Oh God, What Now?
543 episodes - English - Latest episode: 24 days ago - ★★★★★ - 70 ratingsMaking sense of our political hell every Tuesday and Friday! Oh God, What Now? is the no-bulls**t politics podcast, making the unbearable bearable with top quality guests and analysis, plus poor quality jokes.
Regulars include: Dorian Lynskey, author of The Ministry Of Truth: A Biography of Orwell’s 1984 and host of Origin Story • Alex Andreou, writer, commentator, cook, actor, secret agent • Writer and commentator Ros Taylor • Rachel Cunliffe of the New Statesman • Writer and host of This Is Not A Drill Gavin Esler • Hannah Fearn of the i paper • Comedian Matt Green • New Statesman policy and politics corresponent Zoë Grünewald • Group Editor Andrew Harrison • Journalist Marie Le Conte • Podmasters Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis
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Oh God, What Now? is a Podmasters production
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Episodes
One Man and His Smog
August 01, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourSunak is turning climate change policy into the next frontier of his party’s neverending culture war. Why have the Tories lost their minds over green policy? And first, Suella Braverman came up with the big barges. Now it’s massive marquees for migrants. How has the Home Office got this issue so horribly wrong? That’s Oh God, What Now? With special guest, lawyer and author, Sam Fowles. “There’s a danger here that Labour and the Tories are becoming too similar.” – Zoe Grunewald. “It does see...
Appetite for Construction
July 28, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourThe Tories are failing on their housing promises. Quelle surprise. Up steps Michael Gove to save the day – or is he? Are his newly announced plans actually anything new? And will they make a difference? Then, as the world heats up and our political parties abandon key pledges on climate, are you losing hope? We discuss climate despair. And in the extra bit for subscribers, the panel unpacks Oppenheimer and how its dual release with Barbie could impact Hollywood. “They’re simply announcing th...
An Uxbridge Too Far
July 25, 2023 03:00 - 47 minutesLast week’s by-elections left the Tory party wounded, with Labour and the Lib Dems on the front foot. Or are they? The Tories JUST held onto Uxbridge and South Ruislip, and those on the right say that’s down to Labour’s ULEZ policy. Starmer, for some reason, ran with that narrative. Is he losing his nerve over his party’s green policies? And when will the Tories stop shitting on young voters? That’s Oh God, What Now? With this week’s guest, Rachel Cunliffe. “If I were Sunak I’d be tearing my...
By-elections EmergencyCast: Don’t Believe the Tripe
July 21, 2023 13:01 - 47 minutesThe Tories clutch at a straw marked “ULEZ” but can’t hide the fact that they got an absolute hiding in three by-elections. What’s the truth behind the spin? Will Uxbridge tank Labour’s green policies? And who made a bigger fool of himself: Grant Shapps or Johnny Mercer? Jacob Jarvis is joined by Alex Andreou and the New Statesman’s Zoë Grunewald to read the runes of a big night in Somerton and Frome, Selby and Ainsty, and former Boris Johnson stronghold Uxbridge and South Ruislip. • “It wa...
Two Kids on the Block
July 21, 2023 03:00 - 57 minutesIs keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap Starmer’s biggest mistake? We look at Labour’s trade-off between maintaining deadly seriousness on the economy and the party’s core beliefs. Plus, in a new irregular series we look ahead at the huge challenges facing the next government. This time: defence. Are Britain’s armed forces fit for purpose and how will Labour deal with troop levels, cyber war and costly nukes in a world where “there is no money left”? Politics professor Richard Whitman of th...
Nasty party to get nastier
July 18, 2023 03:00 - 59 minutesWill the UK’s new trade deal with the CPTPP fill the massive, gaping hole that Brexit left? No, probably not. So why are the Tories framing this as a huge win? Plus, Rishi and his mates are acting ‘ard. Will this new tough act win them votes, or is it just pushing us all even further away? That’s Oh God, What Now? with special guest Padraig Reidy, political commentator and editor of the literature, science, art and politics magazine littleatoms.com. “The problem here is we’re doing an agreem...
