varostreamEmily 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: GlobalStudiosSales@global.comYou can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/
Episodes
How 9/11 changed everything
Is 9/11 the most consequential event of our lifetimes? It's hard to think of another moment that so completely turned the world on its axis and rewired the assumptions that a generation had come to take for granted. The immediate human toll was unfathomably tragic - this was the most deadly terrorist attack in history, leaving thousands dead. But what came next - and how profoundly it changed politics, American foreign policy, global warfare, and civil liberties - has radically reshaped our world. In this episode, 25 years on from that fatal morning in New York, Jon and Emily, along with Miles Taylor - who was spurred into US politics as a result of the events of that day - explore how we're still living in the world that 9/11 made. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
55:21The REASON so many boxers take PEDs? Garcia x Benn & Boxing's uncomfortable TRUTH - The Sports Agents
Conor Benn’s super fight against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas has brought the issue of Performance Enhancing Drugs in sport back into the spotlight. While both boxers deny ever having taken PEDs, both have failed drugs tests and it remains a complex and emotive issue, particularly in potentially lethal sports such as boxing. On this episode of The Sports Agents we have the whole conversation and not just the convenient parts of it... Larry Olubamiwo was a British heavyweight contender before he failed a drugs test and he became a pariah. Larry joins Mark & Nedum to talk about why he chose to use PEDs, how he got away with it for so long and why he wouldn’t change a thing. Boxing journalist Tris Dixon joins the conversation as the guys reflect on why boxers who fail tests continue to be rewarded with million-dollar purses? You can see Larry in his new film Tales from the Trap, check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9YnxKj-ydg 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
47:52Did Trump just try to bribe American voters?
“If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000”. That's what Donald Trump told an audience of Republicans in Dallas last night. The 'Trump dividend' would cost America more than a trillion dollars. Critics are already announcing that the offer is illegal, And Democrats are bragging that this is a sign of just how desperate Donald Trump is ahead of the midterms which are looking bleak. So why's he done it? Could it work? Or will Americans see through such a naked attempt to buy their voters? Later, Nigel Farage has created the mother of all headaches for his hard right allies in France. Did he get them to agree to a migrant deal that contained a lot more than they bargained for by having two different versions of the agreement - one English, one French? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
28:00Has Andy Burnham stopped caring what Donald Trump thinks?
It’s easy to paint Britain as a post-industrial nation in decline, plagued by crime and high taxes. Indeed, many do. But there’s a new power to Britain’s role on the world stage as America abandons its former allies. Whether it’s Ukraine, security, or now sanctions against West Bank settlers, Britain is in the ascendance - and not overly concerned about moving in a different direction to the US. Have we decided that Trump is no longer important to our big decisions? Are we living in a post-American world? We speak to former foreign office SpAd Ben Judah who's arguing exactly that. Later, what Ed Conway can’t explain about world trade, the global debt market and the UK economy isn’t worth knowing. He’s with the News Agents to talk about Trade World and where the next economic crash will come from. The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
41:39Has Burnham just started his first row with Trump?
The Israeli government has reacted with anger to the British foreign secretary’s planned ban on products from Israeli settlements. Ed Miliband described himself in the commons as a proud British Jew, but one unafraid to criticise the heinous behaviour of Netanyahu's government towards Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Has the UK government gone too far? Or not far enough? And what will it do to relations with Israel’s closest ally, Donald Trump? Later - why were Harry and Meghan hearing from the King's sources at the same time we were? Why can’t the royal family just text each other. And what does it all mean for relations in the monarchy? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
37:21Is Reform happy for its supporters to assault people?
"Boo hoo". That was the reaction from Robert Jenrick, who wants to be Reform's Chancellor, to the videos showing a female heckler having her hair pulled and being beaten with a stick by Reform delegates at the party's conference in Birmingham. Lee Anderson has suggested a whip round for a new walking stick for one of the supporters involved. Reform is quick to point to the deluge of threats Nigel Farage faces - so why won't the party condemn political violence when it is carried out by its own supporters? Later, a new group - Patriot Platform - caused chaos in Dover and Portsmouth this weekend, mixing anti-migrant protest with direct action and intimidation, wearing balaclavas and stopping traffic. Who are they? HOPE not hate's Joe Mulhall has been monitoring the group and came into the studio. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
39:59Another Reform scandal: Is Farage finished?
