The world held its breath as Israel and Iran attacked each other directly for the first time. Is there a danger that the Gaza cfkcut will expand to a far reaching lengthy regional war?

On the edge of global conflict - the world held its breath as Israel and Iran attacked each other directly for the first time. But have we really stepped back from the brink? There’s no end in sight to the bloodshed in Gaza, and anger is building globally over the lack of progress in bringing in aid. Can a wider conflict be avoided, with the risks to oil prices and trade routes? Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, guides Phil and Roger around the flashpoints in the world’s most troubled region.

Danger Zone - The Middle East Crisis

Daniel Susskind argues we can have your cake and eat it. We can grow the economy and save the planet. He tells us how.

Growth in our economy - that’s what politicians tell us we need. But do we? And what sort of growth? And won’t that just hurt the planet even further? Is expanding GDP the only way to keep us all happy and comfortable? Daniel Susskind, Professor of Economics at King’s College, London, gives Phil and&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;his view - that growth IS necessary, but the sort of growth that recognises more than just economic priorities&nbsp;

A Growing Problem - Can We Keep Expanding The Economy?

Donald Tusk has warned that if Ukraine collapses there's no stopping Putin. We talk to David Galbreath about the future of the war.

A dictator set to succeed in grabbing another sovereign nation, and challenging, with tanks and missiles, the political landscape of Europe - is this, as the Polish prime minister says, our 1939? Should the West be ready for the collapse of an arms-starved Ukraine, and a victorious Vladimir Putin poised to challenge NATO right on its borders? If Donald Trump wins the US election this year, will reliance on Washington no longer be an option for halting Russia’s expansion? David Galbreath, Professor of War and Technology at the University of Bath gives Phil and Roger his analysis of the crisis ahead

Is it 1939 in Europe?

Poulist movements are on the march around the world. So what is it amd how will it change global politics?

Populist parties are gaining ground&nbsp;- Reform in Britain looks likely to be a major challenge for the&nbsp;Tories. And Donald Trump's&nbsp;MAGA movement looks set to propel him into the White House in November. Across Europe, too, and in Brazil, the Philippines and Turkey, we have seen the rise of groups appearing to take on the establishment&nbsp;on behalf of the people. So what IS populism? Why does it seem to have such a hold on our current politics? And what are the risks of government based on antagonism and fear? Andy Knott , a senior lecturer in politics and philosophy at the University of Brighton, tells Phil about the roots and consequences of populism.&nbsp;

Why Is Populism So Popular?

Will EV sales reach the 2035 target? Tom Stacey is worried about the growing influence of China.

What’s happened to electric cars? Weren’t we all supposed to be driving one by now? Is it the cost, the range or the lack of charging points? Is the government still on track to phase out new petrol cars, and reach net zero on emissions? Tom Stacey of Anglia Ruskin University steers Phil and Roger through the complexities of electrifying the driving experience for all of us.

Electric Cars In The Slow Lane?

Prisons are at breaking point, that’s before an expected rapid rise in incarcerations. Mark Day from the Prison Reform Trust says the system needs a rethink. 

Our prisons are at breaking point - too many inmates and not enough cells. How did we get to the point of having more a higher proportion of the population behind bars than any other country in Western Europe? Why do politicians promise “tough on crime” sentences, without providing the means to deliver that? And does prison work, anyway? More than half of those who serve short sentences, go on to be convicted again. Mark Day, deputy director of the Prison Reform Trust takes Phil and&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;through the challenges of sorting out our out-of-control system of incarceration.

Prisons In Crisis

Councils are getting caught out by less government funding. Is it time to look at new funding models and council structures?

What happens when the bins aren't collected, the roads are full of holes and the libraries are shut - because the council's gone bankrupt? That's the dilemma facing local government. Europe's largest local authority, Birmingham, has just issued a notice saying it's effectively gone bust. Many others have done the same or are about to. So what has gone wrong with the system? Is the way we pay for local services in dire need of reform? Professor Peter Murphy, Director of the Public Policy and Management Research Group at Nottingham Trent University, tells Phil and Roger how bad things are and what needs to change&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Councils of Despair

Gaza has been the subject of a fiery debate. It’s driven protests and made Jews and Muslims feel less safe within the UK. But are politicians driving it for their own gain? Robert Ford from Manchester University joins Roger and Phil.

Gaza casts a long shadow. In the midst of an economic crisis, in an election year, with transport, education and the NHS all limping along, what is the dominant subject, splitting parties and deciding&nbsp;by-elections? A war 2,000 miles away, over which the UK has next to no influence. Allegations of Islamophobia and anti-semitism are rife across the political spectrum. Even the normal processes of the Westminster parliament seem to be challenged by this issue. So why has the Gaza war assumed such a huge profile in UK politics? Robert Ford, Professor of&nbsp;Political Science at Manchester University, tells Phil and&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;how it has come to dominate our discourse.

The Gaza Effect

Can we expect tax cuts next week.? Would people prefer investment in services. Frances Coppola talks through what should happen next week.

It’s a question taxing Jeremy Hunt - cut back on what we all pay to the government, or use his small surplus to prop up schools, hospitals and other neglected public services? Is his budget intended to rescue the UK economy, or to try to lessen an imminent Tory election defeat? Frances Coppola, the economist and author of “The Case For People’s QE”, takes Phil and&nbsp;Roger&nbsp;through the chancellor’s choices and the likely consequences

UK Budget - Fiscal Headroom Or Financial Headache?

Each week Phil Dobbie and Roger Hearing get to grips with one issue that impacts our lives. It could be economic, social, technological or geopolitical. Whatever the subject, they'll talk to the experts who can give help explain what's really going on. And Phil and Roger back it up with their own research and opinions. It's half an hour to get across one of the key issues of the time, and they promise, it'll never be boring.

The Why? Curve

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