Best Nigel Thompson Podcasts (2025)

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Preparing Farage for Power: Danny Kruger on defecting to Reform UK 43:29

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24h ago43:29

43:29

Danny Kruger had been at the heart of the Conservative Party since it was led by David Cameron, until he decided that party was "over". He is now a Reform UK MP and has been tasked with preparing the party for government. He sits down with Nick to explain why we need a "revival" of Christian conservatism. Producer: Daniel KraemerReserach: Chloe Des…

1
Reparations: the tyranny of imaginary guilt, with Nigel Biggar & Katie Lam 18:53

4d ago18:53

18:53

The past few years have seen growing calls for countries in the global west to pay reparations to former colonies for their role in the transatlantic slave trade. The debate over reparations was already part of the so-called ‘culture wars’, but became louder following the Black Lives Matter movement, as many groups sought to re-examine their histor…

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800 years on, why is Aquinas Gen Z’s favourite philosopher? 25:28

5d ago25:28

25:28

This year marks 800 years since the birth of the theologian St Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas, best known for his theory of natural law and his magnum opus the Summa Theologia, argued for the existence of God through faith-based reason. The influence of the 13th Century theologian on the philosophy of religion is unquestionable, but what is curious is his…

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Lucy Powell: People have lost sense of Labour's values 42:22

7d ago42:22

42:22

Lucy Powell on why and how she was sacked by Keir Starmer, and why she now wants to be his Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. Producer: Daniel KraemerEditor: Giles EdwardsBy BBC Radio 4

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Archbishop of Canterbury: who's on the shortlist? 21:47

16d ago21:47

21:47

It is 10 months since the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury. Now, finally, the Crown Nominations Commission is believed to have drawn up a shortlist of candidates, and a successor to Welby could be approved by October. Theologian and author Andrew Graystone joins Damian Thompson to talk through what he calls ‘a weak list’ of p…

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'Build Baby Build': The new housing secretary, Steve Reed 36:55

12d ago36:55

36:55

Steve Reed was given the job of Housing Secretary as the result of crisis, after the resignation of his close friend Angela Rayner. But he has been part of the inner circle preparing Keir Starmer's rise to power from the beginning, having recruited the man who ended up as the prime minister's Chief of Staff. In this interview, he gives Nick a behin…

1
Why the canonisation of the first millennial saint is a cause to celebrate 36:41

23d ago36:41

36:41

On Sunday the Catholic Church will acquire its first millennial saint, when Pope Leo XIV canonises someone who, if he were alive today, would be young enough to be his son. Carlo Acutis, a ‘computer geek’ from a prosperous Italian family, died aged just 15 in 2006. In this episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson talks to Mgr Anthony Figueiredo and t…

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China, Russia and us: Tony Radakin on four years as Chief of the Defence Staff 49:53

19d ago49:53

49:53

An exclusive exit interview with Admiral Sir Tony Radakin on the week he steps down as the UK's military chief. Radakin's time as head of the armed forces was dominated by responding to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As he leaves, he is adamant that the UK is "safe" and that the war has been a "disaster" for Putin. He also talks about the…

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Which are the 'Twelve Churches' that made Christianity? 39:53

1M ago39:53

39:53

What links the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and St Peter's in Rome with the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and Canaanland in Ota, Nigeria? These are just some of the churches that Anglican priest and writer the Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie highlights in his new book Twelve Churches: An Unlikely History of the Buildings that …

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From the Bible to Tolkien: the risks & rewards of collecting rare books 27:00

1M ago27:00

27:00

The Bible is widely said to be the most published book of all time. Despite this, many older versions of the Bible are still sought after. This is because, as Tom Ayling tells Damian Thompson on this episode of Holy Smoke, there is a great deal of diversity amongst the editions precisely because it has been so widely published. Tom, a young antiqua…

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How has John Henry Newman inspired Pope Leo XIV? 30:41

2M ago30:41

30:41

St John Henry Newman (1801-90) is perhaps the most influential theologian in the history of English Christianity. Yet, as Damian Thompson discusses with Fr Rod Strange – one of the world’s leading authorities on Newman – he was a divisive figure, though perhaps not in the way one might imagine. One of the founders of the Oxford Movement, Newman was…

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Massacres in Syria & the Congo: why aren't Western elites drawing attention to religious persecution? 27:25

2M ago27:25

27:25

After the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, many people voiced fears that the religious minorities in the country could face increased persecution. This could be at the hands of the new government’s supporters, or simply because the new regime can't protect them. Now those fears appear to have been realised. There is rising sectarian violence agai…

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Working to get Spray back onto the Bay 20:13

