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Ivan Rodriguez Deb is a Visually Impaired Tennis player, concert Pianist and organist who after winning every match in his category (B4) was crowned World Champion at the VI Tennis tournament in Vilnius, Lithuania earlier this summer and as well as starting his 3rd year at the guildhall School of Music and Drama has already performed on stage at many prestigious places including The Royal Albert Hall, Downing Street and St. George's Hanover Square in London.RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey caught up with Ivan to find out how he got into playing VI tennis and getting into music at the same time, how his Mum, Brother and Tennis Coach helped him to succeed in the sport and be crowned World Champion in the B4 VI Tennis category this summer, how he has become an accomplished pianist at such an early age and his advice for other visually impaired people on getting into sport and music.There is more about Ivan and his music career on his website via the following link and to keep up to date with his continued success on the tennis court do follow him on Instagram @IvanRDeb - https://www.ivanrdeb.comImage shows an action shot of Ivan playing tennis on the court, crouching low hitting the ball backhanded with his left hand.
The problems are mounting for Andy Burnham ahead of his first Labour Party Conference as Prime Minister.After a positive first two months in Downing Street, the economic picture is becoming more challenging. Government borrowing has risen, inflation is above 3% and the Government's fiscal headroom is under increasing pressure ahead of the October Budget.On the eve of Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, Northern Spin hosts Chris Maguire and Frank McKenna ask whether Burnham can turn the good vibes of his first weeks in office into the tough decisions demanded by government.Is he prepared to tackle politically difficult issues such as the pension triple lock, tax rises and welfare spending?Or was former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane right to warn that financial markets risk seeing Burnham's administration as a 'traditional tax and spend socialist government with better TikTok videos'? In this episode, Maguire and McKenna also discuss:Is the PM putting too many of his eggs in the devolution basket?What can we expect from October's Budget?Reform and the donations rowOur regional round-up from across the NorthAnd finally – who's on manoeuvres?Northern Spin is a joint production from BusinessCloud and Downtown in Business. The podcast is produced by Dan Brown of Renowned and sponsored by Sancus Lending UK.
Labour officials in Downing Street and beyond have discussed the parameters in which a snap election could be called. Will Andy Burnham take the gamble? As speculation about the idea grips Westminster, host Lucy Fisher is joined by political editor George Parker and deputy political editor Jim Pickard to weigh up the risks and rewards of going to the public early. They also look ahead to the Labour Party conference in Liverpool starting this weekend, and the troubles that lie ahead for UK-EU relations. Plus George reports back from Burnham's first major international summit at the UN general assembly in New York, where the prime minister weathered his first encounter with Donald Trump.Follow Lucy on X or Bluesky @LOS_Fisher, @lucyfisher.ft.com ; George on @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Jim @PickardJEWant more? The risks of calling an early election for Andy BurnhamTreasury open to smaller fiscal headroom to reduce UK tax risesThe FT's budget dashboard: the data confronting chancellor John HealeyLabour conference set to vote on new AI regulator as cabinet concerns growDonald Trump rejects ‘globalist scheme' to control AI in blow to Andy BurnhamUK to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in its fight with Houthi rebelsHow could John Healey raise tax in the budgetSign up here for Stephen Bush's morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek. Get 30 days free.Our email address is politicalfix@ft.comPresented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiades and Richard Topping. The FT's head of audio is Flo Phillips.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Step into the restless, glittering and deeply unequal London of 1904 with author, screenwriter and director Mario Theodorou, creator of the Felix Grey Mysteries.Mario joins Hazel to explore the Edwardian capital behind his historical thrillers: a city of political power, royal intrigue, rapid technological change and growing demands for social reform. At the heart of the novels is Felix Grey, an idealistic and inexperienced young Prime Minister drawn into dangerous mysteries of abduction, conspiracy and corruption.Together, Hazel and Mario travel across Edwardian London—from Downing Street, Parliament and Buckingham Palace to Fleet Street, the Savoy, the Tower of London, Bow, Old Kent Road and Sailortown. They discuss gentleman's clubs and imperial power, the changing character of the capital, workers' rights, the Bryant & May matchwomen, suffrage, the press, secret passages, and the tension between the old Victorian order and a more modern, uncertain future.Mario also shares how his film background shapes the sensory world of his fiction, from the smell of ink on Fleet Street to the energy of the docks, and why he hopes readers will begin to see London as a lived-in city of overlapping stories rather than simply a tourist destination.A richly atmospheric conversation for anyone who loves Edwardian London, historical fiction, political intrigue and the hidden histories beneath the city's streets.London History Podcast Website
Jeremy Kyle reacts as Downing Street advisers are pushing for an early general election NEXT YEAR. Several senior members of Andy Burnham's team believe that calling an election in the spring would give Labour the best chance of another majority. A YouGov megapoll released yesterday showed Labour would remain the largest party with 241 seats. The Conservatives would be in second place with 130 seats, better than their result in 2024, while Reform would be pushed into third place with 123 seats. In contrast, last year's megapoll showed Reform UK winning 311 seats.The number of small-boat migrants who have reached Britain under Labour is larger than the entire British Army. 781 migrants arrived on Wednesday – the highest daily tally this year. It pushed the total since the general election to 83,279 – passing the Army's 83,000 soldiers. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said. 'Labour has let an entire army-sized population cross the Channel illegally,Education Secretary Lucy Powell came under fire last night after she denied that benefits claimants spend their handouts on drink or gambling. She said welfare recipients spend their 'very little' money on rent and paying household bills rather than luxuries. Kemi Badenoch this week announced plans for a crackdown on benefits, with the jobless who have paid little in taxes seeing their handouts cut by 30 per cent.The criminal justice system is prioritising paedophiles before children, Britain's most senior police officer has said after a child sex offender was bailed to a flat near a children's playground. The Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley attacked the decision to free Zafer Dogan as “yet another example of victims being let down”. The 32-year-old had admitted taking thousands of photos of people without their knowledge before using software to turn some of them into sexually explicit images, including by digitally removing clothing.Wake up with Talk Breakfast in full on YouTube, DAB+ radio, Samsung TV Plus or the Talk App on your TV from 6am every morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Netanyahu condemns media, and praises Trump, Downing Street aides push Burnham to go for an early election, and former rugby star Joe Marler joins Nick in the studio.
In this episode of Whitehall Sources, we explore the upcoming Labour Party conference, the impact of recent polling data, and the strategic considerations for political parties in the UK. The House Magazine's Sienna Rodgers and James Nation, share insights on party dynamics, electoral strategies, and the current political landscape.-- Whitehall Sources is a podcast which takes you behind the door of Number 10 Downing Street. Senior advisers to our most recent Prime Ministers share their experiences and analyse current events. Top advisers to our significant political leaders analyse the successes and failures of today's politics, sharing their experiences of working in Whitehall. Jo Tanner is a political adviser and strategist who's worked with politicians from all parties. James Nation OBE is the former Deputy Head of Policy Unit to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Journalist and broadcaster Calum Macdonald manages their in-tray of talking points, U-turns and crises. From parties in Westminster to the tactics of SpAds, this is your exclusive insight into how politics is done and how politicians work. We welcome insiders and analysts to join the conversation each week. Listen here: https://podfollow.com/1649210131 Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: search for Whitehall Sources Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In Thursday's episode of The Daily T, Camilla Tominey and Tim Stanley are joined by pollster Scarlett Maguire to explore the latest YouGov MRP poll that points to the next general election resulting in a super-hung parliament. They discuss how a coalition between multiple parties could work and explore the idea that the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party could play vital roles in forming the next government.They also discuss Kemi Badenoch's plans to block people on benefits from spending their money on alcohol, with Tim suggesting that those who will suffer most from this plan are young people.Plus: will Andy Burnham's plans to bring back drinking alcohol in football stands be a vote winner?Get your tickets to The Daily T's On The Road Sunday Showdown between Camilla Tominey and Bridget Phillipson here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph-events/live-events-party-conferences-2026/► Subscribe to our new Daily T YouTube channel: youtube.com/@dailytpodcast► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorThe Telegraph is the Publisher Podcast Awards' Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026Producer: David LeveneSenior Producer: Emma WilliamsSocial Producer: Nada AggourVideo Producer: Jim SpencerExecutive Producer: Charlotte SeligmanEditor: Camilla TomineyHighlights:Pollster Scarlett Maguire dissects the latest MRP YouGov poll which predicts a super hung parliament at the next genera electionTim, Camilla and Scarlett analyse the policy announcements, scandals and stories that have impacted the major political parties' polling Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Francesco Spartà, Marco Ubezio"Exit Queen"Scacco alla ReginaBonfirraro Editorewww.bonfirraroeditore.itLa monarchia può sopravvivere alla democrazia?Per la prima volta nella sua storia, la monarchia britannica potrebbe finire al voto.Un nuovo primo ministro ha conquistato Downing Street trasformando il rancore di una generazione in una vittoria elettorale travolgente. Ora porta a Buckingham Palace una proposta di legge, una data, dieci lettere che potrebbero cambiare per sempre la storia britannica: un referendum sulla monarchia.Elisabetta II lo ascolta in silenzio. Ha attraversato guerre, crisi politiche e rivoluzioni culturali. Ha visto cadere imperi e primi ministri. Sa che il potere vero non ha bisogno di gridare: resiste. Ma questa volta qualcosa è diverso. E per la prima volta il silenzio potrebbe non bastare.Fuori dal palazzo il Paese è già diviso. Nei pub del Nord si brinda alla Repubblica. Nelle contee del