The Bunker

Are you a progressive activist or a dissenting disruptor? These are two ends of a new group of political tribes identified by More in Common, in a report called Shattered Britain: Making sense of what Britons want in a country that feels broken. Luke Tryl, one of its authors and the UK director of More in Common, joins Alex von Tunzelmann to discuss how these groups have formed, how they move around, and what they mean for the shape and future of Britain's politics.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI is everywhere — writing emails, diagnosing illness, even offering therapy. And politicians are now obsessed with it, too. But is Starmer right to be so invested in it? Can it really fix everything, or are we asking too much? Today, Chris Jones sits down with Professor Kate Devlin, Chair-Director of the Digital Futures Institute, to break down what AI is actually good at, where it's overhyped, and why your AI therapist may not be the best person to talk to about your feelings.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xi Jinping can, technically, be China's leader for the rest of his life. But, speculation has mounted that he might be stepping down from power. Is this justified? And if not, how does Xi keep such a tough grip on power? Jacob Jarvis discusses with Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese Studies and director of the Lau China Institute at King's College and the author of several books about China and Xi Jinping, including Xi: A Study in Power.  Buy Xi: A study in power through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Ukraine fights to hold the line against Russian advances, Western support is starting to look shaky. With Putin's war machine grinding on and Europe watching nervously, we ask: is the US still committed to Ukraine's survival? Today, Chris Jones is joined by Keir Giles, Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House and author of Russia's War on Everybody, to unpack what's happening on the battlefield, what Trump's statements mean for Ukraine and who Ukraine can rely on.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   • ⁠Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more ⁠. Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Starmer's friendly hang out with Macron feels a long time ago now and the reality of trying to make his deal “work” now looms. Alex von Tunzelmann joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss how implementing it might play out, plus they discuss union clashes, a Trump state visit and more crazy conspiracy news from the United States.  We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.  www.patreon.com/bunkercast    Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the past the Central Intelligence Agency got its hands dirty to support the American vision of freedom and democracy. But what is the spy agency's purpose for when the President himself despises those very values? Pulitzer Prize winning author Tim Weiner talks Andrew Harrison through The Mission: The CIA In The 21st Century , his absorbing new history of the Agency through the years of 9/11, secret prisons, torture to a surprise vindication over Putin's election interference and the Ukraine War. Is there a future of intelligence in the age of dumb ideology?  • Buy The Mission: The CIA In The 21st Century through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more . • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US has a world-class diplomatic corps, yet increasingly its foreign policy is based around war. And while most nations still favour negotiation, Washington seems hooked on force. Today in The Bunker, Chris Jones is joined by Professor David Reynolds, author of Mirrors of Greatness, to find out if the US policy of intervention is working or making things worse? Buy Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What would the world look like if children became scarcer? Birthrates are falling across the world but the main voices trying to turn them around seem to be weird traditionalist “pronatalists”. Is there a way to encourage having more kids while preserving women's freedom – and without encouraging right-wing conspiracy ideas about “replacement”? Or should we just tax people who don't have kids? Demographer and author of No One Left: Why the World Needs More Children Paul Morland tells Alex von Tunzelmann how culture not government shapes the way we breed, and why collapsing birthrates are not solely a white European/Western issue any more. • Buy No One Left: Why the World Needs More Children through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio production by Dominic Delargy. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Big Tech really as unstoppable as it looks? In recent months US courts and EU regulators have handed out major reverses to tech giants including Apple, Google, Amazon and Meta. Meanwhile Google search is becoming unusable, choked by ads and its own algorithm, and the growth of A.I. means Big Tech could become the victim of Bigger Tech. But at least the tech broligarchs have Trump on their side, right? Murad Ahmed, technology news editor of the Financial Times, talks Andrew Harrison through a looming tipping point for the digital giants.  • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Labour starts Year Two hoping that everyone will forget Year One. Can Starmer restart his premiership, again? Plus lessons of the 7/7 bombings twenty years on, the new Jeremy Corbyn and/or Zarah Sultana party, Reform puts teenagers in charge of council services… and the Wimbledon finals. Ros Taylor and Gavin Esler discuss the stories that will shape your week. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.  Support us on Patreon for ad free and early episodes. Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Organise before they rise,” is Max Brooks' advice in his zombie survival guide. But, are world leaders prepared enough? As 28 Years Later hits cinemas, Jacob Jarvis speaks to Daniel Drezner, author of Theories of International Politics and Zombies and professor of international politics at Tufts University, to find out how the world might react and how governments would interact during such a catastrophe.  Buy Theories of International Politics and Zombies through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After years of direct action and controversial tactics by Palestine Action, the Home Secretary is moving to proscribe the campaign group under anti-terror laws. But is that a crackdown on extremism or political theatre?  Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Professor Lee Jarvis, expert in international politics and terrorism at Loughborough University, to unpack what it really means to be proscribed - and what's it means for protest in Britain.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Zuckerberg's pivot to the right has sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley. From calls for more “masculine energy” in the workplace to his rebrand as an amateur MMA aficionado. Zuck's Trump-loving transformation has raised eyebrows across the tech world. But what does it mean for the future of Meta and the world of social media? Today in The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann sits down with Bloomberg's social media correspondent Kurt Wagner to unpack the rebellion brewing inside Meta and why Zuckerberg's new persona has staff looking to unfriend their CEO.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Vladimir Putin still the unshakable strongman, or is his grip on power beginning to falter? Today in The Bunker, Chris Jones is joined by Mark Galeotti, an internationally recognised expert on the inner workings of Putin's Russia and author of the book Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine amongst many others, to explore the Kremlin's next moves, the cracks in Putin's armour, and what the West keeps getting wrong about the invasion of Ukraine. • Buy Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky. Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer seems downbeat as he marks a year in office with international crises and backbench backlash overshadowing the anniversary. Ros Taylor talks Jacob Jarvis through the benefits bill fallout. Plus, they look to latest news from the Middle East and the ever present Donald Trump.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.  • Support us on Patreon for ad free and early episodes: www.patreon.com/bunkercast    Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On July 11, Superman flies back into cinemas in his third reboot – but this time, he's different. Director James Gunn promises a beacon of hope, kindness, and decency, a sharp contrast to the grim hero we last saw. How will a reborn idealistic Man of Steel land in the most cynical American moment of the modern era? How has Superman changed in his 87 years in comics, movies and radio? And can he save the American Way from a real-life supervillain in the White House? Ian Gordon, author of Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon ,  joins fellow comics addict Andrew Harrison in The Bunker's Fortress of Solitude.  IAN GORDON'S SUPERMAN STARTER LIST • Action Comics #1 [[ ]]  (June 1938)  • “Must There Be a Superman?” Superman #247 (January 1972) – In Superman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told • Superman (1978) the film • “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?”  (Superman #423 and Action Comics #583, September 1986) • Kingdom Come (1996) • All Star Superman #1-12 (2005) • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mass fatalities in the Air India crash and the collision of a passenger flight and a US Army helicopter over the Potomac have triggered fears that serious aviation accidents are becoming more frequent. But are they really? John Walton, editor of independent aviation journalism site TheUpFront, talks to Andrew Harrison about why panics like this start, how safe air travel really is, and how this high-emissions industry is facing up to a low-emissions future.  • Read John Walton on air travel for general readers as well as insiders at TheUpFront.  • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but the questions around his life, his crimes, and his powerful friends remain. In 2024, new court documents were unsealed, revealing more about Epstein's abuse yet much of the content remains redacted, leading to conspiracy theories, speculation – and social media battles between Elon Musk and President Trump. Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by investigative reporter Adam Klasfeld, editor-in-chief of All Rise News, to unpack what we know  and what remains obscured about the Epstein files. NOT FOR PATREON: • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   NOT FOR PATREON www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Gavin Esler Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump once promised to keep America out of endless wars. But less than 200 days into his second term, the US military has carried out airstrikes on Iran. Following Israel's Operation Rising Lion, the president gave orders to target Iranian nuclear facilities. His cabinet denies any ambition for regime change – but Trump's own words suggest otherwise. So what's really going on? Today in The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Dr Sanam Vakil, Director of the MENA Programme at Chatham House, to unpack the latest escalation in the Middle East and what the president's endgame might be. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America's strikes on Iran have left the world wondering what Trump's next move will be. What do we know so far – and what could happen next? Plus, what comes now after the assisted dying bill vote? And with Reform surging in polls, Farage has another weird plan – will it work? And because the answer's no, why not? Ros Taylor and Jacob Jarvis discuss all that and more in Start Your Week.    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.        [NOT FOR PATREON]   Support us on Patreon for ad free and early episodes: www.patreon.com/bunkercast       Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the BBC shifting right to please Reform voters? Leaked minutes from a top-level BBC editorial meeting reveal plans to reshape story selection and tone – not just in news, but even in drama – to improve the Corporation's image among Reform UK supporters. But instead of chasing Farage's fans, should the BBC hold Reform to account more rigorously? Don of media commentators Raymond Snoddy explains the danger of letting populism set the news agenda to Andrew Harrison. • Raymond Snoddy writes on media at TheMediaLeader.com. He's a contributor to the new book Pandering to Populism? • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time in MI6's history, a female chief is taking the helm. Blaise Metreweli, a veteran of both old-school espionage and cutting-edge tech warfare, steps into the role as digital battlegrounds, rogue states, and AI-fuelled threats reshape global intelligence. Today on The Bunker, Alex von Tunzelmann is joined by Dan Lomas, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham, to explore the role of Britain's top spymaster and what challenges she will face on the job.