Planet Normal

**Today's episode was recorded before the General Election announcement**There’s not one but two scandals to comment on this week as both the infected blood and Post office inquiries are front and centre. And both co-pilots share impassioned views about the latest ‘cacophony of woe’ coming from both.Allison thinks that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s response was unacceptable in the face of a ‘state sponsored massacre’.Whilst Liam says more eyes should be on the civil service in these inquiries who he thinks have been very good at ‘wriggling out of blame’.Also strapping into the rocket this week is MP for Canterbury, Rosie Duffield who gives her thoughts on the current Labour Party and why NHS maternity services have been letting down women for decades.And the countdown is on for the upcoming Planet Normal live event to celebrate the 200th orbit of the rocket…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/ |Read Allison ‘Horizon, maternity, infected blood – what other scandals await corrupt Britain?’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/05/21/infected-blood-scandal-horizon-maternity-corrupt-britain/ |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 |

In an exclusive interview with co-pilot Pearson, Academy Award winning actor Kevin Spacey straps into the rocket to give his response to the recent Channel 4 documentary with allegations about inappropriate sexual conduct.Elsewhere Rishi Sunak’s political plight is as unpredictable as the British weather. But what do your co-pilots make of his latest stream of policies?Allison ponders whether the country has ever gone into a general election with two such unpopular potential leaders which she claims is ‘a standoff of the Woodentops’.And Liam dissects the current Labour frontbench, which he thinks compares woefully to that of Tony Blair.Plus both co-pilots give their take on the latest royal portrait.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/ |Watch Allison's full interview with Kevin Spacey: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/15/watch-kevin-spacey-interview-metoo-career-comeback/ |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 |

With the local elections across England and Wales all over, who were the real winners and losers? And did the Tories really get hammered? Only your co-pilots have the answers.Liam ponders whether the Tory Party can hold it together long enough to get some sort of bounce back from potential impending economic uplifts.Whilst Allison thinks Tory mutiny is no longer a threat and that the plotters have given up all chance of a potential new leader.And what about Reform’s Nigel Farage? Will he? Won't he?Also hopping aboard to chat about the local election results, and what it means for his Party, is Conservative MP for Romford, Andrew Rosindell.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/ |Read Allison ‘I’m not a Covid conspiracy theorist. I was right’:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/02/im-not-a-covid-conspiracy-theorist-i-was-right/ |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 |

Election fever has reached the rocket this week as the co-pilots await the results from local polling stations up and down the country. And there’s nothing short of a tsunami of politics in Scotland. Allison thinks the progressive Left are finally being confronted by the consequences of their policies in light of First Minister, Humza Yousaf’s resignation.Whilst Liam thinks Scotland’s leadership decision will play a crucial part determining Labour’s future in the country.Strapping into the rocket this week to pay tribute to her friend the late Frank Field is Baroness Kate Hoey who also gives her take on the latest relations between Ireland and the UKAnd there’s an exciting announcement about the upcoming Planet Normal Event…Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Read Liam: ‘Frank Field’s warnings on benefits Britain went unheeded’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/04/28/frank-field-britain-sicknote-culture-welfare-state/ Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |Read Allison ‘The SNP hasn’t realised that ‘socially conservative’ is actually normal’:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/05/01/humza-yousaf-kate-forbes-snp-social-conservatism-normal/ |Read Robert Mendick: The images that show the two sides of AstraZeneca’s vaccine ‘miracle’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/30/astrazeneca-vaccine-jamie-scott-class-action-side-effects/ 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 |Get tickets for Planet Normal event: telegraph.co.uk/eventsFor 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

Strapping into the rocket this week and calling for the resignation of Met Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, is former Home Secretary and Conservative MP Suella Braverman. She also explains why she thinks it’s time we left the European Convention of Human Rights and her exasperation at her party's 'scramble for the centre-ground'.Elsewhere on the podcast, Allison is convinced the passing of the Rwanda Bill is Rishi Sunak’s desperate last trump card, while Liam asks the question: have recent protests gone too far? And both co-pilots indulge in some reminiscing of the Spice Girls, and pay tribute to the passing of former Labour MP Frank Field.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/ |Read Allison ‘Britain’s Jews fear for their lives because Sir Mark Rowley is a weak coward’ : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/04/23/jews-dont-believe-have-future-in-uk-met-police-mark-rowley/ |Read Allison ‘The Rwanda Bill won’t stop people backing Reform – Tory voters have had enough’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/04/24/rwanda-bill-will-not-stop-people-voting-for-reform/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 |

The Battle of BrusselsWith co-pilot Pearson making a triumphant return to the rocket this week there’s much madness to discuss including the Cass report, what the Office of Budget Responsibility is really about and some drama from Brussels…Joining your co-pilots to share what really happened at the explosive National Conservative Conference in Brussels is MP Miriam Cates, who explains why the events that unfolded were so chilling for our freedom of speech.Allison also reveals some exclusive extracts from her recent interview with former Liz Truss and Liam explains why the claims that the former PM ‘crashed the economy’ are simply a myth.Also hopping aboard to discuss the worrying state of Iranian relations to the West is British historian of Iranian history Daniel Rad.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/ |Read Allison’s interview with Liz Truss: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/04/15/liz-truss-interview-ten-years-to-save-the-west/ \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 |

Baroness Claire Fox straps into the cockpit this week to take the helm and tackle the madness alongside co-pilot Halligan. And there's no shortage of febrile pre-election news on the horizon.In light of the publication of the highly anticipated Cass Report, Baroness Fox celebrates the media’s balanced reaction.Liam ponders whether Reform UK could reinvigorate the debate about proportional representation, should they win enough seats in the upcoming local and general elections, whilst Claire thinks the Party will undoubtedly benefit from disillusion of the Conservative Party's core voters.Stowing away on the rocket of right thinking this week is independent economist Julian Jessop to answer the big questions: is our economy really on the up?And Claire gives an insight into what it’s really like to be a member of the House of Lords.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/ |Read more from Claire: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/ck-co/claire-fox/ Read more from Julian: www.julianhjessop.comNeed 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 |

There’s a lot of madness orbiting the rocket this week as your co-pilots tackle the latest ghastly news from the NHS and author JK Rowling's reaction to the latest SNP legislation, not to mention the redesign of our Union Jack for the Olympics.Allison thinks we could be on the way to a ‘backdoor blasphemy’ law in light of Scotland's hate crime bill.Whilst Liam agrees and is disappointed with the Scottish media’s coverage of the law maker’s decision.Returning to the rocket for his second voyage this week is Tory peer, Dr Tony Sewell, who discusses his reaction to the most recent race report from Kemi Badenoch, as well as his latest book, Black Success: The Surprising Truth.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/ |Read Sarah Knapton ‘Number of patients waiting four weeks to see GP soars all over England’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/02/patients-waiting-four-weeks-for-gp-appointment-soars-nhs/ |Read Allison ‘The new Team GB flag trashes everything that’s iconic about the Union Jack’:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/04/03/the-team-gb-flag-rebrand-olympics/ |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 |

New immigration figures will be causing another headache for Rishi Sunak and strapping into the cockpit this week is Former Minister for Immigration Robert Jenrick, who reveals the events in the lead up to his resignation and how the PM refused to acknowledge the issue of immigration. As the Tory meltdown continues with more MP’s putting themselves up for hire, could it all be over for the Country’s leading Party before the local elections in May?Allison is convinced the upcoming elections are less about swing voters and the Party needs to make ‘a Conservative plea for Conservative voters’.Whilst Liam is worried about post election and if Keir Starmer has the stamina to maintain his lead to start rolling out his policies successfully.And Velma makes a welcome return to the rocket with a brand new stat..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 |Read Allison: ‘Welcome to Starmer’s Britain, where class hatred will ruin our private schools’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/03/26/keir-starmer-labour-private-school-fee-plan-catastrophe/ |For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |