The Crisis Room

• British blood on Putin’s hands: Salisbury inquiry unpacked

  Vladimir Putin is 'morally responsible' for the death of Dawn Sturgess - the British woman killed by Novichok poisoning back in 2018. That was the key finding of a public inquiry which was published today - and in this episode, Mark and Amber give their reactions to the report. Could and should the government have done anything differently in response to the initial poisonings back in 2018? Should Wiltshire Police really have been told a former Russian agent was living on their patch? Are there still unanswered questions, more than 7 years on from the Salisbury Poisonings?Plus, the team explains why the EU is unable to agree on whether to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine from defending itself against Putin's invasion. Amber recalls her personal experiences of dealing with the EU, and Marc P reveals why some people believe Trump and the US are backing the Belgians not to release the funds, in a bid to help Russia reintegrate into the international community.Later: why is US Defece Secretary Pete Hegseth being accused of war crimes? Is he too gaffe-prone even for President Trump and are his days in office numbered? Follow us on social media: @crisisroompod

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• Q&A: Mahmood's immigration reforms & why is Iraq such a mess?

  In this Q&A episode, Amber gives her reaction for the first time to the new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's controversial immigration reforms - and the possibility of the UK leaving the ECHR. Are these reforms too harsh? Or is it exactly what the UK needs to stop the far-right from gaining traction? Marc P has his say on issues over in the US in light of a major row over military personnel ignoring potential unlawful orders. Plus, he explains why Iraq is still such a mess and what, if anything, the Trump administration is doing about it.Mark also gives his latest thoughts on the crisis at the BBC - and explains why he was mentioned multiple times by former BBC adviser Michael Prescott when he gave evidence to MPs last week. Later, he responds to a question about whether the MoD needed more funding in last week's Budget, and whether we should all be concerned by the state of Britain's drone and air defence systems. Have a question for a future Q&A episode? Send it to [email protected] us on social media: @crisisroompod

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• The Salisbury Poisonings: a crisis like no other

  In this special episode, The Crisis Room takes you back to March 2018 and Russia's extraordinary attempt to assassinate a former spy on British soil. Not only did the Novichok attack in Salisbury kill Dawn Sturgess, but the incident left dozens of other innocent civilians injured and prompted an international backlash against Putin and his regime.Amber was Home Secretary at the time and led the UK's response to this crisis - and in this week's episode she reveals what it was like to chair COBRA meetings, visit Salisbury and victims of the attack in the days afterwards, and to deal with government colleagues - such as Boris Johnson - who were trying to use the story for personal political gain. Mark remains the only journalist to have ever interviewed Sergei Skripal - the Russian agent who was the intended victim of the attack - and he explains why the former spy was targeted, and what this brazen assassination attempt told the West about Putin. Meanwhile Marc P looks at the role Donald Trump and other world leaders played in responding to this crisis - and whether Russia ultimately emerged from this episode as the winner.Follow us on social media: @crisisroompod

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• From Marine to Minister: Al Carns exclusive

  Al Carns isn't your average Member of Parliament. After more than twenty years of decorated service in the Royal Marines, last year he became an MP, and days later, he became part of the government. Now the Armed Forces Minister, in this exclusive and extended interview, he opens up to The Crisis Room about what he learned from two decades of special operations and the strategic challenges facing the UK in 2025.Plus, as more and more former top brass speak out over prosecutions of Northern Ireland veterans, the team press Al on whether the government is doing enough to protect our former soldiers from "lawfare" and unfair legacy prosecutions. He also speaks candidly about the idea of bringing back national service and the urgency of increasing defence spending as the threat from Russia refuses to go away. Follow us on social media: @thecrisisroom

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• Negotiation or capitulation? Ukraine's crossroads moment

  With Russia and the US reportedly coming up with a 28 point plan to bring an end to the War in Ukraine, The Crisis Room team dissects whether this plan has any chance of leading to a just and lasting peace - or if, in reality, it's simply a surrender. The team reveals how backchannel negotiations work: why intelligence bosses can sometimes be more effective negotiators than diplomats, and why this so-called peace plan fails on several crucial fronts. Later, Amber and Marc P recall their dealings with Saudi Arabia as the team analyses the Crown Prince's controversial visit to the White House. Should Mohammed Bin Salman be treated as an invaluable ally to the West, or a pariah after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi? They explain why the equation for Western governments and world leaders isn't quite that straightforward.Plus Mark tells us what defines a "spy ship" - and whether we should be worried by reports that a Russian spy ship has returned to British waters.

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