Episodes
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What does the World Cup mean to you?
This year’s tournament has been highly political so far: as it began, one of the host nations was at war with one of the competitors and referees and staff have been banned from the United States.
This week, Philip and Ellen are joined by sports writer and sociologist David Goldblatt, the author of Injury Time: Football in a State of Emergency to discuss the stakes. With eye-watering ticket prices, is this a World Cup of the super-rich? And how much can Trump really make his mark on the tournament?
Plus, David makes his predictions—from the most underrated team to the biggest scandal.
To read David’s piece ‘How the world cup took over the planet’, click here or head to prospectmagazine.co.uk.
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The country feels stuck. But can Britain prosper again? On the Prospect podcast this week, Prospect editor Philip Collins is joined by Ravi Gurumurthy to discuss this question.
Ravi is CEO of Nesta, which is a research foundation and “innovation agency”. He is a lead non-executive of the Department for Energy and Net Zero and sits on the board of NHS England. Writing in a personal capacity, he also penned the cover story in this month’s magazine (which you can read in full here.)
Phil and Ravi discuss what changes the current government could make to re-energise the country, and debate everything from housing to data. Can the UK get the energy for a transformation?
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Would you want to work with a robot? A new technological revolution is underway—but what that revolution looks like, and where it takes us, is still being determined.
This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sarah O’Connor, award-winning reporter and associate editor at the Financial Times, whose new book We Are Not Machines charts how AI is shaping the workplace.
Sarah shares her experience working alongside robots in an Amazon warehouse in the midlands, visiting a Swedish mine, and learning from the controllers of driverless lorries. She examines the impacts of technology on workers and asks: what makes a bad relationship between a human and a machine—and what makes a good one?
She argues that machines will never be able to replace the rich talents of a human—and explains how we can actively shape the future of AI and its impact on us.
Sarah's book We Are Not Machines is published by Allen Lane. To read more on this topic, click here.
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From nurseries to nursing homes, private equity increasingly affects all of us.
This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Hettie O’Brien, who investigates the rise of private equity in her book The Asset Class: How Private Equity Turned Capitalism Against Itself.
Hettie traces the rise of private equity partnerships and their profound impact on our economy. She tells the story of how the buyout of railway arches resulted in rising rents and small local businesses being forced out in London.
She also discusses how it influences key services like healthcare and housing, often resulting in increased costs—as well as the shocking effects on outcomes, such as mortality rates in care homes.
Why are these firms shielded from accountability? And, as societal inequality widens, what reforms need to be made?
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Although the world seems full of war and conflict, love—of all kinds—is everywhere. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sally Hayden, award-winning journalist and author of This is Also a Love Story: Searching for Good in a Divided World.
As a reporter, Sally has witnessed first-hand the consequences of human brutality, as well as moments of hope. She shares stories from across the globe, from Ukraine to Japan to Syria.
Having lived in Lebanon since 2024, she also discusses life under Israeli bombardment and the tragically mundane items she finds buried amongst the rubble.
In the modern age, is empathy under attack? And why does her book include a bank robbery as an example of love? Listen to find out.
To read Sally’s Beirut diary, click here or head to prospectmagazine.co.uk.
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This month our family of writers is in a whimsical mood: Vitali Vitaliev reflects on the very different purpose toilet paper once had in Soviet Ukraine, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman laments the poor quality of the Church’s Cheeky Pandas cartoons for children. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock suffers terrible stage fright, while Sarah Collins celebrates the human antidepressants in her local community.
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It’s been a nightmare week for Keir Starmer. After devastating results for Labour in the 7th May elections, pressure has this week mounted on the prime minister to resign. He has said that he will stay, and that he wants to lead Labour into the next general election—but how long can he hang on, and what would it mean for Labour’s fortunes if he did?
Ellen and Alona are joined by veteran pollster and regular Prospect contributor Peter Kellner to discuss Starmer’s predicament, what a leadership challenge would look like, and whether any of the contenders could rally the support needed to oust the prime minister.
Visit prospectmagazine.co.uk to read all of Peter Kellner’s latest analysis, including his open letter to the next Labour leader: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/72547/an-open-letter-to-labours-next-prime-minister
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It’s the week every political nerd has been waiting for. Tomorrow, voters go to the polls in England, Scotland and Wales to elect local councils, Holyrood and the Senedd.
Just how bad do things look for Labour—and Keir Starmer? Why are Reform UK and the Greens surprisingly similar? And how come Kemi Badenoch, whose Tories are a mere shadow of their former selves, isn’t facing a leadership challenge? Plus: what can local elections really tell us about the next general election?
On today’s episode, Ellen and Alona are joined by writer and broadcaster Carys Afoko to discuss the days and weeks ahead. A former political adviser to several Labour politicians, she hosts the weekly current affairs podcast “Over the Top, Under the Radar”.
To read Carys’s recent article. “Are Reform and the Greens battle ready?”, visit the Prospect website. Read everything for free until 11th May.
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Twenty years ago, Tharik Hussain moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia with a sense that he and other Muslims didn’t belong in Europe. But, as he explains today on the podcast, he has since been on a journey to uncover some 1,400 years of rich Muslim history and culture on the continent.
Tharik joins Imaan and Ellen to discuss how Europeans forgot the contributions of Muslims in Europe—and what the impact of this erasure has been on modern politics.
Plus—why, in the 8th century, did Anglo-Saxon King Offa of Mercia issue a gold coin inscribed with the shahadah (Islamic declaration of faith)?
Tharik’s book, Muslim Europe, was published by Penguin in 2025.
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After the explosive revelation that Peter Mandelson had “failed” his vetting before being waved through as US ambassador, Alona and Imaan are joined by contributing editor Tom Clark to discuss the root cause of this political disaster. It wasn’t the vetting process, argues Tom, but the power struggles at the heart of the Labour party.
Why weren’t Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein and Russian oligarchs immediate dealbreakers for the prime minister? And why was Number 10 enquiring about an ambassadorship for Matthew Doyle, who was recently driven out of the Lords over links to a sex offender?
Tom discusses party purges, secretive dealings and double standards. And, with Labour falling to fourth place in some polls, he also discusses the road to political recovery. How long will Starmer survive?
To read Tom’s article ‘The Mandelson saga is really about Labour factionalism’, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/73081/the-mandelson-saga-is-really-about-labour-factionalism
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This month, actor and writer Sheila Hancock is grateful to be reunited once more with daffodils, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman laments the lack of Church wardens in her parish. Meanwhile, Vitali Vitaliev explains why he thinks AI is rubbish at writing.
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The term “far right” is frequently invoked in British political discourse. But who really fits the bill?
This week, journalist and author Daniel Trilling joins Ellen and Alona to discuss how previously fringe positions have gained traction and entered mainstream politics.
Daniel defines the far right and explores its increasingly influential place in British politics, drawing from his upcoming book If We Tolerate This. He shares how Reform UK and figures including Tommy Robinson have capitalised on public dissatisfaction and economic grievances—and how the political establishment on both the right and the left enabled and empowered them.
He pinpoints the surprising moment that set us on a path where immigration became a divisive topic. And he explains why, even if far-right parties work within the bounds of democracy, their rise threatens democratic systems.
Plus, Daniel suggests how ordinary citizens can respond—and argues that the defeat of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán shows that resistance is possible.
Daniel’s book ‘If We Tolerate This’ is published by Pan Macmillan.
To watch Michael Ignatieff’s analysis of the Hungarian elections and the fall of Orbán, click here.
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Facial recognition technology is being rolled out by police forces across the country—and there are no clear limits on how it can be used.
This week, Ellen is joined by Mark Wilding, investigative journalist at Liberty Investigates, who discusses how artificial intelligence is being used to tackle crime in the UK. He shares the startling story of a young man arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, and discusses evidence of racial bias in the technology.
Mark shares his disturbing findings and explains why he is concerned about ordinary citizens being subjected to repeated checks. Could it reverse the presumption of innocence until proven guilty?
To read Mark’s piece, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/technology/72853/rise-facial-recognition-policing
And to read his work on Palantir, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/democracy/government/71511/how-palantir-infiltrated-the-state
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The UK has chosen not to follow Trump into the war on Iran. Has Starmer damaged the “special relationship”—or was it the right call?
This week Philip and Ellen are joined by Kim Darroch, former national security adviser and UK ambassador to the United States. He analyses the US-Israel war with Iran, the reactions of foreign governments and why Europe has chosen not to respond to Trump’s calls for support.
As former diplomat, he offers an insight into Trump’s working habits and the minds informally influencing the president’s key decisions—including friendly journalists and television hosts who, he says, are “more influential” than number 10 staffers. He also describes Trump’s secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, as “ludicrous”.
Plus, Kim breaks down three potential outcomes for how the conflict might end. And, if he was national security adviser today, would he have encouraged Starmer to go to war?
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Is capitalism inevitable? This week, Prospect contributing editor Tom Clark is joined by Sven Beckert, Harvard professor and author of Capitalism: A Global History.
Sven discusses the evolution of capitalism, from its development by Arab, African and Chinese traders, to its place in the modern western nation states of today. He argues that the economic system that rules our lives is a man-made one, which can be shaped and reshaped depending on political and economic will.
The pair also discuss the prospects for working people in an era in which AI threatens to make many redundant, and whether rising authoritarianism in wealthy democracies like the US is linked to its economic system.
And they explore the achievements and injustices of modern capitalism—its complicated history of growth and poverty reduction, alongside coercion and violence.
To read Tom’s review of ‘Capitalism: A Global History’, click here
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The Gorton and Denton byelection was a sensation for the Greens—and it hurt Labour’s pride. With the May elections approaching, the UK’s governing party looks set for a beating. But what about Reform?
Peter Kellner, former director of polling company YouGov, joins Ellen and Alona on the podcast to discuss how Labour and its competition are faring. After coming second in Gorton and Denton, Reform may have actually peaked, Peter argues.
Plus, Kellner has met every Labour leader since Harold Wilson, and shares both his favourite anecdotes and the lessons he thinks the party’s next leader needs to know.
For more political coverage from Prospect visit our website.
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This month, Gen Z-er Alice Garnett commands her peers to get down to the pub, while Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu recounts the mystery disappearance of a statue from her neighbouring village. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock celebrates television adverts, while Vitali Vitaliev cherishes the small things in life.
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Donald Trump said the Iran war was “very complete”—but is it?
Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the Chatham House thinktank, joins Ellen and Alona to make sense of the latest from Iran.
As US-Israeli strikes continue, Mansour explains that Washington might not have control over the conflict’s end and Iran is prepared for the long haul.
He also explains how the Iranian regime has survived multiple “decapitation” attempts, and what the choice of new Supreme Leader indicates about the future.
To read more coverage of the conflict, visit prospectmagazine.co.uk
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This week, Ellen is joined by journalist David Aaronovitch, who warns about the extreme wealth and unaccountable power of America’s new elite.
From John D Rockefeller to Jeff Bezos, David explores the parallels between the “robber barons” of the late 19th century and today’s tech titans. He argues that the US is experiencing a second Gilded Age, in which the elite enjoy lavish lifestyles—as well as unchecked power and influence.
David also discusses Jeff Bezos’s wedding, the Amazon-produced Melania film, and Donald Trump’s relationship with tech CEOs.
In a post-Epstein era, are there means to check this power? And what happens if we can’t?
To read David Aaronovitch’s cover essay of the latest magazine, click here.
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This week, Alona is joined by contributing editor Tom Clark and political columnist Ben Ansell to discuss what’s at stake in the upcoming Manchester byelection.
With the polls showing a three-way-race between the Greens, Labour and Reform, the area has become a microcosm for wider political trends, with the position of the establishment parties more uncertain than ever.
Tom shares the mood in the constituency and what voters are saying on the ground. Ben, Alona and Tom also discuss the possible outcomes, and why many voters have lost faith in the traditional parties.
They also analyse the tactical decision to not have Zack Polanski run in the seat, and why losing here could speed up Starmer’s departure. What happens if the Labour stronghold tips?
To read Tom’s piece ‘In Gorton and Denton, Labour the Greens blame each other’, click here.
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