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Global

Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host an award-winning daily news podcast: The News Agents. 

They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed.

Episodes are available every weekday afternoon. You can listen to The News Agents on Alexa, just say "Alexa ask Global Player to play The News Agents"

The News Agents is a Global Player Original podcast.

For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com

You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/

The News Agents

The PM took on what he called the "enemies of national renewal" in his conference speech today - accusing Nigel Farage of exploiting the “politics of grievance”.

Keir Starmer instead pledged a Britain "built for all" - he spoke of the fight for the "soul" of the country. It was all spelt out in quite stark terms, and Starmer's clearest enunciation yet that he sees Farage and Reform, not Badenoch and the Conservatives, as his main threat. He portrayed a new political clash - between decency and division. 

The Labour faithful lapped up his patriotic lines, and cheered his attacks on Reform. He nodded to Oasis and the Lionesses in declaring that Britain isn't broken. Is that a smart strategy? Or is he risking painting Labour as defenders of the status quo? Is he making the same mistakes as Joe Biden?

Jon and Lewis speak to the health secretary, Wes Streeting, about whether the PM is getting his message across to voters. 

Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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Is Keir Starmer Britain's Joe Biden?

Labour politicians are upping their attacks on Nigel Farage and Reform UK in Liverpool. 

Rachel Reeves took to the conference stage to brand Farage "the single greatest threat to our way of life". And over the weekend, Keir Starmer levelled the accusation that Reform's policy on deporting migrants with indefinite leave to remain was "racist". 

The shift in tone is not without risk - with the tabloids already accusing the PM of labelling voters more generally who are concerned about migration as racist. 

But so far at party conference, cabinet ministers appear to be more comfortable defining themselves against their enemies and making the moral case for Labour in government.

Is that what the party activists, and the public, need to hear? And are there still inherent contradictions with that Labour is saying about its plan in office?

Later, Lewis and Jon speak to Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary also vying to be deputy leader of the party. She had a major announcement today about bringing back maintenance grants to some working class university students - and she came over to the News Agents stand to talk about that, Nigel Farage, Andy Burnham and the case she's making for deputy. 

Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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Is Labour calling Nigel Farage racist?

Cast your mind back to last year in Liverpool and it's hard to imagine much more of a contrasting picture to this year's Labour party conference. 

Then, party members were still basking in the glow of the election victory, Keir Starmer applauded as the leader who'd defied the odds and returned Labour to power. 

Now? Leadership jockeying is well underway, a deputy leadership battle could further divide the party, and there is widespread dismay at the speed with which Labour's honeymoon period in office ended - if it ever existed at all. 

Is this crunch time for Keir Starmer to reassert his vision as PM and give party activists something to feel good about? Why are some senior figures now openly questioning whether he can lead the party into the next election? Has Burnham made his play too early? And could a new message on Reform and Farage be part of Labour's comeback strategy?

Lewis and LBC's political correspondent Aggie Chambre have your conference preview from Liverpool.

Bonus episode: Is this Starmer's toughest conference yet?

In many ways, Leo Varadkar was a historic Taoiseach. The youngest Irish PM, the first from an ethnic minority, and the first openly gay head of government. 

His time at the top of Irish politics was also historic - he grappled with Trump's first term, the Brexit years, and the Covid pandemic. 

At just 44 years of age, he walked away from politics. But he is still fascinated - even obsessed - by the political arena. 

He's written a memoir, 'Speaking My Mind', about his rise to power and his time at the seat of government. 

He came into The News Agents studio to speak to Lewis about the populist surge and where Starmer is failing in his efforts to curb it here, what it's like dealing with Donald Trump up close and personal, and why he found Boris Johnson easier to deal with than Theresa May - even though he couldn't trust him.

Leo Varadkar on Trump, Starmer and the death of liberalism

Gabby is joined by Ruby Tui - the nation has fallen in love with this World Cup winner and Olympic medallist over this Women's Rugby World Cup. She tells her story, from calling King Charles "bruv", to escaping domestic abuse, and getting 40,000 fans to sing a Maori folk song after winning a home World Cup. 

Ahead of Saturday's final, Ruby says it's an honour to witness this moment in sporting history. England haven't lost since the last World Cup Final... no pressure then! 

If you have been a victim of domestic abuse, help is available from charities like Refuge: https://refuge.org.uk/

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🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 

📱Follow us on socials:

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📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 

Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

Producer: Sophie Penney

Video Producer: Sam Trudgill 

Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

Guest Booker: Kirsty Giddings

Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

Weekend Edition: Rugby World Cup Final with Ruby Tui on the 'game of the decade' & calling King Charles "Bruv" - The Sports Agents

It feels like Andy Burnham is everywhere right now. Interviews in the New Statesman and The Telegraph have propelled the question of his leadership ambitions into Keir Starmer’s face. Does he have a really chance of challenging the PM? And what is his vision for Labour if so? 

Later, we interview comedian and director of The Producers, Patrick Marber, about Nazi satire, Jimmy Kimmel and Tommy Robinson's march.

Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ 

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

Could Andy Burnham replace Keir Starmer as PM?

Ed Davey closed the Lib Dem conference with a warning not to let Trump’s America become Farage's Britain. What might have sounded hyperbolic 24 hours ago sounded prescient by 8 am this morning - after Farage went on LBC and refused to distance himself from Trump's Tylenol conspiracy and then segued neatly into a discussion about immigrants eating swans (the Royal Park’s police deny all knowledge of this). Opinion polls suggest the Brits are not big fans of Trump. Has Ed Davey spotted political opportunity in exploiting this fully? And is Farage going off the boil? 

Later, we sit down with novelist Ian McEwan to discuss memory, metaphysical gloom and modern Britain - which he gets to grips with in his new book 'What We Can Know'.

Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ 

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

Is Farage turning Reform into a Trump tribute act?

The US president is pushing his health secretary’s latest conspiracy theory from the White House. This one links a paracetamol painkiller with autism in pregnant women - a claim which has been discredited by numerous large scale studies and scientists. But is the damage already done? Today our own health secretary took to the television to warn women not to listen to the US president. How damaging will Trump’s words be? And is it all part of a larger movement to discredit science and expertise? 

Later, Reform UK are being told their "numbers don’t add up" on their latest plans for mass deportation. Is that the only push back the government has to offer? Have they ceded the argument by merely talking about the maths? 

And lastly, why is America having to bail out Argentina when they’ve all been praising President Milei's immense cost cutting capabilities? 

Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ 

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

Why is Wes Streeting telling Donald Trump to shut up?

The PM's recognition of a nominal state or Palestine has provoked a furious response from the right flank of the Israeli government - several members of which are openly calling on their own government to now seize the occupied West Bank in retaliation. 

Israel says this is a reward for Hamas and that Keir Starmer is concerned with his own party management - is there any truth to any of that? Why is Netanyahu unable to see the part he himself has played in bringing this historical move about? Will any of the rhetoric bring salvation to starving people in Gaza or the hostages in their midst? And is this move a tacit admission from the British government that it is powerless to change the situation there?

Later, what does the memorial for Charlie Kirk tell us about Christian nationalism and the MAGA movement?

Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/

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

Will Israel annex the West Bank now Britain recognises Palestine?

Imagine if the Industrial Revolution took place over 10 years instead of 100. Imagine if most human labour was about to become redundant. Imagine if machines transformed our economy, our society, our politics. 

You'd think politicians would be talking about it, making policies to manage it - leading a critical national conversation, perhaps even raising the alarm. 

Well you don't need to imagine it. It's already happening. And our politicians are, almost entirely, silent. 

In this special report, Lewis sees firsthand the almost unbelievable changes already afoot on America's west coast, at the pioneering forefront of the AI revolution. If AI is about to overtake our politics, why aren't our leaders talking - or even thinking - about it?

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

Special Report: Will the AI revolution end politics as we know it?

Less than a week ago, the woman who was supposed to ease Labour's passage into government, Sue Gray, left her job as Chief of Staff following mounting pressure and rumours of fallouts behind the scenes. 

Her replacement is Morgan McSweeney - now the most powerful man in politics that you've probably never heard of. The architect of Labour’s election victory, Starmer’s campaign manager, and now his main man in Downing Street. So, who is Morgan McSweeney? What motivates him? And what kind of power does he have in Number 10?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Producer: Natalie Indge

Digital Editor: Michaela Walters

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

Digital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob Paul

Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:

https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents 

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"

And you can grab your News Agents merch, including t-shirts, hoodies and water bottles at the link below.

https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The most powerful man in politics - who is Morgan McSweeney?

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