Recent Entries

From The Briefing Room at 2023-11-30 20:30:00

Net migration: What’s happening in the UK? (p0gwxyxs.mp3)

UK net migration hit a record 745,000 in 2022 according to recently revised figures from the Office for National Statistics.

That means the numbers coming to live in the UK were almost three quarters of a million more than those leaving.

Reducing the numbers of people entering the country has long been a government priority with famous promises to reduce it to “tens of thousands”. In a post-Brexit era it had been assumed that the figures would naturally decline, but that hasn’t been the case.

David Aaronovitch invites you into his briefing room to discover what these numbers mean for the UK.

He’s joined by: Jay Lindop, Director, Office for National Statistics, Centre for International Migration Heather Rolfe, Director of Research and Relationships at the think tank British Future. Madeline Sumption, Director of Migration Observatory, University of Oxford

Production: Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight, Alex Lewis Production Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson + Sophie Hill Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-11-23 19:00:00

Israel-Gaza war: What's going on in the West Bank? (p0gvk26m.mp3)

In recent weeks, and for obvious reasons, all eyes have been on Gaza. But more Palestinians live in the West Bank, the other Palestinian territory, and the area is critical forany chances of durable peace. Or to an expansion of the violence. So what is happening there right now? What is likely to happen? And does it entail more disaster or hold out the prospect of a settlement? David Aaronovitch talks to Dr Anne Irfan, historian of the modern Middle East at University College London, Dalia Hatuqa, independent journalist specialising in Palestinian-Israeli affairs, Anshel Pfeffer, senior correspondent for Haaretz and Israel correspondent for The Economist, and Dr Louise Kettle, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Nottingham and associate fellow at RUSI. Production: Alex Lewis, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-11-16 15:25:00

Introducing... When It Hits The Fan (p0gt2qfs.mp3)

Who's in the news for all the wrong reasons? David Yelland and Simon Lewis invite you to join them in the world of crisis managers and spin doctors as they watch the week's biggest PR disasters unfold.

From The Briefing Room at 2023-10-19 16:27:00

Israel/Gaza: What happens next? (p0gmkglx.mp3)

Israel and Hamas are at war and there are no signs of a quick resolution. But what would a resolution actually look like and who's actually going to try and negotiate one? David Aaronovitch talks to: Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic correspondent in Europe for The New York Times Professor Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS University of London Production: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-10-12 16:37:00

What was Hamas thinking? (p0gl43qt.mp3)

David Aaronovitch and guests talk through the thinking behind Hamas's deadly attack on Israel, discuss what might happen next and ask what all this means politically. Guests: Jennifer Jefferis, Director of Curriculum at the Security Studies Program, in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations Production: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-10-05 17:10:00

If Trump gets re-elected what does the world do? (p0gjppvn.mp3)

David Aaronovitch and guests talk about what a second Trump presidency might mean for America's relationship with the world and discuss what countries are doing to prepare. Guests: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Inu Manak, fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London Elizabeth Saunders, Professor and Director of the Mortara Center for International Studies Production: Ben Carter, Claire Bowes and Sally Abrahams Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-09-28 20:30:00

What a murder in Canada tells us about India's place in the world (p0gh9htx.mp3)

When a Canadian Sikh was murdereed in British Colombia in June few predicted the diplomatic bust up that ensued. What does this say about India's relationship with the West? David Aaronovitch speaks to: Professor Gurharpal Singh, Emeritus Professor of Sikh and Punjab Studies at SOAS Nadine Yousif, BBC Canada Correspondent, based in Toronto Shruti Kapila, Professor of History & Politics at the University of Cambridge James Crabtree, Executive Director of The International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore and author of The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India's New Gilded Age Production: Ben Carter, Claire Bowes and Ellie House Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon (Image: Sikhs protest for the independence of Khalistan in front of the Indian Consulate in Toronto, Canada, on July 8, 2023. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)

From The Briefing Room at 2023-09-21 20:30:00

The UK’s financial headache (p0gfzg96.mp3)

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss how Conservative and Labour preparations for the next election will be dictated by the state of the UK's public finances. Guests: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation Production: Ben Carter, Claire Bowes and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-09-14 20:30:00

Who do we think we are now? (p0gdmf19.mp3)

Two years ago we looked at Britain’s political geography and the role of identity and party loyalty. In this special programme in front of a live audience, David Aaronovitch and guests discuss what’s changed since then. David talks to: Paula Surridge, political sociologist from the University of Bristol Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics at King's College, London Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester Producers: Claire Bowes, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot

From The Briefing Room at 2023-09-07 20:30:00

No concrete plans? (p0gc9ntw.mp3)

More than 100 schools in England have been forced to close or do urgent repairs because they’re built with a potentially crumbling material, reinforced autoclave aerated concrete, known as RAAC. Lightweight and cheap, RAAC was widely used during the post-war building boom of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. But it has a limited shelf-life, which experts have been aware of for the last 30 years. And poor maintenance of buildings has added to the risks of sudden and catastrophic collapse. But are schools just the tip of the iceberg? David Aaronovitch asks how widespread is the risk – and what structural solutions are available for schools, hospitals and other buildings that contain RAAC? David Aaronovitch talks to: Prof Phil Purnell, Professor of Materials and Structures, University of Leeds; Laura McInerney, education journalist, public speaker and co-founder of Teacher Tapp; Adrian Tagg, Associate Professor in Building Surveying at Reading University and a current practising chartered buildings surveyor; Sergio Cavalaro, Professor of Infrastructure Systems at the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University. Production: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight, Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Debbie Richford Sound: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-08-31 20:30:00

What's the problem with Airbnb? (p0g9zh13.mp3)

The number of holiday lets in England rose by 40% between 2018 and 2021. There's been a similar boom across the UK and governments are at varying stages of legislation to regulate the industry and curb the problems associated with these kinds of rentals. Launching England's consultation earlier this year the Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, said too many people were being "pushed out of cherished towns, cities and villages". Meanwhile a second consultation's being led by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to create a register of these types of property. So can local tourism and local communities both benefit? And how is this different from second home ownership anywhere? David Aaronovitch hears from: Ffion Jon, Documentary maker James Kinnersly, Sales Director and UK market expert at AirDNA Vicky Spratt, Housing Correspondent at the i paper Dr Nancy Holman, Associate Professor of Urban Planning at London School of Economics Production: Alix Pickles and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-08-24 13:50:00

How much trouble is Donald Trump in? (p0g8l9xc.mp3)

Former US President Donald Trump now faces multiple criminal and civil cases. Which are the most serious, what do they mean for his presidential campaign and could the US constitution prevent him from taking office if he wins the 2024 election? David Aaronovitch speaks to: Sarah Smith, BBC North America Editor Renato Mariotti, Legal Affairs Columnist for POLITICO Magazine, former federal prosecutor and co-host of the “It’s Complicated” podcast Kermit Roosevelt III, professor of constitutional law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law, author of The Nation that Never Was: Reconstructing America’s Story. Production: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Diane Richardson Production co-ordinator: Sophie Hill and Debbie Richford Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-08-17 20:30:00

The UK and the European Convention on Human Rights (p0g7b5wr.mp3)

What is the European Convention on Human Rights, how does it impact what the UK government can do and what would the ramifications be if the UK left it? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room: Dr. Ed Bates, Associate Professor, University of Leicester School of Law. Author of The Evolution of the European Convention on Human Rights. Robert Spano, Partner at Gibson Dunn, Former President of the European Court of Human Rights. Dr Joelle Grogan, Head of Research, UK in a Changing Europe. Tom Hickman, Professor of Public Law, University College London. Production: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Diane Richardson Production co-ordinator: Sabine Schereck Sound: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-08-10 20:31:00

What’s behind the Niger coup? (p0g60vbq.mp3)

Military unrest in Niger isn't an uncommon phenomenon. There have been five coups in the last 50 years. But what's behind the latest one and is a peaceful resolution possible? David Aaronovitch talks to: Paul Melly, Consulting Fellow at Chatham House Africa Programme Gare Amadou, journalist and manager of the newspaper Le Canard Dechaine in Niger Nabila Ramdani, French Algerian journalist Olayinka Ajala, senior lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Leeds Beckett University Produced by: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Alix Pickles Edited by: Penny Murphy Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-08-03 20:30:00

Is it Saudi's century? (p0g4p7h3.mp3)

With vast financial resources and a new found desire to engage in regional and global diplomacy, Saudi Arabia has got the world's attention. But just how powerful can it become? David Aaronovitch talks to: Frank Gardner, BBC Security Correspondent Quinn Slobodian, Professor of History at Wellesley College and author of Crack-Up Capitalism Simon Chadwick, Professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Skema Business School in Paris Cinzia Bianco, visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations Safa al-Ahmad, Saudi journalist and documentary maker Produced by: Ben Carter, Diane Richardson and Kirsteen Knight Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-07-27 20:30:00

Can we meet the net zero challenge? (p0g3bn4w.mp3)

As wildfires tear across southern Europe the need for urgent action on climate change becomes ever clearer. Reducing carbon emissions is a global challenge but can we meet it? David Aaronovitch talks to: Attracta Mooney, climate correspondent at the Financial Times Jemma Conner, Research Manager at YouGov Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, Director of Research for Cambridge Zero and Director of the Centre for Cambridge Climate Repair Frederic Hans, climate policy analyst at the NewClimate Institute Produced by: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Claire Bowes Edited by: China Collins Sound Engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-07-20 20:30:00

The China Threat (p0g219rh.mp3)

The government needs to radically change its approach to Chinese ambitions in the UK according to a report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee. The report says Chinese investment in the UK has gone unchecked. It warns that allowing China to develop significant stakes in industry and infrastructure was short-sighted and, unless swift action is taken, “China will have a pliable vehicle through which it can export its values”. So just how much interest and influence does China have in the UK? David Aaronovitch talks to: Isabel Hilton, founder China Dialogue Trust Charles Parton, Former UK diplomat and senior research fellow at RUSI Professor Steve Tsang, Director of the SOAS China Institute Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic Editor, The Guardian Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-07-13 20:28:00

What can schools do about record absences? (p0g0s00n.mp3)

The pandemic disrupted schooling everywhere. But since then record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Data from the Department for Education show that persistent absence - missing roughly seven days a term - is now at a record high. So is this a blip affecting a Covid cohort or a worrying trend toward a breakdown in the social contract between society and school? David Aaronovitch talks to: Branwen Jeffreys, BBC’s Education Editor Katie Beynon, Statistician at FFT Education Datalab Sam Freedman, Senior fellow at the Institute for Government Emily Hunt, Associate Director Social Mobility and Vulnerable Learners at the Education Institute Policy Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Sam Haque and Claire Bowes Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill.

From The Briefing Room at 2023-07-06 20:30:00

What happened to the Israel/Palestine peace process? (p0fzdk5r.mp3)

It's 30 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords. That agreement spurred optimism that peace could be forged between Israel and Palestine. It didn't happen. Will it ever? David Aaronovitch talks to: Yolande Knell, BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent for The Economist Khalil Shikaki, Director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill.

From The Briefing Room at 2023-06-29 20:30:00

Why is Britain getting inflation so wrong? (p0fy2mk6.mp3)

Despite the Prime Minister's pledge to halve inflation by the end of the year it's the Bank of England's job to deliver on that. Why is it struggling and what happens if it fails? Britain's facing an inflation crisis. Core inflation - which measures underlying inflation and disregards food and energy costs - is at its highest since 1992. Earlier this year most economists thought this situation could be avoided - so what's gone wrong? David Aaronovitch and guests discuss what the rest of the world is doing about inflation and why Britain seems to be coming off worse. Guests: Duncan Weldon, economist and author of "Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through" Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times Merryn Somerset Webb, senior columnist for Bloomberg Opinion Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill.

From The Briefing Room at 2023-06-22 20:30:00

Ukraine: the long game (p0fws8sg.mp3)

Ukraine's spring offensive has begun. But what can it realistically achieve? What can be done to prevent this becoming a 'forever war'? And in the meantime, how has this regional conflict impacted on global politics. Are we seeing a changed international order, with the rise of China and a new role for Africa and the Global South? David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the long game for Ukraine and its western allies. Guests: Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Karin von Hipple, Director General, Royal United Services Institute Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist Mark Galeotti, Witer on Russian security affairs and director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence. Produced by: Bethan Ashmead, Claire Bowes and Kirsteen Knight Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Debbie Richford Show less

From The Briefing Room at 2023-05-11 20:30:00

The Online Safety Bill (p0fmtl78.mp3)

The Online Safety Bill is a new set of internet laws to protect children and adults. It will place more responsibility on the technology giants to monitor content. Will it succeed? David Aaronovitch talks to: Joshua Rozenberg, legal commentator and presenter of Radio 4’s Law In Action programme Lorna Woods, Professor of Internet Law at the University of Essex Victoria Nash is the Director, an Associate Professor, and Senior Policy Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute Gina Neff is the Executive Director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy at the University of Cambridge Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-05-04 17:44:00

Ukraine: Is it all about to change? (p0flhp0w.mp3)

Recent movements by Ukraine and Russia's military forces suggest that the long awaited spring offensive could start any day. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the implications. Guests: Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Vitaly Shevchenko, Russia editor at BBC Monitoring Tomila Lankina, Professor of politics and international relations at LSE Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US and the Americas programme at Chatham House Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed, Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-04-27 16:24:00

Sudan conflict: what led to this? (p0fk5s6m.mp3)

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss the latest events in Sudan. Fighting has been commonplace ever since Sudan gained independence but what's behind the latest violence? Guests: James Copnall - currently presenting Newsday on the BBC World Service and formerly the BBC's Sudan correspondent Mohanad Hashim - Sudanese journalist working on Newshour on the BBC World Service Dame Rosalind Marsden, associate fellow at the Chatham House International Affairs and former UK ambassador to Sudan Professor Alex De Waal, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation and Research Programme Director with the Conflict Research Programme at LSE Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Penny Murphy Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-04-20 20:30:00

Does Rishi Sunak's maths calculation add up? (p0fhw5f5.mp3)

Rishi Sunak says the UK has an 'anti maths mindset' and that low levels of numeracy are damaging the economy. Will studying maths until the age of 18 solve the problem? David Aaronovitch talks to: Branwen Jeffreys, the BBC's Education Editor Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Emma Lark, Associate Dean Ambition Institute leading the Master's in Expert Teaching Rob Eastaway, author and director of Maths Inspiration Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Claire Bowes and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2023-04-13 20:30:00

The AI Revolution (p0fgk5gh.mp3)

Artificial intelligence is going to change all our lives. There are seemingly limitless opportunities. But as computers get ever more powerful how much cautious do we need to be? David Aaronovitch talks to: Professor Michael Wooldridge, Director of Foundational AI at The Alan Turing Institute Nina Schick, author, entrepreneur and advisor specialising in Generative AI Dr Anders Sandberg, a Senior Research Fellow at The Future of Humanity Institute Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Isobel Gough and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineers: James Beard and Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples

From The Briefing Room at 2023-04-06 20:30:00

Trump's Legal Woes (p0ff9m06.mp3)

David Aaronovitch and guests discuss Donald Trump's appearance in a New York court this week, his other looming legal cases and what all this means for him politically. Guests:: Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Renato Mariotti, legal affairs columnist for POLITICO magazine, a former federal prosecutor and host of the It’s Complicated podcast Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US and the Americas programme at Chatham House Dr Mitchell Robertson, associate lecturer in US History at University College London Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Isobel Gough and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples

From The Briefing Room at 2023-03-02 20:30:00

The Windsor Framework (p0f6fljn.mp3)

David Aaronovitch and guests take a deep dive into the Windsor Framework. The original protocol was deemed unworkable but does this new deal solve Northern Ireland's trading arrangements? Guests: Peter Foster, FT’s public policy editor & editor of the newsletter “Britain After Brexit” Anand Menon, director at UK in a Changing Europe Sam McBride, Northern Ireland Editor of the Belfast Telegraph & Sunday Independent Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute For Government Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Daniel Gordon and Ben Carter Edited by: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

From The Briefing Room at 2023-02-23 20:30:00

Who's afraid of the Wagner Group? (p0f51hv6.mp3)

A private army run by the so-called Wagner group is fighting on Russia's behalf in Ukraine, but is the group's leader and his soldiers becoming a problem for Vladimir Putin? David Aaronovitch is joined by a team of experts to find out more about the Wagner group - the mysterious private organisation that's acknowledged by the Russian government to have been supplying soldiers to fight its war in Ukraine. Wagner's leader, Yevgheny Prigozhin, was once known as Vladimir Putin's 'chef' after providing catering services to the Kremlin. Now, soldiers fighting for him are responsible for one of the few Russian military successes in Ukraine in recent months. Has this prowess on the battlefield re-invigorated Russia's army - or turned Prigozhin into a potential rival to President Putin?

From The Briefing Room at 2023-02-16 20:30:00

Why was the Turkey-Syria earthquake so bad? (p0f3m6ly.mp3)

The WHO have described last week's Turkey-Syria earthquake as one of Europe's worst natural disasters in the last 100 years. David Aaronovitch finds out why it was so deadly. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Stephen Hicks, Seismologist at University College London Professor Dina D’Ayala, Co-Director of the Earthquake and People Interaction Centre at UCL, and UNESCO Chair on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Engineering. Firdevs Robinson, London-based journalist, broadcaster and commentator specializing on Turkey, the Middle East, Caucasus and Freedom of the Media. Dr Lina Khatib, Director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Dan Gordon and Ben Carter Production Coordinators: Janet Staples and Siobhan Reed Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editors: Richard Vadon and Charlotte McDonald

From The Briefing Room at 2023-02-09 20:59:00

How worried should we be about avian flu? (p0f25n88.mp3)

Avian flu has devastated poultry farms and wild bird populations around the world and now it's spread to mammals such as mink and seals. Cases in humans have been rare but worryingly fatal in more than half of the recorded incidences. How worried should we be about the risk of a new global pandemic? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Wendy Barclay, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease and Chair in Influenza Virology at Imperial College London Dr Wendy Puryear, Molecular virologist, Tufts University Prof Ian Brown, Head of Virology at the Animal and Plant Health Agency Marion Koopmans, Head of the Department of Virology at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Cecilia Armstrong and Ben Carter Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Maria Ogundele Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-02-02 20:30:00

