It's Bloody Complicated - A Compass Podcast
183 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 7 hours ago -Hear from the widest range of voices in the progressive movement. Every week, host Neal Lawson, speaks with progressive thinkers, writers and politicians from the UK and beyond about current affairs and how to build the Good Society. Visit compassonline.org.uk to learn more about Compass.
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Episodes
BONUS: How to Stop Fascism with Paul Mason
September 02, 2021 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBWe welcome writer, journalist and film-maker Paul Mason to the podcast to discuss his new book, How to Stop Fascism (Allen Lane). Paul spoke about how the rise of right-wing populism and authoritarianism has not acted as a 'firewall' against fascism, the online tactics of the new networked fascism and the lessons of the French Popular Front for a Progressive Alliance movement today. How to Stop Fascism: History, Ideology, Resistance is available now. It's Bloody Complicated is recorded ev...
BONUS: Paint your town Red! Conversation with Matt Brown and Rhian E.Jones
August 27, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBThis week on the Compass podcast we are joined by Matthew Brown and Rhian E. Jones, authors of the book Paint Your Town Red: How Preston Took Back Control and Your Town Can Too, published by Repeater. Against a national backdrop of austerity and privatisation, a city in Lancashire bucked the trend and created what is known as the Preston Model. Matthew is the leader of Preston City Council, where he has led pioneering efforts in community wealth-building – what has become known as the ‘Pres...
The Future of the Greens with Jonathan Bartley | Ep.48
August 20, 2021 04:00 - 54 minutes - 37.4 MBRecently departed Green Party Co-Leader Jonathan Bartley joins It’s Bloody Complicated. Jonathan stepped down as Green co-leader in July. He is now focusing his energy on helping to build a progressive alliance, saying to the Guardian that ‘there is a progressive majority in this country but we will have Conservative governments as far as we can see because of first past the post’. He spoke about why we need a progressive alliance – and why there must be something in it for the Greens – as...
From the Soft Left to Left Patriotism with John Denham | Ep.47
August 01, 2021 13:00 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBJohn Denham joined It's Bloody Complicated to talk nation, identity and patriotism. Is there such a thing as ‘progressive patriotism’? And against the backdrop of Brexit and a potential second Scottish independence referendum, is it finally time for progressives to talk about England? John Denham is Professor and Director of the Centre for English Identity and Politics at the University of Southampton, and co-founder of the English Labour Network. He was the Labour MP for Southampton Itche...
BONUS: Decision Time for Deutschland, in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
July 26, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBThis episode was recorded immediately following the initial devastating flooding across western Germany. Our thoughts and solidarity are with all those affected. Compass has teamed up with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung to bring you a German election special. Germany is poised to pick its next leader. After 16 years at the helm, Angela Merkel is stepping aside – and what comes next is anyone’s guess. Will Germans elect Armin Laschet, her successor in the CDU, after he pledged to continue wh...
Big Ideas Before Their Time with Anna Coote | Ep.46
July 19, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBPolicy innovator Anna Coote joined It’s Bloody Complicated to talk about a life at the cutting edge of policy thinking – from citizens' juries to a four-day week and universal basic services. We took a closer look at the idea of universal basic services (UBS) – and any tensions that may exist with universal basic income (UBI). And we surveyed the present state of progressive politics – and how we can advocate and implement transformative policies for a good society. It's Bloody Complicate...
Brexit: Five Years Later | Ep.45
July 03, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MBOn 23rd June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU by a majority of 52% to 48%. The ensuing half-decade has seen rolling political turmoil, unprecedented realignments and questions over the future of the UK itself. To help make sense of these historic times, we welcome Labour MP Jon Trickett, Guardian journalist Zoe Williams, Zoe's dog Romeo, and writer Anthony Barnett to the show. Jon Trickett is the Labour MP for Hemsworth and a former shadow minister under the leaderships of J...
Johnson and Gramsci: Tackling the Tories Today | Ep.44
June 12, 2021 20:00 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MBWhat are the strategy, ideology and aims of the modern Conservative Party? To beat them, we have to understand them – and maybe even learn from them. Professor Ken Spours applies the thinking of Antonio Gramsci to help us get to grips with today’s shapeshifting Tories. Ken has provided some additional notes to accompany the show. Find them here: https://bit.ly/3xj0OnA. Discussed on the show: Antonio Gramsci – Prison Notebooks Stuart Hall – 'New Labour's Double Shuffle' Ken Spours – Shape...
