meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The News Agents

Is Rishi "rearranging the deckchairs" on the Titanic?

The News Agents

Global

News, Daily News, Politics, Government

4.15.4K Ratings

🗓️ 31 August 2023

⏱️ 43 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The PM announces a mini-reshuffle, with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace leaving the post and Grant Shapps warming a new Cabinet seat for the fifth time in less than a year. Claire Coutinho becomes the new Energy Security Secretary. But does this do anything to help arrest the Conservatives' seemingly-inevitable slide toward electoral defeat next year (if the polls are to be believed). We ask Lara Spirit, of The Times.

Jon talks to Leah Williamson, Lionesses' captain and Arsenal defender, about her team missing out in the World Cup final and the furore around Luis Rubiales and the Spanish FA in the match's aftermath.

And Jon also speaks to former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. He talks Trump, populism and whether Australia is ready to become a republic.

Editor: Tom Hughes

Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus

Producer: Laura FitzPatrick

Planning Producer: Alex Barnett

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Producer: Will Gibson-Smith

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents".

The News Agents is a Global Player Original and a Persephonica Production.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

The Newsagents podcast is brought to you by HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity.

0:09.0

This is a global player original podcast.

0:12.6

Britain has a new Defence Secretary, Grant Shaps. And just to keep you up to date with what a busy chap, Mr Shaps, is.

0:26.1

In the past year, he has been Secretary of State for Transport in the final days of the Johnson government,

0:29.9

Home Secretary, during the final six days of the Trust Premiership,

0:34.1

Secretary of State for Business from October 22 to February 23,

0:39.1

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero from 2023 until the present day,

0:46.7

and now Defence Secretary. That's five Cabinet jobs in one year. Oh, what expertise he must have gathered. We will be discussing that. But we're also going to be talking to Leah Williamson,

0:52.0

the England women's football captain who had to miss out on the

0:57.2

whole of the World Cup because of an ACL injury. And she talks about what it felt like having to

1:02.5

watch it all. But she also talks about what has happened with the Spanish team since and the head

1:08.6

of the Spanish FAAAA Louis Rubiales.

1:12.0

Yeah, it's disgusting.

1:13.0

It's a result of a sexist and misogynistic environment leading to treating people a way in which is just not appropriate.

1:20.7

It really is a compelling interview.

1:22.6

That's still to come.

1:23.9

Welcome to the newsagents.

1:28.8

The Newsagents. The Newsagents.

1:30.6

It's John at Newsagents H.Q.

1:32.7

All by myself.

1:33.4

Well, sort of all by myself, but we'll come to that in a moment.

1:36.2

Later in the podcast, something unmissable.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Global, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Global and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.