How do we get over-50s back into work? (p0f0nz1x.mp3)

The government wants hundreds of thousands of over 50's to return the workforce as Britain mounts an economic recovery. More than half million people in that age bracket have left work since 2019. Will the promise of a 'midlife MOT' encourage people to come back to work? And do employers want them? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation Mike Crowhurst, Director at Public First Tony Wilson, Director Institute for Employment Studies Bee Boilerau, a research economist in the retirement, saving and ageing sector at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, James Kirkup, Director of the Social Market Foundation Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Daniel Gordon and Ben Carter Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Sound mix: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2023-01-26 20:30:00

How to Fix Britain's Railways (p0dz3znh.mp3)

The next round of rail strikes look set to compound long-running problems with Britain's railways. But the problems on the network go far beyond this spate of industrial action. David Aaronvitch asks the experts in The Briefing Room this week the reasons why our rail network has acquired such a reputation for unreliability, and what can be done to put it right. Contributors: Christian Wolmar Mark Smith Jennifer Williams Gareth Dennis Producers: Kirsteen Knight Ben Carter Daniel Gordon Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed Sophie Hill Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon Image: Train timetable board Credit: Martin Pope via Getty

From The Briefing Room at 2023-01-19 20:30:00

Britain's Energy Crisis - An Update (p0dxjxjz.mp3)

At the end of 2022, with winter approaching, there were warnings right across Europe of an impending energy crisis. There was talk of potential electricity blackouts. But today, in the depths of that same winter, why are energy storage facilities well topped up and prices of oil and gas falling instead? David Aaronovitch finds out why from the experts with him in The Briefing Room this week. Contributors: Nathalie Thomas Javier Blas Kate Mulvany Producers: Kirsteen Knight Ben Carter Daniel Gordon Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon Photo: Vertigo3d/Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2023-01-12 20:30:00

NHS: Are there any quick fixes? (p0dw0bk2.mp3)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised 'urgent action' to tackle the NHS crisis. The experts in The Briefing Room with David Aaronovitch this week consider what can be done to tackle problems such as: chronic staff shortages; the thousands of 'bed blockers' and the backlog of people waiting for surgical procedures. Contributors: Annabelle Collins, Senior Correspondent, Health Service Journal Nigel Edwards, Chief Executive, Nuffield Trust Jill Manthorpe, Professor of Social Work at King's College London Mark Pearson, Health Expert, OECD Sally Warren, Director of Policy, King's Fund Producers: Daniel Gordon Rosamund Jones Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

From The Briefing Room at 2023-01-05 20:30:00

Ukraine: How will the war evolve in 2023? (p0dtg34j.mp3)

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts evaluate the current situation in Ukraine and explore how the war might evolve in the remaining winter months and into the Spring. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London Samantha de Bendern, Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor of The Economist Producers: Ben Carter, Dan Gordon and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross, Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

From The Briefing Room at 2022-12-29 20:30:00

Our Ageing World (p0dr61bs.mp3)

For years, the major problem of world demography was thought to be the risk of over-population. Now, it's the fact that the global population is ageing fast. According to the United Nations, the number of people over 65 is set to double between now and 2050, to 1.6 billion people. And, at the same time, the birth rate in most of the world is falling, often sharply. This demographic shift comes with huge social and economic implications. What are they, and what can we do to cope with them? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Stephanie Hegarty, BBC Global Population Correspondent Marco Valerio Lo Prete, Economics Editor at Italian State Broadcaster RAI and author of “Italians: The Unhappy Few” Robert Kelly., Professor of Political Science at Pusan National University, South Korea Camilla Cavendish, Senior Fellow at Harvard University Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalisation and Development at the Oxford Martin School Producers: Simon Watts, Kirsteen Knight and Octavia Woodward Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

From The Briefing Room at 2022-12-22 20:30:00

Can we colonise the Moon? (p0dqzd9t.mp3)

The first mission in NASA’s Artemis space programme returned to Earth earlier this month, after a journey of over 1.3 million miles around the Moon and back. Over next few years NASA will launch Artemis missions two and three, with the help of the European and Japanese space agencies, as well as Elon Musk's Space X. The aim is eventually to build a permanent base for scientific - and possibly economic development - on the Moon. Meanwhile, China is pursuing a lunar exploration programme of its own. So why is the Moon back in fashion? And is the world in the grip of a new space race? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Rebecca Morelle, BBC Science Correspondent John Zarnecki, Emeritus Professor of Space Sciences at the Open University Jack Burns, Professor of Astrophysics and Professor of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder Joanne Wheeler, Space Lawyer Bleddyn Bowen, Associate Professor of International Relations, Space Policy/Warfare Expert, University of Leicester Producers: Daniel Gordon, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter. Editor: Simon Watts. Studio Manager: Neil Churchill. Production co-ordinator Sophie Hill. PHOTO CREDIT: The launch of NASA's Artemis 1 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida (Getty Images)

From The Briefing Room at 2022-12-15 20:30:00

Strikes: How can we avoid a return to the 1970s? (p0dph6pr.mp3)

In the 1970s the UK was gripped by double-digit inflation driven by energy price shocks. Inflation was controlled by raising interest rates as a recession raged. And that prompted workers to demand higher wages. Sound familiar? This week and next will see rail workers, ambulance staff, nurses, bus drivers, baggage handlers, highway workers, Border Force, driving examiners and the Royal Mail all striking on various days. As things stand, the prospects of a resolution don’t look promising. So are we heading back to the 70s and another "Winter of Discontent’? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Keith Laybourn, Professor of History at the University of Huddersfield Alex Bryson, Professor of Quantitative Social Science at UCL's Social Research Institute Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government Chris Giles, Economics Editor at the Financial Times Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed

From The Briefing Room at 2022-12-08 20:30:00

House of Lords reform (p0dmxx4m.mp3)

Earlier this week Sir Keir Starmer announced that Labour would abolish the House of Lords in its first term if he is elected prime minister. He’d replace it with a new, elected second chamber. Some Tories were quick to ridicule the idea and even some Labour peers have urged Starmer to focus on more urgent domestic reforms rather than get caught up in a ‘constitutional quagmire’. But how would Starmer's plan work in reality and is it a good idea? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Professor Andrew Blick, Professor of Politics and Contemporary History at Kings College London Meg Russell, Professor of British and Comparative Politics and Director of the Constitution Unit Patrick Diamond, Associate Professor of Public Policy at Queen Mary, University of London Jess Sargeant, Senior Researcher at The Institute for Government Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Daniel Gordon Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2022-12-01 20:30:00

China's winter of discontent (p0dl6g6d.mp3)

Chants of ‘Xi Jinping step down’ were heard on the lips of some demonstrators in China last weekend. A rare example of dissent against the Chinese leader. The cause of the protestors fury is pretty clear – nearly three years of the government’s zero-Covid policy has proved too much to bear for many Chinese. The Chinese Communist Party acted quickly by sending police to protest sites and increasing online censorship. But on Tuesday some local health officials began suggesting that they needed to lift lockdowns ‘as quickly as possible’. Will that be enough to prevent further protests in China, and how will Xi Jinping and his government respond to recent events? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: David Rennie, Beijing bureau chief at The Economist Kerry Allen, Chinese media analyst at BBC News Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific programme at Chatham House Professor Steven Tsang, director at SOAS China Institute Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Daniel Gordon Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

From The Briefing Room at 2022-11-24 20:24:00

UK Trade Deals (p0djky7w.mp3)

‘We will now open a new chapter in our national story, striking free trade deals around the world’ said Boris Johnson in December 2020 after the UK struck a deal with the European Union for relations after Brexit. The government say these new deals will help level up the UK, cut red tape, provide better investment opportunities and open new digital markets. But, nearly three years after leaving the EU, what deals have we negotiated, are they providing the benefits we were promised and what challenges lie ahead? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Dharshini David, BBC Global Trade correspondent Sam Lowe, partner at Flint Global, a business advisory service where he runs the trade and market access practice David Henig, Director of the UK Trade Policy Project Peter Foster, Public Policy Editor of the Financial Times Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Daniel Gordon Editor: Simon Watts Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

From The Briefing Room at 2022-10-20 20:30:00

Could Vladimir Putin use nuclear weapons? (p0d8gby9.mp3)

The Russians are on the back foot in the war in Ukraine and have just evacuated the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson. The setbacks for Moscow have led to increasing concern in western capitals about the prospect of President Vladimir Putin using a nuclear weapon. But what are the real chances of Russia moving from nuclear threats to nuclear action. And how might the NATO powers respond? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College, London. Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government at Georgetown University and Acting Director, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council Patricia Lewis, Director of the International Security Programme at Chatham House. Image: Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit: Mikhail Svetlov / Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2022-10-13 20:02:00

Public Spending (p0d6trp5.mp3)

The volatility on the financial markets is continuing in the wake of the chancellor's announcement of massive tax cuts last month. The government's current plan is to announce full details of how it will fund those cuts and balance the books on October 31st. One of its options is to rein in public spending - the expenditure that goes on healthcare, schools, welfare, infrastructure and much more, So what is the level of public spending right now, how does it compare historically and what would be the impact on our services and benefits of any cuts? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute For Fiscal Studies Soumaya Keynes, UK Economics Editor at The Economist Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at The Institute For Government PHOTO: The chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng (Getty Images)

From The Briefing Room at 2022-10-06 20:30:00

Protests in Iran (p0d55qqx.mp3)

Since mid-September, women and girls in Iran have been staging demonstrations against the regime. Social media has been full of images of female protestors cutting off their hair and removing their Islamic head-covering in open defiance of the security forces. These protests have their roots in the arrest of a young woman called Mahsa Amini for minor infractions of the Islamic Republic’s dress code and her subsequent death in custody. But there have been several waves of protest since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 - all of which have been successfully repressed. So, this time is it different? Is a regime that’s been in power for decades seriously under threat? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Khosro Kalbasi, Iran analyst at BBC Monitoring. Azadeh Moaveni, Journalist and author of Lipstick Jihad. Eskandar Sadeghi, Lecturer in Contemporary Politics and Modern History of the Middle East at Goldsmith's, University of London Ali Ansari, Professor of History at St Andrews University. Sanam Vakil, Deputy Director of the Middle East programme at Chatham House. PHOTO: Demonstrators in the Iraqi region of Kurdistan holding pictures of Mahsa Amini (Getty Images)

From The Briefing Room at 2022-09-29 20:30:00

Turmoil on the markets (p0d3lcr3.mp3)

The financial markets have been in turmoil since the chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, unveiled a big package of economic measures last Friday. Traders responded to the prospect of major tax cuts by selling the pound. The Bank of England then had to intervene to protect the UK's pension system. What exactly is causing the financial instability and what might that mean for the British economy over the next few years? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Dharshini David, BBC Economics Correspondent. Toby Nangle, Economics commentator and former asset fund manager. Martin Weale, Professor of Economics at King’s College, London. Chris Giles, Economics Editor of the Financial Times. Stephanie Flanders, Senior Executive Editor for Economics at Bloomberg. Producers: Octavia Woodward, Daniel Gordon and Simon Watts Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross PHOTO: The Bank of England (Getty Images)

From The Briefing Room at 2022-09-22 20:30:00

Britain's productivity puzzle (p0d1ztgs.mp3)

This week the new UK government is unveiling its first major package of economic measures. They're aimed at achieving what Prime Minister Liz Truss says is her number one priority: promoting economic growth. Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he shares the same aspiration for Britain. But low growth is an entrenched problem, dating back decades. So why has the UK been performing so badly and what needs to be done to turn us into a high-growth country? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Nicholas Crafts, Professor of Economic History at the University of Sussex Business School. Chris Giles, Economics Editor of The Financial Times. Anna Valero, Senior Policy Fellow at the London School of Economics’ Centre for Economic Performance. Paul Johnson, Director of The Institute For Fiscal Studies Duncan Weldon, Broadcaster and Author of “Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through”. Producers: Paul Connolly, Arlene Gregorius and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross

From The Briefing Room at 2022-09-15 20:30:00

Ukraine: Have we reached a turning point in the war? (p0d0pw4x.mp3)

Ukraine's military has retaken thousands of square kilometres of territory near the north-eastern city of Kharkiv. The Russians are said to have retreated in haste and disarray, but they retaliated by shelling a large power plant, causing blackouts in Kharkiv, the country's second biggest city. Is Ukraine's successful counter-offensive a turning point in the war? Could Ukraine win? Experts say Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, won't countenance defeat, and will escalate instead of retreating or suing for peace. Might Putin launch a tactical nuclear strike? Or use mobilisation or conscription for all-out war? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: - Vitaliy Shevchenko, Russia editor at BBC Monitoring and co-host of the BBC's Ukrainecast podcast - Michael Clarke, Professor of Defence studies and Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy - Samantha de Bendern, Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House - Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London - Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor of The Economist Producers: Paul Connolly, Arlene Gregorius and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross Image credit: Anton Petrus/Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2022-09-01 20:30:00

Can we keep the lights on this winter? (p0cxwchn.mp3)

Soaring household bills have made energy the number one issue facing the government and consumers in Britain. But in addition to the cost, there may be another problem ahead as winter approaches. Experts are increasingly worried about the supply of both electricity and gas from Europe, and how that might affect the power system here. So how worried should we be about energy shortages? And what can the government do to limit their impact? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Kathryn Porter, Energy Analyst at Watt Logic Javier Blas, Energy Columnist at Bloomberg Elisabetta Cornago, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform David Sheppard, Energy Editor at the Financial Times Michael Bradshaw, Professor of Global Energy at the University of Warwick. Producers: Paul Connolly, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: James Beard. Production co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross. PHOTO: An electricity substation in East London (Daniel LEAL / AFP)

From The Briefing Room at 2022-08-25 20:30:00

The staffing crisis in the NHS (p0cwfxnh.mp3)

The NHS often appears to be in a state of permanent crisis. Recently, there've been headlines about long waiting times for ambulances and the huge backlog for routine surgery. Before that, the Health Service faced a two-year pandemic which may rear its head again this winter. But the NHS also has a big underlying problem. It has tens of thousands of vacancies for doctors, nurses and other medical workers – and that makes all the other pressures on the Health Service even harder to handle. So why does the NHS have a staffing problem? And what can be done to fix it? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Annabelle Collins, Senior Correspondent at Health Service Journal Alison Leary, Professor of Healthcare and Workforce Modelling at London South Bank University Suzie Bailey, Head of Leadership and Organisational Development at The Kings Fund Mark Pearson, Deputy Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the OECD, Nigel Edwards, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust Producers: Bob Howard, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Tara McDermott. Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar. Production co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed. PHOTO CREDIT: (Getty Images)

From The Briefing Room at 2022-08-18 20:30:00

Fighting drought (p0cv0fp7.mp3)

Despite recent heavy rainfall, much of England is experiencing drought conditions. Both rivers and reservoirs are running low, and the water companies have told millions to stop using their hosepipes. Scientists warn that the current difficulties are only a glimpse of the much tougher challenges the UK will face in the future because of climate change. They estimate that there's a one-in-four chance of a drought which is so severe that drinking water has to be restricted. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Sir John Armitt, Chairman of the UK's National Infrastructure Commission Dr Heather Smith, Senior Lecturer in Water Governance at Cranfield University Jean Spencer, Director of The Water Industry Forum Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at Oxford University Producers: Bob Howard, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot. Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross PHOTO CREDIT: A reservoir on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall in August 2022 (Getty Images)

From The Briefing Room at 2022-08-11 20:30:00

The Cost of Living Crisis (p0csk5y6.mp3)

There are growing calls for emergency measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Energy bills are now predicted to be hundreds of pounds higher than was expected just a few weeks ago. The Bank of England has increased interest rates, and warned of the twin threat of inflation and a recession. What policy options does the government have? How can ministers get help to the growing numbers of people forced to choose between heating and eating. Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Felicity Hannah, consumer affairs journalist and BBC Moneybox presenter Nicole Sykes, director of Policy and Communications, Pro Bono Economics Nick Eyre, professor of Energy and Climate Change, Oxford University Gemma Tetlow, chief economist, Institute of Government Duncan Weldon, economist and author of Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through

From The Briefing Room at 2022-08-04 20:30:00

Scotland's drugs problem (p0cr5ftk.mp3)

Scotland has the worst figures for drug-related deaths anywhere in Europe. According to National Records for Scotland, 1330 drug-users died in 2021 - a slight improvement, but a death rate per capita which is still 4.8 times higher than England's. Why do so many Scots die from drugs? And what more can be done to prevent it? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Kirsten Horsburgh, Director of Operations at the Scottish Drugs Forum Andrew McAuley, Glasgow Caledonian University Professor Catriona Matheson, University of Stirling Professor Alex Stevens, University of Kent PHOTO: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2022-07-28 20:30:00

Adapting to a hotter Britain (p0cprry9.mp3)

Last week, temperatures in the UK reached a record-breaking 40.3 degrees centigrade. As Britons sweltered in their homes and offices, railway lines buckled, fires broke out in Greater London and the tarmac on Luton Airport runway began to lift. Climate Change scientists now describe this kind of heat as 'the new normal'. How well is Britain set up to cope with extreme weather events? Do we need to start heat-proofing our houses and infrastructure? And does government need to focus more on adapting to climate change? Joining David Aaronovitch are: Mark Maslin, professor of Climatology at University College London Glenn McGregor, professor of Climatology at Durham University Richard Dawson, professor of Engineering at Newcastle University and member of the UK's Climate Change Committee Kathryn Brown, former head of the Adaption at the UK's Climate Change Committee Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Penny Murphy. Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot. Production co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross.

From The Briefing Room at 2022-07-21 20:30:00

Ukraine: Who is winning? (p0cnby02.mp3)

The war in Ukraine is about to enter its sixth month. The cost of Russia’s invasion has been enormous: millions of refugees; thousands of dead soldiers; thousands more dead civilians; and billions of dollars’ worth of physical damage. It’s the most consequential military conflict for a generation. This week the Briefing Room investigates what’s happening now on the ground and whether either side is close to victory or collapse. Joining David Aaronovitch are: Nina Kuryata, Ukrainian journalist with Tortoise Media Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist Samantha de Bendern, Associate Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College, London Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: Neil Churchill. Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross PHOTO CREDIT: Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2022-07-14 20:30:00

Covid - how worried should we be this time? (p0clz35c.mp3)

More than two years after the emergence of Covid, infection levels are high once again. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 2.7 million people, or 1 in 25 of us, have got Coronavirus. There’s concern too about new Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 – mutations which help the virus re-infect our bodies. But how worried should we actually be this time? Are the mutations normal or an alarming new development? And how much of a threat does Coronavirus still face to the NHS? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: James Gallagher, BBC Health and Science Correspondent Gideon Skinner, Head of Politics Research in Public Affairs at Ipsos Miriam Deakin, Director of Policy and Stategy of NHS Providers Meaghan Kall, Epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency Neil Ferguson, Head of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London. Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Richard Vadon. Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross

From The Briefing Room at 2022-06-09 20:30:00

What's wrong with the NHS, and how do we fix it? (p0cd0c5m.mp3)

Last year spending on health and social care in the UK hit nearly £200bn. That’s roughly a fifth of total government spending. Yet the perception has been that things have got worse. Have they? If so, how much worse? How do we compare with other similar countries? And what might we do differently? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Siva Anandaciva, Chief Analyst at the King’s Fund Professor Carol Propper, health economist at Imperial College Mark Pearson, Deputy Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the OECD Dr Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive at The Health Foundation Producers: Octavia Woodward, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2022-06-02 20:30:00

What's happening in Afghanistan? (p0cbg2wn.mp3)

Last year the Taliban launched an offensive in Afghanistan that, within a matter of weeks succeeded beyond the West’s wildest nightmares. In August Kabul fell and life changed dramatically for the Afghan people. Since then they’ve faced food shortages, a failing economy and a bombing campaign launched by Afghanistan’s own ISIS, ISIS-K. So is it Taliban 2.0 as some people hoped? How is it dealing with its domestic challenges? And how is it managing its relationships with its neighbours and countries further afield? Joining David in the briefing room are: Secunder Kermani, the BBC’s Pakistan and Afghanistan correspondent Laurel Miller, Director of the International Crisis Group’s Asia Programme, Ashley Jackson, co-director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups at the global affairs think tank, ODI Ahmed Rashid, journalist and author based in Pakistan who has studied the Taliban for decades Producers: Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2022-05-19 20:30:00

Is the crypto bubble bursting? (p0c7wt0s.mp3)

Last week cryptocurrency suffered it’s ‘black Wednesday’ moment. Investors raced to withdraw their funds and more than $200billion was wiped off the cryptocurrency market. One currency lost 98% of its value. Ironically it was a so-called “stablecoin”, whose value is meant to be pegged to currencies like the dollar, that collapsed. Was this a solitary - but very costly - blip or is the crypto bubble in danger of bursting? Joining David in the briefing room are: Gavin Brown, Associate Professor in Financial Technology at The University of Liverpool Jemima Kelly, columnist at the Financial Times Dominic Frisby, MoneyWeek columnist and author of Bitcoin: The Future of Money? David Shrier, Professor of Practice, AI & Innovation with Imperial College Business School Stephen Diehl, a software engineer and crypto writer. Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill

From The Briefing Room at 2022-05-12 20:30:00

What impact will the Northern Ireland election have? (p0c6fq5w.mp3)

The election in Northern Ireland saw nationalists, Sinn Fein, win the most votes. Their leader, Michelle O'Neill, becomes first minister. It has been heralded as a historic result. But what will its impact - on Stormont politics, the protocol and the union - end up being? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Enda McClafferty, BBC Northern Ireland's political editor Ann Watt, director of Pivotal, an independent public policy think tank Sam McBride, Northern Ireland editor, Belfast Telegraph & Sunday Independent Etain Tannam, associate professor of international peace studies, Trinity College Dublin Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight & Ben Carter Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-05-05 20:30:00

How has the war in Ukraine changed German politics? (p0c5454w.mp3)

In late February, German chancellor Olaf Scholz described Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a ‘Zeitenwende’ - turning point - sparking the biggest shift in German foreign policy since the Cold War. The highlights included a 100bn euro package to boost the military and meet Nato’s 2 per cent of GDP defence spending obligation, send weapons to Ukraine and end his country’s dependency on Russian energy. A surprisingly bold plan from a man many had thought was - like many of his predecessors - naturally cautious. He drew applause at home and abroad, but two months on there is sense that Scholz is wavering. Can he, and will he, see his plan through? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Sir Paul Lever, former British Ambassador to Germany and author of Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way Professor Markus Ziener, Helmut Schmidt Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States Daniela Schwarzer, Director of the German Council on Foreign Relations Sophia Besch, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform Producers: Octavia Woodward, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Studio Manager: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-04-28 20:30:00

What's the impact of the Shanghai lockdown? (p0c3tlst.mp3)

What will the social and economic costs be of China's full-scale lockdown of Shanghai? David Aaronovitch examines the problems with the country's vaccination programme. Joining David in the briefing room are: Robin Brant, BBC Correspondent based in Shanghai Vincent Ni, China Affairs correspondent for The Guardian Professor Nancy Qian, Northwestern University Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House George Magnus, economist and research associate at Oxford University’s China Centre. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production Co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-04-21 20:29:00

Will the Rwanda plan work? (p0c2jsmq.mp3)

The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has unveiled a plan to stop small boat crossings in the English Channel by sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. But will it work? Joining David Aaronovitch in the briefing room are: Mark Easton, BBC's Home Editor Alexander Betts, Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs at the Refugees Studies Centre Nicolas Rollason, partner and head of Business Immigration at Kingsley Napley Madeleine Sumption, Director of The Migration Observatory Producers: Rosamund Jones, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-03-24 20:30:00

Russia's invasion: what more can the west do to help Ukraine? (p0bxclbf.mp3)

It's a month now since Russian forces invaded Ukraine. The west have sanctioned Russia and provided aid packages to Ukraine but what more can it do to help Ukraine win the war? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Gustav Gressel, senior policy fellow with the Wider Europe Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) Berlin office. Dr Sarah Schiffling, International research fellow at the Humanitarian Logistics Institute in Helsinki, Finland and senior lecturer in supply chain management at Liverpool John Moores University. Javier Blas, energy and commodities columnist at Bloomberg and co-author of the 'The World for Sale’. Algirde Pipikaite, cybersecurity and digital transformation policy expert at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight, Octavia Woodward and Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Production Co-ordinators: Iona Hammond and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-03-17 20:30:00

Russia's invasion: what could a peace deal look like? (p0bw2dm8.mp3)

Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have been underway this week. At the same time Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities have come under savage bombardment. If some sort of peace is to be brokered what compromises might be possible and what will be required to get there? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Oleksiy Semeniy, former advisor to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Aglaya Snetkov, author of “Russia's security policy under Putin” and a lecturer at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies in London. Anatol Lieven, senior research fellow on Russia and Europe at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and a visiting professor at King’s College, London. Dr Julie Norman, lecturer in politics and international relations at University College London and co-director of its US politics centre. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-03-10 20:30:00

Russia's invasion: what level of support does Putin have at home? (p0btpkx5.mp3)

What's the impact in Russia of painful sanctions and a war that's not going to plan? How is Putin controlling information and what's required for that to change? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Michael Clarke, Visiting Professor of War Studies at Exeter University and former director, Royal United Services Institute Sergei Guriev, Professor of Economics at Sciences Po in Paris and former Chief Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Dr. Katerina Tertytchnaya, Assistant Professor in Comparative Politics, University College London Izabella Tabarovsky, Senior Program Associate at the Kennan Institute, Wilson Center (US) Dr Maxim Alyukov, fellow Kings College London Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Henderson Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-03-03 20:46:00

Russia's invasion: what's the military strategy? (p0bsfjj3.mp3)

The war in Ukraine is a week old. What have we learned about the military strength - and tactics - on both sides? And what might that tell us about how the conflict might play out? David Aaronovitch is joined in The Briefing Room by: Vitaliy Shevchenko, Russian editor at BBC Monitoring. Colonel Liam Collins, founding director of the Modern War Institute in New York. Ed Arnold, Research Fellow in European security at RUSI and an ex British Army officer who was posted to NATOs Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in 2014 during the Russian annexation of Crimea. Kataryna Wolczuk, Professor of East European Politics at the University of Birmingham. Bettina Renz, Professor of International Security at the University of Nottingham. Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio manager: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-02-24 21:00:00

Russia's invasion: will sanctions work? (p0br3stk.mp3)

Russia is facing sanctions from around the world. Can they hit the country hard enough to make it change course and leave Ukraine in peace? In a live episode David Aaronovitch considers how sanctions have worked in other crises, why they are so frequently used and what circumstances are required for them to be successful. He is joined by: Lee Jones, Professor of International Politics at Queen Mary, University of London and author of the book Societies Under Siege: Exploring How International Economic Sanctions (Do Not) Work Tom Keatinge, Director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at RUSI Dr Maria Shagina, Fellow at the Center for Eastern European Studies at the University of Zurich Tyler Kustra, Assistant Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-02-17 20:30:00

What do drones mean for the future of warfare? (p0bpdhjb.mp3)

A few weeks ago a rebel group without an air-force managed to attack a foreign airport 1,000 miles away....from the air using drones. And theoretically what the Yemeni insurgents did in Abu Dhabi is repeatable the world over. Indeed is being repeated. Meanwhile drones are often the weapon of choice for major powers operating a long way from home. So are drones transforming the way conflicts are fought, to what extent is that a bad thing, and what can be done about it? David Aaronovitch talks to: Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, Professor of War Studies at Loughborough University Dr James Rogers, Assistant Professor at the Centre for War Studies in Odense, Denmark Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist Dr Sarah Kreps, Director of the Tech Policy Lab at Cornell University Producers: Rosamund Jones and Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot

From The Briefing Room at 2022-02-10 20:30:00

Will the levelling up plans work? (p0bng68v.mp3)

One of Boris Johnson’s key campaign promises in the run up to the last election was to level up the country. Now the government has published a white paper telling us how it intends to do that. So what are the plans, will they work and do they go far enough? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Jagjit Chadha, Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Jennifer Williams, social affairs editor at the Manchester Evening News Paul Swinney, director of policy and research at the think tank Centre for Cities Tom Forth, founder The Data City Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Studio manager: James Beard Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-02-03 20:30:00

Is the Prime Minister’s office fit for purpose? (p0bm29f9.mp3)

How well 10 Dowing Street functions is under scrutiny, following Sue Gray's report into multiple parties during lockdown. David Aaronovitch explores who does what at the heart of government and asks if the current problems can be fixed. Contributors: Alex Thomas, Institute for Government Professor Andrew, Blick, King's College London Jill Rutter, UK in a Changing Europe Professor Patrick Diamond, Queen Mary University of London Producers: Rosamund Jones, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed, Brenda Brown Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-01-27 20:30:00

How do we learn to live with Covid? (p0bkqnkv.mp3)

Plan B Covid restrictions in England have ended and the government says we must learn to live with Covid. But what does that actually mean and how sustainable is that position? In this programme we will ask how our understanding of Covid’s newest variant, Omicron, has evolved since Plan B restrictions were first imposed 7 weeks ago. To what extent might flu provide a model for how we live with Covid? And how will our hospitals cope with the strain as restrictions within wider society are eased? David Aaronovitch is joined by: Azra Ghani, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College, London Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers Lesley Powls, Head of Clinical Site & Emergency Planning, King's College Hospital Emma Thomson, Professor of infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research Linda Bauld, Professor of public health at Edinburgh University Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-01-20 20:30:00

BBC Funding (p0bjf2xm.mp3)

With the longer term funding of the BBC under pressure, David Aaronovitch and guests explore the alternatives to the licence fee. How do other nations pay for their public service broadcasters? Contributors: Professor Jean Seaton, University of Westminster Matt Walsh, Head of school of Journalism, Media & Culture, Cardiff University Vilde Sundet, University of Oslo Professor Patrick Barwise, London Business School Claire Enders, Enders Analysis Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Ben Carter, Rosamund Jones Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill, Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-01-13 20:30:00

Inflation (p0bh444t.mp3)

Inflation is at a 30 year high. David Aaronovitch looks back to the 1970s when prices - and wages - soared. Are we returning to those times and how worried should we be? Joining him in The Briefing Room are: Stephanie Flanders, Head of Bloomberg Economics. Merryn Somerset Webb, editor-in-chief, Moneyweek. Torsten Bell, chief executive, The Resolution Foundation. Duncan Weldon, economist and author of "Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through" and "The Value Added Newsletter". Producers: Kirsteen Knight, Ben Henderson and Rosamund Jones Studio manager: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2022-01-06 20:30:00

Brexit – What Have We Learned? (p0bfscjg.mp3)

It's nearly been a year since Brexit. What have the costs and gains been so far, what's yet to be sorted out and how has our relationship with our European neighbours changed? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Maddy Thimont Jack, associate director on the Institute for Government's Brexit team Sam McBride, Northern Ireland editor of the Belfast Telegraph & Sunday Independent Katya Adler, BBC's Europe Editor Peter Foster, editor of the Financial Times newsletter “Britain After Brexit” Anand Menon, director at UK in a Changing Europe Producers: Rosamund Jones, Kirsteen Knight, Ben Carter and Ben Henderson Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2021-12-23 20:30:00

Space Wars and Laws (p0bc40dt.mp3)

Could space be the next frontier for conflict? And what would it look like? Recently the astronauts in the International Space Station had to shelter in their escape pods, after Russia destroyed one of its own satellites using a missile and leaving a dangerous trail of debris orbiting the earth. While not a deliberately aggressive act, the destruction of the satellite was an indication of the kind of weaponry that could be used in space. This summer, on the occasion of the official opening of UK Space Command, the head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, warned that any global conflict would “most likely be won or lost in space.” What is the likelihood of a space war, what form would it take and what are the laws that govern activity in space? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Dr Bleddyn Bowen, lecturer in International Relations, University of Leicester Michelle Hanlon, Professor of Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi, United States Alexandra Stickings, Space Strategy Lead at the consultancy Frazer-Nash Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor, The Economist Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: Andy Garratt Production Coordinator: Siobhan Reed Editor: Richard Vadon Image: The International Space Station in orbit Credit: Nasa / EPA

From The Briefing Room at 2021-12-16 20:30:00

Ukraine - Could There Be War? (p0bbgz11.mp3)

Russian troops are amassed close to the Ukrainian border. Could this mean war? Or is something else going on? Tensions between Ukraine and Russia aren't new, particularly since the annexation of the Crimea in 2014 and fighting with separatists, backed by Russia, in eastern Ukraine. The West has warned Russia of dire consequences if it invades Ukraine. Russia says it is not planning to and has the right to put its troops anywhere within its territory. So what is going on? What does President Putin want and what can NATO and the West do? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow Correspondent Anton Barbashin, political analyst and Editorial Director of Riddle Russia Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri, Associate Professor of International Relations, School of Oriental and African Studies, also Director of the US Programme at Chatham House Orysia Lutsevych, Research Fellow and Manager of the Ukraine Forum, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House Dr Liana Fix, Russia expert, Körber Foundation, Berlin Programme producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight and Chris Flynn Studio mix by James Beard Programme Editor: Richard Vadon Image: Ukranian servicemen on a front line near Svetlodarsk. Credit: EPA/Anatoli Stepanov

From The Briefing Room at 2021-12-09 20:28:00

Afghanistan - What Now? What Next? (p0b9198y.mp3)

From insurgency to government - the challenges for the Taliban and the West. Four months ago the Taliban stunned the world - maybe even themselves - when they entered Kabul and took power in Afghanistan. Since then they have had to move from 20 years of fighting to setting up a central government. That has not proven easy. In the meantime the people of Afghanistan are suffering food shortages and an economic crisis. So what is going on and what might happen next? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Secunder Kermani of the BBC, in Kabul. Dr. Mike Martin, Visiting Fellow in the War Studies department, King's College London. Laurel Miller, Director of the International Crisis Group’s Asia Programme. Ahmed Rashid, journalist and author. Ashley Jackson, Co-director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups at the global affairs think tank, ODI. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon Image: Boy in Balkh camp, Afghanistan 13th November 2021. Credit: Sayed Khodaiberdi Sadat/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2021-12-02 20:28:00

Living in a Variant World (p0b7s6xm.mp3)

What are variants? Where do they come from? Why do they develop and how do they take over? Currently Delta is the dominant variant in the UK and across much of the world; but now Omicron, first identified in South Africa, looks like it could take over. How does that happen? And what can we do about variants? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Emma Thomson, Professor of infectious diseases at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. Dr. Jeff Barrett, Director of the Covid-19 genomics initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. Dr. Charlotte Houldcroft, virologist from the University of Cambridge. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

From The Briefing Room at 2021-11-25 20:30:00

Europe's Covid Surge (p0b6d5x5.mp3)

As parts of Europe struggle to contain Covid cases we ask what that means for them and us. The World Health Organisation has warned that another 500,000 people in Europe could die of Covid by March next year unless countries take urgent action to control the spread of the virus. Austria – the country with the lowest vaccination rate in western Europe - has become the first country to legally require people to have the vaccine from next February. The German health minister has said the country is in a national emergency that could result in another national lockdown. There have been riots in the Netherlands in response to new Covid restrictions. So why is the situation so dire, what’s being done about it and what risk does the crisis on the continent pose to the UK? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Dr Louise Blair, Lead analyst in vaccines and covid variants at the health analytics firm, Airfinity. Dr Clemens Auer, Special Envoy for Health for the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection of Austria. He was Austria’s Covid co-ordinator until March. Professor Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Professor Sheena Cruickshank, Immunologist at the University of Manchester. Dr Raghib Ali, Senior Clinical Research Associate, University of Cambridge Producers: Ben Carter, John Murphy and Kirsteen Knight Editor: Richard Vadon Studio Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production Co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed

From The Briefing Room at 2021-10-21 20:30:00

China Crisis? (p09zk4n4.mp3)

