The Mandelson mess, stagflation returns, and the battle for Wales

The Mandelson mess, stagflation returns, and the battle for Wales

This week on the rocket, co-pilots Halligan and Pearson dive into the political firestorm engulfing Westminster as Sir Keir Starmer faces intense scrutiny over the botched appointment of Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to the US. Following explosive evidence from former civil servant Sir Olly Robbins, the duo explores the ‘process-driven’ culture of the current government and whether it is shielding a lack of transparency.


Liam explains why even a potential ceasefire or the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz may not be enough to prevent a global energy crisis. With the UK inflation rate unexpectedly rising to 3.3% in March, the hosts warn of a "stagflation" trap that could see food and energy prices soaring for years to come.


And co-pilot Pearson brings a report from her homeland in Wales ahead of the Senedd election in May…


Highlights:

  • Middle East infrastructure damage threatens high energy prices and rising UK inflation.
  • Reform UK surges in Wales as voters consider abandoning the traditional two-party system.


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Read Allison ‘Keir Starmer and Olly Robbins deserve each other’:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/21/keir-starmer-olly-robbins-deserve-each-other/ |

‘British Jews are in danger. Either we do something about it or they’ll leave’:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/22/britains-double-standards-over-anti-semitism/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘Britain is the most inflation-prone nation in the G7. That was true before the Iran war’:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/04/19/britain-most-inflation-prone-in-g7-true-before-iran-war/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |

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Episoder(304)

  Starmer survives a vote this week, but what will the May elections reveal for Labour

Starmer survives a vote this week, but what will the May elections reveal for Labour

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29 Apr 59min

Osborne and Cameron cut UK defence spending - and now Starmer is making it worse

Osborne and Cameron cut UK defence spending - and now Starmer is making it worse

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Trump strikes ceasefire with Iran as Starmer grandstands in the Gulf

Trump strikes ceasefire with Iran as Starmer grandstands in the Gulf

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1 Apr 1h 16min

Anti-semitism is clearly out of control in the UK

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26 Mar 1h 1min

UK Meningitis outbreak and Starmer’s abortion policy shame

UK Meningitis outbreak and Starmer’s abortion policy shame

You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QVXFsa07RpoIn this week’s dispatch from the sanctuary of sweet reason, co-pilots Pearson and Halligan examine a growing sense of national insecu...

19 Mar 1h 10min

The Iran war lays bare the betrayal of Britain’s energy security

The Iran war lays bare the betrayal of Britain’s energy security

You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uRceQCyRYIUIt’s markets this, oil prices that, and what will happen next, so your co-pilots are blasting in to make sense of the tsunami of news...

12 Mar 58min

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