Afternoon Empire with Ian Collins

How do Britons make their voices heard, and what happens when people feel nobody is listening? Following a second night of disorder in Belfast, questions are being asked about public anger, political representation and whether Britain’s institutions are responding to the concerns of ordinary people.Political commentator Chloe Dobbs reacts to the fallout from violent unrest after masked rioters set fires and targeted properties following the Belfast knife attack, as tensions over immigration, policing and community relations continue to escalate.Journalist Adam James Pollock, reporting from Northern Ireland, brings the latest from the ground as authorities struggle to restore order and politicians search for answers.We’ll also hear from Jamie Bryson, editor of Unionist Voice, and Mick Fealty, founding editor of Slugger O’Toole, on what is driving the unrest, whether political leaders have lost touch with public concerns, and how people can make their voices heard without violence.Belfast riots, migrant housing attacks, immigration, public anger, political representation, Northern Ireland, policing and civil unrest. Why do so many people feel unheard?

Is Britain in complete economic decline? And what does the horrific Belfast attack say about the state of the country? As fresh warnings emerge that unemployment could soar towards two million, Britain is facing growing questions over economic competence, public safety and government accountability.Samara Gill reacts to explosive claims that billions of pounds in taxpayer-backed Covid loans and foreign aid funding ended up in the hands of terrorists, organised criminals and hostile states. She also discusses the shocking attempted murder investigation in Belfast, after a man was arrested following what police described as a brutal attack that has sparked widespread concern.Economists Ewen Stewart and Christopher Snowdon examine fresh warnings from the CBI that growth is set to slow and unemployment could rise sharply. Is Britain heading towards another economic crisis, and who is responsible?Meanwhile, policing, crime and justice commentator Danny Shaw takes a deeper look at the Belfast attack, the attempted murder investigation, and what the case reveals about violent crime, policing and public confidence in the justice system.Billions to terrorists, Covid loans scandal, foreign aid waste, unemployment crisis, economic decline, Belfast attack, attempted beheading investigation, crime and public safety. Is Britain losing control?

Should the United States stay out of British politics? After a public row between senior British and American politicians over the Henry Nowak case, questions are growing about whether US figures are increasingly shaping political debates in the UK.Ameer Kotecha and Freddy Gray react after J. D. Vance weighed in on the Henry Nowak case, prompting David Lammy to reveal he personally called the US Vice President to challenge his comments. Is this healthy transatlantic debate or foreign interference in domestic politics?We also discuss comments from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who used a D-Day speech to warn Europe about mass migration, reigniting arguments over borders, sovereignty and the future of the West.Meanwhile, consultant paediatrician Sanjiv Nichani joins us as the Government considers tougher restrictions on children’s access to social media, with proposals reportedly being examined to extend bans and protections for young people online.Plus, Middle East expert Emily Schrader analyses the rapidly escalating conflict after Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, raising fears of a wider regional confrontation.JD Vance, Henry Nowak, David Lammy, US influence, migration, social media bans, Israel-Iran tensions. Should America be shaping Britain’s biggest political debates?

Does British politics need more 'normal people?' As campaigning begins for the Makerfield by-election, Ian Collins examines the state of UK politics, the public mood, and whether Westminster is becoming increasingly disconnected from voters.He's joined by broadcaster and journalist Michael Crick to analyse the situation so far, following some of the candidates appearing on Question Time.Meanwhile, the White House has waded in on the case of Henry Nowak, calling on the UK to address concerns around two-tier policing. Spokesman for Republican Overseas UK, Erol Morkoç, discusses what the intervention could mean for US-UK relations.Plus, to mark National Fish and Chip Day, Ian speaks to Gary Lewis, president of the National Edible Oil Distributors’ Association, about the nation's favourite dish.

What does justice for Henry Nowak look like? Ian Collins examines the Southampton protest near the home of the 18-year-old's killer, where eleven police officers were injured, and asks what the unrest reveals about public anger, policing and community safety.Former policing minister Damian Green and former government political violence adviser Lord Walney discuss Keir Starmer’s response to Nigel Farage’s claim that the UK has a “two-tier policing” system and what the row means for law and order, protest policing and political debate in Britain.Meanwhile, it's reported families would have to reduce meat and dairy consumption in order to meet climate targets set by Ed Miliband. Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy and research at The Vegan Society, shares her view on veganism, food policy, climate change and the impact of diet on the environment.

Do you believe Reform will win the next general election? The UK's leading pollster says it is increasingly likely.Ian Collins is joined by Sir John Curtice, Professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and polling expert, to discuss Reform UK’s rise, the latest general election polling, and the shifting landscape of British politics.Meanwhile, chief political writer at Spiked, Brendan O'Neill, reacts to the release of police bodycam footage showing Henry Nowak telling officers he couldn't breathe as they arrested him, after his killer claimed the 18-year-old had been racist.Plus, Ecotricity founder Dale Vince responds to research showing the UK's green economy is expanding rapidly and is now worth more than £100 billion a year.

What are we about to learn from the Mandelson files and should the Henry Nowak bodycam footage be released? With hundreds of messages, emails and internal communications reportedly due to emerge, Keir Starmer is facing fresh pressure over what ministers knew, what warnings were ignored and whether the full truth about Peter Mandelson’s vetting will finally come out.Political commentator Alex Deane reacts as police reportedly urge key Mandelson files to remain private, while claims emerge that Mandelson contacted newly elected Labour MPs with private dinner invitations, raising new questions about influence, access and political judgement.Writer and producer Paul Burke discusses what today’s document release could mean for Starmer, Labour and the growing resignation pressure surrounding No.10.Meanwhile, investigative journalist David Shipley joins the debate over the Henry Nowak case, after renewed calls for police bodycam footage to be released following allegations that officers treated a dying stabbing victim through the lens of anti-racism concerns. Would releasing the footage answer questions or deepen public anger?Mandelson files, Starmer pressure, Labour transparency, Henry Nowak, police bodycam footage, policing and public trust. What is the public still not being told?

Mark Dolan sits in for Ian CollinsHas political correctness destroyed British policing? Fresh controversies have reignited questions over whether officers are being distracted by institutional culture, fear of accusations and bureaucracy instead of focusing on public safety.Writer and broadcaster Emma Trimble reacts to outrage after Hampshire Police apologised over claims officers treated a dying stabbing victim as a potential racist during the Henry Nowak case, fuelling accusations that fear of discrimination allegations is influencing frontline policing decisions.We also examine the fallout from the Manchester Airport incident, after the two brothers involved will reportedly face no further trial following two hung juries, while the armed officer involved still faces scrutiny and investigation. Has the case damaged confidence in policing, accountability and the justice system?Retired Scotland Yard detective chief inspector Mike Neville joins to discuss whether police leadership, training and political pressure are undermining officers’ ability to do their jobs.Henry Nowak case, Manchester Airport row, policing crisis, political correctness, public confidence in police. Are British police losing sight of their core mission?

Mark Dolan sits in for Ian Collins where we ask the question: Has Britain thrown young people under the bus? With warnings that one in six young people could be out of work, education or training within five years, fears are growing of a lost generation locked out of jobs, housing and opportunity.Tina McKenzie, UK Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, reacts to alarming new warnings over youth unemployment and asks whether government policy is failing young Britons as employers struggle to hire and growth stalls.We also examine claims that soaring migration is reshaping the jobs market after analysis suggested 27 young migrants are hired for every British youngster entering work, reigniting debate over immigration, skills and economic opportunity.Demographer Stephen J Shaw, creator of Birthgap, joins to discuss Britain’s changing demographics after figures suggested a record 40 per cent of babies are now born to migrant parents, and what falling birth rates, migration and long-term population change could mean for Britain’s future.Plus, retired senior murder investigator Colin Sutton discusses the Henry Nowak case, after Hampshire Police apologised over claims officers hesitated to intervene while treating a dying stabbing victim for fear of appearing racist, raising new questions over policing, public confidence and institutional culture.Youth unemployment crisis, lost generation fears, migration and jobs, birth rates, policing and public trust. Has Britain failed its young people?