2M ago20:13

20:13

It's taken 2 years of painstaking work but a historic Morecambe Bay fishing boat is about to return to the Bay. The Morecambe Bay Prawner Trust acquired the 130 year old Spray after it faced an uncertain future. Built in Arnside, the sturdy wooden craft was built to handle the dangerous waters, rushing tides and strong winds of Morecambe Bay. I've …

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The Friedrich Merz One 34:03

2M ago34:03

34:03

The German Chancellor speaks candidly about Trump's attitude to Europe, war on the continent, and the future relationship Britain Producer: Daniel KraemerResearcher: Chloe DesaveEditor: Giles EdwardsBy BBC Radio 4

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Morecambe Faces 12:57

2M ago12:57

12:57

Every picture tells a story and it’s certainly true when it comes to a photography project quietly gathering momentum in Morecambe. It’s the idea of creative Johnny Bean. He’s capturing pictures of people who make a difference in Morecambe. From tap dancing pensioners to fishermen, hairdressers to the town's member of Parliament and everyone in bet…

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Recovering the Sacred with Michael Gove, Revd Marcus Walker, Dr Cosima Gillhammer and many more 1:15:18

3M ago1:15:18

1:15:18

Last week The Spectator held a live event entitled ‘Recovering the Sacred’ in the glorious surroundings of St Bartholomew the Great, the oldest parish church in the City of London. The speakers included two London parish priests – one Anglican, one Catholic – who have contributed much to the growing interest among young people in traditional liturg…

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The Josh Babarinde One 33:33

3M ago33:33

33:33

The Lib Dem Justice Spokesperson managed to persuade ministers to change domestic abuse law within a year of being elected to parliament. Josh Babarinde tells Nick how his own childhood experience spurred him on to push for reform. He also explains how a beer mat persuaded him to join the Liberal Democrats. Producer: Daniel Kraemer…

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The Keir Starmer Prime Minister One 46:31

3M ago46:31

46:31

After some of the most tumultuous days of his premiership, Keir Starmer sits down with Nick in Downing Street, to reflect on a year in power. In a wide-ranging interview, the prime minister defends his style of leadership, while taking responsibility for the setbacks. He also opens up about losing his brother last year and his personal relationship…

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It’s time for Pope Leo XIV to make some tough decisions 12:50

3M ago12:50

12:50

Nearly everyone loves Robert Prevost, the unassuming baseball fan from Chicago who unexpectedly became Pope Leo XIV this year. But as he prepares to spend his summer in Castel Gandolfo he has some difficult decisions to make. Is he prepared to clear up all the doctrinal confusion created by his predecessor Pope Francis? And will he allow liberal bi…

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Trump's America: The Scott Perry One 31:27

3M ago31:27

31:27

A Republican Congressman outlines the values that lie behind his conservative politics. Scott Perry is the Representative for Pennsylvania's 10th District, a Trump ally, an Iran hawk who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and a veteran, who flew combat missions in Iraq before turning his attention to politics. He joins Nick down the line from W…

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Dave Day in Barrow 10:32

3M ago10:32

10:32

Bikers from across the UK descended on Barrow on the longest day to mark the second Dave Day to be held to mark the life and work of the Dave Myers who hailed from the town. Hairy Biker Dave has a loyal following and his wife Lili is continuing to raise awareness as well as money for cancer care and other good causes. Over 20,000 bikers came to Bar…

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The Douglas Alexander One 43:09

3M ago43:09

43:09

The Trade Minister explains how a penalty shootout played a role in his government appointment. Douglas Alexander has the same job that he had 20 years ago in Tony Blair's government. He reflects on how the world has changed in that time, and his motivation for returning to politics after a humiliating defeat in 2015.…

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Why are young Christians returning to tradition? 42:05

3M ago42:05

42:05

Today’s Holy Smoke is a curtain-raiser for ‘Recovering the Sacred’, a Spectator event at St Bartholow-the-Great in the City of London in which a panel of experts will explore the rediscovery of traditional worship and theology by young Anglicans and Catholics. The event will be held on Tuesday 8th July; for more details, and to book tickets, go to:…

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The Mel Stride One 37:41

3M ago37:41

37:41

The Shadow Chancellor sets out his vision for a more "thoughtful" politics and faces up to the challenge of winning the argument before the next general election. Sir Mel Stride reveals what he admires about his opposite number, Rachel Reeves, and why a world war two commander is one of his political heroes. He also has a warning about what the Bri…

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A Jewish guide to arguing 52:20

