Planet Normal

You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wQxi0BVywEs

This week’s journey in the rocket of right thinking opens with a tribute to former MP and Reform member, Ann Widdecombe as your co-pilots reminisce their time with Anne over the years.
Liam raises serious concerns about the incoming Prime Minister’s fiscal capabilities in light of a £120 billion budget deficit warning from the OBR, arguing that a reliance on tax-and-spend policies simply will not work.

Allison criticises the lack of scrutiny or public debates surrounding his transition to power and condemns the toxic political climate and the relentless demonisation of right-leaning figures that has preceded tragedy.

Serving up some home truths about tennis and fresh from his Wimbledon victory is tennis ace Henry Patten, who tells your co-pilots why singles matches receive a lot more coverage and promotion than doubles.

Highlights

Planet Normal: Starmer out, Burnham in and we pay tribute to trailblazer Anne Widdecombe
Burnham's OBR warning: Andy Burnham enters Number 10 facing a £120bn deficit warning.
Anne Widdecombe Tribute: The co-pilots honour the late politician after her shocking death.
Wimbledon Champion: Henry Patten joins to discuss doubles drama and prize money cuts.

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |
Read Allison ‘Farewell, Ann. Middle England saw you for the sterling human being you were‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/10/ann-widdecombe-ridiculed-voice-middle-england-should-revere/ |
Read Allison ‘The Left’s constant demonisation of Reform was a ticking time bomb‘:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/14/britains-political-class-stop-dangerous-demonisation-reform/ |
Read Allison ‘England’s clash with Argentina will be nail-biting, but there’s plenty to look forward to‘:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/15/we-need-an-england-triumph-more-than-ever-before/ |
Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |
Read Liam ‘Labour’s house of cards on tax will come tumbling down’:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/07/12/labour-house-of-cards-tax-tumbling-down/ |
Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |
Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |
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.

You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YItlh0gx6cA

A never ending tsunami of news sees Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stand down, triggering a “People vs the Establishment" election… but was this a political mis-step?

Liam thinks it was a mistake by the Reform leader, but is aghast that the news is giving more coverage to ‘unserious candidates’ such as count Binface, instead of the looming financial issues as the OBR announces the Government has ‘unsustainable UK debt’.

Allison agrees but also thinks this is yet another avenue of stitch up by the political establishment that cannot understand why Reform remains so popular with voters, and why they see through the attempts to delegitimise Nigel Farage.

Clambering aboard is return passenger and journalist extraordinaire, Anne-Elisabeth Moutet who tells your co-pilots why Marine Le Pen of France’s National Rally Party may be campaigning with an electronic ankle monitor…

Highlights

Planet Normal: Farage furor and the media blindspot to the OBR warnings
Farage triggers by election - Count Binface so far only candidate to challenge him
OBR issues stark warning for UK debt and GDP
Reform remains popular despite political parlour games

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |
Read Allison ‘It’s time to remove Harry from the line of succession‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/07/remove-harry-line-succession/ |
Read Allison ‘With beer, pyjamas and raucous chants, we rallied round England’s heroes‘:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/07/06/england-mexico-allison-pearson-in-saffron-walden/ |
Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |
Read Liam ‘Britain is doomed if Burnham lurches Left’:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/07/05/britain-is-doomed-if-burnham-lurches-left/ |
Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |
Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |
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.

You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bW3b5qKQP6I

Co-pilot Pearson returns from her break in Sicily to find political chaos in full swing following Keir Starmer's resignation announcement last week.

Liam and Allison dissect Andy Burnham's bid for the top job, with Liam labelling him "Boris in a bomber jacket" and questioning whether his tax-heavy vision of "Manchesterism" can survive economic reality.

Allison reflects on The Telegraph's recent Brexit event and attacks Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s new immigration reforms as a "tissue of lies" that fails to address the open-border crisis.

