Kate Middleton conspiracy theories have run rampant since that doctored photo emerged. But, altered photos of public figures are nothing new. Today in The Bunker, Seth Thévoz speaks to Joshua Habgood-Coote, research fellow at Leeds University, about the power of manipulated images throughout history.    • “Image manipulation techniques go back to the earliest days of photography.” – Joshua Habgood-Coote • “Photos are supposed to capture reality – but that has never been the case.” – Joshua...

More and more high-profile figures are falling for conspiracy theories. And here in the UK, British MPs are seemingly becoming increasingly susceptible to engaging with them. Why now? Andrew Harrison asks Tom Phillips, co-author with friend of the pod Jonn Elledge of Conspiracy: A History of Boll*cks Theories, and How Not to Fall for Them.  Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast   Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio editor: Jade Bailey....

This week, could a backbench rebellion see Penny Mordaunt replace Rishi Sunak before the general election? As online conspiracies run rampant, how has the Royal Family fumbled the Kate Middleton situation? In international news, we look at Putin’s ‘landslide victory’ and what his win means for war with Ukraine. Finally we have the latest on the Israel/Hamas conflict as Netenyahu comes under fire from high profile US democrats.      Gavin Esler talks Ros Taylor through the biggest news stories...

The history of US presidents is mixed, let’s say. Some achieved incredible things, whilst others have 91 pending criminal charges against them across multiple states. The 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey pits them all against each other to find out the best and worst of all time. Professor Justin Vaughn is an associate professor of political science at Coastal Carolina University and co-authored the survey. He joins Gavin Esler in The Bunker to discuss the results. Find the...

The internet is getting worse. Google isn’t as helpful as it used to be, all of the best content is behind a paywall and the less said about X the better. But why is the internet getting so sh*t – and why do we simply accept it? Today in The Bunker, Jacob Jarvis speaks to tech reporter and writer of the Garbage Day substack Ryan Broderick about the sorry state of the internet in 2024.    • “The only way to get ourselves out of this enshittification trap is to rethink what we expect from the...

Problems with leaseholds have ruined lives across the UK. Labour has vowed to end the system, but how? And are its plans realistic? Labour MP Barry Gardiner has been campaigning against leasehold for decades and recently fronted a documentary exploring its major issues. He joins Hannah Fearn in The Bunker to discuss what his party plans to do about it?  Barry Gardiner’s documentary • “We have instances where people are paying £33k in ground rent a year… on top of their mortgage, it’s...

The world of online conspiracy theorists is daunting and bewildering. The BBC’s Marianna Spring knows that better than most. In today’s Bunker, Ros Taylor sits down with the disinformation and social media correspondent to discuss her new book Among the Trolls: My Journey Through Conspiracyland.    • “The internet normalises aggression and abuse and that is reflected in the real world too.”  – Marianna Spring  • “In the absence of religion or local communities, people turn to the internet for...

Hunt’s budget hasn’t shifted the dial for the Tories like they wanted – what will they try next? Plus, we’ve got curious tales of Boris Johnson’s trip to Venezuela and of a doctored Royal family photo… Plus, the latest from Biden vs. Trump and an update on the situation in Gaza. Alex Andreou talks Jacob Jarvis through the news to look out for this week.     • “We know the Tories are headed for defeat, and because Sunak is too afraid to call an election, we are forced to watch them mess up...

Warning: major spoilers from the beginning. In a special weekend bonus, we look at the political resonances of Denis Villeneuve’s $200m-grossing space-and-sand opera Dune. What does Frank Herbert’s saga of desert rebellion, imperialism and mystic feminist conspiracy tell us about our world? Can jihadis be heroes? Why do fascists love Dune? Is Muad’Dib a hero or a monster? And is it science fiction’s job to explain our reality to us?  Novelist and Professor of Nineteenth Century Literature...

The relationship between the United States and Israel is hugely significant – but it’s under serious strain. Is President Joe Biden going to be pushed to rethink some long-held positions regarding this connection? Stephen Walt, professor of international relations at Harvard University and author of The Hell of Good Intentions: America's Foreign Policy Elite and the Decline of U.S. Primacy, tells Gavin Esler how Biden might end up revising his stance.  • “The U.S. is absolutely vital to...

British politics is a shambles, from the economy to the cost of living to the NHS and public standards. But is this age of disorder worse than the endgames of past governments? Steve Richards, former BBC political correspondent and host of the Rock & Roll Politics podcast, tells Andrew Harrison how this dying government ranks among key moments of fin de siècle political acrimony from recent decades. From epic scandals to strikes, corruption and shameful resignations, are we really living...

Scandal after scandal has eroded public trust in Westminster politics in recent years. Fresh research from the Institute For Government suggests that 65 percent of the public doesn’t think the current government behaves to high ethical standards. What does that mean for the next Government? And can MPs ever win back public trust? Or is it lost forever? Tim Durrant is programme director for the IFG and joins Ros Taylor to discuss this research and these issues.  IFG’s research:...

With the NHS in constant crisis, we constantly hear it’s at risk of being privatised. How close to the truth is that? To find out, Alex Andreou speaks to Health Service Journal editor Alastair McLellan. They discuss the state of the health service, what reforms are happening, and what change is needed.     • “Everywhere you look, the NHS is really struggling. It’s not that care now is worse than it was in 1970 - it’s that care now compared to what it could be is the greatest gap we’ve seen...

Jeremy Hunt has promised “sensible tax cuts” in his Budget – but will they be enough to satisfy backbenchers? Across the pond – will Super Tuesday solidify Trump as the Republican Presidential nominee? And what will Biden say in his State of the Union address? And finally, we have the latest on the Israel/Hamas conflict, as Israel lists its conditions for a ceasefire.    • “Jeremy Hunt needs to give his backbenchers just enough to keep them quiet.” – Ros Taylor • "There is an argument for...

Liz Truss is looking to spread her particular brand of chaos to the United States after trashing her reputation in the UK. She popped up at the latest CPAC, to give a speech to a crowd of baffled right-wingers who simply didn’t know who she was. What is CPAC, who is Truss hanging out with and what is she trying to achieve? Ben Jacobs is an American political journalist and joins Jacob Jarvis in The Bunker to answer those questions. • “CPAC is a Trump show...this is full Trump fandom” – Ben...

Most people know who Keir Starmer is – but don’t know much about his character. Who is the Labour leader really? Tom Baldwin is a journalist, political adviser and author of the newly published Keir Starmer: The Biography. He’s spent time figuring out who the man who’s likely to become the next Prime Minister really is – and joins Ros Taylor in The Bunker to discuss what he’s learned. Buy Keir Starmer: The Biography through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us...

Abbas Gallyamov wrote scripts for Vladimir Putin for 3 years from 2008. He describes Vladimir Putin in that time as ‘logical’ and ‘in control of his emotions’. Now, after Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine he says Putin is ‘erratic’ and unrecognisable. His opposition to Putin has reportedly landed him on the Kremlin’s wanted list. He joins Chris Jones from exile away from his motherland, to discuss how Putin has changed, his popularity and the upcoming March election. •”Back then he was...

The death of Alexei Navalny sent shockwaves across the world. Has Russia’s hope of a brighter future, beyond the reign of Putin, died alongside him? And will we ever know the full truth around his demise – or why it has happened now? To answer these questions and more, Dr. Jan Dollbaum, head of research group ‘Mobilisation and Representation in post-Soviet Eastern Europe’ at LMU Munich and co-author of Navalny: Putin’s Nemesis, Russia’s Future? speaks to Chris Jones in The Bunker.  Buy...

Lee Anderson has lost the whip – will any other horrid MPs follow this week? And there’s the by-election in Rochdale coming up, which will likely mean more bad news for Sunak. Plus, we discuss the latest from the  US presidential race, conflict in the Middle East and concerns over Putin’s actions. Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to tee up the stories to look out for in the coming days, • “A dog whistle is only meant to be heard by people really tuned in, this is turning into a foghorn.” –...

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began two years ago. Hundreds of thousands have died and more will follow. What is the state of the conflict right now? How has Russia altered global stability, and is Western support for Ukraine wavering? Gavin Esler is joined by Michael Kimmage formerly of the US State Department, now a professor of history at the Catholic University of America and author of Collisions - The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability. Buy Collisions...

America’s presidents have generally been straight, white, old men. Barack Obama bucked that trend, but the United States is yet to have a woman or a queer person in the White House. In today’s Bunker, Alex Andreou asks Harvard professor, award-winning activist and author of the influential A Queer History of the United States Michael Bronski if the US is, or when it might be, ready for an LGBTQ+ president.  • “While Pete Buttigieg may break glass ceilings, there may also be backlash against...

America’s presidents have generally been straight, white, old men. Barack Obama bucked that trend, but the United States is yet to have a woman or a queer person in the White House. In today’s Bunker, Alex Andreou asks Harvard professor, award-winning activist and author of the influential A Queer History of the United States Michael Bronski if the US is, or when it might be, ready for an LGBTQ+ president.  • “While Pete Buttigieg may break glass ceilings, there may also be backlash against...

It’s a massive election year, with billions voting worldwide. But will those casting votes do so logically? Has voter psychology changed in recent years? And what can be learned from it? To find out, Jacob Jarvis talks to Dr Sandra Obradovic, associate researcher at the Electoral Psychology Observatory to find out.  • “Some see voting as something that upholds democracy and connects you with society at large. It is not an individual activity, it’s one that makes you a citizen.” – Dr Sandra...

After decades of unprecedented economic growth China’s rise seems to be slowing down. Has the nation’s power reached its peak? What would this mean for the country, and for the rest of the world? Alex Andreou asks Michael Beckley, associate professor of political science at Tufts University and author of Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower, in The Bunker.   • “The U.S. has the power to shape the international system in ways that China can’t match.” – Michael...

The killing of Putin’s high profile rival, Alexei Navalny, has sparked outrage. Will this convince the UK and US to step up their support for Ukraine? Rishi Sunak faces the fallout of his most recent by-election losses – how is he clinging on? Across the pond – Liz Truss will be making an appearance at CPAC, as if Americans didn’t have enough to deal with already. Finally we have the latest on the Israel/Hamas conflict as Netenyahu prepares a ground offensive in Rafah.  • "We have...