Boat-load of trouble: Channel fury, Israel sanctions & broke Britain

Boat-load of trouble: Channel fury, Israel sanctions & broke Britain

Author: The Telegraph September 10, 2026 Duration: 1:06:52

You can watch this episode in full on Youtube: https://youtu.be/iZkeL-6UtSQ


This week on Planet Normal, your co-pilots of sanity, Halligan and Pearson, strap into the rocket of right thinking to tackle a tumultuous news agenda.


Allison argues following migrant protests in Portsmouth and Dover, that while black masks are wrong, millions of Brits share the anger over cross-channel immigration. She also takes aim at falling school standards in Wales and Scotland, and sounds the alarm over Ed Miliband’s foreign policy moves against Israel. 


Meanwhile, Liam analyses the electoral earthquake in Saxony-Anhalt, where Germany's AfD swept 44% of the vote. And Fresh from the Reform UK conference in Birmingham, the duo dissects the appearance of France's Jordan Bardella alongside the fallout from Channel 4’s undercover sting. 


Stowing away on the rocket this week is author Ross Clark, who joins to discuss his new book, Britain Is Bust: The Coming Sovereign Debt Crisis and What It Means for You. Ross breaks down the nation's ballooning debt and rising bond yields


Highlights


  • Planet Normal: Boat-load of trouble: Channel fury, Israel sanctions & broke Britain
  • Unpacking the migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth. 
  • Warning over Ed Miliband’s stance on Israel.
  • Ross Clark joins to discuss why Britain is bust and a sovereign debt crisis looms. 


Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ | 

Read Allison ‘The ‘poison’ on Britain’s streets is a failure by the political class’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/08/poison-streets-failure-political-class/ |

Read Allison ‘The Church of England has abandoned its mission in the UK‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/09/06/the-church-of-england-has-lost-its-way/ |

Read Liam ‘Only spending cuts can rescue Britain’s economy‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/09/06/only-spending-cuts-can-rescue-britains-economy/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Every Thursday, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan step outside the daily noise to offer a different perspective on the week’s events. Planet Normal, from The Telegraph, is a conversation that often challenges the prevailing narratives found in mainstream media and political circles. This podcast digs into the stories shaping society, culture, and the news, focusing on the viewpoints and concerns that feel increasingly sidelined. Pearson and Halligan, both seasoned columnists, bring a blend of sharp analysis and relatable frustration to topics ranging from family life and economic pressures to broader cultural shifts. Their discussions feel like a break from a scripted debate, offering listeners a space where common sense and direct commentary take precedence. Tuning in provides a weekly reset-a chance to hear arguments grounded in everyday experience rather than abstract theory. It’s for anyone who feels the conventional discourse doesn’t quite reflect the reality they see. You’ll find the tone is more like a candid chat between two well-informed friends than a formal news broadcast, making complex issues accessible and engaging. This is the appeal of the Planet Normal podcast: a consistent, thoughtful alternative that speaks plainly about the forces shaping our world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Planet Normal
Podcast Episodes
Piddington protest and the donation dispute [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:40
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RAjUcNkPlokThis week on Planet Normal, co-pilots Halligan and Pearson, strap into the rocket of right thinking to tackle growing unrest over border policies…
Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2026 P4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
You can watch this episode on YouTubeSummer is coming to an end on Planet Normal! So, for the final instalment of our “best of the rocket” series, our co-pilots head back into the archives for two more memorable voyages…
Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2026 P3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:00
You can watch this episode on YouTubeThe summer voyage continues on Planet Normal! This week, our co-pilots fire up the engines and head back into the archives for two more memorable journeys aboard the rocket of right t…
Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 P2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:32
You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hxtGEUicygESummer continues on Planet Normal! In this, the second part of our best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their favourite v…
The wit, wisdom and words of Rod Liddle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:40
You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/K-svfqmj8RgIt's the summer break on Planet Normal and ordinarily your co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thin…
The case of Essex police vs Allison Pearson and the co-pilots victory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:37
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hjoyImW6a8sThis week’s journey in the rocket of right thinking opens with an exclusive announcement from co-pilot Pearson in her case against the Essex poli…
Andy and the Backstabbers make their debut to the Country [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:48
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LYzZRwK5C0gThis week’s journey in the rocket of right thinking opens with co-pilots Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson reflecting on Andy Burnham becoming Pr…
Farage furor and the media blindspot to the OBR warnings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:05
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YItlh0gx6cAA never ending tsunami of news sees Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stand down, triggering a “People vs the Establishment" election… but was this a…