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Glastonbury has been the hot zone for radical ideas since its hippy infancy. But the first Labour government in 15 years is not exactly the hitting the mark for the festival's audience of utopians and out-of-the-box thinkers. Can Labour get back to its radical roots? The Guardian's John Harris, who comperes the Left Field at Glastonbury, and campaigner Gracie Mae Bradley who's guesting at the Left Field this year, come together for a pre-festival summit.  • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Britain needs  be ready to fight a war in Europe or the Atlantic in as little as two years – and we look badly underprepared. That's the message of Labour's sobering new Strategic Defence Review. So where are we weak, how fast could we rearm and what will it cost? And do the British people have the disposition to fight the sort of war we thought was in the past? Peter Ricketts, UK National Security Adviser from 2010 to 2012 and Britain's former representative to NATO, explains the challenge of renewing Britain's defences against a ticking clock. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Sara Farolfi. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump's birthday parade bored the few people who bothered watching – and offended those who actually care about the military, unlike the president himself. As protests rage across the US – can Trump keep ignoring them? Plus, the situation in the Middle East becomes increasingly terrifying – how might tensions between Iran and Israel escalate? Gavin Esler joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss this and more as we look to the week ahead.    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.  Support us on Patreon for ad free and early episodes: www.patreon.com/bunkercast       Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Gavin Esler. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rome conjures up strong images and ideas for many of us – but what if everything we think we know about the era is totally wrong? Alex von Tunzelmann speaks with Edward J. Watts, author of The Eternal Decline and Fall of Rome: The History of a Dangerous Idea and the upcoming The Romans: A 2,000-Year History, to discuss the falsehoods that need clearing up.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky. Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Legendarily hot, dry and hedonistic, the Summer of '76 burnt itself into our cultural memory as a kind of Ultimate Summer. But the record temperatures, the soul and disco classics and the sense of youth breaking free took place against a backdrop of economic collapse, political failure and barely suppressed rage. These were the Dark 70s of the Southall Riots, the Ripper and the Black Panther, police queerbashing and simmering hatreds. John L. Williams, author of Heatwave: The Summer of 1976 – Britain At Boiling Point, talks to Andrew Harrison about four months of tension that birthed punk rock, Thatcherism and a more cynical Britain. • Buy Heatwave: The Summer of 1976 through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Sara Farolfi. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A special crossover edition from our partner podcast American Friction… The news has focused heavily on sensational images from LA, but what is the real feeling among protestors – and how did this all escalate? Ben Camacho is a journalist covering the situation – who was shot by two rubber bullets himself doing so. He joins Jacob Jarvis to give an on the ground perspective of what's happening.  Hear more from American Friction: linktr.ee/americanfriction  See more of Ben's reporting on LA at The Southlander: https://thesouthlander.com/  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis Audio and video editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. The Bunker and AMERICAN FRICTION are a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum ramps up high-tech crackdowns on the nation's cartels, Trump's chaotic second term is throwing a spanner in the works. Alex von Tunzelmann speaks to David Shirk, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of San Diego, to find out whether the MAGA movement is helping Mexico's fight against organised crime or making things worse. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From antiwar, Biden-backing Democrat to apologist for Assad and Putin and finally strident Trump loyalist, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's political journey has been astonishing. Her taste for strongmen and conspiracy thought makes her perfect tool for Trump's revenge on the intelligence community. The Guardian's global affairs correspondent Andrew Roth explains why Gabbard's appointment amounted to a middle finger to the security establishment, how she's embedding paranoid social media politics into the heart of government, and what motivates the woman Russian TV called “our girlfriend”.  • Listen to American Friction on the explosive Musk vs Trump argument now.  • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elon Musk and Trump's epic fallout continues – who will win this war of words? And how will the squabbling pair try to hurt each other next? Plus, there's chaos on the streets of LA – how far will Trump take this? And back at home, there's the spending review – who will be the winners and losers? Alex von Tunzelmann joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss all that and more on Start Your Week.    We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.     www.patreon.com/bunkercast       Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen in to our sibling podcast American Friction as they pick apart the Trump-Musk breakup. Musk and Trump's messy falling-out hit new heights this week. We recorded a whole episode, then it went nuts — so Nikki McCann Ramiréz of Rolling Stone magazine and Jarv jumped on for a late night call and unpacked the madness. Listen in then we have a big old chat for the main show, with Chris too! Yay! Listen to the full episode of American Friction on all platforms. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Audio and video edit by Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Chinese ‘super embassy' could be built in the heart of London – and intelligence experts say it would open the door to cyber interference at the heart of Britain's financial system. Today on The Bunker, Gavin Esler sits down with security expert Nigel Inkster, former director of operations and intelligence MI6 and senior advisor at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, to ask if Britain is turning a blind eye to the growing threat from Beijing? With fears of espionage, tech theft and power plays rising fast, how worried should we really be about China? • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky. Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A special crossover edition from our partner podcast, This is Not a Drill. Ukraine's daring drone attack Operation Spiderweb has stunned Russia with its stealth, precision planning and the damage it unleashed on warplanes based deep within Russian territory.     The Bunker regular Gavin Esler is joined from Kyiv by This Is Not A Drill co-host Oz Katerji, to discuss the impact of an operation planned meticulously over the past 18 months – and what it means both for the war and the nature of asymmetric conflict.     • This episode of This Is Not A Drill is supported by Incogni, the service that keeps your private information safe, protects you from identity theft and keeps your data from being sold. There's a special offer for This Is Not A Drill listeners – go to Incogni.com/notadrill to get an exclusive 60% off your annual plan.  We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.    www.patreon.com/bunkercast      Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production.    www.podmasters.co.uk     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From memes demanding we “eat the rich” to real-world insurrections, the language of revolution is everywhere. But what does it really mean to call for one today? Zing Tsjeng is joined by Dan Edelstein, professor of political science and history at Stanford University and author of The Revolution to Come, to explore our relationship with revolutionary thought, from Ancient Greece, to the French revolution, through to the January 6th riots – and ask whether we need a revolution today. Buy The Revolution to Come: A History of an Idea from Thucydides to Lenin through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. https://bookshop.org/'s fees help support independent bookshops too. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Zing Tsjeng. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wes Streeting? Angela Rayner? Andy Burnham? Or someone you've never heard of? Starmer won't be stepping down any time soon – but what happens when he does? Who's most likely to win the leadership? Do they have the right combination of personality and vision to get Labour out of its rut? And will it be yet another bloke? Ava Santina of PoliticsJoe joins Andrew Harrison around the crystal ball to see who's most likely to lead Labour when Keir disappears.  • Listen to Why? with Emma Kennedy: How could we talk to space aliens? now.  • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The defence review is the big talking point of the moment – what's new and how will Starmer frame it? Plus, Rafael Behr and Jacob Jarvis discuss other pressures on Labour, the state of conflicts across the globe and Trump's latest conspiracy theory thinking.     We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.       Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast       www.patreon.com/bunkercast         Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Rafael Behr. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump isn't an emperor, yet – but who knows how he might change the US in the next few years. As he gets more dictatorial by the day, what lessons could we learn from Rome – and which Roman emperor is he most like? Peter Edwell is associate professor in ancient history at Macquarie University and joins Jacob Jarvis to discuss. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.         Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast       www.patreon.com/bunkercast           Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elon Musk seems to be limping off the political stage with a whimper. So was he ever the power behind the throne or just a useful idiot with a fat wallet and a massive platform for Trump to exploit? Today in The Bunker, Alex Von Tunzelmann is joined by Andrew Boujean, editor of The Washingtonian, to find out just how the richest man on earth m became the latest high profile figure to be chewed up and spat out by the Maga machine. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did getting pillaged by Vikings ultimately help the economies of the Middle Ages? How did a flood of silver from conquered South America end up making Spain poorer? Was Genghis Khan the father of globalisation? And why was it a terrible idea to garland Luftwaffe fighter aces with medals and fame? In an absorbing new book Blood and Treasure: The Economics of Conflict from the Vikings to Ukraine, economist and historian Duncan Weldon explains how war shapes economies and economies shape wars… and why the consequences are usually what nobody expects.  • Pre-order Blood and Treasure through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Dom Delargy. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk [[ LINK https://www.podmasters.co.uk/ ]] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are reports of chaos in Downing Street – but just how bad are things really? Ros Taylor talks Jacob Jarvis through the latest from Number 10 and how Farage is upping the pressure on Starmer. Plus, we look at world news to look out for in the coming days.     We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.       Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast       www.patreon.com/bunkercast         Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Ros Taylor. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forget the storybook version of British history. Churchill without Hitler would be a forgotten windbag with a record of failure. Elizabeth I and Francis Drake didn't defeat the Spanish – bad luck and bad weather sank the Armada. And Boudicca would be remembered as a sadistic tyrant if not for the Romans. Creator of the multi-million-selling kids' series Horrible Histories Terry Deary brings his irreverent, fact-packed style to adult readers with A History of Britain in Ten Enemies. He tells Andrew Harrison why history isn't what it used to be.  • Buy A History of Britain in Ten Enemies  through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump is obsessed with sport – and increasingly, sports stars are obsessed with him. From his ties to wrestling through to his connection to the UFC, fight sports in particular have shaped the way he approaches politics. To discuss this journey, Jacob Jarvis is joined by Tom Kludt, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, who recently wrote a piece headlined A Guide to Donald Trump's Jockocracy: 100 Days of Sports and Politics. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Sara Farolfi. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whatever happened to the promise of social media? What started as a buzzing digital town square now feels like a ghost town overrun with fake news, A.I. slop and disinformation. LBC tech correspondent Will Guyatt joins Natasha Devon to ask: Is social media dying – and what could possibly take its place? • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Natasha Devon. Produced by Liam Tait. Audio editors: Robin Leeburn. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From ancient Mayan prophecies to the QAnon faithful awaiting the next biblical storm, humanity has never been able to resist a good apocalypse. Today in The Bunker, Gavin Esler is joined by Tom Phillips, author of A Brief History of the End of the F**king World, to talk about asteroid anxiety, finding community in chaos, and why dreaming about doomsday might just be the ultimate form of escapism. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   Buy A Brief History of the End of the F**king World through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. https://bookshop.org/'s fees help support independent bookshops too. www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Gavin Esler Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, two of the world's most powerful autocrats, are cosying up to each other in a bromance that could have seismic consequences. Today in The Bunker, Dr. Elizabeth Wishnick, expert on Sino-Russian relations and senior research scientist in the China and Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Division at CNA, joins Chris Jones to look at the motivations behind the pair's partnership, the cracks beneath the surface, and what their relationship could mean for the rest of the world.  • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.   www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bunkerpod.bsky.social  Written and presented by Chris Jones. Audio editors: Tom Taylor. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer is hoping for positive news from an EU summit this week. What can we expect to see and what could block any sort of “deal”? Plus, we look at the latest from elections in Europe and news from the US, as Trump makes more horrible plans for the world.     We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to https://indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.       Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast   www.patreon.com/bunkercast         Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump's plan for Hollywood isn't really a plan, yet. He claims to want to boost the film industry – but will he revive it or wreck it even more? As he talks about tariffs on movies coming into the US, we try to pick apart what he actually means. Daniel Bessner, historian, journalist and co-host of the American Prestige podcast, joins Alex von Tunzelmann to discuss. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. • Listen to Crime Scene – the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe. New from Podmasters. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nigel Farage's Reform UK seems to be going from strength to strength – and running in politics isn't cheap. So where are they getting their money from? Seth Thévoz speaks to Peter Geoghegan, author of the Democracy for Sale substack, to discuss where the cash is coming from and how it's being raised.  We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.       Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast       www.patreon.com/bunkercast         Written and presented by Seth Thévoz. Audio production: Dom Delargy. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer's migration speech has sparked a backlash – from across the political spectrum and for various reasons. Do we have a “problem” with migration – and what does the PM actually think he's solving? Gavin Esler speaks with migration policy expert and campaigner Zoe Gardner to unpack what's really going on, what circumstances are impacting the numbers, how we can be more honest about the situation – and what you really need to know about it.  We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit.       Listen to the latest podcast from Podmasters, Crime Scene, the truth behind true crime with Alison Phillips and Bernard Hogan-Howe: https://linktr.ee/crimescenepodcast       www.patreon.com/bunkercast         Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keir Starmer presented the US/UK trade deal as a jobs-saving triumph. Badenoch claims we were “shafted”. What's the real picture? Will car, beef and ethanol (?) exports to the US make a difference to our economy? Why are the people who demanded Brexit so furious that we've signed exactly the sort of deal Brexit was supposed to facilitate? And while we're here, what's the truth about the Indian trade deal and the National Insurance exemptions that so enrage the the Take Back Controllers? Import/export expert Dmitry Grozoubinski, author of Why Politicians Lie About Trade, walks Andrew Harrison through the intricacies of the deal and explains what's coming next. • Buy Why Politicians Lie About Trade through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices