Mihir Bose – former BBC Sports Editor, David Smith – Economics Editor of the Sunday Times and political commentator Nigel Dudley have been friends since they first met while working at Financial Weekly in 1980s. They have kept in touch regularly, setting the world to rights over various lunches and dinners. With coronavirus making that impossible, what do journalists do, deprived of long convivial lunches over a bottle of red wine or several? Why, podcast of course.Get in contact with the po ...
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Tony Blair's anthem was Things Can Only Get Better. Keir Starmer's appears to be Things Can Only Get Worse says David Smith, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times in this week's Three Old Hacks podcast, following on from the Prime Minister's speech this week warning they will have to raise taxes to fill the black hole left by the last government, in…
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Far right violence on the streets of Britain
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Author and journalist, former Sports Editor of the BBC Mihir Bose talks to fellow journalists Economics Editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley about the week’s events. “We haven’t seen that in a long time, I can remember this growing up in the 60’s and 70’s in the West Midlands when that kind of thing did happen a…
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“The ‘We’re here to serve’ mantra sounds a bit trite, but I think he really means it”
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The Three Old Hacks, aka prolific author and former BBC Sports editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley give their analysis of Keir Starmer’s first few days in Government. “The whole focus is on quiet competence, no flashiness.” Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@o…
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Three Old Hacks on the “boring” election campaign
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The Three Old Hacks, aka prolific author and former BBC Sports editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley, can scarcely remember a more boring election campaign. “Boring, but important” says David Smith, as all three agree that Thursday’s election will bring significant change to our count…
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The past week has seen things go from bad to worse for Rishi Sunak, being called out for lying in the debate against Keir Starmer on the claim that Labour would increase taxes by £2,000 per household, then being accused of a lack of respect for coming home early from the D-Day celebrations, for which he has apologised. He cancelled media interviews…
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Mihir Bose, former BBC Sports News editor, talks to David Smith, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times, and political commentator Nigel Dudley about his memoir Thank you Mr Crombie - Lessons in Guilt and Gratitude to the British. Mihir grew up in India, just after Independence, part of a wealthy family with a hierarchy of servants, where as a child …
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Prime Ministers in election mode - from the pipe-smoking Harold Wilson to the dishwasher-stacking Rishi Sunak
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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 a…
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The Three Old Hacks discuss the power of the people. Recorded the day after the chaotic Gaza vote in Parliament, they consider the safety of MPs, the leverage voters have to influence them, the impact of a powerful grassroots movement supported by social media and also the power of TV drama to galvanise public opinion, as evidenced by the TV drama …
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Piers Morgan, hacking and the unseemly side of journalism
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The intrusions into the private lives of celebrities rehashed by the phone hacking case brought by Prince Harry against Mirror Group Newspapers represent a "dreadful low" in the history of British journalism, says Mihir Bose. The High Court ruled that Harry was a victim of phone hacking on multiple occasions, as were his friends. Former BBC Sports …
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The Culture and Media Secretary Lucy Frazer has intervened to scrutinise the sale of the Daily Telegraph to a company backed by the Abu Dhabi ruling family, over concerns around public interest. Would they interfere with the editorial in pursuance of their interests? It wouldn't be the first time a newspaper owner had tried it, with more or less su…
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Three Men in a Boat navigating British Journalism
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Our podcast with The Three Old Hacks, aka former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith, and political analyst Nigel Dudley, has been described as ‘the modern equivalent of Jerome K Jerome’s book Three Men in a Boat‘ by broadcaster and journalist Lucy Beresford. Like George, Harris and Jerome they are ol…
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Former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political analyst Nigel Dudley continue setting the world to rights with their podcast Three Old Hacks. This week their subject is spies, and how the journalistic profession lends itself to approaches from foreign powers. Get in contact with the podcast b…
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What the Nigel Farage ‘debanking’ saga tells us about British journalism
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Much has been written and said about the Nigel Farage ‘debanking’ story. Thinking a client is a ‘disingenuous grifter’ or a xenophobic racist is not supposed to be a good enough reason for a bank to deny someone an account. But what about the journalism involved in breaking the story? Was the BBC’s Business Editor Simon Jack right to have broadcast…
