Project Merlin: Unlocking Britain’s Nuclear Secrets

The University of Liverpool and Research England Policy Fund

Academic Dr Jon Hogg and investigative reporter Susie Boniface and special guests discuss the real-time findings of a unique research project on the biggest declassification of nuclear secrets in British history. Each week they share one of 28,000 newly-released files released as a result of decades of campaigning by atomic veterans, who are fighting for official recognition of their experiences. Discussing their findings with experts, survivors and family members, they show the true cost and impact of Britain’s Cold War arms race and the effects it is having on people and politics today.

Episodes

  1. Ep 2. Lab Rats

    5d ago

    Ep 2. Lab Rats

    Campaigners and nuclear descendants Steve Purse and Alan Owen join Jon and Susie to discuss the 70-year fight for the truth about what happened to their dads at the UK’s nuclear weapons tests. David Purse and James Owen served at the same time, but 4,000 miles apart - one at Christmas Island in the Pacific where he witnessed 24 hydrogen bombs in 78 days, and another in the Australian Outback at Maralinga, where scientists were testing what would happen if weapons were involved in an accident. Both share stories about family illness, bereavement and birth defects which they fear are connected to nuclear radiation, and the struggles they’ve had accessing their fathers’ medical records. Susie and Jon reveal a shocking document from the Merlin database which links their fathers’ experiences together for the first time.

    58 min
  2. Ep 1 - The Merlin Project

    Jun 24

    Ep 1 - The Merlin Project

    Historian Dr Jon Hogg and investigative reporter Susie Boniface introduce their ground-breaking research project at the Centre for People’s Justice at the University of Liverpool. After 70 years of fighting for the truth about their exposure to radiation at Britain’s nuclear weapons tests, veterans and families were resigned to injustice. After Susie uncovered a secret blood testing programme, hidden being national security at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, she was able to force the declassification of 28,000 top secret records. But getting to the bottom of the Nuked Blood Scandal was an impossible task, which is where the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the university, stepped in. With funding and a team of volunteer students they are now starting to uncover the truth. Susie recalls the moment when the scandal unfolded, and they discuss how the project works with students Elliot Stephenson and Sarah-Jayne Stroud.

    46 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Academic Dr Jon Hogg and investigative reporter Susie Boniface and special guests discuss the real-time findings of a unique research project on the biggest declassification of nuclear secrets in British history. Each week they share one of 28,000 newly-released files released as a result of decades of campaigning by atomic veterans, who are fighting for official recognition of their experiences. Discussing their findings with experts, survivors and family members, they show the true cost and impact of Britain’s Cold War arms race and the effects it is having on people and politics today.

Information