The Briefing Room

BBC Radio 4

David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news

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393 episodes
Updated July 27

Episodes393

Newest first

Sep 21, 2023 · 28 min
The UK’s financial headache
How will the state of UK public finances shape Tory and Labour election manifestos?
Sep 14, 2023 · 40 min
Who do we think we are now?
David Aaronovitch explores Britain's current political demography and asks who we are now.
Sep 7, 2023 · 28 min
No concrete plans?
Crumbling concrete has shut some schools but is that just the tip of the iceberg?
Aug 31, 2023 · 28 min
What's the problem with Airbnb?
What's the evidence for restricting short-term rental accommodation?
Aug 24, 2023 · 29 min
How much trouble is Donald Trump in?
Could Donald Trump's legal cases derail his bid for the White House?
Aug 17, 2023 · 28 min
The UK and the European Convention on Human Rights
What is the ECHR, how does it work and what would the ramifications be if the UK left it?
Aug 10, 2023 · 28 min
What’s behind the Niger coup?
Coups aren't unusual in Niger or the Sahel region as a whole but what's behind this one?
Aug 3, 2023 · 28 min
Is it Saudi's century?
Saudi Arabia is a regional power but can it match its ambition to become a global one?
Jul 27, 2023 · 28 min
Can we meet the net zero challenge?
Carbon emissions need to fall to zero by 2050 but can the world achieve that goal?
Jul 20, 2023 · 28 min
The China Threat
Is the government failing in its handling of Chinese investment and interests in the UK?
Jul 13, 2023 · 28 min
What can schools do about record absences?
Since the pandemic record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Why?
Jul 6, 2023 · 29 min
What happened to the Israel/Palestine peace process?
Many have tried to broker peace between Israel and Palestine, but is there any hope left?
Jun 29, 2023 · 28 min
Why is Britain getting inflation so wrong?
Halving inflation by the end of the year was meant to be easy. Why is it proving so hard?
Jun 22, 2023 · 28 min
Ukraine: the long game
Ukraine's spring offensive has begun. But what can it realistically achieve?
May 11, 2023 · 28 min
The Online Safety Bill
How successful will the Online Safety Bill be in protecting children from harmful content?
May 4, 2023 · 28 min
Ukraine: Is it all about to change?
A spring offensive appears imminent but how successful will it be?
Apr 27, 2023 · 28 min
Sudan conflict: what led to this?
Sudan is a country that's rarely at peace but what lies behind the current conflict there?
Apr 20, 2023 · 29 min
Does Rishi Sunak's maths calculation add up?
David Aaronovitch and guests dissect the Prime Minister's 'maths until 18' plan.
Apr 13, 2023 · 29 min
The AI Revolution
How much should we embrace artificial intelligence and how much should we worry about it?
Apr 6, 2023 · 29 min
Trump's Legal Woes
How serious are Donald Trump's legal battles and what are the political implications?