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Planet Normal

Planet Normal

By: The Telegraph
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The podcast that speaks your language. News and views from beyond the bubble with Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, every Thursday.

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

© Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.
Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • UK Meningitis outbreak and Starmer’s abortion policy shame
    Mar 19 2026

    You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QVXFsa07Rpo


    In this week’s dispatch from the sanctuary of sweet reason, co-pilots Pearson and Halligan examine a growing sense of national insecurity as Britain faces a perfect storm of energy, military, and financial fragility, and the unfolding meningitis outbreak.


    With oil climbing back above $100 a barrel and the Strait of Hormuz remaining shut, Liam argues that it is time for the government to junk the ‘Net Zero virtue signalling’ and urgently greenlight drilling in the North Sea.


    Allison discusses her recent column on a controversial clause in the Crime and Policing Bill that would effectively ‘descriminalise’ abortion up to birth. Labelling the move ‘legalised infantcide’ she and Liam explore the ethical implication of late-term viability, drawing on Allison’s moving personal experiences and her observations from a neonatal ICU.


    The duo are joined in the rocket by Linden Kemkaran, the Reform UK leader of Kent County Council. Representing the ‘border county’ at the forefront of the small boats crisis, she discusses her decision to declare an ‘illegal migration emergency’ and her demand for the government to provide full funding for the local impact of arrivals.


    Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |

    Read Allison ‘Britain is about to make a sickening change to the abortion law’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/17/britain-sickening-change-to-abortion-law/ |

    Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

    Read Liam ‘Labour needs to be grown-up about the North Sea’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/03/15/labour-needs-to-be-grown-up-about-the-north-sea/ |

    Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

    Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |

    Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

    Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

    For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

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

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • The Iran war lays bare the betrayal of Britain’s energy security
    Mar 12 2026

    You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uRceQCyRYIU


    It’s markets this, oil prices that, and what will happen next, so your co-pilots are blasting in to make sense of the tsunami of news flooding across the globe from the Middle East and the war with Iran.


    Allison points to the shame of all governments for not protecting British interests and defence strategy has left us woefully unprepared for any disruption to energy supplies. And as the news is pointing away from the UK Allison has spied Labour still pressing ahead with a definition of Islamophobia and potentially curbing Free Speech in the process.


    Liam looks at the economic fallout as the Strait of Hormuz continues to be closed and Iran attacks cargo ships, and brings on board journalist and energy market expert Andrew Critchlow to discuss the UK’s energy security and strategy.



    Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |

    Read Allison ‘The BBC is not living up to the ‘British’ part of its name’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/11/bbc-boat-race-cancellation-crufts/ |

    Read Allison ‘Starmer is pandering to Islamist extremists to save his own skin https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/10/keir-starmer-islamism-concerns-hannah-spencer/ |

    Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

    Read Liam ‘Britain needs economic security – and a sovereign wealth fund’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/03/08/britain-needs-economic-security-sovereign-wealth-fund/ |

    Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

    Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |

    Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

    Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

    For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

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

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    58 mins
  • Iran, Trump and running scared Starmer
    Mar 5 2026

    As conflict with Iran hots up across the Middle East, your co-pilot blast in to make sense of the madness.


    Strapping into the rocket is Dr Alan Mendoza, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Henry Jackson Society to give his expertise on the conflict and how the ‘special relationship’ is faring as the PM holds back on British intervention.


    Allison thinks delays to assisting US forces has left the UK as ‘billy no mates’ should we need military help in the future.


    Liam looks at the economic fallout as the Strait of Hormuz is closed and this could send the cost of living soaring again for the British people.



    Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |

    Read Allison ‘Rachel Reeves’s Freudian slip betrayed the truth about this Government’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/04/rachel-reeves-freudian-slip/ |

    Read Allison ‘Trump is right. Starmer has humiliated the land of Churchill’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/03/starmers-cowardice-over-iran-shames-britain/ |

    Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

    Read Liam ‘The tide is turning on ludicrous net zero policies’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/03/01/rumours-of-oils-demise-have-been-greatly-exaggerated/ |

    Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

    Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |

    Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

    Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

    For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

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

    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 3 mins
All stars
Most relevant
I have listened to every episode since it started during Covid. Both presenters and the choice of guests are always highly entertaining. The combination of gentle humour and sharp commentary makes for the best podcast out there.

Best podcast out there

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