Has there ever been a time when both the government and opposition were in such turmoil at the same time? The government has lost its health secretary amidst a pandemic and the Labour leadership continues to be questioned, with at least one MP reportedly planning a challenge (though surely as the traditional stalking horse). So, we invited the man with his finger on the pulse: broadcaster, journalist, and commenter Patrick Christys to join Sputnik and help unravel the current crises faced by both parties.
And, imagine the conversation between Graham Greene and Kim Philby in the 1980s; the celebrated English novelist, writer of 'Brighton Rock' and 'Our Man in Havana' meeting with Kim Philby, his former MI6 colleague, and an endlessly fascinating character who ended his days in Moscow. Ben Brown’s political drama 'Splinter of Ice' does just that, exploring the reunion between the two men against the backdrop of a thawing Cold War. So, we invited the acclaimed British playwright aboard Sputnik to tell us how he went about portraying a very unlikely friendship.
