What on earth is the national interest?
Analysis23 Okt 2023

What on earth is the national interest?

Should we be sceptical when politicians claim to act in "the national interest"? The phrase is frequently trotted out to elevate policy and actions as unimpeachably serving us all. But what does it actually mean? So far the Oxford English Dictionary has steered clear of pinning down this "slippery" term. Mark Damazer digs up its historical roots and talks to politicians, prime-ministerial speechwriters and policymakers to define a term that can obscure as much as it elucidates. Is its use just cynical high grounding or does it speak of a sincere effort to disentangle policy from personal or party interests? Is the national interest best served by a strong civic landscape where differing visions of “the national interest” are free to battle it out?

Presenter: Mark Damazer Producer: David Reid Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Michael Gove, Minister for Levelling up, Housing and Communities Angela Rayner, shadow deputy prime minister and shadow levelling up secretary Phil Collins, former prime-ministerial speechwriter Munira Mirza, former Director of the No10 Policy Unit Dame Linda Colley, Professor of History at Princeton Fiona McPherson, Senior Editor at the Oxford English Dictionary, specialising in new words

Episoder(389)

Wasted Youth

Wasted Youth

Many young school leavers have struggled to find work for years. Now the economic crisis has made things worse. Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies investigates the roots of the problem. ...

11 Jun 201228min

Steve Keen: Why Economics is Bunk

Steve Keen: Why Economics is Bunk

Newsnight Economics Editor Paul Mason interviews the controversial economist Steve Keen before an audience at the London School of Economics. Prof Keen was one of a small number of economists who pred...

4 Jun 201227min

Middle East: Too Soon for Democracy?

Middle East: Too Soon for Democracy?

Edward Stourton explores the prospects for post-revolution government, following the Arab Spring. Elections are being held, but can voters be sure autocratic rule is in the past?Contributors, in order...

28 Mai 201228min

What Is Money?

What Is Money?

We dream about it, argue about it, worry about it, celebrate it, spend it, save it, we transfer it from one emotion to another. But what exactly is money? And why do we trust it? Frances Stonor Saunde...

26 Mar 201228min

War Gaming Iran

War Gaming Iran

Could a hot war with Iran be about to start? Israel could strike against Iran's nuclear facilities; Syria is in revolt; the world is on edge. Edward Stourton probes the West's options.

19 Mar 201228min

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: Downing Street Guru

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: Downing Street Guru

Janan Ganesh of The Economist speaks to Downing Street's favourite intellectual, Nassim Nicolas Taleb - author of the best selling book The Black Swan - to investigate his political appeal.Producer: M...

12 Mar 201228min

Neue Labour

Neue Labour

Why Labour thinkers believe German society should be the model for Britain's centre left. Matthew Taylor, a former policy adviser to Tony Blair, presents.

5 Mar 201228min

America: The Right Way

America: The Right Way

Justin Webb explores what the primaries reveal about the state of the right in the US. Is the Republican party really split? We explore how the party has shifted to the right, and the reasons for it. ...

27 Feb 201228min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
i-retten
forklart
popradet
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
stopp-verden
nokon-ma-ga
det-store-bildet
bt-dokumentar-2
hanna-de-heldige
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
chit-chat-med-helle
frokostshowet-pa-p5
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano