Radical with Amol Rajan

Ed Davies, research director at the right-leaning anti-poverty think tank Centre for Social Justice, answers your questions about modern family life and relationships.
He also discusses why young men are falling behind in work and education, how economic pressures are reshaping marriage rates, and why he argues that we need to re-prioritise social connection and community.
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Tom Smithard, Anna Budd and Lewis Vickers. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Marriage rates in the UK have fallen to historic lows, but what are the consequences?
Ed Davies, research director at right‑leaning anti‑poverty think tank the Centre for Social Justice, explains what has led to this shift and argues that it has caused a decline in family stability with profound consequences for society.
To deal with it he says we need to modernise marriage and adopt a range of policies that promote family life.
TIMECODES
(00:04:29) The decline of marriage in the UK
(00:06:33) Why is the marriage decline happening?
(00:19:10) Delayed adulthood and rise in autonomy
(00:21:52) Are there benefits to the decline in marriage?
(00:24:49) The consequences of the decline in marriage and family stability
(00:32:37) Can marriage be modernised?
(00:34:57) Feminism and motherhood
(00:47:04) How this affects the UK’s welfare bill
(00:53:37) The impact of Andrew Tate on young boys
(00:58:57) Ed’s radical ideas
(01:03:57) Amol’s Reflections
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Tom Smithard, Anna Budd and Lewis Vickers. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davies. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

MasterChef winner and founder of Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, Thomasina Miers, answers your questions about the quality of kids’ meals in restaurants, how to make hospitality an attractive career and whether cooking should be made a compulsory part of the curriculum in schools.
She also tells Amol about the virtues of worm salt!
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

The UK is one of the world’s largest consumers of ultra-processed foods, so Wahaca restaurants founder Thomasina Miers thinks the government should cut the taxes of businesses that serve healthy alternatives.
In fact, she challenges the idea that ultra‑processed products should be called ‘food’ at all.
From social canteens that teach people to cook simple meals to zero percent business rates for greengrocers, the MasterChef winner tells Amol how she would reform Britain’s food system.
And she warns that the hospitality sector is facing a “bloodbath” after Chancellor Rachel Reeves increased employer national insurance contributions.
A government spokesperson said: “We're backing hospitality with a £4.3bn support package to limit business rate bill rises, alongside capping Corporation Tax at 25%, cutting red tape and investing £1.5 billion to create 50,000 more apprentices and foundation apprenticeships.”
“The fair and necessary decisions we made at this Budget and the last mean we can deliver on the country’s priorities – cutting waiting lists, cutting debt and borrowing and cutting the cost of living.”
TIMECODES
(00:03:35) Why Thomasina believes ultra‑processed food shouldn’t be considered “real” food
(00:08:27) The role of supermarkets
(00:17:14) School meals
(00:21:37) The state of the UK hospitality sector
(00:31:24) Why every high street needs a greengrocer
(00:35:38) Cutting VAT for restaurants
(00:39:37) Valuing well‑grown, high‑quality produce
(00:41:45) Weight‑loss drugs
(00:44:02) Tackling food waste
(00:48:08) Amol’s reflections
GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.
Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Founder of the tech driven social enterprise Zero Gravity, Joe Seddon answers your radical questions about boosting social mobility in the UK and helping talented young people from low opportunity areas realise their potential.

Amol and Joe explore how volunteering can become a powerful engine for skill building, discuss the rise in youth unemployment, and unpack Joe’s prediction that the next 15 years could bring a “blue collar rebellion” as AI reshapes white collar work.

GET IN TOUCH

* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480
* Email: [email protected]

Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by James Piper. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.