The Dignity of Labour with Jon Cruddas | Ep.43
May 27, 2021 15:00 - 57 minutes - 39.3 MBJon Cruddas MP joins It’s Bloody Complicated to mark the launch of his new book, The Dignity of Labour (Polity). Does work give our lives purpose, meaning and status? Or is it a tedious necessity that will soon be abolished by automation, leaving humans free to enjoy a life of leisure and basic income? Jon Cruddas is Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham. The Dignity of Labour is available from Polity. It's Bloody Complicated is recorded every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Become a...
Election Special | Ep.42
May 15, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 47.7 MBElection results across England, Scotland and Wales showed more than ever why progressives need to work together – and what can happen when they do. We're joined by a stellar lineup to survey the aftermath, and work out where we go next: Sir John Curtice, polling expert, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde and Senior Research Fellow at the National Centre for Social Research Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion Beth Winter, Labour MP for Cynon Valley Layla M...
In Conversation with Mandu Reid | Ep.41
May 01, 2021 12:00 - 58 minutes - 40.5 MBLeader of the Women's Equality Party Mandu Reid joined the podcast to talk about why the pandemic has not been a gender-neutral crisis, how her 'politically polyamorous' party is shaking up the system and why she's working to put herself out of a job. Mandu Reid is Leader of the Women’s Equality Party, the party’s candidate for Mayor of London and the first Black leader of a national British political party. It's Bloody Complicated is recorded every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. ...
In Conversation with Vince Cable | Ep.40
April 19, 2021 05:00 - 48 minutes - 33.1 MBFormer leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable joins It’s Bloody Complicated to share the lessons of his long and varied political life and tell us about his new book, Money and Power. In uncertain times for progressives of all stripes, not least the Lib Dems, it was great to get Vince's unique perspective. Vince Cable was MP for Twickenham from 1997 to 2015 and from 2017 to 2019, and as leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2017–19. He served in the Conservative–Lib Dem coalition g...
Starmer's First Year with Paul Mason | Ep.39
April 06, 2021 11:00 - 51 minutes - 35.2 MBIt’s a year since Keir Starmer was elected leader of the Labour Party – a year that has seen the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, internal divisions within the party and vocal debates about the best way forward. We welcome writer, journalist and film-maker Paul Mason to It’s Bloody Complicated to discuss Keir Starmer one year on, the prospects for a Progressive Alliance, strategies for the left and his fascinating political life. Paul Mason is the author of six books, the most recent of whi...
Out of the Ordinary with Marc Stears, Jon Cruddas, Sue Goss and John Harris | Ep.38
March 22, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 47.5 MBSpecial guest host John Harris is joined by Marc Stears to discuss Marc's new book, Out of the Ordinary: How Everyday Life Inspired a Nation and How It Can Again. Joining John and Marc are Jon Cruddas, Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham, and Sue Goss, author of Open Tribe and the Compass report Garden Mind. In Out of the Ordinary, Stears describes how, in a period of intense political turmoil from the 1920s–50s, a group of British writers and artists showed a way forward by shining a light...
Belonging, Place and the Nation with Clive Lewis, Francesca Klug and Stuart White | Ep.37
March 04, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MBOn this very special edition of It’s Bloody Complicated, we're joined by Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South; academic and advocate for human rights Francesca Klug; and political theorist Stuart White to celebrate the launch of Belonging, Place and the Nation, Compass’s new report into nationalism and patriotism. Should we try to confront the Right with our own, more progressive, patriotism and nationalism? Or should we abandon these terms and instead try to build something else? In Belongin...
Progressive Alliance: The Reunion | Ep.36
February 19, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBOn this edition of It’s Bloody Complicated , we're celebrating a very special reunion. Neal Lawson is joined by 2017 Progressive Alliance veterans Andrée Frieze, Barry Langford, Stephen Clark, Remco van der Stoep, Jana Mills, Steve Williams and Frances Foley to look back on the successes and lessons of that election, and look forward to how we can build a formidable Progressive Alliance next time. Results analysis suggests that, in 2017, the Progressive Alliance made a difference in dozens ...
