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The Telegraph

The podcast that speaks your language. News and views from beyond the bubble with Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, every Thursday.
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Planet Normal

The co-pilots briefly dock the rocket of right-thinking at the Reform Party Conference this week, for an on-stage episode with special guest Lucy Connolly.

Watch Allison, Liam and Lucy on stage here: https://youtu.be/VMjbGgpiVSU

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'I would like to work with Reform' - Lucy Connolly joins Allison and Liam on stage at Reform Party Conference

The rocket is back from the summer break and blasting through the nonsense to bring you some common sense! There’s a lot to catch up on so buckle in…

A special stowaway this week is former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman to discuss the rise of Reform in the polls, and renews her call to leave the ECHR

Allison, fresh from her sun lounger, shares her disgust that comedian and Father Ted writer, Graham Linehan, was arrested over 3 tweets and praises Nigel Farage for sharing free speech concerns with Congress in the US.

Meanwhile Liam is looking at the pickle Angela Rayner is putting the Prime Minister in with allegations of underpaying stamp duty on her Brighton flat; will Starmer ‘have the 'guts' and let her go?

Watch Liam's interview with Suella Braverman here: https://youtu.be/bC2F9bNlo0I

Read Allison ‘Labour’s race to show they love flags would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/03/labours-race-to-show-they-love-flags-tragic/

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read Suella Braverman’s Paper: https://www.prosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WHY-AND-HOW-TO-LEAVE-THE-EHCR.pdf

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taxing questions for Angela Rayner

Summer is coming to an end on Planet Normal! So in our final installment of our "best of the rocket" series, our co-pilots take a look back at another two of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far.

In May, after Keir Starmer's EU 'reset', Allison and Liam invited Lord David Frost on to the rocket. The former diplomat and Boris Johnson's chief Brexit negotiator, now a Conservative peer, discussed Starmer's efforts to bring post-Brexit Britain closer to the EU.

Also in May, Liam spoke to Andrew Doyle, playwright, journalist, satirist, and creator of social media star Titania McGrath. Andrew, who recently published The End of Woke, discussed why he'd returned to the "culture wars" after vowing his previous book, The New Puritans, would be his last word on the subject.

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 Part 3

Citizens of Planet Normal, you were expecting the co-pilots to be on holiday during August but we now have a surprise bonus episode for you!

Allison was literally at the beach when the exciting news came through confirming Lucy Connolly was about to be released. Lucy is of course the Northampton mum and childminder who ad spent more than a year behind bars for posting a tweet which she quickly deleted in the wake of the Southport murders, and her cause has been very much championed here on Planet Normal.

So with Lucy finally on her way home, the ever intrepid co-pilot Pearson literally rushed back from her break to sit down with Lucy Connolly for her first interview, another planet normal, exclusive, just 24 hours after she left jail.

Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/5sO1oVzFSC0

Read the article here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/22/lucy-connolly-i-was-starmers-political-prisoner/

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Am I Starmer's political prisoner? Absolutely' | Lucy Connolly speaks to Allison Pearson

Summer continues on Planet Normal! In this, the second of the three part best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far.

Back in March, Allison spoke to Ray Connolly - husband of Lucy Connolly, who was sentenced to 31 months for posting a tweet in response to the tragic death of 3 girls in Southport last year. Ray discusses the devastating impact of Lucy’s ongoing incarceration on their family.

And then, in April, Allison and Liam were joined by Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch. We asked her whether Keir Starmer should apologize to former Labour MP Rosie Duffield in light of the Supreme Court verdict on the biological definition of a woman. In regards to the Equality Act 2010.

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 Part 2

It's the summer break on Planet Normal so in the first of this year's best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far.

Following the emergence of more harrowing details of rape gangs operating in the UK, in January Allison spoke to a warrior of free speech, and one of her heroines, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. A former Dutch MP, Ayaan has put herself in danger many times for speaking out against Islamists and supporting the self-determining right of Muslim women.

Then, in March, Liam had a fascinating conversation with American entrepreneur Mike Calvey. Who whilst living and working in Russia, ended up in Moscow's notorious Matrosskaya Tishina prison on trumped-up charges in 2019. Now free and fully exonerated, Mike joined Liam to discuss his book Odyssey Moscow, the war in Ukraine, and his complex relationship with Russia.

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 Part 1

Another black hole has appeared in the country’s coffers, but you can bank on your co-pilots to make sense of the pennies and cents.

Allison thinks Starmer’s new migrant swap deal with France is nonsense and nothing more than a secret legal route made by Labour under the pretence of benefiting the British tax payer.

Whilst Liam says the ongoing cost of Labour’s private school VAT increase is crippling families and private schools help the local community as well as the tax payers as they free up spaces in State schools.

Stowing away this week is mum of 2 Emma, who shares the experience of an average family hit by Labour’s VAT on private schools

Read Allison: ‘Our complicit elite is to blame for every sexual assault by an illegal migrant’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/08/05/complicit-elite-blame-for-sex-assault-by-illegal-migrants/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

‘Read Liam: Why the OBR is now warning about the "serious...unsustainable" fiscal cost of high immigration’

https://liamhalligan.substack.com/p/why-the-obr-is-now-warning-about?r=rm4f5&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action |

Read Liam: ‘Trump is wrong to pick a fight with Powell – but is right about interest rates’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/08/03/trump-wrong-pick-fight-powell-right-interest-rates/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour! Leave our kids alone

With Donald Trump giving Starmer a piece of his mind, there’s no shortage of madness this week, and your co-pilots are ready to make sense of it all!

Allison thinks The US President took the Prime Minister to task on his immigration and green power policies, completely humiliating him on the world stage.

Whilst Liam says the ‘febrile atmosphere’ in the country isn’t being managed very well by Starmer's immigration policies.

Stowing away this week is Epping resident Orla Minihine who tells the co-pilots why she is protesting against a local hotel being used to house migrants.

Read Allison ‘They tried to break Lucy Connolly, but the decent people of Britain will never desert her’:

‘https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/29/allison-pearson-lucy-connolly-southport-decent-britain/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘I’ve changed my mind about why Britain has a chronic housing shortage’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/07/27/immigration-fuelling-uk-chronic-housing-shortage/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeble Starmer is stoking a febrile country

Co-Pilot Pearson is taking a break but fear not, Nick Timothy is strapping in to help Co-pilot Halligan make sense of this week’s madness.

Liam is pleased Labour have caught up with the rest of the country in talking about addressing ‘concerns’ over immigration, but is concerned they haven’t given any substance to their position or how they will achieve it.

Nick points out Labour scrapped the Rwanda scheme deterrent and still don’t have a concrete plan other than speeding up decisions, which is leading to yet more increases in channel crossings.

Strapping in, having delved into the history of the ECHR in the UK, is Lord Peter Lilley who has some myths to bust…

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is on a Hard Road tackling immigration concerns

Secrets, lies and spies are on the agenda for this week and your co-pilots are here to make sense of the madness.

Allison is horrified by the secrecy surrounding the Ministry of Defence data leak, which has been estimated at a potential cost of £7bn to the UK tax payer, without any oversight or accountability of where people will be settled around the Country.

Meanwhile Liam focuses on the news inflation has increased and the warning that the Labour tax increases are curtailing growth, which could lead to the dreaded term ‘stagflation’.

Stowing away this week is MD of REIDsteel, Simon Boyd, who lays out his case for Ed Miliband's net zero policies being ‘dangerous’.

Read Allison: ‘Starmer is sacrificing our troops on the altar of human rights law’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/15/starmer-sacrificing-british-troops-on-altar-of-human-rights/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam: ‘Reeves needs to take a leaf out of Gordon Brown’s book‘ ​​https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/07/13/reeves-needs-take-a-leaf-out-gordon-brown-book/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Red Ed’s kamikaze net zero policies and the most expensive email in history

Boarding the rocket of right-thinking in a podcast exclusive, no less, is Lord Frost. The one-time chief Brexit negotiator, who quit his Cabinet role as Brexit minister in December, tells Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson how the Government’s ineffective Covid policy drove him out of Downing Street, what it was really like sitting opposite Brussels on the negotiating table and why he advises slow steps in the Net Zero agenda.

Also on the podcast - the question not even Number 10 knows the answer to: Can Boris Johnson survive so-called Partygate? Our co-pilots debate whether public outcry at a Downing Street gathering over May's lockdown could spell the end of the Johnson premiership. 

And is there an internal plot against the PM? Our hosts have their own theories.

Watch Lord Frost's interview with Liam: https://youtu.be/hFId3IUxH9w |

Allison will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 13th January 11am-12pm: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/01/13/lord-frost-covid-lockdowns-serious-mistake-government-needs/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Listen to I Witnessed History: www.playpodca.st/witnessed |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

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Lord Frost on Partygate, Brexit and why he quit the Cabinet

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