For years China has been perhaps the most important economic engine driving growth around the world. Earlier this year it bounced back from the Covid shutdowns with double-digit growth. Global demand for Chinese-made products has been booming. But this week growth figures have dropped dramatically. The country has been experiencing an energy and property crisis. So, is the bubble bursting? And should we be worried? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Celia Hatton, the BBC's Asia Pacific Editor Dr. Philip Andrews-Speed, Senior Principal Fellow at the Energy Studies Institute of the National University of Singapore George Magnus, Research Associate at the China Centre, Oxford University Tom Orlik, Chief Economist at Bloomberg Economics Dr. Keyu Jin, Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics Producers: John Murphy, Soila Apparicio, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett Image: Chenzhou in China during a blackout Credit: Alamy

From The Briefing Room at 2021-10-14 20:30:00

Social Care - What's Changing? (p09ypnc5.mp3)

For decades the difficult problem of social care - how to fund it, how to provide it - has been kicked into the long grass by government after government. But last month the Prime Minister announced a policy which he said meant no-one would have to sell their house to fund their social care. He also promised more money for social care - though not immediately. A "health and social care levy" is to be created through an increase in National Insurance contributions. So is the problem of social care being fixed? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Alison Holt, BBC Social Affairs Editor Peter Beresford, visiting Professor in the School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia Sally Warren, Director of Social Policy at the King's Fund Jill Manthorpe, Professor of Social Work and Director, NIHR Health & Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King's College London. Producers: John Murphy, Soila Apparicio, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-10-07 20:30:00

Britain's Dirty Rivers (p09y1192.mp3)

According to campaigners, Britain has some of the dirtiest rivers in Europe. Sewage, slurry from farms and chemicals are all a problem, too often ending up in our rivers. The parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee estimates that the discharge of raw sewage accounts for 55% of rivers in England and Wales failing to reach good ecological status. Not one river has good chemical status. So what's going wrong and what can be done to fix it? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Olivia Rudgard, Environment Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph Peter Hammond, retired Professor of Computational Biology at University College London Rachel Salvidge, Deputy Editor of ENDS Report Steve Ormerod, Professor of Ecology and Co-Director of the Water Research Institute, Cardiff University Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight, Soila Apparicio Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Jasper Corbett Photo: Chemical Pollution from Industrial Outfall Pouring into River Mersey UK. Credit: Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2021-09-30 20:30:00

Non-Fungible Tokens (p09wwtdt.mp3)

When a collage of digital images was sold in New York earlier this year for £50 million, the art world was convulsed. The reason? The picture couldn't be hung on a wall and was only visible online. What had been bought and sold was the non-fungible token - or NFT - relating to the collage. David Aaronovitch and his guests discover how NFTs work for those who sell and those who buy them and also consider if NFTs are a passing fad or an aspect of our culture that is becoming increasingly common and might lead to the emergence of a future John Constable or Tracy Emin, eventually spreading to and influencing other art forms. Enter the Briefing Room and find out why collectors are investing in NFTs; how easy it is to spot a fake and what you can do about it; and whether non-fungibles will be an enduring part of the artistic - and investment - worlds in the years ahead. Those taking part include: Georgina Adam of The Art Newspaper; investor in NFTs and co-founder and chief executive of the Arts and culture portal Vastari, Bernardine Bröcker Wieder; and the art historian, former art dealer and presenter of the BBC FOUR series, Britain's Lost Masterpieces, Bendor Grosvenor. Producers Simon Coates and Bob Howard Editor Jasper Corbett Image: Visitors to "Machine Hallucinations - Space: Metaverse" by Refik Anadol, which will be auctioned online as an NFT at Sothebys, at the Digital Art Fair, Hong Kong Credit: REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

From The Briefing Room at 2021-09-23 20:30:00

The UK's Energy Crisis (p09ws8by.mp3)

The Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, has said there is 'no question of the lights going out' this winter as a result of a huge rise in gas prices. But many smaller energy companies are struggling to stay afloat as they are unable to pass on the higher wholesale costs of gas to their customers because of the energy price cap. Labour has accused the government of complacency when it comes to energy supplies. Some Conservatives have warned of a tricky winter ahead. So what lies behind the current problems, and what can be done to stop it happening again? Joining David Aaronovitch are : David Sheppard, Energy Editor at the Financial Times Dr Sharon George, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, University of Keele Michael Bradshaw Professor of Global Energy at the Warwick Business School Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight, Soila Apparicio Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-09-16 20:30:00

Vaccine Passports and Booster Jabs (p09w5dpl.mp3)

Government ministers have been blowing hot and cold about vaccine passports. Now the Westminster government says it is not planning to introduce them to England, though they're being kept as an option should things change. The Welsh government is thinking about them, while Northern Ireland has rejected them for now. In Scotland vaccine passports are coming in on October 1st for nightclubs and large venues. But booster jabs are coming across the UK. The roll-out for over-50s, frontline health workers and vulnerable groups will begin in days. Joining David Aaronovitch to ask if we need vaccine passports and boosters are: Laure Millet, head of the healthcare policy programme at the Institut Montaigne in Paris Melinda Mills, Professor of Demography at the University of Oxford and Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science Azra Ghani, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London Natasha Loder, Health Policy Editor at The Economist Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight, Soila Apparicio Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-09-09 20:30:00

Universal Credit: The Challenge Ahead (p09vjntl.mp3)

At the start of the first pandemic lockdown the government announced a £20 uplift for those receiving Universal Credit, the benefit designed to help those of working age with their living costs. It made clear at the time that the extra money was temporary and, in the coming weeks, payments will start to be reduced. But is a cliff-edge drop in the income of more than two-and-a-half million families the right step to be taking? And how best are the UK's poorest to be supported with the country still recovering from the pandemic? David Aaronovitch and his guests evaluate how well Universal Credit has been helping those in and out of work and what the uplift has achieved for families and single person households. Is giving more money to claimants the most effective way of helping them in the post-pandemic economy? Or, with prices rising for household essentials, should the government now be thinking about other measures to help those struggling to make ends meet? How do we help the least well-off while being fair to taxpayers and not subsidising employers paying low wages? Producers Simon Coates, Jim Booth and Kirsteen Knight Editor Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-09-02 20:30:00

The Afghan Refugee Crisis (p09twm0x.mp3)

The Taliban takeover over of Afghanistan has left millions internally displaced and hundreds of thousands more hoping to leave the country soon. Where will these Afghan refugees try to go and how will they be received by different countries? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Camille Le Coz, Policy Analyst with Migration Policy Institute. Michael Semple, Professor at the Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen's University Belfast and former UN co-ordinator for the Bamiyan region in Afghanistan. Peter Walsh, researcher in migration at the Migration Observatory. Dominic Casciani, BBC Home and Legal correspondent Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Sharon Hemans Studio Manager: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Iona Hammond Editors: Alison Gee and Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-08-26 20:30:00

HS2: On Track? (p09t99dh.mp3)

HS2, a high-speed railway linking up London, the Midlands and the North of England has been in development for more than a decade. It was described by Boris Johnson as the ‘spine’ of a new network to deal with the ‘great musculoskeletal problem of UK transport’. The ‘spine’ is costing an arm and a leg. In 2012 the project was priced at £32.7bn. That was revised to £55bn in 2015. Last year a review by civil engineer Doug Oakervee said the final figure could top £100bn. The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has already warned that Covid has severely damaged public finances and that will likely impact decisions made in the comprehensive spending review taking place this autumn. So how is HS2 progressing and is its completion threatened by its rising costs? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are - Nick Kingsley, Managing Editor of Railway Gazette International Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission George Parker, political editor at the Financial Times Tony Travers, Professor in the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Sharon Hemans Editor: Jasper Corbett Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

From The Briefing Room at 2021-08-19 20:30:00

What next for President Biden’s foreign policy? (p09spcb5.mp3)

‘The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely,’ said President Joe Biden six weeks ago. This prediction has not aged well. One harrowing scene this week saw some Afghans trying to escape their new reality by clinging to the wheels of a US Air Force plane as it took off from Kabul airport. Some of them fell to their deaths. Amidst growing international condemnation of the United States, President Biden has remained unrepentant about the end of the US mission in Afghanistan, arguing it was never about nation building or creating a unified democracy. It was about preventing a terrorist attack on American homeland. But what impact will events in Afghanistan this week have on the President's future foreign policy decisions? Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are: Alex Ward, National Security reporter at Politico Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US & Americas programme at Chatham House Madiha Afzal, Brookings Institution Prof Michael Clarke, former Director General of RUSI and Professor of Defence Studies at King's College London Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Sharon Hemans Editor: Penny Murphy Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

From The Briefing Room at 2021-08-12 20:30:00

Who's supporting the Taliban? (p09s2blw.mp3)

The Taliban’s relentless march across Afghanistan continues – taking control of provincial capitals, rural districts and the financially lucrative border crossings. As the world watches on with increasing concern US President Biden has told Afghan leaders that it’s their battle to win and that they need to come together and fight for their nation. The female Afghan politician and diplomat Shukria Barakzai warned this week that her country is experiencing a ‘human catastrophe’ and Afghanistan will provide a safe haven for militants, which will cause the world huge problems. There’s also the prospect of a huge refugee crisis. But how are the Taliban succeeding and who’s helping them? David Aaronovitch is joined in The Briefing Room by: Laurel Miller, Director of International Crisis Group’s Asia Programme Ashley Jackson, Co-Director, Centre for the Study of Armed Groups Ahmed Rashid, Pakistani journalist and author Producers: Ben Carter, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight Sound engineer: James Beard Editor: Penny Murphy

