John Bercow joins the cast of The Traitors US – alongside boxer Deontay Wilder and Love Island’s Ekin-Su

Published

2 years ago

September 22, 2023

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John Bercow, the former speaker of the House of Commons, has joined the cast of reality game show The Traitors, producers have revealed.

Bercow stood down from his role in 2019, and last year was denied a pass to the Houses of Parliament after he was deemed to be a “serial bully” and a “serial liar” by the Independent Expert Panel.

He was also suspended by the Labour Party as a result of the findings.

Accusations against Bercow included throwing his mobile, swearing at officials and making sexual and racial remarks to a member of staff.

Bercow is said to be filming in the remote Scottish castle which is home to the hit show.

He will feature in the US celebrity version of The Traitors, as a group of people try to figure out who among them is a traitor, and who isn’t, for a massive cash prize, in what is branded “the ultimate game of deception”.

The cast takes part in games during the day, and an elimination every night, before the traitors kill (remove from the game with a slip of paper) another player before breakfast.

Bercow, who has previously appeared on The Weakest Link and The Wheel since leaving politics, will be joined by an eclectic mix of celebrities, including Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu, Drag Race star Peppermint, and boxing heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.

A number of other reality show faces make up the cast, including Marcus Jordan (son of Michael) and two-time Survivor winner Sandra Diaz-Twine.

Scottish actor Alan Cumming hosts the US show for NBC’s streaming platform Peacock, and is joined by his dog Lala.

Peacock said the show will air early next year, with the BBC holding the UK rights.

The British version of the show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, features ordinary members of the public playing the game, and became a huge success for the broadcaster late last year.

Politics

Crypto industry, trade unions clash over multi-trillion dollar retirement funds

Published

8 hours ago

December 12, 2025

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Crypto industry, trade unions clash over multi-trillion dollar retirement funds

A growing rift has emerged in Washington, D.C., between the cryptocurrency industry and labor unions as lawmakers debate whether to ease rules allowing cryptocurrencies in 401(k) retirement accounts.

The dispute centers on proposed market structure legislation that would allow retirement accounts to gain exposure to crypto, a move labor groups say could expose workers to speculative risk. In a letter sent on Wednesday to the US Senate Banking Committee, the American Federation of Teachers argued that cryptocurrencies are too volatile for pension and retirement savings, warning that workers could face significant losses.

The letter drew immediate pushback from crypto investors and industry figures. “The American Federation of Teachers has somehow developed the most logically incoherent, least educated take one could possibly author on the matter of crypto market structure regulation,” a crypto investor said on X.

Retirement, Pensions — *The AFT letter to Congress opposes regulatory changes that would allow 401(k) retirement accounts to hold alternative assets, including cryptocurrency. Source:* *CNBC*

In response to the letter, Castle Island Ventures partner Sean Judge said the bill would improve oversight and reduce systemic risk, while enabling pension funds to access an asset class that has delivered strong long-term returns.

Consensys attorney Bill Hughes said the AFT’s opposition to the crypto market structure bill was politically motivated, accusing the group of acting as an extension of Democratic lawmakers.

Opposition to crypto in retirement and pension funds mounts

Proponents of allowing crypto in retirement portfolios, on the other hand, argue that it democratizes finance, while trade unions have voiced strong opposition to relaxing current regulations, claiming that crypto is too risky for traditional retirement plans.

“Unregulated, risky currencies and investments are not where we should put pensions and retirement savings. The wild, wild west is not what we need, whether it’s crypto, AI, or social media,” AFT president Randi Weingarten said on Thursday.

The AFT represents 1.8 million teachers and educational professionals in the US and is one of the largest teachers’ unions in the country.

According to Better Markets, a nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy organization, cryptocurrencies are too volatile for traditional retirement portfolios, and their high volatility can create time-horizon mismatches for pension investors seeking a predictable, low-volatility retirement plan.

In October, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) also wrote to Congress opposing provisions within the crypto market structure regulatory bill.

The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of trade unions in the US, wrote that cryptocurrencies are volatile and pose a systemic risk to pension funds and the broader financial system.

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