Shows / The Briefing Room
The Briefing Room
David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news
Episodes
- The Briefing Room
Education: A Testing Issue
Scotland has cancelled its National 5 school exams next summer - should the rest of the UK follow? On The Briefing Room David Aaronovitch asks if exams should…
- The Briefing Room
Covid-19: Regional Differences
As the U.K. introduces more restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19, why are there such marked regional differences in the infection rate? Contributors…
- The Briefing Room
Britain's Immigration Dilemma
As the Home Secretary Priti Patel promises to fix a 'broken' asylum system, what measures could the government take to reduce the number of migrants crossing…
- The Briefing Room
Covid-19: are we still following the rules?
As more restrictions are put in place regarding who we can meet and where we can go, to what extent are we following the rules? Is there any evidence of…
- The Briefing Room
Sweden and the Pandemic
Sweden decided not to lockdown like other countries - was it the right decision? David Aaronovitch explores the Swedish experience of the pandemic and reveals…
- The Briefing Room
Covid-19: Six Months On
It's been six months since the coronavirus-induced lockdown was introduced across the UK - what have we learned about Covid-19 in that time? David Aaronovitch…
- The Briefing Room
Will the US election be free and fair?
Allegations of potential postal voting fraud and voter suppression have raised questions about the fairness of November's US presidential election, but what…
The Briefing RoomFootball and the Pandemic
Like many other areas of life the pandemic has hit football where it hurts: revenues are down and there’s a danger that some clubs will go out of business. But…
- The Briefing Room
Brexit: deal or no deal?
The EU has warned a trade deal with the UK now seems unlikely – is that just posturing to speed up negotiations or is ‘no deal’ now the most likely outcome?…
- The Briefing Room
Belarus: the end of a dictatorship?
Belarus is gripped by nationwide protests, triggered by what is seen as an unfair election, rigged in favour of the country’s authoritarian president…
- The Briefing Room
Covid-19: the return to school
This week children start to return to school in Scotland, with the rest of the UK due to reopen schools in September. For most students this is the first time…
- The Briefing Room
Scottish Independence: Hope and Fear
Recent polls suggest a growing majority of people in Scotland now favour independence, so what’s behind the change since the 2014 referendum when 55% of voters…
- The Briefing Room
How to beat obesity
The government says “tackling obesity is one of the greatest long-term health challenges this country faces” and has published a plan to help people in England…
- The Briefing Room
The UK's place in the world
How can the UK shape its foreign policy in response to threats posed by the likes of Russia and China? And how does that fit with the government’s vision of…
- The Briefing Room
What is happening to the Uighurs in China?
The Chinese Communist Party is accused of locking up hundreds of thousands of Uighurs in internment camps. In the Uighurs' homeland in Xinjiang, the state…
- The Briefing Room
Can the NHS recover from coronavirus?
The pandemic will impact the way healthcare is delivered for years to come. At the same time as preparing for a possible second wave, the NHS also has to work…
- The Briefing Room
The Leicester lockdown
In Germany fences have gone up to keep people in their homes and stop the spread of Coronavirus, while some people in Melbourne are being threatened with fines…
- The Briefing Room
Can Britain avoid mass-unemployment?
The Bank of England says unemployment could approach 10 per cent this year and as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is wound down, many economists are…
The Briefing RoomChina and the Pandemic
How have China's relations with other countries changed since the arrival of the virus? The US and China have been facing each other off for years, but…
The Briefing RoomCoronavirus and the economy
What damage are the pandemic and lockdown doing to the economy and what could happen next? David Aaronovitch explores the economic impact of physical…
- The Briefing Room
Covid-19 and the Care Sector
Have the mounting deaths exposed cracks in the way we deliver care to some of our most vulnerable people? David Aaronovitch looks at how the system is…
- The Briefing Room
Easing the lockdown
Some countries have opened schools, hairdressers and small non-food shops. David Aaronovitch asks what has guided those tentative first steps and whether the…
- The Briefing Room
The psychological impact of the coronavirus pandemic
What do we know about how we are coping with the pandemic crisis? David Aaronovitch looks at the impact the three month lockdown has had on people in China and…
- The Briefing Room
The Inequalities of Lockdown
What effect is the lockdown having across the country and population? David Aaronovitch examines which jobs have been lost, whose health is more at risk and…
- The Briefing Room
Covid-19: What Next?
Why have some countries run mass-testing operations when others, including the UK, have not? David Aaronovitch examines how South Korea and Germany have…
- The Briefing Room
UK fishing and Brexit
The UK fishing industry will be central to EU trade negotiations, starting soon. David Aaronovitch explores why a sector, which contributes very little to the…
- The Briefing Room
Sinn Féin's rise
Sinn Féin's historic result in the Irish election has the potential to change the face of Irish politics - dominated for the past hundred years by the two main…
- The Briefing Room
Treating Terror
In recent months convicted terrorists just released from prison have launched knife attacks which have maimed and killed - the latest one on Streatham High…
- The Briefing Room
How to do a trade deal
For the first time in decades the UK will now negotiate its own trade deals. David Aaronovitch explores our options and likely outcomes. Free trade deals can…
- The Briefing Room
How dangerous is the coronavirus?
What lessons do previous pandemics provide about how we should treat the new coronavirus? David Aaronovitch tracks the disease's origins in China, explores its…
- The Briefing Room
Powering Up The North
The government wants an infrastructure revolution in the north of England. David Aaronovitch looks at whether improving transport networks could reduce…
- The Briefing Room
Iran's Revenge
The killing of General Soleimani by the United States has led to uproar in Iran. Massive crowds have accompanied his coffin through the streets and he is now…
- The Briefing Room
News Review of the Year 2019
A look back at some of the big stories that hit the headlines in 2019. Jonny Dymond is joined by: Jennifer Williams of the Manchester Evening News Rory…
- The Briefing Room
How Do We Get Brexit Done?
'Get Brexit Done' was the slogan that helped lead the Tories to an election victory - but how will that be achieved? It's the pressing task now facing…
- The Briefing Room
Middle East Youthquake
A wave of protests are sweeping through Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. Retribution in Iraq and Iran has been swift and savage, and hundreds of young people have been…
- The Briefing Room
Malta: Shady People in a Sunny Place
The island of Malta is the European Union's smallest state. Yet it is giving Brussels one of its biggest headaches. After the very public blowing up in her car…
- The Briefing Room
General Election Promises: Tax and Spend?
Politicians are busy making big electoral promises. Some of them are to be funded by taxing wealthier people. But will the next chancellor be able to get the…
- The Briefing Room
Brexit: a pivotal week?
MPs voted in favour of the government's Brexit deal but then rejected the PM's plan to fast-track a bill through Parliament to implement it. Opposition to the…
- The Briefing Room
Turkey, Syria and the Kurds
Donald Trump’s recent announcement that he was withdrawing the remaining US troops in northern Syria sent shockwaves across the security establishment, and…
- The Briefing Room
Climate change and meat: what's the beef?
Would cutting back on meat consumption help tackle climate change? What impact would this have on individuals, governments and businesses? Livestock farming…
- The Briefing Room
Trump, Ukraine and impeachment
What's the Trump impeachment inquiry about? The White House is in damage limitation mode following a whistleblower complaint that revealed details about a…
- The Briefing Room
Britain’s constitutional dilemma: who now runs the country?
The Supreme Court has ruled that Boris Johnson's decision to prorogue Parliament was unlawful, turning a page on the country’s constitution. The Supreme Court…
- The Briefing Room
What are the Risks of Vaping?
Seven recent deaths in America have been linked to the use of electronic cigarettes. The federal government and some states have made moves to ban the use of…
- The Briefing Room
The Battle for Britain
It’s been another extraordinary week of politics. Parliament is closed, but a general election is on the horizon. What strategy should the party leaders follow…
- The Briefing Room
The United Kingdom, Brexit and its History
In a momentous week for British politics, David Aaronovitch presents a special hour-long edition of The Briefing Room in which he asks whether the United…
- The Briefing Room
Has Narendra Modi changed India?
It's the world's biggest organised event: 900 million eligible voters across India have been to the polls in the last six weeks after five years of Narendra…
- The Briefing Room
Could the United States and Iran go to war?
The British Foreign Secretary has warned of the danger of Iran and the United States stumbling into a war by accident. And the signs are ominous: the US…
- The Briefing Room
Should vaccinations be compulsory?
With measles infections on the rise in the UK, should vaccinations be made compulsory? Measles is an ‘entirely preventable’ disease, says the UN – and for a…
- The Briefing Room
Does the UK have an opioid problem?
Prescriptions for opioid painkillers have increased by 60 per cent in the UK during the last decade, and the number of codeine-related deaths in England and…
- The Briefing Room
What drives religious intolerance?
Is religious intolerance on the rise, and if so, what is behind it? In Sri Lanka this week, people claiming to be acting out of religious belief killed more…
- The Briefing Room
What's in the Mueller report?
The investigation has taken nearly two years, cost tens of millions of dollars, and led to dozens of criminal charges. Now, a redacted version of Robert…
- The Briefing Room
What Next For Europe?
David Aaronovich examines the likely lasting impact of the UK's decision to quit the European Union - not on Britain but on mainland Europe. The European Union…
- The Briefing Room
How divided are we?
As the Brexit negotiations rumble on Britain appears more divided than ever. This week David Aaronovitch and his guests ask how deep is that division and what…
- The Briefing Room
Britain's Future
With the route of the UK’s departure from the European Union still unclear, this week David Aaronovitch looks at Britain’s place in the world and assesses what…
- The Briefing Room
Should we worry about Huawei?
The boss of Chinese telecoms giant, Huawei, says his company would never spy on behalf of the Chinese state. But some experts think it would be a mistake for…
- The Briefing Room
Should we scrap GCSEs?
The Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee called GCSEs 'pointless' and said they should be abolished. David Aaronovitch asks if it is time…
- The Briefing Room
Britain's car-making future under threat
The Japanese car maker Nissan has announced its next generation of SUVs will be made, not in Sunderland as planned, but in Japan. Jaguar Land Rover has…
- The Briefing Room
Why are so many people sleeping rough in Britain?
New figures show a slight decline in people sleeping rough in England. But since 2010 the trend has been upwards. Why? And what can be done about it? David…
- The Briefing Room
Brexit and Ireland: What's at stake?
What is at stake for Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic in terms of security, the economy and the politics, as Britain prepares to leave the EU. David…
- The Briefing Room
Is Britain’s political system broken?
There is little or no consensus in Westminster about what kind of Brexit, if any, MPs want. The government's plan was defeated by a whopping 232 votes. And…