I'm Michael Crick, I'm a journalist who's worked for News Night and Channel 4 News, as well as writing biographies of The Rich and Powerful.

In my new series, Mugshots, we profile leading figures in politics and public life today, speaking to those who know them best, to build up a portrait, unlike any that's been seen before.

That's Mugshots with Michael Crick. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

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Hello and welcome to O-GodWat Now, the podcast that continues to heckle Brexit and throw juicy Spanish tomatoes at it.

I am your host, Alex Andreu, if there were a best ensemble buster, I'd be wearing it.

A little date for your diary. We're starting a new monthly event for Patreon supporters only, called Podcasts Question Time, where one of our panellists will answer any question you like. Live on Zoom.

The first one is on Thursday, March the 2nd, and the panellist in question is, it says here it's me.

So, Sir Patreon, O-GodWat Now, Podcasts, to sign up and find out how to enjoy this gala evening of probing me with questions.

Now, on today's show, secretty negotiations on the protocol, a dithering PM, threats of ministerial resignations, backbench rebellions, unlikely alliances, and Johnson briefing against the government.

Tonight we're going to party like it's 2018. Also, a year on from Russia's escalation of the war in Ukraine, has it made the West rethink security, or are we simply settling into a new normal?

And in the extra bit for Patreon backers, when the broken clock you hate the most tells the right time.

In an age of tribalism, how do we cope when our arch enemies actually make a good point? Let's meet today's panel.

Seth Tevers is a historian, an author of several books about private members clubs. Hi, Seth.

Hello.

Seth, the big 48-hour nurses' walk-out planned for the beginning of March has been paused while talks resume.

Is this real progress and might it cause a sort of domino effect? There are reports that the treasurer is considering a 5% raise across the public sector.

Or is the government trying to pick off the unions that enjoy high as the public support?

I think about second outcome is much more likely. This is a government which is obsessed with the facture legacy, and obsessed with the idea that a strong government takes on unions.

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