Sud si difende la Corona come un'eredità sacra. Consiglieri politici, spin doctor e custodi delle istituzioni muovono le loro pedine mentre il Regno Unito si prepara a scegliere.Se il popolo vota, anche una corona può cadere. Tra Buckingham Palace e Westminster prende forma una partita silenziosa e implacabile: non solo sul destino della monarchia, ma sull'anima stessa della nazione.Exit Queen scacco alla regina è un romanzo politico potente e attualissimo, sospeso tra realtà e profezia. Una riflessione sull'identità di una nazione sferzata dal vento del populismo e della crisi economica. Perché quando la Storia accelera, anche le istituzioni che sembravano eterne possono finire sotto scacco.La domanda è una sola: la monarchia deve ancora esistere? La partita è appena iniziata.Francesco SpartàVaresotto, ma con le origini e il cuore a Taormina, dopo la laurea in Giurisprudenza e i primi lavori tra i grattacieli milanesi, saluta l'amata Lombardia e arriva nella capitale, dove passa per la Luiss e si specializza in Comunicazione Politica.Di fede interista e catanese, se gli avessero chiesto cosa avrebbe voluto fare a 9 anni, avrebbe risposto calciatore e giornalista. Il primo lo ha fatto gonfiando le reti durante l'adolescenza. Il secondo, il vero sogno della sua vita, lo raggiunge a 25 anni quando approda all'AGI, dove attualmente opera agli Esteri.Marco UbezioÈ un avvocato con la passione per la monarchia inglese. Ha partecipato alla trasmissione televisiva Rischiatutto scegliendo come tema proprio la regina Elisabetta II.Nel 2022 ha pubblicato insieme ad Alberto Mattioli, la biografia Elisabetta, la Regina infinita (Garzanti). Negli ultimi anni è spesso intervenuto in TV su temi della monarchia britannica.Diventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/il-posto-delle-parole--1487855/support.IL POSTO DELLE PAROLEascoltare fa pensarehttps://ilpostodelleparole.it/
Let's talk about stag and hen dos! Chelsea has recently returned from a boozy do in Liverpool, while James reminisces about how he made his friend's raucous stag a little classier.The pair also talk about how to do hen/stags on the cheap and alternative ways to do them. PLUS, they touch upon a news story about 10 Downing Street and whether or not you can rent it on Booking.com?!Download SAILY in your app store and use our code HOLIDAYEXPERT at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/holidayexpert Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Komen er vervroegde verkiezingen in Groot-Brittannië? Premier Andy Burnham zegt van niet en ook Downing Street spreekt de geruchten met klem tegen. Maar de oppositie vertrouwt het niet en maakt zich al op voor een mogelijke stembusgang. Waarom blijven die geruchten zo hardnekkig? En dan, haat en nijd in royale kringen. Want voor koninklijk gebekvecht ben je in het Verenigd Koninkrijk altijd op de juiste plek. Ditmaal draait het een keer niet om Harry en Meghan, maar is Charles Spencer, de broer van wijlen Lady Di de reden waarom de tabloids overuren draaien. Zijn boek over zijn zus ontketende een fikse ruzie tussen de twee Charles’en. We eindigen met een 63 jaar durende documentaire: De eerste aflevering van de Britse documentaireserie Seven Up, waarbij de makers 14 Britse kinderen volgen, werd uitgezonden in 1964 en is inmiddels een van de langstlopende en invloedrijkste documentaireprojecten ooit. In eerste instantie bedoeld als een eenmalige aflevering, maar besloten daarna elke zeven weer in te checken bij diezelfde kinderen. Deze maand wordt dan echt de allerlaatste aflevering van Up uitgezonden. Over Van Bekhovens Britten In van Bekhovens Britten praat Lia van Bekhoven deze week met Ruth Oei over de grootste nieuwsonderwerpen en de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen in het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Van Brexit naar binnenlandse politiek, van de Royals tot de tabloids. Waarom fascineert het VK Nederlanders meer dan zo veel andere Europese landen? Welke rol speelt het vooralsnog Verenigd Koninkrijk in Europa, nu het woord Brexit uit het Britse leven lijkt verbannen, maar de gevolgen van de beslissing om uit de EU te stappen iedere dag duidelijker worden? Na ruim 45 jaar onder de Britten heeft Lia van Bekhoven een unieke kijk op het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Als inwoner, maar zeker geen anglofiel, heeft ze een scherpe blik op het nieuws, de politiek, de monarchie en het dagelijkse leven aan de overkant van de Noordzee. Elke woensdag krijg je een nieuwe podcast over het leven van Van Bekhovens Britten in je podcastapp. Scherpe analyses, diepgang waar op de radio geen tijd voor is en een flinke portie humor. Abonneer en mis geen aflevering. Over Lia Lia van Bekhoven is correspondent Verenigd Koninkrijk voor onder andere BNR Nieuwsradio, VRT, Knack en Elsevier en is regelmatig in talkshows te zien als duider van het nieuws uit het VK. Ze woont sinds 1976 in Londen, en is naast correspondent voor radio, televisie en geschreven media ook auteur van de boeken Mama gaat uit dansen, het erfgoed van Diana, prinses van Wales (1997), Land van de gespleten God, Noord-Ierland en de troubles (2000), In Londen, 9 wandelingen door de Britse hoofdstad (2009) en Klein-Brittannië (2022). Na ruim 45 jaar onder de Britten heeft Lia van Bekhoven een unieke kijk op het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Als inwoner, maar zeker geen anglofiel, heeft ze een scherpe blik op het nieuws, de politiek, de monarchie en het dagelijkse leven aan de overkant van de Noordzee. Elke woensdag krijg je een nieuwe podcast over het leven van Van Bekhovens Britten in je podcastapp. Scherpe analyses, diepgang waar op de radio geen tijd voor is en een flinke portie humor. Abonneer en mis geen afleveringSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Register for Make it British Live! hereSave the date 12 & 13 January 2027
While 'Never-Here-Keir' was accused of spending too much time abroad, Andy Burnham has preferred to host foreign leaders in the UK - and often away from Downing Street.Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Alys Denby and Michael Binyon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Taoiseach Micheál Martin is the first international leader to visit Number 10 North, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's new North of England outpost of Downing Street. Our London Correspondent, Sean Whelan has the latest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More voters than ever before say they are willing to vote tactically at the next election, according to new polling from More in Common, and the trend is not running Reform's way – even Conservative supporters are more ready to lend their vote to the Lib Dems than to Nigel Farage. James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by the pollster's executive director, Luke Tryl, to discuss the findings and whether a 'stop Reform' vote could keep Farage out of Downing Street.Produced by Henry LloydBecome a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Clare's opposition TD has hit back at the Taoiseach over comments he made about Sinn Féin's approach to Irish Unity. Sinn Féin, along with Plaid Cymru and the SNP signed the Cardiff agreement which aims to work towards independence from Downing Street. Michael Martin criticised the memorandum of understanding, claiming Sinn Féin set back Irish unity by collaborating with Wales and Scotland. Shannon Sinn Féin TD, Donna McGettigan, says the Taoiseach needs to 'get the finger out' and start laying the groundwork for unification.
Recorded at Queen Mary University of London as part of Student Week, welcoming students at the start of the new academic year, this special live edition features three expert guests: historian Dr Robert Saunders; Private Members' Bill specialist Dr Daniel Gover; and historian Dr Catherine Haddon, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former Queen Mary student.The panel begins by assessing the new Burnham Government. Has the Prime Minister's more optimistic, personable style marked a substantive break with Keir Starmer or merely improved the presentation? They consider the fiscal and geopolitical constraints facing the Government; Burnham's management of Labour MPs; the balance of power among senior ministers and advisers; relations with the civil service; and whether experience as a metro mayor is useful preparation for Downing Street.The students then put the questions. Should Britain cap political donations after Reform UK received unprecedented sums from two billionaires, and would retrospective legislation be justified? Is the emerging five-party system here to stay, and can Parliament's rules properly accommodate smaller parties? Will social media displace traditional journalism, or make trusted scrutiny and fact-checking more important?The discussion also covers whether Parliament has too many recesses; the tension between national infrastructure needs and local opposition; devolution, separatism and the future of the Union; and reform of Private Members' Bills. Finally, the panel recommends essential reading for students of Parliament, from political diaries and Anthony Trollope to contemporary accounts by Rory Stewart and Jess Phillips._____
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy look at how political communication has changed – from Keir Starmer's government paying influencers to promote its message, to Andy Burnham putting himself front and centre of the social media operation.Sam has a scoop on how much it all costs.Elsewhere, former No10 chief of staff – Morgan McSweeney – has been speaking about his time in No10 and how he tried to launch a thinktank in Downing Street to develop policy. Plus, with energy bills forecasted to rocked up near £450 in January, how worried are the government and what can they do to help families?
The leaders of Sinn Féin, the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru in Wales have declared that “Westminster's time is coming to an end” in a joint agreement aimed at putting pressure on Downing Street to hold referendums on independence.Joining Ciara for more on this is Sinn Féin Leader in the Seanád, Conor Murphy.
1658 NEW MODEL ARMYRogue Diplomat Shifts Allegiance To KingDennis Sewell, Part Two: In 1655, George Downing negotiates a secret treaty with France's Cardinal Mazarin, conducting late-night discussions entirely in Latin. Later appointed ambassador to Holland, Downing conducts economic espionage to undermine Dutch commercial maritime dominance. Following Oliver Cromwell's death and the collapse of Richard Cromwell's regime, Downing opportunistically offers his intelligence services to the exiled King Charles II. Upon the Restoration, Downing secures royal favor by ruthlessly hunting down and capturing the regicides who signed Charles I's death warrant. Through political maneuverings, espionage, and property acquisition, Downing amasses immense wealth and leaves his mark on Downing Street. (2)
Caroline Wheeler discusses the defeat of the Assisted Dying Bill, in the House of Commons, with the former Cabinet Minister and supporter of the Bill Liz Kendall.This week the Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband set out the government's new approach to Israel and the occupied West Bank. To discuss the implications of this move Caroline was joined by Labour MP Sarah Champion, who is the chair of the International Development Committee and Conservative peer Mark Harper who is a member of Conservative Friends of Israel.To discuss the protests against small boat arrivals, Caroline is joined by Labour MP Tom Hayes and Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin.As a new family arrives at 10 Downing Street, Caroline discusses what it's like for the family of a Prime Minister to be in the public eye. She's joined by journalist Sarah Vine who is the author of a book, 'How Not to Be a Political Wife' and Rachel Cunliffe, the Associate Editor of The New Statesman.
Is it too soon for the "Burnham bounce"? Can you rent No 10 Downing Street for £55 a night? How are laundry rooms going to save prisons? It's all up for discussion this week. Your panel is Pierre Novellie, Alasdair Beckett-King, Coco Khan and Kyrah Gray.Written by Andy Zaltzman.With additional material by: Adrian Gray, Alice Etches, Pravanya Pillay and Mike Shephard Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Richard Morris Production Coordinator: Giulia Lopes Mazzu Sound Editor: Marc WillcoxA BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.
The Housing Secretary joins Nick for the first episode of a new series of Political Thinking.Angela Rayner talks about the change of character, personality and politics in Downing Street under new leadership.She opens up about how it felt to "lose the confidence of the people" after being accused of not paying the tax she owed.And she defends her decision to halt a huge local government reorganisation that had been started by her predecessor.--------Send us your thoughts, reactions, questions and suggestions to politicalthinking@bbc.co.ukSenior Producer: Daniel Kraemer Producer: Flora Murray Sound: Ged Sudlow and Andrew Mills Editor: Giles Edwards
France has brought in new rules that make ultra fast fashion companies pay a fee on every new item of clothing they sell there, from 43p for an item of underwear to £10.28 for a jacket, and Bex, Eve and Martha talk through why cheap, quickly made clothes create so much waste. There’s also a blue plaque for fossil hunter Dorothea Bate, one of the first women to work as a scientist at the Natural History Museum, a story about 10 Downing Street being rented out to holidaymakers for Real or Rubbish, and a big debate on whether alligators should be hunted in Louisiana. Plus Science+Nature editor Dan on the megalodon and the magazine’s winning photo, two astronauts completing the sixth all-female spacewalk as heroes of the week, Freddie Kölsch’s Spindlewood as Book of the Week, and your chance to win a copy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Keir Starmer resigns as MP, bringing an extraordinary political career to a rather abrupt close. After becoming Labour leader in 2020, winning a huge Commons majority in the 2024 UK general election, becoming Prime Minister and then leaving Downing Street in July 2026, Sir Keir has now decided to leave Parliament as well. So the question rather writes itself: was Keir Starmer Britain's worst ever Prime Minister?That is the deliberately provocative question Mark and Pete tackle in this episode. Starmer was spectacularly successful at getting Labour into power. He took a party flattened in 2019 and, five years later, put it back in government with 411 MPs. You cannot really call that political incompetence. Yet that 411-seat victory came on only about 34 per cent of the national vote, an enormous parliamentary majority resting on a rather less enormous popular mandate.What happened afterwards, though, is rather more awkward. A premiership of barely two years, collapsing public enthusiasm, internal Labour rebellions, difficult economic choices and, eventually, Andy Burnham taking over as Prime Minister.And then there were the U-turns. Oh, the U-turns.Winter fuel payments. Welfare reform. The grooming gangs inquiry. Digital ID. Earlier promises on tuition fees and green investment. Positions announced firmly, defended firmly and, sometimes with impressive speed, replaced by another firm position. Starmer's critics came to argue that the problem was not simply that he changed his mind. Governments have to do that occasionally. It was that voters increasingly struggled to work out what the underlying Starmer position actually was.Now comes perhaps the neatest turn of all. After indicating that he intended to remain in Parliament until the next general election, Starmer has resigned as MP for Holborn and St Pancras. The seat he first won in 2015 will now face a by-election, with Green leader Zack Polanski already saying he intends to stand.So what exactly is the Starmer legacy? A highly effective Leader of the Opposition who turned out to be a poor Prime Minister? A decent man trapped by events and impossible expectations? Or the political embodiment of managerial Britain, endlessly reviewing, consulting, recalibrating and then discovering that somebody else has acquired the keys to Number 10?Mark and Pete react to Starmer's resignation, revisit some of his most memorable political reversals, assess Labour under Andy Burnham, and ask where Sir Keir sits among Britain's shortest and least successful premierships.Was he really Britain's worst ever Prime Minister?Liz Truss may reasonably request the right of reply.Politics, power, promises and the peculiar speed with which yesterday's landslide can become today's footnote. Psalm 146 offers an older warning: “Put not your trust in princes.” Westminster continues to provide the illustrations.
rWotD Episode 3416: Sean Worth Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Thursday, 10 September 2026, is Sean Worth.Sean Worth is a former political adviser and co-founder of the public relations firm WPI Strategy.Prior to setting up WPI Strategy, Worth was a Downing Street special adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron. He left Government in 2012 to set up the Better Public Services Project at the think tank Policy Exchange. Prior to working in Government, Worth was head of the Conservative Party's Policy Unit, and worked for the party through two general elections. The Guardian newspaper reported that, when leaving Downing Street, Worth was David Cameron's "special adviser on NHS privatisation" and began working for MHP Communications in October 2012. In October 2013 he joined the lobbying firm Quiller Consultants. He left Quiller in July 2014 to launch the Westminster Policy Institute (WPI) described by a source to PR Week as "a cross between a think-tank and a research institute". Nick Faith quit the think tank Policy Exchange to take an equal stake in WPI with Worth.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:08 UTC on Thursday, 10 September 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Sean Worth on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Joanna.
It's a feeling, it's something you can't quite put your finger on - but you know it when you see it.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel are all about the vibes. The good ones. Whether it's at Downing Street or M&S, vibes have been one of the stories of the summer. But good vibes aren't easy to manufacture, they often need intricate planning. And they also require risk, being bold and authenticity. Plus, on the extended edition on BBC Sounds, excuses. Nigel Farage says he 'wasn't listening' during a conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel money to Reform UK. As a defence, it may sound simple - but as David and Farzana explain, they're often the hardest ones to disprove. See also, 'I didn't read the email', 'my phone was hacked' and 'the dog ate it'. Whether you choose to believe someone's defence will rest on their 'residual reputation'.And, following one of the most spectacular PR coups of the summer, who are the real winners after Meghan was rumoured to be starring in The Gentlemen? Was there a calculated plan to allow the story to snowball - and was Meghan's team wrong to allow a vacuum to build around the actual facts?Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
Andy Burnham may be new to the job in Number 10 Downing Street, but he's already found himself at the centre of a political row over one of the most sensitive issues on this island: Irish unity. The British prime minister's unequivocal dismissal of any prospect of a border poll has reignited a long-running debate about who gets to decide Northern Ireland's future, and when that moment should come. But strip away the politics, and one question remains: in an Ireland that's changing socially and demographically, would a vote for unity actually succeed? Is there a genuine appetite for a united Ireland north and south of the Border? And what can past referendums and reunification projects across Europe tell us about the challenges ahead? On today's Indo Daily, Tessa Fleming is joined by the Irish Independent's John Downing to examine the question that has shaped Irish politics for generations: could a border poll actually deliver a united Ireland? The Indo Daily is part of The Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalismSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Guyon Espiner about UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham hosting his first foreign leader at Downing Street, as well as the British Army being under strict instruction to cut back on training exercises in an attempt to save money.
The Smart 7 is an award winning daily podcast, in association with METRO, that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week…With over 20 million downloads and consistently charting, including as No. 1 News Podcast on Spotify, we're a trusted source for people every day and we've won Gold at the Signal International Podcast awardsIf you're enjoying it, please follow, share, or even post a review, it all helps... Today's episode includes the following:https://x.com/i/status/2095484063385637077 https://x.com/GBNEWS/status/2095460204758315223/video/1 https://x.com/SkyNews/status/2095410629162962983/video/1 https://x.com/i/status/2095452192178090406 https://x.com/clashreport/status/2095236319462994158/video/1 https://x.com/SkyNews/status/2095454759851360555/video/1 https://x.com/SkySportsF1/status/2095515737196564612/video/1 https://x.com/enews/status/2095293321417818340/video/1 https://youtu.be/5gYXQ6PUjR4 Contact us over @TheSmart7pod or visit www.thesmart7.com or find out more at www.metro.co.uk Voiced by Jamie East, using AI, written by Liam Thompson, researched by Lucie Lewis and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nigel Farage's latest scandal and Andy Burnham's six-week report card dominate this PRmoment News Review, as Ben Smith quizzes Angie Moxham and Mark Borkowski on what the fallout means for UK politics and political communications.Here are some quotes from this week's show:"We woke up to the classic investigating journalist scam of trapping Nigel Farage and his two closest aides in a pub garden in Clacton-on-Sea." Mark Borkowski 0:01:10"It's an absolute blow to Farage and the Reform Party, isn't it? I thought it was a long time coming. His riding of the tide of favour has now completely waned."– Angie Moxham 0:03:29"I think Farage had his moment, and I think it's gone. He'll put up a good fight for sure – he's a fighter – but I don't think he can really come back now from this." – Angie Moxham 0:04:49"Farage is Trump-like. He plays to the front line of running straight on. He's spun it that this is just a climate activist stunt, and he has a sort of rhino Teflon coating that repels a lot of this stuff." – Mark Borkowski 0:05:17"You do feel to a certain extent that Reform is a one man and a horse sort of party, and for many who wanted to join this new party, seeing some of the old Tory throwaways isn't something they want to see." – Mark Borkowski 0:05:17"The last few months, the damage to the Reform Party has been significant, and when we're living through a continued cost of living crisis, the general public are just looking at the pounds, shillings, and pence and thinking, ‘what the actual?'" – Mark Borkowski 0:05:17On Andy Burnham:"I think he's doing really well. I think he's still a bit starstruck – slightly shocked that he's in this position – but I think the guy's an honest player and he's doing a good job." – Angie Moxham 0:09:11The episode opens with the Channel 4 sting on Reform UK's funding. Borkowski sketches the scene of Farage and his aides being covertly filmed in a pub garden in Clacton-on-Sea, courted by a fake donor operation designed to funnel foreign money into the party via a resident son. “We woke up to the classic investigating journalist scam of having a night trapping Nigel Farage and his two closest aides in a pub garden in Clacton-on-Sea,” he says 0:01:10. The alleged £200,000 offer, and Farage's apparent enthusiasm for it, throws the “brown paper envelope” question of political donations back into the spotlight.Angie Moxham is unequivocal. “Oh, it's incredibly damning. But I'm not surprised." Adding that in modern politics, any underhand behaviour will be found out sooner or later 0:03:29. For her, this feels terminal for Farage's recent momentum: “I think Farage had his moment, and I think it's gone. He'll put up a good fight for sure – he's a fighter – but I don't think he can really come back now from this” 0:04:49.Borkowski is less willing to write him off. He frames Farage as structurally similar to Trump in his communications armoury. “Farage is Trump-like. He plays to the front line of running straight on… he has a sort of rhino Teflon sort of coating that repels a lot of this stuff” 0:05:17. Reform, he argues, is “a one man and a horse sort of party” drawing in the disillusioned fringes of the right, many of whom are tired of the “wokeiness” of mainstream politics 0:05:17. The party may be badly damaged, but Farage as a communicator is far from finished.Both guests tie the scandal to the broader cost of living mood. Borkowski notes that “the last few months, the damage to the Reform Party has been significant,” and in a cost of living crisis, voters are simply looking at “the pounds, shillings, and pence” and thinking “what the actual?” 0:05:17. That economic anxiety becomes the bridge into Burnham's early days in Downing Street.Moxham gives Burnham an upbeat if cautious review. She sees an honest, pragmatic communicator who is still slightly stunned by his elevation. “I think he's still a bit starstruck – slightly shocked that he's in this position – but I think the guy's an honest player and he's doing a good job” 0:09:11. His highly visible social media presence, guitar-playing and “man of the people” persona may eventually grate, she concedes, but for now he's broadly cutting through.Borkowski stresses that Burnham's real test will come with events beyond his control – from bond markets to Putin. “Any prime minister is challenged by events, events, events. It's how he manages events at home and abroad that will show whether he's more than this mayoral prime minister” 0:11:11. Six weeks in, the communications story is still in its honeymoon phase. The real narrative will be written by the winter ahead.Support the show
The Prime Minister and the French President have held talks in Downing Street, discussing migrant boat crossings and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Also: Reform UK's autumn conference opens with an insistence that it is the party of fiscal responsibility. And the award-winning American journalist and feminist, Gloria Steinem, has died.
Andy Burnham is a UnionistShould we have been surprised by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's crass assertion last week that the issue of the unity referendum promised in the Good Friday Agreement, “is one issue that will be off the table.”?Two months ago as I watched Burnham address the media outside10 Downing St, on the day he replaced Keir Starmer, I wrote that he; “like every British Prime Minister governs in the interests of the English establishment. He like his predecessors is a Unionist.”For as far back as England's involvement in Ireland its policies have always been determined by British national interests. Not the interests of the Irish people.Drumcree – Unionism Stuck in the PastIn the early hours of Sunday 6 July 1997 I remember vividly driving back from an event in Tralee, County Kerry because of the growing tension over Unionist demands to march down the Garvaghy Road. I arrived home as David Blevins for Sky News broke the news that hundreds of British soldiers and RUC had swamped the nationalist streets of Garvaghy Road. Protestors were swept aside and the Orange Order got its march. There were widespread civil disturbances as nationalist areas reacted to the developments. 1997 was the last year a march took place. The Parade Commission decisions and the opposition of the local community had seen to that.Last week Drumcree and the Garvaghy Road jumped back into the media headlines when the High Court in Belfast quashed a determination by the Parades Commission to ban this year's Drumcree march. It did so because of a procedural flaw in how that decision was reached.The High Court decision did not clear the way for an Orange Order parade to proceed down the Garvaghy Road. But it did lead to an increase in the sectarian bombast that has long been part and parcel of political unionism in the northern state. The UUP, DUP and TUV have all united to claim “a massive victory for unionism and loyalism” and to demand that the Orange Order be able to march through the nationalist Garvaghy Road area. They want to turn the clock back to the ‘No surrender' ‘Not an Inch' ethos of the Orange State. They want a return to the old order.That will not happen. Nationalists and non-unionists are looking to the future not the past. The nationalist community of the Garvaghy Road area is greater now than it was in 1997. It has lived in peace for almost 30 years. It deserves to be able to continue to do so and there is no desire within that community to facilitate a sectarian Orange march. Paddy ElliottThe Elliott's and the Adams's were cousins. They still are. Maybe second or third cousins by this generation. But back in the day my Granny Adams was a Begley. So was Paddy Elliott's mammy. And Gerry Begley's Daddy. Brother and sisters. Paddy and Gerry were six or seven years older than me. They were inseparable when I was growing up.I was living in Abercorn Street North with my Granny. Gerry Begley lived in the same street. I think Paddy was reared in Gibson Street, but he spent a lot of time in Abercorn Street North. There were very few cars in those days so the streets belonged to the children. Especially during the summer. Girls and boys. Dogs. Hopscotch and Marlies. Skipping songs, swings on the lamp posts, rounders, street soccer with a ball made from a sock filled with newspapers, hurling and handball.
After resigning as Prime Minister and leaving Downing Street in July, Keir Starmer has announced that he is stepping down as an MP.His resignation means there will be another by-election in the UK, this time for his seat in London's Holborn and St Pancras.Joining Ciara with the latest is London-based Journalist, Vincent McAviney.
Georgia Harrison on Revenge Porn, Changing the Law, and the Real Work Behind Being an Influencer This week, Georgia joins Jimmy to describe her work as a celebrity campaigner, author, and influencer, and explains why creating content is a real job that requires research, editing, trend awareness, and constant posting across platforms. She recounts how a former boyfriend filmed her without consent and sold the footage online, leading her to waive anonymity, take him to court, and campaign to remove the “intent to cause distress” loophole in the 2015 revenge porn law, work that earned her an MBE. Georgia says current rules still fail victims, calling for faster takedowns than 48 hours, a “kill switch” system, stronger enforcement on tech companies, and action on the rise of intimate image abuse and manosphere content. She and Jimmy also discuss motherhood, online trolling in politics, LinkedIn's professional benefits, and taking risks despite embarrassment. 00:00 Intro 01:23 Influencer Life Explained 03:11 Reality TV Journey 03:55 Why She Became Activist 04:54 Abuse And Court Fight 08:47 Going Public For Evidence 11:26 Beyond Revenge Porn 12:32 Georgia's Law Proposal 14:32 Tech Companies Accountability 15:55 Shame Empowerment Motherhood 19:20 Politics Like Reality TV 27:32 Trolling Bots And Safety 31:48 Receiving The MBE 34:20 Tackling The Manosphere 35:38 Manosphere Money Funnel 36:58 Creator Economy Explained 38:08 Trends Algorithms Workflow 40:56 Brand Deals And Campaigns 45:18 Styling Image Strategy 47:50 Fearless Mindset Failing 50:20 Why LinkedIn Works 54:25 Paying Mum For Childcare 56:53 Early Jobs Hustle 59:01 Love Island Leap 01:01:46 Mentor Boss Can Do 01:03:24 Reality TV Business Pitch ********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? hello@jobsofthefuture.co Sponsor the show or Partner with us: hello@jobsofthefuture.co Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Thuy Dong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Matts think about Andy Burnham's first month (and a bit) in Downing Street and anticipate a period of difficulty ahead for a PM whose inclination may be to keep people happy in an age when dramatic change is required. In the second half, what does the release of Jason Arday's autobiography tell us about attitudes towards truth in publishing?Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Subscribe to The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
One month on from Andy Burnham entering Downing Street and a lot has changed at the top of government. Starmer's old guard have been reshuffled or replaced, and Burnham's government have announced dozens of new projects, but the big challenges that he faces are largely the same. Noa Hoffman is joined by Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, the former shadow culture secretary, to review Andy's report card.Produced by Henry Lloyd.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People who are over 65, pregnant or vulnerable, as well as young children, are told to take care, after one death. Eggs bought at supermarkets are not affected. Also: Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, and more are ordered to make an interim payment of more than £9,500,000 to Associated Newspapers Limited, after losing their privacy claim. And: Sir Keir Starmer's donation to the Downing Street library.
One month on from Andy Burnham entering Downing Street and a lot has changed at the top of government. Starmer's old guard have been reshuffled or replaced, and Burnham's government have announced dozens of new projects, but the big challenges that he faces are largely the same. Noa Hoffman is joined by Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, the former shadow culture secretary, to review Andy's report card.Produced by Henry Lloyd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Today, we're looking at Prime Minister Andy Burnham's plan to get rough sleepers off streets for Christmas.He made ending rough sleeping his first pledge when entering Downing Street. Alex joins Adam to hear how it's going to work from social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan, who's spent years following the issue.Faisal also helps us look at how the economony impacts rough sleeping, as well as a rise in interest rates driven by rising energy prises.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXdNewscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Chris Flynn with Shiler Mahmoudi and Anna Harris. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Jonathan Baker. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
What happens when Downing Street texts on a Sunday asking if you can interview the Prime Minister two days later? In this special episode of Jimmy vs the Producers, Jimmy sits down with growth leads Aggie and Annabel, alongside producer Thuy, to unpack the whirlwind behind our Andy Burnham interview. Aggie and Annabel ask Jimmy how the opportunity compared with interviewing Tony Blair and Keir Starmer, what went into preparing for the conversation in just 48 hours, and why this felt like an “Olympic medal moment” for the show. Thuy then turns the tables on Jimmy to discuss how they first connected through LinkedIn, how a one-day-a-week university placement became a full-time producing role, and how relationships and social capital can compound into career-changing opportunities. This episode is supported by LinkedIn. Watch the full Andy Burnham interview: https://youtu.be/mXnO06QfnCM Subscribe for more conversations about the people, businesses and ideas shaping the future of work. ********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? hello@jobsofthefuture.co Sponsor the show or Partner with us: hello@jobsofthefuture.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Heat, game show formats, the Downing Street cricketing disgrace, a liar, and a new best footballer. Join the Iron Filings Society: https://www.patreon.com/topflighttimemachine and on Apple Podcast Subscriptions. Get a 7-day full access free trial and pay for 10 months up front for the price of 12 if you like a bargain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inside Number 10: Jimmy on Tim Cook, getting a wedding letter from Theresa May, and Starting Jobs of the Future We decided to swap the seats this week: Jimmy is the guest. He went on The Independent's In The Room to talk about the three years he spent deciding who got through the door of Number 10 and what that taught him about how people actually get hired. Helen MacNamara, the former Deputy Cabinet Secretary, and Cleo Watson, former special adviser to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, run a summer series called Lessons from Number 10 - what it's really like to work behind that black door. Jimmy worked with both of them. Which, given this show spent the last month asking how you get in the room when you know nobody, is a fairly on-the-nose demonstration of the answer. In this conversation: what the Prime Minister's Business Director actually does all day, why Number 10 has no floor plan and what that does to a new starter, how he got entrepreneurs into the building instead of the companies with big lobbying teams, what business consistently misunderstands about government and the other way round, why bringing business leaders into politics so often doesn't work, the trade trips and the logistics of losing CEOs in foreign countries, and the day it all stopped being fun. Also: the origin story of this podcast. A question Theresa May asked him one morning about where jobs actually come from - and why he's been trying to answer it ever since. Thanks to Helen, Cleo and the team at In The Room for letting us play this here. Their show is at @intheroom.pod, and it's part of The Independent Podcast Network, produced with Next Chapter Studios. Jimmy's Jobs of the Future is a show about work, careers and how people actually get hired - long-form interviews with the people who do the hiring. Next week: Jimmy vs the Producers, on Andy Burnham interview. You can read Jimmy's piece on the BTS of our Andy Burnham interview here: https://jimmysjobs.substack.com/p/did-i-like-andy-burnham Follow us on socials at @jimmysjobs, and follow Jimmy on Instagram at @jimmymcjournal for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
ANDY BURNHAM IS WORSE THAN STARMER! COP KILLERS & BORDER FIASCO #AndyBurnham #KeirStarmer #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #PCAndrewHarper #EarlyRelease #PrisonCrisis #SmallBoats I never thought I'd be asking this question: WAS KEIR STARMER ACTUALLY A BETTER PRIME MINISTER THAN ANDY BURNHAM?! At least with Starmer you knew what you were getting. He couldn't communicate, couldn't connect with ordinary people and, in my view, you could see the political spin coming a mile off. Burnham is different. He is a brilliant communicator. He understands PR. He talks the language of ordinary people. But where are the RESULTS? That's what tonight's show is about. Take the disgraceful situation surrounding PC Andrew Harper's killers. After massive public anger, Burnham now says he is "increasingly confident" they can be prevented from being released early. Good. I hope he succeeds. BUT WHY DID WE GET INTO THIS POSITION IN THE FIRST PLACE? Why weren't killers like these excluded from the early-release scheme from day one? Why has it taken outrage from the Harper family, the police and hundreds of thousands of ordinary people to force action? And then there are the SMALL BOATS. Burnham promised to be "relentless". But people are still crossing the Channel. Since he entered Downing Street, thousands more have made the journey. 3000 in total! We don't need another slogan. WE NEED RESULTS. Then there's Burnham's growing shopping list of promises: £2 bus fares, help for pubs, social-care reform, apprenticeships, energy measures and more. Some of those ideas sound great. I've said that myself. But Britain's finances don't run on good intentions. WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM? Burnham's first Budget isn't until October, so tonight I want to separate the announcements from the properly costed policies and ask whether we're being sold another enormous helping of JAM TOMORROW. That's my growing concern about Andy Burnham. LOTS OF PR. LOTS OF ANNOUNCEMENTS. LOTS OF PROMISES. But will he actually deliver? Tonight at 6PM LIVE, let's have the argument the mainstream media won't have:
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government sent mixed messages over whether it was considering a public inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein's activities in Britain. Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones said Burnham was taking the issue seriously, had agreed to meet Epstein survivors and was examining what action could be taken. Justice minister Jake Richards similarly said no stone should be left unturned and indicated that Burnham would consider the available options. Hours later, however, Downing Street clarified that a public inquiry was not being actively considered, while the Ministry of Justice said the government was only reviewing possible ways to support survivors and address broader systemic failures.The government was also reviewing demands for an inquiry into Mohamed Al Fayed, the former Harrods owner accused by hundreds of women of sexual assault, rape, exploitation and trafficking. Campaigners called for a wider “impunity” inquiry examining how wealthy and powerful men allegedly benefited from institutional protection, potentially covering Epstein, Al Fayed and allegations against West Ham co-owner David Sullivan. Supporters wanted any Epstein inquiry to investigate how he traveled through Britain, including his reported use of military airfields while accompanied by women who may have been trafficked. Former minister Jess Phillips argued that survivors deserved answers about whether parts of the British state had enabled abuse, while Epstein survivor Lisa Phillips said she hoped a meeting with Burnham would lead to accountability, reform and greater protection for future victims.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsources:Andy Burnham insists no plans for Epstein inquiry – hours after two ministers say government is looking into it | The Independent
How can content marketing in a tight niche build the audience that launches your book? And how do you decide whether to hand your self-published bestseller to a traditional publisher. Suzanne Smith shares what she learned in four years of going from blog to book deal. In the intro, how to stand out as a writer in the age of AI [Nathan Barry Show; Interview with Nathan Barry]; thoughts on asset maintenance; Goodreads giveaway on Bones of the Deep (Aug 5-20, 2026) This episode is sponsored by Publisher Rocket, which will help you get your book in front of more Amazon readers so you can spend less time marketing and more time writing. I use Publisher Rocket for researching book titles, categories, and keywords — for new books and for updating my backlist. Check it out at www.PublisherRocket.com This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Suzanne Smith is the founder of The Independent Landlord, and the bestselling author of The Good Landlord Handbook. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How a free blog in a tight niche built the audience for the book Rewriting the book from scratch when the law changed Why speed made self-publishing the only option Building a paid membership after one audience member asked for it Negotiating a Penguin Random House deal with no agent Using AI as a business sidekick, with a control room and an engine room You can find Suzanne at TheIndependentLandlord.com. Transcript of the interview with Suzanne Smith Jo: Suzanne Smith is the founder of The Independent Landlord, and the bestselling author of The Good Landlord Handbook. So welcome to the show, Suzanne. Suzanne: Thank you. Jo: Oh, there's so much to talk about today. But first up— Tell us a bit more about you and your background, and how you got into property and writing after a legal career. Suzanne: Well, I've always loved reading books. In fact, I recently did a French literature degree as a mature student. Being an author was never in the game plan at all. It's not something that I even thought about. I was brought up in New Zealand, so shout out to all the Kiwis and those across the pond in Australia. The thing about it is, Jo, you've lived there yourself. Kiwis are independent, self-reliant and have this great sense of fair play. So that was a very formative experience for me. We moved back to England when I was 16, and I have become thoroughly anglicised since then, but a Kiwi at heart. I always wanted to become a lawyer. New Zealand in some ways on television is quite American, and there was this American programme called The Paper Chase. It was about all of these students at Harvard studying law, and the professor said, “You come here with a skull full of mush and you leave thinking like a lawyer.” I thought, “Oh, I like the sound of that.” I didn't really know what a lawyer was, but everyone seemed to be very happy that I wanted to become one, and then that was it. Jo: So you went into law, and then how did you get into property? Suzanne: So I worked for 25 years as a solicitor. That's like an attorney if you're American. Started off in a law firm, and then I went into pharmaceuticals and I worked for big companies like what is now GSK, GlaxoSmithKline, and small companies as well. When I started out, it was before the internet, before Google. When you're in house, you're very much a generalist. You do a bit of everything. So you help companies grow their business. You're not business prevention, but you're still bound by the code of conduct for solicitors. You've got this role of keeping the company on the right side of the law. Then I had twins, who were born about five years after I became a lawyer, and I decided to work part-time for a while and did an MBA when they were little, part-time through the Open University. I know Jonathan is doing one at the moment. Jo: Yes. He's finished, so that's exciting. Suzanne: That was transformational for me, because I had probably been thinking a bit too much as a lawyer, and it helped me to broaden my view of the world and understand all sorts of things. Sso I continued going up the greasy pole, and then for my last job, in 2015, I joined a biotech company in Cambridge, England, as general counsel and company secretary. It was a long way from home, about two, three hours' drive from home. So I decided to buy a flat, an apartment, and to stay there in the week. I thought to myself, “Well, when I leave this company, I can let it out as a buy-to-let,” but actually as a landlord. So I stayed there for five years, and then when I left, I let out the property. The reason why I decided to leave law after 25 years, I had what I call a sliding doors moment, like in the film. I was 50. I was on holiday with my husband, and we'd probably had one too many rum cocktails. And he