People Talk... Politics

In this episode, Policy Fellow Pia Comer and Rev Dr Philip McCormack discuss the philosophical foundations of Western values and the challenge of defending them in modern institutions. Philip explores the natural rights tradition, the Judeo-Christian roots of Western political thought, and whether principles such as life, liberty and human dignity can be sustained and defended within institutions such as the British Army and the wider international order.

In this episode, Policy Fellow Sam Field and former U.S. Congressman Chris Carney discuss the geopolitical, economic and national security implications of artificial intelligence. Chris explores competition between the United States and China, the risks AI poses to critical infrastructure and democratic societies, and why governments must work together to establish effective international safeguards before a major crisis occurs. Chris Carney is a former U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He has been an associate professor of political science at Penn State Worthington Scranton since 1992, and is a commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve. 

In this episode, Policy Fellow Yossi Hurst and UNWatch Executive Director Hillel Neuer discuss past and present institutional bias at the United Nations. Hillel discusses how the UN is often used by authoritarian regimes to bolster their legitimacy as well as the structural biases in how the UN engages with Israel. 

The Rt Hon. Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE served as the First Minister of Northern Ireland (2016-17 and 2020-2021) whilst Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. She now sits in the House of Lords, is the chair of Intertrade UK, has her own show on GBNews, and is a Trustee of Together UK.   In this episode, Megan Dunlop, a Pinsker Centre Policy Fellow, sits down with Arlene Foster to discuss violence against women and girls, the worrying normalisation of pro-IRA and antisemitic views, and Unionism in Northern Ireland.    This was recorded on May 27th, 2026.

This conversation, originally recorded in the Summer of 2025, sees Matthew D'Ancona, author of Post-Truth: The New War on Truth and How to Fight Back (2017), sit down with Sophie Seitler, a Policy Fellow at the Pinsker Centre. The pair discuss what 'Post-Truth' means in the context of our politics and global affairs, and the how the global balance is changing.  Matthew D'Ancona previously served as Education Correspondent and Assistant Editor for The Times, Deputy Editor of The Sunday Telegraph, and Editor of The Spectator.

In this episode, Stephen Evans, former British Ambassador to Afghanistan, High Commissioner to Bangladesh and NATO assistant secretary general, sits down with Ava Grainger Williams, policy fellow at the Pinsker Centre.The pair discuss the realities and intricacies of diplomacy in the 21st Century, offering an insight into the goals and responsibilities of the international community in Afghanistan and the inner workings of NATO, whilst also reflecting on the lessons that can be learned from the Cold War and other conflicts.

Over the past two years, the Middle East has experienced seismic geopolitical shifts. Most recently, tensions between Israel and Iran escalated to new levels, with the U.S. also intervening to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.In this episode, we speak with Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), to unpack the latest developments in the region and explore how they may be reshaping Iran’s position in the Middle East.

In this episode, Policy Fellow James Abrahams and Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib discuss a vision for a better future.  Ahmed grew up in the Middle East, spending time in Gaza during his childhood. He is now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, where he heads Realign for Palestine. In this podcast, he gives his thoughts on the Israel-Palestine discourse, assesses various barriers to peace, and explains his hopes for what Palestinian statehood might look like. 

In this special edition of the podcast, we sit down with Colonel Richard Kemp, discussing Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and leadership, the ensuing conflict, and the the impact beyond the Middle East.  Richard Kemp spent close to 3 decades in the British military, which included serving as commander of British Armed Forces in Afghanistan. Richard is a best selling author, and regularly appears in British media discussing military affairs and national security.

In this episode, Noah Arazi, Pinsker Centre Policy Fellow, sits down with Nile Gardiner, Director of The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, to discuss Britain's recent trade deal with the US, the condition of the Special Relationship, and the future of wider transatlantic cooperation.