Strong Message Here

Strong Message Here

BBC
Comedy
en

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.

Episodes (46)

Strong Recommend: Tehran (Apple TV+)

Strong Recommend: Tehran (Apple TV+)

September 04, 2025 6m
Armando has been watch Tehran on Apple TV. This multi-language show about spy agencies in Iran and Israel sheds gives you a glimpse in to life on the ground in these countries that you can't get from...
Strong Recommend: Elden Ring

Strong Recommend: Elden Ring

August 28, 2025 10m
If you're interested in fantasy, and fancy taking on a responsibility equivalent to a part-time job, Helen recommends Elden Ring. A wildly popular Japanese video game which allows you to live in a...
Strong Recommend: The Contestant

Strong Recommend: The Contestant

August 21, 2025 10m
In 1998, a Japanese man was filmed in solitary confinement for our entertainment. Naked as the day he was born, which led to his suggestive nickname, the Japanese people were gripped by Tomoaki...
Strong Recommend: Shamanism, The Timeless Religion by Dr Manvir Singh

Strong Recommend: Shamanism, The Timeless Religion by Dr Manvir Singh

August 14, 2025 8m
What is xenising? And why do authority figures do it? Can we trace Farage back to the shamans of the past? Helen recommends Dr Manvir Singh's book Shamanism: The Timeless Religion, which helps inform...
Strong Recommend: The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

Strong Recommend: The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

August 07, 2025 5m
Fancy trying a new author, but don't know where to start? Armando recommends a short novel by Penelope Fitzgerald, and Helen shares a tip on how to try on a new author for size before committing.Join...
Strong Recommend: Evita at London Palladium

Strong Recommend: Evita at London Palladium

July 31, 2025 6m
Helen has been to the theatre recently, so you don't have to! Jamie Lloyd's production of Evita has a moment in it which can be enjoyed by anyone who happens to be near the venue at about 9pm most...
Strong Recommend: Shakespeare's Richard II

Strong Recommend: Shakespeare's Richard II

July 24, 2025 8m
This week, it's Armando's term to recommend something, and he makes the case for a little known up-and-coming writer, William Shakespeare. Richard II doesn't get its due among the other historical...
Strong Recommend: Every Living Thing by Jason Roberts

Strong Recommend: Every Living Thing by Jason Roberts

July 17, 2025 8m
This week, Helen picks a book she's enjoyed recently. Jason Roberts' book from this year, Every Living Thing, details Carl Linnaeus and Du Buffon's attempts at taxonomy.The naming conventions of...
Strong Recommend: The Ballad of Wallis Island

Strong Recommend: The Ballad of Wallis Island

July 14, 2025 8m
To start off this mini-series, Armando picks a film he's enjoyed recently. Tim Key and Tom Basden's hit film The Ballad of Wallis Island started life as a short film, and has won plaudits for its...
Strong Message Here

We Haven't Always Told Our Story as Well as We Should

July 03, 2025 32m
This week, Helen and Armando look back at a year of the Labour government. What language has come out of if, and why is it struggling to define itself?Looking at phrases from the year, like "The tepid...
Strong Message Here

The New Brexit

June 26, 2025 30m
This week, Helen Lewis is back! In the longer edition, you can hear what Helen has been up to in her absence, before Helen and Armando set their sights on the language around Net Zero.They ask, Why...
Strong Message Here

Delivering for Ordinary People (with Marina Hyde)

June 19, 2025 38m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci decodes the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen Lewis is still away, so Journalist Marina Hyde steps in to join Armando. They discuss what an...
Strong Message Here

I Regret Some of My Posts (with Sara Pascoe)

June 12, 2025 33m
This week, Helen Lewis is still away, so comedian Sara Pascoe steps in to join Armando. They reminisce over their first meeting on the set of a classic episode of The Thick of It - which was also in a...
Strong Message Here

Weird Turkish Barber Shops (with Stewart Lee)

June 05, 2025 36m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci decodes the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen Lewis is away, so comedian and writer Stewart Lee joins Armando to look at Robert Jenrick's...
Strong Message Here

An Announcement President (with Jon Stewart)

May 29, 2025 44m
This week, we have a very special guest, Jon Stewart! Jon joins Armando and Helen to discuss whether Trump is the political equivalent of Miles Davis, the quaintness of UK politics compared to the US,...
Strong Message Here

The Island of Strangers and the Manacled Gimp of Brussels

May 22, 2025 34m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, we're looking at inflammatory language. From Immigration to EU deals, we've...
Strong Message Here

Yes or No?

May 15, 2025 30m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen and Armando take a step back and look at whether we're seeing the...
Strong Message Here

I Want My Country Back (with Phil Wang)

May 08, 2025 34m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, following Reform's announcement they will remove all flags from all council...
Strong Message Here

The Official Language of the United States

May 01, 2025 32m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, a look over the pond at Trump's first 100 days. How have his administration...
Strong Message Here

How Much is a Pint of Milk? (with Rob Burley)

April 24, 2025 32m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci are joined by the BBC's former Live Political Editor...
Strong Message Here

Liberation Day (with Soumaya Keynes)

April 17, 2025 37m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen and Armando are joined by economist and journalist for the Financial...
Strong Message Here

Three Word Slogans (with Cleo Watson)

April 10, 2025 32m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen and Armando are joined by author, broadcaster and former adviser to...
Strong Message Here

Fist Emoji, Flag Emoji, Fire Emoji (with Ava Santina Evans)

April 03, 2025 33m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Following the remarkable security breach dubbed 'Signalgate', Helen and Armando are...
Strong Message Here

Seizing the Narrative (with Stephen Bush)

March 27, 2025 32m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Are Labour telling a good enough story? Who is the best storyteller in politics? How...
Strong Message Here

Britain Isn't Working

March 20, 2025 25m
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...
Strong Message Here

Be Quiet, Small Man

March 13, 2025 30m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Musk has been threatening a former astronaut (no, not the one he threatened...
Strong Message Here

In the Public Interest?

March 06, 2025 29m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Hot mics, leaks, tell-all books. We find out a lot about how politicians talk in...
Strong Message Here

Everybody's Miserable

February 27, 2025 29m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Farage says everybody is miserable, Trump says everything is a 'disaster', and Liz...
Strong Message Here

The Threat from Within

February 20, 2025 36m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, JD Vance sent European leaders into a tailspin with an inflammatory speech...
Strong Message Here

Build, Baby, Build!

February 13, 2025 38m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Starmer has suggested that Britain adopt a 'Build, Baby, Build' strategy....
Strong Message Here

Flying a Kite and Rolling the Pitch (with Rob Hutton)

February 06, 2025 36m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Why do we know what's going to be in a political speech before it happens? What is...
Strong Message Here

Trump Derangement Syndrome

January 30, 2025 36m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Trump has truly settled back into the White House, but is it different this...
Strong Message Here

Free Speech Is Back!

January 23, 2025 29m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen and Armando take a deep dive into Mark Zuckerberg's statement which...
Strong Message Here

A Lawyer, Not a Leader

January 16, 2025 32m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, after a well-earned week off, Helen and Armando are back to break down how...
Strong Message Here

Listeners' Strong Messages

January 02, 2025 24m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen and Armando are delving into the email inbox to find out which...
Words of the Year

Words of the Year

December 20, 2024 30m
In a year where Labour secured a 'loveless landslide' in the UK and Trump sealed his return to the White House, Helen and Armando will be 'laser-focused' on their 'mission' to skewer the use and abuse...
Strong Message Here

The Tepid Bath of Managed Decline

December 19, 2024 29m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen and Armando are having a splash around in the tepid bath of managed...
Strong Message Here

Reset, NOT Relaunch

December 12, 2024 32m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, following Keir Starmer's 'Plan for Change', Helen and Armando look at what...
Strong Message Here

Becoming a Distraction

December 05, 2024 32m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.Following Louise Haigh's resignation and Matt Gaetz's withdrawal from his Attorney...
Strong Message Here

I Make No Apology For...

November 28, 2024 28m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, we get into the world of political apologies. Why does Starmer keep...
Strong Message Here

The Deep State

November 21, 2024 29m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen and Armando spend some time trying to understand the 'deep state',...
Strong Message Here

In Listening Mode

November 14, 2024 28m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, as the Democrats lick their wounds, and Kemi Badenoch looks to rebuild her...
Strong Message Here

MAGA - Trump trumps Harris

November 07, 2024 30m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Trump has made his way back to the White House, but will he Make America...
Strong Message Here

Tough Decisions

October 31, 2024 29m
Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, as Rachel Reeves delivers the first Labour budget in 15 years, we’re...
Strong Message Here

Kemi-Kaze and political nicknames

October 24, 2024 23m
In this new series for Radio 4, comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, Helen’s eye was caught by the Conservative...
Strong Message Here

Introducing Strong Message Here

October 17, 2024 1m
Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci investigate which political buzzwords are strong and stable and which are a crock of covfefe.New episodes are available weekly on Thursdays on BBC Sounds from 24...

About this Podcast

Copyright
(C) BBC 2025
Language
en
Categories
Comedy