143 episodes

‘Wright on the Nail’ is a podcast hosted by music industry entrepreneur Chris Wright. Each week, he is joined by those in-the-know to discuss politics, media, business and lots more. Our episodes alternate between a ‘deep dive’ which gathers experts on a particular topic, and a ‘news roundtable’ where we chew over the biggest issues of the week with big-name journalists and decision-makers.

Wright on the Nail New Thinking

    • News
    • 4.2 • 18 Ratings

‘Wright on the Nail’ is a podcast hosted by music industry entrepreneur Chris Wright. Each week, he is joined by those in-the-know to discuss politics, media, business and lots more. Our episodes alternate between a ‘deep dive’ which gathers experts on a particular topic, and a ‘news roundtable’ where we chew over the biggest issues of the week with big-name journalists and decision-makers.

    Top Middle East Correspondent Explains the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: Richard Spencer, The Times

    Top Middle East Correspondent Explains the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: Richard Spencer, The Times

    In this week’s episode, Chris Wright is joined by Richard Spencer, the China correspondent at The Times, formerly the Middle East correspondent from 2016 until August 2023, but brought back to cover the war in Gaza since Hamas’s attack on Israel on the 7th October. He was previously news editor, China correspondent, Middle East correspondent and Middle East editor at The Daily Telegraph.

    The focus quickly turns to Israel-Palestine where Richard cuts to the chase, outlining the different ways the conflict may end, and what these scenarios would mean for the citizens on the ground. Questions are raised, such as whether the West is hypocritical to criticise Israel’s campaign in Gaza, considering their relatively recent campaigns in Iraq and Syria. Richard later explains the geopolitics of conflict for the UK and the US, and the power dynamic in the Palestinian West Bank.

    They turn their gaze to Ukraine - what is the status of the war and how the American election will impact it, and therefore, the future of Europe. Chris also asks Richard for his views on the possibility of China invading Taiwan. 
     
    We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm.

    Many thanks,

    WOTN Team


    'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner.
    © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.
    Rock around the clock productions AB.
    www.rockaroundtheclock.co

    This episode was produced by Sound Sapien
    soundsapien.com


    This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com


    Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

    • 56 min
    US Conspiracy Theories, Polarisation, and the Trump Factor: Can He Win Again?

    US Conspiracy Theories, Polarisation, and the Trump Factor: Can He Win Again?

    In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by the Founder of the Alliance for Trust in Media, Editor-in-chief of Amplify Publishing Group, and former CEO of Inc. and Fast Company, Eric Schurenberg, the first woman to run a US presidential campaign, the youngest woman to have tenured at the Harvard Law School, and prominent US political commentator, Susan Estrich, and journalist, US and UK political commentator, and regular Wright on the Nail contributor, Edward Hardy.
    Topics:


    The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Super Bowl conspiracy theory People still believe the 2020 election was stolen from TrumpRepublicanism and conspiracy theories The macro causes of the frightening polarisation in the US and the worldTrump’s unique ability in communicationThe QAnon conspiracy and ‘Pizzagate’ accusing individuals including Obama, the Clintons and the Pope of running a secret paedophile ring. Elon Musk’s troubling control of the X ‘microphone’Trump’s toxification of the political debateWill the problem go if and when Trump goes?Is the general population tired of Trump’s politics? Can he Win?The October ‘Event’What do people really think of Joe Biden?
    We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm.



    'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. 
    © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.
    Rock around the clock productions AB.
    www.rockaroundtheclock.co


    This episode was produced by Sound Sapien
    soundsapien.com


    This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com


    Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

    • 52 min
    Rwanda Win for Sunak! But Does Anyone Actually Care?

    Rwanda Win for Sunak! But Does Anyone Actually Care?

    In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by writer, journalist and broadcaster, Christina Patterson, Communications Officer at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Reem Ibrahim, and former Political Editor of the Sunday Mirror, Nigel Nelson.

    Chris kicks the conversation off with Rishi Sunak’s seemingly desperate electoral ploy to push through the Rwanda scheme, passing the Safety of Rwanda Bill through the House of Commons on Wednesday night. The panel analyse whether the public is as concerned with the issue of immigration as the government have convinced themselves they are, and how Britain should be addressing legal and illegal immigration. Reem argues that immigrants on average are less of a burden and contribute to the economy more than ‘native’ Britons… 

    They then focus on Sunak: does he have a vision for the country behind the veil of party politics? Will the Conservatives lurch even further to the right after his likely election defeat? 

    Chris then asks each panellist what story is catching their interest right now: 
    - Nigel takes on the post-office scandal and the impact of ITV’s drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office


    - Christina’s is the expansion of the Israel-Gaza conflict in the Middle East to the Red Sea


    - Reem’s is the government’s historic bill to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 – she thinks the attack on vape products doesn’t make sense

    We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm.

    Many thanks,

    WOTN Team
     
     'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. 
    © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.
    Rock around the clock productions AB.
    www.rockaroundtheclock.co


    This episode was produced by Sound Sapien
    soundsapien.com


    This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com


    Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

    • 46 min
    Our Hopes and Fears for 2024

    Our Hopes and Fears for 2024

    In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris is joined by Chief Economic Adviser and a board member at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, Vicky Pryce, Labour National Executive Committee member, Jess Barnard and journalist and US and UK political commentator, Edward Hardy.

    Jess outlines her hopes and fears about the Labour Party – hoping that Labour wins the general election, but fearing that Starmer won’t deliver any meaningful change. Vicky provides the economic forecast - how inflation may continue to improve and how the geopolitics of global conflicts like that in the Middle East, Ukraine, and potentially in Taiwan will affect our domestic economy. What will happen to UK interest rates in 2024? 

    For your information, Jess mentions anti-BDS laws in which BDS stands for boycotts, divestment and sanctions. In this context the BDS movement aims to put diplomatic pressure on Israel to observe international law. 

    Edward Hardy updates us on the stalemate of the Ukraine-Russia war and his analysis of British-US diplomacy surrounding Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. Update: On Tuesday, Gaza’s health ministry said 22,185 Palestinians have now been killed in Gaza since October 7th. 507 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the war began, on top of the approx. 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas on the 7th of October.  This opens up a fascinating discussion about Britain’s diplomatic role to play (or not to play) in this conflict. 

    Chris turns the conversation to the US – who will be the Democratic nominee? Will Biden run despite universal disapproval over his age? Is it possible that Trump will put his ego aside and not run? What would another Trump presidency mean for the US and the world?

    Finally, Chris asks each panellist their one high-impact prediction of the year – and they all give very different answers!


    'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. 
    © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.
    Rock around the clock productions AB.
    www.rockaroundtheclock.co
     
    This episode was produced by Tom Platts


    This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com


    Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

    • 53 min
    Ukraine, Israel-Gaza, and Immigration

    Ukraine, Israel-Gaza, and Immigration

    In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris is joined by Conservative political commentator Lee Harris, and writer, journalist, and author of Fake History, Otto English.

    The panel tackle all the big issues that leave us, nearing the end of the year, in a dire state of affairs. They start with Ukraine, reflecting on the wars of the 20th Century, and the lessons that we need to learn in order to respond appropriately to Vladimir Putin. They then turn to the Israel-Gaza conflict where Otto and Lee agree that Hamas is an awful terrorist organisation but clash over whether to allow Israel to press on with their siege to defeat them at all costs. The jostle continues over the issue of immigration in the UK. We hope you enjoy it as much as they did!

    As referenced by Chris in the introduction, let us know what you think of our producer’s modern rendition of Silent Night, inspired by Simon and Garfunkel’s 1966 song ‘7 O'clock News / Silent Night’ in the outro.

    We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!
     
    Merry Christmas,
     
    WOTN Team
     
    'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. 
    © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.
    Rock around the clock productions AB.
    www.rockaroundtheclock.co
     
    This episode was produced by Tom Platts


    This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com


    Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

    • 1 hr 7 min
    Stop the Boats – The Far-Right Dream Turned Nightmare

    Stop the Boats – The Far-Right Dream Turned Nightmare

    In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright is joined by former Political Editor of the Sunday Mirror, Nigel Nelson, co-founder of Momentum and former advisor to Jeremy Corbyn, James Schneider, and Professor of European Politics, and Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration at the University of Ireland Maynooth, John O’Brennan.

    Yesterday, the Minister of State for Immigration Robert Jenrick resigned over the government's Rwanda Plan. Sunak is facing a revolt from the right and centre of his party over this issue, and the panel unpack how the Tories got into this mess. They turn to the recent changes to visa rules where the minimum salary threshold for a work visa is to be raised to £38,700, from the current £26,200, with some exemptions in health and social care.

    The panel dissect the very foundations of the economic necessity of foreign migrants, and the rhetoric of the government. One panellist argues that ‘stopping the boats’ has been largely manufactured as a political media distraction from the cost-of-living crisis, which has led to this sickly Rwanda farce.

    They turn to the Covid-inquiry, Boris Johnson’s performance, the nature of the reporting on it, and whether the purpose of learning about what went wrong for a future pandemic is being achieved. Chris then raises the bizarre and somewhat enraging issue for the Labour Party of Starmer’s praising of Thatcher in his recent Telegraph article. Corbyn’s former advisor James Schneider has a lot to say about that!
     
    We’d love to hear what you think of the episode at email@wrightonthenail.fm, or get in touch if you just want to say hi!


    WOTN Team
     
    'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. 
    © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.
    Rock around the clock productions AB.
    www.rockaroundtheclock.co
     
    This episode was produced by Tom Platts


    This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com


    Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

    • 59 min

Customer Reviews

4.2 out of 5
18 Ratings

18 Ratings

HubbleNoodleDiver ,

Roundtables are a great commentary—and a good bit of debate

Fantastic topical podcast—Chris and his guests are knowledgable and present a great range of perspectives. A great take on the news. Well worth a listen!

3.14159PlanetDude ,

The only politically diverse podcast!

This podcast is a breath of fresh air as they always get on panelists for the left and right and specialists on topics of the week. Great to hear what people really think! The deep dive episodes are really interesting, looking forward to the next one. Keep it up.

Unbearables19 ,

Tasty!

Who doesn’t love a decent debate!? Nothing is said for the sake of if and the guests are always respectful despite differing opinions. All professionally held together by Chris!

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