The Story

Sir Olly Robbins dropped bombshell after bombshell when he spoke to MPs. Robbins, who was sacked as the Foreign Office’s chief civil servant, has accused Downing Street of placing the department under constant pressure to get Lord Mandelson through vetting. He also said the prime minister had tried to find an ambassadorial job for Matthew Doyle, another Labour peer who's been in trouble for a friendship with a paedophile. Where does it all leave Sir Keir Starmer?Plus, we reveal when the next tranche of Mandelson files will be published.Steven Swinford, political editor, The TimesGabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday TimesLara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday TimesProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture credit: Parliament TVClips: Parliament TV

Yesterday evening Sir Keir Starmer defended himself in Parliament, stating ‘the facts are incredible,’ but ‘nobody’ in Number 10 knew that Peter Mandelson failed security vetting. Addressing MPs, the prime minister rejected the suggestion that the government’s desire to appoint Mandelson overrode security concerns. Immediately after, we caught up with the Times’ political editor to ask, who exactly knew what when? And how does this all end?Mandelson denies any wrongdoing when it comes to his relationship with Epstein. This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Steven Swinford, political editor, The TimesHost: Rosie WrightProducers: Sophie McNulty, Olivia CaseWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Keir Starmer ‘put Mandelson job before security’, say Labour MPsFurther listening: Can Keir Starmer survive the scandal over Mandelson and Epstein?Clips: Sky News, The Guardian, Keir Starmer - X, The Times, BBCPhoto: Getty Images.

Jane Coates’ daughter Lucy was just 23 when she was shot and killed by her father, while visiting him in Texas. US authorities quickly ruled her death an accident and no charges were brought. But as The Sunday Times reveals holes in Lucy’s father’s account, Jane wants the case reopened.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Katie Tarrant, news reporter for The Sunday TimesJane Coates, victim’s motherSam Littler, victim’s boyfriend and witnessHost: Manveen RanaProducers: Julia WebsterWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com Read more: Britain failed family’ of girl shot dead by father in TexasFather shot daughter dead after ‘arguing about Donald TrumpPhoto: Picture provided by the family, graphic by Kathia Mestanza

A strict conservatorship, control of her finances, breakdowns, nonstop media pressure and divorce. It's been one hell of a journey for the Princess of Pop, but the latest news that Britney Spears has entered rehab leaves fans asking the question, will she ever be truly free?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryRead by: Helen Rumbelow, feature writer for the Times.Producer: Dave Creasey.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Controlled, hounded, scarred. Could Britney Spears ever truly be free?Clips: NBC, ABC, CNN, hugebritneyfan, britneyonline.Music: Baby One More Time - Britney Spears - Sony Music Entertainment.Photo: Getty Images.

Yesterday afternoon in Manchester, a man was found guilty of a brutal rape for which an innocent person had been wrongly jailed for more than 17 years. We bring you a special update to our groundbreaking podcast series Seventeen Years - The Andrew Malkinson Story, which first highlighted this tragic miscarriage of justice.You can listen to the full series on The Times Investigates feed: https://pod.fo/e/3256f8Hosts: Will Roe & Emily Dugan, Sunday Times' Special correspondent.Producer: Will Roe. Clips: Greater Manchester Police. We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comIf you, or someone you know, has been affected by the issues raised in this episode, the following organisations can help:Rape Crisis England & WalesNHS - Help after rape and sexual assaultCriminal Cases Review CommissionAppeal - Charity and law practice

The prime minister says he's "furious" over the latest twist in the Epstein scandal, amid revelations the child sex offender’s former friend Peter Mandelson was appointed British ambassador to the US despite failing security vetting. For months, ​​Keir Starmer insisted his ambassador was properly appointed. Today, he admitted this was not the case. So, what went wrong? And what does it mean for the future of Starmer’s government? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:  Ollie Cole, Times Radio newsroom reporterLeigh Turner, former Ambassador to Austria and UkraineHost: Carolyn QuinnProducers: Sandra Mitchell, Sofia JohansonWe want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Keir Starmer ‘furious’ over Peter Mandelson vetting failurePhoto: Getty Images.

The economic ripples caused by the Iran war are beginning to have an impact across the globe, from fuel rationing across South-East Asia, to fuel protests in Ireland. The IMF’s recent report on the global economy makes for grim reading – and the UK comes out as one of the worst affected of the G7. So could food and fuel shortages be coming to the UK? And how will the government try to mitigate the worst effects?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests:Rob Doran, director of Black Dog Crisis Management.Jack Barnett, economics correspondent, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Harry Stott, Micaela Arneson.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Britain preparing for food shortages as Iran war bites UK economy faces hardest hit from Iran war of G7, says IMFFurther listening: Trump's ceasefire with Iran - what’s in it and what nextClips: BBC, ABC NEWS (Australia), RTE, Sky News.Photo: Getty Images.

Behind the scenes of Iran’s war, China’s been forging alliances, stockpiling oil and building resilience in the form of renewable energy. So how could all of this help it attack Taiwan? When might it happen? And can anyone stop them?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Cindy Yu, columnist and contributing editor, The Times and The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana. Producer: Olivia Case.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Iran war latest: Ceasefire with US ‘to be extended by two weeks’Further listening: The Pope v TrumpClips: Fox, Bloomberg, Times of India, Hoover Institution.Photo: Getty Images.

Over the weekend, Donald Trump posted an image of himself as a Jesus Christ like figure, which was subsequently deleted. It came after the President and the Pope exchanged a war of words over the conflict in Iran. What’s behind this latest spat, and how could it affect Trump’s standing among American’s Christians?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuests: Kaya Burgess, science and religious affairs correspondent, The Times, and Christopher Hale, Democratic operative and author of Letters from Leo substack.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Edward Drummond.We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.comRead more: Trump’s row with Pope Leo could cost him dearly among Catholic votersClips: Times Radio, Fox News, Vatican News, 9News, BBC, Forbes, USA Today, CBS News. Photo: Getty Images.