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PODCAST

Strong Message Here

Armando Iannucci hosts the programme that gives you a cast-iron guarantee to be laser-focused on decoding the baffling world of political language.Each week he"ll be joined by a guest to crack open the political phrasebook and attempt to demystify the doublespeak. Why does everything now have to be "turbo-charged"? What"s the difference between a "pledge" and a "mission"? Why has my local MP been "weaponised" and should I be worried?You"ll be treated to a crash course in the dark arts of political

comedy

All Episodes

8:36

Strong Recommend: The Ballad of Wallis Island

Strong Message Here ·

2025/07/14

To start off this mini-series, Armando picks a film he's enjoyed recently. Tim Key and Tom Basden's hit film The Ballad of Wallis Island started life as a short film, and has won plaudits for its offbeat, funny and warm story. How do films get made, when is the British film industry at his best, and what makes a film like this so special?Join Helen and Armando over the summer for more cultural recommendations, available weekly on BBC Sounds.Production Coordinator: Sarah NichollsExecutive Producer:

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32:01

We Haven't Always Told Our Story as Well as We Should

Strong Message Here ·

2025/07/03

This week, Helen and Armando look back at a year of the Labour government. What language has come out of if, and why is it struggling to define itself?Looking at phrases from the year, like "The tepid bath of managed decline" and "National Health Recovery Mission Champions", does their language connect, and are there opponents any better?Strong Message Here will be back on Radio 4 in September, but subscribe to BBC Sounds to hear Helen and Armando over the summer in Strong Message Here: Strong

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30:52

The New Brexit

Strong Message Here ·

2025/06/26

This week, Helen Lewis is back! In the longer edition, you can hear what Helen has been up to in her absence, before Helen and Armando set their sights on the language around Net Zero.They ask, Why has it taken long for them to cover it on the show? Is it being framed in a relatable enough way? And, does it suffer from being part of an 'omnicause'?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

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38:24

Delivering for Ordinary People (with Marina Hyde)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/06/19

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

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33:22

I Regret Some of My Posts (with Sara Pascoe)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/06/12

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

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36:32

Weird Turkish Barber Shops (with Stewart Lee)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/06/05

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

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44:10

An Announcement President (with Jon Stewart)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/05/29

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 emascualting 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

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34:53

The Island of Strangers and the Manacled Gimp of...

Strong Message Here ·

2025/05/22

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

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30:37

Yes or No?

Strong Message Here ·

2025/05/15

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

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34:24

I Want My Country Back (with Phil Wang)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/05/08

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

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32:12

The Official Language of the United States

Strong Message Here ·

2025/05/01

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

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32:45

How Much is a Pint of Milk? (with Rob Burley)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/04/24

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

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37:19

Liberation Day (with Soumaya Keynes)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/04/17

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

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32:42

Three Word Slogans (with Cleo Watson)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/04/10

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

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33:57

Fist Emoji, Flag Emoji, Fire Emoji (with Ava Santina...

Strong Message Here ·

2025/04/03

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

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32:30

Seizing the Narrative (with Stephen Bush)

Strong Message Here ·

2025/03/27

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

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25:51

Britain Isn't Working

Strong Message Here ·

2025/03/20

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

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30:50

Be Quiet, Small Man

Strong Message Here ·

2025/03/13

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Musk has been threatening a former astronaut (no, not the one he threatened the other week - another one), Trump has been talking tariffs, and Rupert Lowe took on his party's 'Messiah', Nigel Farage. What does all this tough talk mean in politics? Does projecting strength always work?Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to

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29:19

In the Public Interest?

Strong Message Here ·

2025/03/06

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Hot mics, leaks, tell all books. We find out a lot about how politicians talk in private. How does it differ from their public pronouncements? And are politicians less careful about how they come across in public these days? Helen and Armando survey the lay of the linguistic land.Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an

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29:59

Everybody's Miserable

Strong Message Here ·

2025/02/27

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Farage says everybody is miserable, Trump says everything is a 'disaster', and Liz Truss chimed in saying Britain is a 'failed state', so Helen and Armando are trying to find out why those who claim to be patriots are keen to talk the country down. And why Starmer and Reeves' downbeat language has had real-life consequences.Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio

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