4M ago52:20

52:20

Daniel Taub, former Israeli Ambassador to the UK, joins Damian Thompson to talk about his new book Beyond Dispute: Rediscovering the Jewish art of constructive disagreement. In a fast-moving interview, Daniel explains how the art of arguing has shaped Jewish humour and scholarship, and Damian asks him about keeping kosher, life after death – and th…

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Sounds of Morecambe and District 1981 20:50

4M ago20:50

20:50

This is a gem! A recording of the sights and sounds of Morecambe made over 40 years ago has been shared publicly for the first time since it was produced. Sounds of Morecambe and District was a cassette made by a small team led by Peter Mason-Milward in 1981. As well as the sounds of Marineland, go karts at Heysham Head and the Harbour Band Arena i…

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The Jacinda Ardern One 33:32

4M ago33:32

33:32

How does it feel to be held up as the 'anti-Trump' by progressives across the globe? Jacinda Ardern was prime minister of New Zealand for 6 years and is now committed to promoting empathy and kindness in world leadership. She joins Nick in the Political Thinking studio to reflect on her unexpected rise to power and being described as a 'global pinu…

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From Heysham Port to the TT 16:59

4M ago16:59

16:59

Every year the port of Heysham becomes the focus for bikers from all over the UK and beyond. Thousands flock to the Bay to be transported to the Isle of Man for the TT Races which are well underway. Alice Rice knows more than most when it comes to ensuring bikers get across safely. Since 1996 she's worked at the port but this is to be her final TT.…

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Is God an Englishman? 32:22

4M ago32:22

32:22

Bijan Omrani joins Damian Thompson to talk about his new book God is an Englishman: Christianity and the Creation of England. They discuss the spiritual and cultural debt the country owes to Christianity. The central question of Bijan’s book is ‘does it matter that Christianity is dying in England?’. The faith has historically played a disproportio…

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The Tanni Grey-Thompson One 40:50

4M ago40:50

40:50

After 15 years as a member of the House of Lords, Tanni Grey-Thompson reflects on how a career at the top of sport prepared her for the world of politics. The crossbench peer speaks to Nick about what she sees as a dangerous relationship between benefit reforms and legalising assisted dying. Producer: Daniel Kraemer…

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The mystifying process – and problems – behind choosing the next Archbishop of Canterbury 39:23

4M ago39:23

39:23

After Pope Francis died, it took the Roman Catholic Church just 17 days to choose a successor in Pope Leo XIV. It has been well over 6 months since Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned and we are only just making sense of those chosen to sit on the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), that will recommend his successor. Even then, it’s unli…

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The Eluned Morgan One 45:54

4M ago45:54

45:54

The First Minister of Wales sets a marker to the left of Keir Starmer, setting out her vision of a "Red Welsh Way", drawing inspiration from Gavin and Stacey. Producer: Daniel KraemerBy BBC Radio 4

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Finding spiritual treasure in César Franck 36:20

4M ago36:20

36:20

The Belgian composer César Franck – unfairly associated with kitsch and sentimentality by certain cultural sophisticates – wrote some of the most spiritually inspiring music of the late 19th century. In this episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson talks to the British-Israeli pianist Ariel Lanyi, who has just recorded Franck’s late masterpiece Prélu…

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The Richard Tice One 38:17

4M ago38:17

38:17

Reform UK’s deputy leader reflects on a year of political success, a privileged upbringing and the cabinet job he’s eyeing up Producer: Daniel KraemerBy BBC Radio 4

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Does Pope Leo XIV represent continuity or change? 19:45

5M ago19:45

19:45

From Rome Fr Benedict Kiely and Damian Thompson react to the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis. The first American Pope, Prevost is also a citizen of Peru, having spent years working as first a parish pastor and teacher, and later as a bishop. The 267th Bishop of Rome is also the first native English-speaking pope…

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The Joe Biden One 29:41

5M ago29:41

29:41

To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, former president Joe Biden sits down with Nick Robinson for an exclusive interview, his first since leaving the White House. He issues a stark warning about the future of the western alliance and criticises his successor’s approach to foreign policy. In this extended interview, Biden also reflects on his deci…

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Conclave: who is likely to succeed Francis? 40:39

5M ago40:39

40:39

The papal conclave is due to begin on Wednesday 7 May to elect a successor to Pope Francis. As host Damian Thompson says, Rome – and the entire Church – is in a state of ‘fevered excitement’. While this is to be expected, most commentators agree that this conclave will be one of the most consequential elections for centuries. At stake are both the …

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What can we expect from the papal conclave? 53:22

5M ago53:22

53:22

Earlier this year Dr Kurt Martens, Professor of Canon Law at the Catholic University of America, joined Damian Thompson on Holy Smoke to unpack what happens during a papal conclave. There was heightened interest in the process due to the film Conclave, which swept the awards season, but also because Pope Francis was hospitalised at the time. Despit…

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VPNs, Encryption, and Digital Freedom with Nigel from MenaVPN 14:44

5M ago14:44

14:44

In this episode of Cyber Sentinel, we sit down with Nigel, senior developer at https://menavpn1.com/ , to explore the intersection of digital freedom, censorship, and cybersecurity in the UAE. Hosted by Alex Carter, Editor-in-Chief of ByteShield, the conversation dives deep into how VPNs like MenaVPN navigate strict internet regulations, evade deep…

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Pope Francis dies – what will his legacy be? 29:09

5M ago29:09

29:09

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, has died. The Argentinian, the first Latin American – and the first Jesuit – to lead the Church, has been the head of the Holy See for 12 years, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI who resigned in 2013. Francis presided over the funeral of his predecessor, who died in 2022 – a first in modern history. B…

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Easter special: in praise of faithful dissent, a conversation with Nigel Biggar and Mary Wakefield 23:46

5M ago23:46

23:46

The Easter issue of the Spectator includes two provocative articles exploring aspects of Christianity. Nigel Biggar, Regius professor emeritus of moral theology at Oxford University, now a Conservative peer, celebrates the heroic ‘faithful dissent’ of Christian heroes such as Thomas More and Helmuth von Moltke, who lost their lives rather than defe…

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Was Simeon of Jerusalem the first Christian in recorded history? 27:55

6M ago27:55

27:55

In Luke's Gospel, an ancient inhabitant of Jerusalem named Simeon meets Mary and Joseph when they bring Jesus to be presented at the Temple on the 40th day after his birth. He has been promised that he will not die until he has seen Christ, and as he takes the baby into his arms he utters the words, 'Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, acco…

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The tin ear of Justin Welby 28:47

6M ago28:47

28:47

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is back in the news following his interview this week with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg. The interview – his first since he resigned last November – was clearly Welby's attempt to draw a line under the abuse scandal that cost him his job. The 2024 Makin report concluded that the Church of England mis…

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A sick Pope and a paralysed Vatican: who is actually running the Catholic Church? 11:25

6M ago11:25

11:25

A greatly enfeebled Pope Francis is now living in enforced isolation in a suite at his Santa Marta residence that has been converted into hospital accommodation. He won't be resuming public duties for two months, we are told – and even his senior advisors have limited access to him. As a result, it's really not clear who is in charge of the Catholi…

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Sounds of Morecambe and District in the 1980s 0:47

6M ago0:47

0:47

Do you remember Heysham Head or how about the pleasure park on the prom before it became Frontierland?Morecambe illuminations switch-on? Colin Crompton? Pontins Holiday Camp? Marineland ? The list goes on! In the 1980’s a friend of mine had the foresight to record the sights and sounds of Morecambe and we recently met up to listen again to the cass…

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Bidding to big up Morecambe 16:22

6M ago16:22

16:22

Did you know there are over 100 works of art in Morecambe town centre? With more artwork springing up around the town it's certainly causing much debate and it's emerged the town's Business Improvement District have supported artist Matty Green in sprucing up areas with imaginative work. An art trail could coax visitors off the prom to explore less…

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Christianity, culture wars and J.D. Vance: a conversation with James Orr 1:01:27

7M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

James Orr was living the life of a young, high-flying lawyer when, after a few drinks at a New Year's Eve party, he asked for signs that God existed. The signs came; among other things, he narrowly avoided a fatal skiing accident. Now he is a passionate Christian and a conservative culture warrior who helped defeat an attempt to impose the tyranny …

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Bonus: The Rishi Sunak Lessons from Downing Street One - Part 2 1:01:28

7M ago1:01:28

1:01:28

In the second, bonus instalment of this exclusive interview with the former prime minister, Rishi Sunak opens up about his time as Chancellor and Prime Minister, including how his relationship with Boris Johnson fell apart, why he regrets his "Stop the Boats" slogan and what comes next for someone who has become an elder statesman, aged 44. Produce…

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The Rishi Sunak Lessons from Downing Street One 58:32

7M ago58:32

58:32

An exclsuive in-depth interview with the Rishi Sunak. In this first instalment, the former prime minister tells stories from behind the scenes on the world stage explains why he thinks we must now cut welfare spending to fund defence. Sunak reflects on how a sense of duty - inspired by his Hindu faith - helped drive his political career, and reflec…

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The Carla Denyer 2025 One 33:15

7M ago33:15

33:15

The co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales joins Nick for a conversationBy BBC Radio 4