Sharp Talk

Former prime minister of Italy and two term European Commissioner, Mario Monti, talks to Paul Adamson about the recent Italian elections and their potential impact on the rest of the European Union.

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International, talks to Paul Adamson about the fifth anniversary of the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics and the new campaign for a global ban.

Ryan Heath, political editor of Politico Europe (and former speechwriter and spokesman in the European Commission), gives his assessment to Paul Adamson about how well the EU institutions communicate with the outside world and the impact of Politico Europe on the Brussels media landscape three years after its launch.

Robert Peston, ITV's political editor and host of 'Peston Sunday', talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'WTF' and the impact of rising inequality and decreasing social mobility on Brexit.

Andrew Adonis, a Labour member of the UK House of Lords and leading Remain campaigner, talks to Paul Adamson about stopping Brexit and preparing for a second referendum.

Sir Ciarán Devane, Chief Executive of the British Council, talks to Paul Adamson about defending values and the UK promoting partnerships in the current Brexit climate.

David Rennie, Washington bureau chief of 'The Economist' and previous 'Lexington', 'Bagehot' and 'Charlemagne' correspondent, talks to Paul Adamson about how Europeans can better understand Donald Trump and how the UK government is seriously misunderstanding the feasibility of a US-UK trade deal.

Charles Ries, Vice-President, International, RAND Corporation, talks to Paul Adamson about alternate forms of Brexit and their implications for the UK, the EU and the US.

Mujtaba Rahman, Managing Director and Practice Head, Europe at the Eurasia Group, talks to Paul Adamson about the major new challenges that will face the UK as it embarks on Phase 2 of the Brexit talks.

Peter Mandelson talks to Paul Adamson about the urgency of solving the border issue between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the Brexit talks and how a renewed Remain campaign has to focus its energies.

Jason Descamps, founder and managing director of the executive search firm European Affairs Recruitment Specialists, talks to Paul Adamson about the changing world of European Union public affairs.

Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, vice president at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and director of its Europe program, talks to Paul Adamson about German politics after last month's elections, Germany's influence in the European Union, and its re-assessment of transatlantic relations in the Trump era.

Bill Drozdiak, former editor and chief European correspondent of 'The Washington Post', talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'Fractured Continent: Europe's Crises and the Fate of the West'.

Nick Clegg, former deputy prime minister of the UK and leader of the Liberal Democrat party, talks to Paul Adamson about his new book 'How to Stop Brexit'.

Tony Connelly, Europe editor of the Irish national broadcaster RTE, talks to Paul Adamson about his new book, 'Brexit and Ireland: the Dangers, the Opportunities, and the Inside Story of the Irish Response'.

Kaja Tael, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the European Union, talks to Paul Adamson about the challenges and opportunities of the current Estonian presidency of the EU.

Will Hutton, columnist for The Observer and The Guardian, principal of Hertford College, Oxford and chair of the Big Innovation Centre, talks to Paul Adamson, about the UK economy, the eurozone and the Labour Party's evolving stance on the EU and Brexit.

Alberto Alemanno, author of "Lobbying for Change" and co-founder of the Good Lobby, talks to Paul Adamson about citizen's lobbying.

Stephen Fidler, UK and Brexit editor of the The Wall Street Journal, talks to Paul Adamson about the current state of the Brexit negotiations as the third round of talks come to an end.

Jean-Claude Piris, former head of the Legal Service of the Council of Ministers and acknowledged expert on EU Treaties, talks to Paul Adamson about the EU27’s growing impatience with the UK over the Brexit negotiations.