Podcasts about lib dems

In CI News this week: Lib Dems ‘betraying women' by opposing single-sex spaces guidance, ‘Irresponsible' gambling ads banned for featuring England captain, Ontario doctor given ‘slap on the wrist' for botched euthanasia and ‘Historic' moment as Bible translated into 800th language. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories Lib Dems ‘betraying women' by opposing single-sex spaces guidance NI successfully avoids proposed smacking ban Ontario doctor given ‘slap on the wrist' for botched euthanasia ‘Historic' moment as Bible translated into 800th language

Nothing says Elder Statesman like dumping publically on your party, its leader and its wannabe leaders in the midst of a crisis and weeks before a series of tricky by-elections. And so to Tony Blair, a man so brim-full of his own wisdom that it took him 5,700 words plus a BBC interview to say Labour and its team is a bit, well, lefty for his liking. Alex, Naomi and Kenny try to tease out the reasons for Blair's bombshell intervention, which comes as fellow New Labour traveller Gordon Brown is drafted in to help Starmer and the other fellow traveller, Peter Mandelson... never mind. Plus the latest on the Tories, Greens, Lib Dems, and goings-on in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. All that and we still managed to do it in fewer than 5,700 words. Probably. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** • We have put together a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BLUESKY STARTER PACK⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, if you would like to join us there • Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Cover image tablet from pngtree.com • Cover image frame by tohamina on Magnific Brought to you by Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Quiet Riot is a Cooler Heads production. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Birmingham the UK's most ungovernable city? And what does the recent election tell is about politics in this country more widely? In the recent elections, when the entire Council was up, Labour lost control, winning just 17 seats of the 101 seats; Reform emerged as the largest party with 23 with the Greens coming second with 19 seats…   So no party has a majority; Reform has acknowledged that it won't find enough coalition partners; Labour has said it wants time to reflect on the result and rebuild trust with voters, making a partnership between The Greens,Lib Dems and a block of mostly pro Gaza independents the likeliest coalition to run Britain's biggest local authority.   It sounds like a recipe for chaos in a city where bin workers have been on strike for more than a year…   Adrian Goldberg hears from Mike Olley a former Labour councillor who runs the Midlands Grit substack and Corinne Fowler, a newly elected Green councillor in the city…   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we talk about Keir Starmer, Labour, and the Reform UK party.We also discuss Tories, the Lib Dems, and two-party systems.Recommended Book: Peak by K. Anders Ericsson and Robert PoolTranscriptFor more than 100 years, the British political system has been dominated by two parties: Labour and the Conservative Party, often called the Tories.In practice, that means these two parties, which are center-left and center-right in their leanings, respectively, have tended to shape the direction of British politics and the Overton Window of thinkable proposals—things that might actually happen because they get the requisite support from politicians and the public.These two parties have usually had to work with other, smaller parties in order to get anything done, because the UK has a parliamentary system that often leaves the party with the most representatives lacking enough support to run a functioning government, solo. As a consequence, the Liberal Democrats, which is a fairly centrist party, the Green Party, which focuses on environmentalism and more left-wing concerns, Plaid Cymru (plied KUM-ree), which is the Welsh nationalist party, and the Scottish National Party, which is exactly what it sounds like, have long influenced Labour and the Tories, aligning their votes with whomever gives them a seat at the table. This has given some influence to smaller groups that might otherwise lack representation, though that influence has typically been moderate to meager, at best—the folks in Labour and the Conservative party have run things in the UK, and that's been the case for generations.Things started to shake up a bit in the 20-teens, however, when anti-immigration and EU-skepticism in Britain led to the creation of the far-right Brexit Party, which was co-founded by politician Nigel Farage, who was the leader of the UK Independence Party in the early 2000s and 20-teens, and who was previously a Tory, and Catherine Blaiklock, a politician and hotelier who stepped down from her position as party leader the year after the Brexit Party was founded after anti-Islamic and racist comments she'd previously made online were rediscovered.The Brexit Party existed, almost exclusively, to push for a no-agreement exit from the European Union by the UK, which was considered to be a fairly fringe ideology back then, but which gained a lot of steam as other populists began to add their support to the general concept.Both the government and the existing political structure of the UK was then caught flat-footed, by all indications very surprised by the eventual success of that push, and the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020, after a whole lot of skepticism that it would ever happen, even after a vote in favor of Brexit took place. This represented a serious come to Jesus moment for British politicians, but also British society, and there's been quite a lot of self-reflection and naval gazing in the years since, as the Brexit pullout from the EU has caused quite a lot of economic and diplomatic damage, while also shining a spotlight on numerous simmering issues that were previously overlooked or unaddressed, including the bubbling resentment and at times outright xenophobia felt by a significant portion of the British electorate, and persistent economic issues faced by folks at the middle and lower rungs of society.What I'd like to talk about today is the recent 2026 UK Local Elections, and what they seem to tell us about how things are going in British politics, and what they portend for the current Labour-run administration.—On May 7, 2026, the UK held local elections for 5,066 councillors, 136 local authorities, and six directly elected mayors. Some of these elections were postponed in 2025 to allow for government restructuring, but most of these positions were last up for election in 2022.This election was generally seen as an unofficial referendum on the governing Labour Party, and in particular the current Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who has been in office for just under two years, and who stepped into the role of PM after the role was held by the Conservative Tories for 14 years; five different Prime Ministers taking the reins during that period, including David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak.All that changing in leadership is indicative of the chaos the UK government was experiencing at the time, the May 2010 general election leading to a period of significant austerity—the government cutting tons of social programs in order to reduce spending—which then fed into more support for Brexit when some members of the party positioned the economic issues people were facing as the consequence of EU-related immigration, and shortly thereafter, the world succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic.There was a lot of truly significant political change from about 2010 onward, then, and a lot for the general population to be upset about. The Conservatives held onto power despite it all for those 14 years, but the shift back to Labour was the result of Starmer and his party saying, listen, we hear you, a lot has to change, and we can instigate that change. Trust us.This new election suggests that the majority of voters in the UK feel that the Labour Party hasn't lived up to that trust.In Wales, Plaid Cymru has taken the most seats, 43, but failed to achieve the 49 seat majority they would require to govern, solo.In Scotland, the SNP took the most seats, but also fell short of a majority, netting 58 seats, not the 65 required for a majority.Both of those results are not terribly shocking, though in Wales Labour lost a lot of power, down 35 seats and holding onto just 9. The Conservatives also lost in Wales, holding onto seven seats and losing 22.In Scotland, too, Labor lost some of their influence, losing 4 seats and retaining 17, while the Conservatives lost a whopping 19 seats, holding onto just 12.In England, the change in seat allocation was stunning, though.Labour lost 1406 seats, leaving them with 997, while the Conservatives lost 557 seats, holding onto just 773.Even considering those losses, the biggest story in England is the surge in support for previously small parties, in particular a far-right party called Reform UK, previously called the Brexit Party, and run by the aforementioned proponent of the British exit from the EU, Nigel Farage.Reform UK went from 2 seats to 1,444; a shocking outcome, and one that makes them the biggest winner in this election, by far. They also gained 17 seats, up from zero, in Scotland, putting them at an equal level there with Labour, and they went from zero to 34 in Wales, putting them in a competitive second place after Plaid Cymru, which again, claimed 43 seats.Other, non-Labour, non-Conservative parties also gained seats in this election, though not at the level of Reform UK.The Green Party gained two seats in Wales and six in Scotland, bringing them up to 15 there. They also gained 374 sets in England, bringing them up to 515 total seats, which leaves them in fifth place, but just 258 seats shy of the Conservatives.The Lib Dems, which are the local Centrist party, gained 151 seats, putting them in third. And there was a small surge in independent politicians winning elections, as well, that group now controlling 199 seats, up from 27 before this vote.In the wake of this absolute shellacking of Keir Starmer's Labour party—which again, lost 1406 seats in England, and their opposition, and in many ways their polar opposite, the far-right Reform UK party, gained even more than Labour lost, up 1442 seats—in the wake of that, Starmer has been asked to resign, and as of the day I'm recording this, at least, he's saying that he will not resign, and since there's no formal challenge to his leadership, he can stay in power if he chooses.There is a growing movement amongst Labour lawmakers to ask him to set a timetable for stepping down, however, and there's a pretty good chance that will happen, as the British political system allows parties to change their Prime Minister mid-term without requiring a new election, so they could swap him out for someone else, making him the face of this immense electoral failure, then they could try to change course before the next election, which will happen by mid-August of 2029, during which the vote will be for the 650 seats in the House of Commons, which is currently dominated by Starmer's Labour party.The big takeaway here, from political analysts at least, is that what used to be a reliably two-party system, for over a century that's been the case, is now a five-way race within a cultural context in which voters seem to be a lot less loyal to politicians and parties, and in which a whole lot of previously reliable infrastructure, social systems, and cultural expectations have been recently disrupted.People in the UK seem to be generally unhappy about all sorts of things, and that kind of broad unhappiness often results in more populism, which means general anti-establishment stances and us-versus-them ideologies, including racial, religious, and nationalistic versions of such ideologies, and typically a lot more support for charismatic leadership over leaders who are generally qualified and will probably be good at their jobs because they're experienced and knowledgeable.In other words, you're more likely to get loudmouths and celebrities running for office, successfully, in populist electoral contexts, and you're also more likely to see parties leaning into superficial race, class, and elite-vs-everyman issues, as opposed to running on well-defined approaches to dealing with more complex issues.In the meantime, until that 2029 election, it's likely Farage's Reform UK will bang the drum against the governing Labour party to gather more power in the lead up to 2029, and that other non-Labour, non-Conservative parties will attempt to do the same, newly energized by these results.And depending on how that non-voting-year rallying goes, this could represent a foot in the door for these smaller parties. And we could consequently see more former Labour and Conservative politicians and voters leaving for Reform, for the Lib Dems, for the Greens, and for independents. All of which will make UK politics a lot more chaotic, but also probably more diverse, with power less centralized and the government's makeup a bit less predictable.Show Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_Kingdom_local_electionshttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/world/europe/uk-elections-local-takeaways.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/05/08/world/uk-local-elections-resultshttps://apnews.com/article/uk-elections-starmer-labour-what-to-know-eb11ff39b1b74bbaf9f4ef6abfd60f64https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/08/uk/uk-local-election-reform-farage-starmer-intlhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-08/how-bad-for-labour-britain-s-local-elections-in-six-chartshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_Kingdomhttps://www.bbc.com/news/live/c1428pev1n0t#election-englanhttps://www.politico.eu/article/nigel-farage-reform-uk-win-next-general-election/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_United_Kingdom_general_electionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Blaiklockhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_UKhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Faragehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Keir Starmer has given what was billed as a make-or-break having spent the weekend under fire from his own party. He tried to strike a more urgent tone, promising bigger arguments, closer ties with Europe (which is basically already happening) and action on British Steel (subject to consultation). But with Labour still haemorrhaging votes on all sides, is this enough to steady his leadership – or has the party already begun to look beyond him?Tim Shipman and James Heale discuss Starmer's speech, the Labour figures waiting in the wings – from Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner to Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband – and what Reform, the Tory party, the Lib Dems, the SNP and the Green party do next after a dramatic set of local elections.Produced by Megan McElroy. 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.

SNP wins again — but the victory comes with serious caveatsJohn Swinney secures a remarkable third decade of SNP governmentLabour and Reform tied for second in seats - a brutal night for the old partiesScottish Labour's decline continues — and the damage may have been made in LondonAnas Sarwar's future: safe for now, but questions are unavoidableKeir Starmer under mounting pressure after disastrous UK-wide resultsReform's Scottish breakthrough: from nowhere to 17 MSPsHas Farageism now found a place in Scottish politics?The Conservatives collapse from second place to fifthCalls to ‘unite the right' may grow after Reform splits the unionist voteThe Greens surge with breakthrough wins in Edinburgh Central and Glasgow SouthsideRoss Greer's targeted campaign hailed as one of the most effective of the electionLib Dem revival gives them real leverage in the next parliamentLiam McArthur tipped as possible next Presiding OfficerWill SNP deal with Lib Dems rather than Greens on budgets?Stephen Flynn's arrival at Holyrood could reshape SNP politicsOil and gas tensions expose a divide between North East SNP and Central Belt SNPTurnout falls sharply — nearly half of voters stayed at homeA parliament transformed beneath the surface, even if the SNP still dominatesThe next Holyrood term may be the most difficult of the devolution eraFocussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an awful set of elections for Labour across England, Scotland and Wales, are the Prime Minister's days numbered? Could the Cabinet revolt? Might a rival formally launch a leadership challenge? Or might it take another defining crisis – a further final straw – to trigger a revolt by the parliamentary foot soldiers? We also examine how Labour's leadership rules operate, including the nomination requirements for a leadership challenger to trigger a race. A key decision would be timing: would any contest timetable give Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, the opportunity to attempt a return to the Commons. The elections have demonstrated that Labour is beset by political rivals on all sides – Reform on the right flank, the Greens, Lib Dems and SNP on the left, and now Plaid Cymru in what historically was its Welsh heartland. So, would an alternative leader offer a more effective response to these multiple threats than Sir Keir Starmer? Meanwhile the Scottish and Welsh results raise fresh political and constitutional tensions for the UK Government and Parliament to address. Will invigorated nationalist governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff start picking more fights with Westminster over policy, money and legislative consent? And in Cardiff, will the process of installing a new and non-Labour Welsh Government go smoothly? With no party winning an overall majority in Wales, it looks like there will be a Plaid-led administration: but it may find itself mired in week-to-week deal-making with smaller parties, and subject to professional fouls at key moments like the Budget. Could that provide a taste of things to come at Westminster, after the next general election?_____

Will Keir Starmer survive presiding over seismic Labour losses in the local elections, and if he doesn't who should replace him? Do historic Reform and Green wins for Farage and Polanski confirm the death of two-party politics in the UK? Did the Ed Davey's Lib Dems and Kemi Badenoch's Conservatives actually perform better than expected? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Our new university student discount: Get TRIP membership for just £20 per year when you sign up using your university email at checkout on therestispolitics.com⁠ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair's miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It's risk-free with Nord's 30 day money back guarantee ✅ __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Josh Smith Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne Producer: Evan Green General Manager: Tom Whiter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Final polls before Scotland votesSNP on course to be largest party - but can they form a government?Reform tipped for a major breakthroughCould Reform become the main opposition?Polls say Labour facing a potentially disastrous night but how will electoral quirks effect this? What a bad result means for Anas SarwarConservatives under pressure as support fallsTurnout fears and the “don't know” votersWhy the campaign failed to inspireGreens and Lib Dems eye influence at HolyroodWhat happens if the SNP fall short of a majorityCould Scottish results deepen Keir Starmer's crisis?Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Firas, Nate, and Nick discuss the Golders Green attack and the institutional response, the ethnic mafia takeover of Britain's High Streets, and the LibDems' animosity towards Christianity.

In CI News this week: A 56-year-old mother dies by assisted suicide after suffering a bereavement, free speech campaigner Harry Miller is granted permission to challenge hate crime regulations, and a believer who was deselected from the Liberal Democrats over his Christian views is vindicated. You can download the video via this link. Featured stories Healthy British woman dies at Swiss suicide clinic ‘Extreme' abortion proposals introduced into Dáil Legal challenge to hate crime recording rules given go-ahead Lib Dems admit unlawful religious discrimination against Christian candidate

Labour and the Conservatives have dominated British politics for more than 100 years. But local and devolved elections being held across the UK could be about to change that forever, and potentially mark the end for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.ITV News' election expert Professor Jane Green has been given access to YouGov polling data that suggests that we might be at a tipping point, where challenger parties like Reform UK, the Lib Dems, the Green Party, Plaid Cymru, and the SNP could be set for some of their best results ever.In this video, we'll look at what this data reveals, how Nigel Farage's Reform UK and Zack Polanski's Green Party could potentially unseat Labour and the Conservatives, and how this all means the future of British politics could be set to change indefinitely.

Lesley and Fraser dive into a week of high-stakes testimony, "shadowy" Westminster figures, and the emeerging cross-party consensus in Scotland on when our children should actually start school.The Whitehall "Schmozzle" We look at the recent Foreign Affairs Committee sessions featuring the "Whitehall Mandarin" Philip Barton and Keir Starmer's strategist, Morgan McSweeney. It was a masterclass in the "dark arts" of Number 10, with Emily Thornberry leading a blistering critique of the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador before his security vetting was even complete. From the "knife through the soul" of the Epstein revelations to the bizarre "Blitzkrieg" strategy to install Mandelson over George Osborne, we ask: is this just "jobs for the boys" by another name?.The Kindergarten Revolution Lesley reports back from a fascinating Upstart Scotland hustings where, for once, there was a strange glimmer of cross-party agreement. Even the "new man" Tory candidate seemed to accept the logic of raising the school starting age to seven. But while the Greens and Lib Dems are on board, the SNP government remains oddly "wobbly" on putting a proper kindergarten stage in their manifesto.We also look at the latest news on Ferry procurement, the SNP pledge on a section 30 order vote and constitutional convention and much more!LinksNOKUT (Norway): Developed a toolkit for recognising refugees' qualificationshttps://www.sciencenorway.no/immigration-integration-refugees/who-is-best-at-getting-refugees-into-the-workforce-norway-sweden-or-denmark/2082005Highland Clearances; communities fight backhttps://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/highland-clearances-two-communities-fight-back ★ Support this podcast ★

In this weeks news we cover the following news stories: Macky: Trump rolls out Joe Rogan for White House psychedelics announcement and jokes he'd like some meds for anxiety | The Independent  Smee:  First conviction secured against landlord enabling cannabis factories across multiple properties | Bedfordshire Police  Dr.Margaret: High-Risk Behavior? What Your Patients Should Know About Cannabis and Diabetes Billy: Welsh Lib Dems pass motion to protect medical cannabis patients - leafie  John still isn't back yet as he is supporting his kid in volleyball tournaments, but he will be back in a couple of weeks. We also have a little bit of forum news where Stootie returns from a short hiatus, we have some giveaways just for 420, and an update on the site updates ;) .  If you have any stories you would like us to cover on next weeks show, feel free to get in touch on any of your favourite networks! Thanks as always for listening, I hope you enjoy the show

Liberal Democrat peer Mark Pack and MP for Surrey Heath Al Pinkerton join James Heale to explain that it is a matter of 'when not if' the party become the second biggest in local government. Overtaking the Conservatives would be 'seismic' but they see it as inevitable, following a 'long-run of sustained wins' in the post-coalition Lib Dem era.Faced with criticism that the Lib Dems are too focused on community and that leader Ed Davey is more interested in stunts than policy, they explain that a 'rich and varied' diet of political communication has never been more necessary, and that they will never apologise for taking up the causes that matter to their constituents. They also argue that defending international liberalism has never been more important: does an era of escalating geopolitical crises help or hinder the Liberal Democrat message?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.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.

On May 7th 2026, the Scottish people go to the polls to elect a new Scottish Parliament. In and amongst what look like seismic losses for the Labour Government across the English local elections and in the Welsh Senedd, Scotland stands out: it had its reckoning with the Labour Party back in 2011.If the polls are to be believed then the SNP look set to retain their place as the biggest party in Holyrood, but with a diminished seat number as Reform, the Greens and the Lib Dems look to capitalise. So with a fraught relationship with the Green Party after their recent coalition woes, an ideological opposition to Labour and a minority of MSPs, the question needs to be asked: what next for Scotland?To discuss this with Compass Director Neal Lawson we were delighted to be joined by two true standout voices in Scotland:Stephen Flynn, MP for Aberdeen South, and Leader of the SNP in the House of CommonsTommy Sheppard, SNP MP for Edinburgh East between 2015-2024.Support the showEnjoyed the podcast and want to be a live audience member at our next episode? Want to have the chance in raising questions to the panelist?Support our work and be a part of the Compass community. Become a member!You can find us on Twitter at @CompassOffice. 

The Stooshie looks through the results of our survey on election priorities. This week, the decline of the high street and what can be done to fix it. We also look at the state of play for political party manifestos while we wait for the SNP and Lib Dems to complete the set.

How many crises can unfold over a single bank holiday weekend? This week, Lesley Riddoch and Fraser Thompson try to make sense of a surreal and frightening international backdrop as Donald Trump issues terrifying new threats against Iran. Closer to home, Lesley shares her experiences travelling around the Northwest of Scotland filming about the clearances in Strathnaver and she highlights the very real local anxiety over petrol shortages and the impact of the NC500 "boy racers" sooking up all the fuel.We look again at CalMac ferries. The MV Lord of the Isles might be back in service, but a new tender for her replacement has been published with zero "social value" criteria baked into the scoring—meaning local companies won't get extra points over foreign competitors. We discuss the unions' anger and the structural split between CMAL and CalMac.We look at the Scottish election campaign. With discussions around whether to vote SNP with both votes, we examine the tactical voting dilemma, the Lib Dems snapping at the heels of the SNP in the Highlands, and the urgent need for a bold 'Highland manifesto'. Plus, a look at the struggles of Reform UK and a plea for some real, breakthrough domestic policies from the SNP.In this episode:International Crisis: The escalating tensions between Donald Trump and Iran, and the global anxiety it is causing.Highland Fuel Shortages: The impact of the NC500 on local communities and the anxiety over petrol in the Northwest.Ferry Procurement: Why the new tender for the Lord of the Isles replacement lacks "social value" criteria.CalMac & CMAL: The structural issues dividing the two bodiesScottish Election: SNP list seat strategies, the Lib Dem challenge in the Highlands, and why the SNP needs a distinct Highland manifesto.Reform UK: Their disastrous start to the Holyrood campaign.Links:Talking Up Scotland blogUnion angry at no 'social value' score in new shipbuilding contractBarren Scotland - double bill film screeningSunday 12 April at 2pm, Newport on Tayhttps://www.ticketsource.com/the-larick-centre-tayport-community-trust/t-dkkjorm ★ Support this podcast ★

How many crises can unfold over a single bank holiday weekend? This week, Lesley Riddoch and Fraser Thompson try to make sense of a surreal and frightening international backdrop as Donald Trump issues terrifying new threats against Iran. Closer to home, Lesley shares her experiences travelling around the Northwest of Scotland filming about the clearances in Strathnaver and she highlights the very real local anxiety over petrol shortages and the impact of the NC500 "boy racers" sooking up all the fuel.We look again at CalMac ferries. The MV Lord of the Isles might be back in service, but a new tender for her replacement has been published with zero "social value" criteria baked into the scoring—meaning local companies won't get extra points over foreign competitors. We discuss the unions' anger and the structural split between CMAL and CalMac.We look at the Scottish election campaign. With discussions around whether to vote SNP with both votes, we examine the tactical voting dilemma, the Lib Dems snapping at the heels of the SNP in the Highlands, and the urgent need for a bold 'Highland manifesto'. Plus, a look at the struggles of Reform UK and a plea for some real, breakthrough domestic policies from the SNP.In this episode:International Crisis: The escalating tensions between Donald Trump and Iran, and the global anxiety it is causing.Highland Fuel Shortages: The impact of the NC500 on local communities and the anxiety over petrol in the Northwest.Ferry Procurement: Why the new tender for the Lord of the Isles replacement lacks "social value" criteria.CalMac & CMAL: The structural issues dividing the two bodiesScottish Election: SNP list seat strategies, the Lib Dem challenge in the Highlands, and why the SNP needs a distinct Highland manifesto.Reform UK: Their disastrous start to the Holyrood campaign.Links:Talking Up Scotland blogUnion angry at no 'social value' score in new shipbuilding contractBarren Scotland - double bill film screeningSunday 12 April at 2pm, Newport on Tayhttps://www.ticketsource.com/the-larick-centre-tayport-community-trust/t-dkkjorm ★ Support this podcast ★

We look at each party as the Holyrood election gets into full swing. Tories and SNP start in Aberdeen with an energy focus, while Labour goes island hopping. Lib Dems think they should be back in parliament already. Reform are still trying to work out who their own candidates are. And the Greens had an almighty scrap with themselves. Onwards to May 7!  

The Matts open with a war update - the signals from Washington point to an escalation which will be devastating for the world, yet the off-ramp (as it apparently must be called) is difficult to divine. In part two they discuss what seems to be an inevitable movement towards rejoining the EU. Labour are headed towards the position already fully asserted by the Greens and Lib Dems - that Brexit was a catastrophe and needs to be undone. The Matts argue it's not a case of Rejoin - but Join. Joining what, though? That's the interesting, most challenging question in European politics today. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get 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.

Ed Davey wants Britain to have its own nuclear weapons – smart move against the Greens or the end of the old anti-nuke Lib Dems? Why is the damning story about Richard Tice's tax avoidance not damaging the Reform deputy leader when it would sink any other politician? Does Louis Theroux's documentary Inside The Manosphere tell us anything new about young men's descent into hatred as recreation and business model? And in the Extra Bit: The usual suspects lose their mind over the ONS adding hummus and alcohol-free beer to the inflation basket. Can we have one day without a freakout over woke? Just one?  • Join our live Zoom for Patreon backers on Thursday 26 March at 7pm.  ESCAPE ROUTES • Marie recommends the classic movie Kind Hearts and Coronets • John recommends Death by Lightning on Netflix.  • Jason recommends It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time: The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote by Bruce Vilanch • Andrew recommends The Vorrh by B. Catling.  www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Andrew Harrison with Marie le Conte, Jonn Elledge and Jason Hazeley. Audio Production by Chris Jones and Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the end, it was not even that close. The Green party has stormed to victory in Gorton and Denton, winning their first ever parliamentary by-election by more than 4,000 votes. The result changes everything: the Lib Dems are no longer the party of the protest vote; Reform's tanks are parked on Labour's lawn; the left has split; and the Tories are nowhere to be seen. The era of two-party politics is well and truly over, and this morning's result could well be remembered as the moment when that became glaringly apparent. Where do we go from here? James Heale and Tim Shipman discuss with pollster Luke Tryl. Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson. 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.

Just hours after Peter Mandelson was released on bail by police investigating allegations of misconduct in a public office, Ava, Laura, and Seán head to the studio to break down today's Opposition Day debate.The Lib Dems are planning to get MPs to back the release of documents detailing the process behind Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's appointment as a trade envoy under Tony Blair.Subscribe to How to Rebuild Britain now: https://linktr.ee/howtorebuildbritain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Westminster in a febrile state because of the Epstein-Mandelson scandal, pressure is growing on the Prime Minister. Is Britain really going to change leaders yet again? This would be the seventh PM in ten years. What is wrong with our system that this keeps happening? Plus, who is winning in local government between Reform and the Lib Dems? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Mandelson has resigned from the Labour party and insists he "doesn't recall" receiving tens of thousands of pounds from Jeffrey Epstein but has now called for "an investigation...by me“ to check.What was he doing lobbying for the paedophile billionaire from the heart of government? And what retribution if any should he now face? Keir Starmer has called for his peerage to be removed. But is Keir the only person who can actually make it happen?Later we hear from tax expert Dan Neidle on whether criminal charges could be brought. And what do the 3 million strong Epstein files tell us more widely about who was at the heart of this global power network - where corruption, paedophilia , and cover-up flourished?Since recording, the SNP and Reform have reported Peter Mandelson to the police over allegations he released confidential government documents to Epstein whilst in public office. The Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru have also demanded the police investigate.The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Is centrism back? This week a group of former Tory heavyweights – including Ruth Davidson, Andy Street, Amber Rudd and David Gauke – have launched a new group aimed at reclaiming the centre ground and dispelling the myth that politics in 2026 is a straight shooting match between increasingly diffuse left/right poles. They say that there are seven million voters in the centre who feel ‘politically homeless' and are looking for serious people to have serious conversations, rather than rabble-rousers with strong rhetoric. Are they totally misunderstanding the direction of modern politics? And should they all just join the Lib Dems?Tim Shipman speaks to David Gauke, former justice secretary and vice-chair of Prosper UK.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.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.

Is centrism back? This week a group of former Tory heavyweights – including Ruth Davidson, Andy Street, Amber Rudd and David Gauke – have launched a new group aimed at reclaiming the centre ground and dispelling the myth that politics in 2026 is a straight shooting match between increasingly diffuse left/right poles. They say that there are seven million voters in the centre who feel ‘politically homeless' and are looking for serious people to have serious conversations, rather than rabble-rousers with strong rhetoric. Are they totally misunderstanding the direction of modern politics? And should they all just join the Lib Dems?Tim Shipman speaks to David Gauke, former justice secretary and vice-chair of Prosper UK.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Ed Davey condemned Donald Trump's military manoeuvres abroad, Annabel Denham looked on and asked 'what's the point of the Liberal Democrats?'. Thinking about the Lib Dem's longstanding europhile stance, the senior political correspondent at the Telegraph wrote: 'the party that once stood on a tradition of civil liberties now wants us to rejoin a bloc which regulates everything'. Calum Miller MP – foreign affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats – joins Annabel and deputy political editor James Heale to address Annabel's challenge that the party is defined more by opposition the other parties than by their own policies. So, from localism and the UK's place in the world to free markets and social care, what do the Lib Dems stand for? And what constitutes 'liberalism' today? Produced by Patrick Gibbons, Megan McElroy and Natasha Feroze.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.

As Ed Davey condemned Donald Trump's military manoeuvres abroad, Annabel Denham looked on and asked 'what's the point of the Liberal Democrats?'. Thinking about the Lib Dem's longstanding europhile stance, the senior political correspondent at the Telegraph wrote: 'the party that once stood on a tradition of civil liberties now wants us to rejoin a bloc which regulates everything'.Calum Miller MP – foreign affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats – joins Annabel and deputy political editor James Heale to address Annabel's challenge that the party is defined more by opposition the other parties than by their own policies. So, from localism and the UK's place in the world to free markets and social care, what do the Lib Dems stand for? And what constitutes 'liberalism' today?Produced by Patrick Gibbons, Megan McElroy and Natasha Feroze. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kemi Badenoch has sensationally sacked shadow minister Robert Jenrick claiming he was secretly plotting to defect from the party in a way that was “as damaging as possible”. Reform has refused to confirm if Jenrick was planning to defect, although party leader Nigel Farage has said he ‘might' buy him a sympathy pint. While Labour and the Lib Dems have been quick off the mark to take advantage of the political unrest by creating memes. Adam and Laura are joined from Westminster by Henry Zeffman and Alex Forsyth to break down what we know. 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/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Anna Harris with Shiler Mahmoudi and Chloe Scannapieco. The social producers were Joe Wilkinson and Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producers were Ben Andrews and Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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 19 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/2011074765579055312 https://x.com/i/status/2011088744351416676 https://x.com/i/status/2011063824787353820 https://x.com/i/status/2010992748334092555 https://x.com/i/status/2010980297408409758 https://x.com/i/status/2011082057426911516 https://x.com/i/status/2011209013946683642https://youtu.be/JuRTZiQVmRo https://youtu.be/NTiLM5LDoEQ 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.

What does Trump's attack on Venezuela mean for the world – and what happens if he's serious about Greenland? Plus, back home in the UK, politics is incredibly fractured. Reform UK leads many polls, Labour's favourability is drowning, and the Green Party is neck and neck with the Lib Dems. But can the tide be turned in time to prevent Nigel Farage becoming PM? And in the Extra Bit for subscribers, as we start a new year, our panel describes the things they're looking to do to push them out of their comfort zones. ESCAPE ROUTES • Marie: All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West • Seth is reading a series of memoirs by disgraced politicians. • Jonn: King & Conqueror on BBC iPlayer • Raf: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders If you buy through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund Oh God, What Now? by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. https://www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Seth Thévoz with Rafael Behr, Jonn Elledge, and Marie Le Conte.  Audio Production by: Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. https://www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the New Statesman too soft on Wes Streeting? Are the Lib Dems an unserious party?Plus our journalists make their predictions for what will happen in 2026, and listen back to their guesses from last year…Oli Dugmore is joined by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe.SAVE £££ THIS CHRISTMAS:⭐️ Gift big ideas, bold politics, and proper journalism from just £2LISTEN AD-FREE:

Two of the authors of a new book, The British General Election of 2024, joined me for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Among the topics we discuss are whether Labour's post-election slump has made people too critical of their election campaign, whether the Conservatives could have saved themselves and lessons for the Lib Dems. Show notes The graph we discuss showing public opinion on tax and what people thought Labour and the Conservatives would do to tax. Mythbusing Liz Truss and the lettuce. The British General Election of 2024 by Rob Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge: Amazon, Waterstones or UK Bookshop.  Theme tune by Hugo Lee. New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.

This Trawl kicks off with a little bit of Cilla Black, just like the old days. Then Jemma and Marina take a festive detour to check in on how Rossid Woods is coping with the season (spoiler: not brilliantly), and enjoy a very relatable warning about over-committing to plans.Then… unable to put it off any longer, they dive into the political storm of the week.Reform UK has received a record-breaking £9 million donation, the biggest political donation in British history. Marina and Jemma wade through what's been reported and the questions now being raised by Labour and the Lib Dems about transparency, potential conflicts of interest, and whether the Electoral Commission should investigate.Also on Farage's plate are the ongoing alleged racism controversies, and fresh allegations about campaign spending.Meanwhile, Charlie Mullins is explaining patriotism from the runway to Dubai and encouraging Brits to become economic migrants. Marina and Jemma unpack the week's biggest political messes so you don't have to. Bring snacks. And a stiff drink.Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast Patreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you've even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you'll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there's a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it's your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you're not alone.Come join the fun:https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does Reform go from political insurgents to a government in waiting? Political editor Tim Shipman gives an insight into his interview with Nigel Farage, which you can read in The Spectator's Christmas edition. In the background at party headquarters, discussions are under way to work out how Reform would bring sweeping changes to the British state, looking at the model of the American system of executive power. But once handed the reins of power, would Farage actually enjoy the day-to-day business of being prime minister?In the meantime, how are Reform MPs finding Westminster? Tim reveals the unlikely relationship between Reform and the SNP, and how respect shown to the Lib Dems is not reciprocated. Plus, would the Conservatives ever work with Reform?Lucy Dunn is joined by Tim Shipman and James Heale.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.

This weekend's Coffee House Shots digs into the growing debate over whether Keir Starmer should tack left on the economy as voters peel away to the Greens and Lib Dems – and why some in Labour think its migration stance is now more popular with their own voters than ever. Are Labour tacking left? But beyond policy, a deeper question looms: is Westminster's obsession with ‘super-advisers' drowning out the government's message? Tom Baldwin argues that leaks, briefing wars and the hunt for the next ‘power-behind-the-throne' are undermining Labour's ability to tell a coherent story, while Tim Shipman asks why Starmer still struggles to communicate the values that drive him.James Heale speaks to Tim Shipman and Tom Baldwin, Keir Starmer's biographer.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.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.

This weekend's Coffee House Shots digs into the growing debate over whether Keir Starmer should tack left on the economy as voters peel away to the Greens and Lib Dems – and why some in Labour think its migration stance is now more popular with their own voters than ever. Are Labour tacking left?But beyond policy, a deeper question looms: is Westminster's obsession with ‘super-advisers' drowning out the government's message? Tom Baldwin argues that leaks, briefing wars and the hunt for the next ‘power-behind-the-throne' are undermining Labour's ability to tell a coherent story, while Tim Shipman asks why Starmer still struggles to communicate the values that drive him.James Heale speaks to Tim Shipman and Tom Baldwin, Keir Starmer's biographer.Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2015, Cameron returned to office with a majority of his own even if it wasn't particularly huge. At least it meant he no longer needed to be in a coalition with the Lib Dems, who'd taken a terrible beating. Labour too had done badly, losing further parliamentary seats.Cameron's government still had to deal with two foreign wars, in Afghanistan and Iraq, though both now involved far smaller numbers of troops, even if the emergence of ISIS in the Middle East might mean more might have to be sent.A far more immediate problem was the conflict within the Conservative Party, where Eurosceptics were beginning to become increasingly powerful. That was made worse by the rise of the harder right UKIP, actively campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union, in what would come to be known as Brexit. To try to silence his critics, Cameron pledged before the 2015 election to hold another referendum on EU membership, confident that it would vote to stay in. He was mistaken. A mixture of generalised anger against government leading to a desire to cast a protest vote, together with concerns over poor economic conditions for which immigration was blamed by many, much of it from EU countries, produced a narrow majority in favour of Brexit. Cameron resigned as Prime Minister. Theresa May took over, Britain's second woman in the post.Her challenge was to negotiate the Brexit terms with the EU. She tried to strengthen her position by holding another election in 2017 but, rather like the EU referendum, it didn't produce the desired result. She lost seats and her majority.She struggled on for another couple of years but eventually gave up and resigned.It was the dawning of the time of Boris Johnson – the theme for next episode.Illustration: Boris Johnson by the Brexit campaign bus with its false claim that leaving the EU could save Britain £350 million a week for the NHS. Photo from the Irish TimesMusic: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

What do a Democratic Socialist in New York and a Green Party leader in Britain have in common? Charisma, clarity, and, apparently, a hatred of high bus fares. In this episode of Mid-Atlantic, host Roifield Brown and the transatlantic panel tackle the political rise of Manami in NYC and Zack Polanski in the UK—two left-wing politicians who've gone from fringe to front page without watering down their message.Manami's victory over Andrew Cuomo to become New York's mayor-elect wasn't just an electoral upset; it was a messaging masterclass. Free buses, city-run groceries, and rent freezes—policies that many establishment Democrats wouldn't touch with a barge pole—landed him in City Hall with a wave of grassroots energy and a TikTok-savvy machine behind him. Meanwhile, across the pond, Polanski's strategic reframing of the Green Party—away from "tree hugger" stereotypes and toward a hard-hitting, cost-of-living political vehicle—has seen the party overtake the Lib Dems and Tories in membership numbers.But is this revival of unapologetic leftism a fleeting blip, or a realignment? Can charisma and clear messaging finally outgun billionaire-backed centrism and weary technocracy? Roifield is joined by regulars Denise Hamilton (Houston), Steve O'Neill (London), Cory Bernard (Manchester), and Mike Donahue (Los Angeles) to unpack what the centre-left keeps missing—and why hope might just be the most radical policy of all.Five Standout Quotes:“If people feel seen, they feel heard, they feel valued, they will support you—and they will vote for you.” – Denise Hamilton“Corbyn always sounds like someone's just stolen his lunch.” – Corey Bernard“Even if you elect Bernie Sanders president, how effectual is he going to be? But the mayor of New York—he can change things.” – Mike Donahue“Polanski just sounds like he enjoys it. Same message as Corbyn, but without the gloom.” – Steve O'Neill“We've embraced a cynicism and a hopelessness that Manami rejected—and people gravitated to it.” – Denise HamiltonPanel Social Handles:Denise Hamilton: @officialdhamMike Donahue: [@MichaelDonahue on Bluesky]Steve O'Neill: [@SteveZeroONeill] – Mostly on LinkedInCory Bernard: @168PolymerNext Episode Tease:Will the UK general election be a bloodbath for Labour—or will Starmer's centrism survive the green wave? Stay tuned.Need tweaks to match a specific platform (Spotify, Apple, etc.) or want a shorter version for email/newsletter blasts? Let me know. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 2007, and Tony Blair is out. In his place is Gordon Brown, who'd proved his capacity as a Chancellor. Sadly, he was now to show that promotion to Prime Minister was one step too many , since he simply didn't have the skills needed for the top job. He might have won an election in the autumn of 2007, when he had a small poll lead. Instead, his nerve failed him and he called off the election the Labour Party had been preparing. That meant that he took the blame for the world crash that hit the following year, and though he and his Chancellor did well to get Britain back to growth, with the deadline for a new election bearing down on them, they had run out of time to build the party a new lead.The result of the 2010 election was to return a hung parliament, one in which no party had a majority in the Commons. Fraught negotiations finally led to the formation of a Conservative coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. Dominated by the Tories, it pursued austerity policies to reduce the government deficit and public debt. It had some success in the first of these aims, but none in the second. Austerity created a fairly dismal atmosphere in the country and, for the LibDems, the policy turned toxic when it forced an increase in university fees which the party, now led by Nick Clegg, had vowed to abolish.When the next election was held, in 2015, the LibDems were severely punished, with their haul of MPs reduced from the respectable 57 won in 2010, to the miserable total of just eight.Labour had elected itself a hopeless, uncharismatic leader, Ed Miliband, an easy figure for Cameron to beat. Labour lost more seats from its low tally of 2010. Cameron, on the other hand, took his Conservatives to a majority in the Commons. The majority was small but enough to form a new government of Tories alone, with the LibDems once more consigned to the backbenches.So Cameron took office for the second time. Things looked good for him. Unfortunately, however, an explosion that would bring him down was building within his own party, as we'll see next week.Illustration: Cameron (left) of the Tories and Clegg of the LibDems, senior and junior leaders of the 2010 coalition government. Photo from the GuardianMusic: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

