The News Agents

Who is the most unlikely comeback of 2026? Will the Far Right continue to rise this year? And are things really starting to crumble in MAGA-land?In this special Q&A we look ahead to the year of 2026 and all that it could bring.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It was a year of White House stand-offs, viral kiss cams, shock resignations, and the rise of the far right.From rising stars to jaw dropping moments, we look back at the defining stories of 2025 and hand out awards to the moments that shaped the year.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It's the final Q&A edition of 2025 and Jon and Lewis answer your questions - including the elections to look out for next year, whether algorithms are making the UK impossible to lead, plus - is there actually a decent case to be made in the defence of Keir Starmer? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix was supposed to be a tribute to the work and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the influential conservative influencer who was assassinated in September. But it turned into something very different.Over the course of the weekend, it emerged that a struggle for very the heart and soul of the MAGA movement was playing out. Ben Shapiro took to the stage to warn of the "danger from charlatans who "traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty", slamming Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, and Tucker Carlson. Carlson hit back, claiming it was "hilarious" that there were attempts to deplatform speakers at an event in Kirk's name. Others followed suit. Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump's one-time presidential rival, felt obliged to remind the audience that fans of Hitler or Stalin should not have a place in their movement.Enter JD Vance. Proudly declaring that "You don't have to apologise for being white anymore" in the USA, the vice president derided "endless, self-defeating purity tests" and suggesting the movement was, in fact, open to all. And he was given a boost by Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, who endorsed him for the 2028 race.So can JD Vance hold this movement together? Why won't he move to condemn the racism and conspiracy within his party? And what does it mean for MAGA ahead of a big election year?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

As parliament wound down to a close, Jess Phillips ended 2025 with one of the government's boldest announcements to date. In the Commons, she declared a "national emergency: over the prevalence of violence against women and girls, and unveiled the government's strategy to halve it. It bookended a dramatic year for the Home Office minister, who in January found herself in the crosshairs of Elon Musk, labelling her a "rape genocide apologist" and called for her imprisonment. She's also faced calls to resign over the government's handling of the grooming gangs inquiry. And after she spoke in parliament, Kemi Badenoch denounced her plans - saying that teaching boys about misogyny should not be a priority because migrant men pose a more serious threat to women in the UK. She came into the News Agents studio to discuss all of that with Lewis.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, is taking on YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul. Like it or not they're two of the biggest names in boxing - and we'll get into why that's problematic...So why is the star of the London 2012 Olympics, who beat Wladimir Klitschko, fighting an influencer? Do fight fans believe it's not been scripted and what's actually more at risk - Paul's chin or AJ's reputation?Gabby & Mark sit down with Light-Heavyweight prospect and Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker - a showman in and out of the ring at a time when the sport is crying out for its next homegrown superstar.Plus we pick the best bits of The Sports Agents this week, from reminiscing about an extraordinary year in sport with Clare Balding ahead of SPOTY, to despairing at the Ashes with former England cricketer Darren Gough.

This week, the head of the British army warned the public that "more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means", given the increasing threats to the UK. European leaders are meeting today to discuss billions of dollars of seized Russian assets that are sitting in a vault in Brussels. Ukraine is desperate to use the money to help it fight two more years of war. Europe is on the brink of saying yes - but America is trying to stop them. Why? And will a war on our doorstep become more likely if we say no? Later - what is the link between Andrew Tate and Barron Trump? We speak to Megan Twohey, New York Times investigative reporter. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Vanity Fair may be contenders for this years 'scoop of the year' after securing a series of interviews with Trump's closest White House ally, Susie Wiles. The candid interviews provide a rare window into the West Wing and Trump's inner circle. She went much further than perhaps the President might have expected - describing the teetotal President as having “an alcoholic's personality", the Vice President as a "conspiracy theorist", admitting the tariffs had been "painful", and suggesting the administration's approach to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal had been lacking. Why has she been airing this dirty laundry in public? Why does Trump appear to be standing by her? And are we seeing ever mounting fractures in MAGA-land? Later, has Kemi Badenoch managed to turn the page on a dismal few years for the Tory party? And Starmer's Christmas mircale in the House of Commons.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Overnight came Trump's ten billion dollar lawsuit against the BBC. It claims malicious intent in the edit of his speech in the Panorama documentary. And it claims the programme would have been viewed in Florida ahead of the 2024 election. Is there a legal case here? Is there the political will to stand up to Trump? And where does the British public stand when it comes to backing the BBC?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

As the sun was setting on the first night of Hanukah, a father and his son opened fire on Jewish people celebrating on Sydney's Bondi Beach. 16 people were left dead - forty remain in hospital, including the hero who tried to disarm one of the IS-linked terrorists. Jews around the world have been sounding the alarm on the rise of anti-semitism. They believe their fear has gone unheeded. Will this tragedy change anything? And how should governments police free speech that intimidates entire communities?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Although some Labour MPs are still fawning over Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York, they may be better off looking to a very different sort of American politician if they want lessons they can draw on in the attempt to recover the party's fortunes. Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator for the Times, is one of the UK's best connected and closest observers of Keir Starmer's government. And he's written this week about how Huey Long, the wildly controversial 1930s Louisiana populist, provides something of a model that Starmer could seek to emulate. He came into the News Agents studio to speak to Lewis about why...The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Pippa York, then known as Robert Millar, was crowned the Tour de France King of the Mountains, winning three stages in the 1980s. But ever since she was five she wanted to be a girl. Years after quitting cycling, aged 41, she started a 10-year transition process to become Pippa York, who joins Gabby and Mark. What was it like racing the Tour de France with gender dysmorphia? And what does she make of the debate around trans-inclusion in sport now?Plus we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week from Mo Salah's shock outburst at Liverpool, to Mike Tindall's plans to create more household names in rugby like Joe Marler and Ilona Maher. "The Escape" by Pippa York and David Walsh is available now. If you have been affected by any of the themes in this podcast help is available. You can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org

Trump has attacked a huge oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela - and when asked what would happen now to the oil responded “we will probably keep it". Is there actual strategy behind the piracy? Will it help him topple the illegitimate Venezuelan President Maduro? Or is it just about seizing assets? And what does Nobel peace prize winner Maria Machado make of Americas posturing? Later, why is Tony Blair interviewing Shabana Mahmood at his own Xmas party? Is this a not too subtle endorsement? Or a friendly festive chat? Is the replacement of Keir Starmer now an open secret even in Blair circles? And who might the other contenders be?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

An exclusive investigation by Andy Hughes, co-host of The Crime Agents and LBC crime correspondent, raises disturbing questions about whether a London police officer was operating a grooming gang in the capital. He speaks to Lewis about his report, the accusations of a cover up, and the Met police response. Later, Keir Starmer has been leading efforts today to get Europe to reform the ECHR. He's claimed that the best way to fight "the forces of hate and division" is to show that mainstream politics can fix the problem. Is he right? Jake Richards, the justice minister, came in to the News Agents studio to discuss what's at stake.You can listen to the special investigation from The Crime Agents here:https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42L4DG/Andy's video report is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9f_qHJeCpUThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Netflix and Paramount are locked in an epic fight to take over Warner Bros. Discovery. The price tag could well reach north of $100bn. And at stake - a huge back catalogue of blockbuster film and TV, a streaming giant, a Hollywood studio, even CNN.Enter Donald Trump, who's expressed concern about the potential for a monopoly, and also reportedly wants a say on any potential restructuring of the news network under new ownership. The outcome could result in the mother of all media monoliths. Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren has claimed that Netflix and Warner Bros. combined would capture close to half of the streaming market -that figure is disputed by Netflix, which says it has less than a 20% market share.Could it really be determined by Donald Trump's ire at one recent Marjorie Taylor Greene interview?Later, Lewis speaks to Noah Oppenheim, the writer of 'A House of Dynamite', a film that deals with a nuclear strike on America. The Pentagon doesn't like his depiction - why?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

European leaders have met in Downing Street once again to discuss peace plans for Ukraine, following Trump's latest proposal - but once again it seems Zelenskyy has wound Trump up, leaving America and Europe at odds. And another document from the Trump administration illustrates an even deeper division. The 33 page National Security Strategy says Europe is facing "civilisational erasure" and says the US has an obligation to “cultivate resistance” in order to "correct" the current trajectory of the continent. Why does Trump's new strategy read like it was written by the Kremlin? Are the US and Europe still even allies?Later, is Keir Starmer's new social media strategy enough to put speculation about his leadership to rest?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

While China is an engineering state, tech analyst Dan Wang says the America and the West are "lawyerly societies", reflexively blocking everything - good and bad - and it's halting real progress. Dan joins Lewis in the studio this Friday to discuss why Europe stopped building, how lawyers contribute to a slow in progress, and what all this means for wider geopolitivs and the rise of the far right. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy joins Gabby and Mark after his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis at just 47 years old. What more does Chris think the government should be doing to help? How has his sporting background helped him? And why is he excited for the Darts World Championship? And we bring you the best bits from The Sports Agents this week from President Trump meddling in the FIFA World Cup to rumours of a Serena Williams comeback.

Reform's Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, popped up on the BBC today and appeared to dismiss the antisemitism claims of Jewish men who'd been at school with Nigel Farage as “politically motivated…made up twaddle“. Hours later, Farage exploded at a BBC reporter during a press conference, demanding an apology for what he said was "despicable" coverage of the antisemitism row by the BBC.Farage has previously admitted to the slurs but excused them as school boy banter. So, where does all this leave a party that claims to “take antisemitism very seriously"? Well, rather well off - some would observe. The party received a massive 9 million pound donation today, making UK history. Don't donors mind? Or is the party impervious to cancellation?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Today's episode is an exclusive interview with David Lammy - Justice Secretary, Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Secretary. Is he prepared to ignore the internal Labour criticism of his jury plans? Does he admit the budget was a fiasco? And what is going on with Labour and Brexit right now. Are we about to see a change of plan?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

In the sane world of the commons, the Shadow Justice Secretary was only two minutes into his speech before he called the justice secretary a “Lammy Dodger“ and accused him of going back on his previous position on jury trial. Today's question is this does ending most jury trials speed up a sclerotic system? Or is it the wrong solution for the right diagnosis? Later, is public sympathy with the striking junior doctors? And do they really expect to win more pay?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Rachel Reeves is accused of misleading the public, lying and “possible market abuse” by the opposition. They've called for her resignation. The Prime Minister, however, is standing by her and told us today the budget was a thing of “personal pride” for him. Meanwhile the OBR - the body that accidentally leaked the Chancellors budget an hour before it was given - have admitted this evening it was the worst failure in its fifteen year history. The run up to the entire budget was a fiasco. But was it a lie? And which bits do the public really understand or care about? Later, why is Trump about to declare war on Venezuela? Is it about regime change, or oil, or Epstein or all three?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Salman Rushdie has spent half of his life under the threat of death, but it is only in his latest novel - The Eleventh Hour - that he has devoted a whole book to the themes of mortality. It is his first return to fiction since an attempt on his life on 2022. This Friday, Rushdie joins Lewis and Jon in the studio to discuss his new book, political violence, and the "cowardice" of the BBC. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Can other sports teach football a thing or two? On today's show Gabby and Mark take your suggestions on how to fix football, using your passion for a massive range of sports. Plus, we look back at The Sports Agents this week: a huge interview with McLaren CEO Zak Brown as Lando Norris could win them the world title this weekend; and we talk about the elephant in the room at struggling Liverpool - grief.

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have been out defending their Budget - denying that the tax-raising measures contained within it break the Labour manifesto's promises around taxes on working people. Instead they have been trying to focus on the additional money for the NHS, lifting children out of poverty, and raises to the minimum wage. Yesterday's package of measures amounts to a fundamental shift in both the size of the State and the size of its tax take. It looks set to draw the political divide and define the political debate into the next election. So does Labour need to start making a better case about why it has moved the country in that direction? Jon and Lewis speak exclusively to Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell. She broke ranks before the Budget to warn against the idea of raising income tax - how does she feel now?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

