Britain Isn't Working

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, the Government announced their plans for welfare reform, so we take a look at the language around welfare, around benefit claimants, and how it's changed over the years. Gone are the 'strivers vs shirkers' of the 2010s or even Peter Lilley's infamous 'little list' of the early 90s. This government talks of 'supporting people into work' and 'right to try', but with the savings they are making, do their actions match their rhetoric?This episode has been edited to remove an inaccurate statement about the relative size of tax fraud compared to benefit fraud.Listen to Strong Message Here every Thursday at 9.45am on Radio 4 and then head straight to BBC Sounds for an extended episode.Have you stumbled upon any perplexing political phrases you need Helen and Armando to decode? Email them to us at strongmessagehere@bbc.co.ukSound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum and Caroline Barlow Executive Producer - Pete StraussProduced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio Certified Production.

Om Podcasten

In this new series, Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci investigate which political buzzwords are strong and stable and which are a crock of covfefe.Each week Helen and Armando will crack open the political phrasebook and attempt to decode the doublespeak. Why does everything now have to be 'turbo-charged'? What's the difference between a 'pledge' and a 'mission'? Why has my local MP been 'weaponised' and should I be worried?You'll be treated to a crash course in the dark arts of political language from two people both baffled and beguiled by it. They'll walk you through the various verbal fiascos of the modern political lexicon so that by the end you'll be oven-ready for an appearance on Newsnight.Warning: this podcast features strong political language that some listeners may find nonsensical.Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4.