Re-imagining Democracy with Peter MacFadyen and Indra Adnan | ep. 35
January 30, 2021 05:00 - 58 minutes - 40.2 MBOn this episode of It's Bloody Complicated, Frances Foley is joined by another great double bill – this time Peter MacFadyen who has inspired the Flatpack Democracy movement and Indra Adnan one of the co-founders of the new politics champions The Alternative UK. Flatpack Democracy is an independent movement which started in Frome, inspired by frustration with missed opportunitities the way local government usually works. Since then, the group has taken control of the local council and insp...
Re-imagining Democracy with Peter MacFadyen and Indra Adnan | Ep.35
January 30, 2021 05:00 - 58 minutes - 40.2 MBOn this episode of It's Bloody Complicated, Frances Foley is joined by another great double bill – this time Peter MacFadyen who has inspired the Flatpack Democracy movement and Indra Adnan one of the co-founders of the new politics champions The Alternative UK. Flatpack Democracy is an independent movement which started in Frome, inspired by frustration with missed opportunitities the way local government usually works. Since then, the group has taken control of the local council and insp...
The Year Ahead with Yasmin Khan and Tom Clark | Ep.34
January 15, 2021 15:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBWe’re diving straight into 2021 with a conversation about what the next year might hold for us and what it all means for progressive politics. Our guests, Tom Clark (Editor of Prospect Magazine) and Yasmin Khan (human rights campaigner), were on hand to help us chart a course through what is likely to be an extraordinarily challenging year for us all. We covered the pandemic, the economy, the Tories, Labour, Scotland, Biden, and more. And as ever, we took questions live on the call from Co...
The Year Ahead with Yasmin Khan and Tom Clark | ep 34
January 15, 2021 15:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBWe’re diving straight into 2021 with a conversation about what the next year might hold for us and what it all means for progressive politics. Our guests, Tom Clark (Editor of Prospect Magazine) and Yasmin Khan (human rights campaigner), were on hand to help us chart a course through what is likely to be an extraordinarily challenging year for us all. We covered the pandemic, the economy, the Tories, Labour, Scotland, Biden, and more. And as ever, we took questions live on the call from Co...
The future of the Left in Europe with Yanis Varoufakis | Ep. 33
December 17, 2020 15:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBFor the final podcast of 2020, we had an extra special Christmas treat for our members. Writer, economist, politician, and former academic Yanis Varoufakis joined us live on Zoom for an hour of hard-headed economic analysis, a few home truths for the European Left, and plenty of laughter too. A former academic, Yanis is perhaps best known for his tenure as Greek finance minister and his role in the country’s high stakes negotiations with the EU. But he is also a prolific author and politi...
The future of the Left in Europe with Yanis Varoufakis | 33
December 17, 2020 15:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBFor the final podcast of 2020, we had an extra special Christmas treat for our members. Writer, economist, politician, and former academic Yanis Varoufakis joined us live on Zoom for an hour of hard-headed economic analysis, a few home truths for the European Left, and plenty of laughter too. A former academic, Yanis is perhaps best known for his tenure as Greek finance minister and his role in the country’s high stakes negotiations with the EU. But he is also a prolific author and politi...
The future of the Left in Europe with Yanis Varoufakis | Ep.33
December 17, 2020 15:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBFor the final podcast of 2020, we had an extra special Christmas treat for our members. Writer, economist, politician, and former academic Yanis Varoufakis joined us live on Zoom for an hour of hard-headed economic analysis, a few home truths for the European Left, and plenty of laughter too. A former academic, Yanis is perhaps best known for his tenure as Greek finance minister and his role in the country’s high stakes negotiations with the EU. But he is also a prolific author and politi...
Feminism and Refugee Women with Natasha Walter | ep 32
December 07, 2020 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MBThis week, we spoke to Natasha Walter: feminist writer, founder and director of Women for Refugee Women and author of Living Dolls and A Quiet Life. We talked to Natasha about what motivated her to write Living Dolls, and how she moved out of journalism to found the charity Women for Refugee Women. After 14 years at WFRW, Natasha had plenty of stories to share with us and wasn’t afraid to dig into the frictions and frustrations of her work. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tue...
Feminism and Refugee Women with Natasha Walter | Ep. 32
December 07, 2020 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MBThis week, we spoke to Natasha Walter: feminist writer, founder and director of Women for Refugee Women and author of Living Dolls and A Quiet Life. We talked to Natasha about what motivated her to write Living Dolls, and how she moved out of journalism to found the charity Women for Refugee Women. After 14 years at WFRW, Natasha had plenty of stories to share with us and wasn’t afraid to dig into the frictions and frustrations of her work. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tue...
Feminism and Refugee Women with Natasha Walter | Ep.32
December 07, 2020 10:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MBThis week, we spoke to Natasha Walter: feminist writer, founder and director of Women for Refugee Women and author of Living Dolls and A Quiet Life. We talked to Natasha about what motivated her to write Living Dolls, and how she moved out of journalism to found the charity Women for Refugee Women. After 14 years at WFRW, Natasha had plenty of stories to share with us and wasn’t afraid to dig into the frictions and frustrations of her work. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tue...
Inequality with Danny Dorling | ep. 31
November 17, 2020 16:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBWe’re delighted to welcome academic, author, social commentator, and human cartographer Danny Dorling to the podcast this week. The conversation roamed over many topics, from Biden and Covid, to Finland and Extinction Rebellion. We discussed in particular Danny's three latest books: Rule Britannia (written with Sally Tomlinson) , Slowdown, and Finntopia (written with Annika Koljonen). Some key points from the discussion: Reflections on Biden's victory in the US election from the point o...
Inequality with Danny Dorling | ep. 32
November 17, 2020 16:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBWe’re delighted to welcome academic, author, social commentator, and human cartographer Danny Dorling to the podcast this week. The conversation roamed over many topics, from Biden and Covid, to Finland and Extinction Rebellion. We discussed in particular Danny's three latest books: Rule Britannia (written with Sally Tomlinson) , Slowdown, and Finntopia (written with Annika Koljonen). Some key points from the discussion: Reflections on Biden's victory in the US election from the point o...
Inequality with Danny Dorling | Ep.31
November 17, 2020 16:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBWe’re delighted to welcome academic, author, social commentator, and human cartographer Danny Dorling to the podcast this week. The conversation roamed over many topics, from Biden and Covid, to Finland and Extinction Rebellion. We discussed in particular Danny's three latest books: Rule Britannia (written with Sally Tomlinson) , Slowdown, and Finntopia (written with Annika Koljonen). Some key points from the discussion: Reflections on Biden's victory in the US election from the point o...
Inequality with Danny Dorling | Ep. 31
November 17, 2020 16:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBWe’re delighted to welcome academic, author, social commentator, and human cartographer Danny Dorling to the podcast this week. The conversation roamed over many topics, from Biden and Covid, to Finland and Extinction Rebellion. We discussed in particular Danny's three latest books: Rule Britannia (written with Sally Tomlinson) , Slowdown, and Finntopia (written with Annika Koljonen). Some key points from the discussion: Reflections on Biden's victory in the US election from the point o...
Build Back Better: HOW? 4 Big Ideas | Ep. 30
November 13, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MBThis week’s live podcast formed part of Build Back Better: How?, a 10 day series of conferences about how we can make the good society after Covid-19 a reality. Universal Basic Services, a guaranteed income floor, the 4 day week, and reform of the banking system: we discussed some of the biggest, most exciting ideas around for rethinking our approach to work, money, and how we use our time. It’s clear that current financial models are serving fewer and fewer people than ever, as society d...
BONUS: American democracy: Where do we go from here? Election special | Ep.31
November 07, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBOn 5th November 2020, we hosted this very special transatlantic edition of It’s Bloody Complicated – outside of our usual fortnightly schedule – to talk to three people with direct experience in building capacity and infrastructure that demonstrates a different kind of doing politics. Roge Karma is a researcher and reporter at Vox, where he produces The Ezra Klein Show podcast and writes about policing, political polarization, and democracy reform. Manu Meel is passionate about empowering...
American democracy: Where do we go from here? Election special
November 07, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBOn 5th November 2020, we hosted this very special transatlantic edition of It’s Bloody Complicated – outside of our usual fortnightly schedule – to talk to three people with direct experience in building capacity and infrastructure that demonstrates a different kind of doing politics. Roge Karma is a researcher and reporter at Vox, where he produces The Ezra Klein Show podcast and writes about policing, political polarization, and democracy reform. Manu Meel is passionate about empowering...
Build Back Better: HOW? 4 Big Ideas | Ep.30
November 01, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MBThis week’s live podcast formed part of Build Back Better: How?, a 10 day series of conferences about how we can make the good society after Covid-19 a reality. Universal Basic Services, a guaranteed income floor, the 4 day week, and reform of the banking system: we discussed some of the biggest, most exciting ideas around for rethinking our approach to work, money, and how we use our time. It’s clear that current financial models are serving fewer and fewer people than ever, as society d...
What’s next for the Scottish Labour Party? With Gerry Hassan | Ep.29
October 16, 2020 14:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MBThe Scottish Labour Party’s decline has been severe. How – if at all – can it claw back something like the support it once enjoyed? With 51% of Labour voters now backing independence, how should Scottish Labour respond? Join us as we discuss Scottish Labour, Independence, the SNP and the possible break-up of the UK with Scottish commentator and political author Gerry Hassan. Gerry is a regular contributor to Compass, and in his most recent blog for Compass suggests the formation of a new L...
What’s next for the Scottish Labour Party? With Gerry Hassan | Ep. 29
October 16, 2020 14:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MBThe Scottish Labour Party’s decline has been severe. How – if at all – can it claw back something like the support it once enjoyed? With 51% of Labour voters now backing independence, how should Scottish Labour respond? Join us as we discuss Scottish Labour, Independence, the SNP and the possible break-up of the UK with Scottish commentator and political author Gerry Hassan. Gerry is a regular contributor to Compass, and in his most recent blog for Compass suggests the formation of a new L...
What we need to do differently with Ed Miliband | Ep.28
October 05, 2020 14:00 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MBThis week we were joined by Ed Miliband. Ed is best known as leader of the Labour Party but his political career goes way beyond that. In his podcast "Reasons to be Cheerful" he uses the wealth of his experience to discuss the big ideas that we need to transform society. In this fascinating and far-reaching conversation we dig into those ideas. We dissect everything from the lessons learned from the 2015 election defeat to the Green New Deal and his views on Universal Basic Income. "It's ...
Towards a new politics of Care | Ep.27
September 25, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 46.9 MBLong before Covid hit, it was evident to many that the UK was hurtling towards a crisis of Care. Now we simply cannot deny that the way we think about the way we care for our most vulnerable – who does it and how we value it – is deeply flawed. We urgently need a new politics of Care. This week on the podcast we were joined by three authorities on the state of Care right now: Madeleine Bunting author of Labours of Love, Jo Littler author of The Care Manifesto and Alex Fox (CEO of Shared Liv...
The Why, What and How of Proportional Representation | Ep.26
September 18, 2020 16:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBCould proportional representation renew our democracy? On this week’s episode we’ll be focussing on electoral reform, and exploring what it could mean to have a different voting system in the UK. With a panel of guests from the heart of the struggle to get PR on the agenda again, including Klina Jordan from Make Votes Matter, we’ll be digging into the what, why and, most importantly, how of all things PR. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tuesday at 6pm BST. Become a Compass Mem...
Building a progressive future with Matthew Taylor | Ep.25
September 11, 2020 08:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MBThis week we were joined by Matthew Taylor, writer, broadcaster, and CEO of the RSA. Matthew was one of a cabal of four back in the early 2000s who helped invent Compass. In a wide ranging discussion, we cover the origins of Compass, his time as head of Tony Blair’s Policy Unit, what’s going on at the RSA and what the future holds for all Progressives. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tuesday at 6pm BST. Become a Compass Member to join our live recordings and bring your question...
Lessons from Corbyn | Ep.24
September 04, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 47.3 MBIt’s safe to say that Corbyn’s leadership divided opinion within the Labour Party, and the aftershocks of those divisions are still keenly felt today. It’s also clear that Labour has much to learn from the experience of Corbynism – both good and bad – and attempts to scrap everything and move on could end up fracturing the party even more. This week we spoke to Laura Parker (former Momentum national co-ordinator), Jeremy Gilbert (writer and researcher), and Bea Campbell (Green writer and a...
