6. The Politics of the Ban

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Every Government promises to protect people. The question is always: from what, and at whose expense? Banning something is the bluntest instrument in politics - and the most revealing. It says: this thing is so dangerous, so wrong, or so offensive that the state must make it disappear. Top political comedian Matt Forde convenes his Focus Group in front of a live theatre audience with a forensically matched panel — Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Clive Lewis MP, and comedian Geoff Norcott — to ask what the political ban actually is: a tool of principle, a gesture of power, or a way of avoiding the harder question. Written and presented by Matt Forde With additional Material from Karl Minns, Ruth Husko and Richard Garvin Produced by Richard Garvin Co-Producer Daisy Knight Sound Design and Edit: David Thomas Executive Producers: Jon Thoday and Richard Allen Turner An Avalon production for BBC Radio 4