Peter Mandelson on Elon Musk, free speech, and his next big job

Later in the show we’ll be speaking to Department for Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall straight from the Commons, after she delivers her plans to cut the welfare bill. But we start with the economic story you might be missing, and one that could dwarf everything else. It begins in France where Marine Le Pen is currently threatening to bring down the Michel Barnier government by voting against his budget with the help of the far left parties. She says the budget is out of touch with the needs of ordinary working people and their electricity bills, but her moves and the ripples of uncertainty they create could trigger a Eurozone crisis of the likes seen last when Greece collapsed after the banking crisis. Is that where we are heading? And, lots of people from all over the world have signed a lovely petition calling for a UK general election. What’s the...erm...point?Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The newly released Jaguar advert displays an array of brightly coloured models cat-walking around a large rock with no car. It has sent Jaguar traditionalists into a tailspin. The company's CEO is unrepentant, and moreover says he's quite enjoying the attention/backlash. Today, we speak to the masters of the advertising world, Saatchi & Saatchi. So, is the advert any good? Is the backlash about something more profound than cars? Is 'woke capitalism' on the way out? Later, Romania's first round Presidential elections produced a shock winner overnight - the ultranationalist right winger Calin Georgescu came from nowhere. He's Putin friendly, NATO sceptic, pro-tarif, and anti immigrant. In the first European elections since Donald Trump's victory, what might this mean for the direction of the EU, Ukraine and the upcoming German elections?Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The week on The Sports Agents... Gabby travels to Newcastle United to speak to players Dan Burn and Amber-Keegan Stobbs, and club icon Shola Ameobi about using the power of the Premier League to help the local community (02:40). Burn chats about his work with the Foundation, the pressure of 'local hero' status and Eddie Howe's England snub.Plus... this stadium ain't big enough for the both of us: we look at lots of sports to see if women's football will actually get more fans by sharing the men's stadiums. Is it even feasible long-term? And if not, what's the new plan? That's with ex-England footballer Anita Asante and Host of Counter Pressed podcast, Flo Lloyd-Hughes (13:50). And Mo Farah chases down a thief - you can guess who won! (23:16) Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at [email protected] episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Next week, MPs will get their first opportunity in almost a decade to vote on extending the choices available to terminally ill people at the end of their lives. A contentious subject, The Assisted Dying bill is being championed by MP Kim Leadbeater, sister of the murdered MP Jo Cox. Lewis joined Kim in her parliamentary office to talk about the bill, her optimism for the future, and the legacy of her sister.Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Israel’s Prime Minister, a former defence minister, and separately for the Hamas commander - saying it has dismissed Israel’s appeal. What will be the repercussions of this around the world? Will the court's findings be rejected by the US? And how will the UK government respond if Benjamin Netanyahu sets foot in Britain? Later, John 'Prezza' Prescott has died. Deputy Labour leader and master of the (centre) left hook after famously punching a protester. Plain speaking, funny, at times cantankerous. Was he a politician ahead of his time? Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Whatever happens on the streets of Britain, there's always an Elon Musk tweet. Often misinformed. Now parliament wants to take Musk on - or "invite him to explain" what's going on. The protests in the summer following the Southport stabbings were a critical example of how fast and how dangerously lies can spread online. Today, in her first broadcast interview, we hear from the chair of the Science and Technology Committee, Chi Onwurah, on her proposals to stop the spread of disinformation on the various media platforms. And we ask if it's still true that 'no one is above the law'? Later, we ask what's happening in Ukraine, where British storm shadow missiles have been fired into Russia for the first time. Can this change the ground game for Volodymyr Zelensky? And is Putin serious about changing his rules of nuclear engagement? We hear from former defence minister James Heappey.Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Later in this episode we talk to Patrick Radden Keefe, author of global bestseller 'Empire of Pain'. His new Disney+ drama 'Say Nothing' tells the story of murder and memory during The Troubles in 1970's Northern Ireland, and solves one of that time's most egregious crimes. But we start on the streets of Whitehall with the farmers storming Westminster, and their rallying cry - "Starmer Farmer Harmer". How has the new government got on their wrong side so quickly? How damaging will the policies in the budget REALLY be for farmers? And will the Chancellor back down?Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

On Remembrance Sunday the Telegraph columnist, Allison Pearson, had a visit from Essex police. Her report sparked a media frenzy, talk of a witch hunt, and an interjection from Elon Musk. What really went on? Why is everyone talking about free speech? And how might this play into the whole MAGA playbook? We take a proper look. Later, this should be the lame duck period of the US administration. So why has Joe Biden now handed Volodymyr Zelenskyy the long range missiles he’s desperate for? We talk to Mark Urban on Ukraine, and Britain's response.Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This week on The Sports Agents, Donald Trump will be the President when the U.S. host the World Cup and the Olympics - what will that mean for global sport? We speak to The Telegraph’s Sport Investigations Reporter, Ben Rumsby, and Amnesty International’s Head of Sport and Labour Rights, Steve Cockburn. With Mike Tyson back in the ring 19 years later facing YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul - are influencers killing boxing or throwing it a lifeline? We debate it out with Kalle Sauerland, Co-President of Misfits Boxing and Head of Boxing at Wasserman and The Guardian’s Chief Sports Reporter, Sean Ingle. As cycling great Mark Cavendish retires, we find out about the man behind the lycra with his friend and ex-Team GB team mate Adam Blythe. And how does Gabby think influencers should be punished when they take things a bit too far...?Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at [email protected] episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. 04:51 - Will Trump change global sport 11:25 - Are influencers killing or saving boxing? 16:01 - Mark Cavendish the mini Usain Bolt 21:34 - When influencers go too far...

An ever present figure in British politics since the 1980s, Lord Peter Mandelson isn't done yet. He's hoping to become the next chancellor of Oxford University, but his name's also been brought up in the conversation about who should become Britain's ambassador to the US under Donald Trump. Lewis spent the morning with him in Oxford, for a conversation about higher education, culture wars, how Labour should engage with the new American administration - and why Elon Musk is too big for Keir Starmer to ignore.Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob PaulYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in Florida here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below: https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents The News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents-usaYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/