Do Polls Influence Public Opinion? (Your Radical Questions with James Kanagasooriam)
Radical with Amol Rajan
BBC
4.5 • 919 Ratings
🗓️ 16 March 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Leading pollster James Kanagasooriam answers your questions about how his idea of agency could advance social mobility, how it might be used by politicians and whether there are any reasons to be cheerful at a time of global instability.
He also explains how voters might be influenced by the reporting of opinion polls.
GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O'Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.8 | Hello, it's Amol. |
| 0:07.0 | Listen, before we get into this week's episode of your radical questions, |
| 0:10.0 | and by the way, thank you so much to everyone who is sending in the very large number of questions that we're getting. |
| 0:14.8 | Really appreciate it. |
| 0:15.9 | I did just want to let you know about the next guest joining us, |
| 0:19.4 | and who's also going to be answering your questions |
| 0:21.0 | too and I wanted to get your questions for her. She is Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan. She has spent three |
| 0:27.1 | decades in medicine, including 25 years as a neurologist and her latest book is called The Age of Overdiagnosis. |
| 0:35.4 | It has sparked a global debate about whether mental health conditions are being |
| 0:39.8 | labelled too readily. And she argues that overdiagnosis is becoming widespread. I'm going to be |
| 0:45.3 | speaking to her about why she believes this is happening, what it means for how we understand mental |
| 0:49.4 | health today, and whether or not it has implications for politics and policy which we're not really grappling with. |
| 0:55.7 | To put your question to her, please do send us a voice note. |
| 0:58.0 | I'd love to get your voice notes. |
| 0:59.1 | I know there's lots and lots of people who feel very, very strongly about this. |
| 1:02.2 | We're going to make sure the episode is super rigorous |
| 1:04.2 | and I will try to pursue answers to your questions on your behalf. |
| 1:08.7 | WhatsApp us. |
| 1:09.4 | So send us a voice note on 0331-239480. |
| 1:15.2 | 0-330-129480. |
| 1:18.0 | Or you can email Radical at BBC.co.uk with your questions for Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan, author of The Age of O'Diagnosis. |
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