The Why? Curve

Government debt around the world is at unprecedented levels - and so is the cost of borrowing, which means there's less to spend on hospitals, school and defence. So why is the debt so big, and the cost so high? And is it up to central banks to try to rebalance the system? Muhammad Ali Nasir, Professor Economics at Leeds University, tells Phil and Roger where the crisis came from, and what could help Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lake America - Donald Trump has decided to rename Lake Ontario, and the Gulf of Mexico, and even the state of New Mexico. It seems a ridiculous distraction from more pressing problems, but can the US president just change the names of places as he pleases? Who decides? And why does it matter what we call mountains, lakes and cities? Phil and Roger talk names with Rhys Jones, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Aberystwyth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Reform UK hold their party conference, their polling numbers are dropping and the party leadership is beset by financial scandals and leadership arguments. Meanwhile Restore Britain is snapping at their heels, and the Conservatives seem to be back from the dead. So what is the future of the right in the UK? And what do they have to offer, beyond being tough on migration? Roger and Phil get the picture from Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moscow is warning of consequences for the UK's support of Ukraine, but - short of all-out war - what could they be? There's already a level of hybrid war, with sabotage of major industries, destruction of warehouses and hacking of key utilities, but could that escalate? How prepared is Britain for what the Russians could do next? Phil and Roger ask Dr Christian Kaunert, director of the International Centre for Policing and Security at the University of South Wales    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is running out of cells, but there’s an outcry that convicts are being let out early. We already lock up more people for longer than most comparable European countries, so are we a more criminal society, or just a more punitive one? What could or should the government do? Are more and bigger prisons the answer? Or should we take a more lenient view of offences at a time when overall crime is decreasing? Phil and Roger ask Dr Jake Phillips, Associate Professor and Director of Criminology and Penology at the University of Cambridge Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.