49 | Zafar Ansari

We gear up for summer with a conversation about cricket, politics and life.  Zafar Ansari studied at Cambridge, played cricket for England and now, at the age of 25, has retired from professional sport to take up other challenges.  We talk to Zafar about what prompted his decision and what his cricket career taught him about things other than cricket.  He tells us about the politics of the dressing room and the role of race and class in sport.  He also tells us what it was like to discover Trump had won the presidency while he was playing a test match for England in India.
 

48 | Oil!

While we've been obsessing about the UK election, the world has been turning - this week we broaden our horizons to discuss the latest developments in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran and Syria.  What do recent changes in Saudi politics mean for the stability of the region?  Is the Trump administration making a bad situation worse?  Plus we ask the WWI question: are there fault-lines here that remind us of 1914 and a world on the brink of war?  We also talk to Helen about her new book: Oil and the Western Economic Crisis.  It all comes back to oil.  With Helen Thompson, Glen Rangwala and Aaron Rapport.

47 | Crisis, What Crisis?

The PM lurches from crisis to crisis, but her government looks more secure than it did a week ago.  What gives?  We try to make sense of where British politics now stands, after the terrible Grenfell tower fire, further terrorist attacks, and the start of the Brexit negotiations.  We also ask why there is such a disconnect between political turmoil and serenity in the financial markets: why aren't they more spooked?  Plus we talk with John Naughton about the role of social media in Corbyn's unexpected success.  With Helen Thompson and Chris Brooke.

46 | Turning Left

Less than a week on from the election result almost no one saw coming, we take stock.  What does Labour's unexpected success mean for the prospect of other parties of the left?  Can they learn from Corbyn or is British politics now following its own path?  Plus we discuss the rise and rise of Macron in France.  Will his new version of technocracy square the circle of elites doing democratic politics?  With a full house of Helen Thompson, Chris Brooke, Chris Bickerton and our very own Macroniste, Hugo Drochon.

*This episode was recorded shortly before Tim Farron resigned as leader of the Lib Dems
 

45 | Another Shock!

We reconvene on little sleep to pick over the bones of another extraordinary election.  Where did it go wrong for Mrs May?  How did Labour win back UKIP supporters?  How will anyone meet the expectations of all the young people who came out to vote?  We recorded shortly before the Conservatives announced their intention to govern with 'friends in the DUP'.  We ask how long any arrangement can last.  With Helen Thompson, Finbarr Livesey and Glen Rangwala.
 

44 | Decision Day

After a tumultuous campaign decision day is finally here: we explore what could happen next.  We talk through the different scenarios suggested by the chaotic polling, from a hung parliament to a Tory landslide, and ask what each one would mean for British politics.  We also talk about what's surprised us most over the last six weeks. What happened to the Lib Dems?  When did Mrs May lose her nerve?  Where is the economy?  Then we'll reconvene for another episode when it's done to find out what really went down: stay tuned.  With Helen Thompson, Finbarr Livesey and Chris Brooke.