The need for robust and enhanced defense spending in an increasingly fragmented world is a policy objective agreed upon across the political divide. Few are better positioned to comment on the obstacles and opportunities of the process than Sir Ben Wallace, a former Captain in the British Army, a member of Parliament for 20 years and Secretary of State for Defense of the United Kingdom between 2019 and 2023. In his post-government life as an investor, he offers a singular perspective on the gaps in manpower and equipment faced by most Western powers and how we can begin to address them.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With so many unanswered questions about the direction of US domestic politics and the role the United States now plays in the world, few can bring the experience and depth of knowledge of the political process as this weeks guest, Mick Mulvaney. Mick is a former elected member of the US House of Representatives for South Carolina, serving four terms before joining the first Trump administration in 2017 as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, ultimately serving as acting White House Chief of Staff until his departure in 2021. In a wide-ranging discussion, we cover the current policy dynamics shaping discourse in Washington, the geopolitical considerations driving the policies of the 2nd Trump Administration and the legacy left by Trump when his term finishes in 2027.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few people are better positioned to comment on current trends in media and politics than Alastair Campbell. After a long career in journalism and politics, serving as UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's Press Secretary and Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy, Alastair now co-hosts The Rest Is Politics, the most popular politics podcast in the UK. This wide-ranging discussion covers the changing nature of the media, what it takes for a leader to drive policy, the state of populism and the challenges for the Labour Party in the current political moment.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.