The Julia Hartley-Brewer Show

Talk
  • 3.3 (23)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED DAILY

The best bits of The Julia Hartley-Brewer Show on Talk. All the news stories of the day, agenda setting political interviews and big name guests, hosted by the queen of Talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 18H AGO

    Is Britain blind to Islamism? Former diplomat speaks out | Plus: Row after mass Muslim prayer in Trafalgar square

    Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Tom Slater, editor of spiked, for a fearless look at the stories Britain’s political class would rather avoid. They begin with the growing backlash against assisted dying, after Scotland votes down plans to legalise it. Julia and Tom ask whether so-called safeguards ever really hold, and whether Britain is being pushed towards a moral and medical disaster seen elsewhere in the West. Also in this episode: the Kent meningitis outbreak and the astonishingly slow response from public health officials, raising fresh questions about whether Britain’s bureaucracies have learned anything at all. Then to leadership maneuvers in the Labour Party, as Angela Rayner warns Keir Starmer’s government is already running out of time. Is Labour collapsing under the weight of its own incompetence? And with voters losing faith in both main parties, is this exactly why more people are turning to Reform UK for answers? Julia and Tom also tackle the escalating Iran conflict, Donald Trump’s attacks on Starmer, and the West’s growing inability to face down serious geopolitical threats. And then the big row over mass Islamic prayer in Trafalgar Square. Is this harmless religious expression or a visible sign that Britain’s leaders are too weak to defend the country’s identity, public space and traditions? Plus, former British diplomat Edmund Fitton-Brown joins Julia to warn that Islamist entryism inside the civil service, academia and the BBC is now impossible to ignore. He explains how fear of being labelled “Islamophobic” is silencing debate, distorting policy and leaving Britain dangerously exposed. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch Slams Starmer’s “Asleep at the Wheel” Response to Iran — as Ex‑Navy Commander Warns Britain Is Already “In the Fight”

    Julia Hartley-Brewer speaks to Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch about Donald Trump’s criticism of Keir Starmer, the importance of preserving the UK–US “special relationship”, and whether Britain should have taken a different stance on US operations and access to Diego Garcia. Badenoch argues Labour has failed to plan ahead on defence, calls for greater North Sea oil and gas extraction, and attacks a potential fuel duty rise, while dismissing talk of “closer ties” with the EU as a slogan rather than a growth strategy. Later, former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe OBE assesses escalating risks around the Strait of Hormuz, the operational impact of decades-long cuts, and why the UK’s mixed messaging means it is involved but not commanding events. Also: a Gail’s Bakery row after a Guardian column called one bakery's location near a Palestinian-owned business as an "act of heavy-handed aggression". Discussion includes the extent of intimidation of Jewish-linked businesses and warnings about antisemitism in public life. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.  Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Britain’s civilisational decline: Iran war, national identity, and mass immigration

    On today’s The Julia Hartley-Brewer Podcast, Julia and Benedict Spence examine Donald Trump’s threats towards NATO allies and the UK’s position on the Iran conflict. She asks whether Britain should deploy the navy to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and what the closure of one of the world’s most important shipping lanes means for oil prices, energy bills and the British cost of living.  Plus: the £53m support package for families hit by soaring heating oil costs, pressure on Ed Miliband’s Net Zero policies, and the latest fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein revelations and questions around the vetting of Lord Mandelson. Then, Julia is joined by Matt Goodwin, author of Suicide of a Nation: Immigration, Islam and Identity, for a conversation on mass immigration, integration vs multiculturalism, British identity, free speech, and the long-term political impact of demographic change. They discuss Britain’s approach to Islam and Islamist ideology - pertinent following the Al Quds protest in London supporting the hardline Islamic regime in Iran. Matt Goodwin was the losing candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, representing Reform UK. He blamed the Muslim vote for his loss to the Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, who appealed to Muslims in the constituency using messaging in Urdu, praising diversity, and taking a staunchly pro-Gaza stance.  Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.  Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min

  4. 6D AGO

    The Mandelson Files: Did Keir Starmer Mislead Parliament about what he knew about Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein?

    Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Trevor Kavanagh to dissect the latest “Mandelson files” and what they suggest about the Prime Minister’s judgment, the ambassadorial appointment process, and whether Parliament was misled by Keir Starmer during his extended defence of his appointment and then sacking in September 2025. They question the £75,000 pay-out given to Lord Peter Mandelson, which the government has defended by pointing out it is much lower than the £547,000 he requested. The government were also worried about an expensive tribunal. Then Labour peer Lord Foulkes pushes back in a combative exchange over integrity, accountability and the fallout from Mandelson’s departure — including the controversial £75,000 settlement. Remarkably, Lord Foulkes struggles to answer whether he thinks Donald Trump is better than the Ayatollahs in Iran, and also seems to struggle to say if Donald Trump is better than Vladimir Putin. Eventually he says Putin is more dangerous and Trump is better than the Ayatollahs. Finally, defence analyst Philip Ingram responds to the arguments on Iran, UK involvement, basing and how diplomacy and force intersect in real-world conflict. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.  Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min

