The Power of Good Vibes

It's a feeling, it's something you can't quite put your finger on - but you know it when you see it.

This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel are all about the vibes. The good ones. Whether it's at Downing Street or M&S, vibes have been one of the stories of the summer.

But good vibes aren't easy to manufacture, they often need intricate planning. And they also require risk, being bold and authenticity.

Plus, on the extended edition on BBC Sounds, excuses. Nigel Farage says he 'wasn't listening' during a conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel money to Reform UK.

As a defence, it may sound simple - but as David and Farzana explain, they're often the hardest ones to disprove. See also, 'I didn't read the email', 'my phone was hacked' and 'the dog ate it'. Whether you choose to believe someone's defence will rest on their 'residual reputation'.

And, following one of the most spectacular PR coups of the summer, who are the real winners after Meghan was rumoured to be starring in The Gentlemen? Was there a calculated plan to allow the story to snowball - and was Meghan's team wrong to allow a vacuum to build around the actual facts?

Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4