From The Briefing Room at 2021-08-05 20:30:00

Taiwan and the Threat to Peace (p09rfwh9.mp3)

Only a handful of small states officially recognise Taiwan as an independent country, though in many ways this democratic territory has the trappings of an independent nation. But Taiwan's giant neighbour, China, argues that the island is a renegade province that will one day reunify with the mainland - and Beijing reserves the right to use force to accomplish that if need be. In recent years the Chinese have built up their military forces substantially, including many aimed at Taiwan, and the rhetoric from Beijing remains that Taiwan belongs to China. Meanwhile calls within Taiwan for full independence have grown louder. The United States says it is committed to preserving the ambiguous status quo in the region and to opposing any Chinese coercion of the Taiwanese. Japan, too, has recently become more outspoken about supporting the US military forces in any possible conflict over Taiwan. So could the dispute over Taiwan trigger a war? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Margaret Hillenbrand, Associate Professor of modern Chinese culture and literature at the University of Oxford. Dr. Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House. J Michael Cole, Taipei-based Senior Fellow with the Taiwan Studies programme at Nottingham University. Bonnie Glaser, Director of the Asia Programme at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington DC. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight, Jim Frank Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-07-29 20:30:00

Where Are All the Workers? (p09qt10w.mp3)

A supermarket chain is offering £1000 welcoming handshakes to new truck drivers - just one indication of the shortages in the haulage industry. The Road Haulage Association says that there is now a shortfall of 100,000 lorry drivers across the UK and other sectors of the economy are also finding it difficult to find workers, including in hospitality, construction and IT. The pandemic has shaken things up and Brexit has seen thousands of EU workers returning home - but is this a short-term problem or are there deeper structural changes happening? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room: Dougie Rankine, editor of Truck and Driver magazine. Katherine Price, news editor of The Caterer. Tony Hill, Director of the Institute for Employment Studies. Yael Selfin, Chief Economist, KMPG UK. Torsten Bell, Chief Executive at the Resolution Foundation. Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce. Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight. Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-07-22 20:30:00

Floods, Fire, the Future and COP26 (p09q4x7m.mp3)

Right across the world unpredictable and extreme weather has led to devastating consequences: homes washed away by floods in Europe and China with hundreds dead; extreme heat and giant wildfires in North America and in Siberia, and we now hear that the Amazon rainforest is emitting more carbon dioxide than it is soaking up. Scientists are clear that man-made climate change is playing a significant role in all this. In November senior representatives from 197 countries plus the European Union are supposed to be gathering for COP26 in Glasgow. Can this gathering - and the pronouncements made there - help save us from extreme climate change? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Alina Averchenkova, Distinguished Fellow from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics. Michael Jacobs, Professor at Sheffield University’s Political Economy Research Institute. Carly McLachlan, Professor of Climate and Energy Policy, Manchester University, and Director of Tyndall Manchester. Dr. James Dyke, Senior Lecturer in Global Systems, University of Exeter. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight. Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett. Image: People wading through flood waters following heavy rains in Zhengzhou in China's central Henan province. Credit: STR/AFP via Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2021-07-15 20:30:00

Stepping into the Unknown (p09pjnr6.mp3)

Some are calling it Freedom Day. Others are much more circumspect. The lifting of Covid restrictions on 19th July in England is, to a certain extent, an experiment. The UK has one of the best vaccination rates in the world and far fewer people are now dying from coronavirus. But it also has one of the fastest rising infection rates. The development of the vaccines so quickly was, undoubtedly, an extraordinary scientific feat. It did also lead some scientists to predict that we would be through this pandemic by now. So why hasn't that happened? And what do we know about the risks involved in lifting restrictions now? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: Azra Ghani, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College, London Tom Chivers, Science journalist and author Linda Bauld, Professor of public health at Edinburgh University Thomas Hale, Associate Professor in Public Policy, University of Oxford Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter and Kirsteen Knight Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-07-08 20:30:00

Who Do We Think We Are? (p09ntr3q.mp3)

Four recent by-elections in the UK - Airdrie and Schotts, Hartlepool, Amersham and Chesham, and Batley and Spen - tell us four different stories about who we are and what determines who we vote for. So how well do we know who we are and how has that ‘who’ changed over the last thirty years? Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room are: James Kanagasoorium, CEO of Stack Data Strategy Paula Surridge, political sociologist from the University of Bristol Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics at King's College, London Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester Producers: John Murphy, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Carter Editor: Jasper Corbett Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot Image: Liverpool by night Credit: Jenna Goodwin / EyeEm / Getty

From The Briefing Room at 2021-07-01 20:29:00

How Unsettled is EU Status? (p09n441x.mp3)

European Union and European Economic Area citizens living in the UK should have applied for so-called settled status in Britain before July 1st. Over five million people have applied - a significantly higher figure than the British government originally estimated would be eligible. But there are fears that, for various reasons, tens of thousands of people failed to meet the deadline. In theory, this means they could lose their right to work, rent housing, or access certain hospital treatment, and are potentially subject to removal from the country. UK citizens living in EU countries are also having to prove their status. To examine what has happened so far - to EU citizens in the UK and to UK citizens in the EU - and what happens next, David Aaronovitch is joined in the Briefing Room by: Mark Easton, the BBC's Home Affairs Editor Michaela Benson, Professor of Sociology at the University of Lancaster Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Union and Labour Law, Cambridge University. Jill Rutter, former Treasury official and senior fellow at the Institute for Government. Producers: John Murphy, Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-05-27 20:29:00

The Ransomware Threat (p09jtf1d.mp3)

You might receive an innocuous looking email – it might even look like it’s from your boss – asking you to click on a link. Watch out! It could be the start of a ransomware attack. Over the last year cybersecurity experts say that the number of ransomware attacks has grown exponentially. During the pandemic lockdowns criminal hackers have been able to exploit the vulnerabilities inherent in the increase in homeworking to infiltrate computer systems, shut them down and then demand a ransom to restore services, or even to stop publishing data they’ve stolen. Along with the increased volume of attacks, the level of ransom demands has grown. Using new technology and techniques, this has become a lucrative business for international criminal gangs, with individuals, businesses, schools, hospitals and charities all targeted. Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room to discuss ransomware attacks are: Emily Taylor, CEO of Oxford Information Labs and Editor of Chatham House's Journal of Cyber Policy Sadie Creese, Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Oxford Geoff White, investigative journalist and author and presenter of the BBC’s podcast series, The Lazarus Heist Susan Landau, Bridge Professor of Cyber Security and Policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the School of Engineering, Department of Computer Science, Tufts University Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams and Imogen Serwotka Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett

From The Briefing Room at 2021-05-20 20:29:00

Hamas (p09j4rl5.mp3)

Gaza is one of the most crowded places on earth. Most of its two million residents live in refugee camps and around half are unemployed. Gaza is governed by Hamas, an organisation that many governments regard as a terrorist group. Hamas extended its control over the whole of Gaza in 2007, after it ousted Fatah, which is now based in the West Bank. Since then Hamas has been involved in a number of conflicts with Israel. Its military capability has grown over the years. Joining David Aaronovitch to explore who Hamas are and what they want are: Jennifer Jefferis, Associate Professor at the Near East and South Asia Centre for Strategic Studies at the National Defence University in Washington, DC. She is also author of Hamas: Terrorism, Governance, and Its Future in Middle East Politics. Dr Nina Musgrave from the Centre for Defence Studies, Kings College, London. She is the author of a forthcoming book, Hamas and the Arab Uprisings: resistance, allegiance, and the departure from Syria. Fabian Hinz, an independent open source intelligence analyst who specialises in Middle East missiles. Natan Sachs, Director of the Centre for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution, Washington. Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams, Luke Radcliff Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett Photo: Hamas militants with rocket launcher. Credit: NurPhoto/Corbis/Getty Images

From The Briefing Room at 2021-05-06 20:30:00

Hong Kong: Beijing Tightens Its Grip (p09gvck5.mp3)

Hong Kong has long been at the centre of a tussle between mainland China and the outside world - certainly since the British took it as a colony in 1842. That heralded more than a century of "shame" for the Chinese - but in 1997 the British handed Hong Kong back to China with internationally agreed conditions. The so-called "one country, two systems" principle was meant to last until 2047, but in recent years Beijing has tightened its control over Hong Kong. Major pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 were quashed and, in 2020, the authorities introduced a controversial and wide-ranging National Security Law to Hong Kong. Over recent weeks pro-democracy campaigners have been locked up, troublesome journalists have been censured or fired from their jobs, teachers have been told they will have to explain the benefits of the National Security Law to their pupils. Some argue that this is the end of Hong Kong. So why is Beijing and its supporters in the Hong Kong legislature taking this action now, and where might it end? Joining David Aaronovitch on this week's programme: Hugh Davies, a former diplomat who negotiated the return of Hong Kong Mary Hui, journalist for Quartz Yuen Chan, Senior Lecturer, City University of London Charles Parton, Senior Associate Fellow at Royal United Services Institute Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Jasper Corbett