David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news
More
Available Episodes
5 of 324
Ukraine - what’s next?
North Korean troops are fighting Ukrainians in Russia, while Ukraine has finally been permitted to use US missiles deep into Russian territory. It’s over 1000 days since Vladimir Putin’s full scale invasion of his neighbour and the circle of those involved in the conflict seems to widen. But though the situation changes the central question doesn’t. That question being which side can best stay the bloody course of this war? Ukraine and the West or Russia and its allies? Where do things stand now? Michael Clarke, Visiting Professor in the Department of War Studies, King’s College, London and former Director of the Royal United Services Institute
Elina Ribakova, Senior Fellow at Peterson Institute of International Economics in Washington DC
Defence Editor of the Economist, Shashank JoshiPresenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
--------
29:55
Why do we have such overcrowded prisons?
Our prisons are overcrowded, the Government recently released a group of prisoners early to ease the pressure. Britain seems to incarcerate more people per head of population compared to any other Western European country. Now the Government has announced there is going to be a Review of Sentencing to see what we can do to reduce the number of people in prison.Recently an eight week consultation period began, during which members of the public can send in their thoughts on how to tackle these issues.Why have prisons have become so over-crowded, and what we can do about it?John Podmore, former prison governor and prison inspector and author of Out of Sight Out of Mind: Why Britain's Prisons Are Failing
Nicola Padfield, Emeritus Professor of Criminal and Penal Justice, at the University of Cambridge
Catherine Heard, Director of the World Prison Research Programme, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research, Birkbeck, University of LondonPresenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham
Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
--------
27:55
European defence in the new Trump era
All over Europe and in the corridors of Nato policy makers are discussing the implications for the continent of the Trump victory in the American presidential election. For 70 years the alliance with the USA has been the foundation stone of European defence. During his last term in office, it was reported that Trump wanted to take the US out of Nato. That didn’t happen but he made clear his discontent at the lack of defence spending among member states. Can that alliance can be maintained, if so on what terms and if not, what then? Guests:
Heather Conley, a senior advisor to the think tank, the German Marshall Fund's (GMF) board of trustees
Elisabeth Braw, who is now at the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative
Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, of The EconomistPresenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham
Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
--------
28:46
What does the Budget mean for the UK’s economy?
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the first Labour Budget in 14 years. Naturally there was a flurry of instant responses to individual tax measures, but what about the big picture?
Well, more than a week has passed, and the dust is settling. We thought it was time to return to a panel of experts who we spoke to in September. Is this really a once in a generation budget? What will it mean for the government’s finances and services? Will it bring much needed growth? And what might the re-election of Donald Trump mean for the British economy? Guests:Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies
Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times
Chris Giles, economics commentator at The Financial Times.Presenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Diane Richardson and Kirsteen Knight
Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar and Neva Missirian
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
--------
28:57
How do the Lebanon attacks alter the equation in the Middle East?
David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the recent events in Lebanon. Israel has been widely blamed for a series of pager and walkie-talkie attacks targeting members of Hezbollah. Does this mark the invention of a new kind of warfare and what might the wider consequences be for the region?Guests:Shashank Joshi, The Economist's defence editor
Professor Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London
Ronen Bergman, Israeli investigative journalist for The New York TimesPresenter: David Aaronovitch
Producers: Natasha Fernandes and Ben Carter
Sound engineer: Neil Churchill
Editor: Richard Vadon
--------
28:22
About The Briefing Room
David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news