Reform conference in Birmingham was supposed to revivify Nigel Farage and his party. After unrelenting scrunity over his undeclared £5m gift from Christopher Harborne, a parliamentary standards investigation, and a Clacton by-election which descended into farce, Farage needed this moment to get back on the front foot, set the terms of the media coverage, and show the country what Reform would look like in power. But a Channel 4 News investigation has changed all that. Undercover filming captured two party officials trying to facilitate foreign donations - a potential criminal offence. Reform and the individuals involved deny wrongdoing, but two of Farage's closest allies have quit, and Farage is once again clouded in a stench of sleaze. Can he turn it around and regain control of the narrative - or are we witnessing the beginninf of the end for one of Britain's most polarising politicians? Lewis has this special report from Reform conference in Birmingham. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
54:21Katie Taylor’s Fairytale homecoming | The fight that put women’s boxing on the map - The Sports Agents
Not long ago, women’s boxing was a different sport. Banned in most countries and ridiculed in the rest, female fighters fought in the shadows. Until one night in 1996. That night Deirdre Gogarty, a painfully shy Irish woman and Christy Martin, a raging knockout artist from the coalfields of West Virginia spent 12 unforgettable minutes in each other's company and changed everything. Their fight put women’s boxing on the map and it was the fight that inspired boxing icon Katie Taylor to pursue her dream. As Katie Taylor prepares to bring the curtain down on her incredible career, Gabby & Mark are joined by her hero, Deirdre Gogarty to tell the story of the rise of women’s boxing - a fight for recognition which takes us from pub car parks and basement bars to Croke Park and 80,000 adoring fans. As Mark says: “That’s one of the best interviews we’ve ever done” 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
36:17Can Zack Polanski win Keir Starmer's old seat?
After a bit of will he won't he, Zack Polanski has thrown his hat into the ring and announced he will stand in Keir Starmer's old seat of Holborn and St Pancras (subject to the approval of the local Green party). It's a high stakes move for the Green leader. If he wins, in what should normally be a relatively safe Labour seat, he'll puncture Andy Burnham's argument that he can persuade Left voters to stick with Labour. But if he loses, it's Polanski's authority that will come under the spotlight. He's already been hit by a string of negative stories and plummeting poll ratings - could the north London contest make or break him? Later, is Germany about to elect a far-right party on Sunday? The AfD have been on the march in the east of the country and look poised to win in the State elections in Saxony-Anhalt. Could it become the party's blueprint for a new breed of extremist politics in one of Europe's most powerful nations? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
38:19Why is Burnham getting blamed for a global debt crisis?
Andy Burnham faced Kemi Badenoch for his first PMQs and while she chose to open the session with some innuendo, the hard questions soon came. Burnham has shown himself adept at diagnosis but less quick to nail his solutions to the mast. How long does he have to NOT answer questions when debt is rising and the economic headwinds are moving against him? Is he prepared to spell out - in this summer of optimism - where the pain might fall and trade offs might be made? And why are some commentators comparing him to Liz Truss? Is he being unfairly blamed for a wider global trend not of his making? Later, why is a Massachusetts jury unable to decide if a woman who killed her three young children is guilty of murder? The trial of Lindsay Clancy has divided America - with many supporters believing her the victim of postnatal psychosis. How does the law deal with that? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
36:58Has Keir Starmer performed his final U-turn?
It's the first day back at school - and Keir Starmer suddenly announces he’s out. He'd sad he'd stay as an MP just a few weeks ago - so why the change of heart? Is it a cheeky bid to wrestle the headlines from his successor? Or is he just trying to get out of Burnham's way? And what happens now to his Camden seat - will Zack Polanski try and win it for the Greens? And if he can’t - or won’t - where does that leave his party? It’s only day one of term and yup it’s all kicking off. Later, why has America's Army Secretary just left the job complaining about Pete Hegseth? Well we can probably guess why - but what happens now? What direction does the US military take now - as it struggles to keep up with Trump's Iran flip flops. And has Hegesth himself got pretensions for the presidency? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
37:01Q&A Special: Harry and Meghan, Trump's midterm chaos, and another Farage by-election?
In this special Q&A edition of the show, Jon and Lewis answer your questions. They discuss how long the Burnham bounce will last, whether Trump will attempt to cancel the midterms, and if Harry and Meghan's return will complete reshape the Royal Family (and even make Lewis a monarchist in the process)? Plus, is there any chance Nigel Farage calls ANOTHER by-election in Clacton? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
46:24Why does every Transfer Saga need a villain? | Alvarez, Martinelli, Watkins - The Sports Agents
An explosive statement from Atletico Madrid described themselves as the "only victims" in the ongoing transfer saga surrounding their wantaway striker Julian Alvarez. Ian Wright has publicly criticised the way Arsenal have handled Gabriel Martinelli's reported exit this summer... but does every transfer saga NEED to cast someone as the villain? British football Agent Saif Rubie, who handled Yoane Wissa's controversial transfer to Newcastle last summer, joins Gabby and Nedum to discuss the narratives that are spun and where the blame lies in reality. And later, we're joined by Frank Warren to reflect on the story of British boxing’s next great Heavyweight hope - 21-year-old Moses Itauma - who could become the second youngest heavyweight world champion in history, behind only Mike Tyson this weekend. Plus, reaction to the PFA awards and why Nedum declines to attend. 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
52:33Is this Labour’s first woman leader?
