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BBC Radio 4

Conversations about the global forces reshaping our world and the radical ideas that could define the future.

Radical is a twice-weekly podcast where pioneering thinkers, bold innovators and influential voices explore the ideas, trends and breakthroughs transforming society. From politics and climate change to economics and artificial intelligence, each episode tackles the biggest challenges facing our world, and the solutions that could help shape what's next.

LISTEN: 
Listen to Radical every Monday and Thursday on BBC Sounds. You can also listen on your smart speaker - just say: "Ask BBC Sounds to play Radical." Available on most smart speakers.

GET IN TOUCH:
- Send us a message or voice note on WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480.
- Email: Radical@bbc.co.uk
- Or join the conversation using #BBCRadical.

The Today Podcast

Politicians are always making decisions that impact future generations, but how often do they really consider whether they are making life better, or worse, for people who haven’t been born yet?

Rarely, thinks Sophie Howe, but she is part of a movement aiming to change that. She was the first future generations commissioner for Wales - at the time, the first role of its kind anywhere in the world - and her job was to make sure that decisions taken by the Welsh government would benefit its people in the long-term.

She tells Gabriel Gatehouse about some of the key things she made happen, and one big thing she stopped happening, as well as her current work to encourage other countries to appoint future generations commissioners. Also, she explains why she thinks it’s sometimes necessary to put the needs of the unborn over those of the living, at least in the short-term. 

WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday.

Series Producer: Simon Tulett
Producer: Bob Howard
Technical Producer: Dafydd Evans
Digital Producer: Daniel Raza
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Rights for the Unborn: How Should We Protect Future Generations? (Sophie Howe)

Prepper Mike Chappell is ready for disaster to hit the UK, and he believes everyone else should be prepared too.

Mike is worried that blackouts, food supply disruption, and extreme weather could seriously disrupt normal life, potentially leaving people to fend for themselves for weeks or months at a time. He believes those threats are growing and thinks everyone should have enough supplies to last them at least two weeks - a message he spreads on his YouTube channel, UK Urban Prepper.

The UK government recently urged people to stock up on tinned food and bottled water to build resilience in case of a national emergency, so have preppers like Mike been right all along?

Gabriel Gatehouse asks Mike what exactly he is prepping for and gets some tips on how to start building a stockpile. Plus, does the prepper mindset leave any room for community spirit, or is it all about looking after yourself?

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday.

Series Producer: Simon Tulett
Producer: Bob Howard
Technical Producer: Dafydd Evans
Digital Producer: Daniel Raza
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Disaster Prepping: Should We All Stock Up? (Mike Chappell, prepper)

Former mortuary technician Kristoffer Hughes wants to bring terramation - or human composting - to the UK. He believes it's a more natural and hopeful way for our bodies to be disposed of, and a more environmentally friendly alternative to burial and cremation.

Kristoffer tells Gabriel Gatehouse about the "epiphany" he had when he first witnessed the practice in the USA, his own experience of being 'buried alive' in a terramation facility, and what human compost can actually be used for.

The practice isn't legal in the UK yet - the Law Commission has suggested it could be explored as an option in England and Wales - but how much appeal would it really have, how much would it cost, and is it safe? 

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday.

Series Producer: Simon Tulett
Producers: Bob Howard and Ivana Davidovic
Technical Producer: Ben Andrews
Digital Producer: Daniel Raza
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Human Composting: A New Way to Deal with Death? (Kristoffer Hughes)

Neil Woods is a former undercover police officer who used to infiltrate drug gangs, but he now believes drugs should be legalised and the market regulated by government. He's a board member of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), which campaigns for drug policy reform around the world.

In the main episode Neil explained why he thinks prohibition of illicit drugs has failed and outlined his plan for the government to source and supply drugs like cannabis, cocaine and heroin through pharmacies or via sales in regulated shops.

In this special Q&A, Neil answers your questions on minimum ages for these drugs, the experiences of other countries, and the thorny moral question.

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday.

Series Producer: Simon Tulett
Producer: Nathan Gower
Technical Producer: Mike Regaard
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

What Should The Minimum Age For Drugs Be? (Your Radical Questions with Neil Woods)

As an undercover police officer Neil Woods' job was to infiltrate drug gangs and put their leaders behind bars, but he says his work gradually convinced him that he was doing more harm than good. Since leaving the force he has become one of the UK's foremost campaigners for drug policy reform. 

Neil tells this week's host, Jenny Kleeman, why he believes the war on drugs has failed, and sets out his alternative vision for legalising and regulating the use of cannabis, cocaine, heroin and other products. He thinks drugs on prescription or sold with age and dose restrictions, as well as health advice, would be the best way to keep users safe and wrest control of the market away from organised crime.

But, of course, Neil has his opponents. We ask whether the war on drugs really is failing, if legalisation would really eradicate crime and the black market, and whether legalisation might actually increase drug use and deaths.

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday.

Series Producer: Simon Tulett
Producer: Nathan Gower
Technical Producer: Mike Regaard
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Legalisation: Has The War On Drugs Failed? (Neil Woods, ex-police officer)

Sarah Harper is Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford and one of the world's leading experts on demographic change. She challenges the widespread belief that ageing populations are primarily a social and economic burden, arguing instead that longer lives represent one of humanity's greatest achievements and an opportunity to rethink how society is organised.

In the last episode, Sarah explained why many of the pressures associated with ageing societies stem from institutions that were designed for a very different era. She argued that our welfare systems, labour markets and expectations around retirement no longer reflect the realities of modern life, where people are living longer, healthier lives than previous generations.

