Asylum is one of the most polarising issues in British politics and one of the least honestly discussed. We’re told the choice is simple: open the borders or shut them. Compassion or control. Morality or realism. But real life isn’t that simple and neither is Britain’s asylum system. In this episode of Politics Unchained, Steff Aquarone is joined by Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran to examine the government’s latest asylum reforms and ask the questions most politicians avoid. With over 100 million displaced people worldwide, Britain is still operating under asylum definitions written for post-war Europe. Is that framework still workable? Who should qualify for protection and where should the limits be? We explore the difference between asylum seekers and migrants, the pressure on housing and public services, the role of safe and legal routes, and whether the Home Office reforms are genuinely about fixing the system or simply winning the argument. This is a frank, challenging conversation that rejects fear-mongering, rejects moral posturing, and insists on something better: a fair, firm and humane asylum system that works for everyone.

Flags are more than fabric, they are symbols of identity, history, and pride. But what happens when the symbols meant to unite us are used to divide? In this frank and honest debut episode, Steff Aquarone is joined by Lib Dem MP Cameron Thomas to explore the meaning of the Union Jack and St George’s Cross in modern Britain. The Union Jack as a symbol of unity but not everyone using it has unity in mind.

When we talk about the environment, the conversation usually starts and ends with climate change. But what about nature itself? The ecosystems, species, and landscapes that define our world and our place in it? In this episode, Steff Aquarone sits down with Roz Savage MP, former ocean rower and now Liberal Democrat MP, to explore why nature is still a blind spot for government policy and what her proposed CAN Bill (Climate and Nature Bill) aims to change.

The Civil Service: Some on the right call it “The Blob” a self-protecting bureaucracy, captured by progressive ideology and resistant to change. Others say it’s the last bastion of competence and accountability in an age of political chaos. In this episode, Steff Aquarone talks to Calum Miller, former senior civil servant and now Liberal Democrat MP about what really goes on inside Whitehall.

Is Britain sleepwalking into a digital surveillance state — or finally catching up with the future? In this episode of Politics Unchained, Steff Aquarone sits down with Liberal Democrat MP Rachel Gilmour to discuss the government’s proposed Digital ID system — what it really means, who it helps, and who it might leave behind. The government says Digital ID will make life simpler, safer, and more efficient. But critics warn it could open the door to state overreach, data misuse, and a loss of personal freedom — especially for older people and those who struggle to access digital services.