Best Torsten Bell Podcasts (2025)

1
AA: Ukraine/Trump/Putin, Gender 40:36

13m ago40:36

40:36

Have your say on the issues discussed on Any Questions?By BBC Radio 4

1
AQ: Jess Brown-Fuller MP, John Glen MP, Baroness Angela Smith, Gawain Towler 51:37

9h ago51:37

51:37

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from the Strode Theatre in Street in Somerset.By BBC Radio 4

1
AA: Gender, Knife Crime 40:22

7d ago40:22

40:22

Have your say on the issues discussed on Any Questions?By BBC Radio 4

1
AQ: Sian Berry MP, Baroness Bousted, Mark Littlewood, Lord Willetts 51:48

7d ago51:48

51:48

Ben Wright presents political debate from Community Links in LondonBy BBC Radio 4

1
Nish and Coco spill the tea: your questions answered 44:44

11d ago44:44

44:44

As Parliament sits for Easter Recess, Nish and Coco dive into the PSUK mailbag to answer your burning questions. There’s the serious political questions - who are the real progressive party? How can we fight Reform? Should we all just leave the UK?? But there’s some curveballs, too - like what’s up with Bob Dylan’s instagram posting? Boxers or brie…

1
AA: STEEL, HOUSING 40:03

14d ago40:03

40:03

Have your say on the issues discussed on Any Questions?By BBC Radio 4

1
AQ: Pippa Heylings MP, Paul Johnson, Stephen Kinnock MP, David Reed MP 51:59

14d ago51:59

51:59

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Hatherleigh Community Centre in Devon.By BBC Radio 4

1
Trump’s Tariffs: are you feeling liberated? 50:50

17d ago50:50

50:50

UPDATE: 10/04/25: President Trump has planned to pause extended tariffs on most countries for 90 days, while pushing ahead on plans to implement a 104% tariff on Chinese goods. A flat 10% tariff remains in place. Trump’s tariffs continue to cause chaos in the stock markets and the threat of a recession looms. As Rachel Reeves put it in her Spring S…

1
AA: TARIFF, ADOLESCENCE 40:13

21d ago40:13

40:13

This programme deals with subject of sexual nature.By BBC Radio 4

1
AQ: Kevin Hollinrake MP, Christopher Hope, Baroness Jenny Jones, Kirsty McNeil MP 51:58

21d ago51:58

51:58

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Clara Vale Village Hall, Gateshead.By BBC Radio 4

1
Waiting For The Apocalypse: tariffs, food security and the right to protest 59:47

25d ago59:47

59:47

Warning: this episode contains descriptions of sexually explicit and sexist song lyrics. While we wait to see if Trump’s tariff juggernaut is going to squash our fragile economy, Nish and Coco count the cost of the “bill-mageddon” we already face. It’s a perfect storm of steep rises in household bills and a bonkers global trade war. While we’re sta…

1
AA: TAX, ADOLESCENCES 42:42

28d ago42:42

42:42

Have your say on the issues discussed on Any Questions?By BBC Radio 4

1
Austerity 2.0: can Reeves cut her way to growth? 53:40

1M ago53:40

53:40

First the good news: we might just manage to build a lot of new houses. And the bad news? Millions of people will be worse off and about fifty thousand children will be pushed into poverty by welfare reform. Nish and Coco unpack Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement with the help of economist James Meadway, former advisor to John McDonnell. It was pretty…

1
AQ: Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Pat Cullen MP, Sorcha Eastwood MP, Lord Weir 46:50

1M ago46:50

46:50

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Downpatrick in Northern Ireland.By BBC Radio 4

1
Welfare cuts: are Labour copying Tory homework? 48:14

1M ago48:14

48:14

After weeks of speculation, Liz Kendall has confirmed what benefits are to be axed in order to save £5 billion from the welfare bill - but at what cost for sick and disabled people? Keir Starmer says the rising benefit bill is “devastating for public finances” and has “wreaked a terrible human cost”. But many of his own Labour MPs have accused him …

1
A true story of money, Mafia & the Vatican (Shadow Kingdom Episode 1) 28:39

1M ago28:39

28:39

Today we're excited to bring you the first episode of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker. In the summer of 1982, the Vatican’s top money man was found dead. Roberto Calvi was at the center of a prolific money laundering scheme that put him in the crosshairs of the Sicilian mafia, a secret far-right chapter of the Freemasons, and the Catholic Church. Fort…

1
AQ: Dan Jarvis MP, Daniel Kebede, John Lamont MP, Anne McElvoy 46:44

1M ago46:44

46:44

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Appleby Public Hall, Cumbria.By BBC Radio 4

1
Welfare, Warehouses and Playlist Diplomacy 53:29

2M ago53:29

53:29

We’ll start with the good news - Reform UK appears to be imploding. Nigel Farage has had a wildly public fallout with (now former) Reform MP Rupert Lowe, who was stripped of his whip and investigated by the police over alleged workplace bullying and “verbal threats” against the party chairman. As Reform flounders, the Government is busy making itse…

1
AQ: Matt Goodwin, Alison McGovern MP, Sir Jeremy Wright MP, Max Wilkinson MP 46:40

2M ago46:40

46:40

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from All Stretton Village Hall, ShropshireBy BBC Radio 4

1
Keir Starmer - the unlikely leader of the free world? 1:00:39

2M ago1:00:39

1:00:39

A shouting match in the Oval Office probably should have been on everyone’s Trump 25 bingo card - but the extraordinary breakdown in relations between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy shocked the world. Keir Starmer rolled up his sleeves and spent the weekend in full-blown diplomacy mode - leading to Politico calling him the “unlikely leader of…

1
AQ: Douglas Alexander MP, Meghan Gallacher MSP, Frances Guy, Fiona Hyslop MSP 46:49

2M ago46:49

46:49

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Dunblane Cathedral.By BBC Radio 4

1
Dear Donald: Can Starmer Tame Trump? w/ Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey 52:08

2M ago52:08

52:08

War - what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. But this week we found out that defending the UK from it is going to cost us a lot of money. And the losers will be the world's poorest people - the money for Britain's boosted defence budget will come from foreign aid. Sir Ed Davey - leader of the Lib Dems - tells Coco he has an alternative: bigger ta…

1
Trump’s plan for “Peace” in Ukraine only pleases Putin + The Politics of Modern Love 53:43

2M ago53:43

53:43

As Europe looks on in disbelief, Donald Trump has been throwing his geopolitical weight around. A monumental meeting with Russia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine was held without Ukraine or Europe.Trump then branded Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and accused Ukraine of starting the conflict. Keir Starmer has said he is “ready…

1
AQ: Lord Frost, Bronwen Maddox, James Murray MP, Steve Richards 46:52

3M ago46:52

46:52

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from The Bishop's Stortford High School in Hertfordshire.By BBC Radio 4

1
Trump’s Gaza madness ft Lewis Goodall 49:28

3M ago49:28

49:28

Donald Trump has left the world reeling with a plan to turn Gaza into *checks notes* “the Riviera of the Middle East”. He vowed that the US will “take over” and “own” the Gaza strip, effectively endorsing the ethnic cleansing of 1.8 million Palestinians who would have “no alternative” but to leave. With rumours circling that his inner-circle are ca…

1
Masculinity and Misinformation: How JimmyTheGiant Escaped The Alt-Right Pipeline 50:13

3M ago50:13

50:13

Warning: this episode contains strong language and a term of racist abuse. Nish and Coco dig into some scary data about Gen Z. A poll of 13-27 year olds this week suggested nearly half of them favour authoritarian government. And nearly half of young men think women have been given too many rights. Youtuber JimmyTheGiant joins the pod to tell us ab…

1
Trump 2.0: Fear and Loathing in DC 52:51

3M ago52:51

52:51

A trigger warning for progressives: this episode contains explicit Trump content. Nish and Coco’s nightmare begins with inauguration Trump meme coins, grinning tech bros and disputed Nazi salutes. Then comes the blizzard of executive orders targeting migrants and freeing rioters. But this is not just a bad dream for our liberal hosts. This is the r…

1
Facts versus F-wits: how to fight the Alt Reich 56:09

3M ago56:09

56:09

Artificial intelligence will be “mainlined into the veins” of the nation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared, with a multibillion-pound investment and huge public rollout. Amid bond market chaos and a falling pound, the Government is pinning its hopes for growth on the AI revolution - what could possibly go wrong? To unpick the technogobledig…

1
AQ: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Lord Finkelstein, Meg Hillier MP, Greg Swenson 47:12

4M ago47:12

47:12

Alex Forsyth presents political debates from Trinity College OxfordBy BBC Radio 4

1
Billionaire BS: How can Britain Stop Musk’s Disinformation? 51:10

4M ago51:10

51:10

Happy New Year - is 2025 going to be the year of disinformation? Elon Musk started in attack mode with a flood of vitriolic and false tweets about UK grooming gangs. In Musk’s crosshairs: Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. He accused them both of cover ups. Can Nish and Coco survive a year of Musk madness - the man who already ma…

1
AQ: Timandra Harkness, Richard Holden MP, Calum Miller MP, Emily Thornberry MP 47:04

4M ago47:04

47:04

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from the BBC Radio Theatre in London.By BBC Radio 4

1
Just Stop Politics - 2024 Wrapped! w/ Desiree Burch and Liz Bates 55:41

4M ago55:41

55:41

What a year! While Rishi Sunak held true to his January commitment to hold the election in the second half of the year - the spectacle that followed couldn't have been predicted as 2024 dawned. Nish and Coco are joined by Sky News’ political correspondent Liz Bates and comedian Desiree Burch to chew over the gristle of the year that was. From racis…

1
FIFA World Cup: Trade Deals 1, Human Rights Nil 54:49

5M ago54:49

54:49

In the same week FIFA decided an appalling human rights record is no obstacle to Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 World Cup, Keir Starmer was schmoozing the kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. What lengths will our former human rights lawyer PM go to in his pursuit of growth? Joey Shea from Human Rights Watch takes us through what went down du…

1
AQ: Seamus Logan MP, Douglas Lumsden MSP, Michael Marra MSP and Laura Webster 46:50

5M ago46:50

46:50

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Daviot Village Hall in AberdeenshireBy BBC Radio 4

1
Toxic men and toxic politics: the problem with Gregg Wallace and Nigel Farage 57:24

5M ago57:24

57:24

As Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace faces a stream of allegations about inappropriate behaviour at work, Nish and Coco take on the entertainment industry’s toxic culture. Nish gives an insider’s view of why change is long overdue in an industry that enables massive egos, bad behaviour, even abuse. And Coco argues that to take women’s safety seriously we …

1
AQ: Andy Burnham, Nigel Evans, Rt Revd Rose Hudon-Wilkin, Baroness Wheatcroft 46:52

5M ago46:52

46:52

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from St Clement's Church in Chorlton, Manchester.By BBC Radio 4

1
Who gets to decide how we die? w/ Rosena Allin-Khan MP 53:39

5M ago53:39

53:39

This Friday, MPs are challenged with an enormous question of conscience - should we allow people with six months left to live the right to die at a time of their choosing? Joining Nish and Coco is Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting and A&E Doctor, to help us understand the strong feelings on both sides of the debate, the difficult decision th…

1
How to avoid World War 3 + why won’t Elon Musk Leave the UK alone? W/ Jamie Bartlett & Stephen Bush 1:00:18

5M ago1:00:18

1:00:18

Russia’s war with Ukraine is escalating dramatically - as we record reports have begun to emerge about Ukraine firing British long-range “Storm Shadow” missiles into Russia. Nish and Coco are joined on the couch by Stephen Bush, associate editor at the Financial Times, to discuss the chance of...World War Three? Meanwhile - closer to home - we find…

1
Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Sarah Champion MP, Lord Elliott, Catherine Pepinster 46:52

5M ago46:52

46:52

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from St John's Church in Ranmoor, Sheffield.By BBC Radio 4

1
How is Trump already infecting UK politics? w/ Beth Rigby + the university crisis 55:25

5M ago55:25

55:25

President-elect Donald Trump has a strong stance on many issues, from isolationism to border control, not to mention he’s an open climate change denier. Is his political platform already shaping UK party politics? Nish and Coco chat to Sky News Political Editor and host of Electoral Dysfunction Beth Rigby about what his looming second-term means fo…

1
Trump wins: where the hell do we go from here? w/ Katy Balls + Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP 56:44

6M ago56:44

56:44

It’s a dark, dark day for the world. Donald Trump - a convicted criminal no less - has been elected 47th US president in a shocking political resurrection. Nish and Coco are joined by the Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls to discuss just how ready the UK Government is for Trump’s comeback and Kemi Badenoch’s leadership win. Later, Bell Ribeir…

1
AQ: Daisy Cooper MP, John Glen MP, Paul Johnson, James Murray MP 46:28

6M ago46:28

46:28

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from Flackwell Heath in Buckinghamshire.By BBC Radio 4

1
Halloween budget: trick or treat? w/ Torsten Bell MP, Grace Blakeley & Katie Schmuecker 52:02

6M ago52:02

52:02

Double, Double, toil and trouble…the Government’s first budget has been unveiled on the eve of Halloween, and Nish and Coco are peering into chancellor Rachel Reeve’s cauldron. It’s a spooky episode, so buckle up, we find out if the Halloween budget is the horror show it’s been predicted to be. A seance with economic and political journalist Grace …

1
How f***ed are we if Trump wins? + Is Jeremy Corbyn MP forming a new party? 50:49

6M ago50:49

50:49

The Government’s rallying cry to the nation to help fix the NHS via a public consultation has not disappointed. In what is fast becoming the National Health Service’s very own Boaty McBoatface moment, Nish and Coco dissect the wild and weird policy suggestions flooding the website. Then Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour Party leader and Independent MP f…

1
AQ: Hilary Benn MP, David Brooks MLA, Chris Donnelly, Tina McKenzie 47:00

6M ago47:00

47:00

Alex Forsyth presents political discussion from the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast.By BBC Radio 4

1
How ruthless is Keir Starmer willing to be? w/ Anushka Asthana and Josh Babarinde MP 57:44

6M ago57:44

57:44

With just two weeks to go until the Autumn budget, the Labour government is preparing to make some huge reforms. But just how ruthless is Keir Starmer willing to be in reshaping the UK? Coco and Nish dig into it with Anushka Asthana, ITV’s political editor and author of “Taken as Red: How Labour won big and the Tories crashed the party”. Later, in …

1
The Tories lose their minds (again) - can Starmer hold against the far right? 1:02:34

7M ago1:02:34

1:02:34

The Tory party have once again chosen violence against themselves, as Keir Starmer’s Labour party are languishing in the polls after 90-something days of a lack of action. Nish and Coco burst the bubble on the news that Starmer’s Chief of Staff has been replaced by his election guru, joined by political journalist Ian Dunt to find out just how big …

1
Is Britain’s benefits system broken? w/ Caroline Selman and John Pring 54:15

7M ago54:15

54:15

The new Labour government has promised bold action to fix Britain’s benefit system. Last week, Keir Starmer announced a crackdown on benefit fraud and said people on long-term sickness benefits should look for work. But is this the answer? To chew over the Government’s plans, Coco and Nish are joined by Caroline Selman, senior research fellow at th…

1
Can Starmer’s upbeat note drown out the donation scandal? w/ Zoë Grünewald and Simon Kuper 59:03

7M ago59:03

59:03

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal ➼ go to https://incogni.com/podsavetheuk to get 60% off your annual plan! Keir Starmer gave his first Labour Conference speech as Prime Minister this week - but his message of “national renewal” was slightly spoiled by a backdrop of poor polling, infighting and their never ending “garm drama”. Journalist Zoë Grünewald joins N…