Is Britain begging for boring?
July 14, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourLabour’s policies aren’t exciting or even that clear. But is boring what Britain needs right now? Or is it ultimately leading to a lack of confidence in Labour leadership. Plus, George Osborne's wedding was disrupted by Just Stop Oil, OR WAS IT? Either way, was the extensive coverage of the orange confetti attack proof the group is making an impact? And in the extra bit for subscribers, are Gen Z just slackers who don’t want to work hard? That’s Oh God, What Now? With Paper Cuts’ Miranda Sawy...
Break Class in Case of Emergency
July 11, 2023 03:00 - 54 minutesKeir Starmer announces plans to break the Class Ceiling. Will inequality be the big issue in the next election? And WTF is “oracy” anyway? As ticket offices disappear from the railways, are we in course of a society without face-to-face contact? Plus, the meaning of Biden’s visit to the UK, the feeding frenzy over the BBC’s SEX STORY, and who are our heroes and villains of the week? Listen for surprise revelations about our panel’s social life… Listen to our new newspaper review podcast PAP...
Miriam Cates and her Horrible Mates
July 07, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourMeet this week’s Tory game-changer: Miriam Cates and her New Conservatives. Will their wizard scheme to kick out foreign care-home workers and stamp out sex education save the Tories’ bacon? Is she real or a cartoon rightist from a British version of The Handmaid’s Tale? Plus: Farage Against The Cash Machine. Can Zuckerberg’s new idea Threads kill Twitter? Our special guest Henry Morris AKA mischievous mega-tweeter ‘The Secret Tory’ tells how he hoodwinked everyone from your pub pals to the c...
Suell-Air Flight 666 to Rwanda is cancelled
July 04, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourAs the Supreme Court grounds Braverman’s Rwanda plan, what will the Tory Right try to pull us out of next? The ECHR, the continent of Europe, or three-dimensional reality itself? Plus, What’s new about the “New” Conservatives? Who’s about to get reshuffled? The NHS’s 75th birthday prompts the Tories to do some of that recruiting stuff, after only 13 years in power. And in a new feature: who are our Heroes and Villains of the Week? Listen to our new paper review podcast PAPER CUTS here. http...
Don't Look Back in Wagner
June 30, 2023 03:00 - 55 minutesMatt Hancock appears before the COVID inquiry – can he ever be forgiven? And Prigozhin has been exiled to Belarus – but how has his Wagner mutiny left Putin’s position in the Moscow. And what does this mean for Ukraine? Then in the extra bit for subscribers, yet another pointless news ‘story’ does the rounds. Why do we put up with churnalism? “It’s hard to imagine that Prigozhin will get a long retirement on the golf course.” – Arthur Snell “Prigozhin was acting out of desperation.” – Arthu...
Conflict of Interest
June 27, 2023 03:00 - 57 minutesInterest rates have reached the highest level for 15 years but don’t worry because Rishi Sunak says he’s: “totally, 100% on it”. Is he? Or is that totally, 100% rubbish? Is Cronyism getting worse? And if it is, how do we stop ministers from appointing their mates into positions of power? Did you see the all-leave BBC Brexit special last week? We did. The panel gives us their thoughts. And we get the latest mutiny news from Doomsday Watch’s Arthur Snell as tempers flare in Russia. Listen to o...
The Seven Year Itch
June 23, 2023 03:00 - 53 minutesIt's been seven years since the Brexit vote. Are you surprised we’re still speaking about it? We’re not. Speaking of votes, there are three by-elections coming up because Tories keep quitting. Is our electoral system fair? Is it democratic? Or is it time for a change? And in the extra bit for subscribers the panel discusses how departed MPs should behave post parliament. That’s Oh God, What Now? With special guest and founder of Fair Vote UK, Kyle Taylor. “Brexit is this massive thing that h...
The Party's Over: Boris Johnson-free edition!
June 20, 2023 03:00 - 52 minutesThe Covid inquiry is well underway but we won’t get the findings well-after 2026 and THEN some. Too long? Suella Braverman’s wish to increase powers to stop street protests has come true with little to no resistance from Labour. Our panel discuss why? Plus, private school officials hurled the most private school insults at Labour’s shadow education secretary. It called her “chippy” and said she knew “diddly” for planning to add VAT to school fees, A-class snobbery or justified comment? “You ...
Taster 📰 PAPER CUTS, our new podcast
June 19, 2023 11:57 - 8 minutesIf you haven’t tried our new podcast PAPER CUTS yet, here’s a taster. Listen to the full episode here. PAPER CUTS is the modern press review. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday Miranda Sawyer and guests look at what’s behind the biggest stories, and bring you the weirdest headlines, the biggest scoops and the most astonishing manifestations of mass newspaper neurosis. Don’t forget to subscribe on your favourite app. PAPER CUTS. We read the papers so you don't have to. Learn more about your ad...
EmergencyCast! – Johnson is Finally, Finally, Finally Finished
June 15, 2023 15:39 - 26 minutesBoris Johnson was in for trouble. But, bloody hell – the report is worse than even we imagined. So, we’re back to tear through the details in another bonus edition… Dorian, Alex and Naomi gather for a rough and ready EmergencyCast. “Increasingly this does look like the end to Boris Johnson’s political career because of the hurdles between him and returning.” – Naomi Smith “I think this is more explosive than anything we’ve heard before.” – Alex Andreou “He’s basically using a unanimous rep...
Boris Johnson’s Lying Circus
June 15, 2023 13:25 - 1 hourRecorded before the Privileges Committee report landed. We thought the whole point of resigning was to shut up and go away? On his way out, ex-MP Johnson trashes everything from the Privileges Committee to Tory detente to objective truth itself. We reassemble the original Remainiacs team to look at the squalid final days of Britain’s worst Prime Minister. Could he ever come back? Plus, as Trump ends up in court and Berlusconi goes to the Great Bunga Bunga Party in the Sky, is populism unravel...
The Too Much News Edition
June 13, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourJohnson quits! Trump indicted! Berlusconi dies! Telegraph for sale! Sturgeon nicked! Dorries does… whatever it was she did! This one’s got it all. After a weekend that felt like the ‘Layla’ bit of Goodfellas, the OGWN team convene to look at the aftershocks of Boris Johnson’s flounce, what Trump’s worsening legal woes mean for America’s stability, and who we’d like to take over at the Torygraph. With special guest Eleni Courea, deputy editor of Politico’s London Playbook. Listen to our new ...
EmergencyCast! – The Pathetic End of Boris Johnson
June 10, 2023 10:05 - 34 minutesJohnson quitting as an MP caused a stir in the Oh God, What Now? group chat – and it quickly dawned upon us it was EmergencyCast time. So, here we go. Wake me up before you BoJo and so on. The guy we all hate to hate is gone. Jarv, Ros and Alex gather for a bit of quickfire punk rock podcasting to discuss the fallout. Vocal power chords at the ready. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou and Ros Taylor. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jac...
Negative Energy
June 09, 2023 03:00 - 53 minutesThe horrifying dam destruction in Ukraine has ruined countless lives and sparked disgust the world over. Will this war crime go unpunished? And how is the West responding? Plus, we unpack the latest Starmer drama. Is Labour’s relationship with the Unions on the rocks? And in the extra bit for backers, TURN DOWN THAT RACKET! Why are noise complaints for late-night venues on the rise? This week’s guest is former FSN bureau chief Laura Makin-Isherwood. “This lays open a bigger question, which i...
Spot the Difference: Labour and Tory Special – with guest Marina Purkiss
June 06, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourLabour might be leading the polls over the terrible Tories, but maybe the two are more similar than most of us think. Have we seen the return of 1950s ‘Butskellism’? With that in mind, a new report suggests that most millennials hate the Tories (shock), does that mean they’ll vote Labour though? And Phillip Schofield’s been plastered across the news, is this the end of his TV career? Or is there a way back from TV cancel culture for disgraced celebs? That’s Oh God, What Now? with special gues...
It’s the End of the World and A.I. Feels Fine
June 02, 2023 03:00 - 56 minutesSo, we’re in the future I guess – and apparently A.I. threatens bringing an end to humanity. With top scientists sounding the alarm – should we be worried or panicked? Plus, vaping is in the Government’s firing line. Why is it on the agenda and how does Sunak balance crackdowns with his apparent Thatcher adoration? And in the extra bit for backers our panel discusses why so many of us get it wrong on recycling… Our guest this week is Zoë Grünewald of New Statesman. “It’s not the worry that ...
Succession Finale: Goodbye to the Beastie Roys
May 31, 2023 14:00 - 28 minutesSo it be, so it is – Succession has come to an end. We’re all obsessed with the HBO drama, so we thought why not give it the Oh God, What Now? treatment. If you’re scared of spoilers – you have been warned, this will be full of them. Andrew Harrison, Hannah Fearn and Alex Andreou discuss the fate of the Roys and Waystar Royco. “Everybody in the show is awful to a greater or lesser degree.” – Andrew Harrison “The character development even continues right into the final moments.” – Hannah F...
Redaction Man
May 31, 2023 03:00 - 51 minutesBoris Johnson’s in hot water…again. The former PM has thrown an epic tantrum over the COVID inquiry wanting unredacted WhatsApp messages. What will the Government do next – and will there be any end to this row? Plus our panel discusses “safe pair of hands” Jeremy Hunt. What’s going on with the MIA Chancellor? “Johnson is the dead cat here and the reticence has to do with how many other people will be implicated.” – Alex Andreou “Where is Hunt? Is he sitting back preparing for his leadershi...
Tories of Future Past – Live in London Pt. 2
May 26, 2023 03:00 - 50 minutesIn Part Two of our latest live outing: Who will be the Conservative Corbyn for their impending wilderness years/psychological meltdown? Our panel ponders whether it’ll be Badenoch, Mordaunt, Braverman… or David Frost? And (for your nerves) we wind up with some reasons to be cheerful for the year ahead. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Ros Taylor with Alex Andreou, Marie le Conte and Arthur Snell. Audio producer: Alex Rees. Producer: Chris Jones. Art: James Parrett. Theme music by ...
A Multitude of Sins – Live in London Pt. 1
May 25, 2023 16:00 - 55 minutesIn part one of our latest live outing: When we look back upon this Government… it’s always with a sense of blame. Join us live in London as we go over the Seven Deadly Sins of 13 years of Toryism. Plus, as cheese sandwiches and Heinz beans are reclassified as luxuries, our panel come up with some modest proposals for economic living that might meet Anne Widdecombe’s approval. Your panel at the Leicester Square Theatre is Ros Taylor, Andreou, Marie le Conte and Arthur Snell. www.patreon.com/o...
Never Did Me Any Harm
May 23, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourNow that cheese sandwiches, Heinz beans and swimming in poo-free water are officially luxuries, have we reached Peak We Had It Hard When I Were A Lad? New figures show that our anti-migration government has managed to, er, double migration to the UK. How will Sunak get out of that? Plus our panel discusses a new survey which says a third of us are too tired to get fit. Comic writer John O’Farrell of the We Are History podcast is our special guest. Listen to We Are History: https://link.chtbl...
The Anti-Nat C League: Inside the far right's Glastonbury for wingnuts
May 19, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourThere were some frankly bizarre statements made at the National Conservatism Conference. Now it’s over, we’re left asking: what was the point of it all? Our Seth Thevoz was there and spoke to Andrew Harrison about what he made of it. Plus, Kemi Badenoch: problem solver or is she just making everything worse? We know the answer. And in the extra bit - for subscribers only - our panel talks Succession and the parallels it draws with reality. “It’s like they’re talking about a Conservative Part...
Rats in a Sack: The Tory civil war is a go
May 16, 2023 04:00 - 1 hourThe Tories are at each other’s throats…again. Both Suella Braverman and Priti Patel took a pop at the party’s leadership at recent conservative conferences. Could Sunak survive a looming Tory revolt? And the state pension age may rise to 68, would you return to work if it meant a shot at rebuilding the country? Plus, the panel discusses their favourite accents and why we judge them so much. “The point here about the Conservatives is that they’re finished.” – Tom Peck. “I think it’s a deepen...
The Great British Bog Off
May 12, 2023 03:00 - 58 minutesThe Government’s Illegal Migration Bill is “morally unacceptable” according to the Archbishop of Canterbury. But since when did that stop the Conservatives? We look at the chaos, the confusion and the growing asylum seeker backlog. Plus, Labour did OK in the locals but were the real winners the Greens and the Lib Dems? And what does it mean for the General Election? And in the Extra Bit, for subscribers only, our panel discusses their favourite on-air mistakes. “The UNHCR says the legislati...
Republic Enemy: The Met’s arrest scandal
May 10, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourThe republicans doth protest too much, according to the Met police. Can the force change? And does it really want to? Speaking of change, should the Tories be terrified by the local election results? And Trump, Carlson and DeSantis – no, not the start of a bad joke, but a trio who are pushing forward the far-right in America. “In recent years, it’s felt there has been scandal after scandal after scandal from the Met.” – Rachel Cunliffe “If you hand the police sweeping new powers and say yo...
Localscast: ‘Stop the Small Votes’ Fails
May 05, 2023 14:43 - 25 minutesDespite the Tories’ best efforts at damage control they still got utterly trounced at the locals. Stopping boats didn’t work (in any way whatsoever) and neither didn’t stopping votes. So while Sunak will be moping, should the rest of us – and Starmer in particular – celebrate? Or are the results a little more confusing than that? Andrew, Ros and Naomi discuss. “Without question it has been a very bad night for the Conservatives.” – Naomi Smith “It’s very clear lots of Conservatives just s...
Never Mind the Monarchs
May 05, 2023 03:00 - 53 minutesIt’s Coronation weekend and Charles “invites” you to pledge your allegiance to the crown. A wholesome tradition? Or just a bit much? And should we actually read much into the local elections? We ask special guest Ben Walker, senior data journalist at New Statesman and a Labour council candidate. Then in the extra bit – for subscribers only – with rock legends Aerosmith retiring, the panel discusses people they’d like to see pack it in. “I won’t be saying it and I imagine very very few peopl...
The Secret Civil War
May 03, 2023 03:00 - 55 minutesA Whitehall bust up is underway with Sue Gray and Simon Case clashing over the former’s appointment as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff. Is this a witch hunt – or are there just questions? Plus, conflict in Sudan means the UK has organised a second rapid evacuation in two years. Has this one gone smoother than the last? And with the high profile departures of cable anchors Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon across the pond – we discuss our favourite TV hosts. “Opinion of Sue Gray is totally moveable...
Book of Revelations
April 28, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourMore details of Johnson’s chaotic reign have emerged in Anthony Seldon’s new book Johnson at 10. He might now be in the history books but have we truly heard the last of him? And can we track his scandals without giving him the attention he wants? Plus, send in the subs! Our panel discusses Dominic Raab’s obscure replacements. Comedian, actor and Twitter sensation Matt Green is this week’s guest. “Johnson may be confined to the history book but Johnson-ism isn’t.” – Seth Thévoz “There is e...
Taster 🇺🇦 DOOMSDAY WATCH: The Ukraine War
April 27, 2023 11:57 - 6 minutesThe Ukraine War is reshaping the world. Arthur Snell writes the first draft of its history. In this excerpt from Ep.1 of our new series: How Russia’s febrile history, Putin’s paranoid resentment and Western complacency led to an historic crime against a peaceful nation, the largest European land action since the Second World War… and a conflict of unprecedented brutality. Doomsday Watch: The Ukraine War is out now. Hear it wherever you listen to podcasts. Get every edition a week early and ad...
Karate Kid Gets the Chop
April 25, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourThat’s a Raab! Karate guru Dom has lost several Cabinet jobs after an investigation into bullying allegations. What fallout can we expect? Plus, the Home Office has tried to clean up its act and says it will now refer to asylum seekers as “customers”. How compassionate. And another local councillor drops the ball, after replying to an email in Welsh in German. Why can so many Brits not speak a second language? Plus, our special guest this week is Geri Scott, political reporter at The Times. ...
Rishi Sunak’s Theatre of the Absurd
April 21, 2023 03:00 - 58 minutesRishi Sunak promised an end to sleaze after the dark days of Johnson. But has his faux competency made us take our eyes off the ball? Plus, it’s not just lorries stuck in Calais. Our panel discusses the impact Brexit has had on the music industry and why it’s now so tough to get a gig in Great Britain. “The first rule when you’re talking about trust is don’t keep banging on about trust.” - Ros Taylor “Sunak just simply thinks that his wife’s financial affairs are separate from his own – but...
Is Keir Starmer Blowing It?
April 18, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourLabour is ahead in the polls but questions are still being raised over Keir Starmer’s leadership. Could he really be blowing it? Plus, is Suella Braverman Donald Trump’s fault? Then finally, the rise of the non-apology apology with councillors facing further pressure. Rachel Cunliffe, senior associate editor at New Statesman, joins as a special guest. “Council elections are always used as a test bed for the themes that might come along in the General Election.” – Seth Thévoz “I don’t thin...
Britain’s Brain Drain, Dunt’s New Book and Succession Shocker
April 14, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourAs the Government dishes out fresh lessons in doggedness – does the strike stalemate risk a brain drain for Britain? We discuss health workers ditching the UK for Australia for better money (and weather). Plus, why doesn’t Westminster work? It’s a question we all want to answer – and Ian Dunt has in his new book. And, with *major* spoiler warnings, we talk about the Succession latest. “I hate the word vocation because it tends to be a way of not paying people for their skill.” – Hannah Fear...
Sunak’s Long Road to Nowhere
April 12, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourSunak is expected to cling on until Autumn 2024 for a general election. Why, when there’s clearly no plan of action? And as we creep closer, we unpack what the race might look like as Starmer’s Labour sparks controversy with its attacks on the PM. Plus, why is Elon Musk slowly making Twitter the least cool website on the planet? “All Labour needs to do is think of variations of the same theme – are you better off under the Tories?” – Gavin Esler “I fully don’t understand why on earth somet...
Illegally Blonde
April 06, 2023 16:00 - 1 hourDonald Trump has had his (first) day in court. How will this alter the course of US politics to come? Plus, Brexit promises are falling short again, quelle surprise. The panel discusses the problem the Government can’t bring itself to mention. In a special guest double-header, we’re joined by comedian, actor and Twitter star Matt Green, and Geri Scott, political reporter at The Times, this week. “The taboo has been broken about indicting a former president.” – Seth Thévoz “This feels like ...
Pot Hole Sun
April 04, 2023 03:00 - 57 minutesSunak was apparently turning it around but now he’s firmly black on the course to oblivion. Should he stop staring at potholes and realise he’s heading to a political black hole? Plus – we unpack the Trump latest, as his arrest looms. And, moanalism (yes, we’ve invented a word). What’s with all these articles where people just want to complain and tell us not to enjoy stuff? “There are comment pages that need to be filled.” – Marie Le Conte “It’s been weird watching Conservative politician...
Anti-Social Justice Warriors
March 31, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourWhat’s with the Tories’ crackdown on anti-social behaviour? And what’s meant to be so wrong with people hanging about in parks? Plus, with protests in Israel and France, the panel discusses the spread of such activity in Europe – and why it feels empowering to people. Jonn Elledge, a regular columnist at New Statesman and Big Issue, is this week’s guest. “They’ve tried to make the case on pollution and anti-social behaviour… even though there’s no link.” – Ian Dunt “We have a government t...
Whatever happened to the Brexit Wars?
March 28, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourAs the Johnson Rebellion fails to materialise and backbench rebellions over Northern Ireland fizzle, are we finally, finally seeing the end of the Brexit Wars? Plus: Humza Yousaf wins the SNP leadership. Can he put the party back together? How does Dominic Cummings still cast such a baleful shadow over the Tories? And Paris is burning. Can Macron put out the fire? Or is he l’allume-feu déformé? “The ERG WhatsApp saga shows you that yes, there’s a friends group… but there’s always the inner ...
Hog Roast for Greased Piglet
March 23, 2023 13:10 - 1 hourSPECIAL EARLY RELEASE! THE GREASED PIGLET IS OUT OF THE PEN... It’s his party and he’ll lie if he wants to… Boris Johnson finally, finally goes before the Privileges Committee. How did his tactic of sneering, blustering and lying go over? And is it finally sausage time for the Greased Piglet? Plus as the horrific Casey Report excoriates the Met, does London’s police force have to be dismantled? And in the Extra Bit, what’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to our panelists? “Johnson’s ...
Check Your Privileges
March 21, 2023 04:00 - 1 hourBoris Johnson is stealing the limelight from Rishi Sunak yet again as he faces a four-hour grilling from furious MPs. We look ahead to the greased piglets latest trial. Plus, the panel reflects on the Iraq War, 20 years on. How has it warped our politics? Then, in the extra bit for Patreon backers, we look to the skies and discuss who should occupy the moon base – and whether we really need one. “It will be glorious – it has the outward architecture of farce already.” – Tom Peck “His defe...
Getting Off on a Technicality
March 17, 2023 04:00 - 1 hourJeremy Hunt’s bland Budget offers little hope – but hey, at least we avoided a technical recession. The panel picks apart the Chancellor’s pledges. Plus, as Rishi Sunak lets his MPs duke it out – is he above the fray, or asleep at the wheel? Polly Mackenzie, chief social purpose officer at UAL and formerly director of Demos, is this week’s guest. “The post-purge Tory party keeps on drifting to the right… it’s a significant problem.” – Ian Dunt “Is Sunak someone who actually wants to make ...
Own Goal of the Month
March 14, 2023 04:00 - 1 hourLineker versus the BBC ends 1-0 to the football legend. What does the ding-dong battle tell us about the broadcaster’s shortcomings? And why did the Government call this so wrong? Plus, what is going on with Trump and Fox News? The panel looks at the right-wing rage machines across the Atlantic. And, we discuss the protests in Georgia – and the nation’s desire to join the EU. “Footballers are media trained, this feels like a fight the Government shouldn’t want to pick – but they keep doing ...
Cruel Intentions
March 10, 2023 04:00 - 53 minutesBraverman and Sunak’s callous and dehumanising “stop the boats” push is the latest moral shame bestowed upon us by this Government. Plus, we ask: is it ever okay for politicians to lie? We discuss the criticism of party leaders changing tack… And in the extra bit (for Patreon backers) – should we try harder to celebrate success in later life? “The way the government has conducted itself over small boats is despicable.” – Ian Dunt “Braverman gave less a word salad and more a word meringue, ...