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Planet Normal

Planet Normal

Written 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
  • Farage furor and the media blindspot to the OBR warnings
    Jul 8 2026

    You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YItlh0gx6cA


    A never ending tsunami of news sees Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stand down, triggering a “People vs the Establishment" election… but was this a political mis-step?


    Liam thinks it was a mistake by the Reform leader, but is aghast that the news is giving more coverage to ‘unserious candidates’ such as count Binface, instead of the looming financial issues as the OBR announces the Government has ‘unsustainable UK debt’.


    Allison agrees but also thinks this is yet another avenue of stitch up by the political establishment that cannot understand why Reform remains so popular with voters, and why they see through the attempts to delegitimise Nigel Farage.


    Clambering aboard is return passenger and journalist extraordinaire, Anne-Elisabeth Moutet who tells your co-pilots why Marine Le Pen of France’s National Rally Party may be campaigning with an electronic ankle monitor…


    Highlights


    • Planet Normal: Farage furor and the media blindspot to the OBR warnings
    • Farage triggers by election - Count Binface so far only candidate to challenge him
    • OBR issues stark warning for UK debt and GDP
    • Reform remains popular despite political parlour games


    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 ‘It’s time to remove Harry from the line of succession‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/07/remove-harry-line-succession/ |

    Read Allison ‘With beer, pyjamas and raucous chants, we rallied round England’s heroes‘:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/07/06/england-mexico-allison-pearson-in-saffron-walden/ |

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

    Read Liam ‘Britain is doomed if Burnham lurches Left’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/07/05/britain-is-doomed-if-burnham-lurches-left/ |

    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
    56 mins
  • Labour’s new migration policies will create a 'Burnham bump’
    Jul 1 2026

    You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bW3b5qKQP6I


    Co-pilot Pearson returns from her break in Sicily to find political chaos in full swing following Keir Starmer's resignation announcement last week.


    Liam and Allison dissect Andy Burnham's bid for the top job, with Liam labelling him "Boris in a bomber jacket" and questioning whether his tax-heavy vision of "Manchesterism" can survive economic reality.


    Allison reflects on The Telegraph's recent Brexit event and attacks Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s new immigration reforms as a "tissue of lies" that fails to address the open-border crisis.


    Stowing away this week is Research Director at the Centre for Migration Control, Rob Bates who tells your co-pilots why Labour’s asylum and immigration changes could create another ‘wave’ of migration to the UK


    Highlights


    • Planet Normal: Labour’s new migration policies will create a 'Burnham bump’
    • The Illusion of Manchesterism: Burnham is the wrong answer to the UK's looming fiscal cliff
    • The Sinking Immigration System: Allison slams the Home Secretary’s asylum reforms as a "tissue of lies" that serves as a giant welcome mat.
    • The Lockdown Tech Tragedy: How smartphones and isolation turned a generation of bright children into tech-addicted "zombies"


    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 ‘Welcome to Burnham’s No 10 North – fuelled by gravy, Surrey cash and delusion‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07/01/welcome-burnham-no-10-north/ |

    Read Allison ‘Shabana Mahmood’s migration plan will light the spark on civil unrest‘:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/30/dont-be-fooled-by-shabana-mahmoods-smoke-mirrors-migration/ |

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

    Read Liam ‘Britain’s next prime minister shouldn’t bet on peace in the Gulf’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/06/28/britains-next-prime-minister-shouldnt-bet-on-peace-in-gulf/ |

    Read Liam ‘Our football team was at the heart of Blair’s Labour. Now, Burnham is leading a comeback’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/25/demon-eyes-new-labour-football-team-shaped-politics/ |

    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
  • Burnham is the wrong answer to the UK’s economic problem
    Jun 24 2026

    You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/D90j1xiHV_c


    A news heatwave has caused chaos across the land, Co-pilot Halligan pressed the emergency button and is joined by under-study Baroness Claire Fox while Co-pilot Pearson recovers from the shock of it all.

    Liam congratulates Andy Burnham on his victory in Makerfield, and apparently set to have a coronation rather than a contest, for the top job, however doesn’t believe his fiscal policies will stand up to economic reality.

    Baroness Fox recalls the Brexit vote 10 years on and why the remain camp will never accept the outcome, as well as outlining where we have not yet embraced many of the freedoms we gained, by changing EU laws.


    Stowing away this week is return guest Dr Gerard Lyons who discusses Britain's economic outlook, arguing that weak growth, rising debt and high public spending pose major challenges for the UK, and 10 years on from the Brexit vote he also questioned the case for closer ties with the EU…


    Highlights


    • Planet Normal: Burnham is the wrong answer to the UK’s economic problem
    • Burnham on set for Premiership coronation
    • Brexit 10 years on, have we taken full advantage yet


    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 |

    Book your tickets to 'How to make Brexit a success’ on 29th June in London: telegraph.co.uk/brexit-big-debate |

    Read Allison ‘I will always be proud I voted to leave the EU and stand up for the Britain I love‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06/23/proud-of-vote-to-leave-eu / |

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

    Read Liam ‘I’ve known Andy Burnham for 30 years but I still think he’s wrong’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/06/21/ive-known-burnham-for-30-years-but-i-still-think-hes-wrong/ |

    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 5 mins
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