The Black Spy Podcast
If you wish to know what it’s really like to make the life and death decisions portrayed in the movies by James Bond or on TV by Homeland's, Cary Matherson, then Black Spy Podcast is the show for you. If you're interested in the clandestine world of secret intelligence, espionage, counter-terrorism and national security, then this definitely your must listen Podcast! Every week, along with a different successful or famous guest who's always been interested in the secret services, ex officer, Carlton King, will guide you through this enthralling and exhilarating world, which he inhabited for nearly 30 years. You’ll be surprised what you learn.
info_outline
2025’s Shocking Disclosures (Part 1)
12/29/2025
2025’s Shocking Disclosures (Part 1)
2025’s Shocking Disclosures (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 225, Season 23, Episode 0005 This week’s Black Spy Podcast sees host Carlton King and regular thrupple contributor Fergus Esack evaluate 2025 and the stories that have occurred during the year. 2025 will be remembered as a year of pressure, polarisation and profound questioning, and the Black Spy Podcast offers a measured yet unflinching evaluation of a world in flux. Across its episodes, the podcast reflects on how debates around gender continued to evolve, often framed by cultural anxiety, political opportunism and generational divides. These conversations were rarely simple, and Black Spy captured that complexity rather than reducing it to slogans. Politically, 2025 exposed deep fractures. From domestic power struggles to shifting alliances, the podcast assesses how trust in institutions was repeatedly tested. The European Union features as a central theme, navigating economic uncertainty, internal disagreements and its changing role on the global stage. War remains a grim constant. Black Spy surveys the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the continuing violence surrounding Israel, not to rehearse daily headlines, but to consider the wider human, political and moral consequences of prolonged conflict. These wars shaped diplomacy, energy policy and public opinion far beyond their borders. The year was also marked by a series of shocking incidents that jolted public consciousness—events that forced uncomfortable questions about security, social cohesion and leadership. In reviewing 2025, the Black Spy Podcast does not offer easy answers, but instead provides context, reflection and a clear-eyed assessment of a year that left few untouched. So, please get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: To read: Male Menopause the hidden crisis By Dr. Rachel Taylor & Carlton King Search ISBN-13 : 979-8276993768
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39543625
info_outline
Christmas Must Buy Books
12/22/2025
Christmas Must Buy Books
Christmas Must Buy Books The Black Spy Podcast 224, Season 23, Episode 0004 This week’s Black Spy Podcast sees host Carlton King step away from headlines and hard geopolitics to offer listeners something more seasonal – a carefully curated list of books he believes make powerful, thought-provoking Christmas stocking fillers, each chosen for its ability to inform, challenge and inspire. At the heart of the episode is Carlton’s own memoir, Black Ops – The Incredible True Story of a (Black) British Secret Agent, which he frames not as self-promotion, but as an essential corrective to the narrow way British intelligence history is usually told. From there, the discussion broadens into history, politics, race, psychology and power. Titles such as Der Unvergessene Krieg and Winston Churchill’s Young Winston are explored as windows into how wars are remembered, mythologised and used to shape national identity. Carlton places particular emphasis on works that reclaim obscured histories, including Great Men of Colour by Joel Rogers, UNESCO’s monumental History of Africa, They Came Before the Mayflower by Dr Ivan Van Sertima, and Black Athena by Martin Bernal. Together, these books challenge Eurocentric narratives and ask listeners to rethink who is written into – and out of – world history. The episode also highlights contemporary relevance through Male Menopause – The Hidden Crisis by Dr Rachel Taylor and Carlton King, linking mental health, masculinity and social silence, while Rupert Alison’s The Branch offers insight into the often-misunderstood machinery of British intelligence. To close, Carlton turns to dystopian classics – George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World – arguing they are no longer warnings about the future, but commentaries on the present. He rounds off by recommending the enduring moral clarity found in the works of Charles Dickens. It’s an episode that treats books not as escapism, but as tools for awakening – perfect gifts for curious minds. So, please get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: To read: Male Menopause the hidden crisis By Dr. Rachel Taylor & Carlton King Search ISBN-13 : 979-8276993768
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39488205
info_outline
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 2)
12/15/2025
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 2)
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 223, Season 23, Episode 0002 Episode 2 – The Anxiety Myth Part II: Power, Identity & the Business of Fear In this episode, the investigation deepens. Carlton King and Dr. Rachel Taylor explore how power structures—from governments to global tech platforms—exploit anxiety to shape behaviour, control populations and drive profit. If fear is currency, who are the brokers? Why do modern societies appear more anxious despite unprecedented comfort and safety? Is the rise in anxiety actually a symptom of social fragmentation, digital overstimulation and identity disruption rather than individual pathology? And what role does race, class and lived experience play in how anxiety is labelled, treated or ignored? Carlton draws on decades in state security to examine how fear is manufactured, manipulated and monetised. Dr. Taylor challenges the neurological oversimplifications used to justify a multi-billion-pound mental-health economy. Together, they ask whether anxiety is being systematically weaponised against the public. If anxiety is an evolutionary alarm system, what happens when it is hijacked? More importantly—can we reclaim it? This episode confronts one unsettling truth: perhaps anxiety isn’t a personal failure, but a rational response to an irrational world. So, please get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39396945
info_outline
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 1)
12/08/2025
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 1)
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 222, Season 23, Episode 0002 Episode 1 – The Anxiety Myth: What If Everything We Think We Know Is Wrong? Is anxiety really a mental health crisis—or have we misunderstood the entire phenomenon? In this week’s Black Spy Podcast, Carlton King and Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor dismantle the assumptions, narratives and commercial interests shaping our modern understanding of anxiety. Why are anxiety diagnoses skyrocketing in the West while resilience appears to be collapsing? Has society medicalised normal human emotion to the point where stress, fear and discomfort are now rebranded as pathology? Dr. Taylor brings cutting-edge neuroscience to the table, challenging listeners to rethink the brain’s threat systems, the role of trauma, and the possibility that anxiety may not be a “disorder” at all but a misinterpreted survival mechanism. Carlton interrogates the political, economic and cultural drivers behind the anxiety industry: who benefits from defining millions as “unwell”? Is the modern world genuinely more dangerous, or have we simply lost the tools to cope? And crucially—if anxiety is not what we’ve been told—what does that mean for treatment, medication and human agency? This episode asks one radical question: What if anxiety isn’t the enemy—but the message? So, please get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39313290
info_outline
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 1)
12/08/2025
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 1)
The Myth of Anxiety with Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 222, Season 23, Episode 0002 Episode 1 – The Anxiety Myth: What If Everything We Think We Know Is Wrong? Is anxiety really a mental health crisis—or have we misunderstood the entire phenomenon? In this week’s Black Spy Podcast, Carlton King and Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Taylor dismantle the assumptions, narratives and commercial interests shaping our modern understanding of anxiety. Why are anxiety diagnoses skyrocketing in the West while resilience appears to be collapsing? Has society medicalised normal human emotion to the point where stress, fear and discomfort are now rebranded as pathology? Dr. Taylor brings cutting-edge neuroscience to the table, challenging listeners to rethink the brain’s threat systems, the role of trauma, and the possibility that anxiety may not be a “disorder” at all but a misinterpreted survival mechanism. Carlton interrogates the political, economic and cultural drivers behind the anxiety industry: who benefits from defining millions as “unwell”? Is the modern world genuinely more dangerous, or have we simply lost the tools to cope? And crucially—if anxiety is not what we’ve been told—what does that mean for treatment, medication and human agency? This episode asks one radical question: What if anxiety isn’t the enemy—but the message? So, please get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39313295
info_outline
Ex Senior MI6 & Scotland Yard Special Branch Officer Identifies The Most Realistic Cop and Spy Movie and TV Shows
12/01/2025
Ex Senior MI6 & Scotland Yard Special Branch Officer Identifies The Most Realistic Cop and Spy Movie and TV Shows
Ex Senior MI6 & Scotland Yard Special Branch Officer Identifies The Most Realistic Cop and Spy Movie and TV Shows The Black Spy Podcast 221 Season 23, Episode 0001 The Most Realistic Police & Spy Films – Carlton King Calls It Out In this electrifying episode of The Black Spy Podcast, former Senior Scotland Yard Special Branch and MI6 Officer Carlton King, reveals which police and spy movies and TV dramas actually come closest to the real world of national security. After 30 years of political policing, counter-terrorism, international secret intelligence operations and elite government close-protection missions around the globe, Carlton points to those productions that show the truth behind the mythology. This week, Carlton lifts the lid on which movies/series provide top class entertainment whilst keeping it real. Using his lived experience undercover, protection and intelligence operations the UK, to Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia and the Americas, North and South, Carlton highlights the best such programmes from around the world. From 60’s & 70’s classics to slick contemporary offerings, Carlton explains why some make the grade whist other are down right over the top fantasies. Most importantly Carlton explains how shows such as The Wire can keep it real whilst being explosive, yet others although understated, can reach those same heights. This episode doesn’t just provide you with a list of shows and movies, much more importantly, it provides listens with tips as to why Carlton professionally rates the types of movies and films he recommends and where other go woefully wrong. Its real spies. Real policing. Real insight. Only on The Black Spy Podcast. So, please get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39206845
info_outline
What was (Prince) Andrew’s Crime? (Part 2)
11/24/2025
What was (Prince) Andrew’s Crime? (Part 2)
What was (Prince) Andrew’s Crime? (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 220, Season 22, Episode 0010 This week host Carlton King's thrupple of journalist and celebrity marketing agent, Firgas Esack, Neuroscientist, Dr. Rachel Taylor and of course, The Black Spy, himself Carlton King, continue their discussion into the geo-politics of the fall of Prince Andrew of the British Royal Family. The thrupple discuss Prince Andrews "crime" and the juxposition of treatment based on class. The thrupple also discuss: Andrew's quest for more money. King Charles’ reaction, The British public's reaction The different treatment handed out to the police, as a none protected 'working-class' state organisation, as opposed to the protected middle and upper-class organisations such as the BBC and the Royal family. BBC Fake (jazzed up) News The Epstein affair in general - Who's intelligence asset was he? Who wanted his wealth, his connections. Foreign intelligence agency activity National Unity in the UK Gender, class and wealth. All of these points are discussed in detail from the above mentioned medical, national security and journalistic mass media directed perspectives. So, please listen to get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39137555
info_outline
What was (Prince) Andrew’s Crime? (Part 1)
11/17/2025
What was (Prince) Andrew’s Crime? (Part 1)
What was (Prince) Andrew’s Crime? (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 219, Season 22, Episode 0009 This week and next week, host Carlton King, brings his thrupple of journalist and celebrity marketing agent, Firgas Esack, Neuroscientist, Dr. Rachel Taylor and of course, The Black Spy, Carlton King, himself as they discuss the geo-politics of the fall of Prince Andrew of the British Royal Family. The thrupple discuss Prince Andrews crime. His quest for money. King Charles’ reaction, Public reaction Epstein. Foreign intelligence agency activity National Unity in the UK Gender, class and wealth. All of these points are discussed in detail from the above mentioned medical, national security and journalistic mass media directed perspectives. So, please get informed and don’t miss these discussions by subscribing to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to LinkedIn Contact Dr.. Rachel via Substack And contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/39046890
info_outline
Venezuela - Trump’s end of Empire War (Part 2)
11/10/2025
Venezuela - Trump’s end of Empire War (Part 2)
Venezuela - Trump’s end of Empire War (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 218, Season 22, Episode 0008 This week and next week host Carlton King asks if President Trump is planning an invasion of Venezuela, in whatever format, to effect ‘regime change’ there. Carlton goes through the options for this coming aggressive action. The likelihood of it taking place. The spoils of such a war, The US and Venezuelan military options seemingly in place, The limitations of those options. The assistance that Venezuela might expect from major world powers and why, The feelings likely to be stirred in Latin America that could make any coming war very costly for the US. Carlton also examines the geo-politics surrounding the potential conflict. The lack of judicial procedure in Trump’s actions to date, murdering Venezuelan sailors on the high seas under the pretext of combatting drug trafficking without any evidence to confiem this. And president Trump’s willingness to authorize the killing of such civilians with no more consideration than swatting a fly. Once again these are must listen episodes that educates whilst entertaining, to provide listeners with a real understanding to today’s world. So, please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38959275
info_outline
Venezuela - Trump's end of Empire War? (Part 1)
11/03/2025
Venezuela - Trump's end of Empire War? (Part 1)
Venezuela - Trump’s end of Empire War (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 217, Season 22, Episode 0007 In this, and next week's episode of the Black Spy Podcast, host, Carlton King, asks if President Trump is planning an invasion of Venezuela - in whatever format - to effect ‘regime change’. Carlton goes through the options for this coming aggressive action including: The likelihood of the attack taking place. The spoils of such an attack, The US and Venezuelan military options seemingly in place, The limitations of those options. The assistance that Venezuela might expect from major world powers and why, The feelings likely to be stirred in Latin America that could make any coming war very costly for the US. Carlton also examines the geo-politics surrounding the potential conflict. The lack of judicial procedure in Trump’s actions to date, The murder by US forces of Venezuelan sailors on the high seas under the pretext of combatting drug trafficking, albeit no evidence is even being sought buy the US Navy to substantiate this assertion. And president Trump’s willingness to authorize the killing of such civilians showing no more consideration than swatting a fly on a sunny afternoon. Once again these are must listen episodes that educates whilst entertaining, to provide listeners with a real understanding of today’s world. So, please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To Contact Dr Rachel Taylor go to substack To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38880130
info_outline
Black History Month Special (Part 2) AI - The Truth Exposed!
10/27/2025
Black History Month Special (Part 2) AI - The Truth Exposed!
Black History Month Special (Part 2) AI - The Truth Exposed! The Black Spy Podcast 216, Season 22, Episode 0007 This week, host Carlton King continues his headfirst dive into the meaning of Black History Month — asking seemingly none provocative questions of Chat GPT such as Why do you and other LLM continue to use terms such as the Middle East” and why does this matter? Carlton argues that while race is a biological nonsense, it remains a powerful political reality shaping lives, identity, and history itself. To illustrate this, Carlton explores the true financial and political objectives and consequences of the British Empire, including how Britain came to rule world finances. Carlton also uncovers how AI is finally challenging a racist, euro-centric manipulation of history with true and evidenced fact, yet strangely Carlton notes that these answers are not provided questionaries in the first instance and he wants to establish why?. Carlton examines who decides who’s “Black” and who’s “White,” and how these definitions have been weaponised throughout history to dumb down Africa and it’s diaspora’s real historical legacy. Once again we hope you enjoy this week’s episode and learn from it. So, please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h Those wishing to study the Moors should read below entreaties: Rewriting the Colour of Empire: The True Faces of the Moors For centuries, the story of civilisation, conquest, and empire has been told through the prism of whiteness — a selective historical lens that obscures the true racial complexity of the past. Few examples demonstrate this distortion more clearly than the story of the Moors, the African and Afro-Arab peoples who ruled the Iberian Peninsula from 711 to 1492. Their legacy has been bleached by time, politics, and the anxieties of Eurocentrism. Yet when we interrogate the terms “Arab” and “North African,” and when we examine who the Moors truly were, it becomes clear that their identity — viewed through the modern racial constructs of Europe, the Americas, and the wider world — would have been understood as Black. 1. The Political Language of Race Before we proceed, it’s vital to recognise that “race” itself is not a biological truth but a political technology — a tool developed in Europe between the 17th and 19th centuries to justify slavery, colonialism, and hierarchy. The concept of “Blackness” as a fixed identity did not exist in the early medieval period. However, if those earlier peoples were assessed through the racial systems later used to define African-descended peoples in the Americas and Europe, the Moors would unmistakably fall on the “Black” side of that divide. The problem lies in terminology. The modern labels “Arab” and “North African” obscure far more than they reveal. They create a convenient distance — a linguistic whiteness — between the African reality of these populations and the European imagination of them. “Arab” today is used as an ethnic descriptor, but in origin it was cultural and linguistic, not racial. Likewise, “North African” has been racialised to mean something distinct from “African,” as though the Sahara were a racial border rather than a desert. 2. The True Peopling of North Africa Before the Arab conquests of the 7th century, North Africa was home to a complex tapestry of peoples — Berbers (Imazighen), Nubians, Garamantes, Numidians, and others — many of whom were described by classical authors as Ethiopians, meaning dark-skinned or black. Roman and Greek writers regularly referred to North Africans as people of “dark hue” and “woolly hair.” In early Christian iconography and Byzantine records, the inhabitants of Mauretania and Cyrenaica were also depicted with distinctly African features. The Berbers themselves were not monolithic. Populations in the Sahara and southern Maghreb, particularly among the Sanhaja, Lamtuna, and Zanata confederations, were dark-skinned Africans. Others in the northern coastal regions exhibited varying degrees of mixture, reflecting centuries of movement between Africa, Europe, and the Near East. What unified them was not “race” but language and geography. When Islam reached North Africa, these diverse African peoples were among its first converts and its most dynamic missionaries. 3. Arabisation, Not Arab Origin The Islamic conquests did not result in the mass migration of Arabian tribes into Africa. Instead, what took place was a process of Arabisation — the adoption of Arabic as a lingua franca, the spread of Islam as a unifying faith, and the alignment of local elites with the new Caliphate. Thus, calling the North African Muslim conquerors of Iberia “Arabs” is historically misleading. They were predominantly African Muslims who spoke Arabic, just as many later Africans would speak French or English under colonial rule without becoming “French” or “English” in race or origin. Early European chroniclers were clear on this point. The Chronicle of Alfonso III and other medieval Spanish sources describe the Moors as “black as night” or “of the colour of pitch.” Even Islamic historians such as Ibn Khaldun, writing centuries later, acknowledged the Africanity of many Berber tribes, describing them as descendants of the “Sudanese” — the peoples of the great black belt stretching across the Sahel. Yet over time, the language shifted. European imperial historiography began to lighten the image of the Moors, recasting them as “swarthy Arabs” or “dusky Mediterraneans.” This process mirrored the broader whitening of antiquity, in which Egypt, Carthage, and even Ethiopia were reframed to fit European racial hierarchies. 4. The Iberian Experiment and Its Aftermath When the Moors crossed into Spain in 711, they brought with them a civilisation that outshone much of contemporary Europe. Al-Andalus became a beacon of learning, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy. The libraries of Córdoba contained hundreds of thousands of manuscripts, while much of Christian Europe was still in intellectual darkness. This flourishing was not the work of a “white” Europe but of a Black and brown Africa in partnership with the Islamic world. Over nearly eight centuries, the Moors transformed Iberian society. Their architecture, agriculture, and intellectual traditions still shape southern Europe. Yet when the Christian Reconquista triumphed in 1492, it did so under a new ideology: purity of blood (limpieza de sangre). This doctrine sought to cleanse Spain of its African and Jewish ancestry — not because it was religiously impure, but because it was racially tainted. Here lies the tragic irony: the very people who would go on to colonise the Americas and establish rigid racial hierarchies were themselves of mixed African descent. Genetic studies today confirm what history suggests: the modern Iberian gene pool, especially in Andalusia and Portugal, carries significant North African and sub-Saharan markers. Spain’s first global explorers, conquistadors, and settlers — the so-called “Spanish” who arrived in the Americas — were not racially homogenous. Many would, by modern standards, have been considered mixed-race or “Black.” 5. The Transatlantic Consequence When these Iberian peoples carried their empire across the Atlantic, they exported not only technologies and languages but also the racial anxieties born from their own African heritage. The obsession with “blood purity” in Spain and Portugal became the template for the rigid colour hierarchies of the Americas. The cruel irony is that those who enforced whiteness and slavery in the New World often did so while suppressing or denying their own African lineage. To acknowledge that the founders of the transatlantic empires were themselves products of African–European intermixture would upend the ideological foundation of colonial modernity. It would dismantle the myth of a purely “white” Europe civilising a “black” world and reveal instead that the global order was built by peoples whose histories, bloodlines, and cultures were profoundly entangled. 6. The Erasure of Africa’s Intellectual Legacy The erasure of the Moors’ Blackness is not simply a question of pigmentation; it is an erasure of African intellectual authority. European historians have long portrayed Africa as the recipient, not the source, of civilisation. To admit that Black and African peoples once governed, taught, and civilised Europe would overturn centuries of racial narrative.The architectural grandeur of the Alhambra, the philosophical inheritance of Averroes and Ibn Tufayl, and the scientific advances in navigation, medicine, and mathematics all owe their existence to this Afro-Islamic synthesis. Yet in Western textbooks, this heritage is often attributed vaguely to “Arabs” or “Muslims,” never explicitly to Africans. 7. Reclaiming Historical Truth To reclaim the Moors as Black is not to impose anachronistic labels on the past, but to reclaim Africa’s stolen place in the global story. It is to say that the civilisation which once illuminated Europe was African-led; that the intellectual seeds of the Renaissance were sown in the soil of Al-Andalus by scholars whose ancestors came from across the Sahara; and that the very concept of “Europeanness” was forged in contact and contrast with an Africa it could not truly separate itself from. Acknowledging this truth would profoundly reshape how we understand empire, race, and power. It would expose the myth of a white Europe as the sole architect of modernity and instead reveal that the world we live in today — from its science to its politics to its racial categories — was born out of Africa’s engagement with the world, not its exclusion from it. 8. The Final Reckoning The story of the Moors is not merely a footnote in European history; it is a mirror held up to the racialised consciousness of the modern world. To call them “Arabs” or “North Africans” without acknowledging their Blackness is to continue the colonial erasure that began with the Reconquista and reached its zenith in the transatlantic slave trade. In truth, the Moorish conquest of Iberia was the first great African empire in Europe — a testament to the power, sophistication, and humanity of a civilisation the West has spent centuries trying to forget. Restoring that truth is not an act of revisionism; it is an act of liberation.
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38780675
info_outline
Black History Month Special (Part 1) - Two famous 18th century families you never knew were black!
10/19/2025
Black History Month Special (Part 1) - Two famous 18th century families you never knew were black!
Black History Month Special (Part 1) Two famous 18th century families you never knew were black! The Black Spy Podcast 215, Season 22, Episode 0006 This week, host Carlton King dives headfirst into the meaning of Black History Month — asking the provocative question: What is “Black History,” and why does it matter? Carlton argues that while race is a biological nonsense, it remains a powerful political reality shaping lives, identity, and history itself. To illustrate this, he exposes the hidden stories of two famous families who, through deliberate “whitening,” have had their true African heritage obscured from public view. Tune in for a thought-provoking exploration of how power, politics, and perception continue to shape the narrative of Black identity. 🔍 Next week: The investigation continues — Carlton examines who decides who’s “Black” and who’s “White,” and how these definitions have been weaponised throughout history to control the African Diaspora. Hope you enjoy this week’s episode and please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38626900
info_outline
ABUSED? STALKED? - Demand Women get Tech Protection! (Part 2)
10/12/2025
ABUSED? STALKED? - Demand Women get Tech Protection! (Part 2)
ABUSED? STALKED? - Demand Women get Tech Protection! (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 214, Season 22, Episode 0005 In this week’s episode of The Black Spy Podcast, Carlton King and Firgas Esack continue last week’s deep dive into one of society’s most urgent and under-addressed crises — the protection of women, girls, and others from domestic violence and stalking. The discussions examine both the failures of current protective systems and the promise of new technologies, such as GPS-based electronic monitoring devices, to transform safety and accountability. Carlton and Firgas focus particularly on the innovative Talitrix LLC wrist-worn electronic monitoring systems already in use in the United States. These systems differ significantly from traditional ankle tags by offering real-time GPS tracking, two-way communication, biometric verification, and advanced geofencing capabilities. This means that for the first time, courts, police, and victims themselves could be instantly alerted if a perpetrator breaches a restraining or non-molestation order — potentially preventing violence before it happens. Victims could be warned in real time when a perpetrator approaches a prohibited zone, allowing them to take immediate protective action and giving authorities the ability to intervene rather than merely react to tragedy. The podcast also scrutinizes why, despite these advances, such life-saving technologies are not yet widely deployed in the UK. The hosts question whether bureaucratic inertia, cost concerns, or lack of political will have delayed the adoption of electronic monitoring in domestic violence contexts — even as statistics show domestic abuse accounts for nearly one-fifth of all violent crime in the UK. Firgas Esack, herself a survivor, brings a personal and poignant perspective to the discussion, highlighting how delayed interventions and weak enforcement leave victims vulnerable, while perpetrators often exploit the system’s gaps. In the second part, Carlton broadens the debate to consider the moral, legal, and privacy dimensions of widespread monitoring. Can technology be implemented ethically without becoming intrusive or misused by authorities? Could a coordinated rollout of systems like Talitrix save countless lives by making restraining orders truly enforceable for the first time? Through expert interviews, survivor testimonies, and international comparisons, The Black Spy Podcast challenges listeners to rethink how modern society uses technology — not just for convenience or commerce, but for justice and protection. These episodes argue powerfully that the tools already exist to make domestic abuse prevention proactive rather than reactive — but only if the UK government has the courage to act. Hope you enjoy this week’s episode and please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. If you wish to discuss using Talitrix’s/Sentrx’s electronic monitoring systems in the UK to keep you and others safe, please contact Sarah at: Sarah@sentrx.co.uk To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38549090
info_outline
ABUSED? STALKED? - Demand Women get Tech Protection! (Part 1)
10/05/2025
ABUSED? STALKED? - Demand Women get Tech Protection! (Part 1)
ABUSED? STALKED? - Demand Women get Tech Protection! (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 213, Season 22, Episode 0004 In this and the next episode of The Black Spy Podcast, Carlton King and Firgas Esack delve deeply into one of society’s most urgent and under-addressed crises — the protection of women, girls, and others from domestic violence and stalking. The discussions examine both the failures of current protective systems and the promise of new technologies, such as GPS-based electronic monitoring devices, to transform safety and accountability. Carlton and Firgas focus particularly on the innovative Talitrix LLC wrist-worn monitoring systems already in use in the United States. These systems differ significantly from traditional ankle tags by offering real-time GPS tracking, two-way communication, biometric verification, and advanced geofencing capabilities. This means that for the first time, courts, police, and victims themselves could be instantly alerted if a perpetrator breaches a restraining or non-molestation order — potentially preventing violence before it happens. Victims could be warned in real time when a perpetrator approaches a prohibited zone, allowing them to take immediate protective action and giving authorities the ability to intervene rather than merely react to tragedy. The podcast also scrutinizes why, despite these advances, such life-saving technologies are not yet widely deployed in the UK. The hosts question whether bureaucratic inertia, cost concerns, or lack of political will have delayed the adoption of electronic monitoring in domestic violence contexts — even as statistics show domestic abuse accounts for nearly one-fifth of all violent crime in the UK. Firgas Esack, herself a survivor, brings a personal and poignant perspective to the discussion, highlighting how delayed interventions and weak enforcement leave victims vulnerable, while perpetrators often exploit the system’s gaps. In the second part, Carlton broadens the debate to consider the moral, legal, and privacy dimensions of widespread monitoring. Can technology be implemented ethically without becoming intrusive or misused by authorities? Could a coordinated rollout of systems like Talitrix save countless lives by making restraining orders truly enforceable for the first time? Through expert interviews, survivor testimonies, and international comparisons, The Black Spy Podcast challenges listeners to rethink how modern society uses technology — not just for convenience or commerce, but for justice and protection. These episodes argue powerfully that the tools already exist to make domestic abuse prevention proactive rather than reactive — but only if the UK government has the courage to act. Hope you enjoy this week’s episode and please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. If you wish to discuss using Talitrix’s/Sentrx’s electronic monitoring systems in the UK to keep you and others safe, please contact Sarah at: Sarah@sentrx.co.uk To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38465905
info_outline
Tommy ROBINSON - Opportunist, Patriot or Ill-Informed? (Part 2)
09/28/2025
Tommy ROBINSON - Opportunist, Patriot or Ill-Informed? (Part 2)
Tommy ROBINSON - Opportunist, Patriot or Ill-Informed? (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 211, Season 22, Episode 0003 The 150,000-strong anti-immigration demonstration in central London, fronted by figures like Tommy Robinson, is a striking illustration of how immigration has become one of the most polarising issues in British politics. The march’s overt targeting of Muslims and people of colour underscores the racialised framing of immigration, moving the debate far beyond policy detail and into the territory of national identity, culture, and belonging. The demonstration reflects a public mood that successive governments have helped to shape. For years, both Labour and the Conservatives have flirted with populist rhetoric on immigration. Labour, historically more cautious, now walks a tightrope between its traditional working-class base—some of whom are sceptical of immigration—and its progressive, urban supporters who view migration as essential to a modern Britain. This tension often leaves the party hesitant, reactive rather than proactive. The Conservatives, by contrast, have leaned heavily into the immigration debate, especially under recent leaderships. Their strategy has been to present themselves as the only party capable of “taking back control” of borders—first through Brexit, then through high-profile but controversial measures like the Rwanda deportation scheme. While such policies rarely deliver the promised results, they fuel a perception among parts of the electorate that the government is fighting a cultural battle against an “influx” of outsiders. In effect, the Conservatives have normalised elements of the very language and themes echoed by street movements like Robinson’s. This creates a dangerous loop: populist protests pressure politicians, politicians adopt harsher rhetoric to shore up support, and protests grow bolder in turn. The London demonstration is therefore not just a one-off show of force but a symptom of how deeply immigration has become embedded in Britain’s political fault lines—and how both major parties, albeit in different ways, are struggling to manage it. Rights of Asylum Seekers (while claim is pending) Employment: Not normally allowed to work. May apply for permission to work only if their claim has been outstanding for over 12 months through no fault of their own. If granted, work is restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List. Financial Support: Eligible for Asylum Support (provided by the Home Office). Current rate: about £49.18 per person, per week (loaded onto an ASPEN debit card). Additional allowances may be given for pregnant women, babies, and young children. Housing: Provided with accommodation on a no-choice basis (can be shared housing or hostels, not chosen by the applicant). Must stay where the Home Office places them. Health Care: Entitled to use the NHS free of charge while their claim is being considered. Includes GP services, hospital care, and maternity care. Education: Children of asylum seekers have the right to attend state schools. Asylum seekers usually cannot access student loans for university. Rights of Recognised Refugees (once status is granted) · Employment: Full right to work in the UK. · Benefits: Full access to welfare benefits (e.g., Universal Credit, housing benefit, child benefit). · Housing: Can apply for social housing and access homelessness assistance. · Health Care: Full NHS access on the same basis as UK citizens. · Education: Children can attend school; adults can access student finance for higher education. · Travel: May apply for a Refugee Travel Document to travel abroad (not valid for country of persecution). Hope you enjoy this week’s episode and please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38376870
info_outline
Tommy ROBINSON - Opportunist, Patriot or Ill-Informed? (Part 1)
09/21/2025
Tommy ROBINSON - Opportunist, Patriot or Ill-Informed? (Part 1)
Tommy ROBINSON - Opportunist, Patriot or Ill-Informed? (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 211, Season 22, Episode 0002 The 150,000-strong anti-immigration demonstration in central London, fronted by figures like Tommy Robinson, is a striking illustration of how immigration has become one of the most polarising issues in British politics. The march’s overt targeting of Muslims and people of colour underscores the racialised framing of immigration, moving the debate far beyond policy detail and into the territory of national identity, culture, and belonging. The demonstration reflects a public mood that successive governments have helped to shape. For years, both Labour and the Conservatives have flirted with populist rhetoric on immigration. Labour, historically more cautious, now walks a tightrope between its traditional working-class base—some of whom are sceptical of immigration—and its progressive, urban supporters who view migration as essential to a modern Britain. This tension often leaves the party hesitant, reactive rather than proactive. The Conservatives, by contrast, have leaned heavily into the immigration debate, especially under recent leaderships. Their strategy has been to present themselves as the only party capable of “taking back control” of borders—first through Brexit, then through high-profile but controversial measures like the Rwanda deportation scheme. While such policies rarely deliver the promised results, they fuel a perception among parts of the electorate that the government is fighting a cultural battle against an “influx” of outsiders. In effect, the Conservatives have normalised elements of the very language and themes echoed by street movements like Robinson’s. This creates a dangerous loop: populist protests pressure politicians, politicians adopt harsher rhetoric to shore up support, and protests grow bolder in turn. The London demonstration is therefore not just a one-off show of force but a symptom of how deeply immigration has become embedded in Britain’s political fault lines—and how both major parties, albeit in different ways, are struggling to manage it. Rights of Asylum Seekers (while claim is pending) Employment: Not normally allowed to work. May apply for permission to work only if their claim has been outstanding for over 12 months through no fault of their own. If granted, work is restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List. Financial Support: Eligible for Asylum Support (provided by the Home Office). Current rate: about £49.18 per person, per week (loaded onto an ASPEN debit card). Additional allowances may be given for pregnant women, babies, and young children. Housing: Provided with accommodation on a no-choice basis (can be shared housing or hostels, not chosen by the applicant). Must stay where the Home Office places them. Health Care: Entitled to use the NHS free of charge while their claim is being considered. Includes GP services, hospital care, and maternity care. Education: Children of asylum seekers have the right to attend state schools. Asylum seekers usually cannot access student loans for university. Rights of Recognised Refugees (once status is granted) · Employment: Full right to work in the UK. · Benefits: Full access to welfare benefits (e.g., Universal Credit, housing benefit, child benefit). · Housing: Can apply for social housing and access homelessness assistance. · Health Care: Full NHS access on the same basis as UK citizens. · Education: Children can attend school; adults can access student finance for higher education. · Travel: May apply for a Refugee Travel Document to travel abroad (not valid for country of persecution). Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38299260
info_outline
How abused UK Minister’s wife fought the system and won! (Part 2)
09/14/2025
How abused UK Minister’s wife fought the system and won! (Part 2)
How abused UK Minister’s wife fought the system and won! (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 210, Season 22, Episode 0001 This week’s Black Spy Podcast continues last week’s venture into one of the most troubling and complex intersections of politics, justice, media, and personal trauma. Host Carlton King is joined by journalist and publicist Firgas Esack, who brings both professional insight and lived experience as a survivor of domestic abuse, to dissect the extraordinary and disturbing case of former Conservative government minister Andrew Griffith and his ex-wife, Kate Griffith. The discussion begins with the deeply personal: Kate Griffith’s harrowing allegations of coercive control and marital rape during her marriage to Andrew Griffith, an abuse which highlights the dark realities too often hidden behind the public façades of power. Firgas and Carlton explore how these dynamics echo the experiences of countless women, showing how the language of love, loyalty, and parental responsibility is frequently weaponised to keep victims silent and trapped. The conversation then widens to examine systemic issues: the underfunding of the criminal justice system, the shortcomings of parliamentary standards, and the uneven way cases of domestic and sexual abuse are handled in both the courts and the media. Why do survivors so often feel disbelieved or dismissed? Why does the system still lean toward protecting the reputations of powerful men over the safety and dignity of women? A striking dimension of the Griffith case is its political twist: following their divorce, Kate Griffith went on to win her ex-husband’s former parliamentary seat, a moment that raises difficult questions about power, gender, and the resilience of survivors. Firgas and Carlton reflect on what it means when the abused literally takes the place of the abuser within the same structures of state power—and whether this represents justice, irony, or something more troubling. Both episodes also address wider societal narratives: the persistence of misogyny, the culture of male blame, and the contested notion of the parental prerogative—the belief that parents, no matter their abusive behaviour, should retain access to their children. This debate exposes the tensions between a child’s welfare, the rights of survivors, and the rights of perpetrators who seek to maintain control through family courts. Together, these two episodes present not just a single case but a lens on Britain’s political class, its justice system, and its societal attitudes toward gendered violence. They ask listeners to confront whether progress is being made, or whether institutions remain complicit in sustaining patterns of abuse. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38211730
info_outline
How abused UK Minister’s wife fought the system and won! (Part 1)
09/07/2025
How abused UK Minister’s wife fought the system and won! (Part 1)
How abused UK Minister’s wife fought the system and won! (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 209, Season 21, Episode 0010 This week and next, the Black Spy Podcast takes on one of the most troubling and complex intersections of politics, justice, media, and personal trauma. Host Carlton King is joined by journalist and publicist Firgas Esack, who brings both professional insight and lived experience as a survivor of domestic abuse, to dissect the extraordinary and disturbing case of former Conservative government minister Andrew Griffith and his ex-wife, Kate Griffith. The discussion begins with the deeply personal: Kate Griffith’s harrowing allegations of coercive control and marital rape during her marriage to Andrew Griffith, an abuse which highlights the dark realities too often hidden behind the public façades of power. Firgas and Carlton explore how these dynamics echo the experiences of countless women, showing how the language of love, loyalty, and parental responsibility is frequently weaponised to keep victims silent and trapped. The conversation then widens to examine systemic issues: the underfunding of the criminal justice system, the shortcomings of parliamentary standards, and the uneven way cases of domestic and sexual abuse are handled in both the courts and the media. Why do survivors so often feel disbelieved or dismissed? Why does the system still lean toward protecting the reputations of powerful men over the safety and dignity of women? A striking dimension of the Griffith case is its political twist: following their divorce, Kate Griffith went on to win her ex-husband’s former parliamentary seat, a moment that raises difficult questions about power, gender, and the resilience of survivors. Firgas and Carlton reflect on what it means when the abused literally takes the place of the abuser within the same structures of state power—and whether this represents justice, irony, or something more troubling. Both episodes also address wider societal narratives: the persistence of misogyny, the culture of male blame, and the contested notion of the parental prerogative—the belief that parents, no matter their abusive behaviour, should retain access to their children. This debate exposes the tensions between a child’s welfare, the rights of survivors, and the rights of perpetrators who seek to maintain control through family courts. Together, these two episodes present not just a single case but a lens on Britain’s political class, its justice system, and its societal attitudes toward gendered violence. They ask listeners to confront whether progress is being made, or whether institutions remain complicit in sustaining patterns of abuse. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38118175
info_outline
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 2)
08/31/2025
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 2)
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 208, Season 21, Episode 0009 In this week’s second part of a two-part edition of The Black Spy Podcast, Dr. Rachel Taylor rejoins Carlton King to continue dissecting the forces that they began explaining last week. Dr. Rachel she argues, governments, billionaires and the mainstream mass media they control, have combined to engineer a less critical, more malleable Western society. Together, they explore how political expediency, cultural trends, and financial power converge to shape the mindset of citizens — often to the advantage of elites. Together Carlton and Rachel explore Wokeism, Infantilization, Political Expediency and undue influence by Big Business, Billionaires, and the powers that be have dumbed down western styled democracyThe discussion tackles the rise of wokeism as both a cultural movement and a political tool. Dr. Taylor examines how, rather than promoting genuine inclusivity or tolerance, the rhetoric of “wokeness” is often used superficially by politicians and institutions to avoid deeper, more difficult reforms. This, she argues, has infantilized Western youth, encouraging them to view the world through oversimplified moral binaries rather than cultivating resilience, complexity of thought, or responsibility. Carlton and Dr. Taylor ask whether this culture of fragility has left the next generation more dependent, less capable of critical thinking, and easier to manipulate. Moreover Dr. Rachel and Carlton also turn the minds to the influence of corporations and billionaires, highlighting how immense financial power shapes political agendas. They suggests that the alignment of big business and political actors promotes short-term expediency over long-term strategy, leaving the average citizen disempowered and distracted. Through advertising, media control, and cultural sponsorship, corporations not only influence consumption but also reinforce the infantilization of society by rewarding conformity and discouraging dissent. The result, they argue, is a Western public increasingly unable — or unwilling — to challenge authority or demand genuine accountability. All aspects reinforvced by the mainstream mass media who now hire news readers not analytical news anchors. Conclusion Across both episodes, the conversation underscores a provocative thesis: that Western citizens have been systematically dumbed down through a cocktail of cultural manipulation, political calculation, mainstream media manipulation and financial dominance. Dr. Taylor contends, that this serves the interests of those who benefit from a passive, compliant, and distracted public. Listeners can expect a forthright, challenging dialogue that pulls no punches in questioning the health of Western democracy and the resilience of its citizens in the face of elite control. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38034615
info_outline
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 2)
08/31/2025
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 2)
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 2) The Black Spy Podcast 208, Season 21, Episode 0009 In this week’s second part of a two-part edition of The Black Spy Podcast, Dr. Rachel Taylor rejoins Carlton King to continue dissecting the forces that they began explaining last week. Dr. Rachel she argues, governments, billionaires and the mainstream mass media they control, have combined to engineer a less critical, more malleable Western society. Together, they explore how political expediency, cultural trends, and financial power converge to shape the mindset of citizens — often to the advantage of elites. Together Carlton and Rachel explore Wokeism, Infantilization, Political Expediency and undue influence by Big Business, Billionaires, and the powers that be have dumbed down western styled democracyThe discussion tackles the rise of wokeism as both a cultural movement and a political tool. Dr. Taylor examines how, rather than promoting genuine inclusivity or tolerance, the rhetoric of “wokeness” is often used superficially by politicians and institutions to avoid deeper, more difficult reforms. This, she argues, has infantilized Western youth, encouraging them to view the world through oversimplified moral binaries rather than cultivating resilience, complexity of thought, or responsibility. Carlton and Dr. Taylor ask whether this culture of fragility has left the next generation more dependent, less capable of critical thinking, and easier to manipulate. Moreover Dr. Rachel and Carlton also turn the minds to the influence of corporations and billionaires, highlighting how immense financial power shapes political agendas. They suggests that the alignment of big business and political actors promotes short-term expediency over long-term strategy, leaving the average citizen disempowered and distracted. Through advertising, media control, and cultural sponsorship, corporations not only influence consumption but also reinforce the infantilization of society by rewarding conformity and discouraging dissent. The result, they argue, is a Western public increasingly unable — or unwilling — to challenge authority or demand genuine accountability. All aspects reinforvced by the mainstream mass media who now hire news readers not analytical news anchors. Conclusion Across both episodes, the conversation underscores a provocative thesis: that Western citizens have been systematically dumbed down through a cocktail of cultural manipulation, political calculation, mainstream media manipulation and financial dominance. Dr. Taylor contends, that this serves the interests of those who benefit from a passive, compliant, and distracted public. Listeners can expect a forthright, challenging dialogue that pulls no punches in questioning the health of Western democracy and the resilience of its citizens in the face of elite control. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/38034620
