Three Old Hacks

By: Mihir Bose David Smith Nigel Dudley
  • Summary

  • Mihir Bose – former BBC Sports Editor, David Smith – Economics Editor of the Sunday Times and political commentator Nigel Dudley have been friends since they first met while working at Financial Weekly in 1980s. They have kept in touch regularly, setting the world to rights over various lunches and dinners. With coronavirus making that impossible, what do journalists do, deprived of long convivial lunches over a bottle of red wine or several? Why, podcast of course.Get in contact with the podcast by emailing threeoldhacks@outlook.com, we’d love to hear from you!
    © 2025 Three Old Hacks
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Episodes
  • Decision time for Christian leaders
    Apr 28 2025

    The Three Old Hacks discuss the challenges facing Christian leadership. As the Papal Conclave works its way through multiple rounds of voting to select a new Pope and the Church of England chooses a new Archbishop of Canterbury, they caution against trying to make a fast buck by betting on either.

    On the papal contest, political analyst Nigel Dudley offers: "It's invariably an outsider." On the Church of England selection, "I think it could be a woman," says David Smith, Economics editor of the Sunday Times, "because, of the figures in the Church of England, the bishops and the Church of England in the UK, I think some of the most impressive figures are women," although he acknowledges this might not go down to well with the Church worldwide. The circle-squaring task of reconciling the values of the Church in England and the wider Church will be the biggest headache for whoever gets the job.

    As a historian of the Indian sub-continent, Mihir Bose is particularly concerned with the heightened tensions in Kashmir after the attacks that left 26 civilians dead last week. "India is threatening to cut the water sharing system they have with Pakistan, an agreement that goes back to the 50s, and Pakistan sees it as an act of war," he says, while Nigel suggests: "If Pakistan is finding itself isolated and in a corner, it may be more likely to threaten nuclear war than at any stage in the past."

    Turning to less depressing and apocalyptic matters, the Three Old Hacks go on to discuss the Observer newspaper's transition and future prospects and the significance for multicultural Britain of chicken tikka masala being served at the Oval.

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

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    50 mins
  • Who will win the battle for the hearts and minds of those on the right? Nigel Farage or Kemi Badenoch?
    Apr 4 2025

    The Three Old Hacks look at the relationship between Nigel Farage and the Conservative Party. We are seeing a reshaping of the right in British politics, says Mihir. Nigel Farage is out to destroy the Conservative Party in his mission to become prime minister.

    He is making a tactical shift towards the centre, says David Smith, to take over the Conservatives' ground. While Tory Party members may be drifting towards Reform, that "is not easy for Tory MPs to contemplate", says David Smith. He thinks the Tories have repeated the mistake they made when they elected William Hague in 1997, in electing a leader who is too young to lead the party (he was then 26). Kemi Badenoch is 44, but is "not", says David, "a very good parliamentary performer."

    Mihir is prepared to put money on Farage becoming prime minister one day, but Nigel Dudley thinks the Tory Party will survive its current difficulties and will not be ousted by Reform as the rightful home of right-leaning voters.

    Turning to consider Rachel Reeves' performance as Chancellor and the measures she outlined in the Spring Budget, "it has been many decades since we have had an economist in the job of Chancellor," says David, "and she definitely is an economist," whatever her political enemies may say to the contrary. Whether or not she will survive as Chancellor has more to do with the number of enemies she has made in such a short time than it does with her abilities as an economist - pensioners who have lost their winter fuel payments, parents of children in private education, farmers, and now disabled people."She expected to be swept along on a tide of goodwill," says David, but that has not been the case.

    Is the Labour government's lack of popularity down to the mismatch in expectations between what they can afford and what people want from an incoming Labour government? Is it down to their lack of preparedness when they took office.

    The Three Old Hacks compare and contrast with governments past and consider the Trump effect on the UK's relations with Europe.

    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, bring their decades of experience to bear on the most pressing political developments.

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

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    51 mins
  • Should we take Trump seriously?
    Feb 25 2025

    Supporters of Donald Trump such as Piers Morgan and Nigel Farage tend to brush off his more outrageous statements, saying we shouldn't take his outpourings too literally.

    Shouldn't we? In a week in which he has declared that President Zelensky of Ukraine is a 'dictator' and tariffs on Mexico and Canada "will go forward", the Three Old Hacks, aka Sports editor of BBC News Mihir Bose, political analyst Nigel Dudley and Economics Editor of the Sunday Times David Smith, discuss how seriously we should take the President of the United States.

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

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    50 mins
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