George Colwey
Listen: The Debrief – why does transparency matter, and is the council getting any better at it?
It’s almost six months since the Cable asked why Bristol’s performance on FOI requests was so poor. As the city’s political system prepares for change, Alex Turner talks to Priyanka Raval about why this is important, and whether we can look forward to more open local government.
Listen: The Debrief – Bristol is ditching its mayor, but what can it learn from Sheffield?
On 2 May 2024, Bristol will wave goodbye to its mayor and return to a committee system. Isaac Kneebone Hopkins chats with Priyanka Raval about what we can learn from Sheffield's experience of local government reform.
Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Salma Najjar on experiencing the Gaza war as a Palestinian in the UK
Salma, a lawyer who spent her childhood in Gaza, shares the 'dystopian' experience of life under occupation and knowing your family are in a war zone, as well as discussing happier memories and pro-Palestinian activism in the UK.
Listen: Inside Bristol’s ‘murder factory’ arms facility, with the activists on trial for occupying it
Palestine Action activists are on trial for smashing into an Elbit factory that ships weapons technologies to Israel. But at the heart of this case is the history and tragedy of Israel’s operations in Gaza, and how Bristol’s facility plays a role in the death and destruction.
Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Ruth Pitter on the role of the charity sector, pioneering Black theatre and her recent MBE
Neil chats to Ruth, a daughter of the Windrush generation, on her decades of work with Bristol's voluntary and community groups, how that's changed as public services have been cut – and whether she feels conflicted about receiving an honour associated with empire.