Headspace

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor at Harvard University, Caroline Elkins joins Richard Hermer, Murray Hunt and Helen Mountfield to discuss her new book Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does Sheffield have a productivity problem? Or is it a city on the verge of "levelling up"? Contributing editor Tom Clark and Sheffield born podcasting maestro Dino Sofos join Alan Rusbridger to discuss Sheffields post-industrial revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it too difficult to dismiss officers who commit misconduct from the police? Are there a few rotten apples or a culture of sexism? Helen King, former assistant commissioner for the Metropolitan Police and principal of St Anne's College Oxford, and Emily Lawford, assistant editor at Prospect join Sarah Collins on the podcast to discuss Baroness Casey's recent review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Resigning as prime minister this afternoon, Liz Truss has been outlived by the Daily Star's lettuce. Peter Kellner and Naomi Smith return to the podcast to discuss how Truss was toppled and which of the leadership hopefuls might follow her. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After another chaotic week in Westminster—in which Penny Mordaunt had to reassure the House of Commons that prime minister Truss was not "hiding under a desk"—chief executive of Best for Britain Naomi Smith and seasoned political journalist Peter Kellner join Alan Rusbridger to discuss whether Truss can cling on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite being overall a wealthy country, the UK has the second highest income inequality in the G7—a point best exemplified by the huge disparity in wealth between the top executives and the lowest paid in some of the country’s biggest countries. In this week’s podcast, deputy editor Ellen Halliday is joined by Luke Hildyard, director of the High Pay Centre, and Sandy Pepper, emeritus professor of the London School of Economics, to discuss how CEO pay packets got so out of control—and whether or not there’s a way to fix it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Observer writer Sonia Sodha and political columnist at The Times, Rachel Sylvester join Alan Rusbridger on the podcast to discuss an eventful week at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The announcement of the chancellor's mini-budget—including tax breaks for the highest earners and cuts to stamp duty—threatens to ignite an already raging public anger, argue journalist John Lloyd, political economist Will Hutton, and Taj Ali, member of the Enough is Enough Campaign. They join Prospect deputy editor Ellen Halliday on the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David McAllister hosts a quick-fire roundup of some of the most interesting books of the month with the writers who reviewed them in Prospect. Sarah Collins discusses Elizabeth's Strout's pandemic novel, Lucy by the Sea while Lucy Thynne tells us about Shehan Karunatilaka’s latest book, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. Peter Forbes reviews Prospect science writer Philip Ball's The Book of Minds, while David reviews Murray Pittock's new history Scotland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the emotional consequences of precarious housing? How do we reframe the housing crisis from a "knotty policy problem" to a "fundamental issue of justice"? Planning barrister and author of a new book A Home Of One's Own, Hashi Mohamed joins Sarah Collins on the podcast, along with Ben Reeve-Lewis, co-founder of housing charity Safer Renting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political journalists Ailbhe Rea, Peter Kellner and Lara Spirit join Alan Rusbridger to discuss about our new prime minister, Liz Truss—and what we can expect from her early days in government. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

In light of the horrific attack on Salman Rushdie on the 12th August, Sameer Rahim joins the podcast to discuss The Satanic Verses and the debates contained within book. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week inflation hit double figures for the first time in 40 years, while real wages saw their largest drop since records began. So, what does this bleak picture mean for people on the lowest-incomes? Helen Barnard, Associate Director at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Stu Hennigan, author of the book Ghost Signs, Poverty and the Pandemic join Ellen Halliday to talk about the millions of Britons facing deep poverty. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we talk about sentience and artificial intelligence? And why do we constantly compare the robots we build to human beings? Science writer Philip Ball and philosopher Julian Baggini join Sameer Rahim to discuss the new frontiers in artificial intelligence—including a project from DeepMind predicting the shape of every protein known to science—and what they mean for us. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Summer is a sentimental education. A portal to feelings that, once experienced, are impossible to subdue," writes Sukhdev Sandhu in his recent piece for Prospect. On the podcast, Sameer Rahim and Emily Lawford join Sarah Collins to discuss the highbrow and lowbrow cultural highlights of the season, from Wagner's The Ring Cycle to Call Me by Your Name, from Romeo and Juliet to Love Island. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What progressive policies could Keir Starmer adopt that would actually win him an election? For the latest issue of Prospect, contributing editor Tom Clark went on the hunt for twelve tried-and-tested ideas from around the world that could help the Labour Party win. He joins deputy editor Ellen Halliday and Labour peer and former No.10 advisor Stewart Wood to discuss whether these ideas—which include a wealth tax, an independent regulator for public probity and an earlier retirement age for manual worker—would be workable in Britain. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From politicians to scientists, from rappers to tech entrepreneurs, the Prospect team has selected its 50 Top Thinkers for a turbulent world. Alex Dean and Sarah Collins join deputy editor Ellen Halliday to discuss the thinkers and their ideas, the nomination process and the purpose of the exercise in 2022. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leading human rights barrister Adam Wagner joins Richard Hermer, Murray Hunt and Helen Mountfield to dissect the rule of law under Boris Johnson. How has the law fared, what have been the points of concern and what should the new leader do to restore any damage done? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Former Conservative attorney general Dominic Grieve and political writer Sam Freedman join the podcast to discuss the hopefuls vying for the position of conservative leader—and the implications of the contest for the party and the country. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What does an eventful week in Westminster mean for our democracy? And will Johnson survive until September? Political journalist and pollster Peter Kellner joins Dr Alice Lily, senior researcher at the Institute for Government to discuss the end of Johnson's premiership, the Tory leadership contest and what the government will do next. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.