As the Three Old Hacks get ready to tuck into the turkey and mince pies they consider how we will rate 2024. Mihir Bose thinks this has been the worst of times with Trump back in the White House, right-wing parties gaining power in Europe and the flood of non-European migrants creating an existentialist crisis. David Smith disagrees with his old friend arguing that proportional representation means the right may not win power and Europe has in the past coped with migration from former colonies. Nigel Dudley, wearing his Hampshire cricket hat, thinks the Keir Starmer government should not be written off because of its bad start in the first innings. There is always a second innings and recalls how Mrs Thatcher turned things round in the second innings.

The three discuss the crisis in the Church of England. They are unanimous in their condemnation of the Church but disagree on whether the Church should be disestablished.

Nigel Dudley, a bon viveur of food, takes issue with Kemi Badenock’s comment that she is not a fan of lunch breaks and sandwiches. David Smith recalls sitting next to the former Governor, Eddie George, at a lunch where the Governor did not eat explaining that this was because he was going to speak. Mihir Bose narrates how he recently spoke at a cricket lunch after enjoying an excellent roast lamb.

Former Sports editor of BBC News Mihir Bose, political analyst Nigel Dudley and Economics Editor of the Sunday Times David Smith, aka the Three Old Hacks conclude their podcast with each of them making a choice of a song to bring us Christmas cheer.

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