said to me, “Well, what do you want to be doing with your life? What would you do if you could do anything?” I was thinking, “Well, I've done law. I want to do something else now.” I didn't really know what that was, and I'd always been thinking about studying French properly, and that's when I left. So I decided, 18 months later, I left to do a French degree at King's College London, full-time. I was the only old person there with lots of 18-year-olds. When I did that, I was able to cash in my share options because I was a good leaver. I retired, and so I started buying properties to let out and became a landlord, without really thinking too much about it, and I used letting agents. They were fine to begin with, but I didn't really have a game plan or anything like that. What I realised is that when I tried to research things online, I couldn't really find anything that was terribly helpful. It was either quite general or it was very legal. So after a while… I became a landlord in 2019. I had the idea, why don't I set up a blog? And this is August 2022, so just four years ago. My husband came up with the idea of the name, The Independent Landlord, because it's that Kiwi spirit, being very independent. I thought, “Right, I'm not going to charge anyone for it. It's a hobby. It's not a business. I'm going to pay it forward and help, use my legal training, practical legal approach, and practical common sense, by doing this blog.” Almost exactly four years ago, I sent my first newsletter to 13 people. Jo: Woo-hoo. Suzanne: And I sent one last week to over 18,000. So it's been quite a journey. Jo: Wow, this is so great. I love this. There's so much in there. The turning 50 and then doing a degree. My master's in death is a little different to your French literature, but I like it. So I love this, and buying properties, starting it on the side, not a business at first, and growing the audience, and obviously you've put so much work in. Then you decide to write a book. So talk about that, because an online blog, although I'm sure your articles and everything were super useful, it's very different to write a blog than a book. So talk about your challenges in writing. Why did you decide to do a book in the first place? Suzanne: Again, I was an accidental landlord, is what they call it when you let a property when you didn't intend to buy it as a buy-to-let, which I did with my Cambridge flat. And I became, in many respects, an accidental author. So I was having a conversation with my husband again and I was saying I'd done this lead magnet to get people to sign up to my newsletter, and a big new law was going through Parliament at the time, called the Renters Reform Bill, that was going to completely transform the way landlords operate. I was saying to my husband, “Oh, I need to update my lead magnet, a little ebook, to explain the new law.” He looked at me and said, “Well, why don't you do a proper book? Write a book.” This was on the 29th of September, 2023. The reason why I mention that is that I thought, “Wow, what a great idea,” and my head was bursting. I went onto Google, and guess what I downloaded on the 1st of October? Jo: My blueprint? Suzanne: Exactly. I found you immediately, the Author Blueprint, and I downloaded it. I checked: on the 1st of October, 2023. Then I listened to almost… well, I think I went back several years on your podcast, just trying to understand. I'm like that. When I try and do something, I just try and learn everything that there is to know about it. So I started writing the book, and I guess the first challenge was I write quickly, and I'm used to writing for people who aren't lawyers, being in-house. So I thought I needed to have a structure. The structure was easy in many respects because, a bit of business at the end, and then you can go through a tenancy. I thought it was important to have a narrative thread all the way through it, just to bring it together. This is the literature degree coming in here. I thought that the mission for everything I do, the reason why I started doing this, is to help landlords, but also to help the experience of renting that people have in England. It's very specific for English law. And to help improve the private rented sector. So that's why I originally set up my blog for free, and I wanted, when people went onto Google, they could find something sensible and very detailed from me. My blog posts were… Well, I've now got over 400,000 words on my blog, so it's a substantial piece of work that is out there free of charge. So what I decided to do was to bring this narrative thread, I call it the good landlord ethos, to the book. Then I wrote very quickly, and I had a pretty good draft by April 2024, because we were all thinking that the law was going to change very soon. But then there was an election, and in the end the government changed and the legislation changed completely, so I had to rewrite the book and start again. So I think that my biggest challenge was that my subject matter, the new law, changed. Because I wanted to publish this book that explained to people practically what they have to do, and make it really straightforward, keeping out of politics, because it is a very politically charged area. I wanted to write it so it's a manual, somebody could literally follow it. So I used an editor, and I did write the book twice. I had a beta reader who is another lawyer, and a landlord as well. Then I got to the get-the-damn-thing-done stage. The really tedious bit of all the typos at the end. Jo: Yes, the finishing energy to get it out there. So at that point, obviously you'd found my blueprint, so you were learning about the indie way of doing things. Did you always decide to self-publish? How did you think about publishing? What were your challenges in publishing? Suzanne: It never occurred to me not to self-publish, because the new law came into effect on the 1st of May, 2026. The law and the details that I needed for the book were finalised in January, and I published on Amazon on the 5th of March, so I had to go so quickly. Even though I'd got a lot of it written, the last bit came in January, and so I needed speed. I knew that for landlords to be able to have something that they can use straightaway to help get them ready for it, and then use as a manual afterwards, I had to be first. Jo: Sorry, just on the year. Was it '24? You said '26. You meant May— Suzanne: 2024? No, no, because I actually published it this year. What happened in 2024, I had the first draft ready, but then I had to do another draft because the law changed when the Labour government came in. Jo: Right. Suzanne: The Renters Reform Bill turned into the Renters' Rights Bill. So I had to rewrite the book. So I finished however many drafts at the end of January 2026. Then it went to an editor, et cetera, et cetera, and I managed to get the book ready for a proof, to get the proof printed, towards the end of February. So it was really quick to go from the law being sufficiently finalised for me to write a book in January, and then having it ready in just over a month. There is no way that I could have done that if I'd gone to a traditional publisher. It didn't even occur to me to go, because I didn't want to be going touting around my book and, “Please publish me,” et cetera. It's just not me. I'm the independent landlord, and that moved very easily to being the independent publisher. So I learnt how to do all the publishing. And a huge thanks: I joined your Patreon and I was a very good student. I went through everything systematically and followed your playbook, and used Vellum and BookFunnel and all the other tools. So I decided to go on Amazon as well as have my own Shopify store, which just about killed me. Jo: I was going to say, you are an excellent student. You really like learning, but you also put this into practice, which is why I also wanted to talk to you. You haven't just talked about all this. You've literally done everything. Suzanne: Sometimes it was like my head was going to burst. Luckily, Claude upped his game earlier this year when we got the Opus 4.5. I didn't use AI really until this year. I decided I need to do exercise all the time, and have that as a have-to-do, because my head was spinning all the time with all these different things. So I would go to the gym, go to a spin class, and then I would walk out with my phone on, with the Claude app, and dictate a stream of consciousness into it. “Oh, I need to do this, or what about that? Oh, I just remembered about this. Oh, I've had this idea, blah.” And then said, “Make sense of it for me, Claude.” So it was very much as a thinking partner, because when you're writing your first book, it's bad enough, but when you're learning how to publish… Even, like, when I got the first proof of the book back from BookVault, I realised that all the footnotes—I have 114 footnotes in my book, and that, again, is the recent degree there—and the formatting had gone skew-whiff. Apparently it was an issue with Vellum, and they were really lovely and they sorted it straight out for me. So it shows: always get a proof of the book. They were able to sort that out very quickly, and BookVault were very quick in getting me another proof, because you can shortcut it and just pay to get a very quick delivery. Amazon, on the other hand, was really slow. It took a week. So I actually published earlier on my Shopify store for my members, of my membership, and I gave them a discount. Then I finally got it onto Amazon on the 5th of March. There are all these different skills you're having to learn. The Shopify store I found very hard, and there was all the tax, because I'm VAT registered. So I think I'm still recovering. Jo: You're still recovering. I wouldn't normally recommend a Shopify store for someone with their first book, doing first of everything. But, as you say, you're someone who learns a lot, puts it into practice, and— I think you were pretty determined to do that because you had a community as well, right? Suzanne: Exactly, yes. The big subscriber list. I think that's why the book did so well. So in the first week, because I met you at the Indie Author Lab put on by— Jo: Yes, London Book Fair, yes. Suzanne: Yes, the Alliance of Independent Authors. I met you there, and it was just my first week, and I had 1,000 sales in the first week. That was because of my audience. I'd been going on about the fact that I'm writing this book for two and a half years, because that's how long it took me to do. So I had a wait list for it, and I had a thing on my website, a landing page on my website, saying how good the book was and why it's the best thing for the Renters' Rights Act. Then I went onto Google, and I think I sent you a screenshot of this at the time. I put into Google, “What's the best book for the Renters' Rights Act for landlords in England?” And it came up with me as a featured snippet, and I hadn't even published it at that time. It was just about there. So the blog really helped, because I'd become an authority on the Renters' Rights Act. Even though I'm not a practising solicitor any more, I spent all my time reading the damn thing, and it is a very complicated bit of legislation. Funnily enough, I have ruffled a lot of feathers. People have even said about me behind my back, “What does she know? She's only got four properties.” But I just took no notice. I thought, “I'm going to try and use my legal brain and my understanding of what it's like being a landlord, there with the rubber gloves cleaning an oven when people have moved out, and try and write something that's not trying to sell anything else, and to help people.” And then it got picked up. Jo: Yes. Wait, let's just slow down. Slow down, because we will get onto that in a minute. But let's just come back to that launch. So as we talked about, you've had a blog for five years— Suzanne: It was three and a half by then. Jo: Three and a half years you've been blogging, but hundreds of thousands of words of useful information. So you've essentially done content marketing. You've attracted people. You had a lead magnet. You got them on your email list. You told them that you were writing a book. You got a sort of pre-sales list up. So that's an email list. You've got a blog. Did you do anything else in terms of marketing? Suzanne: I had YouTube, a big YouTube channel. I'd only set it up at the end of 2024, and I'd had half a million views. And again, just very straightforward advice, and without all the scaremongering and politics. I deliberately keep out of it all. A lot of people joined my newsletter as a result of that. Also a year ago, exactly today, I was running a Facebook group, which was a lot of hard work. There were a few thousand people in it, but there are often a lot of people going in there trying to sell things: insurance, eviction specialists and things. And there was also a lot of people just being unpleasant to other people. I was getting fed up with it. It was taking me a lot of time, and I was doing a lot of speaking events and trying to explain what this new law was doing, and wearing myself out. I'm an extrovert, but even I find speaking events absolutely exhausting, because it's like everything gets sucked out of you. It's strange. Then somebody came up to me in July last year and said, “Suzanne, can you set up a membership?” I said, “Well, landlords aren't going to pay for that.” And they said, “Yes, they will. You build it and they will come.” I asked ChatGPT and thought about it. I asked ChatGPT, who I was dating at the time, now exclusively with Claude, but I know Claude has other people in his life. But I'm very much set with Claude Fable at the moment. So I asked ChatGPT, how can