How China Spies on the UK

[@restispolitics]

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[@ianworley8169]

How can there be any discussion around UK energy costs, or utility costs in general, with no reference to privatisation? The main reason why utility costs are so much cheaper, here in Portugal, is that utilities are still largely publicly owned. Take profiteering and dividend scalping out of the equation and see how much lower costs would be.

[@DavidBaxter-pk7kl]

As an ex-ad man I know that name/brand awareness is key to explaining market success. Trump's fame/celebrity from his tv show gave him tremendous name awareness in the US. BJ's tv appearances on HIGNFY made him a household name. Farage's omnipresence on our tv screens has made him the most famous politician in the UK. Don't be surprised by what follows.

[@HomeFromFarAway]

also, studies of groups show that the person who talks the most is likely to be chosen as leader. this even overcomes gender bias....and interestingly enough, cult leaders are notoriously long winded

[@lukmaes6290]

Indeed, 100% correct

[@reuben8140]

I mean Farage at least speaks for a sizeable, vocal minority. DJT & BJ are spineless opportunists exploiting populist sentiment. Farage despite his faults is actually about that life.

[@SornGeorge]

It’s great that in the West we champion women’s and LGBTQ+ rights and I’m all for it. Yet, I’m struck by how discussions about minority freedoms in the Middle East often overlook Christian minorities. Before Syria’s civil war, Christians made up 10% of the population; now they’re just 2%. These ancient communities, present since antiquity, face erasure-but their plight seems ignored, perhaps because it’s neither trendy to care about Christian minorities nor politically convenient to acknowledge the issue. Can Rory or Alastair address this topic at some point?

[@tahiti1]

And the US evangelical right are particularly guilty in ignoring the fact that so many palestinians, syrians, lebanese and egyptians are Christian,and direct descendents of the founding churches.

[@sharonmoller7414]

@@tahiti1 100% the Americans forget Christianity was a vibrant eastern religion before it became a western religion.

[@chaipup7045]

the sooner religion, in all forms, is consigned to history, the better for everyone.

[@guineapigscotland]

Agree 100% with Alastair, Gisèle Pelicot should've been Person of the Year

[@markking4730]

Unusually I agree with Alistair!

[@andybrice2711]

_"Person of the Year"_ doesn't mean "Best person of the year." It just means the person who has most influenced the news. Like in 1938 it was Adolf Hitler.

[@peznino1]

Why can't we have more politicians talk and discuss openly, honestly, courteously, humbly and intelligently like these two. I've become a fan despite my initial misgivings based on assumptions about their pasts. Very pleasantly surprised to stumble across this podcast a few weeks ago.

[@InsanitiesBrother]

People want straight talking politicians, but there is a big chunk of the public that follow pop politics headline to headline. Within the first 5 minutes of this podcast there are so many damaging headlines if either Rory or Alistair were in positions of power. "Tory Minister supports closer ties with the CCCP AFTER admitting they are spying on the UK" "Labour spin doctor naively thinks 1000s of Chinese spies are just having fun" Followed by out of context quotes. Then you get media cycles around this crap. LBC will act like either position are dreadfully appalling and the politician will either be sidelined by the party or they'll be asked to dig the hole deeper.

[@Weakeyedominant]

Alister Campbell is anything but honest.

[@leslieelizabeth219]

Could not agree with you more. It was great to see Rory Down Under last month .

[@greghill7759]

Yes, this is an informative and civilised podcast without the usual point scoring, but with a few partisan views thrown in for balance. It's unfortunate and frustrating that many of the viewers aren't satisfied with this. My only response is "F*ck 'em".

[@Weakeyedominant]

@@greghill7759 there is nothing partisan about Rory and Alister they are both cut from the same clothe, big government centre left privately educated elites. 90% of the content is either gas lighting or straw manning arguments made by politicians they opposed. I like to watch to keep an eye on how deluded they are.

[@hrvojesvetec3058]

Love your show guys👍👍 you 2 are intelligent, logical, good, descent, thinking , honest guys..and very COMPETENT..ty both..greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪🇬🇧👍

[@waltermcphee3787]

Israel does not have to be under attack to paint anyone critisising the Israelie system or governmentas anti-semite, that is their starting point.

[@derekfancett8218]

In many ways the greatest damage done by Chinese intelligence-gathering was done years ago. As China "opened-up" a wave of Chinese academics were invited into our Universities and Research Institutes and they hoovered up all the ongoing research and development across most of the western world. This saved them decades of work and research-team building, not too mention a fortune in R&D costs and brought their technology up to speed so that they could compete with the West. This has been combined with a contempt for Western intellectual-property laws so that direct copies and counterfeits can be legally produced and fed into supply-chains by Chinese manufacturers. Many Chinese products would not be anything like as cheap as they are if the manufacturers had had to bear the development costs.

[@HomeFromFarAway]

this is an excellent point too

[@hisdadjames4876]

Britain is justifiably proud of its own intelligence capability. For 200 years plus, we have successfully infiltrated the networks of friends and foes alike in pursuit of economic, diplomatic and security interests. The older stuff is already in the public domain, as will the current stuff become in due course. Lets stop whingeing, with mock indignation, about the Chinese catching up with us🤷‍♂️

[@methyleneblue4659]

No true. Exactly the opposite is the case. Chinese researchers came over here, with their knowledge, to do research for us.... that we keep and use. Chinese students choose to come here, fund our universities and go away with wrote knowledge they could get from any number of countries around the world, including China. China spends 6 times more on AI, Defense, Space and Industrial R&D than all of Europe and the US put together. Chinese products are cheaper because their labour cost are low, there manufacturing is more efficient and long term communist development strategy is currently outpacing 4 year western governments turnarounds. I'm not a fanboy of China by any means. We need to acknowlegde the reality and act appropriately.

[@derekfancett8218]

@@methyleneblue4659 Distinctly red-tinted spectacles in use here "not a fan-boy".

[@Weakeyedominant]

​@@methyleneblue4659the real thing holding china back is their authoritarian regime that likes to meddle in everything everything is too centralised that stifles innovation. Their aging population is going to slow their economic growth dramatically as well. Gone are the days where 10% growth in GDP was considered a slow down.

[@lizzieatherfold2293]

It’s absolutely excellent to be able to listen to you both, I appreciate your educated insights on the subjects you discuss thank you both

[@nickmalpeli8156]

Hi Alistair walked past you earlier today outside the VSC in London, before my brain kicked you had gone, but would have said thanks to you and Rory for the podcast, so interesting.

[@kcccc5682]

Criticism of Time magazine's choice of Trump as person of the year is somewhat ignorant. Time almost always picks the winner of the US election in an election year. It's not an endorsement. It's just a recognition that that position has huge influence over the world, more than anyone else by a large margin.

[@HomeFromFarAway]

time does, however, have some recently questionable journalistic standards

[@robertadams4207]

regarding Time magazine: it isn't person of the year, but NEWSMAKER of the year. I think that is why the end up with surprising choices from time to time. They are just looking at who produced the most headlines.

[@xiaoranmo7308]

18:59 America also offshore production to China, but it develop new sectors. Europe still stuck with old industries

[@FRM101]

Lithuania isn't obsessed with shipping their energy consuming industries off to China in the mad pursuit of deindustrialization (20:50).

[@zbigniewsobota1564]

in 1938 Adolf was named "Man of Year" by Times but it does not mean they supported his ideas. Man of the year means biggest influence for good or bad. 1938 and 2024 is for bad :(

[@tahiti1]

You listed countries that split apart in reference to Somaliland, but missed out the split of the Rep of Ireland and the UK.

[@neighbourhoodmusician]

Surely the chemical sector is down because hazardous transportation into the EU is now enormously more difficult than it used to be? I used to work in the chemical industry and it was already difficult. It's not all about energy and offshoring for carbon reduction reasons. Having experienced and managed post-Brexit customs for business shipping (including admin and the physical process), it's already ludicrously more difficult to get anything into and out of the EU, so hazardous materials must be even worse.

[@HomeFromFarAway]

this comment should be higher up the list

[@4x4r974]

There is nothing wrong with trading with China. The problem is that the British establishment is spineless. Would China accept any undue influence from the UK just because of trade? To the contrary, they have campaigns to remove even the softest and more indirect kinds of influence (like 'western' holidays) etc. The most obvious thing that isn't being addressed is that this isn't just about organized spying. A lot of it relies on normal Chinese citizens who live abroad being so ethno-nationalist that they spy voluntarily or get tasked something and actually follow through.

[@PJH13]

I don't think it's just ethno-nationalism, that facilitates recruiting Chinese nationals who live abroad to spy. Their intelligence services are very happy to use threats against relatives, still living in China, as leverage.

[@HomeFromFarAway]

They're spineless with russia too. half of london is owned by oligarchs so nobody in power dares speak

[@erongi233]

No danger of the same thing happening the other way round.The Establishment only trusts the masonic brotherhood of Old Etonians.

[@waltermcphee3787]

then don't forget Edward Snowden and proof that the US is spying on just about everyone, what is the difference?

[@drscopeify]

Not just that but China has banned all western tech companies, Google, Apple, UK media, movies, TV shows, music, everything is BANNED in China and since we in the west our economies are based on SERVICES that is our export it is services like music, entertainment, and China has banned this all so the west has total imbalanced trade with China as it has banned our exports and yet it China is free to flood our countries with their exported goods. That leads to money leaving western countries heading to China leading to 2008-2020 when inflation was low as money paid for goods was constantly leaving our economies heading to China = interest rates had to be kept artificially low which ballooned home prices. So China has a big hand in why house prices have inflated so much in the west and the cost of living crisis.

[@YWang-vl2zh]

Isn’t it super scary if the Chinese intelligence was so good, that they knew Boris, Sunak and Liz Truss wouldn’t last? So why bother arranging a meeting with Xi 😅 (To be fair, Boris was probably just Covid)

[@boondockshawks]

Bigger than prince andrew? What about Prince Albert? Appreciate your show 🇺🇸

[@MargaretDeakin-d6m]

I do appreciate listenning to the two of you discussing serious subjects with honesty and intelligence. I spend alot of time in Germany with my family, and have witnessed the amazing health care there. 2 weeks wait for any operation, emergencies of course take preference.Health issues are responded to quickly to get people back to work. It is a truly humane health care system.Yes, people pay toward their care, according to finnancial ability. Kids up to 21 o not pay. Low income and sick people do not pay. No council tax, and rent controls with tenant protection is in place too. Yes, I agree Europe should be our natural choice to do business with. The USA is not an example we should be attracted to. We need to resist American health Corporations from taking over more of our NHS.There is no special relationship except when the USA want us to do their dirty work for them. See Iraq. See the cost of the second world war that bankrupted Great Britain in exchange for their help to defeat a tyrant intent on world domination.

[@BenCragg1]

I like that Rory's "jollier book" has the word "fatal" in its subtitle XD

[@yestedayssolutionstotodays816]

On the issue of celebrity political candidates, this question has been tackled very recently by your sister podcast ‘the rest is entertainment’ (and no doubt the question refers to this discussion). They proposed Jeremy Clarkson might be the best bet, though admittedly, it was thought he wouldn’t be interested….

[@darkbrotherhood3607]

How was there a discussion around energy costs in the UK, or utility costs in general, with literally ZERO reference to privatisation? The main reason why utility costs are so much cheaper, here in Portugal, is that utilities are still largely publicly owned. Take profiteering and dividend scalping out of the equation and see how much lower costs would be. This country is swamped in wealth extraction rather than wealth creation.

[@geofhayton]

16:37 problem is using marginal cost rather than average costs for electricity

[@janetsanders5356]

Its commonly the case, with most pests, amongst other things, that if you find one ant etc in your cupboard there's probably others you haven't spotted. 👁️... 👀 Rarely just one.

[@supersurf7937]

One small factual correction for Rory - following the coup in Gabon, the French were NOT kicked out, they're still very much there.

[@Evemeister12]

Spying is only okay when our side does it

[@hisdadjames4876]

Its faintly absurd to hear my fellow Brits whingeing, with mock indignation and assumed morality, about others spying on them. For 200 years plus, Britain has successfully infiltrated friends and foes alike in pursuit of her interests. The old stuff is already in the public domain, as matters of fact, and the current stuff will be revealed in due course. 🤷‍♂️

[@rainerohler9210]

Get better, Rory!

[@odi299]

I strongly believe that Rory or Alastair should consider turning off the comment section. It’s becoming increasingly hostile, with people making inflammatory statements about halting immigration. Seeking asylum is a legal right, and this issue has been addressed repeatedly. Allowing such hateful and divisive rhetoric to persist only fuels unnecessary tension and conflict, which is deeply concerning. Thank you, Alastair, for your thoughtful and compassionate approach to supporting immigration and for showing genuine care for the well-being of others. Your leadership on this is both admirable and needed.

[@seanfaherty]

oh yes, freedom of speech is messy but it is better than everybody having to agree with you on everything

[@odi299]

@ As an asylum seeker myself I find the comments reprehensible and the comments section needs to be turned off

[@seanfaherty]

@ the comments are reprehensible. They have a right to be reprehensible. You have a right to try to convince them to be decent. To find harmony you have to listen. If we don’t discuss how our society should be run we will have multiple tiny societies where people dare not give opinions. Democracy is dirty. Authoritarianism is clean but stagnant.

[@Multimine]

Russian bot!!!

[@HomeFromFarAway]

honestly, a lot of those comments are paid trolls or people who have taken in and elieved the russian propaganda "talking points" on the issue. Russia is documented forcing syrians over the border with Finland. and not even refugees, many of them had visas to stay in russia and they were evicted in order to destabilise europe

[@gerardodwyer5908]

Ireland will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union from July to December 2026. 18 months for Israel to remember what political maturity looks like and restore some degree of probity to its self-harmed international reputation.

[@CloudhoundCoUk]

If there is evidence Andrew should be charged and sent for trial. If a court of law finds him guilty then a prison sentence is a must.

[@joeDi1960]

Our court system where everyone in it swears allegiance to the King, wouldn’t ever allow that. It’s always been one law for the Royals

[@MaliKamicak]

​@@joeDi1960princess anne would say different - google 😉

[@seanfaherty]

I agree with Rory's thought on the King

[@joeDi1960]

I don’t

[@seanfaherty]

@ haha

[@AdamDunebugDunas]

What numbers is Rory using to state that Lithuanian citizens are richer on average than UK ones? GDP per capita (with or without PPP) has them still decently behind. PPP: 62,574 UK - Lith 53,624 Nominal: 46,344 UK - Lith 22,245

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

He may be using a median or modal average rather than an arithmetic mean.

[@jason5811]

+1 on the rec for Wide Wide Sea - I picked that up after reading Sides’ “Ghost Soldiers” about the prisoners of the Cabanatuan prison camp and their liberation during WWII which was also excellent. Sides has a real gift for crafting a compelling historical narrative

[@janeclark1881]

Interests to declare (1) I'm Jewish & (2) Were I an Israeli citizen I would not vote for the current governing parties. The point about alleged anti-Semitism, about which you both appear to be blind, is double standards. Israel is not judged by the same standard as other states in the Middle East & elsewhere.

[@SpudNickleson-im7is]

So what has Simon Harris done that was anti-semitic? Opposing genocide? Standing up for the rule of law?

[@HomeFromFarAway]

no, it gets away with much, much worse

[@individualmember]

Israel is expected to live up to western standards, economically, morally, politically. Israel presents itself that way to western democracies. If Israel chooses to declare that it isn’t that, it would be viewed in the west with the same suspicion as its neighbours. Perhaps that would be the more honest way. But yeah, there are double standards, Israel is still, despite everything, regarded more highly than the other countries in the region.

[@beautyfool9418]

I can't get Fuse in Texas, where do I get my merch?

[@itsmrryan]

Every presidential election year Time picks the winner as Time Person of the Year.

[@HomeFromFarAway]

they seem to have a much lower journalistic standard than they try to pretend. did you see the bizzare article about "parental estrangement being caused by youtube channels and tiktok"?

[@cathalwilson7781]

13.11 Correct. Israel declares any criticism of the Israeli government or Netanyahu as being anti-Semitic. This is clearly false. It is not anti-Semitic but a criticism of the policies of the government. Israel should be ashamed of using this trope, which insults those who are/have been victims of real anti-Semitism.

[@ipattison]

21:05 Are you kidding? America doesn't want to offer that to the folks they invade,; that's not the point of it for them.

[@locutorest]

Perhaps you could revisit the unfortunate copy you use to flog fuse. . .

[@slloyd6577]

We need urgent changes to our electricity market. Regional pricing forwarded by Greg Jackson of Octopus Energy would mean that the cost of electricity would plummet in regions close to wind generation and promote the growth and investment in industry. Greg Jackson is trying to reduce electricity costs but his words seem to be falling on deaf ears. The UK urgently needs energy market reform to stop paying gas generation prices for wind and solar! It's obscene. Canj you discuss this? What is Fuse Energy's position on this topic?

[@nadyayurukova]

You look so cold in those jackets inside while advertising Fuse

[@jimbob-bz4iz]

Unsure why the frequent cuts to Rory picking his teeth are necessary 😂

[@ED-zt3gf]

Fuse energy is so cheap that we're wearing heavy winter clothing in our studio

[@darmou]

They re-Fuse to take them off lol

[@grimdadminiatures2788]

Harsh Alistair? Simply untrue you mean

[@Rachel_M_]

Why is everyone acting all shocked that espionage exists?

[@jimjiminy5836]

I thought the world was all fluffy cuddles and chats on the telly with Lorraine Kelly?

[@jezlawrence720]

@@Rachel_M_ same reason they were shocked when the snowden files came out. People are unbelievably naive, basically. Be angry, sure. But shocked and surprised? Please.

[@Rachel_M_]

@@jimjiminy5836 oh yeah. I forgot about that, my bad 😂

[@escatel6889]

Rory, have you been burning the candle at both ends, mate?

[@None-m5l]

Smh, Starmer took away their winter fuel payment and now they’re wearing coats

[@kristofeger2331]

In case of Romania, yes there is a remarkable gdp comeback but that is as toxic as you can imagine (huge deficit, quite vulnerable GDP composition). Poland, Lithuania are fine as you explained.

[@Alex-lm7cx]

'Celebrity Jungle' is a much better name.

[@-JLC]

"Who's your person of the year, Ror-" "thE KING 🫡" Love this

[@OneArmedAdmiral]

Seriously guys, doing an advert for an energy provider while in COATS is not a great look - I'm shocked at Alastair's non-verbals here! 😂

[@maryconnor6173]

What exactly is the king doing? Rory didn’t elaborate.

[@davegibson79]

By deciding to have a high tax, high wage, high regulation economy, we are dependent on Communist China. We should be making it cheaper to manufacture in the UK and Europe, and not only would that spread wealth further than the south East of England, but would make us more independent, diplomatically influential, and secure. Are economy is built on debt, inflation and Chinese goods, and any one of those is enough to destroy our entire economy and our democratic system. Social democratic pseduo-Keynesianism has failed. As the Labour party admitted in 2010 'there's no money left', and things have got worse since then. We need to return to the pro-business, small government model that made us the workshop of the world in the first place, rather than continuing toburn through and run down our inheritance that the governments of the 18th and 19th centuries left us.

[@WestfaliaStuff]

Let's face it - the UK was leading in the field of intelligence retrieval for many decades. It doesn't come as a surprise that the Chinese (and everybody else that wants to have a say in international affairs) does the same.

[@PJH13]

Intelligence gathering is not the only function of their intelligence service. For example, they harass Chinese dissidents living abroad, and try to coerce them to return to China.

[@chriswilkinson1991]

Fuse energy adverts are getting a bit too much guys

[@futures2247]

Every major power spies on the rest and many learned from the UK ruling class

[@andycrook6508]

Hard to overlook Amad Diallo for person of the year!

[@janetsanders5356]

Never heard of

[@richardmitcham6392]

But, America also funds universities etc in other countries the same way as China through AID

[@SirWhig-esq.]

The long shadow of the Opium wars, the forced ceding of Hong Kong will always engender a continuation of Chinese resentment and disdain towards Britain. [Gisèle Pelicot is Person of the Year]

[@4x4r974]

Only because the Chinese establishment is some of the most thin-skinned to ever exist. They have institutionalized the narrative they are victims and oppressed (lol). They call it their '100 years of humiliation'.

[@hrvojesvetec3058]

If US gonna "abandon" Nato/Europe/Ukraine then we(Europe) dont have a choice with China, we NEED China on economic part..esp if US gonna take a more "isolationist" and "bullish" path/stand forward..its a no brainer really

[@thegringolife291]

I usually enjoy Rory's takes but the King as person of the year? Really? Winning the birth lottery to live an enormously cossetted lifestyle and finally get a job when you're 73? That entitles you to person of the year? Heaven help us.

[@KevinPugh-hq8rc]

Methane is a big issue. From what I remember, the UK could supply 50% of its methane needs simply from digestion of food and human waste. As this methane comes from grown products, by burning this fuel we are simply recycling carbon. We need to remember that metal is not the only thing we can recycle - we can easily recycle carbon.

[@drscopeify]

The problem is that Methane from by products is contaminated so you need to refine it, that is not good as the cost of refining in the UK is out of the world expensive and it does create pollution. One of the most contaminated air environments in the west is near refining facilities.

[@kevinpugh3291]

@@drscopeify They are already doing methane production from human and food waste it in a plant near Oxford. So, it can be done. Besides, what do you do with all the landfill methane? Collect it and bury it? Recycling methane is a sensible approach albeit a rather long time scale of recycling.

[@Moltonmetal776]

Have you done an episode about the danger of Musk donating to Reform UK?

[@rewIndustry]

i like how cold you both look, advertising fuse.

[@lukmaes6290]

Andrew is sick of needing attention, whoever gives him that gets his “friendship”

[@geo24793]

19:04 much like the virtual water trade!

[@willrelf1377]

It’s harsh to label someone who’s pro-Palestinian as an antisemite now? You centrist guys have a lot of apologising to do to Jeremy Corbyn then.

[@foldingglint1514]

Exactly, it always was incorrect and the British body politic really owe an apology to Corbyn

[@HomeFromFarAway]

using "centerist" as an epithet makes you an extremist. but anyone pretending that judaism equates to zionism is an extremist. Israel is run by a cult and has killed the jewish leaders who would have stopped that cult

[@adampascoe1084]

Corbyn wasn’t only accused of antisemitism because of his pro-Palestinian platform. The UK human rights watchdog, following an investigation, found Labour to be responsible for “unlawful” acts of harassment and discrimination during Corbin’s 4.5 years as party leader. The Equality and Human Rights Commission identified serious failings in leadership and inadequate processes for handling anti-semitism complaints. They found 3 breaches by the Labour Party of the Equality Act: political interference in antisemitism complaints, failure to provide adequate training to people handling complaints and harassment. Kier Starmer said “it was a day of shame for the Labour Party”.

[@HomeFromFarAway]

@adampascoe1084 I will go and look this up. thanks for the details

[@adampascoe1084]

@ for clarity I’m not saying anything about JC’s personal beliefs, he advocates a 2 state solution in Palestine. What these investigations show is that under his leadership these things were evident in the Labour Party.

[@SFRZRD]

I’m sick of hearing about Fuse

[@Mute_Nostril_Agony]

I wonder if the new Syriam PM found his country is a better or worse state than Keir Starmer did in May? The Syrian people had to put up with chemical weapons and genocide but at last they were spared May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak.

[@johnsimpson8893]

Lithuania did not have the immigration that Britain has had and so has not had it's impoverishing benefit.

[@josephk5629]

Rory, I whole heartedly agree with you, l loved our queen may she rest in peace, and king really has done amazingly well.

[@joeDi1960]

He and especially his Queen are an embarrassment

[@shehryar_]

@@joeDi1960ah yes, because the heads of state across the pond in recent years have been absolute crown jewels .

[@EmpoerterGeisterfahrer]

One problem with the Sarah Wagenknecht party is that its another 10%vote party which makes it more difficult to form a functioning government.

[@avihuboneh723]

I am not a supporter of the current government of Israel but just to remind you: the Irish prime minister and the president never condemned the 7th of October attack!! When an Irish hostage, a child, was returned to Israel, they were talking about a child who got lost and was found and brought home. I can go on and on with examples. Furthermore, there is disturbing education material that Irish children are being given, which is blatantly anti Jewish. So the issue is more than just criticism of the government of Israel.

