared his story and explained why it was naive to believe that ‘reformists' could change the political and strategic direction of Iran back in the 2000s and is still naive now. He argued that Iran's ultimate goal is to destroy Israel and establish hegemony in the Middle East.

In this podcast episode, Policy Fellows Blerton, Alex and Jack discussed the economic, political, and security implications of China's involvement in the Middle East as the US is perceived to be disengaging from the region. They argued that partnerships with China are often asymmetric, which raises strategic concerns, and discussed China's relationship with Israel and its role in the Israel-Hamas war. This conversation took place before the recent Beijing summit which saw Palestinian factions agree to unify. Have a listen to hear how our Fellows' predictions match up with recent events!

Tune in for the new episode of People Talk...Politics! Our Policy Fellows Alex, Blerton and Jack discuss how emerging technologies are changing the character of warfare. They consider the ethical concerns surrounding the use of UAVs and precision-guided munitions, examine the distinct approaches to AI regulation in the US, EU and China, and question the resistance and fitness of existing legal frameworks to tackle new security challenges, such as cyber warfare. Make sure to give it a listen!

In this episode of People Talk...Politics, our Policy Fellow Matthew Brooker interviewed Rt Hon Sir David Lidington CBE, UK's longest serving Minister for European Affairs, Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office in Theresa May's government. They discussed how internal divisions in the Conservative Party may affect its electability and what issues and policies the Tories should emphasise in their campaign. Sir David also shared his insights on the relationship between government, the civil service and local government, outlining potential reforms that could increase efficiency, transparency and decentralisation.

As Britain's involvement in a war does not seem like an outrageous fantasy anymore, our Policy Fellows Lucas, Baran and Orla discuss whether the UK defence spending is sufficient, explore the role defence may play in the upcoming general election, consider the UK's role in NATO and European defence and debate whether the current British "small high tech army" approach is sustainable.

Is an AI revolution upon us? In this episode of People Talk...Politics, Policy Fellows Calista Toner and Jonathan Gibson delve into the debate about opportunities and dangers associated with AI. They discuss how AI is revolutionising the defence industry and the character of warfare and argue that there is a threat of interference of malign actors in democratic practices and misinformation, including the use of deep fakes and bots on social media, which points to the proliferation of digital technologies and cyber warfare. They also debate whether AI should be regulated on the national or international level. 

With the looming general election, Policy Fellows Matthew and Ellie discuss why Conservatives are polling so poorly and argue that Labour and Kier Starmer aren't particularly popular with voters but are less unpopular than Sunak and the Tories. They discuss both parties' election strategies and outline the issues that are likely to dominate the campaign. Check out this episode of People Talk...Politics!

In this episode of People Talk...Politics, our policy fellows Blerton, Jack and Alex debate at what point free speech becomes hate speech, particularly in the context of anti-Israel protests and instances of antisemitism on university campuses, examine the existing legal framework for the protection of free speech in British universities and discuss how these policies may be improved.

Pinsker Policy Fellows Felix, Samantha and Max discuss Iran's attempts to undermine the liberal international order as it collaborates with autocratic regimes in Latin America and Russia, uses its proxies to intervene in regional conflicts in Yemen and Syria and finances terrorist organisations including Hamas and Hezbollah.

In this podcast Mackenzie France sat down with Paul Gross, Senior Fellow at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, to discuss the recent developments and likely prospects of the war in Gaza, tensions within the government, Netanyahu's popularity, and the role the Palestinian Authority and the Arab states may play in the eventual solution for Gaza.

Pinker Centre policy fellows Dan, Jonathan and Calista consider the challenges to free speech on UK university campuses and assess the effectiveness and implications of the 2023 Freedom of Speech Act. They debate whether it is the university or government that should regulate freedom of speech on campuses and discuss the ongoing discourse on Israel and Gaza from the perspective of freedom of speech.

In this episode, our Policy Fellows Matthew and Ellie talk about the role of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the Israel-Hamas war and its position in the West Bank. They outline the challenges the PA faces in the West Bank, including its rivalry with Hamas, and discuss whether the PA can be a legitimate governing force in Gaza in the future.

In this podcast, our Policy Fellows Baran, Orla and Lucas discuss how the Israel-Hamas war has affected Israel's relationship with regional partners, particularly with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, and what role the US plays and should play in the conflict, considering its military involvement in the region and the security threat of Iran. They also outline different scenarios of post-war resolution for Gaza and what they could mean for Israel's domestic politics and international reputation. 

In this episode of People Talk...Politics, our policy fellows Alex, David and Lucy compare the Trump and Biden Administrations' approaches to relations with Israel, discuss how Israel's stance on the Ukraine war may affect the US-Israeli partnership and evaluate the impact the judicial reform will have on US-Israel relations. They point out that Israel is looking beyond the US and the West and is building new security and military cooperations with countries like Turkey and India.

In this podcast episode, our policy fellows discuss the implications of new technological developments for security, arguing that the separation between the physical and the digital realms of war is shrinking. They discuss the use of AI in defence, question its ability to make moral judgements, debate how states should regulate technological development, and emphasize the importance of digital literacy and critical thinking in modern society. 

Our policy fellows Olivia Peterson, Ryan Wee and William Rome discuss whether anti-Zionism is antisemitism. They argue that anti-Zionism is often used as a cover for antisemitism, discuss whether the anti-Israel bias in international institutions amounts to antisemitism and note that anti-Zionism has become socially acceptable and even trendy, particularly on university campuses.

Tune in for the next episode of People Talk…Politics! Our policy fellows Abigail Darwish, Sam Brummer and Oliver Udy debate how British schools should teach history. They discuss the importance of representation in history, the emphasis on the British Empire and the relevance of the history curriculum in the contemporary world. They evaluate the merits of ‘decolonising History' and argue that teaching history through this lens to 14-year-olds who may drop History in their further studies risks oversimplifying and misrepresenting history by over-scrutinising Britain while giving little critical attention to other empires, colonial powers and conquerors. 

Tune in for our Coronation Special podcast episode! Our policy fellows William Rome, Ryan Wee and Olivia Peterson discuss the role of the monarchy in contemporary Britain, the economic value of the monarchy and the royal family's role in diplomacy and representing Britain abroad, especially in the context of rising republicanism in the Commonwealth. They also consider how the traditional role of the monarch in politics and policy may be changing with King Charles III.

Is free speech in academic institutions under attack? In the latest podcast episode, Policy Fellows Ely, Romy and Nolan highlight the changing culture in academic institutions, whereby, far from being places for free debate and exchange of ideas, academic institutions are increasingly becoming echo chambers, characterised by restrictions of free discussion, lack of diversity of perspectives and desire to silence the other side on the grounds of “offensive” or “hate speech”. They address the question: should academic institutions have the right to limit free speech and deplatform speakers? 

In our recent podcast episode, Mackenzie France interviewed Paul Gross, a Senior Fellow at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, discussing the judicial reform and its implications for Israel. Paul outlines and explains the four main proposals incorporated into the judicial reform, arguing that the reform aims to weaken the judiciary and change the governmental system of Israel.Mackenzie and Paul further discuss whether Netanyahu's support for the reform is ideological or pragmatic, and what benefits various coalition members hope to derive from it. Paul also noted that the judicial reform is hurting Israel's reputation abroad, not only among the critics of Israel but also among her friends.

How has the Labour Party changed under Keir Starmer? Policy Fellows Lucy, David and Alex discuss how Kier Starmer has transformed the Labour Party, moving away from Corbynism and distancing himself from the far left of the party. They further discuss whether Labour still represents the values of the working class and whether "Starmerism" can be considered an extension of Blairism. Finally, they compare and contrast the Labour and Conservative campaign promises.