The last two years has seen a meteoric rise for Labour's Miatta Fahnbulleh. From backbench MP, she has just joined Burnham's cabinet as the new Energy Secretary, taking over from Ed Miliband. Today, she joined us in the studio to talk about why she quit Starmer's government, the changes Labour needs, and her return as a front bench MP. And, with a Labour leadership contest always somewhere on the horizon, we ask could Miatta Fahnbulleh one day make history and be the first woman to lead the Labour party? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
38:17How did Dolly Parton unite a polarised America?
Dolly Parton always avoided talking politics. She said you could find her opinions in her songs. She wrote about abortion, female rights, heartbreak, and wandering eyes. And yet, across America today Democrats have expressed their adoration whilst Republican president Trump lowered the flags to half-mast. How did Dolly Parton unite people across the political divide? What is it about her that captured the hearts of a deeply polarised America? And is there a lesson that progressive politicians can learn from how she did politics? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
30:02Why is Elon Musk paying Rupert Lowe thousands to tweet?
Rupert Lowe has a lot to be grateful to Elon Musk for. Last month, on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he credited Musk with helping to restore free speech on X. And it was Musk who publicly backed Lowe and promoted him as a political alternative to Nigel Farage - paving the path for Restore Britain. But it would appear that Musk has also been helping to line the Restore Britain leader’s pockets. This year, Lowe is on course to earn as much from the social media platform X as he does from his salary as an MP for Great Yarmouth, after a surge in income from posts that include demands for mass deportations. So, should our Members of Parliament be making money from monetising their outrage? Later, we are joined by Sir Anthony Seldon to talk about the his latest book - Sunak at 10. Will Rishi Sunak be the last Tory Prime Minister? And how will history look back on his legacy? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
45:04Harry and Meghan - why can't the media leave them alone?
It’s happening again. Six years after Harry and Meghan fled Britain for California, citing the relentlessness of the British press, the reaction to their homecoming has been fevered. Why can’t we leave them alone? And do they really want to be? What does it mean for the House of Windsor? And why is Harry the only senior figure in public life seemingly without state backed security these days? Jon and Lewis dissect. AND the US and Canada are at war - sort of. Why have the latest tariff talks collapsed and what does it tell us about how Donald Trump sees the world? Oh - and why Andy Burnham doesn’t need to wear a tie to visit Kyiv. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
38:05Special Report: The Trump hotel that could topple a government
How has a Trump family luxury development sparked a protest movement so large that it is threatening to bring down a European Prime Minister? Well that's exactly what has happened in Albania. A proposed 4 billion euro resort complex in on of the country's most cherished nature spots has led to the largest demonstrations seen there in over three decades. Dubbed the 'Flamingo Revolution' because of the threat to Albania's birds, the capital Tirana is seeing nightly marches - sometimes attracting hundreds of thousands of people. What started off as an environmental cause has become something much bigger, with the movement demanding mass resignations and an end to what critics see as a lack of transparency, democratic backsliding and even corruption. What happens now could shape the country's future for years to come. Lewis has a special report from Albania. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
40:369 new managers... Who'll be Arteta's next great RIVAL? - The Sports Agents
It’s almost upon us. A mere month after the World Cup Final, we are staring down the barrel of a brand new Premier League football season and Gabby, Mark & Nedum are as excited as a bunch of rowdy kids on Christmas eve. Join the guys as they break down the most unpredictable Premier League season ever. We are talking about the Big 6 - who will be Mikel Arteta’s rival this season, how can Maresca replace Pep and how are Spurs part of the Big 6 after narrowly avoiding relegation…twice?! It is the first time a Premier League season will kick off without a Klopp, Fergie, Wenger or Pep as an unprecedented NINE new Managers will take to the dugout for the first time and Nedum has concerns about almost all of these young pups. Elsewhere there’s a raft of new rules for Gabby & Mark to make sense of before they host Match of the Day this weekend, and the newly promoted sides come under the spotlight as Ipswich Town spend money like a sailor on shore leave. 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
58:52Would Jason Arday still be alive if he were white?
It's nearly a week on from the death of Jason Arday, the Cambridge professor who came under scrutiny after allegations of plagiarism were levelled against him. Even after his resignation, media coverage scrutinised his work, personal achievements and medical conditions. Former students and class mates were chased for interviews and the story continued to grow. At a vigil for Arday on Monday, Lord Simon Woolley told how just days before his death Arday had told him that he was being 'hounded to death.' In the immediate aftermath of his death there was a question over whether there might be a reckoning in the media about the role it played as the story unfolded. But, with some doubling down on the coverage, others issuing statements of apology, and others simply moving on, are we learning the wrong lessons from the death of Jason Arday? And where is the line between pursuing the truth and a witchhunt? We're joined by FT associate editor and columnist Stephen Bush. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
38:27Are data centres going to crash the world economy?
Borrowing costs have hit new highs in some of the world's biggest economies. While Trump's war with Iran is behind some of rise, it's the AI effect that is spooking some market analysts. A huge surge in corporate borrowing for AI development and data centre building has led to fears that there are risks involved in betting on an artificial intelligence boom - and investors are demanding higher returns on their lending as a result. Data centres have become increasingly under the political spotlight too. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro - a recent cheerleader of AI - has changed tack and is now placing tight restrictions on data centre development in his State. Closer to home, Scotland is home to an almighty row about a proposed site near Fife - with campaigners claiming it could demand more energy than half of Scottish homes. If AI growth starts to stutter, and the public and politicians turn on the Big Tech developers, could our economies experience a collapse akin to the 2008 crash? Later, why Volodymyr Zelenskyy has experienced arguably his toughest day since Russia's invasion - and is facing fresh calls to hold an election. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
34:05Has Trump fallen in love with his 'human printer'?
A leading Democrat was mid stump speech which he suddenly sent the crowd wild. It wasn’t his mention of Trump's failed Iran war. It wasn't an attack on his tariffs, or his failed cost of living policies. It was the moment he let slip that the only thing Trump is interested in is his ballroom and his "travel with Natalie". So who is Natalie Harp? Why have Democrats been pushing unsubstantiated innuendo about the President and his aide? And could this turn into a real political headache for Trump? Or have the Democrats just turned a bit... Trumpian? Later, was Reform's Tim Montgomerie too outspoken? He’s been unceremoniously suspended after his latest candid tweet that said about Zia Yusuf what many others were thinking - he’s wandered off the reservation a little too far. Is there any room in Nigel Farage's Reform for dissent? Or is it little more than a cult of personality? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
34:00The Hounding of Jason Arday
The chancellor of Cambridge University today has condemned the "racist feeding frenzy" around Jason Arday. Arday was found dead on Friday after a relentless slew of articles querying the veracity of his academic work and life story. Was it really in the public interest to scrutinise every aspect of his life - even after he'd resigned from his post? Or did the controversy around Jason Arday's appointment become a bloodsport for the British media? Would he have faced anything like the same level of hostility if he had been white? Later, why are Albanians taking to the street every night in such great numbers to demand the toppling of their government? And why are the Trump family so intimately involved? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
35:08Farage beats the bin - so why are Reform MPs livid?
The people of Clacton will be relieved it’s over, but one candidate was conspicuously absent from the proceedings last night: Nigel Farage. He and his team will say he was advised not to attend because of a security threat, Essex police deny any such advice. Nonetheless, in a surprise to absolutely no one, Farage won the Clacton by-election, seeing off a record 33 other candidates. But just how impressive was the victory? Is Farage’s win really as big as he’d have us believe? Or is it even more hollow than the bin he defeated? And, with the by-election behind him, attention now turns to the investigation into his £5 million in donations, which was swiftly reopened once the results were in. What happens next for Farage? And what does the Clacton result really tell us about his political future? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
39:07Is English Cricket failing the REAL test? - The Sports Agents
The England Men’s test cricket team are in a hole. After a spectacular collapse at home to New Zealand which saw the end of Stokes, McCullum and the ‘Bazball’ era earlier this summer England now face a must win series against Pakistan. But guess what? Their new test coach, who has never coached a test team, is in New Zealand and it’s all got Mark Chapman feeling a bit down about his favourite sport. Nedum, Gabby & Mark are joined by Wisden editor Lawrence Booth to discuss an ECB omni shambles and the immediate future, however bleak, of England Men’s test cricket team. In happier news the EFL kicks off this weekend and the guys bring you all the big stories which should be on your radar as The Championship, League One & League Two curtain raisers. Elsewhere Stuart Broad’s viral solar eclipse commentary at The Hundred and Gabby’s incredible impression of a Birmingham accent will delight and offend in equal measure. 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
39:18Why is Reform threatening to jail the boss of Vodafone?
Not content with calling a former Defence Secretary a "traitor" and getting a ticking off from Nigel Farage, Zia Yusuf has outdone himself today. He's accused Vodafone of aiding and abetting the "invasion of Britain" by handing out SIM cards to British charities - one such charity works with migrants in Calais. In an open letter today he's told the Vodafone board a Reform government would jail them if this happened under their watch. Is it actually Zia Yusuf who needs his SIM card taken off him? Later, Karoline Leavitt has decided that with two toddlers in her life she doesn't have the capacity to work for a third in the White House. How much or a loss will she be to MAGA? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
32:17Are Israeli settlers out of control in the West Bank?
"The West Bank is at breaking point" - the words of a top UN official at a Security Council meeting in New York last night. Settler violence has been ramping up. Two Palestinian homes have been under siege with the weekend, with families warning that their supplies are running out. The IDF has denounced the “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable” establishment of settler outposts inside West Bank villages but doesn't seem to be doing much to dismantle them. Why is the violence on the rise? Are the Israeli elections fuelling extremist action? And can anything be done to stop it? We speak to the Jerusalem-based reporter Noga Tarnopolsky. Later, fifty police chiefs from across the UK have warned that the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers would undermine police morale and faith in the justice system. Andy Burnham is scrambling to find a solution to his first major test as Prime Minister. But should we be wary of our police forces wading into politics on this scale? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
38:16The 'traitor' row tearing Reform apart
It turns out running a poll to ask Twitter whether Ben Wallace should be prosecuted for treason is perhaps not savvy politics. Zia Yusuf. the Reform home affairs spokesman has today been slapped down by his leader Nigel Farage for labelling the former Tory defence secretary a "traitor" for allowing thousands of Afghans into the country. Farage has said the language is "over the top" and that Yusuf will be getting a "ticking off". A poll today has Reform at their lowest since the 2024 general election. Are Reform crashing out hard? Why is it that after getting so much right - it now seems like they are getting everything wrong? Later, comedian and host of the Screen Rot podcast Jacob Hawley has been campaigning to save the high street for years. Today, Andy Burnham announced plans to stop rogue vape shops, barbers and confectionary stores from popping up all over the place. Did he nick the idea from Jacob's podcast? Jacob is on tour this autumn with a new show, 'Fighting Age Man'. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
41:01Why does a leading Democrat want to cancel Thanksgiving?
Is the Democratic party fundamentally metamorphosing? After Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan last week, attention is turning to another big test for the Democratic Socialists in Wisconsin. There, the progressive candidate is being dragged for old social media posts suggesting she wanted to cancel Thanksgiving. Is the Dem new breed too woke? Or are they exactly what the party needs to breathe new life into the fight against Trump? Later, why is Ukraine pummelling the Russian equivalent of Amazon - Wildberries - and is the tactic working? Jon speaks to the New York Times reporter Nataliya Vasilyeva who has been taking a close look at what's going on. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
49:27What can Harold Wilson teach Andy Burnham?
A northern leader. A sudden change at the top. A cost of living crisis engulfing the country. A Labour party accused of tacking left. Not Andy Burnham in 2026, but Harold Wilson in 1963. Considering his priorities and his focus, Burnham would do well to learn the lessons from Labour's last great northern leader. A four-time election winner, a progressive pioneer, a comms master, who shaped the country in his image. Nick Thomas-Symonds was until recently the Minister in charge of our relations with the EU. He'd been on the Labour frontbench for 11 years - but Burnham's ascendance brought an end to his time in government. A close ally of Starmer's, he's also a respected historian and a biographer of Labour PM's past. We asked him into the News Agents studio, to look at politics through an historical and contemporary lens: what were those last days of in the Starmer bunker like? Why has the European question dogged British politics? How will Starmer be remembered? And what can Andy Burnham learn from one of the political geniuses of the 20th century? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
57:35The toughest Championship season ever? - The Sports Agents
Who does football really belong to? After the highest grossing world cup of all time, and as FIFA & UEFA accuse each other of selling football’s soul, Gabby Mark & Nedum debate who sport belongs to and surprise, surprise it aint the fans. But are supporters in the stands really just props for a TV product or do they still have a genuine stake in the sports they pay so much to follow? Elsewhere as the opening weekend of the Championship looms large, the guys tell the tale of Lincoln City with CEO Liam Scully. For the first time in 65 years The Imps will kick a ball in the second tier of English football and it is all thanks to a miracle FA Cup run a decade ago. 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Senior Producer: David Finch Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
36:32Why is Nigel Farage “too woke” for Kemi Badenoch?