This time last year, Rachel Reeves pledged that her tax raising Budget “wiped the slate clean” and would mean no more need for future tax raids. Today demonstrably proved what a hostage to fortune those comments were. As a result of the Chancellor's statement today - shambolically accidentally leaked by the OBR before she had got to her feet - the tax burden is due to reach an all time high by the end of the decade. Due to her tax threshold freezes, one in four workers will pay the higher rate of income tax by 2030. There were unmistakably Labour themes in this Budget too - a mansion tax, the end of the two child benefit cap, betting firms also hit with further taxes. But is her calculation the right one? Will the voters stomach tax rises to pay for public services a ballooning welfare state? Or was this about securing her position in the party - if not the country? And what has happened to the Government's mission for growth?Jon and Lewis speak to Torsten Bell, the Treasury minister and so-called ‘mastermind' behind this Budget.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Just a day after BBC bosses were in front of MPs to address impartiality concerns, and there's a fresh impartiality headache for the beleaguered broadcaster. Dutch historian Rutger Bregman, who'd been asked to give the prestigious Reith Lecture, today revealed that the BBC had removed a “key line” from his address. Bregman's claim that President Trump is “the most openly corrupt president in American history” was removed from the Radio 4 broadcast of his lecture. He's said today that he was informed that the decision to remove the accusation was taken at the “highest levels within the BBC”. The BBC has insisted the decision was taken on legal advice. So why was the line pulled? And is the threat of Donald Trump's legal action now influencing the editorial decisions of the BBC?Later, with Nigel Farage on the back foot over the allegations he made racist remarks as a schoolboy - does the Reform UK leader have a glass jaw?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

The leak of a 28 point peace plan over the weekend - reportedly agreed between Washington and Moscow - sent shivers down the spine of European leaders and Ukraine's soldiers. The proposals would force Ukraine to hand over swathes of territory to Vladimir Putin, limit the size of its army, and rule out any future membership of NATO.The package was seen as so favourable to the Kremlin that many questioned whether Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be able to stay on if he accepted the terms. And computer analysis of the text suggested that the plan may have indeed been written in Russian before being translated into English. Donald Trump then floated a Thanksgiving deadline for a deal. So what's behind America's fresh urgency for an end to the conflict in Ukraine? Is Russia determining the terms of any deal? And does anyone in the White House care?Later - Mamdani's masterclass in how to handle an Oval Office summit, and why Donald Trump may have seen something of himself in the New York mayor-elect.

Ken Clarke is perhaps the archetypal political Big Beast. Elected to parliament 55 years ago, he held cabinet roles under Margaret Thatcher, John Major and David Cameron - tipped many times for No 10, and yet never quite hardline enough on Europe to convince his Tory peers that he should be their leader. Ahead of what looks certain to be an existential Budget for Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer, Lewis went to Lord Clarke's Nottingham home - to discuss the hard choices ahead, the future of this Government, Brexit, populism, and much else besidesThe News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Only three days after launching, Sky had to take down its TikTok channel for female sports fans. Branded as the "lil-sis" of Sky Sports, it was complete with pink hearts and Barbies. But were they on to something? How do we get more young women hooked on sport? The person who figures that out has hit a goldmine. To try to strike gold, Gabby chats to Chris Paouros, Vice-Chair of the Football Supporters Association, and Ceylon Andi Hickman, Deputy Chief Executive of Football Beyond Borders.Plus we look back at this week on The Sports Agents, from illegal streaming wars to The Ashes.

The Prime Minister has called on Nigel Farage to explain the reports of racist comments the reform leader allegedly made as a school boy. Farage has denied making the comments and called the allegations “without foundation“. The Guardian reported this week that he had picked on Jewish boys at Dulwich college when he was there at school and had sung offensive racist songs. Much of their reporting had been aired a decade earlier by Michael Crick - broadcaster and Farage biographer. We invited him onto the Newsagents studio to ask if he thought Farage was racist then, and now?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Backbench Labour MP Clive Lewis took to a TV studio to offer up his own Norwich seat to allow Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham a path back into Parliament and make a bid for No 10. He said his party felt "in checkmate" and that it was time to put "country before party, party before personal ambition".Is a change of leadership now a “when not if “question? Is Lewis a lone wolf? Or are the vultures now circling? Has the Labour Party started to imagine life beyond Starmer? Later, what is the corruption scandal now engulfing Ukraine - and can Zelenskyy survive it? His moves to curb the powers of the anti-corruption agency have worried EU powers. Where does the hundred million dollar scandal leave the war effort against Russia?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Parliament is not usually the place where you hear racist language. But yesterday, the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood repeated a racist slur that she has often been subjected to. Was she right to use this language to illustrate her point? And was she using it to justify her latest asylum policies?Later, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi joins us to talk about the Epstein files and the mounting pressure on President Trump.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

The Home Secretary is putting her new hardline immigration plans before parliament - saying if Labour doesn't do something drastic then worse will come. The new policy includes returning asylum seekers to their home country once it's deemed safe. And quadrupling the amount of time they will have to spend in the UK before earning indefinite leave to remain. Some Labour MPs are already queuing up to call it "performative cruelty" and unworkable - but she's found a fan in one Tommy Robinson who hailed the shifting of the Overton window in an unlikely weekend Tweet. Will that cheering send shivers down the spines of Labour MPs? And is the policy workable? Jon and Emily speak to the senior backbencher Stella Creasy about her concerns.Later, Trump has had a change of heart on releasing those potentially incriminating Epstein files - why?!The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

It's been a chaotic week for Labour, with rumours of internal plots and Downing Street briefing wars.As questions swirl around Keir Starmer's leadership, and with Rachel Reeves facing mounting pressure to steady the party's economic footing, Labour's internal tensions are threatening to boil over.Lord Blunkett joins Jon in the studio to dissect what is going on inside Labour, how Starmer might get a handle on the situation, and ultimately save his premiership.This episode was recorded before reports of a Labour tax u-turn.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Never write off a born racer: Sir Mark Cavendish had won 30 stages of the world's biggest cycling race, The Tour de France (even winning one makes a riders career) but he'd been out of the game for 5 years - so no one would give him a job. What happened next was one of the biggest comebacks of all time to put him among the sporting greats. Sir Mark Cavendish joins us on today's show - how did it feel to be written off? Was it fair to call him a “dickhead” as a racer? And after childhood success in ballroom dancing - is Strictly next? Plus the best bits from The Sports Agents this week - is ChatGPT running your team? And why risk staging Eubank v Benn 2?

23,000 pages of documents from the “Epstein files” have been released by Congress. They reveal damning details, and suggest that Epstein and Trump were in contact long after the President has previously said. In the emails Epstein said of Trump: "I am the one able to take him down".So are Trump's connections to Epstein finally catching up to him? And do these emails really have the power to take down the President of the United States? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Late last night came a crisis response from Downing Street responding to a story no one had even heard. The suggestion was a plot - to unseat the prime minister - supposedly by the Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Streeting vehemently denied the plot. But a briefing went out from Downing Street suggesting Starmer was ready for the fight. What on earth is going on?Later, Jon speaks to Christine Flack - Caroline Flack's mother - about her meetings with culture secretary Lisa Nandy to push for the second part of the cancelled Leveson Inquiry, and her new documentary into her daughter's trial by media.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

The BBC has been set a deadline of Friday by Donald Trump's lawyer to apologise and "appropriately compensate" the US President for a Panorama edit of his January 6th speech. If the broadcaster doesn't respond, the threat of a $1bn lawsuit looms. The outgoing head of the BBC Tim Davie today told staff to "fight for our journalism" - but it's not yet clear how it will respond to the unprecedented threat from Trump. Should it have the courage to face down the threat and to challenge him in court? Many experts believe Trump's legal case is thin. So why are so many on the Right cheering on his campaign against the BBC? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Over the last 48 hours, The News Agents have spoken to more than 30 people - insiders at the BBC - to try and work out the facts of what actually happened inside the corporation, and when. Both the Director General and the CEO of News resigned over the weekend, so why are some talking about a “right wing coup“? Why did the apology take so long to arrive? And why is Trump now threatening the state broadcaster with legal action?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

This is the final episode of Coining It. If you'd like to catch up from the beginning, head to Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts and search for 'Coining It'. Or, if you've enjoyed the series, head to the Coining It feed where you can leave a rating and a review. In this episode... Who was the real James Parker? Lewis pieces together the truth behind the would-be Robin Hood, as his friends face jail for their actions. Penniless and abandoned, James is still holding one last twist - while the police close in on his missing millions.From Global and Free Turn, Lewis Goodall uncovers the true story of a man who found a crack in the system and pulled his whole world through it.

Is it time to rethink the British monarchy? Why has “Your Party” been such a spectacular flop? Is Starmer the biggest obstacle to a Labour second term? And what IS the Overton window?This Friday, Jon, Lewis and Emily answer your questions. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

We've been Traitors mad so Claire Balding joined Gabby and Mark for a slightly different episode of The Sports Agents. Don't worry there's no spoilers from the final! Is she bitter no one listened to her about Alan? Why did everyone underestimate Joe Marler? What did Claire tell the producers they should change about the game? And how did Claire know Celia was going to fart? Plus we look back at two huge interviews on the podcast this week with former England manager Gareth Southgate and Euros winner Mary Earps.

13 years ago, a teenage education activist in Pakistan was attacked by the Taliban — catapulting her onto the global stage. Malala Yousafzai went on to become a global icon and the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner.This week, she joined Jon and Emily to discuss her powerful new book, reflecting on the journey from her early activism in Pakistan to becoming one of the world's most influential advocates for girls' education. She shares what has changed — and what hasn't — for young women seeking their right to learn, the personal stories behind her latest writing, and why she believes global politics is failing the next generation. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Overnight, progressives in New York witnessed a political earthquake. A resounding win on a high turnout for the city's first Muslim mayor - a democratic socialist with robust ideas about capitalism. Was it his youth? His clear cut policies? Or was it his authenticity that energised the city's voters? And are there lessons to be learned for how politics should be done here in 2025?Health Minister, Wes Streeting, joins us to talk about personality in politics, and what Labour could learn from Mamdani's example. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

At 8:10 this morning the Chancellor made a speech in Westminster. 45 minutes later no one was any the wiser. She promised to be honest with the public but refused to confirm tax rises or a commitment to her manifesto pledge and rule them out. So what was it all for?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

The appalling train stabbing on Saturday night has sent politicians scurrying to find the right policy response. The shadow Home Secretary is calling for a dramatic increase in stop and search. Would this yield more arrests? Create a deterrent? Or just create tension and division amongst communities? We talk to Neil Basu, former head of counter terrorism and frequent target of Stop and Search himself. Later, why is Elon Musk conflating hobbits and rapists in rural England?You can listen to The Crime Agents special episode on the train stabbings here: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/episodes/7Drv3Y1/ And Sir Gareth Southgate's interview with The Sports Agents is here: https://www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/episodes/7Drv3Wz/The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

We're back with the penultimate episode of Coining It. Thank you for the brilliant response to the series so far. If you don't want to wait for the last episode on this feed, the entire series is available now on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts.In this episode... The party's over. When one of James' friends goes to the police, detectives finally connect the dots. James is hauled in for questioning - but doesn't give a monkeys. As greed and paranoia take hold, his last friendships fracture beyond repair.

It's a 2025 royal knockout. After sustained and mounting pressure, the King took drastic action last night, stripping his brother of his prince title and turfing him out of Royal Lodge. Prince Andrew becomes Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Why has King Charles moved so decisively against his brother now? And will this draw a line under the Epstein scandal that has dogged the Palace - or are there still questions that remain unresolved?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

Did you know the government doesn't fund deaf athletes, because they aren't allowed to compete at the Paralympics? For 100 years now they've been holding their own competition - the Deaflympics - where referee whistles are replaced by flag signals, and starting guns by flashing lights. But no Paralympics means no funding. All because they were born with the so-called “wrong” disability. Team GB medal hopefuls Charlotte Gower and Nathan Young join Gabby. Plus we look back at the best bits from this week on The Sports Agents from the NBA gambling scandal featuring the mafia and x-ray glasses with Andy Hughes (Co-Host of The Crime Agents podcast) and The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov; to a love letter to the Ashes with some hilarious stories from Phil Tufnell. You can watch the Deaflympics live on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@TOKYO2025DEAFLYMPICS And find out more information about DeaflympicsGB here: https://www.deaflympicsgb2025.co.uk/

Why are British-made military items being found on the killing fields of Sudan? It's a question that the government has been asked in parliament today, amid escalating reports of the most brutal mass killings of civilians. The Guardian revealed this week that UK-manufactured military equipment is being used by the RSF militia in Sudan - who are accused of committing genocide in the country by the USA. So what's going on? And could it prompt a rethink of where we sell our military equipment?Later - is Geert Wilders returning to the wilderness? The Dutch electorate seem to have dealt him a blow with a centrist candidate now the favourite to become the country's next PM. Are there lessons for the PM here in the fight against populism?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal -> https://nordvpn.com/thenewsagents Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee