Podcast appearances and mentions of Aaron Bastani

Rising unemployment, increased military spending, and a decline in living standards for most people, including the middle class: the description fits both the 1930s and the 2020s. In the 1930s, it was a situation that morphed into the destruction and horror of the Second World War. On Downstream with Aaron Bastani this week is Clara […]

Firas, Nick and Josh discuss the madness of the Iran war, how Aaron Bastani is more conservative than Reform, and government plans to pay the Danegeld.

Events in Iran have led news bulletins, alongside ongoing wars in Ukraine and Sudan. As crises compete for attention, questions are being raised about whether reporting captures a wider shift in global power or centres on immediate developments. Christina Lamb, Chief International Correspondent at The Sunday Times, Aaron Bastani, co-founder of Novara Media, and Sir John Tusa, former Managing Director of the BBC World Service, discuss the media's role in uncertain times. The Green Party's victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election in the north of England, overturning a previously safe Labour seat, has prompted debate about political reporting in the UK. Rachel Cunliffe, Associate Editor at The New Statesman, explains her approach. At the age of 90, Sir John Tusa has launched a new interview podcast, The Best is Yet to Come, featuring conversations with public figures in their nineties. The series enters a crowded podcast market and raises questions about how older voices are represented in the media. Production credits Presenters: Katie Razzall Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content Producer: Lucy Wai Researcher: Ruth Waites Technical Coordinator: Margot Campanaro Sound: Pat Sissons

Katie Razzall hears how the conflict in the Middle East is being covered across the region with staff from the BBC Monitoring Unit. Christina Lamb, Chief Foreign Correspondent at the Sunday Times, Aaron Bastani from Novara Media and broadcaster Sir John Tusa discuss whether day to day crisis reporting is crowding out the deeper story of geopolitical realignment. We also discuss whether the were media blind spots behind the Green Party's shock win in Gorton and Denton. And Sir John Tusa returns to talk about his new podcast The Best Is Yet to Come - why he's interviewing the over 90s, and what a lifetime in broadcasting has taught him about how the media should evolve.Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content Producer: Lucy Wai

Pete Hegseth insists America is winning the illegal war against Iran.   Plus: Could a civil war be brewing in Iran? Trump says the wrong Iranian leaders were killed, and Marco Rubio backtracks on the TRUTH About Israel   With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani & Sara Kermanian

Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer has won the Gorton and Denton by-election by more than 4000 votes, with Labour coming in third behind Reform. Plus: Why the mainstream media are repeating claims of “sectarian campaigning” and “family voting”. With Michael Walker & Aaron Bastani.

Reform's push to put children into poverty. Plus: Is “build, baby, build” making progress?, Big Tech's arms race, and China flaunts dominance in humanoid robots. With Michael Walker & Aaron Bastani

NOTE: An error occurred with the upload of this episode, where it played our interview with Richard Sanders instead. It has now been fixed. Please refresh your feed. Starmer called into question AGAIN Plus: Anthropic safety lead offers a chilling warning, and ‘Prince' Andrew's Ex In CARCRASH Interview. With Michael Walker & Aaron Bastani

‘Mandelson lied repeatedly,' says PM Plus: Noam Chomsky's DISTURBING relationship with Epstein, and Elon Musk caught lying in the wake of recent Epstein revelations… With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani & Steven Methven

Trump warns Iran that he is ready to attack Plus: Starmer visits China – a first for a UK PM since 2018, and the reality of workers being replaced by AI…  With Michael Walker & Aaron Bastani

Trump gives speech at WEF as tension builds Plus: Mark Carney's powerful speech, Scott Bessant on the aims of sanctions in Russia and Iran, and John Mearsheimer is back to expose Piers Morgan. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani & Caitlín Doherty Downstream IRL: Aaron Bastani in conversation with Ash Sarkar: https://dice.fm/event/wwrypg-downstream-irl-aaron-bastani-in-conversation-with-ash-sarkar-16th-feb-earth-london-tickets Downstream Newsletter: novara.media/downstreamnewsletter

Following his kidnapping, Nicolás Maduro pleads not-guilty.  Plus: Trump warns Europe they'll be next, and the insider who made big bucks betting on Maduro's kidnap. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani, and Juan David Rojas.

Ash Sarkar and Aaron Bastani joined each other on 17th December for a special end-of-year Downstream, wrapping up the year in politics.

Reform UK is now the country's largest party, following the collapse of Labour's membership. Plus: The Guardian has revealed that last year Britain threatened to defund the International Court of Justice if it prosecuted Benjamin Netanyahu. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani & Juan David Rojas.

Labour have been accused of breaking another manifesto pledge after watering down their workers rights bill. Plus: The right-wing press are now panicking about emigration as well as immigration, and Rachel Reeves has been accused of misleading the public. With Michael Walker & Aaron Bastani.

Rachel Reeves' long-awaited budget is looming, as some speculate that bond markets could force her to revise it. Plus: The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for accepting Russian bribes. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani, Jayati Ghosh & Carole Cadwalladr.

Plaid Cymru's Lindsay Whittle has taken a historic Labour stronghold in the Caerphilly by-election. Plus: Ireland goes to the polls to elect a new President, why Zack Polanski's brand of eco-populism is infuriating the right, and we speak to Times Columnist James Marriott about the decline of reading. With: Michael Walker & Aaron Bastani. Support […]

Just over two years after the beginning of the genocide in Gaza, and just days after the announcement of a ceasefire, Aaron Bastani spoke to three Palestinian writers in front of a live audience at EartH in Hackney. Ahmed Alnaouq is the host of Palestine Deep Dive and the co-founder of ‘We Are Not Numbers', […]

Keir Starmer has announced plans to introduce mandatory digital ID cards as a measure against illegal immigration. Plus: The US backs Tony Blair to run the transitional authority in Gaza, and terrorism charges have been dropped against Kneecap's Mo Chara. With: Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani, Jasleen Chaggar (Big Brother Watch), Morgan Wild (Labour Together), and […]

The division between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana grows over the botched launch of a new left party. Plus: TikTok has fired its entire UK online safety team, and we speak to Clive Lewis about the mainstreaming of far-right politics. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

What were the ancient alternatives to democracy? Did people in the Bronze Age forget how to write – or deliberately stop? And what's the use in studying ancient languages? In a Downstream IRL recorded at EartH Hackney, Aaron Bastani speaks to Josephine Quinn, Professor of Ancient History at Cambridge University, about some lesser-known aspects of the […]

Angela Rayner has resigned as Deputy Prime Minister. Plus: Reform UK conference has begun; and the Chinese are unhappy with the EU. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

Israel is claiming discrimination against after the UK disinvited its delegation from an arms fair. Plus: A Labour MSP has been accused of planting a camera in a bathroom of the Scottish Parliament. With NoJusticeMTG and Aaron Bastani.

Dan Wang is a technology analyst and author whose life experience, spent partly in North America, partly in China, sets him up as an authoritative observer of the differences and similarities between the American and Chinese empires. In conversation with Aaron Bastani, Wang shares his thesis that elite overproduction of engineers in China, and lawyers in […]

Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to occupy the whole of Gaza has sparked global condemnation, with Germany halting military exports that could be used against Palestinians. Plus: An interview with Amazon Labor Union co-founder Chris Smalls on his time on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and violent detention by the IDF. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

Novara FM was Novara Media's first show – it's now coming to an end. On the final episode, Richard Hames sat down with Aaron Bastani, James Butler and Ash Sarkar to talk about 15 years of Novara Media. What have we learned from a decade and a half fighting a media landscape that insists nothing […]

Michael Lewis is an American author, journalist, and former bond trader. His best-known book, The Big Short, explains the 2000s US housing bubble and helped many people understand the 2008 financial crisis. In this interview, Lewis speaks with Aaron Bastani about his latest book, a collection of essays on federal government employees. Lewis finds that […]

It's here! Or is it? On this Friday's show – we'll be discussing whether the rumblings of a new left party, the proscription of Palestine Action and more. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani, Jamie Driscoll and Omar Abdel-Mannan

Keir Starmer has conceded to Labour rebels, backing down on billions of pounds in welfare cuts. Plus: Four people have been arrested in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest at RAF Brize Norton, and an interview with generative AI's most prominent sceptic Gary Marcus. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

Israel Katz has called for the evacuation of ten million people from Tehran “to destabilise the regime”.   Plus: Palestine Action have targeted an RAF base; and Parliament has voted in favour of the assisted dying bill.   With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani

Israel's attack on Tehran has killed scores of people and threatens to ignite a regional war. With Michael Walker, Daniel Levy and Aaron Bastani.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump's special relationship is well and truly over. Plus: We speak to documentary filmmaker Jessi Gutch about her upcoming film on Britain's political divide; and an AI model has been observed rewriting its own code to avoid being shut down. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

Netanyahu has responded to the joint statement of the UK, France and Canada to take concrete actions against Israel. Plus: Is an AI apocalypse coming? And Trump has lashed out at Keir Starmer over net zero. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

Ash Sarkar, Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani debate: could the Labour Party be heading for a trouncing? Help us build people-powered media: https://novara.media/support

Ash Sarkar, Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani debate one of the most pressing questions of the day: can Reform UK win a general election? Might it even win the next one? Help us build people-powered media: https://novara.media/support

Keir Starmer is touting his trade deal with Donald Trump as a political victory, but is it really just damage limitation? Plus: James Butler on the new pope; and David Wallace-Wells on Bill Gates' swipe at Elon Musk. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

Reform UK appear to have broken the hold of the two-party system on English politics. Plus: A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has been bombed; and Mark Zuckerberg on the future of friendship. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

Reform UK are expected to take a significant vote share from Labour and the Tories in the upcoming local elections. Plus: We interview an aid worker in Gaza; and we discuss the privatisation of space. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani, Gavin Kelleher and Carla Ibled.

Aaron Bastani was joined by Israeli historian Ilan Pappé for a live recording of Downstream on 7 April at EartH in East London. They discussed the origins of Britain's Israel lobby, the indoctrination of Israelis, and whether the recent atrocities committed in Gaza and the West Bank are signs of Israel's imminent collapse. Help us […]

Donald Trump could walk away from Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations within days if no progress is made, warns Marco Rubio. Plus: David Lammy's secret visit with the Israeli foreign secretary; and the IMF's push to keep people working older. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani, Paul Morland and Peter Oborne – author of ‘The Fate of Abraham: […]

Donald Trump has ramped up his trade war with China to nuclear levels. We're joined by a Cambridge university professor to discuss. With Michael Walker, Aaron Bastani and Jostein Hauge of the University of Cambridge

In 2024 the Conservative party suffered their worst defeat in two centuries. But while Labour struggles in office, the Tories are going nowhere fast. Meanwhile Britain shambles on without an economic model, or a wider vision for the future. How long can national decline continue? And when will things come to a head? Aaron Bastani […]

The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of student visas. Shocking footage shows masked ICE agents snatching a Turkish national off the street. Plus: Why Labour should be worried about left-wing independents. With NoJusticeMTG and Aaron Bastani.

Investigative journalist Matt Kennard joins Aaron Bastani to discuss Britain's complicity in the genocide of Palestinians, following a series revelations published in Declassified UK. In an extensive conversation about the shifting sands of global security, the author of The Racket also discusses the elimination of USAID, America's U-turn on Russia, and the rearmament of Europe. […]

Keir Starmer has said that a “coalition of the willing” is needed to rally around Ukraine as Europe responds to a foreign policy shift from the White House. Plus: An interview with Die Linke co-leader Ines Schwerdtner. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani.

The planned press conference between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been cancelled following a heated exchange in the Oval Office. Plus: Annaleise Dodds resigns as international development minister over Keir Starmer's cut to foreign aid. With Michael Walker, Robert Evans and Aaron Bastani.

“I'm literally a communist, you idiot”. For almost a decade Ash Sarkar has been one of Britain's most prominent left wing political journalists. She first met Aaron Bastani in 2010, and was later invited on to the Novara FM podcast. It wasn't long before she was calling Piers Morgan an idiot on morning TV. Now […]

On inauguration day, UnHerd gathers outspoken critics and cheerleaders of the new US President to debate the promise and peril of Donald Trump 2.0. Will the 47th leader of the free world really make America great again? Join writer Mary Harrington, academic James Orr and journalists Aaron Bastani and Peter Hitchens for a live debate at the UnHerd Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 10th of December, Ash Sarkar, Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani discussed an epoch-defining year and its implications for the future. Is Starmer screwed? Are expansionist wars back? Has ‘woke' died? Find out in our end of year Downstream special.

While the first modern trains were built in the early 19th century – more people travel by rail today than ever before. Not only have passenger numbers risen in the UK but the likes of China, Iran and Uzbekistan now have high-speed networks. On this episode of Downstream, Aaron Bastani is joined by author and […]