info_outline
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
08/24/2025
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 207, Season 21, Episode 0008 In this and next week’s two-part edition of The Black Spy Podcast, Dr. Rachel Taylor joins Carlton King to dissect the forces that, she argues, have combined to engineer a less critical, more malleable Western society. Together, they explore how political expediency, cultural trends, and financial power converge to shape the mindset of citizens — often to the advantage of elites. Together Carlton and Rachel explore Wokeism, Infantilization, Political Expediency and undue influence by Big Business, Billionaires, and the powers that be have dumbed down western styled democracyThe discussion tackles the rise of wokeism as both a cultural movement and a political tool. Dr. Taylor examines how, rather than promoting genuine inclusivity or tolerance, the rhetoric of “wokeness” is often used superficially by politicians and institutions to avoid deeper, more difficult reforms. This, she argues, has infantilized Western youth, encouraging them to view the world through oversimplified moral binaries rather than cultivating resilience, complexity of thought, or responsibility. Carlton and Dr. Taylor ask whether this culture of fragility has left the next generation more dependent, less capable of critical thinking, and easier to manipulate. Moreover Dr. Rachel and Carlton also turn the minds to the influence of corporations and billionaires, highlighting how immense financial power shapes political agendas. They suggests that the alignment of big business and political actors promotes short-term expediency over long-term strategy, leaving the average citizen disempowered and distracted. Through advertising, media control, and cultural sponsorship, corporations not only influence consumption but also reinforce the infantilization of society by rewarding conformity and discouraging dissent. The result, they argue, is a Western public increasingly unable — or unwilling — to challenge authority or demand genuine accountability. All aspects reinforvced by the mainstream mass media who now hire news readers not analytical news anchors. ConclusionAcross both episodes, the conversation underscores a provocative thesis: that Western citizens have been systematically dumbed down through a cocktail of cultural manipulation, political calculation, mainstream media manipulation and financial dominance. Dr. Taylor contends, that this serves the interests of those who benefit from a passive, compliant, and distracted public. Listeners can expect a forthright, challenging dialogue that pulls no punches in questioning the health of Western democracy and the resilience of its citizens in the face of elite control. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37937905
info_outline
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
08/24/2025
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 207, Season 21, Episode 0008 In this and next week’s two-part edition of The Black Spy Podcast, Dr. Rachel Taylor joins Carlton King to dissect the forces that, she argues, have combined to engineer a less critical, more malleable Western society. Together, they explore how political expediency, cultural trends, and financial power converge to shape the mindset of citizens — often to the advantage of elites. Together Carlton and Rachel explore Wokeism, Infantilization, Political Expediency and undue influence by Big Business, Billionaires, and the powers that be have dumbed down western styled democracyThe discussion tackles the rise of wokeism as both a cultural movement and a political tool. Dr. Taylor examines how, rather than promoting genuine inclusivity or tolerance, the rhetoric of “wokeness” is often used superficially by politicians and institutions to avoid deeper, more difficult reforms. This, she argues, has infantilized Western youth, encouraging them to view the world through oversimplified moral binaries rather than cultivating resilience, complexity of thought, or responsibility. Carlton and Dr. Taylor ask whether this culture of fragility has left the next generation more dependent, less capable of critical thinking, and easier to manipulate. Moreover Dr. Rachel and Carlton also turn the minds to the influence of corporations and billionaires, highlighting how immense financial power shapes political agendas. They suggests that the alignment of big business and political actors promotes short-term expediency over long-term strategy, leaving the average citizen disempowered and distracted. Through advertising, media control, and cultural sponsorship, corporations not only influence consumption but also reinforce the infantilization of society by rewarding conformity and discouraging dissent. The result, they argue, is a Western public increasingly unable — or unwilling — to challenge authority or demand genuine accountability. All aspects reinforvced by the mainstream mass media who now hire news readers not analytical news anchors. ConclusionAcross both episodes, the conversation underscores a provocative thesis: that Western citizens have been systematically dumbed down through a cocktail of cultural manipulation, political calculation, mainstream media manipulation and financial dominance. Dr. Taylor contends, that this serves the interests of those who benefit from a passive, compliant, and distracted public. Listeners can expect a forthright, challenging dialogue that pulls no punches in questioning the health of Western democracy and the resilience of its citizens in the face of elite control. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37937910
info_outline
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
08/24/2025
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 207, Season 21, Episode 0008 In this and next week’s two-part edition of The Black Spy Podcast, Dr. Rachel Taylor joins Carlton King to dissect the forces that, she argues, have combined to engineer a less critical, more malleable Western society. Together, they explore how political expediency, cultural trends, and financial power converge to shape the mindset of citizens — often to the advantage of elites. Together Carlton and Rachel explore Wokeism, Infantilization, Political Expediency and undue influence by Big Business, Billionaires, and the powers that be have dumbed down western styled democracyThe discussion tackles the rise of wokeism as both a cultural movement and a political tool. Dr. Taylor examines how, rather than promoting genuine inclusivity or tolerance, the rhetoric of “wokeness” is often used superficially by politicians and institutions to avoid deeper, more difficult reforms. This, she argues, has infantilized Western youth, encouraging them to view the world through oversimplified moral binaries rather than cultivating resilience, complexity of thought, or responsibility. Carlton and Dr. Taylor ask whether this culture of fragility has left the next generation more dependent, less capable of critical thinking, and easier to manipulate. Moreover Dr. Rachel and Carlton also turn the minds to the influence of corporations and billionaires, highlighting how immense financial power shapes political agendas. They suggests that the alignment of big business and political actors promotes short-term expediency over long-term strategy, leaving the average citizen disempowered and distracted. Through advertising, media control, and cultural sponsorship, corporations not only influence consumption but also reinforce the infantilization of society by rewarding conformity and discouraging dissent. The result, they argue, is a Western public increasingly unable — or unwilling — to challenge authority or demand genuine accountability. All aspects reinforvced by the mainstream mass media who now hire news readers not analytical news anchors. ConclusionAcross both episodes, the conversation underscores a provocative thesis: that Western citizens have been systematically dumbed down through a cocktail of cultural manipulation, political calculation, mainstream media manipulation and financial dominance. Dr. Taylor contends, that this serves the interests of those who benefit from a passive, compliant, and distracted public. Listeners can expect a forthright, challenging dialogue that pulls no punches in questioning the health of Western democracy and the resilience of its citizens in the face of elite control. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37937915
info_outline
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
08/24/2025
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 207, Season 21, Episode 0008 In this and next week’s two-part edition of The Black Spy Podcast, Dr. Rachel Taylor joins Carlton King to dissect the forces that, she argues, have combined to engineer a less critical, more malleable Western society. Together, they explore how political expediency, cultural trends, and financial power converge to shape the mindset of citizens — often to the advantage of elites. Together Carlton and Rachel explore Wokeism, Infantilization, Political Expediency and undue influence by Big Business, Billionaires, and the powers that be have dumbed down western styled democracyThe discussion tackles the rise of wokeism as both a cultural movement and a political tool. Dr. Taylor examines how, rather than promoting genuine inclusivity or tolerance, the rhetoric of “wokeness” is often used superficially by politicians and institutions to avoid deeper, more difficult reforms. This, she argues, has infantilized Western youth, encouraging them to view the world through oversimplified moral binaries rather than cultivating resilience, complexity of thought, or responsibility. Carlton and Dr. Taylor ask whether this culture of fragility has left the next generation more dependent, less capable of critical thinking, and easier to manipulate. Moreover Dr. Rachel and Carlton also turn the minds to the influence of corporations and billionaires, highlighting how immense financial power shapes political agendas. They suggests that the alignment of big business and political actors promotes short-term expediency over long-term strategy, leaving the average citizen disempowered and distracted. Through advertising, media control, and cultural sponsorship, corporations not only influence consumption but also reinforce the infantilization of society by rewarding conformity and discouraging dissent. The result, they argue, is a Western public increasingly unable — or unwilling — to challenge authority or demand genuine accountability. All aspects reinforvced by the mainstream mass media who now hire news readers not analytical news anchors. ConclusionAcross both episodes, the conversation underscores a provocative thesis: that Western citizens have been systematically dumbed down through a cocktail of cultural manipulation, political calculation, mainstream media manipulation and financial dominance. Dr. Taylor contends, that this serves the interests of those who benefit from a passive, compliant, and distracted public. Listeners can expect a forthright, challenging dialogue that pulls no punches in questioning the health of Western democracy and the resilience of its citizens in the face of elite control. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37937920
info_outline
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
08/24/2025
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1)
How Western governments, the media & billionaires have dumbed us down! (Part 1) The Black Spy Podcast 207, Season 21, Episode 0008 In this and next week’s two-part edition of The Black Spy Podcast, Dr. Rachel Taylor joins Carlton King to dissect the forces that, she argues, have combined to engineer a less critical, more malleable Western society. Together, they explore how political expediency, cultural trends, and financial power converge to shape the mindset of citizens — often to the advantage of elites. Together Carlton and Rachel explore Wokeism, Infantilization, Political Expediency and undue influence by Big Business, Billionaires, and the powers that be have dumbed down western styled democracyThe discussion tackles the rise of wokeism as both a cultural movement and a political tool. Dr. Taylor examines how, rather than promoting genuine inclusivity or tolerance, the rhetoric of “wokeness” is often used superficially by politicians and institutions to avoid deeper, more difficult reforms. This, she argues, has infantilized Western youth, encouraging them to view the world through oversimplified moral binaries rather than cultivating resilience, complexity of thought, or responsibility. Carlton and Dr. Taylor ask whether this culture of fragility has left the next generation more dependent, less capable of critical thinking, and easier to manipulate. Moreover Dr. Rachel and Carlton also turn the minds to the influence of corporations and billionaires, highlighting how immense financial power shapes political agendas. They suggests that the alignment of big business and political actors promotes short-term expediency over long-term strategy, leaving the average citizen disempowered and distracted. Through advertising, media control, and cultural sponsorship, corporations not only influence consumption but also reinforce the infantilization of society by rewarding conformity and discouraging dissent. The result, they argue, is a Western public increasingly unable — or unwilling — to challenge authority or demand genuine accountability. All aspects reinforvced by the mainstream mass media who now hire news readers not analytical news anchors. ConclusionAcross both episodes, the conversation underscores a provocative thesis: that Western citizens have been systematically dumbed down through a cocktail of cultural manipulation, political calculation, mainstream media manipulation and financial dominance. Dr. Taylor contends, that this serves the interests of those who benefit from a passive, compliant, and distracted public. Listeners can expect a forthright, challenging dialogue that pulls no punches in questioning the health of Western democracy and the resilience of its citizens in the face of elite control. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37937930
info_outline
The Shocking Effect Of Soap Operas - with Neuroscientist Dr Rachel Taylor (Part 2)
08/17/2025
The Shocking Effect Of Soap Operas - with Neuroscientist Dr Rachel Taylor (Part 2)
The Shocking Effect Of Soap Operas - with Neuroscientist Dr Rachel Taylor (Part 2) Black Spy Podcast, 206, Season 21, Episode 0007 Over the last two weeks the Black Spy Podcast has analysed soap operas. Soap operas, as a television genre, trace a significant part of their lineage to Latin American telenovelas, which emerged in Mexico during the mid-20th century. These serialized dramas, often rooted in melodrama, romance, and moral dilemmas, served as cultural exports across Latin America and beyond, blending traditional storytelling with contemporary social issues. The telenovela format’s success lay in its capacity to reflect local cultural norms while also pushing boundaries—presenting themes such as female independence, class mobility, and taboo relationships—sometimes in ways that challenged prevailing social conservatism. In Britain, long-running staples like Coronation Street (1960–) and EastEnders (1985–) inherited this narrative strategy but adapted it to distinctly British working-class milieus. They were not merely entertainment; they became quasi-social documents, portraying gritty realism in domestic, communal, and romantic life. Over time, these soaps began to normalize lifestyles and issues that, in broader society, were once marginal—such as same-sex relationships, interracial marriages, non-traditional family structures, and open discussions of mental health, addiction, and gender identity. Through repetition and integration into everyday plotlines, such narratives subtly influence public attitudes, moving topics from the periphery into the mainstream. However, as soap operas in Britain have become less realistic, seemingly needing to be more sensational to gain viewers their relevance has lessened and become a tool of a vision of living that could splinter society rather than as was originally the ideal to unite it. Critics have argued that this gradual social shift is not purely organic. The creative and editorial leadership in major television networks—particularly in Western ‘democracies’ —often emerges from academic, artistic, and cultural sectors that lean left-of-centre politically. This has led to claims that soap operas serve as vehicles for progressive social messaging under the guise of everyday drama. While this perspective risks oversimplifying the complex interplay between audience demand, artistic intent, and institutional culture, it is true that soaps often act as cultural laboratories, introducing and normalizing ideas before they achieve widespread societal acceptance. In essence, from Mexican telenovelas to British soaps, the genre’s enduring power lies in its ability to reflect life while also reframing it—sometimes in ways that deliberately shift cultural norms toward seemingly more inclusive, and often more seemingly progressive, visions of society. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, thereby you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37847155
info_outline
The Shocking Effect Of Soap Operas - with Neuroscientist Dr Rachel Taylor (Part 1)
08/10/2025
The Shocking Effect Of Soap Operas - with Neuroscientist Dr Rachel Taylor (Part 1)
The Shocking Effect Of Soap Operas - with Neuroscientist Dr Rachel Taylor (Part 1) Black Spy Podcast, 205, Season 21, Episode 0006 Over the next two weeks the Black Spy Podcast will analyse soap operas. Soap operas, as a television genre, trace a significant part of their lineage to Latin American telenovelas, which emerged in Mexico during the mid-20th century. These serialized dramas, often rooted in melodrama, romance, and moral dilemmas, served as cultural exports across Latin America and beyond, blending traditional storytelling with contemporary social issues. The telenovela format’s success lay in its capacity to reflect local cultural norms while also pushing boundaries—presenting themes such as female independence, class mobility, and taboo relationships—sometimes in ways that challenged prevailing social conservatism. In Britain, long-running staples like Coronation Street (1960–) and EastEnders (1985–) inherited this narrative strategy but adapted it to distinctly British working-class milieus. They were not merely entertainment; they became quasi-social documents, portraying gritty realism in domestic, communal, and romantic life. Over time, these soaps began to normalize lifestyles and issues that, in broader society, were once marginal—such as same-sex relationships, interracial marriages, non-traditional family structures, and open discussions of mental health, addiction, and gender identity. Through repetition and integration into everyday plotlines, such narratives subtly influence public attitudes, moving topics from the periphery into the mainstream. However, as soap operas in Britain have become less realistic, seemingly needing to be more sensational to gain viewers their relevance has lessened and become a tool of a vision of living that could splinter society rather than as was originally the ideal to unite it. Critics have argued that this gradual social shift is not purely organic. The creative and editorial leadership in major television networks—particularly in Western ‘democracies’ —often emerges from academic, artistic, and cultural sectors that lean left-of-centre politically. This has led to claims that soap operas serve as vehicles for progressive social messaging under the guise of everyday drama. While this perspective risks oversimplifying the complex interplay between audience demand, artistic intent, and institutional culture, it is true that soaps often act as cultural laboratories, introducing and normalizing ideas before they achieve widespread societal acceptance. In essence, from Mexican telenovelas to British soaps, the genre’s enduring power lies in its ability to reflect life while also reframing it—sometimes in ways that deliberately shift cultural norms toward seemingly more inclusive, and often more seemingly progressive, visions of society. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, thereby you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37752090
info_outline
Britain’s Broken Police System! (Part 2)
08/03/2025
Britain’s Broken Police System! (Part 2)
Britain’s Broken Police System! (Part 2) Black Spy Podcast, 204, Season 21, Episode 0005 Over this week’s Black Spy Podcast will continue analysing Britain’s broken policing system. The British policing system is increasingly seen as broken — caught between ideological pressures, a hostile media, disengaged politicians, and internal dysfunction. Once a globally respected model of "policing by consent," UK policing is now the perennial "whipping boy" of the British media, frequently lambasted from all sides. This criticism is partly due to a cultural shift where trust in institutions has declined, but also because policing uniquely occupies a frontline position in enforcing state power — a role that makes it ripe for both legitimate scrutiny and sensationalist scapegoating. Unlike in many other countries, British politicians rarely champion the police. In the United States or France, political leaders across the spectrum often vocally support their law enforcement institutions, viewing them as essential to national identity and internal security. In contrast, UK politicians tend to distance themselves from the police when controversy arises, often feeding public cynicism rather than countering it. This absence of political backing leaves police officers demoralised and vulnerable to being thrown "under the bus" in times of crisis, rather than being defended or constructively supported. Popular media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions. British television dramas and films frequently portray police as racist, misogynist, or institutionally corrupt. While some of these representations are rooted in real scandals, if incomplete understandings such events as the Stephen Lawrence case, the mishandling of rape investigations, or the behaviour of some Metropolitan Police officers — the fictional depiction often magnifies these issues with 1960’s and 70’s generalised stereotypes of police actions that are now way reflective of modern British policing. This creates a public narrative that all officers are morally compromised, poorly trained, or socially regressive, further damaging morale and recruitment. Moreover, policing is a dangerous job, but unlike their colleagues in practically every other police service in the world including the British province of Northern Ireland, mainland British police officers generally have no firearm with which to defend themselves and the public with. As 98% of British are constantly unarmed. At the same time, UK policing is accused of becoming excessively “woke.” Forces are encouraged to demonstrate social awareness on issues like diversity, inclusion, and gender identity. Critics argue that time spent on symbolic gestures — like dancing at Pride or policing social media posts — detracts from crime prevention and erodes public confidence. However, police are also under relentless scrutiny from every political angle: derided by the left for being oppressive, and by the right for being too politically correct. This contradictory environment makes effective leadership and consistent operational focus nearly impossible. Recruitment and retention have become serious problems. Policing is no longer seen as a desirable career: the risks are high, pay is relatively low, public respect is diminishing, and the threat of professional ruin following a viral video or policy misstep is ever-present. Consequently, many experienced officers are leaving, while entry standards have been lowered to fill vacancies. Complex educational entry requirements, meant to professionalise the service, have ironically deterred candidates who may be strong in practical, frontline aptitude but not academically inclined. Internally, management within many forces has become overly bureaucratic, with senior officers often unwilling to support their junior colleagues. Fear of reputational damage and media backlash means command staff are more likely to criticise rank-and-file officers than defend them. This top-down culture promotes self-preservation over solidarity and weakens operational cohesion. In sum, British policing today is a system adrift — politically abandoned, socially caricatured, ideologically pulled in all directions, and professionally undermined. Without cultural, political and managerial reform, trust in the police will continue to erode, and with it, the very foundations of public safety and civic order. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, thereby you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below:
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37628215
info_outline
Britain’s Broken Police System! (Part 1)
07/27/2025
Britain’s Broken Police System! (Part 1)
Britain’s Broken Police System! (Part 1) Black Spy Podcast, 203, Season 21, Episode 0004 Over the next two weeks the black spy Podcast will look into Britain’s broken policing system with former Metropolitan Police officer - Karl. The British policing system is increasingly seen as broken — caught between ideological pressures, a hostile media, disengaged politicians, and internal dysfunction. Once a globally respected model of "policing by consent," UK policing is now the perennial "whipping boy" of the British media, frequently lambasted from all sides. This criticism is partly due to a cultural shift where trust in institutions has declined, but also because policing uniquely occupies a frontline position in enforcing state power — a role that makes it ripe for both legitimate scrutiny and sensationalist scapegoating. Unlike in many other countries, British politicians rarely champion the police. In the United States or France, political leaders across the spectrum often vocally support their law enforcement institutions, viewing them as essential to national identity and internal security. In contrast, UK politicians tend to distance themselves from the police when controversy arises, often feeding public cynicism rather than countering it. This absence of political backing leaves police officers demoralised and vulnerable to being thrown "under the bus" in times of crisis, rather than being defended or constructively supported. Popular media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions. British television dramas and films frequently portray police as racist, misogynist, or institutionally corrupt. While some of these representations are rooted in real scandals, if incomplete understandings such events as the Stephen Lawrence case, the mishandling of rape investigations, or the behaviour of some Metropolitan Police officers — the fictional depiction often magnifies these issues with 1960’s and 70’s generalised stereotypes of police actions that are now way reflective of modern British policing. This creates a public narrative that all officers are morally compromised, poorly trained, or socially regressive, further damaging morale and recruitment. Moreover, policing is a dangerous job, but unlike their colleagues in practically every other police service in the world including the British province of Northern Ireland, mainland British police officers generally have no firearm with which to defend themselves and the public with. As 98% of British are constantly unarmed. At the same time, UK policing is accused of becoming excessively “woke.” Forces are encouraged to demonstrate social awareness on issues like diversity, inclusion, and gender identity. Critics argue that time spent on symbolic gestures — like dancing at Pride or policing social media posts — detracts from crime prevention and erodes public confidence. However, police are also under relentless scrutiny from every political angle: derided by the left for being oppressive, and by the right for being too politically correct. This contradictory environment makes effective leadership and consistent operational focus nearly impossible. Recruitment and retention have become serious problems. Policing is no longer seen as a desirable career: the risks are high, pay is relatively low, public respect is diminishing, and the threat of professional ruin following a viral video or policy misstep is ever-present. Consequently, many experienced officers are leaving, while entry standards have been lowered to fill vacancies. Complex educational entry requirements, meant to professionalise the service, have ironically deterred candidates who may be strong in practical, frontline aptitude but not academically inclined. Internally, management within many forces has become overly bureaucratic, with senior officers often unwilling to support their junior colleagues. Fear of reputational damage and media backlash means command staff are more likely to criticise rank-and-file officers than defend them. This top-down culture promotes self-preservation over solidarity and weakens operational cohesion. In sum, British policing today is a system adrift — politically abandoned, socially caricatured, ideologically pulled in all directions, and professionally undermined. Without cultural, political and managerial reform, trust in the police will continue to erode, and with it, the very foundations of public safety and civic order. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, thereby you'll never miss another fascinating episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37568090
info_outline
Crime - What is it? (Part 2)
07/20/2025
Crime - What is it? (Part 2)
Crime - What is it? (Part 2) Black Spy Podcast, 202, Season 21, Episode 0003 Over two weeks the black spy Podcast has been looking into what CRIME is by navigating the undermentioned points: In the UK, the creation of criminal law is the responsibility of Parliament. A crime is not considered such unless it is defined in statute (an Act of Parliament) or recognised under common law (judicial precedent). For example, theft is defined under the Theft Act 1968, while murder is a common law offence. Parliament introduces new criminal offences or modifies existing ones in response to societal change, public concern, or evolving threats—such as terrorism or online abuse. The legislative process involves proposing a bill, debating it in both the House of Commons and House of Lords, and receiving Royal Assent before it becomes law. The judiciary then interprets these laws and ensures they are applied fairly and consistently. It is important to understand that not all harmful acts are criminal. For instance, a breach of contract may be serious but is dealt with in civil rather than criminal courts. Crime carries an element of public condemnation and involves the state acting against the accused on society’s behalf. Once a law is in place, enforcement falls primarily to the police. In the UK, policing is carried out by local forces across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with the Metropolitan Police and other specialised units (such as the National Crime Agency) handling national and transnational threats. Police officers investigate crimes, protect the public, gather evidence, and arrest suspects where appropriate. However, their powers are bounded by legal and ethical frameworks, including the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), the Human Rights Act 1998, and codes of practice. The modern police role extends beyond reactive enforcement. Officers are also expected to prevent crime, engage with communities, and build trust. This includes neighbourhood policing, intelligence gathering, and working in partnership with local agencies to address root causes like poverty, drug misuse, or domestic abuse. Increasingly, police use data and technology—such as predictive analytics or body-worn cameras—to support transparency and efficiency. Ultimately, crime in the UK is a legal construct shaped by democratic processes. The police operate as agents of the law, balancing enforcement with public service, and must always act within the confines of legality and proportionality to maintain legitimacy and uphold justice. So, if you want to continue learning whilst being entertained this and next week’s continuation of this subject are must listen episodes. Please don’t forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, thereby you'll never miss another episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Carlton King by utilising any of the following: To donate - Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's Autobiography: “Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent” Click the link below: https://amzn.eu/d/fmzzq9h
/episode/index/show/blackspypodcast/id/37454345