Afternoon Empire with Ian Collins

Ian Collins examines three disturbing fault lines in modern Britain.We begin with the shocking rise in serious violence by children. Professor James Treadwell and consultant psychiatrist Raj Persaud explore what is driving extreme behaviour in young people from social breakdown and trauma to warning signs missed by institutions and ask whether Britain is failing to confront uncomfortable truths about youth violence.The focus then turns to the BBC, as Reem Ibrahim debates claims that the corporation’s diversity agenda has drifted into box-ticking at the expense of authenticity, working-class representation and older women and whether public trust is being eroded as a result.Finally, policing and crime commentator Danny Shaw joins the programme to assess Britain’s shoplifting epidemic, with thefts now running at staggering levels, and asks what soaring crime says about law enforcement, deterrence and social order.

Ian Collins examines mounting questions over Labour’s direction at home and abroad. Political strategist Peter Barnes reacts to growing concern that Keir Starmer is delaying meaningful welfare reform, raising doubts about Labour’s appetite for structural change.Attention then turns to foreign policy, as Chung Ching Kwong, Senior Analyst at the Interparliamentary Alliance on China and Benedict Roger’s. The co-founder of Hong Kong watch scrutinises Starmer’s warming approach to Beijing — from diplomatic symbolism to controversial cooperation on Channel crossings — and what it signals about Britain’s global posture.Finally, Iranian-British human rights activist Lily Moo assesses escalating tensions in the Middle East after Donald Trump issues stark warnings to Iran, with the risk of confrontation once again rising on the world stage.

Ian Collins asks are we ashamed to be patriotic?As Keir Starmer signals closer alignment with the EU, Lee Rotherham examines whether Brexit is being quietly reversed and what that means for sovereignty and democratic trust.We also look at growing cultural tensions as organised campaigns target national flags in public spaces - and what this says about identity, confidence and cohesion.Major General Tim Cross CBE discusses claims of a political “witch-hunt” against Iraq veterans, while Mark Littlewood assesses whether Britain has lost control of its borders amid mounting migration failures.

Ian Collins is back in the chair.We lead on Suella Braverman’s shock defection to Reform UK and the turmoil it has unleashed on the Right. Sarah Pochin MP (Reform UK, Runcorn & Helsby) and former Tory Cabinet Minister David Gauke debate what her move means for Reform, the Conservatives, and the future of conservative politics.We then look at growing Labour unrest over Keir Starmer’s decision to block Andy Burnham’s return to Parliament, with former Labour adviser Kevin Meagher on whether the row could cost Labour at the ballot box.Finally, Conservative peer and former Home Office minister Baroness Rachel Maclean on the fallout from the scrapped Rwanda asylum plan and the risk of a costly legal bill for taxpayers.

Peter Cardwell sits in for Ian Collins.We lead on the shock defection of former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who has quit the Conservatives to join Reform UK, sending fresh tremors through the Right and piling pressure on Kemi Badenoch’s leadership. What does Braverman’s move mean for the future of the Conservative Party - and does it accelerate a wider realignment of the British Right?Robert Jenrick MP (Reform UK, Newark), Jo Tanner (Political Strategist), Marco Longhi (Reform UK member and former Conservative MP) and Andrew Allison (Head of Campaigns, Popular Conservatism) debate whether Braverman’s defection is a one-off shock or the moment the floodgates open - and whether Reform is now positioning itself as the true home of the conservative movement.

Ian Collins is joined by a heavyweight panel to unpack Labour’s internal power struggles and Britain’s stance on the Middle East.Paul Embery, writer, trade unionist and author of Despised, debates with Kevin Meagher, former Labour adviser, and Liv Ouewhand, local government commentator, as reports suggest Keir Starmer’s allies are manoeuvring to block Andy Burnham’s return to Parliament. Is Labour closing ranks - and who really holds the power?Jonathan Sacerdoti, writer and broadcaster, then turns to the Middle East after Jared Kushner unveils plans for a luxury “New Gaza” development. The panel also reacts to claims that Starmer’s security chief wants Hamas to retain some of its weapons - raising serious questions about Labour’s foreign policy judgement and Britain’s role in the region.

Ian Collins asks whether Britain should align itself more closely with the EU or the United States as Donald Trump tells Sir Keir Starmer to “fix” the UK and brands London a global problem. Professor Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London, examines Trump’s White House intervention, the warning over Greenland, and what it means for Britain’s place between Washington and Brussels.Author and former European Commission official Peter Wilding reacts to Trump’s headline-grabbing Davos speech and assesses how shifting US priorities could reshape Britain’s future relationship with Europe.Independent MP and Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe joins us to discuss Labour’s welfare expansion, as new figures suggest 1.5 million more people are being placed on benefits with no requirement to work - and what that means for public trust and economic credibility.And Maurice Cousins, Campaign Director at Net Zero Watch, scrutinises Labour’s £15bn Warm Homes Plan, including the rollout of Chinese-made solar panels, the true cost of decarbonising Britain’s housing stock, and whether the policy will really cut bills or deepen dependence on Beijing.

Ian Collins unpacks another day of hot topics in the news. He is joined by former headteacher Serge Cefai to discuss Labour’s apparent U-turn on banning under-16s from social media, unpacking whether it should or shouldn't go ahead.Foreign Affairs Analyst Daniel Davis joins Ian to react to Donald Trump’s explosive criticism of the UK over the Chagos Islands and rising tensions around Greenland. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat councillor Adrian Betteridge joins to defend controversial 20mph speed limits amid claims voters are being ignored. Plus, journalist and filmmaker Andrew Drury discusses the prospect of Shamima Begum being freed as violence escalates near her Syrian detention camp.