Podcasts about New Statesman

After Friday's meeting between Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani, everyone is asking: who is Zohran Mamdani really? What motivates him: is it progressive cultural issues, or economic populism? Is he woke, or a pragmatist? He won the mayor's seat in New York City with just over fifty percent of the vote, when even the leaders of his own party refused to endorse him. What makes this guy tick?Today's guest is one of the best people, apart from Mamdani himself, to answer these questions. Ross Barkan is a political commentator and novelist who, in a previous life, ran for office in New York City. His campaign was run by none other than Zohran Mamdani. So he has a first-hand knowledge about Mamdani's thinking about politics and governance. He is also a dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker who has lived in the city his entire life, and has intimate acquaintances with the nuances of local politics and the different ethnic communities which make up New York City. Shadi Hamid asks Ross about how Mamdani came to have such a mass appeal, even though he calls himself a democratic socialist and openly supports Palestine. Ross agrees that Mamdani's positions on several hot-button issues herald a big transformation in the Democratic Party.Damir Marusic takes a more skeptical position. Do the foreign policy positions of a New York City mayor really matter, or is it all symbolic politics? What Damir is impressed by is Mamdani's talent for politics: his visit to the White House shows that he is a pragmatist, and that he just might have what it takes to do to the Dems what Trump did to the GOP.Since interest in Mamdani is peaking right now, we are making this conversation free for all subscribers. The conversation covers a lot of the nitty-gritty of practical politics. Is it true that keeping Jessica Tisch as Police Commissioner is Mamdani's way of offering an olive branch to the Democratic establishment? What does the appointment of populist anti-monopolist Lina Khan into Mamdani's transition team mean on a political level? And was it a good idea for Mamdani to visit Trump? Finally, Ross makes a case for Mamdani: “Even if you're not a socialist or progressive, he is a young mayor who is willing to take risks and who is willing to hire young people into his administration who think outside the box.”Required Reading:* Ross Barkan's interview with Zohran Mamdani (New Statesman). * Eric Adams' “New York City is the X of America” supercut (YouTube). * Ross' political commentary in New York magazine. * Ross' columns in the New Statesman.* Ross Barkan, Fascism or Genocide: How a Decade of Political Disorder Broke American Politics (Amazon). * Ross Barkan, Glass Century: A Novel (Amazon). * “Lina Khan's populist plan for New York: Cheaper hot dogs (and other things)” (Semafor). * “Defund the police no more: Zohran Mamdani seals coup with deal to keep Jessica Tisch as NYPD Commissioner” (Fortune). * “Mamdani issues broad public apology to NYPD” (Politico). Full video:Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wisdomofcrowds.live/subscribe

For so long a fixture of public debate in the US, the software company Palantir is now increasingly being talked about here in Britain.In September the UK government announced a £1.5bn investment by Palantir in the military. It already has contracts with the police and the NHS. So, should we be worried?Tanjil Rashid is joined by journalist James Vincent.LISTEN AD-FREE:

With just days to go to Rachel Reeves' Budget, George Parker speaks to her Conservative predecessor at the Treasury, Sir Jeremy Hunt MP. They discuss what it's like for Chancellors in the run-up to a fiscal event and the intense speculation around this Budget.Following the publication of the Covid Inquiry's second report George interviews former minister, Lord Frost, who resigned from the then Conservative government over pandemic policy, and Prof Stephen Reicher, who advised both the UK and Scottish governments during the pandemic.To discuss the Home Secretary's overhaul of the asylum system, and the divisions within her party, George speaks to Labour MPs Olivia Blake and Gareth Snell.And, as the London Aquarium responds to concerns raised by a number of MPs over the welfare of its penguins, George speaks to one of those MPs, Danny Chambers, and New Statesman journalist, Rachel Cunliffe.

