It’s no secret that NHS mental health care is under strain - long waiting lists, disjointed communication between providers, and patients left in limbo. So how did it end up this way? And could a treatment model from Finland be the solution? The Sunday Times went to find out.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Roisin Kelly, journalist and commissioning editor, The Sunday Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Producer: Micaela Arneson. 

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: What Lapland can teach the NHS about treating psychosis

Further listening: Britain’s mental health reckoning - part one

Clips: Channel 4, Nottingham Inquiry.

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Counterterrorism police are now leading the investigation into the alleged murder of former MP Ann Widdecombe. A 28-year-old man has now been re-arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests:

• Oliver Wright, policy editor, The Times.
• Stephen Roberts, former Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police 
• Jonathan Hall, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation

Host: John Pienaar.

Producers: Sandra Mitchell, Sofia Johanson, and Taryn Siegel.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Ann Widdecombe death: counterterrorism police leading investigation

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Iran war reignites, there's a hidden figure influencing the American side. In an exclusive interview for The Times, Pete Hegseth’s pastor Doug Wilson says the conflict in Iran is a righteous battle against Muslims, homosexuality is evil, and women who dress immodestly are sluts. How is this ultraconservative influencing US foreign policy? And could we see his brand of Christianity in the UK?

This podcast contains mention of some topics listeners may find offensive.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: George Grylls, Washington correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana. 

Producer: Olivia Case.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Pete Hegseth’s pastor: ‘Women who dress immodestly are sluts’

Further listening: Trump v the Supreme Court and Fi and Jane interivew Pastor Wilson

Clips: PBS, CNN, New Founding Podcast / YouTube, Pulp Fiction / Quentin Tarantino / Mirimax, The Independent, Blog&Mablog / YouTube, Daniel Foucachon / YouTube. 

Photo: Dominic Gwinn / Zuma Press.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Murdaugh stands accused of the brutal murders of his wife and son. As shocking evidence, devastating testimony, and disturbing secrets unfold in court, one question still hangs over everything: Did he actually do it?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: James Lasdun, author of The Family Man.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producers: Dave Creasey and Jesse Fox.

Clips: CNN, CBS, Fox News, CourtRoomTV, WCSC, WIS News, WJCL, NBC, GMA.

Image: Getty Images.

Times Book Shop: The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Murdaugh family had power, wealth, and influence until two brutal killings exposed a world of stolen millions and deadly secrets. As the lies unravelled, a once-untouchable dynasty collapsed into one of America’s darkest true crime cases. But what really happened that night, and who is to blame?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: James Lasdun, author of The Family Man.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producers: Dave Creasey and Jesse Fox.

Clips: CNN, CBS, Fox News, CourtRoomTV, WCSC, WIS News, WJCL, NBC.

Image: Getty Images.

Times Book Shop: The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More revelations are coming out about donations to Reform UK. The Sunday Times Insight team have discovered that the Metropolitan Police are investigating a £500,000 donation from the mother of convicted fraudster George Cottrell. How will this affect Farage’s chances in the Clacton by-election now scheduled for August? And what does it say about the state of political donations in the UK more widely?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Gabriel Pogrund, insight editor, The Sunday Times.
• Richard Tice, Reform UK MP.
• Peter Geoghegan, investigative journalist.

Host: Ayesha Hazarika.

Producer: Musty Aziz.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Police investigate Reform donations by mother of fraudster who bankrolled Farage

Further listening: Posh George: The criminal behind Farage

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer 2026 is another scorcher, with temperature records being broken across Europe. Infrastructure in the UK is creaking; with trains cancelled, schools closed and people sweltering in their homes. Why does Europe seem to be heating up more than other continents? And could outlandish ideas hold the answer to cooling us down long term?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Tom Whipple, science writer and special correspondent, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producer: Harry Stott.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Heatwave exposes flaws in Britain’s ability to supply fresh food

Further listening: Have we stopped caring about climate change?

Clips: Channel 4, BBC, Sky News. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Weeks of protests in Albania show no signs of stopping. Tens of thousands have been taking to the streets to oppose the proposed purchase and development of land by Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law. As the country’s tourist industry booms, there is a divide over the cost of development and the country’s sense of self. Our writer went to the island at the centre of a political and national identity crisis.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Richard Assheton, features writer, The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producers: Taryn Siegel.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Is this the Kushners’ $5bn Albania resort? 350 yachts and a water park

Clips: David Senra podcast, APT, X/@IsamyzyrajAlb, IG/@thebrickobserversatire, DW News.

Photo: Richard Assheton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a rollercoaster 24 hours for Nigel Farage and Reform – a by-election called, a major party boycott, and now the spectre of a two horse race against Count Binface. So will his high risk play pay off as he takes his case to the people? And what do the voters of Clacton really think about it?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Terry Stiastny, political correspondent, Times Radio.
• Rosie Wright, presenter, Times Radio.
• Peter Kellner, pollster and former president of YouGov.

Host: John Pienaar.

Producers: Sandra Mitchell, Sofia Johanson.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Will voters in Clacton back Nigel Farage second time around?

Further listening: Nigel Farage resigns. What now?

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a Sunday Times investigation revealed Nigel Farage’s links to a convicted fraudster, and with the spectre of a parliamentary standards investigation looming over him, Farage will now put his fate in the hands of his constituents in Clacton in a by-election. But will this gambit work? And what does the Sunday Times journalist who led the investigation think about it?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guests: 

• Gabriel Pogrund, Insight editor, The Sunday Times
• Fraser Nelson, columnist, The Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producers: Sophie McNulty, Harry Stott. 

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Will risky resignation ploy pay off for Nigel Farage?

Further listening: Posh George: the criminal behind Farage

Clips: Reform UK / Youtube, Sky News, BBC. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NATO is gathering in Turkey for its annual summit, and defence spending, Iran and Ukraine are all on the agenda. But behind the scenes there are warnings that Putin is planning his next attack - on a NATO country. So what might that aggression look like? And is the alliance ready?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producers: Olivia Case and Shabnam Grewal.

We want to hear from you - email: [email protected]

Read more: Putin the agent of chaos revelling in division between US and Europe

Further listening: Defence spending: too little too late? 

Clips: France 24, @MaxAfterburnerusa / YouTube, @joeycontinonews / YouTube, TVP Info, BBC, Sky, The Guardian, GB News, Fox News, USA Today, CBC. 

Photo: Getty Images.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.