The Three Old Hacks are old enough to remember the serial candidacies (all 39 of them) of Screaming Lord Sutch and his Monster Raving Loony Party. He held the distinction of winning more votes than the leader of the Social Democrat Party David Owen at the Bootle by-election in 1990, and of standing for election the most, losing his deposit every time.

In their latest discussion The Three Old Hacks consider whether Count Binface could beat Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election in August. (Surely as a Count he’d have to sit in the Lords or renounce his title and become plain old Jonathan Harvey MP).

Of course they talk about the World Cup and the odds on England winning, and Andy Burnham and the odds of him setting off to a good start in the job of Prime Minister.

And they discuss The Chiswick Calendar’s story of the riverside pubs at Strand on the Green who were told to take their tables in or face fines for not having a licence.

Have we become altogether too French? asks Mihir, with all this café culture?

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@outlook.com, we’d love to hear from you!

While some are saying the oil crisis caused by Trump’s war on Iran is as bad as the one in the 1970s, economics editor of the Sunday Times David Smith thinks it’s still too early to tell. It may be a short term blip or it may have long-lasting effects.

The Three Old Hacks, aka Mihir Bose, former sports editor at the BBC, Nigel Dudley, political analyst, and David Smith return to the war in Iran and the toxic effect of appointing Peter Mandelson to the job of Britain’s ambassador to the United States in this week’s digest of the news.

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@outlook.com, we’d love to hear from you!

The Three Old Hacks talk about the war in Iran, with the background knowledge to be able to compare and contrast it with previous wars and the justifications of previous presidents and prime ministers over the decades.

"Trump has always been a transactional president who wants to do a deal", says political analyst Nigel Dudley, "but in the Middle East there is no end. The best we can hope for is an absence of war where people live beside each other".

David Smith, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times on the effect of the war on oil prices:
"We could be teetering on the edge of a recession if this lasts".

Moving on to other matters: "I get the impression this whole Mandelson affair could actually bring Starmer down", says former BBC Sports Editor Mihir Bose.

And of course, no Three OId Hacks episode would be complete without mention of Tottenham Hotspur.

Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@outlook.com, we’d love to hear from you!