Whilst Your Party and the Green Party attempt to occupy the space on the left of British politics that they feel Labour has abandoned, our listener asks, what about the British communist parties?Oli Dugmore is joined by Tom McTague to discuss this, along with other listener questions on political briefings to the press and whether Labour can make a comeback.READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/the-sketch/2025/11/britains-young-communists-are-ready-for-revolutionLISTEN AD-FREE:

This is only a preview of the delights contained herein.  Phil McDuff is back for some Labour Catharsis and (mostly) coherent yelling as we efficientise the cast, look back on the Schrodinger's Coup, and the New Statesman does some Noticing. . How on earth are we ruled by people this mediocre? Subscribe for two whole bonus episodes a month: https://www.patreon.com/praxiscast  Watch streams: https://www.twitch.tv/praxiscast Buy shirts: https://praxiscast.teemill.com/ Follow Phil: https://bsky.app/profile/mcduff.bsky.social Cast: David - https://bsky.app/profile/sanitarynaptime.bsky.social Rob - https://bsky.app/profile/trufflehog.bsky.social  

This year, alongside writing his own book, Tony was gripped by that of another writer - Ian Leslie's ‘John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs'. Tony, who is a lifelong Beatles fan, has invited Ian onto Cunningcast to chat all about The Beatles. In Part 1 of this 3 Part series, Ian and Tony explore how a shared adolescent intensity, mutual trauma, and obsessive love of music forged the unique and complex relationship between John and Paul that fuelled the Beatles's extraordinary innovation. This is audible in songs such as We Can Work It Out and If I Fell, where harmonic complexity reflects their intertwined identities. They trace how the band's early experiences, especially in Hamburg, were transformative, exposing them to avant-garde influences, encouraging them to see themselves as artists, and blending silliness and Dada-like humour, which ultimately helped them discover who they were as a band. Hosted by Sir Tony Robinson | Instagram @sirtonyrobinsonProducer: Melissa FitzGerald | X @melissafitzgWithIan Leslie | www.ian-leslie.comIan Leslie is the author of acclaimed and bestselling books on human psychology and creativity which have been translated into over a dozen languages. Malcolm Gladwell describes him as “one of my favourite writers”. Ian has written for the Financial Times, the Economist, the New York Times, The Sunday Times, and the New Statesman, among others, covering everything from technology to politics to music.‘John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs' | https://ian-leslie.com/johnandpaul/ | The New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller Follow us on our socials:Instagram @cunningcastpod | X @cunningcastpod | YouTube @cunningcast | TikTok @cunningcast-------If you enjoy this podcast, please follow us and leave us a rating or review.Thank you, Love Tony x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shabana Mahmood was back in the Commons today outlining her controversial immigration plans.Meanwhile, Clive Lewis said he'd give up his seat for Andy Burnham and a Labour MP defects to the Greens.In the second half of the podcast, Calum Weir from Labour Together tells us what really matters to Britain. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Rachel Cunliffe and Ailbhe Rea.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Meet the money men with Britain's future in their hands.*Next week Rachel Reeves will deliver her budget and, for all the talk of fiscal rules, headroom and tax rises, there is a higher power she must contend with. When the Chancellor goes for meetings in the City, she is rarely introduced to the people whose job it is to press the button on buying or selling several hundred million pounds' worth of gilts. It is to these people that we have been speaking in the run-up to the Budget. You would not guess that they wield political power, but for them politics is not personal. They approach it with blunt, professional interest, seeing opportunity in chaos. And if Reeves thinks she can rely on their support, she's wrong: the bond vigilantes.Read: Meet the bond market vigilanteshttps://www.newstatesman.com/business/economics/2025/11/meet-the-bond-market-vigilantesLISTEN AD-FREE:

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has set out her plans for the biggest shake up of asylum laws in 40 years. It divided the Labour party, impressed some Conservatives and even earned the home sec an invite to join Reform.But what will it mean in the long term for Britain, and for the families affected?Oli Dugmore is joined by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe. LISTEN AD-FREE:

Before Shakespeare became a literary icon, he was a working writer trying to earn a living in an emerging and often precarious new industry. In The Dream Factory: London's First Playhouse and the Making of William Shakespeare, Daniel Swift explores the dream of making money from creating art, a dream shared by James Burbage, who built The Theatre, the first purpose-built commercial playhouse in London, and a young Shakespeare. Nobody had ever really done that before, with playwrights at the time notoriously poor. Swift shows that Shakespeare's creativity unfolded in a rapidly changing London where commercial theater was just beginning to take shape. The Theatre offered Shakespeare the stability, a close team of actors and cowriters, and the professional home that he needed to develop his craft. Swift reveals a playwright who was learning on the job and becoming the Shakespeare we know today. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published November 18, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. We had technical help from Hamish Brown in Stirling, Scotland, and Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Final mixing services are provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Daniel Swift is an associate professor of English at Northeastern University, London. He is the author of books on Ezra Pound, William Shakespeare, and the poetry of the Second World War, and editor of John Berryman's The Heart Is Strange: New Selected Poems. His essays and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, New Statesman, and Harper's.

Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has unveiled a series of changes to the migration and asylum system. The plans, which have been trailed over the weekend, have been met with scorn from within the Labour party.“This approach isn't just morally wrong” the MP Richard Burgeon tweeted earlier today, “it's politically disastrous.”Oli Dugmore is joined by Ethan Croft.LISTEN AD-FREE:

"If he feels talking about his favourite novel is politically disadvantageous, that's a sad state of affairs" - David Szalay on Keir Starmer's reading habits.--David Szalay is the winner of the 2025 Booker Prize for Fiction.He disputes claims that his novel, Flesh, is a tale of modern masculinity as reviewers have claimed. Though it certainly explores the male expression of emotion. In Flesh, Szalay's protagonist, István, navigates sexual grooming, violence and prison before rising to the ranks of the super-rich - narrating his story in economical, tightly packed sentences.Nicholas Harris met Szalay in London shortly after his win. They discuss the role of the novel, Szalay's "post-brexit" identity as a "European author", and why the Prime Minister should be reading more.LISTEN AD-FREE:

We share our strategy advice for the Labour rebels allegedly trying to oust Keir Starmer.Ailbhe Rea and Luke O'Reilly join Rachel Cunliffe to answer listener questions. In this episode:What's the best strategy for Labour rebels hoping to dethrone Starmer?How much power does a party chair wield?Can any politicians affect positive change?LISTEN AD-FREE:

Adam is joined by Chris, Faisal and Ailbhe Rae, Political Editor of The New Statesman to wrap up the week. This episode of Newscast was recorded as part of our 25-hour Podcast-a-thon for Children in Need.Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Joe Wilkinson. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

After weeks of preparing to break their manifesto pledge, Starmer and Reeves have ditched their plans to raise income tax. They're scared it would have angered their MPs and voters, amid a dire performance in the polls.How will Reeves plug the £30 billion gap in public finances if she doesn't raise income tax?Oli Dugmore is joined by Ailbhe Rea and Will Dunn to discuss.READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/morning-call/2025/11/whats-behind-labours-income-tax-u-turnLISTEN AD-FREE:

The BBC is still reeling from the dramatic resignation announcement of its director general Tim Davie on Sunday.Rachel Cunliffe gets Lewis Goodall's insider perspective, drawing on his time working on BBC's Newsnight programme.Lewis also shares his thoughts on the leadership threats surrounding Keir Starmer.READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/media/2025/11/trumps-attack-can-rescue-the-bbcLISTEN AD-FREE:

Labour hit its lowest-ever poll rating last week, coming fourth at just 17 per cent. Westminster is full of chatter about a leadership coup at the hands of Wes Streeting. And Labour MPs and government aides alike are dismayed by Keir Starmer's leadership and the state of No 10. Has the Prime Minister reached the point of no return?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by our new political editor Ailbhe Rea to discuss her cover story.Read: Does Keir Starmer realise how much trouble he's in?LISTEN AD-FREE:

Ken Worpole, ‘a literary original, a social and architectural historian whose books combine the Orwellian ideal of common decency with understated erudition' (New Statesman), has written on many subjects during his long career, from cemeteries to hospices to the novels of Alexander Baron, but has often returned to the subject of his beloved Essex. His latest essay collection Brightening from the East (Little Toller) focuses on the natural and built landscapes of the ‘region of the mind' that is the estuarine marshlands of the Thames and the East Anglian coast, bringing us stories of radical communities and arcadian dreams of new ways of living. Worpole is in conversation with writer and journalist Melissa Benn; the evening will be hosted by writer and producer Gareth Evans.

