“Labour’s Plan For Power: Fixing The North-South Divide” is the third episode of a special new i podcast series looking at what Sir Keir Starmer’s party would do differently if it wins the next election. Hosted by Paul Waugh, i‘s chief political commentator, this is a four-part series that also covers the economy, Brexit and the NHS. Andy Burnham, the Metro Mayor for Greater Manchester, tells us: “I keep saying the North-South divide is no accident. It's the product of UK national policy over many decades under many governments. And we either decide to change it or we don't.” But former Business Secretary Peter Mandelson warns Keir Starmer’s plan to take power from Whitehall and give it to local areas could undermine his own “five missions” for a Labour government. And Angela Rayner reveals how her own experience as a care worker and trade unionist convinced her of the need to devolve as much power as possible. “When people feel they have control over what they're trying to achieve, they own it. You just got to give people a little bit more empowerment. And it's surprising how well that can pay off.” Subscribe to Labour's Plan for Power to hear every episode Produced and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is composed by Slicebeats, Coma Media, Daddy_s_Music and AKTASOK, licensed via Pixabay.  Check out their music in the links below.  https://pixabay.com/ru/music/nature-cinematic-documentary-159610/ https://pixabay.com/ru/music/tic-toc-suspenso-7312/ https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-documentary-11052/ https://pixabay.com/music/solo-piano-piano-moment-9835/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour’s Plan For Power: The NHS and Your Health is the second episode of a special new i podcast series looking at what Sir Keir Starmer’s party would do differently if it wins the next election. Hosted by Paul Waugh, i’s chief political commentator, this is a four-part series that also covers the economy, Brexit and the North-South divide. The Royal College of Nursing tells us that it is ready to go on strike again if a Labour government fails to deliver on pay and staff shortages.  Former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn warns that it is “unacceptable” for senior doctors to take industrial action and urges Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting to make that is “bottom line”. And Streeting himself says that he will stand up for patients against “vested interests” of trade unions and others who oppose NHS reform. With former Health Secretary Andy Burnham and an array of health experts we also discuss funding pressures, the role of the private sector, waiting lists, GP access and social care. Subscribe to Labour's Plan for Power to hear every episode Produced and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is composed by Slicebeats, Coma Media, Daddy_s_Music and AKTASOK, licensed via Pixabay.  Check out their music in the links below.  https://pixabay.com/ru/music/nature-cinematic-documentary-159610/ https://pixabay.com/ru/music/tic-toc-suspenso-7312/ https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-documentary-11052/ https://pixabay.com/music/solo-piano-piano-moment-9835/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour’s Plan For Power: The Economy is the first episode of a special new i podcast series looking at what Sir Keir Starmer’s party would do differently if it wins the next election. Hosted by Paul Waugh, i's chief political commentator, this is the first of a four-part series that will also cover the NHS, Brexit and the North-South divide. Ken Clarke reveals why he thinks Rachel Reeves’ “responsible approach” to public finances would be “reassuring” if Labour won power.  Peter Mandelson warns any new tax rises would deter business at home and abroad. Ed Balls explains why Labour adopted Tory spending limits in 1997. John McDonnell spells out the danger of not spending or taxing enough.  And Rachel Reeves tells us just what it would mean to be Britain’s first female chancellor - and why Labour is “on the cusp of achieving something remarkable” at the next election. Subscribe to Labour's Plan for Power, and listen to all four episodes today. Produced by Albert Evans and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is composed by Slicebeats, Grand Project, Coma Media and AKTASOK, licensed via Pixabay.  Check out their music in the links below.  https://pixabay.com/music/synthwave-on-the-road-to-the-eighties-131722/ https://pixabay.com/music/ambient-documentary-11052/ https://pixabay.com/ru/music/tic-toc-suspenso-7312/ https://pixabay.com/ru/music/nature-cinematic-documentary-159610/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The housing crisis is a vast web of overlapping problems and failings. It’s a feature of modern Britain.  But as the economy flounders, the crisis takes new forms, dragging more people in. And the impact on those caught in its grasp is devastating. In this week’s episode of The i Podcast we are joined by our housing correspondent Vicky Spratt who has uncovered a scandal about how mothers and children are being treated by the very authorities they have turned to for help.  Produced by Albert Evans and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having a child is supposed to be a life-affirming experience, if you follow popular logic.  But what if you hate it? There’s a growing movement promoting a “child-free lifestyle” - and some of its biggest proponents are parents, fed up with their offspring and wishing they'd taken a different path. In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we are joined by chief features writer Kasia Delgado, who has been talking to the parents who regret having children and the groups they have formed to share their experiences.  We will also hear from the parents themselves about the taboo surrounding voicing these opinions and what they wish they had known before they took the plunge. Produced by Albert Evans and edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years since the Taliban stormed Kabul, devastating the lives of thousands of Afghans, those who fled to Britain are now facing an uncertain future.  The Taliban takeover marked the end of a 20-year presence of coalition forces in the country and the beginning of a dark new chapter for the nation, restricting rights and freedoms for women and girls.  Afghans who worked with the western-backed Government live in fear for their lives. Many who worked with the British, American and other Western nations braved perilous journeys to escape their new reality.  In this week’s episode of The i Podcast we speak to three Afghan women who fled Afghanistan for Britain. To date, the UK has opened its doors to 24,600 vulnerable Afghans under two resettlement schemes hailed as the world’s most generous.   Yet families who arrived have lived in cramped hotel rooms for months without provisions to cook or wash their clothes.   Now a new fear looms as the hotels are due to be shut at the end of August with those that remain facing eviction. Some have nowhere else to go. Read Molly's article here: https://inews.co.uk/news/afghan-refugee-hotel-no-space-cooking-washing-machines-2543645 Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Six years ago Paul Price's life changed forever. He was picking up his daughter from an Ariana Grande concert when a terrorist detonated a bomb in the entrance to the Manchester Arena.  It was one of the most devastating terror attacks in a generation and Paul was at its epicentre. He spent the following eight months in hospital as doctors battled to fix his shattered body. But these months of pain and loss were followed by another challenge - accessing the support he desperately needed from the British government. In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we visit Paul at his house in Liverpool to find out why he feels the government has "made his trauma worse". You can read his opinion piece here. Produced by Albert Evans and Molly Blackall, additional production by Izin Akhabau. Edited by Julia Webster. Music by Tim Kulig and Michael Kobrin via Pixabay. Check out their music here: Tim Kulig (timkulig.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Michael Kobrin https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It wouldn’t be the first time a whistleblower has stunned the US Congress with an extraordinary revelation, but last week’s hearings were truly stranger than fiction. Not one but three military witnesses testified about their experiences of UFOs, otherwise known as UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena). In this week’s episode of The i Podcast we’re joined by science writer, Stuart Ritchie, and senior reporter, Richard Holmes, as we explore the line between fact and fiction in these extraordinary testimonies. Former intelligence official David Grusch told Republican Representative Nancy Mace the federal government held the "non-human" biological remains of the pilots of a crashed craft and the allegations didn't end there. Mr Grusch said he is now in fear for his life for speaking openly about the discoveries, claiming the Pentagon has a secretive multi-decade programme to collect and piece together crashed UAPs. The Pentagon, meanwhile, disputes claims of a cover-up, having released footage of US Navy pilots chasing disc-like objects whizzing through the sky for the public to see in 2020. But Congress members from both sides of the aisle are now demanding more transparency to answer a long-standing question – are UFOs real?  Listen back to the Covid Lab leak episode here: https://pod.link/1655186150/episode/da7369c27224520df0408adde7d63170 Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A general election is on the horizon in the next 17 months. Last Thursday’s triple-decker by-election results could be the final major democratic exercise in Britain before we head to the polls nationally.  You may have heard the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaders claiming by-election success, but look a little closer at the results and you’ll find things that will worry politicians of all stripes.  In this week’s episode of The i Podcast chief political correspondent Richard Vaughan and politics reporter Poppy Wood join us to pick through the by-election aftermath. While the Conservatives held the seat vacated by Boris Johnson in Uxbridge and Ruislip by just 495 votes, Labour’s campaign propelled the UK’s new youngest MP to victory in Selby and Ainsty in Yorkshire.  Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats reclaimed the seat of Somerton and Frome that they lost to the Conservatives back in 2015.  So how will these by-election results impact how each party runs their national campaign? From net zero to public sector pay disputes, i's politics team is on hand to explain how each party will address key policies to try to turn their hand to victory in the next general election. Produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe is boiling. The countries around the Mediterranean are facing soaring temperatures as an anticyclone sends temperatures through the roof.  And while the mercury is expected to dive in the coming days, the continent is waking up to a harsh new reality. Climate change is here and we are not prepared for it. In this week's episode of The i Podcast we take a look at how the climate crisis is fuelling these major weather events, like the Cerberus heatwave, and find out what can be done about it.  Joining us from the island of Sardinia is foreign reporter Claire Gilbody-Dickerson who has been talking to locals, tourists, and emergency service workers, struggling in the scorching heat.   Then environment correspondent Daniel Capurro and science correspondent Tom Bawden gives us the details on why this heatwave is just the latest in a string of unpredictable events and what we can expect in Europe and across the world. Produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end of close to 15 years of cheap credit is over and it’s having a significant impact on the British economy. As the Bank of England rachets up interest rates, many homeowners are feeling the pinch, but the impact goes beyond higher interest payments for those with mortgages. This sea change in monetary policy is calling into question one of the few certainties of life in Britain. The idea that property is a safe and secure investment is on shaky ground. To help us explore what this means for Britain’s economy, society, and political landscape, in this week’s episode of The i Podcast we are joined by our housing correspondent, Vicky Spratt, and money and business editor, Jessie Hewitson. Join us as we take a deep dive into the mortgage crisis, looking at the ramifications of the ongoing transformation of the UK economy, and find out how our guests are coping with the borrowing crunch themselves. Produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a few short years, Saudi Arabia has become one of the biggest players in world sports. Capitalising on the pandemic, it has unleashed its oil-backed financial power and made inroads in most of the world’s top sporting industries. It’s growing dominance over golf, inroads into the Premier League and eye-wateringly expensive deals for some of football’s biggest stars are just a few indicators of the kingdom's takeover. But this has been met with widespread criticism. Accusations of sport-washing and human rights abuses have followed, coming from industry insiders and fan groups alike. In this episode of The i Podcast, we are unpacking why the Middle-Eastern country is making such a bold move and the major impact it is having on teams and communities,   Joining us is northern football correspondent Mark Douglas and chief football writer Daniel Storey to shed light on the events as they have unfolded and the consequences for “the beautiful game”.  We also have professor of sport and geopolitical economy at SKEMA business school in Paris, Simon Chadwick, to provide his expert insight on the Saudi expansion and what it means in geopolitical terms. Produced by Albert Evans, the assistant producer was Sebastian Piette Pereira. Edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 24-hours Yevgeny Prigozhin’s heavily armed convoy of Wagner troops captured the world’s attention as they crossed from Ukraine into Russia, humiliating Vladimir Putin and the Russian army in the process. As the former caterer's forces stormed towards Moscow, Wagner's advance raised major questions about the Kremlin’s control within Russia’s own border. By the time the screeching halt was announced on Saturday night, the shockwaves from this event were reverberating across the world. In this episode of The i Podcast, we are taking a look behind this major development in the Russian war with Ukraine. Joining us is foreign news and feature writer Kieron Monks and special projects editor Rob Hastings to shed light on the events as they have unfolded and the implications for Ukraine.   We also have special correspondent and Russia expert Patrick Cockburn to give his insights on the conflict between Wagner and the Russian military establishment.   With our guests we will explore the origins of the dispute, the impact this may have on the war with Ukraine, and its potential for destabilising Putin’s regime. Read more about Wagner here: https://inews.co.uk/topic/wagner-group Produced by Albert Evans, assistant producer was Sebastian Piette Pereira. Edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

South Sudan has faced significant challenges since it gained independence from its northern neighbour in 2011. But the conflict between two Sudanese factions has triggered a migrant crisis that is dramatically worsening conditions – and this is largely being ignored by the rest of the world. In this special episode of The i Podcast, Molly Blackall takes us to the border between Sudan and South Sudan, where thousands of new arrivals are entering a living nightmare in the camps that have sprung up to house them. Molly meets the people who are facing bandits, snakes and disease in the camps as they look to the future – their lives unrecognisable from those they had before the conflict broke out in April this year. We will explore how the conflict took hold, the journey they took, and why aid organisations including Save the Children say a decision taken at the height of the pandemic by the UK Government is making conditions even worse.  Additional audio supplied by Reuters and PA. Written and produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A six-month i investigation has uncovered a suspected Russian intelligence asset has been living freely in the UK and even used the flagship Homes for Ukraine scheme to bring his family to Britain. i Senior Reporter Richard Holmes joins us this week on a special episode of The i Podcast to reveal how he unearthed this remarkable story and what it says about the UK's ability to counter suspected foreign threats. From covert meetings with FBI agents in Italian restaurants to high-level Ukrainian investigations, Richard has worked for half a year to bring the story to our front page this week. Find out the lengths he went to uncover exactly what happened in the heart of government when the scheme was launched, and what the subject, who i has chosen not to name, has to say about the allegations. Read Richard's investigation here: https://inews.co.uk/news/alleged-russian-intelligence-asset-living-london-homes-ukraine-scheme-2374434 Written and produced by Albert Evans, edited by Julia Webster. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For most of us, rinsing out our plastics and dropping those single-use containers into our kerbside recycling seems like a worthy, if unremarkable, pursuit. But a new study suggests even recycling plastic may be doing more harm than we realise. In this week’s episode of The i Podcast, science and environment correspondent Tom Bawden and environment correspondent Daniel Capurro join host Serina Sandhu to look at how exactly we can kick our plastic habit and clean up our recycling act.  From increasing its toxicity to releasing billions of microplastic particles in every cubic metre of wastewater, recycling may not be the silver bullet we once hoped. Now, ministers are set to increase a crackdown on "wishscycling", when well-meaning households drop items that can’t be recycled into their green bins. So how else can we prevent our plastic consumption from wreaking havoc on the environment and taking its toll on our health?  Written and produced by Phoebe Fleming, edited by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservative MPs have a problem they can’t shake. A problem called Boris Johnson. The former PM looms large over the party, rarely far from newspaper front pages. His supporters want him to return to frontline politics and renew the 80-seat majority he delivered in 2019. Others in the party treat him like a bad smell, reminding them of the worst days of the “Partygate” scandal. In this week’s episode of The i Podcast we take a look at this divisive character and what his enduring presence means for Rishi Sunak’s party as it faces one of the toughest political landscapes in its 13 years in government. Joining us to tread through the latest wave of controversy following Mr Johnson is i Policy Editor Jane Merrick before we speak to polling guru Sir John Curtice about how Mr Johnson fares with voters.  Produced by Julia Webster and Phoebe Fleming. The executive producer is Albert Evans. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It might sound like science fiction, but while unions worry about AI’s risk to jobs, some experts are concerned about a more existential threat to humanity. In this week’s episode of The i Podcast, host Molly Blackall is joined by i science writer, Stuart Ritchie, to look at why many have concerns about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. This new technology could reinvent the economy freeing workers from menial tasks and boosting productivity. Yet on the flip side, millions of jobs are at risk due to it’s widespread use. But job losses may turn out to be the least of our worries. Beyond the world of work there is an even greater threat – that to human life itself. And surprisingly, it’s not just sideline sceptics issuing these warnings – some of the loudest voices are the very scientists and developers who created the technology. Sign up to Stuart's newsletter here: https://inews.co.uk/my-account?ico=signup_header  Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the biggest issue facing Britain in a generation. The UK's broken housing market is fuelling deprivation and poverty on a vast scale - and policymakers are struggling to find a solution.  In this week's episode of The i Podcast, we are taking a deep dive into how the UK became addicted to rising house prices and the effects of this, from leaseholders to renters, and homeowners grappling with soaring interest rates. Our guide on this journey is i housing correspondent Vicky Spratt, who explores what can be done to fix Britain's housing mess.  Vicky is also taking your questions on matters including if we are on course for a house price crash, the 100 per cent rate mortgage, leasehold reform, and shared ownership. She's also answering your questions on solutions such as a land value tax and the upcoming Renters Reform Bill. Sign up to Vicky's newsletter here: https://inews.co.uk/my-account?ico=signup_header Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The results of last Thursday’s local elections, were on the face of it, terrible for the Conservatives. The party lost more than 1,000 seats, haemorrhaging support across the country to Labour and the resurgent Lib Dems. But if you look a little closer for glimmers of hope for the Government, a number of interesting factors come into view that show that the race for Downing Street is far from a done deal. In this week’s episode of The i Podcast we are taking a look at Labour’s lacklustre performance in some areas, the opening of Lib Dem front in the Conservative’s “blue wall” and why personality politics is on the wane. Joining us to pick through the details are Political Editor Hugo Gye and Political Reporter Chloe Chaplain to help shine a light on the coming election due in the next 18 months. Read more of our politics coverage here: https://inews.co.uk/category/news/politics Produced by Julia Webster. The executive producer is Albert Evans. Music featured is by Michael Kobrin and Lexin Music - licensed via Pixabay. Check out their music here: https://pixabay.com/music/modern-classical-the-introvert-michael-kobrin-10959/ https://pixabay.com/users/lexin_music-28841948/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.