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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

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

Another week in Labour’s u-turn government and the rumblings of a wealth tax are on the horizon, just as your co-pilots predicted!

Allison thinks the PM’s speech on Monday was a ‘soft focus’ reflection of the 7th July London bombing, and once again avoiding the concerns of Islamists and mass immigration.

Meanwhile Liam focuses on the sticky issue of a potentially imminent ‘Wealth Tax’ as Chancellor Rachel Reeves struggles to balance the books with Starmer’s constant spending u-turns.

Stowing away this week is Matt Goodwin, pollster, political commentator and author joins Allison and Liam to discuss the 20th Anniversary of the London Tube attack and how Labour’s experiment of immigration and integration has failed.

Matt’s substack: https://www.mattgoodwin.org/ |

Read Allison ‘Britain’s craven appeasement of Islam is an insult to the victims of 7/7‘ : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/08/britain-appeasement-islam-an-insult-to-the-victims-of-77/ |

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

Read Liam ‘A wealth tax will only make the Chancellor’s problems worse’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/07/06/wealth-tax-will-only-make-chancellors-problems-worse/ |

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’s multicultural project has been a devastating experiment

As Labour performs another head spinning u turn, your co-pilots are here to cut through the madness, so you don’t have to.

Allison thinks this government has been a series of ‘car crashes’ culminating in another major humiliating U-turn on the flagship Welfare Bill. The rebellion of his own MPs is making him a ‘dead man walking’.

Meanwhile Liam focuses on the impact of the concessions Starmer has had to make, and how this will affect Rachel Reeves’ ability to balance the books.

Strapping in this week is columnist Dan Hodges to give his take on where this Labour Party didn’t learn anything from the Blairite years.

Read Allison: ‘We may have to defund the BBC to get our country back’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/01/glastonbury-horror-show-tim-davie-bbc-bob-vylan-kneecap/ | 

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.

Starmer's ‘ming vase’ strategy smashed by policy pirouettes

With another packed news week at home and abroad, your co-pilots are here to steer you through the carnage with their usual dose of common sense.

Allison thinks the PM’s weak response to the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities is once again humiliating the UK on the world’s stage, and that Keir Starmer is concerned more about the Muslim vote share than National Security.

Meanwhile Liam wonders if Labour’s is now deploying a ‘scorched earth’ policy as they drop in the polls.

Making a special trip in the rocket this week is Conservative Peer and lawyer, Baroness Cash, who shares her thoughts on Labour’s Employment Rights Bill and the mythical non-existent worker it’s claiming to help.

Read Allison: ‘The mistreatment of Lucy Connolly in prison is deeply sinister’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/24/the-mistreatment-of-lucy-connolly-in-prison-is-sinister/ |

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

Read Liam: ‘Labour’s 1970s employment rights bill could send Britain over the edge’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/06/15/labour-1970s-employment-rights-bill-could-send-uk-over-edge/ |

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.

Starmer's morally and politically bankrupt stance continues to humiliate us

As Labour skids into yet another U-turn, your co-pilots are here to clear the chaff from the wheat.

Allison is hopeful the inquiry could finally shed light on the ‘worst scandal in British history’ as it is led by Louise Casey, but is concerned the scope won’t see enough towns included by Labour who want to avoid their own patches coming under scrutiny. 

Meanwhile Liam thinks accusations of racism aimed at Sajid Javid for insisting ethnicity be recorded on these crimes when he was Home Secretary, now seem ridiculous and he should be commended for trying to get a clear picture of the issue. 

Making a special trip in the rocket this week is campaigner, author and grooming gang survivor Sammy Woodhouse, who shares her thoughts on the national inquiry into grooming gangs and her experiences as an exploited child.

Read Liam: ‘Labour’s 1970s employment rights bill could send Britain over the edge’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/06/15/labour-1970s-employment-rights-bill-could-send-uk-over-edge/ |

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

Read Allison: ‘No jail sentence is long enough for the cowards who covered up for the Pakistani rape gangs‘ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/17/grooming-gangs-truth-revealed/ |

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.

Starmer should resign in shame at his latest U-turn on grooming gang inquiry

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has outlined her spending review and your co-pilots are here to wade through the madness with Telegraph Columnist Gerard Lyons. 

Allison thinks Rachel Reeves is going on a ‘spending frenzy’ and racking up too much national debt to cover her costs.

Meanwhile Liam thinks the Chancellor is throwing out big numbers to make it appear Labour is increasing spending but is concerned the money will come from pension funds to cover the cost.

Gerard Lyons is concerned about the Chancellor being able to control her spending and thinks her ‘fiscal rules’ are back-to-front policy making. 

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/ |

Read Allison: ‘Dear Tim Davie, here are 10 easy ways to get Reform voters to watch the BBC’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/11/attract-more-reform-voters-to-the-bbc/ |

Read Allison: ‘Woke police chiefs whinge about underfunding when the real problem is their warped priorities’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/10/woke-police-chiefs-whinge-underfunding-real-problem-warped/ |

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’s spending review has no credibility

The Tory tribes are at war over the Rwanda Bill, but who will emerge victorious? One thing is for sure, these party politics aren’t very festive at all…

Co-pilot Pearson has polished her crystal ball and is ready to predict which way the party is going to swing in the immigration debate. She thinks there is a huge gulf between the ruling class and the rest of the Country which could allow opportunity for the smaller new parties to thrive.

Whilst Liam questions the Country’s movement to the Centre Left in comparison to other European countries recently electing more Centre Right leaders, and if this in turn could cause our potential exit from the ECHR.

Strapping into the rocket this week for a chat is Historian Matthew Parker who drops by reveal the stories behind his latest novel ‘One Fine Day, Britain's Empire on the Brink'.

And Velma is back with a storming stat of the week…

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/ |

Read the Telegraph’s Review of Matthew Parker’s book:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/one-fine-day-matthew-parker-review-empire-history/ |

Listen to Battle Lines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/battle-lines/ |

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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When Tory Tribes Go To War

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