It's now "impossible" to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees. Can COP30 achieve anything material at all?--Keir Starmer has been in Brazil ahead of COP30 - the world's largest annual climate meeting - where world leaders were told it's now “virtually impossible” to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. That's according to the UN's chief meteorologist.Brazil wants money to protect the rainforests, but Starmer doesn't want to give it.Meanwhile China, India and the US – three of the biggest emitters – can't be bothered to turn up.So what, exactly, is the point of these climate talks?Oli Dugmore meets Rachel Kyte, the UK's climate envoy, and Christiana Figueres, the diplomat who led the Paris Agreement, to ask if there's any hope at all for global climate plans.--Hear Christiana Figueres grill Ed Miliband on the Outrage and Optimism podcast: https://www.outrageandoptimism.org/episodes/inside-cop-ed-miliband-on-multilateralism-leadership-and-the-uks-climate-dilemma?hsLang=enLISTEN AD-FREE:

Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question are the Spiked Online editor Tom Slater, the New Statesman's associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, Labour MP Natasha Irons and the Conservative MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke.

Would you support the two-child benefit cap being scrapped?Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question are the Spiked Online editor Tom Slater, the New Statesman's associate political editor Rachel Cunliffe, Labour MP Natasha Irons and the Conservative MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke.

Yesterday evening, BBC director general Tim Davie resigned, as first reported in the New Statesman by our new political editor Ailbhe Rea, along with his head of news, Deborah Turness.In the end, it came down to a Panorama documentary accused of featuring a misleadingly edited speech by Donald Trump.But, having weathered years of BBC scandals, could Davie's departure be described as death by a thousand cuts?Oli Dugmore is joined by Hannah Barnes to discuss.LISTEN AD-FREE:

On this edition of Madison BookBeat, host Sara Batkie chats with author Emily Mitchell about her new short story collection, The Church of Divine Electricity, now available from University of Wisconsin Press. Delightfully blending literary fiction with speculative genres, the stories in The Church of Divine Electricity somehow manage to feel as though they could take place today. In Emily Mitchell's created worlds, as in our own, technology bewitches, especially with its ability to heighten both connections and isolation. Whether being held by a giant and comforting machine, allowing micro-drones to record one's every moment for a year to win prize money, or choosing self-mutilation in exchange for a bionic hand, these characters navigate technological and social change. The familiar can turn unrecognizable and disorienting—sometimes in a flash, sometimes gradually. Lyrical, haunting, and often funny, these stories ask us to consider what—and who—gets left out of a seemingly utopian future of technological advancements. Finely observed, thoughtful, and vivid, Mitchell's stories get under your skin. It's not that the best-laid plans could lead us astray—it's that they may already have.  Emily Mitchell, associate professor of English at the University of Maryland, is the author of a collection of short stories, Viral, and a novel, The Last Summer of the World. Her fiction has appeared in Harper's, Ploughshares, The Sun, and elsewhere; her nonfiction has been published in the New York Times, the New Statesman, and Guernica. She serves as fiction editor for the New England Review. Author photo by J.M. Tyree.

Has Labour let down Millennials? Are tax hikes on the horizon? And what would happen to the commonwealth if Britain dumped our King? Rachel Cunliffe joins Anoosh Chakelian to answer listener questions.Treat yourself or someone special to big ideas, bold politics and proper journalism from just £2 this Christmas when you subscribe to the New Statesman. Subscribe today at newstatesman.com/xmaspod25Ask us a questionLISTEN AD-FREE:

“The dream of home ownership is closed off to younger people today” - Steve Reed, Housing SecretarySteve Reed exclusively tells the New Statesman about the seven billion pounds Labour are giving to the six mayoral combined authorities for social and affordable housing.In an interview with Oli Dugmore, Labour's housing secretary outlines the plan, and discusses young people's housing woes, abolishing landlords and his history with Morgan McSweeney.Treat yourself or someone special to big ideas, bold politics and proper journalism from just £2 this Christmas when you subscribe to the New Statesman. Subscribe today at newstatesman.com/xmaspod25Ask us a questionLISTEN AD-FREE:

Voters in New York City have elected a socialist, Muslim, 34-year old Mayor. Here's what Labour need to learn from Zohran Mamdani's campaign.--Zohran Mamdani calls himself "Donald Trump's worst nightmare". In the UK, senior Labour figures including Wes Streeting have praised the young Democrat Mayor-Elect's campaign. But should Labour be celebrating a win in America's Democrat stronghold, when they can't win their own seat in Wales?George Eaton and Megan Kenyon join Anoosh Chakelian to discuss what the Left in Britain must learn from the Mamdani campaign - and whether, in fact, this spells better news for Zack Polanski's Greens than Keir Starmer's Labour government.LISTEN AD-FREE:

A four-month investigation with Channel 4 News reveals harrowing failings at one of Britain's most prestigious hospitals.Oli Dugmore speaks to the New Statesman's Investigations Editor, Hannah Barnes.Read: Britain's next maternity scandalLISTEN AD-FREE:

Is Britain becoming a country of mass violence?On Saturday evening, a Doncaster to London train was forced to stop in Huntingdon after eleven people were injured in a stabbing spree. Anthony Williams, a 32 year-old British national, was charged on Monday with multiple counts of attempted murder.Oli Dugmore is joined by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe.Read: Knife crime is creeping into Middle EnglandLISTEN AD-FREE:

World Health Organisation figures say one in six people are affected by infertility. Fertility Matters at Work, who provide training for fertility support in the workplace, have published a cost analysis. They have explored the economic impact of not providing time off for fertility treatment - not only on those people directly involved in seeking help, but on businesses and the economy more widely. To discuss further, Nuala McGovern is joined by Alice Macdonald, MP for Norwich North, who will be asking MPs if they agree that a legal right should be given to people to take paid time off work to attend medical appointments for fertility treatment, and Natalie Silverman, co-founder of Fertility Matters at Work.Bella Culley was freed by the Tbilisi City Court today. The 19-year-old, who is eight months pregnant, is from Billingham in Teesside. She was arrested at Tbilisi airport after police found drugs in her luggage and had been held in Georgia on drug trafficking charges since May. Before news of her release, Nuala spoke to Rayhan Demytrie, BBC News Caucasus correspondent, outside the court.The case of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing US health insurance CEO Brian Thompson, is one of the most closely followed legal cases of recent years. The 26-year old-was arrested in December and accused of shooting Mr Thompson, a father of two, outside a Manhattan hotel. He faces the charges of murder and stalking, charges which Mangione denies. While the case continues, something else has been happening. Mangione has attracted an intense, mostly female online following: people sharing pictures of him, writing letters, posting fan edits and memes, and debating his appearance and behaviour in forensic detail. So why does a man accused of violence become the object of fascination and even desire to some women? And what does that say about the digital age we're living in? Nuala talks to Professor David Wilson, criminologist and former prison governor, and Faye Curran, journalist at The New Statesman, who has immersed herself in Mangione's online fandom.Anyone watching Celebrity Traitors at the moment, or indeed the previous Traitors series, has probably noted Claudia Winkleman's iconic looks that seem to sum up both chilly Scottish castle chic and punk power dressing with a smidge of sinister gothic Victorian melodrama thrown into the mix. Claudia's stylist, Sinead McKeefry, has a huge following online by people keen to pick up tips. The power of social media is such that when items are worn by Claudia and flagged online, it can have quite an impact, as small-business owner Lauren Aston found when one of her designs appeared on the show. She joins Nuala to explain what has happened, as does Alison Lynch, head of content at Good Housekeeping Magazine, who has not only written about the Claudia fashion phenomenon, but has even dressed as Claudia in the Traitors herself for a week.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

Today, Nigel Farage set out his updated vision for the UK economy.At a speech and press conference in London, The Reform UK leader talked tax, immigration, welfare, Brexit and his days working in the City.The New Statesman's Ethan Croft was at the event.Ethan joins Oli Dugmore to discuss.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Is Build Baby Build doomed? Is Katie Lam running for leader? Where is Priti Patel? Can the UK really support 5 large leftist parties?Luke O'Reilly joins Anoosh Chakelian to answer listener questions.Ask us a questionLISTEN AD-FREE:

The Deputy PM believes that Labour can beat the threat of the populist right, Nigel Farage and Reform. Lammy says that Labour can achieve this by tackling the cost of living crisis, uniting the centre and left of British politics and putting security first.Oli Dugmore sat down with David Lammy to discuss his plan.Read: Nigel Farage can be stoppedLISTEN AD-FREE:

Which are the most deprived neighbourhoods in England and how might this map onto voter intent?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by senior data journalist Ben Walker, to discuss what we can learn from the English Indices of Deprivation.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Another bad week for Prince Andrew. You could say the man hasn't had a good week since 2011. Although, actually, he does live in a 30-bedroom mansion in Windsor and enjoyed a million quid a year from his mum.In this week's cover story Will Lloyd makes the case for abolishing the monarchy, and that the Windsors have always been more involved with British politics than we know. He speaks to Oli Dugmore in this episode.LISTEN AD-FREE:

With the Autumn budget looming, the government has some tough decisions to make. Rachel Reeves has to find a predicted £30bn in extra revenue to meet her self-imposed fiscal rules.But as part of its manifesto pledges, Labour promised not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT.And after a crushing defeat in Wales last week, what can the government actually get away with without angering the public further?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by polling analyst Steve Akehurst.Read: Just Raise Tax by Will DunnRead: Least worst options: understanding voter attitudes in the run up to the 2025 BudgetLISTEN AD-FREE:

The Caerphilly by-election proves Reform can be beaten. But is Keir Starmer the man to do it?Last week voters in Caerphilly confounded pundits by electing their first Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS). Reform UK had expected to be the party to overturn Labour's 100 year dominance in the Welsh seat - but they were wrong.The loss was a disaster for Labour, but came with a glimmer of hope: Reform UK can be beaten.Now the party needs to ask whether their current leader, Keir Starmer, is the man to do it.Back in Westminster, Lucy Powell has been elected deputy leader of the Labour Party - and she's not the winner Keir Starmer had hoped for.In this episode, Harry Clarke-Eziddio and George Eaton join Anoosh Chakelian to analyse what the Caerphilly loss and the new deputy leader mean for the future of the Labour Party.LISTEN NEXT: The death of Welsh LabourLISTEN AD-FREE:

If you're enjoying the content, please like, subscribe, and comment! Salman's Links:Book: https://www.amazon.com/Freebourne-Novel-Salman-Shaheen/dp/1803419253Website: https://salmanshaheen.com/X: @SalmanShaheen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoriginalsalmanshaheen/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salmanshaheenSalman Shaheen is a British politician, journalist and novelist. He has written for the Guardian, New Statesman, Huffington Post, Byline Times, New Internationalist and Times of India, and frequently comments on politics and economics on TV and radio. His exclusive exposes on corporate tax avoidance have made front-page news in the Observer and have been picked up by the FT and the Telegraph.Salman launched Grow for the Future, the UK's first-ever policy to transform wasteland into places for urban kids in deprived areas to grow food and learn about sustainability and biodiversity. The policy, initiated in the London Borough of Hounslow, has been backed by the UK government and championed by Downton Abbey's Jim Carter OBE. He also partnered with Jamie Oliver to launch the celebrity chef's first-ever food education programme directly targeted at primary schools to tackle childhood obesity.Passionate about preserving green spaces, Salman helped lead the successful and nationally prominent campaign to save Park Road Allotments – a century-old wildlife haven established to feed wounded soldiers returning from the First World War – from being bulldozed by one of Britain's richest landowners, the Duke of Northumberland.Born in Norwich in 1984, Salman graduated with a Double First in Social & Political Sciences from Jesus College, Cambridge, before going on to complete the Creative Writing MA at the University of East Anglia. He now lives in Brentford, West London.Salman is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is also the Founder and CEO of global PR firm Carter Fleet. ______________________Follow us!@worldxppodcast Instagram - https://bit.ly/3eoBwyr@worldxppodcast Twitter - https://bit.ly/2Oa7BzmSpotify - http://spoti.fi/3sZAUTGYouTube - http://bit.ly/3rxDvUL#mystery #author #thriller #writer #murdermystery #scifi #society #philosophy #writing #government #england #uk #explore #explorepage #podcastshow #longformpodcast #longformpodcast #podcasts #podcaster #explore #podcast #newshow #worldxppodcast

With only her second novel The Inheritance of Loss, Kiran Desai won the 2006 Booker Prize, the leading literary prize in the global Anglosphere, becoming - at the time - the youngest person ever to do so. She was thirty-five. Then: silence. 19 years of it, before another novel emerged - this year. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. It, too, has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Will Desai win it again?LISTEN AD-FREE:

After 14 attempts, Lindsay Whittle has won the Caerphilly seat in South Wales for Plaid Cymru. Reform came in second with over a third of the vote, and Labour trailed in third with 11%. A devastating loss for the party.Harry Clarke-Ezzidio is joined by Ben Walker in Caerphilly Leisure Centre.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Is Welsh Labour dead?Plaid Cymru won a historic victory in the by-election, trouncing Labour who had been dominant for over 100 years.The "middle child" as Plaid's new MS describes them, also beat Reform, who pollsters expected to win the seat.In this episode, Harry Clarke-Ezzidio reports from Caerphilly to analyse the results of the election. He speaks to Rhun ap Iorwerth, Huw Irranca-Davies, Llyr Powell, and Dan Evans.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Andrew Marr says he thought Labour would fix everything, but: "I was wrong".--Andrew Marr is stepping down as political editor of the New Statesman. In this, his last regular podcast appearance (he'll be back, don't worry!) he reflects on the last three years in politics - and where we're heading next.He admits committing "the journalistic sin" of optimism when Keir Starmer was elected, and addresses criticism he's faced from media colleagues on both the left and right of the political divide. He explains why he believes the Labour party is failing the country.Speaking to Tom McTague, Marr also looks to the future and explores the likelihood of a Nigel Farage-led Reform government, the rise of Zack Polanski's Green Party and whether a coalition could be on the cards for the next election.READ: I thought Labour would fix everything. I was wrong.https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2025/10/i-thought-labour-would-fix-everything-i-was-wrongLISTEN AD-FREE:

Donald Trump's planned summit with Vladimir Putin is cancelled. Here's why.--Less than a week after Donald Trump offered to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest, the proposed summit has already fallen apart.Officially, "there's no need" for the two presidents to meet, since their respective foreign ministers are conducting conversations.But what's really behind the cancellation?And what on earth is Donald Trump up to in Venezuela? Seven extra-judicial attacks on civilian boats, dozens dead without trial, and now massing troops and weaponry in the Caribbean. Is this really about "narco-terrorism", or is something more sinister afoot?Katie Stallard and Freddie Hayward discuss Trump's foreign policy on the New Statesman podcast.LISTEN AD-FREE:

This is a preview of a bonus episode! You can find the rest on our Patreon, alongside hundreds of hours of interviews, TV, Movie, and Book reviews, as well as general musings. ------ Fighter and journalist Tom Usher returns to the show this week to explain how far right politics took over Mixed Martial Arts, and the unique media strategy employed by the UFC to quash dissent and insert itself as a dominant political force in America. Tom talks about the way violence and suffering has been exploited by the Trump administration to advance its own political aims, while also creating endless spectacles and distractions for his supporters. Tom also talks about his new project, Tangible Vibe Shift, and the challenge of explaining how and why daily life feels so strange and melancholic.  Read Tom's latest New Statesman piece : https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/sport/2025/10/the-ballad-of-ricky-hatton ------- PALESTINE  AID LINKS -You can donate to Medical Aid for Palestinians and other charities using the links below. https://www.map.org.uk/donate/donate https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/how-you-can-help/emergencies/gaza-israel-conflict -Palestinian Communist Youth Union, which is doing a food and water effort, and is part of the official communist party of Palestine https://www.gofundme.com/f/to-preserve-whats-left-of-humanity-global-solidarity -Water is Life, a water distribution project in North Gaza affiliated with an Indigenous American organization and the Freedom Flotilla https://www.waterislifegaza.org/ -Vegetable Distribution Fund, which secured and delivers fresh veg, affiliated with Freedom Flotilla also https://www.instagram.com/linking/fundraiser?fundraiser_id=1102739514947848 -Thamra, which distributes herb and veg seedlings, repairs and maintains water infrastructure, and distributes food made with replanted veg patches https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-thamra-cultivating-resilience-in-gaza -------- PHOEBE ALERT Okay, now that we have your attention; check out her Substack Here! Check out Masters of our Domain with Milo and Patrick, here! -------- Ten Thousand Posts is a show about how everything is posting. It's hosted by Hussein (@HKesvani), Phoebe (@PRHRoy) and produced by Devon (@Devon_onEarth).

James Schneider, the former director of strategic communications for Jeremy Corbyn, was involved in the founding of Your Party earlier this year. He has since stepped back from the project.In this episode he joins Anoosh Chakelian to discuss the growing gap on the left of UK politics and who could fill it.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Andrew had already stepped down as a working royal, after that disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019, but he's now gone a step further and agreed to relinquish the “title or the honours which have been conferred upon” him.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will Lloyd and Rachel Cunliffe to discuss what these latest decisions, announced on the eve of the publication of Virginia Roberts Guiffre's posthumous memoir, mean for the Royal Family.LISTEN AD-FREE:

A century on from the her birth, Tanjil Rashid sits down with the Iron Lady's official biographer, Charles Moore.LISTEN AD-FREE:

For over 30 years, John Gray has written for the New Statesman on everything from Artificial Intelligence to Friedrich Nietzsche. He joins deputy editor Will Lloyd to discuss the state of the nation.LISTEN AD-FREE:

Andrew Marr joins Rachel Cunliffe to discuss his column in this week's magazine, Tax the old.They also discuss the latest developments in the China spy case.LISTEN AD-FREE:

In this episode recorded live at Shakespeare and Company, historian and cultural critic Andrew Hussey joins Adam Biles to discuss his powerful new book, Fractured France: A Journey Through a Divided Nation. With wit, erudition, and decades of on-the-ground insight, Hussey examines how France—once the model of revolutionary ideals and republican universalism—has splintered along social, cultural, and political lines. From the banlieues to the boulevards, from secularism to identity politics, Hussey traces the fractures that now define the French experience and asks whether the nation can still live up to its promise of liberté, égalité, fraternité. Their conversation moves between history, journalism, and personal reflection, exploring nationalism, colonial legacies, and the uneasy relationship between Paris and the rest of the country. Fractured France is both an elegy and a challenge: can a republic built on unity survive in an age of division?Buy Fractured France: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/fractured-france*Andrew Hussey was Director of the Centre for Post-Colonial Studies in the School of Advanced Study, University of London. He is a regular contributor to the Guardian and the New Statesman, and the writer/presenter of several BBC documentaries on French food and art. He is the author of The Game of War: The Life and Death of Guy Debord (2001), and Paris: The Secret History (2006). He was awarded an OBE in the 2011 New Years Honours list for services to cultural relations between the United Kingdom and France. His latest book, The French Intifada, was published by Granta Books in 2014. He lives in Paris.Adam Biles is Literary Director at Shakespeare and Company.Listen to Alex Freiman's latest EP, In The Beginning: https://open.spotify.com/album/5iZYPMCUnG7xiCtsFCBlVa?si=h5x3FK1URq6SwH9Kb_SO3w Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fifth episode of our series on trade, journalist and author Luke Savage joins Pitchfork Economics Producer Freddy Doss to unpack how decades of “free trade” between the U.S. and Canada have reshaped both economies—entrenching corporate power, hollowing out manufacturing, and weakening democratic control over economic policy. Savage traces how policies sold as mutually beneficial instead fueled inequality and deindustrialization—eroding the livelihoods of working people. He argues for a new kind of trade built to serve the interests of workers and communities, not multinational corporations.  Luke Savage is a Canadian journalist, author, and political commentator whose work examines the failures of liberalism and the possibilities of democracy. A staff writer at Jacobin and co-host of the podcast Michael and Us, Savage has written for The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and The New Statesman. He is the author of The Dead Center: Reflections on Liberalism and Democracy After the End of History and co-author of Seeking Social Democracy with the late Ed Broadbent.  Social Media: @lukewsavage.bsky.social @LukewSavage Lukewsavage Further reading:  Luke Savage | Substack The Dead Center: Reflections on Liberalism and Democracy After the End of History Seeking Social Democracy: Seven Decades in the Fight for Equality Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social TikTok: @pitchfork_econ Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer, @civicaction YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Substack: ⁠The Pitch⁠