Green Party membership has surpassed 150,000 – more than that of the Lib Dems and the Conservatives. Meanwhile, Labour is polling at their lowest in history. Plus: Agency workers hired to cover the Birmingham bin strikes may now go on strike themselves, and Elon Musk could leave Tesla over a $1 trillion pay dispute. With: […]

I respond Labour's battering in Caerphilly (and the Tories dismal 2%). I also investigate Farage's flounce out of PMQs and ask whether it's political or performative. The Lib Dems get some flak too, as it turns out they may have been feeding Starmer advance warning of their questions. And then there's the question of the small boats hokey-pokey... CATCH ME ON MY TOUR ‘Basic Bloke 2: There's No Bloke Without Fire'. Book tickets here: https://www.livenation.co.uk/geoff-norcott-tickets-adp1252793 JOIN the Podcast Patreon and receive each episode early, AD-FREE & with bonus content https://www.patreon.com/geoffnorcott?fan_landing=true  Join my MAILING LIST for priority Tour booking & special offers https://signup.ymlp.com/xgyueuwbgmgb

There have been lots of movements in foreign affairs over the weekend, including a potential collapse of the Gaza peace deal, a Trump–Putin bilateral and new revelations about the China spy case. But closer to home, all eyes are on Kent Council, Reform's flagship administrative project run by Linden Kemkaran (formerly of this parish).Over the weekend, a Zoom call was leaked to the Guardian, in which council leader Kemkaran used some choice language – many are calling it a Jackie Weaver moment, if you can cast your mind back to 2021. Labour have put out a press release and the Lib Dems are apparently going to capitalise on it with something Traitors-themed, in an attempt to demonstrate that, for all their success in the polls, Reform can't govern. Will this cut through?Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Tim Shipman.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.

In the week where Trump addressed the UN, Lib Dems conferred on the beaches of Bournemouth, and a Seagull Summit came to Inverness, Andy Zaltzman is joined by Simon Evans, Neil Delamere, Tiff Stevenson and Cindy Yu to break it all down. Expect talk of the Burnham from behind, the Boriswave, and the wettest generation since the floods.Written by Andy Zaltzman.With additional material by: Jade Gebbie, Miranda Holms, Ruth Husko and Peter Tellouche. Producer: Rajiv Karia Executive Producer: James Robinson Production Coordinator: Jodie Charman Sound Editor: Marc WillcoxA BBC Studios Production for Radio 4.

Ellen Coyne and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin got their campaigns into full swing this week as they got out and about to meet voters and give their pitch ahead of voting day on October 25th. And while Connolly made headlines this week when she told a fireside chat with the UCD Politics Society that she believed Germany's rearmament was like the 1930s, it will be next Monday's televised debate that will give voters a better idea of each candidate. · While the presidential election takes all the attention, it can be easy to forget that Budget 2026 is less than two weeks away. Perhaps Paschal Donohoe and Jack Chambers are enjoying the lack of scrutiny?· And Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has not ruled out Ireland using deportation hubs outside EU borders, something that would have been very controversial in the not-too-distant pastPlus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· The bizarre political karaoke of the Lib Dems party conference, the central importance of William Shakespeare's work to a proper education, and the influence of Kermit the Frog on Patrick Freyne's journalism career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour conference kicks off this weekend in Liverpool – but the mood going in is far from triumphant. On today's Coffee House Shots, Lucy Dunn is joined by Tim Shipman and More in Common's Luke Tryl to take the temperature ahead of Labour's big set-piece. They discuss why some voters already see Starmer as ‘just as bad as the lot that came before', and whether Labour can turn things around with new policies aimed at revitalising local communities – from saving libraries and pubs to giving residents more power over development.There is also a fascinating hypothetical poll in which an Andy Burnham-led Labour party outpaces Reform UK, turning a deficit into a narrow lead. Luke explains how Burnham's appeal lies less in his own charisma than in Labour's ability to win back disillusioned supporters from the Lib Dems and the undecided.But if Labour is struggling to meet expectations, Reform faces its own dilemmas. Farage's recent flirtation with fringe debates – from vaccine-sceptic speakers to entertaining Trump's edict on paracetamol – risks alienating the mainstream voters. As Tim and Luke point out, Reform's future depends on whether it can stay focused on bread-and-butter issues like immigration and the cost of living, or whether it strays into conspiratorial territory.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.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.

Today, Ed Davey has vowed to lead the fight against Nigel Farage in his speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference. Davey argued that the Lib Dems had a "moral responsibility" to challenge Reform and urged his party to embrace patriotism to speak for "Britain's decent silent majority".Adam speaks to Chris from the conference in Bournemouth, and also interviews the Liberal Democrats' deputy leader Daisy Cooper. Plus, Adam is joined by Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's international editor, to discuss his new Panorama - Gaza: Dying for Food. In it, Jeremy looks at the food shortages in Gaza and allegations of war crimes which the IDF denies. You can watch Gaza: Dying for Food here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002jxm2You 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/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Anna Harris with Shiler Mahmoudi. The social producer was Elizabeth Chalmers. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Jamie Greene, an MSP for the West of Scotland region, defected earlier this year from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats. Most defections in Scotland – indeed across the UK – seem to be from the Tories to Reform, so what is behind Jamie's motivations to go in a different direction? What are his reflections on the splintering of politics, particularly in Scotland, as we look ahead to next year's Holyrood elections? And does he agree that this is shaping up to be the most consequential Scottish Parliament election of modern times? In Jamie's view, Reform have shown to struggle with power in the areas they've been successful in, but admits that the Liberal Democrats could learn from Reform in some ways. Can the Lib Dems emulate Reform's Scottish surge?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.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.