The Briefing Room

BBC Radio 4
  • 5.0 (15)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY
The Briefing Room

Step inside The Briefing Room for indepth explainers on the biggest news stories. A podcast and radio show hosted by Journalist and Author David Aaronovitch. Listen anytime: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b07cblx9. **THE BRIEFING ROOM** Alongside a panel of academics, policy experts and journalists, each week we break down the essentials of the biggest news stories, in the United Kingdom and beyond. From international politics, healthcare, and technology; to the economy, education, and immigration. At the end of 2024 The Briefing Room covered the following topics: - What’s going on in Syria? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025l2l - Will new weight loss drugs bankrupt the NHS? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025vw7 - Is the push for the electric cars in trouble? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002693m Our promise to you each week: If you step inside The Briefing Room, you'll be fully briefed on the biggest stories in the news. **SPECIAL EPISODES** As well as our weekly episodes, The Briefing Room has also recorded several mini-series that you can listen to anytime: - Global Tensions: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0kh4p9s - Health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0kh4nwt **HOW TO LISTEN** New episodes are published every Thursday and are usually around 30 minutes long. Listen anytime here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b07cblx9. Catch us every Thursday and Monday on BBC Radio 4. Have a look at the latest BBC Radio 4 schedule for timings: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/schedules/bbc_radio_fourfm. Also, you can now listen to us on a smart speaker. Just say, "Ask BBC Sounds to play The Briefing Room" for the latest episode. It works on most smart speakers. **GET IN TOUCH** We'd also love to hear from you. If you have a question or a comment for the team, please email us anytime at briefingroom@bbc.co.uk.

  1. 8 HRS AGO

    Explainer: Who made the first electric car?

    A short history of electric cars in the UK. The UK government wants to ban the sale of petrol cars by 2030. But how is the move to electric vehicles going? This episode is part of a new mini-series called The Briefing Room Explainers. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Guest: Ginny Buckley, Editor-in-Chief and founder of electrifying.com

    7 min
  2. Explainer: What is a Tariff?

    6 DAYS AGO

    Explainer: What is a Tariff?

    President Trump wants more tariffs - what are they? And what happened last time he was in office? This is part of a new mini-series called The Briefing Room Explainers. Even though we're not on BBC Radio 4 at the moment (we'll be back at the end of March) we are going to keep publishing podcast episodes for the next few weeks. These explainers are highly relevant mini episodes, covering some of the themes, ideas and terms which are currently in the news. They’re short versions of previous episodes of the Briefing Room. Guests: Duncan Weldon, economist and author of 200 Years of Muddling Through. Sam Lowe, Partner at consultancy Flint Global Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Studio Manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

    13 min

  3. 9 JAN

    Why does Trump love tariffs?

    Donald Trump says he wants to introduce more tariffs on imports during his second presidency. He’s mentioned targeting imports from countries including Mexico, Canada, China and Demark as well as floating the idea of a universal tariff on all goods coming into the US. So why does Trump like tariffs so much? What can we realistically expect him to do? And what would the effect be on the rest of us? Archive clip included from Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Spotify, 25 October 2024. Guests: Sam Lowe, Partner at Flint Global consultancy Meredith Crowley is a Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge David Henig, Director of the UK Trade Policy Project Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

    28 min

  4. 2 JAN

    Is the push for the electric cars in trouble?

    Encouraging everyone to make the change to electric vehicles has been a major part of government green and industrial policy for some time now. The government has announced a consultation on how to speed up the transition to electric cars and fade out the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. The last Government had extended plans to ban of the sale of new petrol cars to 2035. There are targets, there are mandates and there is scepticism about how quickly the transition is really happening. So, as we enter 2025, what is the state of the country’s move from petrol to electric? How do we compare with other countries and what does it say about the British car industry? Guests: Ginny Buckley, Editor-in-Chief and founder of electrifying.com Ian Henry, Owner and Managing Director of Auto Analysis and visiting Professor in Automotive Business Strategy at Royal Holloway, University of London David Bailey, Professor of Business Economics at the Birmingham Business School. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

    29 min

  5. 26/12/2024

    Why we need to care about the Arctic

    The Arctic is going through changes to its climate, economics and geo-politics. What does it mean for the region and the rest of the world? The fact that glaciers are melting and the white landscape is turning green is bad for climate change but could it also bring economic benefits? Guests: Jennifer Spence, director of the Arctic Initiative at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School. Heidi Sevestre, glaciologist and member of one of the Working Groups to the Arctic Council. Heather Conley, senior advisor to the German Marshall Fund's (GMF) board of trustees. Pavel Devyatkin is a Senior Associate and Leadership Group member at The Arctic Institute. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineer: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

    29 min

  6. 19/12/2024

    Is chainsaw economics working in Argentina?

    In his election campaign President Milei set out his chainsaw approach to cutting spending and inflation. A year on, how has his presidency turned out? David Aaronovitch and guests explore - why was Argentina’s economy in such a bad state when Milei took office, what new measures has President Milei introduced, and how have things turned out so far? Guests: Monica de Bolle, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics Tyler Cowan, Professor of economics at George Mason University Pablo Castro, Professor of micro and macro economics at Buenos Aires University Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

    28 min

  7. 12/12/2024

    Will new weight loss drugs save or bankrupt the NHS?

    New weight loss drugs known commercially as Wegovy and Mounjaro have been demonstrated to have a big effect in helping people to lose weight, and have recently been approved for use in obesity treatment in the NHS in England. In total, 4.1 million people would meet the criteria to be eligible to take one of these drugs. That seems fantastic - an end to obesity in our time. The problem is can we afford these drugs without bankrupting the NHS? How badly do we need them? But will this work? Should we be more ambitious? Can this help the NHS? Or bankrupt it? Guests: John Wilding, Professor of Medicine at The University of Liverpool. Alfie Slade is Government Affairs Lead at the Obesity Health Alliance Naveed Sattar, Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow. Daniel Susskind, Research Professor in Economics at King's College, London. Dr Ellen Fallows, GP and Vice-President of The British Society of Lifestyle Medicine. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

    28 min

  8. 05/12/2024

    What’s going on in Syria?

    In under two weeks Syrian rebels have moved through the country and taken Damascus - bringing to an end 50 years of rule by the Assad family. The country borders Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, and in which Iran and Russia take the most active of interests. So why did the government of Bashar Al Assad fall so fast, who are HTS the rebels who toppled him, and what does it mean for the region and the world? Charles Lister, Senior Fellow and the Director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC. Lina Khatib, Director of the SOAS Middle East Institute. Chris Phillips, professor of international relations at queen Mary’s university, an associate at Chatham House and author of The Battle for Syria. Shashank Joshi, defence editor at The Economist. Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Kirsteen Knight and Beth Ashmead Latham Sound engineers: Rod Farquhar, Neva Missirian Editor: Richard Vadon Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

    28 min
See All (332)

Hosts & Guests

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Step inside The Briefing Room for indepth explainers on the biggest news stories. A podcast and radio show hosted by Journalist and Author David Aaronovitch. Listen anytime: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b07cblx9. **THE BRIEFING ROOM** Alongside a panel of academics, policy experts and journalists, each week we break down the essentials of the biggest news stories, in the United Kingdom and beyond. From international politics, healthcare, and technology; to the economy, education, and immigration. At the end of 2024 The Briefing Room covered the following topics: - What’s going on in Syria? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025l2l - Will new weight loss drugs bankrupt the NHS? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025vw7 - Is the push for the electric cars in trouble? www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002693m Our promise to you each week: If you step inside The Briefing Room, you'll be fully briefed on the biggest stories in the news. **SPECIAL EPISODES** As well as our weekly episodes, The Briefing Room has also recorded several mini-series that you can listen to anytime: - Global Tensions: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0kh4p9s - Health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0kh4nwt **HOW TO LISTEN** New episodes are published every Thursday and are usually around 30 minutes long. Listen anytime here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/b07cblx9. Catch us every Thursday and Monday on BBC Radio 4. Have a look at the latest BBC Radio 4 schedule for timings: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/schedules/bbc_radio_fourfm. Also, you can now listen to us on a smart speaker. Just say, "Ask BBC Sounds to play The Briefing Room" for the latest episode. It works on most smart speakers. **GET IN TOUCH** We'd also love to hear from you. If you have a question or a comment for the team, please email us anytime at briefingroom@bbc.co.uk.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    332
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2025
  • Show Website
    The Briefing Room

More From BBC

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign-in or sign-up to follow shows, save episodes and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada