Three Old Hacks

The Three Old Hacks have long memories. Former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley have been covering the nation's major events for decades and are well placed to compare and contrast the pre-election antics of politicians.
Harold Wilson smoked a pipe in public, in an attempt to appear a 'man of the people', but smoked cigars in private, recalls Nigel. There was that excruciating video of Ed Milliband attempting to eat a bacon sandwich in public, and the video with Tony Blair eating cereal with his kids in his kitchen which put the 'corn' in 'cornflakes. So a prime minister attempting to cosy up to the public by telling us how he loads the dishwasher and turn down the bed ("all a bit clumsy" - David) is nothing new to them.
Other subjects on the agenda in this week's podcast are whether or not we can expect another Budget before the next election and how much the Government can expect to influence our votes with it, the absence of specific promises from Labour and the Princess of Wales - whether the papers were right to go big on the dodgy Mother's Day photograph in the light of what we now know, that she has cancer.
Mihir's Memoir
Mihir is publishing his memoir. From growing up in India to making a name for himself as a journalist in Britain, he recounts how he is ever grateful to Mr Crombie, the official who gave him 'indefinite leave to remain'.
Come and see Mihir talking about his memoir on Wednesday 29 May at George IV pub in Chiswick.
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/qa-with-mihir-bose-author-of-thank-you-mr-crombie-tickets-866160929657

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing [email protected], we’d love to hear from you!

This week they discuss the inauguration of President Biden. Being of a certain age themselves, they take heart from the empowerment of a 78 year old man. They are but spring chickens by comparison.

Nonetheless their experience reaches down the years and they fish anecdotes and facts out of their collective memory to discuss the media and politics as it concerns America.

Biden's campaign was 'pitch perfect' says David and he is sure he is already thinking about the Mid-Terms, being a shrewd political operator with fifty years' experience. He knows he needs to court Trump supporters if he is to have any change of a meaningful and effective presidency.

His presidency has to be capable of being summed up in a short soundbite containing no more than two clear thoughts, says Nigel. "The country was broken and I fixed it" maybe.

Is it true either in the US or in Britain that one party always leaves the economy in a mess while the other always puts it back in good shape before being voted out of power? asks Mihir.

And what was the speech that Biden nicked from Neil Kinnock? Nigel sat through many a Labour Party Conference speech by "the Welsh windbag" and remembers being surprised to hear a purple passage being recycled by an American senator.

The power of political editors ... giving a byline to some young hopeful when you don't want your name on a story ... it's all in this week's podcast by the Three Old Hacks.

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing [email protected], we’d love to hear from you!

A football World Cup and a Budget, what better subjects could Mihir Bose, former sports news editor at the BBC, Sunday Times Economics Editor David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley wish for, to talk about?

Let's just say, in a pub quiz if either of those subjects came up, you would want these guys on your team.

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing [email protected], we’d love to hear from you!

The Sunday Times Economics Editor David Smith was with fellow ‘old hacks’ Mihir Bose, former sports news editor at the BBC, and political analyst Nigel Dudley recording their podcast for The Chiswick Calendar when the news broke on Friday that Kwasi Kwarteng had been jettisoned.

New Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has already unpicked the growth strategy which David described as “a gamble that had failed spectacularly.

“It was obvious to me it would go wrong” he said.

“The lesson is to listen to your institutions – the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility.”

Mihir asked him how key economic advisers had felt about being sidelined.

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing [email protected], we’d love to hear from you!

The Three Old Hacks look at the relationship between Nigel Farage and the Conservative Party. We are seeing a reshaping of the right in British politics, says Mihir. Nigel Farage is out to destroy the Conservative Party in his mission to become prime minister.

He is making a tactical shift towards the centre, says David Smith, to take over the Conservatives' ground. While Tory Party members may be drifting towards Reform, that "is not easy for Tory MPs to contemplate", says David Smith. He thinks the Tories have repeated the mistake they made when they elected William Hague in 1997, in electing a leader who is too young to lead the party (he was then 26). Kemi Badenoch is 44, but is "not", says David, "a very good parliamentary performer."

Mihir is prepared to put money on Farage becoming prime minister one day, but Nigel Dudley thinks that the Tory party would probably survive, but may be taken over by Reform party leaders and policies.

Turning to consider Rachel Reeves' performance as Chancellor and the measures she outlined in the Spring Budget, "it has been many decades since we have had an economist in the job of Chancellor," says David, "and she definitely is an economist," whatever her political enemies may say to the contrary. Whether or not she will survive as Chancellor has more to do with the number of enemies she has made in such a short time than it does with her abilities as an economist - pensioners who have lost their winter fuel payments, parents of children in private education, farmers, and now disabled people."She expected to be swept along on a tide of goodwill," says David, but that has not been the case.

Is the Labour government's lack of popularity down to the mismatch in expectations between what they can afford and what people want from an incoming Labour government? Is it down to their lack of preparedness when they took office.

The Three Old Hacks compare and contrast with governments past and consider the Trump effect on the UK's relations with Europe.

Former Sports editor of BBC News Mihir Bose, political analyst Nigel Dudley and Economics Editor of the Sunday Times David Smith, aka the Three Old Hacks, bring their decades of experience to bear on the most pressing political developments.

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing [email protected], we’d love to hear from you!