The Prospect Podcast

After the explosive revelation that Peter Mandelson had “failed” his vetting before being waved through as US ambassador, Alona and Imaan are joined by contributing editor Tom Clark to discuss the root cause of this political disaster. It wasn’t the vetting process, argues Tom, but the power struggles at the heart of the Labour party.

Why weren’t Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein and Russian oligarchs immediate dealbreakers for the prime minister? And why was Number 10 enquiring about an ambassadorship for Matthew Doyle, who was recently driven out of the Lords over links to a sex offender?

Tom discusses party purges, secretive dealings and double standards. And, with Labour falling to fourth place in some polls, he also discusses the road to political recovery. How long will Starmer survive?

To read Tom’s article ‘The Mandelson saga is really about Labour factionalism’, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/73081/the-mandelson-saga-is-really-about-labour-factionalism
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This month, actor and writer Sheila Hancock is grateful to be reunited once more with daffodils, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman laments the lack of Church wardens in her parish. Meanwhile, Vitali Vitaliev explains why he thinks AI is rubbish at writing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The term “far right” is frequently invoked in British political discourse. But who really fits the bill?

This week, journalist and author Daniel Trilling joins Ellen and Alona to discuss how previously fringe positions have gained traction and entered mainstream politics.

Daniel defines the far right and explores its increasingly influential place in British politics, drawing from his upcoming book If We Tolerate This. He shares how Reform UK and figures including Tommy Robinson have capitalised on public dissatisfaction and economic grievances—and how the political establishment on both the right and the left enabled and empowered them.

He pinpoints the surprising moment that set us on a path where immigration became a divisive topic. And he explains why, even if far-right parties work within the bounds of democracy, their rise threatens democratic systems.

Plus, Daniel suggests how ordinary citizens can respond—and argues that the defeat of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán shows that resistance is possible.

Daniel’s book ‘If We Tolerate This’ is published by Pan Macmillan.
To watch Michael Ignatieff’s analysis of the Hungarian elections and the fall of Orbán, click here.
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Facial recognition technology is being rolled out by police forces across the country—and there are no clear limits on how it can be used.

This week, Ellen is joined by Mark Wilding, investigative journalist at Liberty Investigates, who discusses how artificial intelligence is being used to tackle crime in the UK. He shares the startling story of a young man arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, and discusses evidence of racial bias in the technology.

Mark shares his disturbing findings and explains why he is concerned about ordinary citizens being subjected to repeated checks. Could it reverse the presumption of innocence until proven guilty?

To read Mark’s piece, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/technology/72853/rise-facial-recognition-policing

And to read his work on Palantir, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/democracy/government/71511/how-palantir-infiltrated-the-state
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The UK has chosen not to follow Trump into the war on Iran. Has Starmer damaged the “special relationship”—or was it the right call?

This week Philip and Ellen are joined by Kim Darroch, former national security adviser and UK ambassador to the United States. He analyses the US-Israel war with Iran, the reactions of foreign governments and why Europe has chosen not to respond to Trump’s calls for support.

As former diplomat, he offers an insight into Trump’s working habits and the minds informally influencing the president’s key decisions—including friendly journalists and television hosts who, he says, are “more influential” than number 10 staffers. He also describes Trump’s secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, as “ludicrous”.

Plus, Kim breaks down three potential outcomes for how the conflict might end. And, if he was national security adviser today, would he have encouraged Starmer to go to war?
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