PoliticsJOE Podcast

After Labour lost a safe seat to Reform and an ex-Tory MP won the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty for Farage, we ran in to the PolJOE dungeon on Friday morning to give you the lowdown of the Local Election results so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode, Laura, Ed and Seán go deep on Louis Theroux's new documentary highlighting the plight of the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank, and the flagrant breaches of international law at the heart of the Zionist settler movement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before we get into the meat and spud of this week's PMQs, we do a bit of reflecting on the absolute freak out around KNEECAP, and their being held to a higher standard than actual elected politicians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 1st will see 23 local elections, 4 metro mayor elections, and one by-election. But, who are the runners and riders? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After rappers Kneecap drew the ire of FOX News and Sharon Osborne for their Coachella back drop, two instances from gigs of theirs in the UK have been taken to be assessed by counter-terrorism police. On today's podcast, we break down the band's activism, Ireland's links to Palestine, and the significance of America in the UK's investigations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Kemi Badenoch was taking aim at Keir Starmer's latest U-turn, this time on trans women in light of the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman. We break it down in today's PMQs analysis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed has crash landed back to earth after joining Katie Perry et al on their Blue Origin flight and we're chatting Vatican.After the Pope passed away on Easter Monday, we take something of a look at who could replace him at the head of the Catholic Church. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He hath risen and so have the PoliticsJOE - to deliver you this Easter special. Ava, Laura, and Séan answer your questions from the Reddit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talks to end the Birmingham bin strikes collapsed this week. No deal was reached between Birmingham council and Unite union and the all-out strike entered its fifth week.There's warnings of a public health emergency. Bin bags line the street, mountains of rubbish pile up in alleys, and an influx of rats is plaguing the city. And, Unite's General Secretary Sharon Graham has warned bin strikes could spread to other local authorities as cash strapped councils make further cuts. The dispute began when the effective bankruptcy of Birmingham council triggered their decision to remove Waste Recycling and Collection Officers, a safety role it says does not exist at other authorities.Last month, I went to Birmingham to speak to striking bin workers, and some local residents, whose voices you're about to hear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reform UK is contesting nearly all the 1,600 council seats up for re-election on the 1st of May.And, with the popularity of Labour dropping in the polls since the general election, and the Conservatives stagnant, could the Green Party position itself as the real opposition to Reform?PoliticsJOE went to Kent to find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Ava is joined by Charlie Craggs and Conor Clark to break down the Supreme Court's ruling on Wednesday that found the term "woman" refers to biological sex. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Oli is joined by Labour MP for Makerfield Josh Simons to chat fatherhood, birth rate and how to make the UK work for the people rather than growth for growth's sake. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura and Seán hold the fort today with a breakdown of the goings on in Parliament over the weekend, where Jonathan Reynolds seized control of British Steel in a bid to save jobs in Scunthorpe.Laura was in Kent with the Green Party on Saturday, and we take a look at what the party need to do to win votes from a Reform-curious electorate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economist Yanis Varoufakis joined Oli to analyse Trump's tariff war - and what the fallout could mean for the rest of the world's economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British Steel has been warning for several days that the raw materials needed to keep its plant's two blast furnaces operational are running out.The Chinese-owned company says the business is no longer sustainable, and are willing to let the factory cease operations - at the cost of 2,700 jobs. Labour have 24 hours to buy in new products and make a bid to nationalise the plant. Will they do it?Journalist and Video Edit: Ava Santina EvansVideographer: Oli Johnson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we've drafted in Laura to get Ava to talk about Scunthorpe since Oli failed to do so on Wednesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Oli and Ava sit down and catch up after Ava returned from Scunthorpe where Nigel Farage surprisingly called for the steel industry to be nationalised.We then get into the methods we use to get to work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're reacting to the latest from America, after confusion over whether a 90 day pause on tariffs was coming spurred a quick peak and trough in the stock market. We also break down what the latest push against China means for the future of US hegemony, and the UK's response to the whole disaster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're going deep on the financial meltdown the US President has sent the world into, after his sandwich board tariff declaration last week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Academic Meadbh Park spends her time interviewing incels. She swung by JOETowers to chat with Oli about how mainstream media created the blackpill ideology. Her new book Blackpilled is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The private rented sector is broken and tenants across the UK have been waiting for the government to ban no-fault evictions. Labour MP Alex Sobel tabled the amendment that on top of this ban, would see landlords banned from charging tenants more than one months rent up front. He's also looking at loosening guarantor laws to help more people get into private rentals. This interview was originally recorded in January 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rent in London has increased by a third over the last 5 years - and wages haven't. The average rent in the capital is now £2121 a month. Resultantly, an increasing number of young Brits are living as property guardians in empty schools, police stations, and office blocks, usually awaiting demolition - but is this really a viable solution to the housing crisis?To find out, junior political correspondent Laura Beveridge visited 27-year-old musician Szofia Rozsa (@rozsa___), who lives in a decommissioned NHS hospital. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Keir Starmer looks at more ways to force the nation to watch his favourite TV shows, we are joined by comedian and podcaster Horatio Gould to react to another week of PMQs.Buy tickets for Horatio's tour here: https://www.mickperrin.com/tours/horatio-gould-return-of-the-space-cowboy/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by friend and colleague Tom Usher for today's episode of the podcast. After Keir Starmer announced that Netflix's Adolescence will be shown in schools nationwide, we break down whether young people actually are the target audience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ava Santina is joined by journalist and author Róisín Lanigan to talk about her new book: I Want To Go Home But I'm Already There.Buy I Want To Go Home But I'm Already There: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/459281/i-want-to-go-home-but-im-already-there-by-lanigan-roisin/9780241668535 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feargal Sharkey and Megan Trump join Ava Santina to discuss the scourge of water companies dumping sewage in Britain's rivers. Megan's poetry: https://eastbristolbooks.co.uk/products/my-avon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pioneering feminist academic Judith Butler swung by JOETowers to chat again with Oli. They spoke about how men perform masculinity and why the Republican's get so riled up by gender. The paper back of Butler's book Who's Afraid of Gender? is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Businessman and author Angus Hanton swung by JOE Towers last week to speak to us about his book Vassal State: How America Runs Britain.During our chat, Angus breaks down the checks and balances the US have embedded into the British political system to ensure complete control of the country, and how we aren't winning sovereignty any time soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been 8 months since Divinia last visited JOE towers, so we thought we'd catch up on life since the Labour election.Not forgetting four months into Donald Trump's administration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ava and Seán are in the PolJOE dungeon this afternoon straight after Rachel Reeves decided to tighten the screw on some of the most vulnerable people in the United Kingdom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Moneybox. PolJOE host Ed Campbell sat down with Moneybox expert Brian Byrnes, to explore the challenges young people face in buying a house, from reliance on the "bank of mum and dad" to the difficulty of saving while stuck in the rental cycle. Govt. withdrawal charge may apply. ISA and tax rules apply. For S&S LISA, capital at risk. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're joined by comedian and podcaster Fin Taylor on the podcast.We're chatting Keir Starmer, Reform UK and whether or not Ed is a cyclist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former executive director of Human Rights Watch discusses how to get Trump to negotiate peace deals that protect human rights, and why the West exercises a double standard when it comes to Israel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Mahon is the CEO of Channel 4. She came by JOE Towers to chat to us about recent media trends her organisation have been reacting to, their recent reporting on young people turning away from democracy, and how to bring them back from the brink. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're going deep on Stephen Graham's Netflix show Adolescence and what it says about the society young British men live in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we kick things off by taking a look back at Gareth Southgate's Dimbleby lecture, where he warned of toxic influencers manipulating young men across the world. Then, we get into PMQs, where Keir Starmer faced another week of chucking out the same tired lines and non-answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Laura and Seán are getting through Donald Trump's air strikes on Yemen and what they mean for the Middle East. They also get into Conor McGregor's appearance at the White House, and why it makes absolutely no sense. Finally, we look ahead to Liz Kendall's reform of disability benefits to be presented in the Commons today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today while we're waiting for Ed to cycle in we're dissecting new Canadian PM Mark Carney's pivot to Europe, and then we get on to the will they won't they of Labour's trailed plans to cut benefits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We were joined in the studio by economist Cahal Moran in lieu of the release of his book Why We're Getting Poorer: A Realist's Guide to the Economy and How We Can Fix It.During our conversation we break down exactly what's wrong with Keir Starmer's economic strategy, how it could spell his downfall and why the UK doesn't need its own DOGE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Holten is an economist and author of Defecit: How Feminist Economics can change our world.She swung by JOETowers to break down the politics of austerity economics, care and what the economy can learn from European states who've made cuts over the last decade and experienced economic downturn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is getting bloody good at not answering questions on a Wednesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury declared his plan to stand down as MP for Runcorn on Monday following his sentencing and acquittal on appeal for assaulting a constituent. Today we take a look at the runners and riders, and why Reform could win here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a torrid weekend at Reform Towers. MP Rupert Lowe had some diparaging words for leader Nigel Farage in the Daily Mail. He's subsequently been refered to the police. The two events are not connected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Omar El Akkad's new new book One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This offers a searing indictment of the complicit liberalism and hypocrisy of the West and asks the question: how will we remember the war in Gaza?He swung by JOETowers to chat to Oli about his work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investigative journalist Ellie Flynn swung by JOETowers to discuss the findings of her new documentary, Dispatches: Skinny Jab Scandal, available to stream now on Channel 4. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We were joined by Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East Andy McDonald to dissect the Employment Rights Bill, what's in it, and how it could change the game for British workers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Alexandra Haddow joins us in the content dungeon for today's PMQs reaction with a little extra sweetener - Donald Trump's Congress address. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JD Vance made some unhinged claims on Sean Hannity's FOX show on Monday, claiming the UK and France are "random" countries that haven't been in a war in 30 or 40 years. Today we dissect what on earth he was on about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

der. Ed, Ava, and Oli dive into the steaming hot saddle ready to dissect the end of the rules-based international order. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Chessum swung by JOETowers to discuss how to build a new Left in the wake of the fall of the Corbyn project. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Littlefair of Blue Collar Parliament joined us in the studio to outline his campaign's goal to secure greater working-class representation in Westminster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.