Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been reunited with her family in Britain, having been imprisoned for years in Iran on charges of seeking to overthrow the country’s government, which she has always denied. Her release along with another dual citizen, Anoosheh Ashoori, came after the payment of a long withheld £450m debt owed by the British government to Iran. Ailbhe Rea and Anoosh Chakelian discuss Richard Ratcliffe’s tireless campaign to free his wife, how a deal was finally achieved and why it took so long. Then in You Ask Us a listener asks whether the post-austerity rise in UK borrowing to the highest level since the Second World War is down to the pandemic alone, or other factors.If you have a question for You Ask Us, email podcasts@newstatesman.co.ukSAVE £££ THIS CHRISTMAS:⭐️ Gift big ideas, bold politics, and proper journalism from just £2LISTEN AD-FREE:📱Download the New Statesman appMORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:❓ Ask a question – we answer them every Friday⏰ Get our daily politics newsletter every morning✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.