24 hours on from the Tory neo-Nazigate , a curious development. The candidate himself, Joshua Bonehill-Paine, has now withdrawn from the election in Somerset council - only to find himself promoted by the Conservative leader herself to a national advisory role. Why is 'no gaffes' Kemi choosing this eccentric hill to make her point - and what in fact is it? Meanwhile, she’s given an interview ruling out any future pact with Reform - and lambasting THEIR leader as "too woke". All ok, Kemi? Later, the singer Tulisa was the victim of a sting 13 years ago by the Sun on Sunday. It nearly destroyed her life. She tells Emily why she wants to make this kind of journalism illegal - and the petition she’s begun to change the way newspapers are regulated. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
44:33What was Kemi Badenoch thinking defending a convicted neo-Nazi?
UPDATE: Since publishing, the convicted antisemite Joshua Bonehill-Paine has withdrawn running as a Tory candidate, saying that if he carried on "other political parties will spend all their time focusing on my past rather than the work I'm doing today, or even fighting antisemitism in their own midst". Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, released at statement saying; "While I am sad that Joshua feels he won't be given the space to explain his position and represent his community, I am glad he is going to work with me and the party on tackling radicalisation as part of our Culture and Integration commission." This morning, Badenoch was in the slightly surreal position of trying to defend why she was encouraging a convicted Neo Nazi to stand as a Conservative councillor in Somerset. She and he say that he’s a reformed - not Reform- candidate who’s served his time (behind bars) and is now educating others on the ills of antisemitism. Can an abusive misogynist racist change in a decade? And should he be allowed to seek public office even if he has? Later - the Thames Valley police chief has threatened to take the government to court over the early release of the killers of PC Andrew Harper. Is Prime Minister Burnham feeling his first political heat over this contentious policy of early release? And how does he transition from being the emotionally connected campaigner to being the one size fits all policy maker? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
33:58How Spain's migrant crisis is emboldening the hard right
Why are hard right politicians now flocking to the tiny Spanish enclave of Ceuta off the coast of Morocco? And why is Europe so spooked? After tens of thousands of migrants flocked to this northern corner of Africa, the EU has gone into emergency mode - nearly a hundred people died or drowned in an attempt to enter Spain through Ceuta. Italy has suspended free movement with Spain for a month. Other countries are suggesting they might follow suit. The government in Madrid is on the EU's naughty step - could it cause a bigger rupture? Later, MAGA cheerleader turned Trump-appointee Jeanine Pirro is facing the wrath of the President after dropping vandalism charges relating to the Reflecting Pool that has become his obsession. He told reporters that Pirro had "choked" and "folded like a chair" - can she keep her job? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
32:13Will Farage and Lowe team up or tear each other apart?
Nigel hates Rupert but needs him and Rupert wants Nigel to beg. Could Restore and Reform ever do a deal to take on the newly invigorated Labour party? Or is there too much toxicity to even get on the phone? Later - Will FIFA president Gianni Infantino last the week after so many football associations have turned against him - and will Trump stick by the man who gave him the peace prize? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
45:42Is a financial collapse coming worse than the Wall St crash?
Andy Burnham hasn't even been Prime Minister for two weeks, but the early verdict is positive. He's looked decisive, commanded the agenda and projected authority. The question is: will that matter? New governments often think they know what will define them but history has a habit of intervening. The biggest political events are often the ones nobody sees coming. Could the next defining crisis already be taking shape? This week saw a bruising sell-off in AI stocks as investors questioned whether the more than $1.5 trillion pouring into AI can ever deliver the returns being promised. Some are beginning to ask whether we're watching an AI bubble form. And if it bursts, the consequences could stretch far beyond Silicon Valley. The last time we saw a collapse on this scale was 1929 - the Wall Street Crash. It reshaped politics, economics and the course of the twentieth century. This Friday, Andrew Ross Sorkin joins The News Agents to discuss his new book on the 1929 crash. What really caused it? And why the parallels with today's AI boom are becoming harder to ignore? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
43:23Eddie Howe quits Newcastle... Why now? - The Sports Agents
As Eddie Howe dramatically quits Newcastle 3 weeks before the start of a new Premier League season, Mark Chapman & guests unpack the financial meltdown which led to Newcastle losing their most successful coach for 70 years. The Athletic’s Chris Waugh explains the timing of Eddie Howe’s decision and asks if club captain Bruno Guimares’ seemingly imminent departure to Arsenal was the final straw? But how did Newcastle, a club with some of the richest owners in world football, find themselves in a situation where they have to sell their best players? Football finance expert Stefan Borson joins Mark in the studio to explain how the financial shackles which UEFA & the Premier League imposed on Newcastle led us to this point. Elsewhere we lift the lid on the new financial rules - a Squad Cost Ratio system (SCR) - which will govern Premier League clubs this season and discover a set of unpublished laws which widen the wealth gap between the big 6 clubs and the rest of the league. 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Producers: David Finch & George Sexton-Kerr Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
35:53Why is MAGA trying to jail America's top doctor?
