The General & the Journalist

In this New Year edition of The General and the Journalist, Tom and Patrick explore the idea of a looming 'polycrisis', a convergence of geopolitical, economic and technological shocks that could peak around 2027. Joined by intelligence expert and China specialist Sam Olsen, they unpack what a simultaneous crisis involving China, Russia, and potentially North Korea and Iran could mean for the West. The conversation moves from worst-case scenarios to practical mitigations, asking whether governments, businesses and citizens truly grasp the scale of the challenge ahead. Hosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders & Tom Newton DunnGuest: Sam OlsenPhoto: GettyGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For their Christmas special, Tom and Patrick turn the entire show over to you. They answer as many listener questions as possible that have landed in the General & Journalist inbox since May. Among them: what to do about wayward NATO members who still help Russia, and the state of Britain’s fighting power, and plenty more. Vote for The General & the Journalist for People's Choice at the 2026 Political Podcast Awards.Hosts: Tom Newton Dunn & General Sir Patrick SandersGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we heard two strikingly blunt speeches from the UK’s most senior defence and intelligence chiefs, both aimed at recalibrating how Britain thinks about the threat from Russia. The Chief of the Defence Staff warns that the country is no longer safely distant from conflict, while the new head of MI6 breaks with tradition in her first speech to focus squarely on Putin’s Russia, the “grey zone” between peace and war, and the corrosive impact of technology on truth and power. Tom and Patrick explore what’s changed, why the tone is tougher, and whether this marks a genuine turning point in how the UK talks about war, resilience and national security.Vote for The General & the Journalist for People's Choice at the 2026 Political Podcast Awards.Host: General Sir Patrick Sanders & Tom Newton DunnClips: The Mirror & DailymotionPhoto: GettyGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe is rearming at a pace not seen in decades, from the Baltics to France, where President Macron has called for a new era of “mobilisation,” short of conscription but aimed at readying the nation for darker horizons. This week, Tom and Patrick ask what the UK should do in response, and whether our volunteer army can meet the moment. They’re joined by Oliver Moody, The Times’s Berlin correspondent and author of Baltic: The Future of Europe, to explore how frontline states are preparing their populations for potential conflict. From Finland’s “Total Defence” model to France’s new voluntary service for teenagers, they break down the shifts already underway, and the uncomfortable questions they raise for Britain. Vote for The General & the Journalist for People's Choice at the 2026 Political Podcast Awards.Hosts: Tom Newton Dunn & General Sir Patrick SandersGuest: Oliver MoodyClip: EuronewsPhoto: Getty ImagesGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cyber warfare is played out in the shadows, never declared and never attributed. But, as the General in charge of Nato's cyber operations tells Tom, the west is fighting what amounts to a war on a daily basis. Patrick agrees, recalling his time as Commander of UK Cyber operations, an experience he likens to living under a 'digital Blitz.' Host: General Sir Patrick Sanders & Tom Newton DunnGuest: Turkish Brigadier General Ümit ErsoyPhoto: NATO Get in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.