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Planet Normal

Planet Normal

By: The Telegraph
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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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Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Starmer should resign in shame at his latest U-turn on grooming gang inquiry
    Jun 18 2025


    As Labour skids into yet another U-turn, your co-pilots are here to clear the chaff from the wheat.


    Allison is hopeful the inquiry could finally shed light on the ‘worst scandal in British history’ as it is led by Louise Casey, but is concerned the scope won’t see enough towns included by Labour who want to avoid their own patches coming under scrutiny.


    Meanwhile Liam thinks accusations of racism aimed at Sajid Javid for insisting ethnicity be recorded on these crimes when he was Home Secretary, now seem ridiculous and he should be commended for trying to get a clear picture of the issue.


    Making a special trip in the rocket this week is campaigner, author and grooming gang survivor Sammy Woodhouse, who shares her thoughts on the national inquiry into grooming gangs and her experiences as an exploited child.



    Read Liam: ‘Labour’s 1970s employment rights bill could send Britain over the edge’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/06/15/labour-1970s-employment-rights-bill-could-send-uk-over-edge/ |

    Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

    Read Allison: ‘No jail sentence is long enough for the cowards who covered up for the Pakistani rape gangs‘ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/17/grooming-gangs-truth-revealed/ |

    Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

    Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

    Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

    For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Labour’s spending review has no credibility
    Jun 11 2025

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves has outlined her spending review and your co-pilots are here to wade through the madness with Telegraph Columnist Gerard Lyons.


    Allison thinks Rachel Reeves is going on a ‘spending frenzy’ and racking up too much national debt to cover her costs.


    Meanwhile Liam thinks the Chancellor is throwing out big numbers to make it appear Labour is increasing spending but is concerned the money will come from pension funds to cover the cost.


    Gerard Lyons is concerned about the Chancellor being able to control her spending and thinks her ‘fiscal rules’ are back-to-front policy making.


    Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

    Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

    Read Allison: ‘Dear Tim Davie, here are 10 easy ways to get Reform voters to watch the BBC’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/11/attract-more-reform-voters-to-the-bbc/ |

    Read Allison: ‘Woke police chiefs whinge about underfunding when the real problem is their warped priorities’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/10/woke-police-chiefs-whinge-underfunding-real-problem-warped/ |

    Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

    Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

    For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    58 mins
  • The economy is a laffer minute
    Jun 4 2025

    The rocket welcomes stowaway Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mel Stride aboard.


    As Rachel Reeves announces a clunky U-turn on winter fuel payments, your co-pilots clear a way through the confusion so you can keep up to date with the latest turmoil from the Labour benches.


    Allison thinks Rachel Reeves’ time is up and she’s ‘for the chop’ because of her ‘iron-clad’ fiscal rules being undermined by the Prime Minister.


    Meanwhile Liam thinks the Tories need to be bolder in their ideas to challenge the harm he says Labour are doing to the economy and stifling growth.



    Read Liam ‘This is the opportunity the Tories have been waiting for. Can they take it?’

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/06/01/this-is-the-opportunity-tories-have-been-waiting-for/ |

    Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

    Read Allison ‘Don’t believe Starmer when he says he’s angry about the small boats’:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/03/defence-starmer-priority-invasion-illegal-migrants/ |

    Read Allison ‘The BBC’s biased Israel reporting is fuelling anti-Semitism’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/04/the-bbcs-biased-israel-reporting-fuelling-anti-semitism/

    Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |

    Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

    Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

    For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    1 hr and 6 mins
All stars
Most relevant  
wonderful to hear common sense in this crazy world. definitely my therapy for the week.

common sense

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I really look forward to Thursdays and the new edition of Planet Normal. Allison and Liam, our pilot and co-pilot who both write for the Telegraph put the week's events into perspective, pulling apart inflated numbers and mis-information - especially regarding the Covid pandemic and the one sided, misleading and downright dishonest science presented by the media. Their knowledgeable guests are often people shunned by the BBC and other media as they don't toe the party line. A real breath of fresh air.

A brilliant podcast

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I really enjoy this podcast. Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan have great chemistry and are fearless in their opinions. Interesting guests and relevant topics

I look forward to it every week

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PN used to be great but it's refusal
to acknowledge the possibility of vaccine harm is infuriating. This week Andrew Bridgen spoke very powerfully about this to an empty Parliament...yet this bombshell was completely ignored!. But because PN supported the vaccine they cannot possibly do an about face as the facts change.!.
Also Haligan's refusal to discuss immigration without banging on about his Irish ancestory growing up in London..tolerance bla bla bla yada yada every time is becoming boring and patronising. He's too cosy with his chums in power to be the voice of reason we need.

Still good but..

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The budget was controversial- good coverage of the budget, Bank of England response and market reaction. Entertaining too!

Clear summary of budget

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A fantastic insight into the statistics and human stories behind the pandemic. A must-listen every week.

Required listening to stay sane!

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What’s not to love about a podcast that speaks the thoughts of most people freely. Planet Normal is simply and plainly speaking generally centrist type thoughts. The type of thoughts that are, worryingly, being increasingly touted as bigoted and far right, or, overblown as dangerous by numerous Legacy Media outlets who’s presenter’s/editors/journalists/backers now seem to live in an ideological bubble that no one normal can identify with, and instantly cancel or target as bigots anyone who has a thought that does not strictly align with their chosen rhetoric. So, shame, shame, shame on main stream & legacy media, and WELL DONE Rocket Pilots who got me through lockdown with some sanity left. THANK YOU. Never give up, never surrender.

Love love love… freedom of speech and polite debate

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Planet Normal should be compulsary listening for everyone! 🤣
Great political analysis, humour and some of the best guests from across the political, business & social spectrum. I cannot recommend a weekly trip aboard the Rocket of Right Thinking enough.

pure common sense in a mad mad world

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