Politics Unpacked

Philby, Fleming and Putin: A History of Spies

Ed Vaizey interrogates the past, present and future of espionage, from moments that could have come from fiction to the reality of spying in the modern world. He speaks to former GCHQ director Sir David Omand and Lord Robin Renwick, former UK ambassador to the United States and author of 'The Intelligent Spy's Handbook'. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Timandra Harkness discuss <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/society/article/the-cladding-boss-who-says-hes-innocent-and-others-criticised-by-grenfell-report-dj6kbbbbh" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how to make companies take responsibility for Grenfell,</a> T<a href="https://shows.acast.com/storiesofourtimes/episodes/william-hague-talks-to-tony-blair-legacy-war-and-prospects-f" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ony Blair's call for closer links to Europe</a>, and<a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/house-of-lords-reform-to-remove-hereditary-peers-in-18-months-2vg20k8h7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> kicking hereditary peers out of Parliament.</a> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Hugo Rifkind unpacks the the politics of the day - and the stuff that's even more important - with the brightest brains from the Times and Sunday Times. You can listen to Hugo on DAB, smart speaker or app 10am-1pm Monday to Friday. If you like what you hear, then read more at <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.thetimes.com/</a> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.