Phil begins this episode with his thoughts on the rather shocking news that the UK government has pulled back from the already limited inquiries into the ‘grooming and rape gang scandal’. What’s going on?

Then Paul French returns to the podcast to share his hugely impressive knowledge of the Far East - through the story of Hong Kong. The rise and fall of British rule there is of great interest to Phil too, as it connects to his upcoming new book on war and empire.

It’s all very topical - because a lot of the story is about China and its view of itself as a great but humiliated nation now recovering former status. Given the huge tariff wars that have broken out this week, Paul has plenty to say about the good and the bad of modern day China and its rulers - and where this crisis might be headed.

Paul’s excellent book on Wallis Simpson in China is available here, in our own online bookshop - along with thousands of others. https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/her-lotus-year-china-the-roaring-twenties-and-the-making-of-wallis-simpson-paul-french/7624169?aid=12054&ean=9781783968183

Phil’s new book, 1945 The Reckoning, is published on April 24 2025 in the UK, India, Australia and New Zealand. There’s more info here...

https://sites.google.com/view/1945thereckoning/home

You can pre-order the book now on Amazon UK - and it will be available all around the world as an e-book and an audio book...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/1945-Reckoning-Empire-Struggle-World/dp/139971449X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#

For anyone in Australia, you can purchase the book here...

https://www.amazon.com.au/1945-Reckoning-Empire-Struggle-World/dp/1399714503/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Aj6KiOnX8mB9IxbXa3MSftEn8ltcHpwdCwI_Y1Z9x_6wh1ZDhht_FEQApFtINIK18K6LpvzplQqjfqGwtGCX75E5idzD4XzxO4v5_7lTzseE1lilWhbmDGqQQNh41MCEhUEj3m2d_NqvbpQTzmbwiIy0x7yEhwDJnEK40Qp1ShuiNkayBHilBGbMJ2uS42z_EYICj2G1ukW0iEL0xwjyXCclJ4VwBeo2JkpEpY-vrgUNjbiZJ2WGQHUJe618JbwEOamp0n7LAcY0-C9Jd2K2kMVhcn0qj38FrKQ9kyxmsqk.KcgY2jzaJzHaHZX53DPc4FD3ClSuNzEEmTH0X6-HiG0&qid=1744266867&sr=8-1

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