Travels in Europe with Ed Balls

Across the planet, mainstream politics is under attack from more controversial fringe ideas and attitudes. But why? Ed Balls travels through Europe and meets those drawn to populist and right-wing parties, whether it's pro-bullfighters in Spain, Belgian trawler-men opposed to EU fishing policies or Dutch campaigners fighting for the right to wear blackface.

While the UK has made its feelings clear about the EU by voting to leave, how is it regarded in other parts of Europe? Ed heads east and drops into Poland and Germany to see what’s driving certain voters towards right-wing-leaning groups. He heads down a mine in Leczna, visits the German town dubbed the ‘Nazi village’ and spends some time at a firing range dedicated to thwarting terrorists.

Ed is trying to get under the skin of Europeans attracted to anti-EU groups. This means showing quite a bit of skin himself as he strips off for a Milan fashion show and takes a dunk in a mountain stream. In Italy, some are turning to political groups on the far-left, while in France, Ed finds, over a leisurely game of boules, that the far-right are attracting some surprising supporters.