{"podcast":{"title":"In The Room","slug":"in-the-room-7693582","podcast_index_feed_id":7693582,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/69861398d4e01f1069d58875","website_url":"https://shows.acast.com/intheroom","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/cover/1770393584398-595c81ff-ae25-4c77-8905-6731a37e97f1.jpeg","author":"The Independent","episode_count":20,"summary":"Two former Westminster insiders reveal how politics and power really work. Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors at No 10? Or who’s the first person on the phone when a Prime Minister lands themselves in hot water? Each week former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, former political advisor to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, dissect the week’s biggest news, revealing how decisions get made, why they go wrong, and what should happen next. In The Room is straight-talking, insider analysis with a dose of humour, every week. This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582"},"episode":{"title":"‘Not ready for war’: Can Starmer protect the UK?","slug":"not-ready-for-war-can-starmer-protect-the-uk","published_at":"2026-04-17T09:36:47+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582/not-ready-for-war-can-starmer-protect-the-uk","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582","url":"https://shows.acast.com/intheroom/episodes/9-not-ready-for-war-can-starmer-protect-the-uk","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69861398d4e01f1069d58875/e/69e1ff2fd2febdbec98cee53/media.mp3","summary":"In the midst of the US-Iran war, Lord Robertson, former Labour defence secretary and NATO chief, didn’t hold back this week. With local elections looming, the Labour grandee stepped into the defence debate, warning the UK is “not safe” and “underprepared” for war. But how much of that falls on Starmer’s government - and how much is the result of years of neglect of Britain’s core military strength: ships, drones, and troops? Since the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the UK has stopped 39 late-stage terror plots. So why does our security look strong, while our defence appears exposed? And what, exactly, is the difference? Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here . This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose Producer: Sam Durham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"In the midst of the US-Iran war, Lord Robertson, former Labour defence secretary and NATO chief, didn’t hold back this week. With local elections looming,…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2412,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/in-the-room-7693582/episodes/not-ready-for-war-can-starmer-protect-the-uk/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-room-7693582/not-ready-for-war-can-starmer-protect-the-uk.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}