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The Three Old Hacks, aka Sunday Times Economics Editor David Smith, former Sports News editor at the BBC and author of many books about sport, Mihir Bose, and political commentator Nigel Dudley, have been chewing over the week's news - in particular the cricket, and whether or not the Australians have behaved abominably. Warming to their theme, the…
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Is the coronation still going on? Sorry, I missed a bit, the dog needed a walk
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Flags flying upside down, Rishi Sunak being criticised for 'not being grounded in our culture' despite his perfect reading from the scriptures at the coronation, and Nigel being accused of being a Marxist for taking the dog for a walk during the ceremony. The Three Old Hacks chew over the coronation, the national anthem (time for a new one?) and th…
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From Gwyneth Paltrow to the protests in France and Israel and the perennial subjects of Boris Johnson’s career and the state of the economy, the Three Old Hacks, aka former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley, discuss the week’s news. Get in contact with the podc…
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As the war in Ukraine marks its grim one-year anniversary, the Three Old Hacks, aka former Sports News editor at the BBC Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley, discuss whether we have clear aims in this war and how it might end. 1:09 They talk about the SNP leadership battle and whether …
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Nadhim Zahawi, tax avoidance and embarrassing the Prime Minister
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Mihir Bose – former BBC Sports Editor, David Smith – Economics Editor of the Sunday Times and political commentator Nigel Dudley discuss the hot topic- Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs They thought he should jump, and apologise for embarrassing the Prime Minister, but as it turned out he was pushed, a couple of days after they recorded the podcast. They…
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“No nation in Europe is more haughty and disdainful, nor more conceited in an opinion of its superior excellence.” This quote from a French Viscount about Britain some 400 years ago reminds us nothing much has changed, says political analyst Nigel Dudley. He’s been reading “a wonderful book about the Stuarts”, Devil-Land by Dr Clare Jackson. In the…
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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 podca…
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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 wh…
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The Three Old Hacks, who regularly review the week's news for us, recorded a podcast on Thursday morning, before the Queen's death was announced. "Spare us from this false positivism", says Nigel Dudley, commenting on Liz Truss's keynote speech after she was elected Leader of the Conservative Party and our new Prime Minister. "She sounded like a mi…
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In their previous podcast Mihir Bose said he thought Boris Johnson would lead the Conservative Party into the next election and not only that, but he would win it. David and Nigel remind him of that as this week they discuss whether it will be Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak who will replace him. Former BBC News sports editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor …
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Will Boris lead the party into the next election?
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Mihir Bose thinks he will and not only that, he will lead the Conservative party to win it. David and Nigel disagree. What will be the deciding factor? It's the economy, stupid. Former BBC News sports editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley discuss the week’s news. Get in contact wi…
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The Three Old Hacks discuss Partygate, racism in sport and the cost of living crisis. "We've never had a situation in the UK where job vacancies are greater than the number of unemployed" says David Smith. "Inflation is the highest it has been since the 1980s." Listen to former BBC News sports editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times…
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The Three Old Hacks discuss the world's response to Putin's war. UK journalists give the impression the whole world was pro-Ukraine, but that is not the case, says Mihir Bose. Listen to former BBC News sports editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley discussing the week’s news with th…
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The Three Old Hacks discuss the war in Ukraine, President Zelensky’s moving speech to the British parliament and Britain’s “mean-spirited” approach to refugees. Listen to former BBC News sports editor Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley on the events of the past week. Get in contact wi…
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Partygate and the Foreign Secretary who didn’t know Rostov was in Russia
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The Three Old Hacks are back, raising a glass to celebrate the work done by journalistic colleagues in unveiling the various parties that took place at Downing St during lockdown. Sky TV, the Mirror and the Daily Telegraph all come in for special mentions, as does Liz Truss, but she gets a special mention for rather a different reason: as the Forei…
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The Three Old Hacks discuss this week whether or not the prime minister has lost it. He appears to be “teetering on the edge of appearing out of control” they think. It’s hard to bluster your way through a speech when someone else has written it for you and you clearly haven’t read it, especially as you’re just got to the “and here’s what we’re goi…
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Will the killing of David Amess result in limited access to MPs?
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Writer and broadcaster Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley, aka The Three Old Hacks, discuss the week's events, including reactions to the fatal attack on Sir David Amess at his constituency Surgery. Should MPs get more protection and does this change the nature of their relationship w…
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Writer and broadcaster Mihir Bose, Economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith and political commentator Nigel Dudley, aka The Three Old Hacks, discuss Afghanistan in their podcast this week. “The great opinion makers and intellectuals have once again failed us” says Mihir. “When the West intervened in Afghanistan two decades ago they were all…
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The Three Old Hacks are old enough to remember the 1964 Olympics, the last time Tokyo hosted the Games. There were fewer events and so the people who won medals stayed in the memory longer, like long jumper Lynn Davies, whose local council paid tribute to him in a way which was to become more irritating than celebratory. Writer and broadcaster Mihi…
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Politicians jumping on the bandwagon of football – Twas ever thus
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Mihir Bose, David Smith and Nigel Dudley – aka the Three Old Hacks – are old enough to remember 1966 and all that. It comes as no surprise to them therefore that politicians should be falling over themselves to haul themselves aboard the football bandwagon. Football and politics, bread and circuses… Writer and broadcaster Mihir Bose, Economics Edit…
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Of course the booing of footballers is racist
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Mihir Bose, writer and broadcaster, writes primarily on sport. In the seventies he was always the only non-white reporter in the press box and often the only non-white spectator in the whole football ground, so he is well placed to comment on the current controversy over the booing of football players who take the knee at the beginning of matches i…
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Chaos and confusion at the heart of government
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Incompetence and chaos at the heart of government is the theme of this week’s podcast from the Three Old Hacks. Dominic Cummings’ seven hour session in front of a parliamentary committee, pouring bile on the heads of both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock, has given them plenty to talk about. The Three Old Hacks, aka wr…
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Mihir Bose, former BBC Sports News Editor, sets the world to rights with journalist mates David Smith, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times, and political commentator Nigel Dudley. The cost of decorating Boris Johnson’s Downing St flat and who is paying for it is exercising them this week (£200,000 and it looks ‘like an Ottoman brothel’ according t…
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The Three Old Hacks discuss the one day wonder that was The Super League. It took from Sunday night till Tuesday morning for six top English football clubs to announce their membership and then withdraw, leaving the plan in tatters in the face of opposition from the British Government. Mihir Bose, former BBC sports news editor at the BBC, David Smi…
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This week the Three Old Hacks discuss a year of the pandemic and how it is that the Government is still popular in the polls. They talk about the fall out from the Meghan and Harry interview; sexual abuse in boarding schools and flags on government buildings – “ridiculous, insecure and pathetic”. Join former BBC Sports News editor Mihir Bose, Econo…
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Are we introducing ID papers by the back door?
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With journalist mates, Economics editor of the Sunday Times, David Smith, and political commentator Nigel Dudley, Mihir Bose looks this week at how vaccination certificates might change our lives. Coming from India, where the bureaucracy is legend, he wonders whether we are signing up for identity papers by the back door. The Three Old Hacks look a…
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Political leadership ain’t what it used to be. That’s the theme of this week’s Three Old Hacks, We all think the summers were warmer (demonstrably not!) and life was rosier when we were young, but the Three Old Hacks put forward a pretty strong case that politicians in Britain are not of the same calibre as those who have gone before them. Boris Jo…
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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 a…
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Five people died in the assault on the US Capitol. Trump has been banned from Twitter for inciting his supporters. The Democratic Party is moving to impeach him for a second time. The Three Old Hacks consider the implications of this extraordinary event and how it was covered, as it happened live on TV, by the media. Adept at reporting in war zones…
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Nelson Mandela and what real loss of freedom means
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Mihir Bose describes having coffee with Nelson Mandela in his Soweto house, how the great man had to see cricket sitting behind a cage during apartheid and what real loss of freedom means. Far removed from the ridiculous talk of Britain having been enslaved by the EU. He argues the problem is that this country has never got over losing the empire a…
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Economists’ attack on BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg “grotesquely malign”
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A group of economists have taken issue with the BBC’s Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg’s attempt to explain the national budget deficit. She likened the country’s current financial state to that of a domestic household being in debt, which they say is not a good or helpful comparison. Instead of dropping her a quiet email, they’ve complained forma…
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In their third podcast Mihir Bose, David Smith and Nigel Dudley discuss American Presidential elections, the problems with scoops and how social media has changed the way journalists have to deal with abuse. Maybe they say the American Presidential elections prove that the old country can still teach their cousins across the pond how to conduct ele…
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In the second episode of Three Old Hacks Mihir Bose, David Smith and Nigel Dudley discuss how professional sport is faring without a live audience - the roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd - as the old joke goes. 'Better maybe' is their conclusion. More goals anyway. They look at how well or otherwise journalists have covered the pan…
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Lockdown Life and Whatever Happened to British Journalism?
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In their first episode Mihir Bose, David Smith and Nigel Dudley discuss how journalism has changed since they first became journalists in the 1980s and how the experience of the pandemic has affected all our lives. Will the British ever go back to hugging or are we done with it after months of not touching? Have the British lost their fabled sense …
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