Afternoon Empire with Ian Collins

Ian Collins examines another turbulent day in British politics as Sir Keir Starmer performs his 13th U-turn, rowing back on plans for compulsory digital ID cards after a public backlash over civil liberties and immigration control. Social and political commentator James Melville is joined by Alexander Iosad, Director of Government Innovation Policy at the Tony Blair Institute, to debate what the reversal tells us about Labour’s grip on power, digital governance, and public trust.The focus then shifts to the Chagos Islands as the government faces mounting criticism over its deal with Mauritius. Tessa Clarke, editor of Chagos Files, and Lord Daniel Hannan, Conservative peer and former adviser to the UK Board of Trade, respond to a rare House of Lords rebuke and growing demands from Chagossians for reparations - raising fresh questions about sovereignty, accountability and Britain’s global standing.Finally, Ian looks to Iran as pressure intensifies on the UK to ban the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. Iranian activist Armin Navabi reacts to Donald Trump’s message to Iranian protesters and reports of US frustration with Starmer’s reluctance to act, as protests spread and the West weighs how far it is willing to go.

Ian Collins is joined by Jonathan Gullis, former Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party turned Reform defector, alongside Conservative councillor Zak Wagman, to ask whether Reform should actively welcome disillusioned Tories - as fresh rows erupt over defections, peerages and the future shape of the Right following claims Nadhim Zahawi “begged” for a Tory peerage before jumping ship.Former head of the UK government’s Office for AI Sana Khareghani examines mounting pressure on Elon Musk’s X, as Ofcom investigates the platform over its Grok AI being used to generate child abuse images, with ministers openly considering an outright ban and new laws set to criminalise the creation of sexualised AI imagery.Iranian-British human rights activist Lily Moo discusses growing protests against the Iranian regime in London, Nigel Farage’s controversial appearance outside the Iranian embassy, and escalating international pressure on Tehran - including Donald Trump’s announcement of new 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Iran.

Ian Collins asks whether the West should intervene in Iran as pressure grows on Keir Starmer to proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. Matthew Syed, columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times, examines the case for branding Iran’s Revolutionary Guards terrorists amid mass protests on the streets of London and across the world against the Iranian regime - and what intervention, sanctions or restraint would really achieve.Human rights activist Gio Esfan joins us with first-hand insight into Tehran’s crackdown, the global protest movement, and fresh concerns after the UAE restricted funding for students studying in Britain over radicalisation fears. We also turn to the culture and free-speech front. Philip Kiszely of the New Culture Forum analyses the escalating row over Elon Musk’s X facing potential UK action, alongside Conservative plans to ban social media for under-16s and what this means for speech, security and state power.

Join Ian Collins today for a gripping episode covering two major stories.Ian speaks with James Melville about Labour’s controversial digital ID scheme. With ministers ordered to find departmental budget cuts to fund the £1.8 billion rollout, the discussion explores privacy concerns, public backlash, and political tensions in Westminster.Later, Ian talks to Goldie Ghamari about the largest anti-government protests in Iran in years. With nationwide internet blackouts, violent crackdowns, and economic hardship sparking unrest across 111 cities, they examine the human impact and wider implications of the demonstrations.From UK politics to global human rights, Ian Collins delivers expert insight on today’s most pressing stories.

Today on the Ian Collins podcast, a hard-hitting line-up covering politics, public safety, national policy, defence, and health. Rupert Lowe MP joins Ian to discuss the latest Met Police controversy, where officers with serious offences reportedly joined the force after vetting checks were dropped in a rush to meet recruitment targets. They dig into the implications for policing standards and public safety.Dawn Hopkins, a pub landlord, joins Ian to share her perspective from the frontline of Britain’s pubs. With rising business rates and the end of Covid-era relief threatening thousands of community pubs, we explore what real support for the industry looks like.Sean Bell breaks down the UK’s role in supporting the US seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic an operation that has raised questions about sanctions enforcement, international law, and tensions with Moscow.Finally, Toni Russo, obesity nurse consultant joins the conversation about new research showing that people often regain weight rapidly after stopping weight-loss jabs, sparking debate over long-term obesity strategies and the future of weight management in the UK.

Today, Ian Collins is joined by Macer Gifford to discuss the war in Ukraine and the agreements being made by Keir Starmer to put more boots on the ground. Former Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis then offers military and foreign affairs analysis on the UK and France committing troops under potential peace plans, and growing tensions between Europe and Donald Trump over Greenland.Later on, Edmund King joins the programme to discuss proposed changes to drink-driving laws, including lowering the legal limit, tougher penalties for offenders, and whether the measures would genuinely improve road safety or risk unintended consequences for drivers and the hospitality sector.Danny Shaw joins Ian to examine the controversy surrounding the decision to bar Israeli fans from an Aston Villa match, the intelligence cited by police, claims of anti-Semitism, and the wider implications for policing, public order, and community trust.

On today’s Afternoon Empire with Ian Collins, we start with Orla Minihane, who discusses the local and national impact of migration, from the plans to house hundreds of small-boat arrivals at a nearby Army Camp to the council’s CCTV upgrades and the wider fallout from a secret Afghan asylum scheme. Then Rear Admiral Chris Parry joins the conversation to unpack the international tensions sparked by Donald Trump’s renewed talk of Greenland, exploring the implications for NATO, Denmark, and global security. Finally, Mike Neville takes us through a series of stories at the intersection of law, policing, and justice from bereaved Manchester Arena families demanding accountability from MI5, to extremism and travel bans, controversial policing decisions in football, and the government’s stance on terrorism charge limits. It’s a gripping episode covering migration, geopolitics, and the challenges facing law and order today.  

Over the weekend, Donald Trump ordered a U.S. operation capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, sparking global backlash. He's also reviving interest in Greenland, raising questions about U.S. direction. Ian debates if Trump was right, joined by former Trump deputy campaign manager Rick Gates who is in support of Trump’s decision, and U.S. commentator Laurie Laird who discusses the UK fallout, including pressure on Keir Starmer to condemn it despite no British involvement. Later, communications consultant and ex-Brexit Party press head Liam Deacon joins Ian to criticize Keir Starmer over fresh "Brexit betrayal" accusations amid plans for closer single market ties.Finally, Ian addresses revelations that at least 30 dangerous patients released from secure hospitals have committed murders since 1993, often after secret tribunals excluding victims' families, calling for more transparency and tougher sentencing. He's joined by Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby Webber, killed in the 2023 Nottingham attacks by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane, who was deemed low-risk despite rising violence.

Ian Collins asks whether the Right should unite as fresh polling shows Kemi Badenoch closing in on Nigel Farage, but Reform UK and the Conservatives still failing to outpace a fractured Left. Green Party councillor Martin Abrams and Reform UK board member Gawain Towler debate the case for and against an election pact, as senior Tories openly discuss cooperation and questions grow about whether division is handing Labour an advantage.Later, Annunziata Rees-Mogg, Head of Communications for Popular Conservatism and former MEP, responds to the EHRC chief’s claim that migration should not be described as a threat to Britain. She also reacts to reports of an Albanian kingpin allegedly smuggling migrant criminals out of the UK, raising wider questions about enforcement, border control and whether the political establishment is refusing to confront reality.