Stowing away this week is Research Director at the Centre for Migration Control, Rob Bates who tells your co-pilots why Labour’s asylum and immigration changes could create another ‘wave’ of migration to the UK

Highlights

Planet Normal: Labour’s new migration policies will create a 'Burnham bump’
The Illusion of Manchesterism: Burnham is the wrong answer to the UK's looming fiscal cliff
The Sinking Immigration System: Allison slams the Home Secretary’s asylum reforms as a "tissue of lies" that serves as a giant welcome mat.
The Lockdown Tech Tragedy: How smartphones and isolation turned a generation of bright children into tech-addicted "zombies"

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |
Read Allison ‘Welcome to Burnham’s No 10 North – fuelled by gravy, Surrey cash and delusion‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/01/welcome-burnham-no-10-north/ |
Read Allison ‘Shabana Mahmood’s migration plan will light the spark on civil unrest‘:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/30/dont-be-fooled-by-shabana-mahmoods-smoke-mirrors-migration/ |
Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |
Read Liam ‘Britain’s next prime minister shouldn’t bet on peace in the Gulf’:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/06/28/britains-next-prime-minister-shouldnt-bet-on-peace-in-gulf/ |
Read Liam ‘Our football team was at the heart of Blair’s Labour. Now, Burnham is leading a comeback’:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/25/demon-eyes-new-labour-football-team-shaped-politics/ |
Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |
Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |
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.

You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/D90j1xiHV_c

A news heatwave has caused chaos across the land, Co-pilot Halligan pressed the emergency button and is joined by under-study Baroness Claire Fox while Co-pilot Pearson recovers from the shock of it all.
Liam congratulates Andy Burnham on his victory in Makerfield, and apparently set to have a coronation rather than a contest, for the top job, however doesn’t believe his fiscal policies will stand up to economic reality.
Baroness Fox recalls the Brexit vote 10 years on and why the remain camp will never accept the outcome, as well as outlining where we have not yet embraced many of the freedoms we gained, by changing EU laws.

Stowing away this week is return guest Dr Gerard Lyons who discusses Britain's economic outlook, arguing that weak growth, rising debt and high public spending pose major challenges for the UK, and 10 years on from the Brexit vote he also questioned the case for closer ties with the EU…

Highlights

Planet Normal: Burnham is the wrong answer to the UK’s economic problem
Burnham on set for Premiership coronation
Brexit 10 years on, have we taken full advantage yet

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |
Book your tickets to 'How to make Brexit a success’ on 29th June in London: telegraph.co.uk/brexit-big-debate |
Read Allison ‘I will always be proud I voted to leave the EU and stand up for the Britain I love‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/23/proud-of-vote-to-leave-eu / |
Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |
Read Liam ‘I’ve known Andy Burnham for 30 years but I still think he’s wrong’:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/06/21/ive-known-burnham-for-30-years-but-i-still-think-hes-wrong/ |
Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |
Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |
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.

You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lq-8ZhnYjjk

The rocket of right thinking speeds around planet normal gathering the news tsunami of this week…

Allison surprises Liam by AGREEING with Sir Keir Starmer’s social media ban for under 16 year olds, as she states in her column this week. The addictive and toxic nature of smartphones has ruined children’s attention spans and their “in real life" connections and this ban could help them reconnect with the elusive parchment joy of books.

Liam strongly echoes Allison’s stance, arguing that tech platforms expose children to "relentless bullying" and corporate exploitation. Shifting to finance, he forecasts an imminent rise in global interest rates, pointing to rising producer price inflation and rate hikes in Australia and Japan as clear indicators that borrowing costs are headed back up.

Stowing away this week is return guest Bernie Spofforth, who tells us about her experience of being questioned by police due to a retweet she posted on X. She has released a book, out on the 25th June, to discuss how Government overreach, police and NGO’s have worn down democracy…

Highlights

Planet Normal: The Social media ban will free our kids from the addictive and toxic smartphone
Bernie Spofforth’s Legal Fight: Detained for 36 hours over a Southport-related retweet, Spofforth reveals she is suing the police in the High Court this November for gross overreach.
Institutional Failures: The hosts condemn public bodies for failing to protect victims in the Preston Davey and Nottingham tragedies due to a culture of "suicidal empathy".

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |
Book your tickets to 'How to make Brexit a success’ on 29th June in London: telegraph.co.uk/brexit-big-debate |
Read Allison ‘Giving children smartphones is like handing them grenades. I should know‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/16/why-i-support-social-media-ban/ |
Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |
Read Liam ‘The UK’s battered public finances are about to get even more stretched’:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/06/14/the-uks-battered-public-finances-about-even-more-stretched/ |
Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |
Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |
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.