Dr Anthony Fauci became a world-renowned figure during Covid - one of America's top virologists with a lifetime of public service to his name. And yet, in a Senate committee yesterday, he was condemned in the strongest terms by several Republicans, and had to plead the fifth amendment 100 times. He accused the senior GOP Senator Rand Paul (who chairs the committee) of having an "obsession" with him. Ted Cruz has said that his silence should lead to a contempt of Congress charge and potential jail time. How on earth has he became such an enemy of the American Right? And what does it say about the long legacy of Covid on our politics? Later, Baroness Casey speaks to Lewis about the social care review and what it's like working for Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
55:18Is Andy Burnham betting his premiership on fixing social care?
Andy Burnham has set out plans to fix England’s struggling social care system - promising a new National Care Service, cross-party talks and a review designed to tackle a system he says is no longer working. But how quickly can reform happen, and who will pay for it? In this episode, we unpack the announcement, and ask whether the new PM can finally deliver meaningful change. Later, we're joined by Sky News' economics and data editor and of host of the 'Stuff Matters' podcast - Ed Conway - to analyse the economic challenges ahead for Burnham. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
36:58Should Polanski be arrested for his Farage Insta post?
Reform UK has referred Green party leader Zack Polanski to the police for "inciting murder" after a post he shared on social media. The image, shared and then deleted on Instagram, showed a man wearing a tee shirt with the words “we’re only making plans for Nigel” next to a picture of a guillotine. Farage has said: "“If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested, and so should Polanski”. The police are now "conducting inquiries". The Greens say that Polanski “condemns the image on the tee shirt” and that he had only ever accepted being tagged in a post that contained 20 images “without realising there was more to it than he had seen”. Has Polanski crossed a line? Is he too online? And why are Reform quick to defend people like Lucy Connolly but now calling for the arrest of a rival party leader? Later, Andy Burnham unveils plans for vocational education to be offered from the age of fourteen, with bespoke training tapping into the local jobs market. It's a far cry from the Blair-era push to get as many young people into university as possible. Does it make sense given the shifting jobs market? Or does he risk denigrating universities and one of the few success stories of modern Britain? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
40:38Burnham's best mate on what the PM does now
It's hard to think of a political alliance as tightly bonded as Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram. Both northern MPs who vacated Westminster to lead their respective City regions, they have even co-authored a book - 'Head North' - which lays out their roadmap to fix Britain. Many of the words, ideas and policies Burnham has unveiled in his first week in office are all laid out in that book. It's a manifesto for fundamentally rewiring Britain, for bringing a new set of values into politics, and for bringing development and opportunity to neglected northern towns and cities. They are self-described "bezzie mates", even "brothers". So who better to speak to than Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, to get under the new Prime Minister's skin, and work out what happens now. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
44:49Could Andy Burnham be the most important PM since Thatcher?
There's been a flurry of policy announcements in Andy Burnham's first week as PM - but there is something more significant in the words he has been using to describe his mission. He's talked about reversing forty years of neoliberalism, about re-industrialising Britain, ending trickle down economics - fundamentally reshaping the British State and its driving purpose. He promised, on the steps of Downing Street, to be a "circuit breaker", delivering the biggest change to the country since Thatcher. It's big talk - and the stakes are high. But how can he put that into action? How can he demonstrate this new form of politics? What even is the neoliberalism he is trying to wind back anyway? Neal Lawson has been an influential Labour thinker, advisor, and campaigner for decades. He knows Burnham well - he is one of the driving forces behind 'Manchesterism' - and heads the left wing ideas factory Compass. He came into the News Agents studio to discuss just the Herculean task facing Andy Burnham - and what Britain might look like if he succeeds. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
44:07Are Farage and Polanski already yesterday's men?