In this week's Q&A, Sarah joins James Marriott to answer your questions about the future of retirement, pensions and work in an ageing society. She explores generational resentment and how we can bridge the gap between old and young, whether inequality is more important than age, and whether politicians disproportionately focus on older voters.

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday.

Series Producer: Rufus Gray
Producers: Nathan Gower and Ivana Davidovic
Digital Producer: Gabriel Purcell-Davis
Technical Producer: Dafydd Evans
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Are Politicians Too Focused on Older Generations? (Your Radical Questions with Professor Sarah Harper)

This week, James Marriott talks to Sarah Harper, Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford and one of the world's leading experts on demographic change. She challenges the increasingly common narrative that ageing populations represent an inevitable economic and social burden, arguing instead that longer lives should be seen as an achievement that requires us to rethink the way society is organised.
 
As birth rates fall and life expectancy increases, governments across the world face growing concerns about pensions, healthcare and shrinking workforces. Yet Harper believes many of these pressures stem from institutions that were designed for a very different era. She argues that our welfare systems, labour markets and assumptions about retirement are still based on outdated ideas about ageing and no longer reflect the realities of modern life.
 
She wants us to be more radical, and makes the case for a fundamental rethink of the state pension, proposing that eligibility should be linked to years of contribution rather than chronological age. More broadly, she argues that we need to move beyond rigid age-based milestones and develop new ways of understanding work, contribution and later life in an ageing society.
 
Can ageing populations drive prosperity rather than decline? Should age continue to determine when we stop working and start receiving support from the state? And what would it take to build a society that not only adapts to longer lives, but thrives because of them?

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday.

Series Producer: Rufus Gray
Producers: Nathan Gower and Ivana Davidovic
Digital Producer: Gabriel Purcell-Davis
Technical Producer: Dafydd Evans
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Redefining Retirement: Is Our Ageing Population an Untapped Asset? (Professor Sarah Harper)

Brendan Simms is Professor of the History of International Relations at the University of Cambridge and the author of The Return of the Great Powers. He challenges the widespread belief that Britain is in terminal decline, arguing that the UK remains one of the world’s four true Great Powers.

In the main episode, Brendan explained why Britain’s resources, global reach, reputation and resilience still give it significant international influence. He also argued that great power politics has returned as the dominant force shaping global affairs.

In this special Q&A, Brendan answers your questions on what steps Britain needs to take to stay relevant, whether its military is fit for purpose, and whether our soft power is overlooked.

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday.

Series Producer: Rufus Gray
Producers: Nathan Gower and Ivana Davidovic
Digital Producer: Joe Wilkinson
Technical Producer: Jonny Baker
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Is Britain's Military Still Fit For Purpose? (Your Radical Questions with Brendan Simms)

Is Great Britain really still great? Is it in decline, or has the UK underestimated its own status in the world?

In his latest book The Return of the Great Powers, Brendan Simms, Professor of the History of International Relations at the University of Cambridge, challenges one of the most deeply rooted current assumptions in British public life and argues that the UK is still a significant player on the world stage.

While much of the national conversation focuses on economic stagnation, geopolitical uncertainty and the fading legacy of empire, Simms argues that the UK remains one of only four true Great Powers in the world today, alongside the United States, China and Russia.

Drawing on a framework of resources, reach, reputation and resilience, he joins Radical to make the case that Britain retains many of the characteristics that define global power: a strong economy, worldwide diplomatic influence, significant military capabilities and an overseas presence that allows it to project influence far beyond its shores.

Sophia Smith Galer hosts this week, and find out why Brendan Simms believes that great power politics has returned as the dominant force shaping international affairs. What does it mean to be a Great Power in the 21st century? Does Britain still belong at the top table? And how the growing rivalry between the US and China is reshaping the global order?

- WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
- Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Episodes of Radical are released every Thursday and Monday.

Series Producer: Rufus Gray
Producers: Nathan Gower and Ivana Davidovic
Digital Producer: Joe Wilkinson
Technical Producer: Jonny Baker
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

Influence After Empire: Is Britain Still a Great Power? (Professor Brendan Simms)

Derek Gow is a farmer, conservationist, author and leading rewilding advocate who has become one of the UK's most vocal champions of large-scale species reintroductions. In this special Q&A, he tackles some of your most challenging and provocative questions.
 
In the main episode, Derek explained why he breeds native British species and argued that rewilding is a vital tool in addressing the biodiversity and climate crises.
 
In this follow-up discussion, listeners ask whether turning farmland into wildlife habitat can ever be financially sustainable and how he responds to critics who believe conservation is a luxury. He also explains how investing in nature can deliver long-term benefits for communities, the economy and the environment.
 
Next week, Sophia Smith-Galer talks to Brendan Simms, Professor of the History of International Relations at the University of Cambridge. He argues that, contrary to received wisdom, the UK is still a great power in the world.
 
We’ll be putting your radical questions to Professor Simms for a Q&A episode, so please get in touch.
 
* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 
* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Will British Farming Pay the Price for Rewilding? (Your Radical Questions with Derek Gow)

Best-selling author Naomi Alderman answers your questions about her first non-fiction book, how she feels about her writing being used to train AI models and whether there will be a new series of ‘The Power’ on Amazon Prime.

And Naomi also reveals exciting new details about her latest novel, called ‘The Strangers’, which is set to be released in September 2026. 

GET IN TOUCH: 

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 

* Email: radical@bbc.co.uk

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

What Do You Think About AI Using Your Writing? (Your Radical Questions with Naomi Alderman)

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