There’s a new development in the Mandelson-Epstein-Starmer scandal – and as usual, it raises more questions over No. 10’s dealings than it answers.

In this emergency broadcast Helen and Cleo break down the newest revelations about Mandelson’s failed security vetting: Why did the Foreign Office overrule it? How do these processes actually work? And could sacking Olly Robbins shape up to be Starmer’s biggest mistake?

Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios

Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose

Producer: Sam Durham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the midst of the US-Iran war, Lord Robertson, former Labour defence secretary and NATO chief, didn’t hold back this week. With local elections looming, the Labour grandee stepped into the defence debate, warning the UK is “not safe” and “underprepared” for war.

But how much of that falls on Starmer’s government - and how much is the result of years of neglect of Britain’s core military strength: ships, drones, and troops?

Since the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the UK has stopped 39 late-stage terror plots. So why does our security look strong, while our defence appears exposed? And what, exactly, is the difference?

Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios

Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose

Producer: Sam Durham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens inside government when the US President Donald Trump threatens to “destroy a whole civilisation”?

As tensions spike following extraordinary comments from Donald Trump, former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, ex-advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, take you inside the rooms where officials scramble to respond to the unpredictable. From emergency calls with ambassadors to the quiet panic of Whitehall planning for an oil shock, they reveal how the UK system struggles when the rulebook no longer applies.

They also ask: how should Keir Starmer handle a leader who changes course by the hour? What would actually be happening behind the scenes during the two-week ceasefire? And as fuel costs rise and global norms wobble, are we watching a temporary crisis - or the start of a completely new world order?

Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios

Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose

Producer: Sam Durham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.