The News Agents

As billionaire wealth soars to unprecedented heights, calls to “tax the rich” are getting louder across the world. But while politicians on the left often champion wealth taxes, governments have repeatedly struggled to make them work in practice. So why have they failed? And could that finally be changing?
This Friday, Lewis is joined by French economist Gabriel Zucman, the architect of the so-called “Zucman Tax” and one of the most influential voices in the global debate on inequality. Drawing on his new book We Need to Tax Billionaires, Zucman explains how extreme wealth has created what some see as two separate economic realities: ordinary citizens on one side, and a billionaire class operating on an entirely different political and financial plane on the other.
From private jets to ballooning fortunes, why have traditional tax systems have struggled to keep up? And could a coordinated global approach to taxing billionaires reshape democracy itself?
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Before he was ever taken seriously as a politician, Donald Trump was very much taken seriously in the world of wrestling.
His relationship with WWE stretches back as far as the 1980s - he went on to headline Wrestlemania and even challenged founder Vince McMahon to a match during a running feud.
But what if wrestling was where Trump learned how to win the White House? Reality-defying performances, smack talk, and stunts are, after all, quintessentially Trumpian techniques.
Munya Chawawa thinks that Trump's origin story in politics might start in the ring - and came into the studio to discuss why.
Later, it was announced today that net migration has fallen by almost half, to its lowest level since the Covid pandemic. But will Keir Starmer be able to claim any credit for it?
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Southampton's failed attempt to appeal their expulsion from the final for spying means that it will be Middlesbrough heading to Wembley to take on Hull in football’s richest game.
Espionage that could ‘cost’ upwards of £200 million… normally a story for Ian Fleming but in an end of the season that keeps on giving, this is the tale of the Championship play offs.
But what is the legality surrounding the decision? Is Tonda Eckart's sacking inevitable? and is there a case for the final to be voided and Hull to go up automatically?
Gabby is joined by Former Saints midfielder & EFL TV presenter David Prutton and top sports lawyer Tom Murray to debate the ramifications.
📩 Got a question? Send it here: https://forms.gle/9SBbW1SYWqXLKnRT7
💭 Tell us your thoughts in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/YMUvajQktqBuimgh6
🖥️ Watch our full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SportsAgentsPod
📱Follow us on socials:
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thesportsagents
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesportsagents/
X - https://x.com/sportsagentspod
📥 Email: [email protected]
Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producers: George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill
Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".
👕 The Sports Agents have merch! You can buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-sports-agents

You might not know the name Thomas Massie. But you will know what he did. The Kentucky Republican congressman was one crucial part of the campaign that forced Trump to release the Epstein files last November. Last night, he lost his chance to fight his seat again - against a challenger endorsed by Trump. Is Trump still worrying about Epstein? Or does he just hate dissent? And why did he take Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth out of an actual war with Iran to make him campaign in Kentucky? This does not feel normal.
Later, is democracy being killed by the rich? Lewis speaks to Jeffrey Winters.
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Andy Burnham has launched his campaign video for the Makerfield by-election. The first thing you notice is how comfortable he sounds in it. It’s a level of human communication almost unfamiliar in today’s politics - with a pitch not just to the constituency but to the nation. But is there more to him than the chips and gravy good vibes? And does he have an actual plan not just for Makerfield but for the country?
We speak to Neal Lawson - who is inside the Burnham camp - about how he thinks about politics, and what would be different if he ran the country.
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/