Deep Disillusionment in This Country (with Stewart Lee)

This week, Armando is joined again by Stewart Lee to look at how political actors use language.

Wes Streeting says there is a 'deep disillusionment in this country', and says there is a “growing sense of despair about whether anyone is capable of turning this country round". Why is that? And does politicians speaking in that way confound our misery? We look at Sarah Pochin's comments about black and asian people in adverts, and the responses across parliament to that. We also look at how much news is just speculation, and how politicians use speculation to further their arguments.

We also look at how we get our news - is it exhausting to have to keep fact checking things ourselves? Is it preferable to the alternative?

Armando shares his confusion at Immersive experiences, and Stewart invents a new word, and we hear about Starmer's charm offensive.

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Listen to Strong Message Here at 0945 on Radio 4, and an extended version is available on BBC Sounds.

This programme has been edited since first publication, following an adjudication by the BBC Executive Complaints Unit (available here: www.bbc.co.uk/contact/ecu/strong-message-here-bbc-sounds-30-october-2025).

Sound editing: Chris Maclean Production Coodinator: Jodie Charman Executive Producer: Pete Strauss Recorded at The Sound Company

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios production for Radio 4.