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The Telegraph

The podcast that speaks your language. News and views from beyond the bubble with Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, every Thursday.
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Planet Normal

Our co-pilots, energised from their trip down to earth for the live show at the Battle of Ideas festival last week, are back on the Rocket to try and make sense of a week of madness!

They address the growing discontent following a string of high-profile incidents involving illegal migrants, most recently in Uxbridge.

The discussion turns into a blistering attack on the Home Office and the entire Civil Service, who the co-pilots argue, are actively stifling political reform and preventing any government—regardless of party—from delivering functioning public services or stopping the boats.

Strapping into the rocket this week is Conservative MP Helen Whately, who joins to discuss the urgent need for benefits system reform to encourage young people into work and end their reliance on state support.

Meanwhile Allison addresses the historic collapse of Labour in its heartlands in the Caerphilly by-election last week, signalling what could be a death knell for Labour in Wales.

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

Read Allison ‘The soaring cost of mince signals we’re in for a difficult winter’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/29/rising-food-prices-difficult-winter/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ | 

Read Liam: ‘Britain’s national accounts now resemble a Ponzi scheme’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/l/lf-lj/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour’s asylum seeker 'Carry On'

This episode was recorded live at the Battle of Ideas Festival in London on 19th October 2025

In this very special episode of Planet Normal, the rocket beams in live from the Battle of Ideas Festival featuring not one, but two very special stowaways..

Labour Life Peer, Lord Maurice Glasman, founder of the Blue Labour movement, shares his thoughts on the state of the Labour Party and slams the progressive policies which he argues is destroying its traditional party roots.

Inspirational sailor and author Tracy Edwards CBE, famous for skippering the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989, explains what true leadership and resilience looks like in the face of overwhelming odds and institutional sexism. Plus Tracy gives some shocking revelations about the criticism she faced in standing up for women's rights when the story of her voyage was adapted by the arts industry.

And your co-pilots weigh in on the government’s nonsensical energy policy which is causing so many in the country pain through the soaring cost of living. 

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

Read Allison ‘The Met’s U-turn on ‘hate crimes’ is welcome, but our police are still in thrall to Leftist forces’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/21/noncrime-hate-incidents-metropolitan-police-left-wing/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ | 

Read Liam ‘China’s influence is vast. It has taken over ‘Russia’s backyard’’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/10/19/chinas-influence-is-vast-it-has-taken-over-russias-backyard/ |

Read Oliver Brown’s interview with Tracy Edwards:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sailing/2025/08/24/tracy-edwards-trans-activists-fights-back/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Planet Normal: Live Special at the Battle of Ideas 2025

With co-pilot Halligan off the train and back in the rocket the team has returned to wade through the madness.

As Donald Trump declares “peace in the Middle East” Liam and Allison take their hats off to him as they credit his deal that led to the release of all the remaining hostages, as co-pilot Pearson reflects on the stark reality of Hamas's true face and Starmer’s attempts to claim credit were slapped down by Trump with disdain.

Back home, the UK political landscape is rocked by astonishing polls, including one showing a massive Reform UK majority! They also dismantle Rachel Reeves' "delusional" economic claims and expose the moral decay at the top of government, from the immigration crisis to the collapsed Chinese spy trial.

Stowing away this week is author and broadcaster Iain Dale to celebrate 100 years since the ‘Iron Lady’ was born. He tells Liam about his latest book in the Prime Minister Series on Margaret Thatcher and why the younger generation barely know of her.

See Planet Normal Live: https://www.battleofideas.org.uk/ |

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘Badenoch’s Tories are standing up for fiscal reality – and rightly so’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/10/12/badenochs-tories-standing-fiscal-reality-and-rightly-so/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump’s peace plan and the China spy row unfurling in Westminster

In a special episode of Planet Normal co-pilot Pearson brings you a long interview with Eli Sharabi, who after the 7th of October spent 491 days as a captive of Hamas under the tunnels of Gaza.

Eli has recently told his story, in his own words, in his book, Hostage. The book tells the harrowing and deeply moving story of his period of captivity, a scarcely credible tale of man's inhumanity to man.

An awful added chapter of his story is that on his release in February this year he learned that both his daughters and his wife had been murdered on October 7th after he was taken hostage. 

It feels an appropriate interview to share on the week we marked two years on from the appalling terror events, and also in the wake of the tragic events of the Manchester synagogue attack. 

Watch the full interview: https://youtu.be/zDZ8PH8UIkE |

See Planet Normal Live: https://www.battleofideas.org.uk/ |

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

Read Allison ‘Two years on from Oct 7, Labour would rather appease its Muslim voters than root out anti-Semitism’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/07/two-years-on-labour-would-rather-appease-muslim-voters/ |

Read Allison: ‘‘Break my ribs again, just give me food’: Hamas hostage on his desperate plea to captors’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/03/eli-sharabi-hamas-hostage-interview/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘Rachel Reeves can’t hide behind Trump as she raises taxes again’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/10/05/rachel-reeves-cant-hide-behind-trump-as-she-raises-taxes-ag/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October 7th freed Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi speaks to Allison

As Labour Conference draws to a close and Prime Minister Keir Starmer launches an attack on Nigel Farage, your co-pilots are here to make sense of the madness.

Allison brings you a special report from the “Pink Ladies” demonstration outside Downing Street and speaks to women who have raised concerns about migrant hotels and lack of accountability for women’s safety, and catches Conservative London Assembly member Susan Hall ahead of her speech at the event.

Meanwhile Liam keeps you on track with the economy whilst reporting from a plush train in Uzbekistan!

Both agree the Labour conference has been a confusing affair, claiming Nigel Farage ‘hates Britain’, when he has worked as a politician for the UK for decades…

See Planet Normal Live: https://www.battleofideas.org.uk/ |

Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

Watch Allison chat with the Pink Ladies: https://youtu.be/cQRPz1EnhCk

Read Allison ‘Everything you wanted to know about digital ID but were afraid to ask’’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/01/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-digital-id/ |

Read Allison: ‘Toxic Starmer’s dirty tactics won’t fool the people of Britain’

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/30/starmers-racism-slurs-are-final-nail-in-labours-coffin/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘To solve the UK’s productivity puzzle we need to start with the state’’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/28/solve-uk-productivity-puzzle-need-start-with-state/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The courageous ‘Pink Ladies' and Starmer’s toxic speech

With Trump giving a dressing down to the UN and Starmer clinging on amid yet more scandals, there is no shortness of madness for your co-pilots to get their teeth into!

Returning crew member Danny Kruger straps in to explain why he defected to Reform after so many years in the Conservative Party and he admits he feels ‘guilty’.

Allison shares her disgust and anger at the government's shameful decision to recognise a state of Palestine, with Hamas calling it a ‘victory and one of the fruits of October seventh’. Having just returned from Israel with a very moving interview, Allison fears for the safety of the remaining hostages. 

Meanwhile Liam sees his worst fears confirmed as the UK becomes an ‘inflation outlier’ as the increasing ramifications of dealing with mass immigration is looking like it is leading to potentially ruinous fiscal costs.

See Planet Normal Live: https://www.battleofideas.org.uk/ |

Read Allison ‘Reform’s immigration plan is the most consequential policy of my lifetime’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/23/reform-immigration-plan-consequential-policy/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘The Bank of England’s bond selling row is finally reaching its crescendo’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/21/bank-of-england-bond-selling-row-reaching-crescendo/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump and Reform are right on immigration

With a Trump state visit, an axed Ambassador and Labour polling in third in the upcoming Welsh election there is no shortage of news to wade through, and your co-pilots are here to steer you through it all!

Allison questions the chances of Andy Burnham being able to challenge Starmer for the Premiership, having to rely on a by-election which could be won by Reform, while polling in Wales is showing a battle between Plaid Cymru and Reform who are looking to depose Welsh Labour.

Meanwhile Liam shares his frustration at Labour’s delaying of the Autumn Statement until November, with inflation still higher in the UK than the eurozone the Bank of England could make a major mistake in lowering interest rates.

And Molly Kingsley makes a return visit to the rocket to discuss UsForThem, a group calling for the needs of children to be prioritised in response to decisions on Coronavirus, and her new campaign to save children from the harms of social media and smart phones.

Read Allison ‘Britain’s decent majority are not racist, they’re just terrified of losing the country they love’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/16/unite-the-kingdom-britains-decent-majority-are-not-racist/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘Bank of England’s bond selling spree is making matters worse’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/14/bank-of-england-bond-buying-spree-making-matters-worse/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starmer shows off for Trump as ‘no confidence’ in him spreads

After a brief trip to Planet Earth at the Reform UK party conference, the rocket is back and making sense of the madness, so you don’t have to!

Allison questions Starmer's decision making in light of yet another scandal, this time concerning Lord Peter Madelson and his 'friendship' with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Meanwhile Liam shares his frustration at Labour’s unrealistic net zero targets, which ignore the realities of our energy infrastructure and the harm it could cause the UK economy.

Strapping in with some stark energy warning is leading expert Kathryn Porter who warns Ed Miliband’s energy policy will make us colder and poorer…

Read Allison ‘At the risk of being arrested, I suggest Met chief Mark Rowley is a total muppet’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/09/allison-pearson-graham-linehan-arrest/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read Liam ‘Reform has won the immigration argument. Now for the economy’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/07/reform-uk-won-immigration-argument-now-time-economy/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read Kathryn ‘North Sea energy would help Reeves fill her black hole : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/06/its-time-labour-made-a-screeching-u-turn-on-the-north-sea/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Miliband’s Net Zero Gamble: blackouts and sky-high bills

The co-pilots briefly dock the rocket of right-thinking at the Reform Party Conference this week, for an on-stage episode with special guest Lucy Connolly.

Watch Allison, Liam and Lucy on stage here: https://youtu.be/VMjbGgpiVSU

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'I would like to work with Reform' - Lucy Connolly joins Allison and Liam on stage at Reform Party Conference

The rocket is back from the summer break and blasting through the nonsense to bring you some common sense! There’s a lot to catch up on so buckle in…

A special stowaway this week is former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman to discuss the rise of Reform in the polls, and renews her call to leave the ECHR

Allison, fresh from her sun lounger, shares her disgust that comedian and Father Ted writer, Graham Linehan, was arrested over 3 tweets and praises Nigel Farage for sharing free speech concerns with Congress in the US.

Meanwhile Liam is looking at the pickle Angela Rayner is putting the Prime Minister in with allegations of underpaying stamp duty on her Brighton flat; will Starmer ‘have the 'guts' and let her go?

Watch Liam's interview with Suella Braverman here: https://youtu.be/bC2F9bNlo0I

Read Allison ‘Labour’s race to show they love flags would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/03/labours-race-to-show-they-love-flags-tragic/

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read Suella Braverman’s Paper: https://www.prosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WHY-AND-HOW-TO-LEAVE-THE-EHCR.pdf

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taxing questions for Angela Rayner

In Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan's second trip to Planet Normal, former Head of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove tells Allison why he believes the coronavirus started as an accident after it escaped from a Chinese lab, how organised intelligence activities at British universities aren't merely the stuff of spy novels and why he's ticked off with George Osborne. 

Telegraph subscribers can listen to the explosive full interview here: https://bit.ly/2U6hxcQ

Listeners can get 30 days' free access to the Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal

Listen to the Telegraph's daily coronavirus podcast: www.playpodca.st/coronavirus

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From China to the Clapham omnibus

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