Strong Message Here Archiv

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci decodes the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, Helen Lewis is still away, so Journalist Marina Hyde steps in to join Armando. They discuss what an ordinary person might be, and examine if politicians use them as cover? Why is it always that things 'ordinary people' are saying 'on the doorstep' just so happen to be the exact things they wanted to do anyway?


We also look at delivery in politics. Do we believe politicians when they say they'll deliver? And do we reward them fairly when they do?


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Chris Maclean Production Coordinator - Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

This week, Helen Lewis is still away, so comedian Sara Pascoe steps in to join Armando. They reminisce over their first meeting on the set of a classic episode of The Thick of It - which was also in a radio studio - and then go on to discuss politicians on both sides of the Atlantic having thunderous breakups, and then making up in record time. Musk regrets his posts about Trump, and Zia Yusuf returns to Reform, despite some in the party 'popping champagne' at his departure.


And we examine more politicians' linguistic tricks to find out what a racism row in Scotland and the U-turn on winter fuel payments have in common.


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Sasha Bobak & Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci decodes the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, Helen Lewis is away, so comedian and writer Stewart Lee joins Armando to look at Robert Jenrick's flashy video in which he takes aim at 'weird Turkish barber shops', among other things. They discuss how the way politicians, entertainers and journalists are changing and overlapping, and Armando recalls the time he read politician's jokes in a comedy club (spoiler alert, it was a disaster).


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Chris Maclean Production Coordinator - Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

This week, we have a very special guest, Jon Stewart! Jon joins Armando and Helen to discuss whether Trump is the political equivalent of Miles Davis, the quaintness of UK politics compared to the US, Jon does a flawless Margaret Thatcher impression and they answer the age old question... are escalators the most emasculating form of travel?


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, we're looking at inflammatory language. From Immigration to EU deals, we've heard talk of of 'betrayal' 'surrender' 'invasion' and of course 'an island of strangers'. When is this hyperbole appropriate and when is it egregious? And, can we ever forgive Boris Johnson for the mental image of the Prime Minister as the 'orange ball-chewing manacled gimp of Brussels'?


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, Helen and Armando take a step back and look at whether we're seeing the death of nuance in political debate. Is everything boiled down to 'yes or no' questions? What are the shibboleths of modern politics, and does the language you use, or decline to use, put you firmly on one side of a debate?


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Kate Mac Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, following Reform's announcement they will remove all flags from all council buildings under their jurisdiction - other than the Union Flag and the St George's Cross - Helen and Armando are joined by Phil Wang to discuss Britishness, Englishness, Scottishness, Irishness, Welshness and Malaysianess.


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Chris Maclean Production Coordinator - Katie Baum & Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, a look over the pond at Trump's first 100 days. How have his administration used language to further their agenda? From the Gulf of America, to Making Showers Great Again, Helen and Armando examine how the US government is finding linguistic tricks to set the terms of debate.


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Chris Maclean Production Coordinator - Katie Baum & Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci are joined by the BBC's former Live Political Editor to discuss the art of the political interview. What's a valid question? What's a cheap gotcha?


They also discuss Paxman's beard, the best political interviews and how to get the most out of a politician who is bending over backwards to say absolutely nothing.


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Chris Maclean Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Richard Morris


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, Helen and Armando are joined by economist and journalist for the Financial Times, Soumaya Keynes. They take a look back on Liberation Day - what exactly was America being liberated from? What was the response in China to the tariffs? and Soumaya wades into the murky waters of Truth Social.


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Richard Morris


Produced by Pete Strauss. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, Helen and Armando are joined by author, broadcaster and former adviser to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, Cleo Watson. Taking a look back at the three word slogans that defined politics in recent years, especially those that relate to Cleo's time in number 10.


Why are they so catchy?


Hands Face Space... Take Back Control... Strong Message Here....


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


Following the remarkable security breach dubbed 'Signalgate', Helen and Armando are joined by political editor of Politics Joe, Ava Santina Evans, to discuss how casualness has crept into political communication. Is it a threat? Is it just cringe? And why oh why do we still use the suffix 'gate' for a scandal, given its origins are over 50 years old?


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


Are Labour telling a good enough story? Who is the best storyteller in politics? How do you establish a narrative to take control of events, rather than let events define you? To answer these questions, Helen and Armando are joined by Associate Editor and Columnist for The Financial Times, Stephen Bush.


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum and Caroline Barlow Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.


This week, the Government announced their plans for welfare reform, so we take a look at the language around welfare, around benefit claimants, and how it's changed over the years. Gone are the 'strivers vs shirkers' of the 2010s or even Peter Lilley's infamous 'little list' of the early 90s. This government talks of 'supporting people into work' and 'right to try', but with the savings they are making, do their actions match their rhetoric?


This episode has been edited to remove an inaccurate statement about the relative size of tax fraud compared to benefit fraud.


Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.


Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.uk


Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum and Caroline Barlow Executive Producer - Pete Strauss


Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.