I go about setting up a membership? And I mentioned your one and said, “Should I do it on Patreon?” And then he came back with: go for Circle. So I set up a membership on Circle, exactly a year ago. In fact, it's the anniversary of my first member yesterday. hTe rules I had were, no selling. So I don't sell, no affiliate links, no one else can sell anything, and we have to be supportive. No negativity, no politics. So what it's become, it's like the senior common room of the private rented sector, with landlords, lawyers, letting agents. There's a fantastic forum in there. It's not me doing it, it's peer-to-peer. I have twice-monthly live streams where people can ask me questions. I wonder where I got that from. No, I very much modelled it on your Patreon, but on a different platform. I have courses in there as well. So that has really grown. I launched it in July, and by September, October, I'd gone past the VAT threshold, which has complicated everything, but it means my business now is this membership. I really enjoy doing it, and there hasn't been all the negativity that you have in a Facebook group. So I had them as… talk about your thousand fans. There are about 1,500 in the membership, and their support really helped the launch of my book, as well as the wider people who get my free newsletter. Jo: Yes. Suzanne: So it's all different types of content marketing. Jo: Y, but I do love this. And of course, if people are wondering, I joined Patreon back in 2014, I think it might have even been before that, and there weren't too many places back then to run communities. It wasn't even really a community at the time, it was a sort of, almost a “give me a bit of support for the podcast.” So things have changed a lot in terms of communities, and obviously you went with Circle, which is great. Patreon is slightly different now, and some people are using Substack for something similar. So that's just on the platform, but on the business: early on in our conversation you said, “I wasn't going to have a business. It wasn't a business. It was just putting stuff out there, helping other people,” and then your audience asked for this membership. And so now it is a business, right? Suzanne: Yes, it is. Jo: And you've got a book and all of this. So are you happy with the change to a business? Because obviously you have to treat it quite differently. Suzanne: Yes, I am, because I think to begin with, I was just doing it one or two days a week. I was actually studying a master's in French literature part-time, and I then found that I was enjoying the blog more than the master's, so I dumped the master's after the first year. But after getting 88% for one of my dissertations, which interestingly was on the translation of a Simone de Beauvoir book into English, and the publisher who's got that now is Random House, but that's another thing. Anyway, so I decided to give up my master's and double down and work full-time on the blog. People were paying to help me with all the big fees and things, the big tech stack, Buy Me a Coffee. I was doing a little bit of consulting and things. I was working six, seven days a week. I was treating it like a business in terms of quality and my effort, but it wasn't a business in terms of revenue. Then it just all came together, and this person said, “Set up a membership,” and I thought, “That's what I'm going to do. I'm now going to put it on a business setting.” I've got an MBA, I know how to do it, and people thought I planned it, but I didn't. It just happened. So now I do very much treat it as a business, but I still don't advertise. I don't allow people to advertise with me, because I want to be independent. If I recommend something, I want people to believe it's me recommending it, not just because someone's paying me, which can be a big issue in the landlord area. Jo: Oh, in any industry. I get pitched every day with loads of random things that people are like, “Oh, a dollar a click or whatever, if you send this to your list.” And it's like, seriously? Just stop it already. I did just want to add there: somebody asked you, they said, “You should have a community,” and that sparked that idea. I just wanted to acknowledge that my Patreon came from Jim Kukral. Some of you will remember, who've been around a long time. Jim Kukral came on my blog around sort of 2013. Amanda Palmer had just put out a book called The Art of Asking, and I was doing a lot of unpaid work on the podcast at the time, and I was either going to give it up or I had to fund it somehow. Jim said, “You should do a Patreon.” And I was like, “Oh, no, I hate asking for money.” So at the time I just felt, oh, weird. Then I was like, “No, I do all this work,” as you were saying. Now the Patreon has changed so much in terms of what it is, but it is the backbone of my business, too. So I love that you listened to one of your fans who said what they wanted, and I love that I've listened as well. Sometimes we just have to listen to those urges, don't we, to take things on? Suzanne: Yes, absolutely. In some ways I didn't really back myself before. I thought, “No one's going to pay for this.” Then the more you give, the more they want. Jo: Yes. Suzanne: What I've been really working on now is having boundaries, because there were two big kind of mottos that I picked up when I was working in pharmaceuticals. One was from a head of the business. He was Canadian, and he was always saying, “You've got to skate to where the puck is heading.” Jo: That's Wayne Gretzky, is it? Suzanne: Exactly. Yes. He would always say it, and so that's what I've done with my blog and my book. When I write things, I don't pay for any tools. I don't do keyword searches and all that. I just think, I do one blog post per topic, and I'm going to guess what people are going to be searching for soon, and I build up all this content around it. That's why most of my blog pages are top five. I've had no advertising. I haven't asked for any backlinks. I don't do it. People backlink to it because it's useful. So that was the first thing, is skate to where the puck is heading, and that was my approach with the book. I knew people would need this book from around May, and they'll need it forever, because it is so complicated and regulated, the rules for being a landlord in England. So that was the first one. The second thing was: when you take something on, you've got to let something go. One in, one out. I found that I was taking on so many different things, and I've just been cutting back, because I can't be doing all the speaking, I can't be answering people's emails. So I now don't do emails. If people want my advice on something, they ask me in the hub, at the twice-monthly live streams. Sometimes I answer in the forums, but I don't have time. When there are 2.4 million landlords in the UK, and even with our 18,000 on my newsletter, I could spend, and I did, I used to spend all my time replying to emails. So anyway, there are the things. Oh, and there was a third one, which is: attract, don't chase. One of my friends gave me that advice and that's exactly what my approach has been. I just don't chase for anything. I just put the stuff there and then build it and they will come. Jo: Yes, and I think another thing is the power of the niche. It's so clear that what you write about, the people you are aiming at, you have an extremely tight target market. That is both a strength and obviously a weakness, because they're the only people. But as you say, there's more than enough of those people for a community, for the book you have. From my own perspective, that's the same for me, the power of the niche. That's how I have a successful podcast, for example, because of that reason. I think you're like a poster child of what a non-fiction author should do. What I like is that you didn't go, “Oh, where's a niche where I could make money?” and then jump in. You've gone about this in a kind of slightly accidental way, but now you're leaning in and this uses all your skills. So this really is a great example of the power of the niche and then making the most of it. But let's move on to what then happened, and— What happened with the book deal? Suzanne: Wow. So you and I met each other on whatever day that was in March at the Indie Author Lab, and the following day I got an email, via my website on a contact form, from Penguin Random House saying, “We love the book. We love the mission, its values,” all this kind of thing. And I was thinking, “Oh, it's another one of those. Must be an—” Jo: AI spam bot, right? Suzanne: Yes, and I remember I sent you a screenshot of it, and then I checked her out on LinkedIn and thought, “Okay, there is somebody with that name there.” You're always saying, and Orna Ross and everyone are always saying, “Watch out for scams.” And in fact, Penguin Random House even this weekend on Instagram put out something saying, “There are lots of people impersonating us.” So I didn't take it too seriously, and it was something like, “Oh, would you be interested in us publishing your book?” And I thought, and I laughed. It was like, no, this is too good to be true. So I replied and said… Oh, I said, “Well, thank you so much. The Renters' Rights Act…” And so this is like the second week in March. “The Renters' Rights Act comes into effect on the 1st of May. If you want to publish it, you're going to need to get your skates on.” I literally did say that. Then she arranged a meeting with me the next day, on the Friday. I still was very dubious about it, and I had a think about it. What helped me, and I have the little booklet here: at the Author Lab, we did some work at the beginning, and Orna said, “Put your phones away.” And it was like, “What? Put my phone away?” Then we had to do this definition of success, and our passion, and our mission, and our purpose. I wrote down things like, I want to help landlords, and in so doing, help improve the private rented sector. I get pleasure from helping people. I want to improve standards and use my legal and practical skills, et cetera. So I thought, “Okay, what is my purpose of doing this book?” It isn't really to make money, because going with Penguin, you wouldn't do that for financial reasons, because you'd make very little money. So I thought, what is my why? My why is I want as many people to read this book as possible. And I've managed to sell a few thousand copies, but there are 2.4 million landlords, and they all need to understand this book, and the only way that I can get it out there, apart from doing ads, is to get it out in bookstores. So I thought about it, and then said, “Yes, I will do it, because I want to get the book out there.” So it's distribution. It's going to be published on the 6th of August, which is really quick, bearing in mind they contacted me in the middle of March. It's exactly the same book, it's just got different copyright wording and different blurb, different paper. Same cover, because I managed to find a fantastic cover person to do it. So they've kept everything the same. So we negotiated that book. I have no agent. They came to me. It's the attract, don't chase. I just put my lawyer hat on, and because one licence is very much like another one… I did turn down their first offer. Jo: Well done. Good negotiation. Suzanne: My daughter said to me, who's an adult daughter, she said, “But it's Penguin.” And I said, “Well, no, but it doesn't work for me.” So I had a call with them, and then they came up with something that worked for me a bit more. I did have to concede on a few things, like I can't sell it in my Shopify store. But in some ways, that was a blessing in disguise, because it means I don't get any more “Where's my book?” emails. Jo: Yes, exactly. Pros and cons of everything, basically. Suzanne: I have very clear rights to get it back. If I want it back, I can get it back and I don't have to give a reason. They're lovely. They have been really very wonderful. When I went up there a month or so ago, they gave me this book bag, and it's got on it, “I'm published by Penguin,” and I burst into tears. Jo: Aw. That's nice. Suzanne: I don't know, it just seemed like such a big deal. Because up until then I was just being all very lawyerly and task-orientated. Then I thought, “Oh my goodness,” and then it dawned on me. So I'm now in this interim period where I've taken it off Amazon and off my Shopify store, and I feel very maternalistic towards the book because, you know, it took me two and a half years, which is longer than a pregnancy. Obviously it's not a child, but it's like my book child. I've sent it off with a backpack and a drink and some snacks, and I hope that they look after him, my book. The day I took it off Amazon it was still number one. And a big shout-out to Publisher Rocket, by the way. Jo: Yes. Very, very useful for niche publishing. Suzanne: Very. It helped me choose the right niche categories. So it was number one on at least one category, often six, all the way through. I thought, “Well, it's over to them now.” They're very lovely people. They've given me some marketing assets, as they call it, some swanky graphics and things to use. We'll have to see what we do in terms of marketing. I don't mind doing marketing. I'm on LinkedIn quite a bit, and my whole blog is marketing. What I've been doing is updating my blog to include one of these graphics and to mention the book, and I got Claude to help me draft the code so it looked right. So I've been going through all of my blog posts and sending people to Amazon rather than to my Shopify store. It is mixed feelings, because I care about my book. I put a lot of effort, a lot of love, a lot of tears. No, not tears, but I put a lot of effort into it, and it's out of my control now. Jo: Yes, you said it's over to them, but obviously you will still be creating content around this topic, so you'll probably still be the biggest driver of book sales. Suzanne: Yes. Jo: Are they also suggesting, for example, a podcast tour, like pitching for podcasts? Are they going to assign you some PR? Because, also if people don't know, as we are recording this, we have a new prime minister who wants to do various things. You said no politics, but this is obviously a political thing. So you have the potential to go on a lot of different podcasts, media, talking about this, becoming almost a talking head in this kind of area. So are you angling for all that, and is that in your contract, or is it literally just going to be whatever you want to do? Suzanne: That's not in the contract. What's in the contract is very minimal. I think I've already done what I'm supposed to do. They are pitching for me to go on podcasts and things. I'll tell you a really funny coincidence. So we now have a new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, and when he was Mayor of Greater Manchester, he set up something called the Good Landlord Charter. I actually talk about it in the book, and I quote him in my book saying that good landlords mean people trying to do the right thing, or something like that. And I coincidentally came up with the same name, The Good Landlord Handbook. I'd already had the book title for a long time. So this idea of good and landlord coming together, the adjective good as opposed to criminal or rogue, and the cover being green. I'm wanting to change the narrative so it's the norm to have a good landlord, and to help people become good landlords. Or if they're good landlords, help them to understand the new rules, because the new rules are very complicated. So what I don't get involved in is this right or wrong. Is it right that landlords can't do this or have to do this? Because as an in-house lawyer, it doesn't really matter what I think about the law. GDPR, goodness me. Jo: Oh, dear. Let's not start on GDPR. Suzanne: No, exactly. Because we've just got to suck it up. I liken it to the grief cycle, that people have been going through so much change and you have the anger, the depression— Jo: Denial. Suzanne: Bargaining, the denial, and then you get to acceptance. For some people, the acceptance means they want to stop doing it. If you want to accept it and stay, you need to understand the rules. So I've deliberately just kept very practical and have kept out of all the politics of it. I have, funnily enough, become involved because I'm now seen as an expert on the Renters' Rights Act. I've worked behind the scenes with the government to help, and give comment on government guidance for landlords. I was even invited to a reception to mark the passing of the Renters' Rights Act at Downing Street with the previous prime minister, all whilst staying apolitical. I won't let anyone make me be a mouthpiece for their political view. It's more, we just have to do this if we want to continue doing it. I've been very clear on that. Jo: It's interesting you mention the grief cycle there, and you've also mentioned Claude and ChatGPT. I wonder if you might also just comment on use of AI for authors and for marketing and all this. Also with legal stuff, because for me now, if I'm looking at a particular legal thing, I tend to ask Claude. I'm like, “Can you just explain this?” or upload a contract or whatever. Although it is not legal advice, it can be quite useful. So give us your thoughts on using AI as a sidekick in your author business and also for wider life. Suzanne: I now struggle to think what life would be like without Claude. I don't use Claude to write, at all, because I have a very particular voice and a turn of phrase, and if ever Claude writes something for me, it doesn't sound like me. It flattens me, and it makes me sound a bit American. So I don't do that. I've used it in the back end of the business. For instance, my blog was down, and there was something called a recursive bot, which I don't even know what it was, and Claude helped me fix it for free. I went through, I did screenshots. When I did an ElevenLabs audiobook and did it all myself, I was literally, for every screenshot, showing it to Claude. Claude said, “Do this, press this, press that.” So I have all these different projects set up. One is the control room, where it's for my strategic thinking. If I have an idea, I want to think about something, I put it in there. I have the engine room, which is for everything techy. Like when I had the recursive bot, or if I'm wanting to have some code on the website to make it look a particular way. Then I have other things for different subjects, and I put all the resources in there, and I use it a lot as a thinking partner. I've noticed that Fable doesn't hallucinate as much, but the Opus used to. There's something called rental discrimination, and it was proofreading and said, “No, it's not rental discrimination, it's rental income discrimination,” and that was just a load of rubbish. So I would never let it go and change things without me looking at it. I went on one of your webinars a month or so ago about MCPs and all the connectors, which is fantastic. It can go into my community and pull out all the questions for one of my live streams and put it into a document in order, by theme, for instance. It can look at my MailerLite, because that's where my newsletter is with, and analyse the different open rates and click rates and things. It's so good for analysing everything, all the book sales. It helped me with my negotiation with Penguin, and it is pretty good on law. It has sometimes hallucinated things, but not so much now. I think with anything, you've always got to go back to the primary source, and this is what we learn in academia: you have to check the primary source yourself. I have a bit of a magpie brain. I'm very much a discovery writer, like you, and things occur to me as I'm doing it. I think that Claude, at the moment, is incredible. I've been quite open about it on social media that I have Claude as a business partner. I'm a solopreneur, or whatever the word is. I have quite a big business now, and lots of different things, and it's just me doing it, because I can ask Claude how to do this, and how to do that. Claude can go and check my emails and tell me, is there somebody I've not replied to, which helps a lot. Jo: Yes. I think it's empowering as a solopreneur as such. You talk there about the fixing the tech stuff. I have my web host come to me and say, “Look, you're getting so much traffic and bot stuff, and we need to put this thing in, and it's going to be $120 extra a month.” I was like, “Can you just give me an hour? I'll get back to you.” And then I just had Claude code up, and I was like, “Analyse this and tell me what we can do.” It was like, “No, you just need to flip this switch and do that.” And I'm like, “Okay, fair enough.” Then the guy said, “Oh, no, okay, actually you don't need it.” Just stuff like that. As a solopreneur, you're either going to pay somebody technically quite a lot of money, or you can get Claude or ChatGPT. We should say, the ChatGPT Sol is very good, like the Claude Fable, for example. So, yes, using it as a sidekick. I love your control room and your engine room projects as well. That's a great way of doing it. Suzanne: I wouldn't be without it now, and I would have published the book a lot later without Claude, because Claude was helping me with the Shopify store and all the many steps of things. It saved me real time. It is just fantastic. I think, like now when I'm updating my blog, I have a connection between Claude and my blog. Claude can go in, I can give it my Google Search Console results for the page: what should I change, are the headings right? All this kind of thing. And it will give me a view on every single page, which is incredible. Jo: And YouTube, and just everything. Just super useful for that business sidekick. That's what I want authors to think. I feel like authors get so obsessed with the creative side with AI, whereas actually, people like you and me, we're using it as that engine room for the solo business, which is what I love. So we're out of time. I did want to ask one more thing, which is, one of the biggest issues with a specific book like yours is when they change the law again. So do you have a plan in place for if, say, a new government changes the law again? Will you just be updating the book over time? Suzanne: I think that there'll need to be a new edition of the book in three years' time, and I've spoken to Penguin about it. Not all of this new law has been implemented, and there's going to be case law and things. So I expect that I will update the book every few years. I have some other ideas for books as well, but for the moment, I'm just taking a bit of a break. You always say we've got to refill our creative well. I really feel like that at the moment. Recently I've just got myself a personal mobile phone so that I can turn off my work one when I'm on holiday and actually take time off. Because for all the time that I was doing the book, basically from Christmas until May, I didn't have one day off. That is not good. So I'm just trying to be a bit more balanced. I had an idea to write another book for summer, but I've just decided not to, and I'm going to leave it until I feel the urge again. Jo: Oh, well done. Suzanne: Which will come. Jo: Yes, well done. Suzanne: I think there's nothing wrong with that. We just need to think what's right for us. I'm 58. So I want to be able to have time to enjoy things and not be working all the time. Jo: No, that's great. It's a sustainable business. So where can people find you and the book and your community online? Suzanne: The easiest way to find me is theindependentlandlord.com. Or if you put Suzanne Smith and landlord into Google, you'll find me as well, and there's a link on there to the book, The Good Landlord Handbook. In the community, there's a link to that on my website as well. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Suzanne. That was great. Suzanne: Thank you.The post From Blog To Community To Book: A Non-Fiction Author's Journey With Suzanne Smith first appeared on The Creative Penn.
Former White House staffer Miles Taylor warns "Could Congress hand Trump the midterms?" Plus why are we selling Saudi Arabia the Very Thing We're Bombing Iran Over? Victoria Jones - Britain's New PM Andy Burnham and, does Larry the Cat (the official cat of #10 Downing Street) approve...? And why Are ICE Officers Saying Morale Is Worse Than Under Biden?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Many people, including politicians, love to hate the super-rich, and assume they have gamed the system. Yet our correspondent reports that a growing share of today's wealthiest earned their money providing goods and services we all want. A new crackdown on scam compounds in Cambodia. And lessons from the ultimate political animal, Downing Street's Larry the Cat. Watch “The Insider” interview with Elon Musk from 6pm BST, 1pm EST. Listen to our podcast series “Scam Inc”. Guests and host:Callum Williams, senior economics writerSue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondentChris Impey, co-editor of “The Intelligence”Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Billionaires, Elon Musk, Lionel Messi, Taylor SwiftScams, scam compounds, CambodiaLarry the Cat, Andy Burnham, Downing StreetListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Many people, including politicians, love to hate the super-rich, and assume they have gamed the system. Yet our correspondent reports that a growing share of today's wealthiest earned their money providing goods and services we all want. A new crackdown on scam compounds in Cambodia. And lessons from the ultimate political animal, Downing Street's Larry the Cat. Watch “The Insider” interview with Elon Musk from 6pm BST, 1pm EST. Listen to our podcast series “Scam Inc”. Guests and host:Callum Williams, senior economics writerSue-Lin Wong, Asia correspondentChris Impey, co-editor of “The Intelligence”Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Billionaires, Elon Musk, Lionel Messi, Taylor SwiftScams, scam compounds, CambodiaLarry the Cat, Andy Burnham, Downing StreetListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In his inaugural speech in Downing Street, the new prime minister Andy Burnham says Britain needs to show the world it can regain stability. He promises a new political and economic model including measures to help people with the cost of living. He indicates his first calls to foreign leaders will include President Trump and President Zelensky. Also: US carries out strikes on Iran for ninth consecutive night, after at least three US soldiers are killed in exchange of fire over the weekend. Iran says it attacked two oil tankers trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Thousands of demonstrators march towards parliament in Delhi, demanding reforms to India's education system. And, a day after their victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final, the Spanish team return home to be greeted by enthusiastic crowds. England finished third, but one Englishman keeps on winning in the US: David Beckham. We look at his enduring appeal to advertisers in the US. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk Photo: Andy Burnham with his wife, Marie-France van Heel, outside 10 Downing Street, after he met King Charles III and accepted his invitation to become Britain's prime minister and form a new government. Credit: Jeff Overs/BBC
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