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The News Agents

The News Agents

Podcast | United Kingdom | Left
www.globalplayer.com/podcasts/42KuWz/

UK political news podcast with Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall. Making sense of the news.

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Articles

Discussions from The News Agents

Politics

Starmer resigns - is Burnham unstoppable?

And just like that, Keir Starmer became the sixth British prime minister to resign in ten years - triggering a leadership contest it’s increasingly likely no one will enter. Wes Streeting has pulled out of the race. Andy Burnham is arriving at Parliament where he will be sworn in as MP. If there is no challenger, he could be PM in just over two weeks' time. Is this the most perfect heist in political history? Does Starmer have a right to feel aggrieved? And does Burnham have an actual plan? T...

United Kingdom
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Culture

Are Tuchel's England the 'Entertainers' now? - The Sports Agents

England are used to a winning start in tournaments. but are we used to it being this. FUN? The 3 Lions beat Croatia 4-2 in their World Cup opener and Thomas Tuchel's 'entertainers' have seemingly already captured the nation. A now famous half-time team talk is said to have inspired the players. Is Tuchel's emotional and tactical management style what England need to get over the line? And on the players themselves, are we going to witness a tournament where Harry Kane has his name up with Mes...

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Politics

Burnham batters Reform - next stop Number 10?

Overnight in Makerfield, Andy Burnham showed how to win more than fifty percent of the vote on the Labour ticket. It was political smack for his party. A reminder that they still have the electoral chemistry to win decisively in tight races where Reform has stormed in the past. Keir Starmer is pretending nothing big has happened - and said Reform were already on the wane. He is refusing to make way for Burnham - who is rather hoping for a coronation rather than a bloody contest. So who will f...

United Kingdom
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Geopolitics

Why is Trump now handing over billions to Iran?

Once you’ve listened to Trumps friends slag off his deal with Iran , you can’t help wondering what his critics will say. In one fell swoop, Trump has lifted sanctions on Iran, invited investment into the country to help the same old regime recover, agreed to a sixty day trial period on the reopened Strait of Hormuz, and "moved on" from his wish to help the Iranian people escape their tyrants. What has he achieved in this war? Precisely nothing. Who knows that? Practically everyone. Later, we ...

United Kingdom
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Politics

Special Report: How the Makerfield by-election could change everything

Whatever happens in Makerfield in the next 24 hours, the outcome will be momentous. If Andy Burnham wins, we could see him challenge Keir Starmer for Prime Minister by the end of the week. If Burnham loses, then Labour are plunged into a whole new level of existential crisis. Either way, this will be one of the most significant by-elections in British electoral history - the stakes could hardly be higher. Jon, Emily and Lewis have this special report from the constituency. What do the people ...

United Kingdom
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Politics

Special Report: Belfast riots - how Elon Musk is stoking a new wave of British violence

Belfast was ablaze last night, 24 hours after the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. Houses, cars and buses were set on fire during riots across the city. It has since been announced that Ogilvie has lost an eye in the attack and 30-year-old Hadi Alodid has been charged with his attempted murder. The British government are laying at least some of the blame at the door of X owner Elon Musk, accusing him of whipping up tensions online ahead of the disorder. Lewis is on the ground in Belfast w...

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Culture

Visas, Tickets... Trump: Why this World Cup feels hard to love? - The Sports Agents

Nedum touches down in USA and joins Gabby & Mark to discuss the opening game of the World Cup 2026; How excited are the locals, dark horses for the tournament & more. But with such a constant stream of controversy in the days leading up to the first match - fans fleeced for tickets, a Somali referee banned from entering US, national teams greeted by ICE on arrival and FIFA President Gianni Infantino's call for everyone to just "chill out" - has a World Cup ever been harder to love? The Athlet...

Global
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Politics

How political violence and conspiracy became mainstream in Britain

10 years on from the murder of MP Jo Cox, there is a grim warning from her sister Kim Leadbeater: the atmosphere in politics now is "probably worse". Leadbeater warns of people trying to "sow division" in our country - and that's a division that Russia is seeking to exploit. One of the arsonists convicted of trying to firebomb Keir Starmer's house had also been tasked by Kremlin-linked actors with putting up far-right posters, seeking to stoke community tensions. How can it be that, after the...

United Kingdom
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Politics

Is John Healey’s resignation a fatal blow for Keir Starmer?

Around lunch time today, as The News Agents were battling their own excitement in the shape of a fire drill, the Defence Secretary suddenly resigned without warning. He left with a devastating critique of the Starmer government failures in his wake. The loyal and highly regarded Healey resigned out of frustration that promises made on defence spending weren’t being kept. And that the Prime Minister wouldn’t even set a date for the increases to happen. Has Starmer “failed to keep the country s...

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Politics

Starmer in shambles: Can he last the week?

Armed Forces minister Al Carns and a couple of junior frontbenchers followed the Defence Secretary John Healey in resigning from government last night. Healey's accusation was a stinging one - that Keir Starmer is failing to commit to keeping the nation safe from attack. That, after Starmer pledged only a few months ago to put "petty politics" to one side and be bold on British defence. He now faces a testing week like no other. His Defence Investment Plan, long delayed. is due to be launched...

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Politics

Will Starmer's social media ban for kids really happen?

In what feels like one of the few genuinely radical decisions of his premiership, Keir Starmer has announced an almost complete ban on social media for the under 16s, starting next spring. Messaging apps will not be included, but YouTube (ie “television”) will. Does the ban make sense? Will it actually happen? And is Starmer now thinking about legacy projects at this febrile moment of his leadership? We speak to the AI minister Kanishka Narayan. Later Jess Asato MP found herself undressed by ...

United Kingdom
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