Podcasts by HOW DID WE GET HERE? Explaining The News

AI: What is artificial intelligence and should we be worried about it? from 2023-03-16T15:17

OpenAI has released GPT-4, the latest version of its hugely popular artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT that it claims is its "most advanced system yet". The new model can answer all sorts o...

The Windsor Framework explained: What does the post-Brexit deal mean for Northern Ireland? from 2023-03-02T18:45

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak seems to have done what his three predecessors could not - pull off an ambitious deal with the EU to refine post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland.

So...

Have badly behaved MPs become the norm in Westminster? from 2023-02-09T16:45

Even by the standards of British Parliament, which is used to its fair share of scandal, the recent few months have been a grim time - whether it's tax rows, allegations of bullying or just MPs ...

NHS crisis: how can we fix Britain's health service? from 2023-01-26T15:00

By now, you'll be familiar with headlines warning that Britain's National Health Service, the NHS, is at "breaking point" - still feeling the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, together ...

Conservative leadership race: who will replace Boris Johnson? from 2022-07-14T16:09:57

The race to become the next UK Prime Minister goes through the leadership of the Conservative party. But what do the Tories want their party to be?

As Conservative MPs and members prepare...

Northern Ireland Protocol: What is it and why does it matter for post-Brexit Britain? from 2022-06-09T17:24:59

Is the UK heading for the biggest bust-up with the EU since Brexit? As Boris Johnson finalises his plan for Britain to tear up parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Andy Bell talks to Queen's Uni...

“All politics is cyclical”: A deep dive into political leadership in Britain and the US from 2022-05-12T15:30

When it comes to political leadership, what qualities are needed to be successful? And how do the current UK Prime Minister and US President compare to those that came before them? Andy Bell talks ...

Has the Queen's Platinum Jubilee been tarnished by her own Royal Family? from 2022-04-07T18:14:31

From Prince Andrew's scandalous court case to the continued rift with Prince Harry, and now a less than triumphant Caribbean tour by William and Kate… It’s not been a great start to the Queen's Pla...

Inside the mind of Putin: What’s behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from 2022-03-17T19:25:06

What did Putin think he would achieve with his invasion of Ukraine? And as Russian troops’ deaths climb, could he decide to cut his losses and get out? Sir Tony Brenton, a former ambassador to Mos...

“No one thought war would come to Kyiv so soon”: Tessa Chapman on reporting from Ukraine’s frontline from 2022-03-03T18:48:07

When 5 News Chief Correspondent Tessa Chapman arrived in Kyiv on the eve of the Russian invasion, the possibility of an immediate full-scale assault on the Ukrainian capital seemed distant. “Peopl...

Is Russia going to invade Ukraine and what does Putin want from Nato? from 2022-02-17T15:20:59

As NATO warns Russia is trying to stage a pretext for invading Ukraine, how big is the risk of a war? Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative MP and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, gives Andy Bell a...

“I never had an illness like it”: the 1.3 million people living with long Covid from 2022-02-11T11:03:52

As the Prime Minister says he wants all Covid restrictions in England to go by the end of the month, what about those who can't put the pandemic behind them? Almost 1.3 million people are estimate...

UK immigration explained: what’s changed since Brexit and the pandemic? from 2022-01-13T21:14:53

From the EU referendum to record numbers of people risking their lives to cross the Channel in small boats, migration is a story that never goes away. But how many people are coming to Britain the...

Loss of trust, fishing rows and Brexit: Lord Ricketts on Britain’s “broken” relationship with France from 2021-12-02T18:46:07

The migrant tragedy in the Channel has become yet another element in the worsening relationship between Britain and France. But why do two countries with so many shared interests just can’t seem to...

Can Boris Johnson “level up” Britain? Lord Heseltine says he’s not convinced from 2021-11-18T16:30:01

Boris Johnson wants his time as Prime Minister to be defined by “levelling up” - making the poorest parts of the country as prosperous as the richest. But does he have a plan? And does he have an ...

What is COP26 and why does it matter? A guide to Glasgow’s climate talks from 2021-10-28T18:15:41

As world leaders descend on Glasgow on Sunday for COP26, what do you need to know to make sense of the blizzard of information coming your way? Climate scientist Dr Tamsin Edwards gives Andy Bell ...

Autumn Budget 2021: What to expect, according to IFS Director Paul Johnson from 2021-10-14T18:14:40

The Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies has all you need to know to be ready for Rishi Sunak's Budget and Spending Review at the end of the month. Will taxes go up again? Is there any mon...

What’s next for the Tories? Former minister David Gauke discusses the Conservative Party’s future from 2021-09-30T15:29:49

As the Conservatives gather for their annual conference, what does the Party stand for anymore? We "uncork the Gauke" to hear from the man who was a Treasury minister for six years. Little more th...

Bitcoin explained: what are cryptocurrencies and how do they work? from 2021-09-16T17:14:45

You’ve probably heard of bitcoin - but do you know what that is, and how it works? Cryptocurrencies have emerged as one of the most captivating, yet head-scratching forms of investment in the word...

Talking Covid-19 with Dr Nathalie MacDermott: What has changed and what can we expect next? from 2021-07-29T15:27:46

No one could have foreseen the journey ahead of us. The effects of Covid-19 have touched every aspect of our way of life. But are we capable of living with the consequences and can government adapt...

Russia and Britain: Are we already in conflict? from 2021-06-30T18:27:49

Vladimir Putin has accused the UK and US of “provocation” following the incident involving HMS Defender. Last week, The Royal Navy warship was shadowed by Russian vessels and buzzed by jets as it ...

G7 Summit: What actually happens behind the scenes? from 2021-06-01T16:04:03

The G7, also known as the Group of Seven, is an international organisation made up of the world's seven largest advanced economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the...

Is the Labour Party dying? Jon Cruddas MP discusses Sir Keir Starmer's future after Hartlepool loss from 2021-05-12T15:10:58

Jon Cruddas has thought and worried about Labour losing touch with its traditional voters probably more than any other MP. He first had to confront the threat of the BNP taking those voters more ...

Money, Power and Scandal in Public Life: Is there corruption in the UK Government? A 5 News Podcast from 2021-04-29T17:30:53

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure over the funding of the refurbishment to his Downing Street flat, just weeks after former Prime Minister David Cameron was questioned over a...

Will Scotland's election threaten the existence of the UK? | 5 News from 2021-04-22T18:03:50

As Scotland gears up to vote for a new parliament, is it also heading for another independence referendum? Just seven years after the "once in a generation" event, will the existence of the UK be...

Race and Ethnic Disparities: Black GP says review is "shocking and disappointing" on health outcomes from 2021-03-31T15:52:12

A landmark race report has said it “rejects the common view” that ethnic minorities in the UK have worse health outcomes than the white population. The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities r...

What is the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and how will it change UK policing? | 5 News from 2021-03-24T17:58:58

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a series of Government proposals for major changes to crime and justice legislation that will effect the way police can act in England and Wales. On...

Policing in a pandemic: Officers fear they’re seen as the villains in an “impossible situation” from 2021-03-24T16:58:58

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a series of Government proposals for major changes to crime and justice legislation that will effect the way police can act in England and Wales. On...

Britain's Drug Epidemic: How high-quality drugs targetted vulnerable groups after years of austerity from 2021-03-17T12:13:14

Two years ago the Government commissioned an independent review by Professor Dame Carol Black looking into Britain's drug epidemic. They wanted to know how big the issue was, why it was happening a...

Post-Brexit: Has the exit deal from the EU left the UK worse off? |5 News Podcast with Raoul Ruparel from 2021-03-11T21:33:15

Since leaving the European Union, many industries in the United Kingdom have experienced challenges in the way they operate whether through supply and demand or through importing or exporting. Go...

Rishi Sunak's post-Covid budget: Former Government economist reveals the hidden winners (and losers) from 2021-03-04T16:25:13

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced his post-Covid Spring budget and in general, has received a good reaction from Westminster and the public - but who misses out in the Chancellor's spending? And...

Could a British astronaut land on the moon or Mars? UK Space Agency director reveals future plans from 2021-02-25T19:23:06

The American space agency (NASA) has successfully landed its Perseverance rover on Mars and started to receive images back from the red planet. It's the second robot NASA has managed to land on Ma...

Can British farmers prosper post-Brexit or will new regulations drive up the price of food? | 5 News from 2021-02-11T15:44:10

Brexit, Covid and the prolonged wait for a trade deal with the EU - British farmers are teetering on the edge of a new world for agriculture, with a changing landscape and a drive for sustainabilit...

Why is Britain so far ahead with vaccinations and is mixing vaccines safe? | A 5 News Podcast from 2021-02-04T16:36:41

As a number of vaccines are rolled out across the United Kingdom at rapid pace, many are lining up to receive their first dose. Financial forecasters predict the UK economy will "rebound strongly" ...

Frontline nurses explain how the US reached 400,000 deaths before any other country | 5 News Podcast from 2021-01-19T16:38:25

The United States has reached 400,000 deaths during the coronavirus cases, way more than any other country in the world, on Donald Trump's last day as President. His replacement, Joe Biden, has s...

NHS frontline worker says “the end is not in sight” until mid-May | A 5 News Podcast from 2021-01-07T16:40:49

The Prime Minister has once again put the country into a national lockdown in a desperate attempt to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. As conspiracy theorists question the numbers, NHS fron...

Boris Johnson: "Strong possibility" of no-deal Brexit after failed dinner talks | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-12-10T19:58:24

As time runs out for the United Kingdom to reach a deal with the European Union over how it leaves the single market, Prime Minister Johnson travelled to Brussels to meet with European Commission P...

What will cities look like after the Covid vaccine? House prices, workplaces and the high street from 2020-12-03T18:44:44

As the UK becomes the first country in the world to authorise a Covid-19 vaccine, what will Britain look like after the coronavirus pandemic? The outbreak has seen a massive change in the economi...

Is The Crown on Netflix accurate? Historian analyses what they got wrong about the Royal Family. from 2020-11-19T19:37:21

Netflix has released the 4th series of The Crown, a drama chronicling the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times. It's portrayals of Her Majesty the Queen, Prince Philip, Princ...

This is how Donald Trump could still remain US President through legal challenges | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-11-11T19:09:35

The results of the US Election have been called across the world, announcing Joe Biden officially as President-Elect. However, President Donald Trump has so far refused to concede, insisting that...

Is winning in Florida the key to becoming President? Donald Trump and Joe Biden both visit Tampa from 2020-10-29T18:55:02

Florida has backed the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1996 - but what makes the state the most likely to elect a leader? President Donald Trump and former vice president J...

David Lammy on Black Lives Matter, George Floyd and why pulling statues down won't change history from 2020-10-13T20:16:33

Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy served as a Minister for Culture in Tony Blair's government and has always spoken proudly about his black British background. David has commented on Britain's...

President Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden: Who won the first debate? | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-10-01T20:52:44

The US presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden was eagerly awaited around the world - but did it deliver? Laura Schwartz served as an adviser to the ...

The rise of fake news: How disinformation is winning elections and spreading hate | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-09-25T17:55:18

How do we monitor and tackle fake news, hate speech and extremism on the internet? And what happens when the messages being promoted start to have an effect on elections, protests, or government po...

Coronavirus: Here's how the UK Government can avoid a second wave and a second lockdown | 5 News from 2020-09-21T14:48:44

The rate of coronavirus infection in the UK is rapdily increasing and the UK government is having to decide on which measures it will bring in. Currently vast areas of the north of England, and W...

Could UK Government's Brexit tactics break international law AND the union? | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-09-10T18:48:10

Officially the UK is no longer a member of the EU, Brexit happened on 31st January, in theory the two sides are trying to find an agreement that covers everything from trade to fishing, immigration...

The rise of Cyber Crime: How can you protect your data and privacy? | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-08-13T13:12

As data becomes more valuable than oil - how are we able to protect ourselves and our nations from would-be hackers and cybercriminals? Dr Jessica Barker is a co-founder of the Cyber Security com...

Can Lebanon recover from the Port of Beirut explosion and who is really to blame? | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-08-06T20:42:25

On Tuesday 4th August 2020, the city of Beirut was devastated by a catastrophic explosion. The blast killed over a hundred people, injuring thousands and leaving many more homeless. A large fire h...

The man Russia wants dead: Bill Browder warns of Russian interference in the UK | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-07-29T11:24:42

Bill Browder is an American-born British financier who in the 90s was one of the largest foreign portfolio investors in Russia during a period of mass privatisation after the fall of the Soviet Uni...

Former Health Secretary says UK has made mistakes on COVID, and warns of a second wave in Winter from 2020-07-23T20:46:46

Jeremy Hunt served as the UK's Health Secretary for six years before being made Foreign Secretary in 2018. He then ran against Boris Johnson in the Conservative Party's leadership contest, exactly ...

Will Donald Trump get reelected in 2020 campaign? Washington Post Chief Dan Balz | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-07-15T08:47:39

U.S. President Donald Trump was first elected as the 45th U.S. President in 2016 after beating Hillary Clinton in the presidential campaign. Since then his approval ratings have been up and down,...

Can the UK economy bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic? | A 5 News Podcast from 2020-07-02T20:07:40

Boris Johnson has declared his plan for the UK to 'build back better and bolder' after the COVID pandemic to help the economy recover. The Prime Minister pledged an initial £5 billion as part of ...

From Jesus Christ to Harvey Weinstein, historian explains how Christianity shaped the western world from 2020-06-25T15:32:14

Historian and author Tom Holland's latest work 'Dominion' concludes that without Christianity the Western world wouldn't be what it is today. Not many books can start with St Paul and end with Ha...

Will Boris Johnson get Brexit done in time? UK Prime Minister only has 6 months left to get a deal from 2020-06-17T17:07:01

Four years on since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on the 23rd of June 2016, is the UK Government any closer to actually leaving? Both Boris Johnson and his EU counterparts ...

Is the UK a racist country? Boris Johnson says no, Black Lives Matter protesters disagree | 5 News from 2020-06-09T19:16:44

The death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, in police custody in the US sparked protests across the world. In the UK, the Black Lives Matter movement organised marches up and down the country...

What will world diplomacy look like post-COVID-19? UK Foreign Affairs Chair on "protecting our home" from 2020-05-27T10:29:10

The coronavirus pandemic has hit countries around the world with each government having to quickly create a strategy to combat the spread of the virus. Many countries have followed guidance from ...

Coronavirus in the NHS: Surgeon describes night shifts amid COVID outbreak | 5 News from 2020-05-14T13:01:31

Across the UK, the NHS has had to rapidly change its approach to healthcare in order to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, both for its patients and its staff. Dr. Zoe Barber is a General Surgeo...

Test, track, and trace: Could using our data help fight coronavirus outbreak and escape lockdown? from 2020-05-02T18:29:05

The UK Government has suggested that a test, track, and trace strategy could be the answer to unlocking the lockdown in Britain and fighting the coronavirus outbreak. It would require an "army of...

Coronavirus: An eyewitness account from the NHS frontlines reliant on PPE to fight Covid-19 from 2020-04-21T14:11:27

NHS workers across the UK are focused on prioritising coronavirus patients and fighting Covid-19 up and down the country. Thousands have had their shift patterns affected so that care can be prov...

Coronavirus: Why is Sweden avoiding a lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic? from 2020-04-09T17:24:13

While the rest of the world has enforced strict social distancing measures to combat the spread of coronavirus, Sweden has remained relaxed on its approach. The country has still allowed resident...

Coronavirus: How is the lockdown being enforced by police in Paris? from 2020-03-25T18:27:50

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told everyone to stay at home, but has given quite a few exemptions to the rule. There is mounting pressure for him to enforce a stricter lockdown, especially in...

Coronavirus: Will the virus pandemic lead to global recession? Will the UK economy cope? from 2020-03-19T16:51:36

The coronavirus outbreak has become a global pandemic affecting countries around the world, and is likely to be followed by a global recession. Leading British economist Dr Gerard Lyons believes ...

Coronavirus: Former No 10 Chief Strategist reveals how the UK government responds to crises. from 2020-03-10T14:49:18

From terror attacks to the coronavirus, how does the UK Government fight a national crisis? Has Boris Johnson done enough to reduce panic in the battle to stop COVID-19 - or has he been absent? F...

How will the NHS cope with Coronavirus in the UK? Are there enough beds? from 2020-03-05T14:30:34

An outbreak of coronavirus in the UK is highly likely and the government is preparing for a worst-case scenario which could mean calling on retired health workers, and even the military, to help fi...

How much power do Dominic Cummings and other unelected government advisers actually have? from 2020-02-26T20:03:48

Boris Johnson came under fire during his recent Cabinet reshuffle for allegedly allowing his unelected Chief Adviser Dominic Cummings to have too much involvement in Cabinet staffing. Former Spec...

Post-Brexit: What’re the UK’s options for trade with the EU? And what does an ‘Australia deal’ mean? from 2020-02-20T19:40:21

The United Kingdom has finally left the European Union and celebrated 'Brexit Day' but what does it now mean for Britain's trade with the EU and the rest of the world? As Britain and the EU start...

How accurate is 1917? The truth of WW1 booby traps and black and Indian soldiers on the frontline from 2020-02-13T20:40:58

How accurate was the Academy Award winning film '1917'? Leading historian Alan Wakefield works as the Museum Curator for the Imperial War Museum. The film, 1917, directed by Sam Mendes has won ...

Dr Nathalie MacDermott on the Coronavirus outbreak, rumours about bats and “Disease X” from 2020-02-06T19:26:36

Dr Nathalie MacDermott is one of the UK's leading specialists in researching outbreaks like coronavirus, working in her role as a Clininal Lecturer in Infectious Diseases at King's College London. ...

Anand Menon on what leaving the European Union means for jobs, business and your holidays from 2020-01-29T13:09:10

Anand Menon is one of the leading authorities on the the UK and the EU. He is professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College London, and heads the think tank UK in a Changin...

Sir Christopher Meyer on Bill Clinton, Nancy Pelosi & how Trump’s impeachment could mean re-election from 2020-01-23T19:21:33

Sir Christopher Meyer is a former British Ambassador to the United States. He served in Washington D.C. during the Monica Lewinsky scandal that led to Bill Clinton being impeached. His time in Ame...