[@avihuboneh723]

...and by the way, Israel did not simply "invade Gaza and Lebanon and is planning to build settlements in Egypt". This is what the Irish president has said.

[@AlanHamilton-j5i]

Is it similar to how we do it to them?

[@johnfrancis4401]

At least you got Harris as President right. Well done lads.

[@stellatownson2737]

The safety of Chinese electric car is low; may not meet UK/EU standard.

[@JenFowler]

How funny . . Ad b4 the show was for Chinese Theatre . . Uncanny 😊

[@Chris.Hutch55]

Patriot - Read and yes, it is worth a read.

[@leehartshorne6100]

The difference being that the UK under Blair and Brown and you Alistair controlled where the money went from Westminster and the rest of Europe were allowed to hand it to the regions

[@grimdadminiatures2788]

Rory they're planning to go even further when that happens it won't matter they closed they're embassy

[@HomeFromFarAway]

yes. the curren leadership is basically a messianic cult

[@greghill7759]

@24.00 It's worth bearing in mind that this is not necessarily a gauge of popularity. The front page of Time Magazine once featured Adolf Hitler.

[@chaipup7045]

About time we got rid of the monarchy and the house of lords. We're not a democratic society.

[@くそくらえ-p3n]

dont put a 5 min fuze ad in the middle of the podcast its so naked that you're just promoting a product. Thanks!

[@erongi233]

The EU is a work in progress largely funded by Germany. Given the current trajectory of the German economy, which has been denied cheap energy, its future is unclear. The Eastern European countries have not been transformed to high-added-value economies. Economically, they are cheap labour to the bigger economies.

[@1968Christiaan]

No, wrong on all this. Compare our prices in Germany with the UK and we are cheaper and getting cheaper. Poland now has a GDP per capita higher than Greece and the baltics are booming and enjoying not being part of Putin's economic and political contraction.

[@erongi233]

@1968Christiaan you are wrong on all of this. VW and Mercedes are laying off thousands of workers. Czech Republic is a much cheaper source of labour to Germany etc so is Hungary. EU is going bust slowly then very quickly . Russian gas is,or was,lots cheaper than US gas.

[@FRM101]

they're the same, as Rory well knows (18:39)

[@TonyWalsh]

Its a bit of a time suck - when you release the Video - and Podcast of the same presentation - but posted at - different times with - different titles - and with an edited start - as with this one 🤔

[@jeremytaylor3312]

Navalny's book is excellent and worth buying. I doubt either of you read the comments, but if you do, try "Nexus" by Harari.

[@DavidHughes-kn4to]

Do we spy on China. If so how many operatives do we have doing this and how do they operate

[@andybrice2711]

_"They're doing all they can to try to ensure that China has good relations with Europe."_ Well, that seems rather like an overly charitable interpretation.

[@looni3]

France has successfully decarbonised with nuclear, so other major economy has achieved this despite massive investment elsewhere

[@bernardcollier1226]

The rest is entertainment already polled this. Martin Lewis for the centre left

[@muso42009]

The King!!! Come off it Rory. Absolutely ridiculous choice for person of the year. So out of touch🤦

[@mikef5693]

In your introduction plug for your sponsor you say Fuse uses 100% renewable energy. It does not. It uses a mix of energy sources and is merely compliant to the definition is 100% renewable through the purchase of offsets, using a bureaucratic definition here is very disingenuous, it takes credit for doing something that is in fact not being done.Is it a lie? Technically no it is not, but it is surely disingenuous. Could you please alter this statement to be more reflective of the reality of the situation so as to void corporate virtue signalling. Thank you, love the podcast, nice work lads.

[@harrysmith3860]

That fuse energy plug whilst discussing crippling energy costs seems to me a bit distasteful and corporate

[@peterwhimster]

Why should the UK embrace Ashraf Ghani? He's no Volodimir Zelenski.

[@nicholasweber7313]

thanks for your discussion on antisemitism. This is now being used to shut up criticism of Israel positions and I find that outrageous. I am a christian and christian governments are criticized all the time. I don't winge and call that racism against caucasians... but maybe i will now.

[@jonathangammond3019]

The Balts are a switched on bunch. And they always have been, it is just the Russians and the Soviets held them back.