  5. MAR 11

    Pro-Iran Al-Quds March banned: freedom to protest or extremist hate march? And jury trials reform backlash continues

    Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Brendan O’Neill (Chief Political Writer at Spiked) to discuss the Home Secretary’s decision to ban the pro-Iran Al-Quds March — and whether restricting a march can ever be justified without trampling on free speech. Brendan argues the event has become a “hate march”, raises concerns about radical Islamism in Britain, and questions why groups who openly despise Western values are able to organise on UK streets. They also examine the proposed new definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” and whether it risks becoming a blasphemy law by the back door, with a chilling effect on speech and criticism of religion. Plus: the controversial guidance issued to schools around religious sensitivities — and what it could mean for art, music, dance, and classroom freedoms. Later, Labour MP for Hull East Karl Turner returns to explain the tactics behind efforts to stop Labour’s Criminal Justice Bill restricting jury trials for many offences. Julia and Karl debate the courts backlog, the impact on defendants’ rights, and whether removing jury trials would make any meaningful difference. They also discuss delays for victims (including rape and serious sexual offences), why Turner believes the government can be forced into changes, and whether the Treasury is driving policy more than justice. Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.  Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  6. MAR 10

    Islamophobia, Anti-Muslim Hatred & Free Speech: Is the Government trying to Silence Debate?

    Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by journalist and political commentator Henry Hill and author Jake Wallace-Simons to take on the government's controversial new definition of anti-Muslim hostility and the appointment of Britain's first anti-Muslim hostility czar. Is this a genuine attempt to protect the Muslim community from Islamophobia — or a politically motivated move that threatens free speech and shuts down vital conversations? With concerns raised about links between consulted organisations and extremism, the chilling effect on broadcasters and employers, and the risk of silencing legitimate debate about Islamism, grooming gangs, and community integration, the trio discuss the future of open debate in Britain. Also: they discuss the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz, and the global oil price crisis; Britain's depleted Royal Navy - and how France have embarrassed our military capability; Iran's nuclear ambitions and the existential threat to Israel and the West; North Sea energy, fracking, and Britain's self-inflicted energy crisis.  Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM.  Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min

  7. MAR 9

    Trump’s dismisses Oil Price Shock as a “Small Price to Pay” for taking out Iranian regime threat — is war in Iran worth it?

    As Donald Trump dismisses soaring energy costs as a “very small price to pay”, the West is bracing for surging oil prices — and UK households are in the firing line, with higher prices for electricity, heating, petrol, airfare, and more. With disruption in the Strait of Hormuz (a critical route for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil), some analysts warn crude could surge towards $150 a barrel, with extreme scenarios even higher if disruption is prolonged. Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Conservative MP and former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, who argues all Keir Starmer has done is leave Britain less popular with our allies— while reports of a “humbling” call with Trump raise fresh questions about Labour’s standing with Britain’s biggest security partner. Tugendhat also warns the UK’s hollowed-out military capability is now impossible to ignore, as questions swirl around the protection of the Cyprus base, the lack of a Royal Navy presence in the region, and the reality that moving even a single ship has become a Prime Minister-level decision because of our scarce resources. Plus, Julia speaks to Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Israeli Foreign Ministry Special Envoy, on Iran’s leadership, the threat posed by the regime and its proxies, and why she believes the West cannot treat this as “someone else’s problem” even as families at home face higher bills. Also: the King’s planned visit to the US, the fraying Trump–Starmer dynamic, and calls to ban a pro-Iran march in the UK amid renewed scrutiny of the IRGC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  8. MAR 6

    Britain’s Military Weakness Laid Bare - Day Seven of Iran War

    Day seven of the Middle East conflict raises fresh questions about UK readiness at home and abroad. From Dubai, Isabel Oakeshott describes daily life under periodic alerts, assesses Iran’s degraded drone/missile capability, and warns of potential IRGC-linked reprisals — as counter-terror police arrest four suspects over alleged links to Iranian intelligence and surveillance of London’s Jewish community. Back in Westminster, Keir Starmer faces criticism over Britain’s posture, the strained Atlantic relationship, and mixed messaging to allies in the Gulf. Former Army chief Lord Richard Dannatt sets out how decades of underinvestment have hollowed out UK capability — from warship readiness to the protection of our bases in Cyprus and Bahrain. He also argues deterrence that against Russia, and support for Ukraine, remains a central priority. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
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3.3
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The best bits of The Julia Hartley-Brewer Show on Talk. All the news stories of the day, agenda setting political interviews and big name guests, hosted by the queen of Talk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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