Why was Rachel Reeves crying at PMQs?

For the thirteenth time in a row interest rates have gone up. They’re now at 5% - the highest level since 2008. What is the knock on effect for all of us paying mortgages?Why are we struggling so much more than other countries to bring down inflation?And what will the political ramifications to all this be - will it make it easier for Labour to win an election - or will people rally to their government at a time of crisis and prefer the devil they know, to the devil they don't?

22 Jun 202335min

The world is watching a vessel we cant even find. Newsrooms are counting down the hours of oxygen they think are left in the Titan capsule. International rescue teams are putting resources and lives at risk to bring back the missing five. What drives our obssession with this story? And how comfortably does it sit when we know thousands of people die at sea every year. We hear from a former NASA Astronaut and accident investigator. We also talk to Spencer Matthews - his brother Michael died climbing Mount Everest - he explains the adventurers' mindset and tells us how important it was to bring Michael's body home. Later we discuss the downfall of Crispin Odey - named the Harvey Weinstein of the City of London - by his alleged victims of sexual assault - with one of the women who broke the story, the Financial Times' Madison Marriage.When approached by the Financial Times for comment, Crispin Odey denied the claims against him and a law firm representing Odey Asset Management declined to comment in detail on the allegations.

21 Jun 202338min

We have now learnt that just seven MPs supported Boris Johnson in last night's vote in parliament. But 235 of his colleagues abstained from it all together. Why was this so hard for the governing party? What does this tell us about the relationship between Rishi Sunak and his predecessor? And why was Theresa May the only former PM to make the case for its importance? We also ask the Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley how many criminals he believes are still working within the police force - and what he's doing about it.

20 Jun 202338min

The Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has just confirmed to The News Agents that the Met are looking at the video evidence of a party during lockdown - (thank you Sunday Mirror) with a view to opening another investigation. We have the full exchange on today's episode - and hear his views on politicians telling the Met how to do their jobs. Suella Braverman just suggested she'd fully support the Met 'ramping up stop and search'. Hmmm. We also ask why Rishi Sunak is trying to be anywhere else but the Commons tonight for that vote on the Privileges Committee report into Boris Johnson. What does it say when our leaders dont like showing...erm...leadership. Particularly one's who've promised to restore integrity and transparency to the job...

19 Jun 202333min

Boris Johnson has dominated the headlines this week. But, peek behind the bluster and noise, and the country has far bigger fish to fry. The question is whether Rishi Sunak's government, his five point plan, is more sashimi than seared. Boris Johnson distracts everybody. He's hard to avoid. But there's a cost- we ignore what is really driving our politics and voters. The truth is, when you dig down into the problems Rishi Sunak himself identified, many are worsening. In this episode, we go beyond the Boris Johnson roadshow and examine the big structural forces driving British politics which largely explain why Sunak can't seem to shift the polls.Meanwhile, Emily has turned up at a tech conference, which will amuse anyone who has ever watched her try and work out how to use her iPad. Aside from trying to get tech support she's been talking to tech entrepreneur Euan Blair (yes, of the Blair's).And we get an update on a tragedy in the Med with C4 News Foreign Correspondent, Secunder Kermani.

16 Jun 202345min

Boris Johnson repeatedly knowingly misled the House of Commons, in other words he repeatedly lied.These are the conclusions and findings of Parliament's Privileges Committee, established unanimously by MPs to investigate claims Johnson knowingly misled them over partygate, thereby breaking rule no 1 of the British constitution: never *ever* lie to the Commons.It's a huge political day and although Johnson has already fled Parliament by resigning, the consequences are still massive. Johnson wanted his place in the history books, in becoming the first PM to be found to have lied to the Commons, judged by his own peers, he's finally got it.Emily, Lewis and Jon talk through this latest day in the lows and lows of Boris Johnson's recent political career: what it means for Sunak, for the Tories, for the man himself and for Parliament.The agents are joined by the woman who brought Johnson down, Guardian Political Editor Pippa Crerar; former Chief of Staff to Theresa May, Lord Gavin Barwell and Johnson defender and ally, former Tory MEP David Campbell-Bannerman.PS Jon came straight to News Agents HQ off the red eye from Miami, so forgive any lapses. Now a News Agent, always a trooper.

15 Jun 202357min

After the small matter of his federal indictment, Trump went back to doing what he does best - fundraising and shouting about witch hunts and pretending to be a political prisoner of sorts. Jon is in Miami, James Comey - the former FBI Director who created such a stir in the 2016 presidential election with his reinvestigation into Hillary Clinton - is in News Agents HQ. And Lewis has been catching up with PMQs and Peerages.

14 Jun 202346min

Welcome to The News Agents USA - a new weekly podcast hosted by Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel. Episodes are available every Tuesday on Global Player and on all other platforms from Wednesday.

13 Jun 202346s