Q&A: The case for Keir, 2026 elections, and is Britain ungovernable?

It's the final Q&A edition of 2025 and Jon and Lewis answer your questions - including the elections to look out for next year, whether algorithms are making the UK impossible to lead, plus - is there actually a decent case to be made in the defence of Keir Starmer? The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix was supposed to be a tribute to the work and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the influential conservative influencer who was assassinated in September. But it turned into something very different.Over the course of the weekend, it emerged that a struggle for very the heart and soul of the MAGA movement was playing out. Ben Shapiro took to the stage to warn of the "danger from charlatans who "traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty", slamming Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, and Tucker Carlson. Carlson hit back, claiming it was "hilarious" that there were attempts to deplatform speakers at an event in Kirk's name. Others followed suit. Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump's one-time presidential rival, felt obliged to remind the audience that fans of Hitler or Stalin should not have a place in their movement.Enter JD Vance. Proudly declaring that "You don't have to apologise for being white anymore" in the USA, the vice president derided "endless, self-defeating purity tests" and suggesting the movement was, in fact, open to all. And he was given a boost by Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, who endorsed him for the 2028 race.So can JD Vance hold this movement together? Why won't he move to condemn the racism and conspiracy within his party? And what does it mean for MAGA ahead of a big election year?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

As parliament wound down to a close, Jess Phillips ended 2025 with one of the government's boldest announcements to date. In the Commons, she declared a "national emergency: over the prevalence of violence against women and girls, and unveiled the government's strategy to halve it. It bookended a dramatic year for the Home Office minister, who in January found herself in the crosshairs of Elon Musk, labelling her a "rape genocide apologist" and called for her imprisonment. She's also faced calls to resign over the government's handling of the grooming gangs inquiry. And after she spoke in parliament, Kemi Badenoch denounced her plans - saying that teaching boys about misogyny should not be a priority because migrant men pose a more serious threat to women in the UK. She came into the News Agents studio to discuss all of that with Lewis.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, is taking on YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul. Like it or not they’re two of the biggest names in boxing - and we’ll get into why that’s problematic...So why is the star of the London 2012 Olympics, who beat Wladimir Klitschko, fighting an influencer? Do fight fans believe it's not been scripted and what's actually more at risk - Paul's chin or AJ's reputation?Gabby & Mark sit down with Light-Heavyweight prospect and Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker - a showman in and out of the ring at a time when the sport is crying out for its next homegrown superstar.Plus we pick the best bits of The Sports Agents this week, from reminiscing about an extraordinary year in sport with Clare Balding ahead of SPOTY, to despairing at the Ashes with former England cricketer Darren Gough.📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagentsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

This week, the head of the British army warned the public that "more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means", given the increasing threats to the UK. European leaders are meeting today to discuss billions of dollars of seized Russian assets that are sitting in a vault in Brussels. Ukraine is desperate to use the money to help it fight two more years of war. Europe is on the brink of saying yes - but America is trying to stop them. Why? And will a war on our doorstep become more likely if we say no? Later - what is the link between Andrew Tate and Barron Trump? We speak to Megan Twohey, New York Times investigative reporter. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Vanity Fair may be contenders for this years 'scoop of the year' after securing a series of interviews with Trump's closest White House ally, Susie Wiles. The candid interviews provide a rare window into the West Wing and Trump's inner circle. She went much further than perhaps the President might have expected - describing the teetotal President as having “an alcoholic’s personality", the Vice President as a "conspiracy theorist", admitting the tariffs had been "painful", and suggesting the administration's approach to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal had been lacking. Why has she been airing this dirty laundry in public? Why does Trump appear to be standing by her? And are we seeing ever mounting fractures in MAGA-land? Later, has Kemi Badenoch managed to turn the page on a dismal few years for the Tory party? And Starmer's Christmas mircale in the House of Commons.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Overnight came Trump's ten billion dollar lawsuit against the BBC. It claims malicious intent in the edit of his speech in the Panorama documentary. And it claims the programme would have been viewed in Florida ahead of the 2024 election. Is there a legal case here? Is there the political will to stand up to Trump? And where does the British public stand when it comes to backing the BBC?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

As the sun was setting on the first night of Hanukah, a father and his son opened fire on Jewish people celebrating on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. 16 people were left dead - forty remain in hospital, including the hero who tried to disarm one of the IS-linked terrorists. Jews around the world have been sounding the alarm on the rise of anti-semitism. They believe their fear has gone unheeded. Will this tragedy change anything? And how should governments police free speech that intimidates entire communities?The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Although some Labour MPs are still fawning over Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York, they may be better off looking to a very different sort of American politician if they want lessons they can draw on in the attempt to recover the party's fortunes. Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator for the Times, is one of the UK's best connected and closest observers of Keir Starmer's government. And he's written this week about how Huey Long, the wildly controversial 1930s Louisiana populist, provides something of a model that Starmer could seek to emulate. He came into the News Agents studio to speak to Lewis about why...The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Pippa York, then known as Robert Millar, was crowned the Tour de France King of the Mountains, winning three stages in the 1980s. But ever since she was five she wanted to be a girl. Years after quitting cycling, aged 41, she started a 10-year transition process to become Pippa York, who joins Gabby and Mark. What was it like racing the Tour de France with gender dysmorphia? And what does she make of the debate around trans-inclusion in sport now?Plus we look back at the best bits from The Sports Agents this week from Mo Salah's shock outburst at Liverpool, to Mike Tindall's plans to create more household names in rugby like Joe Marler and Ilona Maher. "The Escape" by Pippa York and David Walsh is available now. If you have been affected by any of the themes in this podcast help is available. You can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or email [email protected]📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6 🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod 📱Follow us on socials:TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/ X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod📥 Email: [email protected] Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents