'We're appeasing the tech bros': Beeban Kidron, from film-maker to lawmaker

'We're appeasing the tech bros': Beeban Kidron, from film-maker to lawmaker

Author: BBC Radio 4 February 20, 2026 Duration: 47:50

What links Bridget Jones to social media regulation?

The answer: Baroness Beeban Kidron. In 2004 she directed the Bridget Jones sequal. 20 years later, she became one of the most vocal campaigners for regulation of social media and tech in the UK.

She joins Nick in the Political Thinking studio to tell her story, from joining Marxist dinner parties in her childhood home, to filming and living with the protesters of Greenham Common in the 1980s.

Today, she has strong words for Keir Starmer's government, and is pushing for law-changes from her seat in the House of Lords.

Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Flora Murray Editor: Giles Edwards


Behind the headlines and soundbites, what really forms the convictions of those in power? On Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, the veteran BBC broadcaster sits down for a different kind of political dialogue. This isn't about rapid-fire questioning or chasing the day's news cycle. Instead, each episode offers an extended, thoughtful conversation with a single influential figure. You'll hear from prime ministers and protest leaders, cabinet members and campaigners, alongside voices from business, unions, and international politics. They all join Nick in the studio to explore a more personal question: what experiences, ideas, and beliefs actually shaped their political thinking? The result is a series of revealing portraits that go beyond policy to understand the person behind the public role. Produced by BBC Radio 4, this podcast provides a rare space for depth and reflection, allowing listeners to grasp the human motivations driving our political landscape. Tune in for conversations that are both relaxed and profoundly insightful, shedding light on how our world is shaped one perspective at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson
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