Basic Income - How do we get it? With Ronnie Cowan SNP MP | Ep.23
August 28, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 41.3 MBIn May, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in no uncertain terms that universal basic income is an "idea whose time has come". The SNP have come out in full force for this policy. That's why this week we've invited Ronnie Cowan, SNP MP for Inverclyde and life-long proponent of the idea, to talk to us about what it'll take to make basic income a reality in the UK. What alliances do we need to win it? How do we move the Conservative Party – and Labour – to engage? You'll als...
What is Basic Income? with Cleo Goodman and Jessie Golem | Ep.22
August 21, 2020 13:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBIn early 2020, Compass launched the Basic Income Conversation to help a public movement for basic income in the UK. A few months later, the pandemic hit and suddenly everyone was talking about BI. It’s been an action-packed year so far, so let’s take a moment to breathe and look at where it all began for us. What exactly is a basic income, and why do we at Compass feel so strongly about it? This week, Cleo Goodman joins us from Basic Income Conversation to break down the idea to its essent...
The future of Green politics in the UK | Ep.21
August 14, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 50.8 MBIt’s ten years since the Greens had their first MP elected, and since then so much has changed. The climate crisis is no longer considered a niche issue; Extinction Rebellion has become a global movement; and the major political parties are busy competing over who can produce the “greenest” manifesto. And yet, the Greens still only have one MP and seem unlikely to achieve a significant electoral breakthrough in the near future. What are the lessons of the last 10 years? Should success in W...
The Scotland problem with Robin McAlpine | Ep.20
August 10, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 44.2 MBThis episode we were joined by Director of the Common Weal think tank and Compass Council member, Robin McAlpine. What’s next for the Scottish Independence movement? How, if at all, can Labour solve its “Scotland problem”? What’s the difference between nationalism and patriotism, and why does it matter? Robin is a famously thought-provoking and engaging speaker, and is definitely not afraid to tell it like it is. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tuesday at 6pm BST. Become a Co...
The Scotland problem with Robin McAlpine | Ep.20
August 10, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 44.2 MBThis episode we were joined by Director of the Common Weal think tank and Compass Council member, Robin McAlpine. What’s next for the Scottish Independence movement? How, if at all, can Labour solve its “Scotland problem”? What’s the difference between nationalism and patriotism, and why does it matter? Robin is a famously thought-provoking and engaging speaker, and is definitely not afraid to tell it like it is. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tuesday at 6pm BST. Become a Co...
Race, power and politics in the UK and US, with Clive Lewis, Dawn Butler and Kimberly Jones | Ep.19
July 31, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBProtests, a presidential race and a pandemic. The last few months in the US have thrust questions of racial justice and equality to the fore. As Kimberly Jones, US activist, writer and one of our guests this week, explains in this eloquent and essential video, the social consequences of centuries of systemic racism are truly devastating. As the UK reckons with its own history, and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities, our conversations seem to intersect. What are ...
Peter Tatchell | Ep.18
July 23, 2020 19:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBThis episode we were joined by LGBTQ+ and human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell. Peter first began campaigning against injustice and human rights abuses when he was at school. More than 50 years later, as director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, he shows no signs of slowing down. From advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, to challenging imperialism and colonial power, Peter’s passion, energy, and unwavering commitment to human rights across the world has made him something of a legend in Progr...
A lifetime of activism and LGBTQIA+ politics with Peter Tatchell | Ep.18
July 23, 2020 19:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBThis episode we were joined by LGBTQ+ and human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell. Peter first began campaigning against injustice and human rights abuses when he was at school. More than 50 years later, as director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, he shows no signs of slowing down. From advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, to challenging imperialism and colonial power, Peter’s passion, energy, and unwavering commitment to human rights across the world has made him something of a legend in Progr...
Garden Mind with Sue Goss | E.p.17
July 17, 2020 12:00 - 55 minutes - 38 MBThis week we were joined by Sue Goss, long-time friend of Compass and author of Open Tribe. Sue has been writing and thinking about politics, local government, and democracy for over 30 years and we feel incredibly lucky to have her on the podcast. Off the back of her new report Garden Mind, we spoke to Sue about how we should think about society through the framework of gardening, and how this approach should inform our decision making and actions. "It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded ...