The News Agents

Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall – three of the UK’s top journalists – host an award-winning daily news podcast: The News Agents. They’re not just here to tell you what's happening, but why. Expect astute analysis and explanation of the day's news – and a healthy dose of scepticism and the ability to laugh at it all when needed. Episodes are available every weekday afternoon. You can listen to The News Agents on Alexa, just say "Alexa ask Global Player to play The News Agents" The News Agents is a Global Player Original podcast. For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com

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Episodes

  • How will Keir Starmer handle Donald Trump?

    Thursday, 7 November 2024

    31 minutes

    The Democrats are only just beginning to digest what went wrong and what a Trump presidency might mean for America for the second time around. But in Britain and Europe alarm bells are already off the charts. What does Trump mean for Starmer, for populism and for national security? Do we have to start doing more without Americas help?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...

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  • Trump takes BACK control

    Wednesday, 6 November 2024

    30 minutes

    Donald Trump’s result last night was astounding. He reached corners of America few republicans had reached, both geographically and demographically. The Democrat post-mortem will begin before she’s even conceded. What went wrong? What did they misunderstand? And what happens now that Donald Trump's power is unchecked and complete?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 PaulDon’t forge...

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  • Donald Trump: The Sequel

    Wednesday, 6 November 2024

    19 minutes

    It's still early in Washington DC but in a remarkable and unprecedented night Donald Trump is on the verge of the greatest comeback in political history. He's on course to pick up the key swing states he needs to secure a return to the White House. How has he managed it? And what does it mean for America and the world?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 PaulDon’t forget you can al...

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  • Hope and fear as America heads to the polls - who will win?

    Tuesday, 5 November 2024

    28 minutes

    The stakes could hardly be higher as US voters turn out to vote for the next President. Is it the White House or the jailhouse for Donald Trump? Could America be on the cusp of its first female POTUS? The country is on a knife edge, security barricades are going up, and once again Donald Trump is slinging sexist insults. The next 24 hours could be fraught, unpredictable and historic. And, your questions answered on the US election. The surprises to watch out for, why Americans have to queue so long to vote, and what happens if it’s a tie?You can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion ...

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  • Harris vs Trump: The final arguments

    Monday, 4 November 2024

    35 minutes

    We’re high on the rooftops overlooking the White House for our last full day of this election. How has each candidate closed the campaign? What should we be looking out for on election night itself as early results come in? And what has Jon learned from the Kamala Harris campaign team about how they're planning the last 24 hours?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 PaulDon’t forget...

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  • Is there a real surge for Kamala Harris?

    Sunday, 3 November 2024

    38 minutes

    The News Agents are in Washington. And we’re asking one big question - will this be the election that brings women out for Kamala Harris in such numbers that she can seal the deal? That in essence is where we start the final lap of the campaign. What is the 'secret voter' really doing? And does anyone trust the shift in the polls? Later, we’re door knocking in a ruby red county of Pennsylvania. Why do the Democrats think they stand a chance here when they know it’s a deeply religious conservative community? Is there such thing as a 'moral Republican' voter demographic?Editor: Tom HughesExec...

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  • Weekend Edition - The Sports Agents

    Sunday, 3 November 2024

    25 minutes

    This week on The Sports Agents, Imagine being stranded on an icy ledge 6,000m high in the Himalayas for three days with no food or water - that's what happened to British mountaineer Fay Manners who joined Gabby and Mark to tell her story.Former England rugby captain Dylan Hartley opened up about getting a traumatic brain injury from playing the sport he loves. He called out rugby for having its 'head in the sand' on brain injuries and revealed he got no help with his aftercare post-retirement.Plus, we had an emergency episode after Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag was sacked and loo...

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  • SPECIAL REPORT: A war on women - Florida’s abortion crisis

    Friday, 1 November 2024

    53 minutes

    It isn’t just Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on the ballot in the US general election on Tuesday. Across the United States abortion rights are being voted on too, in a string of referendums across different states. The biggest and most fiercely contested of all is in Florida, which in May enacted a six week abortion ban. In a special report, Lewis tells a disturbing tale of fire and fury in the Sunshine state, of women’s health being put in jeopardy and of a growing theocratic strain at the heart of American politics.Editor: Tom HughesLead Producer: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Sym...

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  • Is the next Conservative leader trying to be the Tory Trump?

    Thursday, 31 October 2024

    36 minutes

    The membership voting has now closed on the Tory leadership race. By Saturday we will have a new leader of the opposition. What flavour will that conservatism be? Robert Jenrick released a video this week warning of conspiracy and cover up over the Southport killings. Does he no longer believe in the rule of law? And is this a winning strategy for his party?Later Elon musk is having his (literal) day in court over his big cash give aways. And Donald Trump is pretending to be a garbage collector. Meanwhile, Lewis has started hosting his own radio phone in show in Florida. Just another crazy ...

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  • Has the chancellor just raised the most painful tax of all ?

    Wednesday, 30 October 2024

    34 minutes

    If there’s one thing Rachel Reeves drilled into us in the months before delivering her first budget, it’s that none of her tax rises would target working people. So how have we ended up with a £40 billion tax raid which WILL almost certainly hit working people? The NI increase to employers will make it harder for them to hire, raise wages or expand businesses. So how does that add up? And why were there no new measures today to offset the cuts to winter fuel allowance for the elderly? We popped down to the Treasury to ask Reeves in person. Later, Steve Bannon is out of prison, Joe Biden is ...

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  • Why is everyone scared of the budget?

    Tuesday, 29 October 2024

    36 minutes

    One day out from the budget we ask why The Chancellor appears to be frightening off the very people she needs to help flourish for economic growth. Businesses and entrepreneurs are starting to feel uneasy with the budget plans they’re hearing. And they are wondering if Reeves has enough people around her who understand how to make the UK competitive. More in Common’s Luke Tryl joins us to talk about why voters are dreading the budget. And, Lewis sneaks into Trump's speech at Mar-a-Lago. We'll hear from the bustle inside the ballroom. Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtPro...

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  • Will racist jokes get the voters out for Trump?

    Monday, 28 October 2024

    43 minutes

    Trump has achieved a lifetime ambition and played Madison Square Gardens, NYC. Throughout the night the stage was filled by supporters, surrogates and comedians making a variety of racially offensive gags - including calling Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage. Trump's fans are split into those who think they warmed up the stage nicely, and those who think they've lost him a crucial minority vote. Later, the billionaires buying into Trump. First he won over Elon Musk. Now it looks like Jeff Bezos has been bought. The Amazon owner is also the proprietor of the Washington Post - that sta...

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  • Weekend Edition - The Sports Agents

    Saturday, 26 October 2024

    25 minutes

    This week on The Sports Agents, Brentford manager Thomas Frank tells us taking a big job like Manchester United wouldn't make his life better, in an exclusive interview. We also talk about the Bees' no d***heads policy, 'secret sauce' and Ivan Toney's gambling ban. Plus, your questions are answered by Gabby and Mark, who tell stories of meeting their hero in a urinal, singing to the England manager and an awkward encounter with Manchester United legend Eric Cantona. A North versus South competition hosted by The Sports Agents is on the cards and Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill exp...

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  • Badenoch vs Jenrick: the battle for the soul of the Tory party

    Friday, 25 October 2024

    40 minutes

    The Tory party are down to the final two in another long contest for leader. It's an unusual contest with both Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick coming from the right of the party. So, who are they? What do they believe? And how would they shape the Conservative Party after the worst defeat in its history? 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 PaulDon’t forget you can also subscribe ...

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  • Is Trump a “fascist”? And do Americans care?

    Thursday, 24 October 2024

    43 minutes

    We have an interview with Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Alexei Navalny - the Russian opposition leader murdered in prison earlier this year by Putin's government. Why did he go back to Russia after his poisoning? And what did Putin make of his death? But we start in America with Kamala Harris who last night told a CNN town hall that yes, she agreed Trump was a fascist. The Democrats can't seem to decide how to play him - as a weirdo, an entertainer or a threat to Western Democracy. Are they strategically targeting different groups in their messaging? Or is it all getting a bit lost?Editor: T...

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  • Is Labour 'interfering' in the US election?

    Wednesday, 23 October 2024

    35 minutes

    Donald Trump's campaign has filed a Federal Election Commission complaint against - what sorry - the Labour party, accusing it of 'blatant foreign interference', for allowing volunteers to door knock in swing states for Kamala Harris.The story either goes back to a linked in post by a labour staffer offering volunteers free accommodation in North Carolina, or it goes back to a longer standing row that Trump's mate Elon Musk has with Keir Starmer.Farage is out of the traps calling it an 'insult' to an incoming Trump administration. Labour is calling Farage a pot, or a kettle, and pointing to...

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  • Chris Kaba killing: should it have ever gone to trial?

    Tuesday, 22 October 2024

    35 minutes

    Twenty four hours after a jury cleared sergeant Martyn Blake of all charges relating to the murder of Chris Kaba, the questions have only intensified. Why did this case ever come to court? What did the CPS know that made them think he’d be found guilty? And how does Chris Kaba’s family now respond to the not guilty verdict?At the heart of this story is a question of trust that has fallen apart - between the police and the public. Between the senior management and the rank and file and between whether we believe the wheels of justice are driven by evidence or public perception. We speak to a...

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  • Is Elon Musk trying to buy American votes?

    Monday, 21 October 2024

    28 minutes

    Why is Elon Musk offering voters in Pennsylvania the chance to win a million pounds a day by registering to vote? Well, we can all probably work out the answer. He's Trump's number 1 fanboy and reckons he has a lot to gain if he can swing this swing state to make Trump president. Democrats are trying to work out if it constitutes election interference - and whether they realistically have a chance of fighting it in court. Meanwhile, closer to home, the Moldovan president reckons the Russians were playing a similar game in her elections this weekend.A referendum that would see Moldova form ...

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  • Weekend Edition - The Sports Agents

    Saturday, 19 October 2024

    25 minutes

    This week on The Sports Agents, England named German coach Thomas Tuchel as the man to lead the Three Lions to World Cup glory - but does his nationality matter more than how good a manager he is? German football writer Raphael Honigstein, joined Gabby & Mark to explore... How do clubs actually unearth the best talent? Old-school scouting prowess or new-age AI-infused data? We debate it out with former Brentford, QPR and Rangers manager, Mark Warburton, and the 'data-brain' behind Liverpool hiring Jurgen Klopp, former Director of Research, Ian Graham. Plus, do 'superstars' get special treat...

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  • Q&A - USA Election Special

    Friday, 18 October 2024

    39 minutes

    Will this be the most gendered election ever? How late should you stay up to watch the results? And who do Jon and Lewis think will win?With less than three weeks to go to the US election, we answer your most pressing questions.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 PaulDon’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsa...

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  • Can Kamala Harris win over Fox viewers?

    Thursday, 17 October 2024

    29 minutes

    Kamala Harris has been trying to reach the parts of America that Democrats dont easily reach. Her latest foray was on Fox News in a sit-down interview with Bret Baier. She called the network out for failing to correct Donald Trump's falsehood on his election loss. But she struggled more when she had to differentiate herself from Joe Biden, and their past record. Did it work as a strategy?Later, leaked ministerial letters of complaint and budgetary stalemate. Is Rachel Reeves facing the usual departmental wrangling or are things looking particularly uncomfortable for the Chancellor this time...

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  • Badenoch v Jenrick: Can either candidate get the Tories back to power?

    Wednesday, 16 October 2024

    32 minutes

    Tory leadership ballots have now gone out - and Conservative members must now chose if they want Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick to lead their party. Unusually, both candidates come from the same wing of the party - the right - which begs the question, is there a genuine path for them to win over a wider electorate? We speak to the man spearheading the movement to find the Tories their route back to power, Grant Shapps. Later, why are we horrified to discover our Prime Minister spent ten minutes speaking to one of the most influential women in the world? And why is the Daily Mail calling t...

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  • Is Rachel Reeves about to tear up a manifesto promise?

    Tuesday, 15 October 2024

    39 minutes

    What exactly is a 'working person'? At the heart of that question is the answer to whether or not you think Labour has fudged its promise not to put up taxes in the budget in two weeks. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to rule out increasing the national insurance contribution employers pay on their staff - having promised 'no increases on income tax, VAT or NI for WORKING PEOPLE'. So are they breaking an election promise? And will it damage trust if they do? Later, we talk to Graham Brady, the man whose job was to dispatch Conservative prime ministers when their party no longer wante...

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  • Is EU free movement about to fall apart?

    Monday, 14 October 2024

    34 minutes

    Last month Germany suspended free movement at some of its borders, citing growing migration concerns. Critics of the move believe it’s dealt a body blow to the integrity of the European project, leading to an angry outburst from Poland’s PM - and former European Council President - Donald Tusk about “unfair unilateral” action from a fellow EU member state. This weekend, however, Poland followed suit and has threatened to suspend the right to asylum in the country. Tusk believes Vladimir Putin is trying to destabilise the EU by abusing its asylum policy and luring in thousands of migrants fr...

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  • Weekend Edition - The Sports Agents

    Saturday, 12 October 2024

    26 minutes

    This week on The Sports Agents, Gabby & Mark Pougatch welcomed ex-Formula One Team Principle at Haas, Guenther Steiner, to talk about swearing and the unexpected F1 title race, with a bonus question for our weekend listeners. And after Rafa Nadal announced his retirement during our recording, tennis presenter Marcus Buckland helped us pay tribute to the tennis great. Plus we quizzed one of the UK’s top sports lawyers and Partner at Sheridans, Daniel Geey, on the landmark ruling in the legal battle between Man City and the Premier League about sponsorships.Got a question for The Sports Agent...

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  • The most powerful man in politics - who is Morgan McSweeney?

    Friday, 11 October 2024

    42 minutes

    Less than a week ago, the woman who was supposed to ease Labour's passage into government, Sue Gray, left her job as Chief of Staff following mounting pressure and rumours of fallouts behind the scenes. Her replacement is Morgan McSweeney - now the most powerful man in politics that you've probably never heard of. The architect of Labour’s election victory, Starmer’s campaign manager, and now his main man in Downing Street. So, who is Morgan McSweeney? What motivates him? And what kind of power does he have in Number 10?Editor: Tom HughesProducer: Natalie IndgeDigital Editor: Michaela Walt...

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  • Did Tory MPs go rogue? The mystery solved

    Thursday, 10 October 2024

    39 minutes

    Lewis, Jon and Emily have all been speaking to various Tory MPs either running the campaigns or voting in the leadership race. Together we work out what actually happened behind the scenes, and the buyers regret some are now feeling. Later, Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens and now Nexus, on why information and truth are two completely different things. And lastly, the GetJimAJingle campaign reaps succulent rewards from our listeners.Editor: Tom HughesProducer: Natalie IndgeDigital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & ...

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  • WTF just happened in the Tory race?!

    Wednesday, 9 October 2024

    25 minutes

    It's very rare you see the News Agents speechless. But today is one of those rare moments. James Cleverly, Tory MPs favourite as of yesterday has just been knocked out of the leaders race by Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick. You can hear from our voices, that we spend the entire episode trying to work out what on earth has happened. Did Team Cleverly's maths go wrong? Did MPs have a sudden change of heart over the direction of the party? And what does it mean for what happens to the Tory party now? One man who's probably breathing his first sigh of relief for a month is Keir Starmer. Later,...

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  • Is Elon Musk working for Donald Trump?

    Tuesday, 8 October 2024

    38 minutes

    Elon Musk has linked up with Donald Trump on the campaign trail - visiting Butler Pennsylvania and speaking to the crowds on the very spot Trump was targeted by a sniper back in July. He's parroting the Trump lines - calling this the last election ever if Trump loses - and offering people 47 dollars to sign up swing voters in key states. Is it bribery? Is it legal? Does anyone care? Later, will Labour's recent fiasco push Reeves to be bolder in her budget? Will she choose to borrow billions to invest? Is that enough to appease disillusioned back benchers?And Boris is back spewing more lies ...

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  • Why has Starmer’s Downing Street already fallen apart?

    Monday, 7 October 2024

    35 minutes

    Sue Gray's resignation might have come as a surprise to some but as rumours swirled about mounting hostility towards her inside Number 10, her departure was inevitable. So, what will her exit mean for Keir Starmer? And what does the latest shake up in No 10 reveal about the mood behind the scenes?And, 12 months on from the 7th October attacks in Israel, we ask whether we're any closer to peace in the Middle East? Editor: Tom HughesProducer: Natalie IndgeDigital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Jo...

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