As the Midterms have passed, and the Presidential campaigns are picking up steam, where is US politics heading? In this episode of People Talk...Politics Policy Fellows William, Ryan and Olivia analyse the recent trends and developments in American domestic politics, such as increasing political polarisation, the cost of living crisis, Trump's influence in the Republican Party and DeSantis' ambitions. They also discuss foreign policy, questioning whether support for Ukraine will remain bi-partisan, and evaluating how the Biden administration approaches the relationships with America's adversaries like China and friends like Israel. 

In this episode, Mackenzie France interviewed Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation and a former aide to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Mackenzie and Nial discussed the US midterms, the success of Di Santes in Florida and changes in the Latino vote, recent Ukrainian advances, Russian failures and Putin's plans and reflected on the recent developments in the Conservative Party and how Britain is viewed abroad.

In this episode of People Talk… Politics, Pinsker Policy Fellow Mackenzie France interviews Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Sarit Zehavi. Sarit is the founder and president of Alma – a nonprofit independent research and education centre specialising in Israel's security challenges on the Northern border. Following the conversation about Alma, its focus, mission and recent work, they discuss security threats facing Israel and how these should be addressed. Sarit and Mackenzie also discuss the implications of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and reflect on the August 2022 operation Breaking Dawn, evaluating its successes and failures. 

With the ongoing protests in Iran and stalled nuclear negotiations, issues around policies towards the Iranian regime and the national security threat Iran poses have come to the fore.This episode of People Talk… Politics, unpacks the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran with a focus on how this impacts Israeli foreign policy and national security. They also discuss the historical basis of the modern rivalry between these two players in the Middle East.

In this episode of People Talk… Politics Policy Fellows Alex, Elliot and Ojel analyse the short-term impacts of the war in Ukraine for Britain as well as longer-term geopolitical consequences from the war for Europe as a whole.Relatedly, they debate what Britain's role in the war should be and how Britain can best aid the Ukrainian war effort. The fellows also touch on the prospect of conflict resolution and what a ‘victory' for Ukraine could look like.

In this episode of People Talk… Politics Policy Fellows Oliver, Thomas and Avishai assess the nature of the threat posed by domestic and international terrorism. The fellows cover the rise of far-right extremism in the UK as well as how the Covid-19 pandemic may have led to a rise in online extremism and ‘lone-wolf' attacks. Lastly, they debate how terrorism is covered in mainstream British media, with a particular focus on terrorist attacks carried out in Israel.

With A-level students recently receiving their results, higher education and future career prospects will be on many young people's minds.In this episode of People Talk… Politics Policy Fellows Alex, Elliot and Ojel debate the importance of the humanities to higher education and the value of higher education itself. They also highlight the failings of the education sector to adapt to the needs of the modern economy and other issues, such as funding courses, that have arisen from increasing student numbers.

In this episode of People Talk… Politics, Pinsker Policy Fellow Mackenzie France interviewed Paul Gross, a senior fellow at The Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem. He has previously worked on religious discrimination legislation for the British Government and has also worked for the Israeli Embassy in London.They discuss the politics and historical legacy of Menachem Begin, the sixth Prime Minister of Israel who famously made peace with Egypt. Mackenzie and Paul also analyse the shorter-term political events which will result in Israel's fifth election in three years. 

In this episode of People Talk… Politics policy fellows Marina, Michelle and Jordan discuss various dimensions of US foreign policy. Including, the withdrawal of Afghanistan. They ask how this has fed the notion of western weakness under the Biden, and potentially impacted Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.The episode also covers US-Israel relations, specifically how these have been affected by the war in Ukraine.

In this episode, The Pinsker Centre's Media Director, Georgia, interviewed Tim Ogden, the assistant editor of New Europe. Tim also writes for various other media outlets including The Spectator, focusing on post-Soviet Eurasia. They discuss the historical and geopolitical importance of the South Caucasus. Primarily, how the political climate has shifted in light of the Russo-Ukrainian war, and what this means for China's and Iran's influence in the region. 

With countries, such as China, pursuing ‘Zero-Covid' policies and implementing severe lockdown measures, policy fellows, Oliver, Thomas and Avishai, think it is time to re-assess and reflect on the domestic and international response to the covid-19 pandemic. Oliver, Thomas and Avishai debate how states differed in their ability to gain access to, and distribute vaccines, they ask both if the race to vaccinate has led to a rise in nationalism globally and if this could impact other areas of policy such as energy security.

In this episode of People Talk… Politics Oliver, Thomas and Avishai unpack various internal and external security threats facing Israel. The fellows highlight Iran's extensive sponsorship of international terrorist groups and the Iranian regime's pursuit of a nuclear bomb. In terms of internal security dynamics, the implications of the use of cyber tools,  namely NSO group's Pegasus Spyware, for the balance between security and privacy in Israel is also debated.

In this episode of People Talk… Politics, Maria, Mackenzie, and Joe, discuss how Israel is treated by international organisations. They put forward the evidence for these bodies having double standards towards Israel compared to other members of international institutions. The policy fellows also assess the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Council's ability to hold perpetrators of crimes to account, and explain the evidence of bias in the UN General Assembly and UN Relief and Works Agency.

In this podcast policy fellows, Oliver, Thomas and Avishai analyse how various external factors shape the boundaries of freedom of speech on campuses. They focus on why the ‘long-arm' of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and CCP linked bodies, are detrimental to campus debate and the quality of education that home and international students receive whilst studying in the UK. Oliver, Thomas and Avishai also cover how universities could better respond to the complex topic of campus cancel culture and the censorship of external speakers.

In this podcast, our Fellows, Ojel, Alex and Elliot, discuss the relationship between British energy policy and national security.  This was recorded before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Energy policies of different nation's, and their reliance on Russian energy, have become central to how nation's have responded to the Russian invasion.  Elliot, Alex and Ojel, though of course unaware of exactly what would unfold in Russia/Ukraine,  predict the complications that some nations face in balancing their national security considerations whilst also ensuring a sustainable supply of energy.

In this week's podcast, Policy Fellows Michelle, Marina and Jordan discuss the most pressing security concerns facing Israel. 

In this podcast, Policy Fellow, Mackenzie France, interviews Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. The two discuss Lady Thatcher's legacy, failures of the Biden Administration, and the varied responses from Western nations amid the Ukraine/Russia crisis. 

In this, the first episode produced by the 2021/22 group of Pinsker Centre Policy Fellows, Joe, Maria and Mackenzie discuss the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese influence in Africa, and how the West is - or isn't - responding. 

In this week's episode, Dan, Daniel and Lili discuss the exponential rise antisemitic incidents, particularly in university and academia, in the aftermath of the recent flare up in Israel and Gaza. 

In this episode, Peter, Tom and Eli look at some of the most significant partnerships and policies Britain is pursuing post-Brexit.   They discuss trade agreements, strategic regional partnerships and wider questions around what Britain's place in the world has become, and what it can be in future, in the aftermath of leaving the EU.

Peter, Eli and Tom, students at Durham, Cambridge and QMUL respectively, discuss  various aspects of the higher education system in the UK.  Does it prepare students for the real world? Is the tax payer's money being spent wisely? What adjustments could be made to improve the state of higher/further education? 

In this episode, Ariella, Sarah and Angus delve into cryptocurrency.   We look at some of the most elementary questions regarding bitcoin - what is it? How does it work? - whilst also looking at some of the more intricate topics of debate, like do cryptocurrencies  provide a cloak of darkness for criminals and the corrupt? 

Asaf Romirowsky is the Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME). He is the co-author of Religion, Politics, and the Origins of Palestine Refugee Relief (Palgrave, 2013) and a contributor to The Case Against Academic Boycotts of Israel (WSUP, 2015).   Today, he talks with Peter, a Pinsker Centre Policy Fellow and student at Durham University, about the hurdles faced in discussing Israel in academia and on college/university campuses.

Ceren Kenar is a Turkish journalist and columnist. In this week's episode, she sits down with Lawrence, the Associate Director of the Pinsker Centre, to discuss Turkish-Israeli relations, Turkey's role as a bridge between the West and East, and more.