Whisper it quietly - but are we witnessing the strange rebirth of good, old-fashioned two party politics? Andy Burnham and Kemi Badenoch are now the only party leaders with net approval ratings among the public. Labour and the Tories are both within touching distance of Farage's Reform in a number of polls. Burnham has had a strong first week, and he and Badenoch are dominating the political airwaves at the moment in a classic row around tax and the State. Nigel Farage's £5m donation and Claction by-election backfire seems to have taken the wind out of his sails. Zack Polanski too has struggled with questions around his tax and appears unable to force himself into the conversation in the way he did when he first took over the Green party. Later, we speak to Labour MP Chris Curtis about Labour's new chapter and why he thinks growth still lies at the heart of what Burnham needs to achieve. The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
42:00Xavi Simons: TRUTH about Barcelona, the original WONDERKID & Why Spurs feel different - The Sports Agents
Spurs & Netherlands star Xavi Simons sits down with Gabby for an exclusive, in depth interview. As he recovers from the ACL injury which robbed him of a place at the World Cup, Xavi opens up on the pressures of being a 12-year-old social media star watched by millions of followers, growing up without a father, and the truth behind his controversial exit from Barcelona at just 16 years old. Xavi reveals all about his extraordinary footballing life, a life spent alongside Mbappe, Messi & Neymar, a life of incredible highs and bruising lows, one which led him from La Masia to London and the Premier League with Spurs - where Xavi is determined to prove himself to the fans and become the player he always knew he could be. 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Producers: David Finch & George Sexton-Kerr Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
37:21HackGPT: How AI escaped the lab and went rogue
Have we just crossed the AI Rubicon? OpenAI has revealed that one of its models was involved in an "unprecedented cyber incident". One of its AI programs escaped a controlled testing environment, got onto the internet, and hacked into another AI start up without being asked to do so. It's caused shockwaves in the tech industry - are we losing control of the AI we create? And whart should we make of OpenAI's admission that this type of incident is likely to become "more commonplace". We speak to LBC's tech correspondent Will Guyatt. Later, Andy Burnham's bus pledge lands well but there are looming questions about his Budget - are tax rises coming? And will he need a fresh mandate? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
43:37Burnham's bloodbath of the Starmerites
Andy Burnham has gathered his cabinet, with several prominent Starmer allies shown the door and Burnham loyalists taking their place around the table. The cost of living is to be the defining mission of his premiership - announcing a cut to VAT on energy bills as his first major policy and a scrapping of Starmer's digital ID scheme to pay for it. But Former Chief Secretary to Starmer, Darren Jones, was quick to point out that the scheme itself was unfunded, highlighting the tough choices to come for Burnham's new Chancellor John Healey. Does his intervention speak to a wider disgruntlement among Starmer’s allies? And is Burnham off to a good start? Or is he at risk of making more dangerous enemies than useful friends? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
39:16Prime Minister Burnham - Labour's last hope?
This week started like so many others - with a brand new British Prime Minister. At least Andy Burnham had the grace to acknowledge the speed with which this keeps happening, as he promised to end the circus (ie. stay longer in the job). As the afternoon drew to a close we still had no clear idea of the shape of his cabinet - only those being sacked from it. It could signal a leak-proof government - or does it speak to difficulties in getting the right people to accept their new roles? All should be revealed shortly. One thing is for sure, Labour is praying that Burnham gets this right. There is a general consensus that the party can't roll the dice again. And what of Keir Starmer leaving Downing Street with what he insisted was a smile on his face? Does every political career end in failure and tears - or does real political legacy begin twenty years after the event? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
38:29Why Starmer failed - and what Burnham needs to get right
On the day that Keir Starmer prepares to hand over the reins to the King of the North, Westminster is still reeling from the murder of Ann Widdecombe. This Friday, Jon sits down with Labour MP Sarah Sackman, a close friend and ally of Starmer, to reflect on his legacy and the mistakes that defined his premiership. What does Andy Burnham need to do to get Labour back on track? And has politics in Britain become too dangerous for those who serve in public life? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
37:14Did Thomas Tuchel cost England a World Cup Final? - The Sports Agents
With Gabby & Mark being shuttled around the USA (first class), Nedum Onuoha takes the reins of today’s show alongside football writer Julien Laurens and it’s explosive! The boys pull no punches after England’s abject surrender against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final. Julien's explains why he thinks England have a "loser’s generation” and Nedum reveals why head coach Thomas Tuchel is to blame for their collapse after going 1-0 up. Elsewhere there’s a World Cup Final to look forward to and Spanish author Guillem Balague joins the boys to discuss where it all went right for Spain ahead of their dream match up with Leo Messi’s Argentina in Sunday’s final. 📩 Got a question for The Sports Agents? https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials: TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod 📥 Email: thesportsagents@global.com 💭 Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides Producers: David Finch & George Sexton-Kerr Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill & Tomi Okeowo Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart 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
35:46Will Argentina be punished for their Falklands stunt?
The last minute defeat by Argentina was a hard cross to bear if you’re an England fan. But what happened afterwards propelled the game into a whole different sphere. Argentine players paraded a banner that fans threw onto the pitch calling for Las Malvinas to be returned to Argentina. It is a highly political message. The kind FIFA is normally quick to ban. But at the time of writing FIFA has said nothing. Why? And what happens when politicians get in on the act too? Later, Keir Starmer flies into Kyiv as protests break out on the streets of Ukraine. Zelenskyy has just fired a highly popular defence minister who’s credited with propelling Ukraine into 21st century drone technology. Why did he get the boot? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
32:57