What Is Going On?

WIGO is back! After a brief hiatus (mainly due to the pubs re-opening) Jack is joined by Kieran for the opening of the third season of What is Going On. And what a week to return! The duo discuss the recent resignation of Matt Hancock as Health Secretary after it was revealed he was having an affair with an aide and broke social distancing rules, that he had imposed on the nation, doing so. The two mull over the charge that we are living in a "chumocracy"; where well connected friends of ministers win NHS contracts and secret lovers end up employed at the Department of Health. The second segment of the episode deals with the recent discovery of classified Ministry of Defence documents behind a bus stop in Kent and the hosts examine why there is currently so much tension between the UK and Russian governments.

In this episode, Amber makes her second appearance alongside WIGO regular Kieran. They discuss the growing unrest in Northern Ireland, where more than 30 police officers have been injured in riots over the last week, and whether Brexit is a factor. The recent publication of the government commissioned Race Report is also covered, and it is examined whether the conclusion that Britain is not institutionally racist is correct.

A special episode this week with Jack's two housemates, Faryal and Kieran. After the events at Batley Grammar School, Yorkshire, this week, involving a teacher showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad in a Religious Studies class, the trio discuss the boundaries of freedom of expression. Faryal brings her experience as a practising muslim to the debate and Jack highlights the issues currently facing France (where the cartoon originated) and it's particular form of state secularism - Laïcité. Questions are posed as to how welcome muslims feel in their own countries, where they sometimes feel that their right to practice their religion is not being respected; and a debate is had over how far reaching freedom of expression should be. 

In this episode, Jack is joined by Executive Producer Kieran. They discuss the passage of the governments new Crime Bill and it's implications for protests in the UK. As well as examining the role of the House of Lords in British governance and whether hereditary peers and the Upper Chamber as a whole should go.

After a few weeks hiatus, WIGO is back! This week Jack is joined by Emilie to discuss the Harry and Meghan interview that has dominated the news for the last fortnight. They ask whether the Monarchy is fit for purpose in the 21st century and whether the public should care about the lives of royalty. And of course, they cover the sad news of the death of Sarah Everard this week, how the conversation needs to change and what men can do to help women feel safe on the streets.

Jack is joined this week by his housemates Cristina and Kieran, to discuss the new Australian law that would make the likes of Facebook and Google pay for news content. In response, Facebook banned all content from news companies, which didn't go down well. They also cover the UK Supreme Court ruling that states Uber drivers are now workers entitled to sick pay, holiday and minimum wage. Cristina also has her own podcast with her sister Monica, Riding into the Unknown, about self growth, mental health, careers and more - give it a listen! Instagram: @ridingintotheunknown Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gQui4kDhrTu0HVADscC4z?si=r84nYTxqRl6BwACtbXQ3TQ

Jack is once again joined by Kieran, who is becoming a regular contributor on the show, to discuss the Indian Farmer Protests and the Coup in Myanmar. They cover the reasons behind millions of agricultural workers descending on New Dehli and the government's response, as well as Aung San Suu Kyi's legacy and why the Burmese military stepped in now.

Jack is joined once again by Kieran, star of episode 1, and Rich to discuss the details surrounding GameStop, Reddit and short-selling. They also cover Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny's decision to return to his country this month, and the protests that have followed his incarceration.

In this special episode, Jack is joined by his former politics lecturer Dr Mark Shanahan to discuss the end of the Trump era and the beginning of Joe Biden's presidency. They cover everything from Trump's pending impeachment, to Biden's first actions in office, to the possibility of Harris 2024.

Jack is joined once again by Elliot, in his second appearance on the show, to discuss the implications for free speech after Trumps ban from social media this week. They also discuss just how well the vaccine roll out in the UK has been going.

Happy New Year! Jack is joined by Evan to discuss the riots that took place at the US Capitol building in the first week of 2021, as well as share some personal stories about mental health and the struggles of finding a job during a pandemic.

In this special episode, Jack looks back on the past 6 weeks of the podcast and picks out the best bits from each episode. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and holiday season and all the best for 2021! WIGO will return in the New Year!

Jack is joined by Susan Carter, an American journalist, lawyer and priest, to discuss what has been going on since the election of Joe Biden a month ago. They cover the delay to the transition period, Trump's attempts to remain in power, the Supreme Court and so much more. This episode is packed with interesting facts and expert knowledge!

Jack talks with Joe, a key worker in the supermarket sector, about the collapse of TopShop owner Arcadia Group, as well as department store giant Debenhams and what this means for the UK High Street. They also discuss how well supermarkets have really done during the pandemic, their recent return to the taxpayer of billions in government funding and how they decide what items are essential and which aren't.

Jack talks to James about the new Tier System of Covid restrictions in England and what money is going where in the Spending review this week.

Jack talks to Amber about the reaction to that Sainsbury's Christmas advert and racism in the UK today, as well as the news that Jeremy Corbyn has been re-instated to the Labour Party, despite his comments on antisemitism.

Jack chats with Elliot about the news of a Covid vaccine, lockdowns across the four nations of the UK and how we're all going to get home for Christmas.

Episode 1! I chat with Kieran about the US Election and what it means for US, the UK and the rest of the world.