The Prospect Podcast

From nurseries to nursing homes, private equity increasingly affects all of us.

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Hettie O’Brien, who investigates the rise of private equity in her book The Asset Class: How Private Equity Turned Capitalism Against Itself.

Hettie traces the rise of private equity partnerships and their profound impact on our economy. She tells the story of how the buyout of railway arches resulted in rising rents and small local businesses being forced out in London.

She also discusses how it influences key services like healthcare and housing, often resulting in increased costs—as well as the shocking effects on outcomes, such as mortality rates in care homes.

Why are these firms shielded from accountability? And, as societal inequality widens, what reforms need to be made?
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Although the world seems full of war and conflict, love—of all kinds—is everywhere. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sally Hayden, award-winning journalist and author of This is Also a Love Story: Searching for Good in a Divided World.

As a reporter, Sally has witnessed first-hand the consequences of human brutality, as well as moments of hope. She shares stories from across the globe, from Ukraine to Japan to Syria.

Having lived in Lebanon since 2024, she also discusses life under Israeli bombardment and the tragically mundane items she finds buried amongst the rubble.

In the modern age, is empathy under attack? And why does her book include a bank robbery as an example of love? Listen to find out.

To read Sally’s Beirut diary, click here or head to prospectmagazine.co.uk.
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This month our family of writers is in a whimsical mood: Vitali Vitaliev reflects on the very different purpose toilet paper once had in Soviet Ukraine, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman laments the poor quality of the Church’s Cheeky Pandas cartoons for children. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock suffers terrible stage fright, while Sarah Collins celebrates the human antidepressants in her local community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a nightmare week for Keir Starmer. After devastating results for Labour in the 7th May elections, pressure has this week mounted on the prime minister to resign. He has said that he will stay, and that he wants to lead Labour into the next general election—but how long can he hang on, and what would it mean for Labour’s fortunes if he did?

Ellen and Alona are joined by veteran pollster and regular Prospect contributor Peter Kellner to discuss Starmer’s predicament, what a leadership challenge would look like, and whether any of the contenders could rally the support needed to oust the prime minister.

Visit prospectmagazine.co.uk to read all of Peter Kellner’s latest analysis, including his open letter to the next Labour leader: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/72547/an-open-letter-to-labours-next-prime-minister
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It’s the week every political nerd has been waiting for. Tomorrow, voters go to the polls in England, Scotland and Wales to elect local councils, Holyrood and the Senedd.

Just how bad do things look for Labour—and Keir Starmer? Why are Reform UK and the Greens surprisingly similar? And how come Kemi Badenoch, whose Tories are a mere shadow of their former selves, isn’t facing a leadership challenge? Plus: what can local elections really tell us about the next general election?

On today’s episode, Ellen and Alona are joined by writer and broadcaster Carys Afoko to discuss the days and weeks ahead. A former political adviser to several Labour politicians, she hosts the weekly current affairs podcast “Over the Top, Under the Radar”.

To read Carys’s recent article. “Are Reform and the Greens battle ready?”, visit the Prospect website. Read everything for free until 11th May.
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