Planet Normal

Mar 05 2025 242 ep. 58 mins 3.3k
Planet Normal Podcast artwork

The podcast that speaks your language. News and views from beyond the bubble with Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan, every Thursday.
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  Society & Culture
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The Lockdown Legacy of Covid

Mar 05 2025 75 mins  
It’s geopolitics stupid.The issue at the forefront of the rocket’s orbit today as there’s certainly no shortage of global madness to contend with.Both your co-pilots reflect on the explosive meeting between President’s, Trump and Zelenskyy. Co-pilot Pearson thinks the latter may have ran out of cards to play when embarking on potential negotiations. Whilst co-pilot Halligan

Allison Pearson defends free speech against police

Feb 26 2025 74 mins  
Co-pilot Pearson has a huge announcement this week as she launches legal action against Essex police after her traumatising experience last year. In this episode she explains what has led her to take a stand against such ‘Orwellian’ behaviour…As Prime Minister Keir Starmer jets to Washington for a meeting with President Trump, your co-pilots ponder whether the Labour Party ha

Reeves’ nation inflation

Feb 19 2025 83 mins  
There’s more woe on the horizon this week with the delivery of less than positive inflation figures.. But no fear, your co-pilots are at the helm to guide you through this economic morass.Co-pilot Pearson has strong feelings about her new ‘boyfriend’ Vice President JD Vance’s speech at the security summit this week, whilst Liam takes a closer look at the latest economic fig

The final nail in the agricultural coffin

Feb 12 2025 70 mins  
Rule by law or rule by lawyers, that's the question your co-pilots are posing from the rocket today as they ponder the week’s events on Planet Earth, and there’s certainly no shortage of madness!Liam thinks the political state of the UK is less about supporting parties and more about being for or against the Whitehall 'blob’.Whilst Allison is frustrated at the attitude of the

The Rise and Rise of the Reform Polls

Feb 05 2025 70 mins  
Is the country falling apart? It’s starting to feel like it this week on the rocket as your co-pilots lament the latest shortcomings from the Labour Party, questions over lockdown rule breaks, Trump’s tariff wars and the return of the dreaded ‘Brexit’ talk…What do your co-pilots make of Reform leader Nigel Farage’s rising popularity? Resident rocket economist Liam

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen on Reform and the future of the Conservative Party

Jan 29 2025 61 mins  
Co-pilot Halligan is joined by the highly qualified temporary co-pilot Tim Stanley whilst co-pilot Pearson is away from the rocket.Tim gives his take on the flurry of activity during Trump's first days in office and why he is frustrated with Keir Starmer's ‘outdated’ ideas.Strapping into the rocket for a return mission this week is Mayor of Tees Valley, Ben Houchen, who beams i

Labour’s Marxist attack on education

Jan 22 2025 66 mins  
It’s the second coming of the Donald as President Trump is inaugurated to the Oval Office for his second term, but what do your co-pilots make of the political antics across the pond?Closer to home, co-pilot Pearson delivers her thoughts from this week’s trial of the Southport killings, which she believes demonstrates a ‘mass coverup’ by the government.Joining your co-pilot

Is the UK's grooming gang shame just the tip of worldwide iceberg?

Jan 15 2025 107 mins  
Your co-pilots have blasted off a whopper of a rocket this week so strap in.It’s Labour vs lettuce this week as the scrutiny of Chancellor Rachel Reeves continues to the rising drumbeat of calls for her to go. And with a resignation and an upcoming inauguration, there’s no shortage of melodrama in orbit this week.It will come as no surprise that the residents of the rocket are

Liz Truss Threatens Starmer with Legal Action

Jan 08 2025 85 mins  
It’s a new year and the rocket returns with a blast to take on tax rises, economy worries and a grooming scandal, but what do your co-pilots make of 2025’s headlines so far?Liam questions why Labour won’t launch a national inquiry into the grooming gangs, whilst Allison thinks the country’s leading party are too hung up with promoting diversity as a strength to investigate

Christmas Special 2024 P2

Jan 01 2025 90 mins  
In this, the second of a two part series, co-pilots Pearson and Halligan dig into the data files for some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking, from 2024.There’s been no shortage of madness on the rocket over the past few months, the peak of which was definitely when co-pilot Pearson spearheaded a free speech campaign in wake of a shocking visit to her