Londongrad

Introducing…Eight years’ hard Labour, hosted by David Aaronovitch. A new six part series from Tortoise which tells the inside story of a double revolution in the Labour Party which defined Britain’s present and will likely go on to shape its future. The series charts the takeover of Labour by the far-left under Jeremy Corbyn, the civil war that ensued and the election of a new leader, Keir Starmer, who set out to erase all trace of his predecessor.Additional reporting by Cat Neilan.You can find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are many competing visions for Iran and for what the country could become. In this episode, Paul asks whether enough is being done to protect Iranians overseas. To get early access to our reporting and ad-free listening, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple podcasts or join Tortoise as a member, where you can also access our live events and support our work.Just visit tortoisemedia.com/hitsquads for £60 a year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lost photographer in a Chiswick business park, a nervous phone caller in LA and a speedboat bound for Caracas- who exactly are the hit men behind the threats? Episodes 1 + 2 are available for free. To get early access to the final two episodes of the series, and ad-free listening, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple podcasts or join Tortoise as a member, where you can access more of our reporting, live events and support our work. Just visit tortoisemedia.com/hitsquads for an exclusive offer of £60 a year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Season 2 of Londongrad: Iran's Hit Squads.Award-winning investigative reporter Paul Caruana Galizia returns to report the story of the foiled assassination attempts on British soil of Iranian nationals. Since January 2022, there has been an attempted assassination or kidnap at least once a month – all ordered by the Iranian government. In this four-part series, Paul will delve into how these attempts unfolded, why they have become so prevalent and who is behind them. It's a story about Iran, about freedom of the press, but most of all, it’s about Britain – who the country chooses to protect and why.Episodes 1 + 2 are available for free. To get early access to final two episodes of the series, and ad-free listening, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple podcasts or join Tortoise as a member, where you can access more of our reporting, live events and support our work. Just visit tortoisemedia.com/hitsquads for an exclusive offer of £60 a year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 It’s no secret that political patronage can get you a place in the House of Lords. But even people who understand the system well - even peers themselves - were appalled when Boris Johnson decided to extend his patronage to Evgeny Lebedev.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Years of warnings about Russia’s intentions had gone unheeded; discounted as scaremongering. But then came the invasion of Crimea, and the end of any doubts. In spite of it all, the Lebedevs' ascent in London continued, and so did the extraordinary parties. Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise as a member to access the whole series now. Go to www.tortoisemedia.com/londongrad and use the code: Paul50 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The oligarchs who made their way to London in the early 2000s and changed it presented themselves as embodiments of the new Russia; members of the global elite, and arms-length beneficiaries of Vladimir Putin’s new order, not slaves to it. Those were the terms on which Britain let them in, but it was mugged.To access the first four episodes now subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise as a member. Visit tortoisemedia.com/londongrad and use the code Paul50 for half price membership for £50 per year.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 1 of Londongrad: How the Lebedevs partied their way to power is a 6 part series investigating two men who are at the heart of the story of Britain opening its doors to Russian oligarchs. Alexander Lebedev is a former KGB officer. He’s the man with the money and - as we’ll see - with the plan. Alexander’s son, Evgeny, rose from a fixture on the social scene to a seat in the House of Lords. He did it with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s help and against the advice of the security services. There’s never been a story quite like it. Launching Thursday 2nd June, with episodes dropping weekly. Tortoise members and Tortoise+ subscribers on Apple Podcasts can exclusively listen to the first three episodes. Just subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise as a member, where you will also get to more of our investigations into Londongrad, as well as invites to exclusive events. For half price digital membership for £50 go to tortoisemedia.com/londongrad and enter the code Paul50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.