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This week the podcast looks at another of those knotty, seemingly intractable issues sat on Labour's in-tray when they entered government last year; namely social care.To look at how successive administrations have failed to grasp the nettle and deal with the rising costs of a sector that has ballooned in size to deal with our ageing population, host Alain Tolhurst is joined on the panel by Paulette Hamilton, Labour MP and the acting chair of the health and social care select committee, as well as Joe Robertson, Tory MP for the Isle of Wight who also sits on the select committee.Alongside them are Lucinda Allen, policy fellow in social care at The Health Foundation, and Will Dalton, national officer for care at the GMB union, to discuss Andrew Dilnot's infamous unimplemented review, Theresa May's election-losing dementia tax, and what Keir Starmer's government is doing to take on the care crisis.They argue whether the latest review is another exercise in kicking the can down the road, and what impact this week's immigration white paper will have on the sector's massive vacancy issues, while later on in the episode Joe Dromey from the Fabian Society talks about the think tank's proposals for dealing with pay and recruitment.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
As a special extra, to round out this fifth season of Movers and Shakers, the show is coming to you live from Henley! Away from the pub (and with a live audience) the gang talk about their Parkinson's progress and are joined by a couple of special guests, representing the local area and giving you a glimpse inside Paul's brain...Don't forget to sign the Parky Charter petition by going to ParkyPetition.com!Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week the podcast takes a look at the government's plans to try and fix the UK's rental market, with soaring rents, terrifying competition, no fault evictions, poorly maintained properties and huge supply pressures trapping an increasingly large cohort of tenants in a system that means they may never own their own homes.To discuss the Renters Rights Bill and how it will look to solve some of these issues, host Alain Tolhurst is joined by Joe Powell, Labour MP for Kensington and Bayswater, who sits on the housing select committee, as well as Roisin Lanigan, journalist and author, whose debut novel ‘I Want to Go Home But I'm Already There' has been billed as a “gothic novel for generation rent”.Alongside them is Tom Darling, director of the Renters' Reform Coalition, a group of 21 housing organisations campaigning for stronger renters' rights , Charlie Trew, head of policy at the charity Shelter, and Chris Norris, director of policy and campaigns at the National Residential Landlords Association.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
This week saw the first substantial debate in the UK Parliament on the subject of Parkinson's – and it was initiated by an enterprising Scottish MP, Graeme Downie, off the back of the Movers and Shakers' Parky Charter. So, for this emergency episode, Gillian and Mark report live from Parliament, introducing some highlights from the debate, and speaking to Graeme and his office manager, the inimitable Vonnie, about how politics can be used to help Britain's Parkies.Don't forget to sign the Parky Charter petition by going to ParkyPetition.com!Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Britain's steel industry has all but vanished, and the government has intervened to save the last blast furnaces. But how did the country that invented the steel industry reach this pass and does it even matter? We talk to historian Ewan Gibbs about steel, the state, and the importance of ownership and production in an uncertain world.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Ewan Gibbs.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week the panel is discussing whether the government can avoid a pensions crisis? As most analysts think the UK's retirement industry is at a tipping point, needing bold and meaningful - if politically unpopular - reforms, Guy Opperman, the former Tory MP who was the UK's longest-serving pensions minister from 2017 to 2022, joins host Alain Tolhurst to discuss how ministers can ease the financial burden of the current state pension, while making sure younger workers will still have enough savings to retire comfortably. Alongside them is Lord David Willetts, president of the Resolution Foundation think tank, and Jonathan Cribb, associate director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and there is a chat with Baroness Ros Altmann, another former pensions minister, about the overall health of the sector, and what the government's priorities should be.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
Canadians went to the polls this week and completed a staggering turnaround for the Liberal party. Having trailed hugely at the start of the year, a new leader – suave former central banker Mark Carney – has found himself elected, via a minority, as the country's next PM. Is this a victory for technocratic leadership? Or have Canadian voters simply wanted to demonstrate their ideological distance from Donald Trump, who has been battling Canada on trade and inflaming national pride with remarks about it being "the 51st state"? To look at this week's electoral shake-up, Emily Tamkin and Rohan Venkat are joined by political commentator and former Justin Trudeau speechwriter Colin Horgan.Subscribe to Colin's Substack here!Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:Bug-eyed and Shameless by Justin LingTrump's first 100 days in 10 chartshttps://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/pahalgam-terror-attack-jammu-and-kashmir-9963428/Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.Producer: Ewan CameronFor sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this, the last episode in our current series, the Movers & Shakers have gathered at the Notting Hill pub with (most of) their spouses, to talk about how to navigate a relationship after the diagnosis. With the able assistance of a relationship expert, Gillian and Mike, Mark and Jo, Paul and Julie, Nick and Liz, and Rory – riding solo – talk through the ups and downs of coupledom in the wake of the Parkinson's reveal. Honest, revealing and often very funny, this is a guide on how to (or, perhaps, how not to) stick it out. Don't forget to sign the Parky Charter petition by going to ParkyPetition.com!Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With much of England set to go to the polls next week we're previewing a crucial set of local elections, with more than 1,600 council seats up for grabs, as well as six mayoral contests and a high-profile Parliamentary by-election in Runcorn and Helsby.On the panel is Jonathan Ashworth, chief executive of the think tank Labour Together and a former shadow cabinet minister, Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham and his party's culture spokesman, as well as Scarlett Maguire, pollster and founder of Merlin Strategies, and Jack Sellers, a former Conservative special adviser who worked for Rishi Sunak in Number 10.They talk to host Alain Tolhurst about the government's potential electoral struggles, Reform's high hopes, whether the Tories will take another pasting, and why nobody is talking up the Lib Dems.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
This week, the Supreme Court passed its judgment on the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers. The case challenged the assumed definitions of 'man' and 'woman' in the Equality Act 2010 and has provoked considerable commentary. The Supreme Court's verdict – delivered by Lord Hodge – appears to have vindicated the the campaigning of For Women Scotland, and other 'gender critical' organisations, beliefs about the primacy of biological sex. But could the verdict have unintended consequences? And where does this leave the beleaguered trans community? Nicholas Mostyn, Helena Kennedy and Charlie Falconer discuss.If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this week's episode of The Political Cycle, we're talking to Yamini Aiyar, Senior Visiting Fellow at the Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia, about a recent Foreign Policy report she's co-authored on the question of efficiency. With Elon Musk's DOGE bringing the idea to a mainstream audience, do we need to better interrogate the motives behind this trend? Here, she talks to our Cyclist Rohan Venkat.Read Yamini's piece here.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:The Nehru Years: An International History of Indian Non-Alignment by Swapna Kona NayuduRecoding America by Jennifer PahlkaSubscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.Producer: Ewan CameronFor sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Travelling with Parkinson's shouldn't be a nightmare – but often it is. From long lines at the airport to the constant battle for a seat on the Tube, how can people with Parkinson's navigate the frenetic world of travel? On this episode, the Movers and Shakers gather at the pub to consider their experiences – good and bad – and whether there's the chance to reinvent the way that companies and the public think about disabled people travelling. We also speak to a top travel expert, and a former Home Secretary, about the changes needed to make the world of travel a more accommodating place.Don't forget to sign the Parky Charter petition by going to ParkyPetition.com!Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Generals and politicians calling for rearmament often talk about the UK facing a "1937 moment" of rising threats and a deteriorating international situation. But what actually happened in the late 1930s, and how was an indebted and cash-strapped Britain able to mobilise its industry and spend so much more on armaments? Are there similarities to today and what can we learn? We talk to historian Dan Todman about the economic and military parallels.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Daniel Todman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the Commons in recess the pod heads down the pub for another episode looking at the UK's hospitality industry and the struggles it continues to face - with a host of global headwinds and domestic policy contributing to a bleak outlook for the sector in 2025. Joining host Alain Tolhurst for a pint in The Westminster Arms, a stones throw from Parliament, is Conservative MP Richard Holden, vice chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Pubs and the Shadow Paymaster General, Morgan Schondelmeier, policy manager on tax and trade at the British Beer and Pub Association, Ellie Hudspith, campaigns manager for CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, Steve Alton, CEO of the British Institute of Innkeeping, and Jonny Garrett, chair of the British Guild of Beer Writers and co-host of the Craft Beer Channel. They discuss what the government can do to help this crucial part of the economy, that not only contributes £54 billion in tax receipts, £20 billion in exports, and is the third largest employer in the UK - but also plays a vital role in the country's social fabric - after it was hit by the triple of whammy of rising business rates, a National Insurance hike, and increased staff costs, this month.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
On this very special episode of Movers and Shakers, the gang head out of the Notting Hill pub to take, once again, to Downing Street. But handing over the latest petition is only the start of an action packed day – from there, it's on to the Houses of Parliament to convene with hundreds of Parkies for The Big Sing! This episode is a little journey through the day, as we speak to people who made the trip down to London about their experiences and hopes for the future. Plus, Mark Mardell is up in Huddersfield, as the WPD celebrations spread across the country.Don't forget to sign the Parky Charter petition by going to ParkyPetition.com!Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our guest today, Barbara Mills KC, is the new Chair of the Bar Council, the first black woman to hold this post in the organisation's 131-year history. She is also one of the few family lawyers to assume this role, giving her a unique perspective of the challenges facing barristers in the present moment. She joins the Law & Disorder trio – Nicholas Mostyn, Helena Kennedy and Charlie Falconer – for a conversation about the state of play in our legal system, and whether more can be done to ensure the best possible application of the law across the board.If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Senior Labour MP Liam Bryne, who chairs the Commons business and trade committee, joins host Alain Tolhurst to discuss how Keir Starmer navigates the post-tariff world, and whether the market turmoil could be an opportunity for Britain. Later in the episode a panel of experts discuss the small matter of what on earth is happening to the global economy - and what that will mean for the UK - after Donald Trump's sudden volte face on Wednesday, abandoning almost all of the tariffs he had meted out on so-called ‘Liberation Day' a week before, but leaving 10% levies on British goods and 25% on steel and the automotive sector. Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and a former senior civil servant, Raoul Ruparel, a former adviser to Theresa May on Europe and a special adviser in the Brexit department, Allie Renison, associate director at SEC Newgate and a former policy adviser to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, and Clive Jones, Liberal Democrat MP and his party's spokesperson on trade, try to make sense of what just happened, and explain what might happen next.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
President Trump has been continuing his tornado of tariffs. Today, China was given a 104% tariff (naturally, this figure has changed in the few hours since we recorded). This has shocked the global economy, with stock markets around the world in fluctuation. But is this a tipping point? What recent global economic moments can we look at to guess what comes next? Is this anything like Brexit? Does it share similarities to India's demonetisation? Emily Tamkin, Rohan Venkat, and Tom Hamilton discuss.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://alexmassie.substack.com/p/what-are-you-going-to-do-stab-mehttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/opinion/trump-deportations-gulag-prison.htmlForeign Policy: Efficiency Isn't EverythingAnd a bonus extra: https://www.compactmag.com/article/liberation-now/Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.Producer: Ewan CameronFor sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Each time we, the Movers and Shakers, convene at the pub for a recording session, we follow it up with an anarchic planning session, where we analyse the episodes that been recently broadcast and debate what should be featured on future instalments. This week, we're leaving the microphones running during this meeting to give you the inside scoop on how the podcast is made, and a little preview of the exciting editions that might be headed your way soon.Don't forget to sign the Parky Charter petition by going to ParkyPetition.com!And for more information about our plans for April 11th, World Parkinson's Day, please visit our website.Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our special guest on today's episode of Law & Disorder is Dr Charlotte Proudman, a family law barrister, campaigner, and author of a new book, He Said She Said: Truth, Trauma and the Struggle for Justice in Family Court. In this interview, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn and Charlie Falconer explore Charlotte's history with the law, some of her most striking cases, and the key question of whether the bar is still a fundamentally misogynistic institution. If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Former Conservative MP and minister Mark Field speaks to host Alain Tolhurst about his new memoir The End Of An Era, which as the title suggests charts both his own time in politics as well as the waning fortunes of his party over the past 25 years. They discuss his reflections five years on from stepping down from the Commons, what the Tories got right as well as wrong in their time in office, how they might recover once more from last year's disastrous election, why he's voted for the losing candidate in every leadership contest stretching back to Ken Clarke, and the response to writing about his much-publicised affair with Liz Truss, and the incident at the Mansion House dinner in 2019 that led to the premature end of his ministerial career. To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
In a blow to France's far-right, Marine Le Pen has been barred from running for office for five years. The leader of the National Rally received a four-year prison sentence, two years of which were suspended, in addition to a €100,000 fine. Accused of embezzling EU funds, her hopes of becoming President in the immediate future have been dashed. But is the ruling an attack on far-right politics or a defence of democracy? And does the defanging of Le Pen and the NR provide a roadmap for other countries dealing with insurgent demagogues?Emily Tamkin and Tom Hamilton discuss all this with Julien Hoez, a political expert and editor of The French Dispatch.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/19/trump-tariffs-trade-farmers-agriculture-economy/https://danieldrezner.substack.com/p/the-exorbitant-price-of-trumps-tariffshttps://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-elon-musk-81f71cdda271827ae281a77072a26badSubscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.Producer: Ewan CameronFor sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There's no doubting the ability of music to uplift the soul – but could it also help to manage the symptoms of Parkinson's? That's what the Movers and Shakers are discussing today in the Notting Hill pub, as they're joined by musical experts, including a man who whistled for Monty Python's The Life of Brian and a Welsh samba band (who have brought their drums all the way to W11). Whether it's a conduit for new creativity, a means of raising awareness or a cuing mechanism to arrest the disease's progression, there's something undeniably special about music. So pause Classic FM (or BBC Radio 6, we don't discriminate) and tune in. Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To discuss the fallout from this week's Spring Statement, after Rachel Reeves confirmed a host of cuts to benefit payments and a squeeze on public spending to offset a downgrade in the country's growth forecast, John Glen, Tory MP and a former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Helen Barnard, Director of Policy at the Trussell charity, Greg Thwaites, Research Director at the Resolution Foundation think tank, and Chris Curtis, Labour MP and Vice-Chair of the Labour Growth Group, join host Alain Tolhurst. As the question already turns to whether further tax rises will be needed as soon as this year, some Labour backbenchers fume about the optics of the government appearing to balance the books on the backs of some of the poorest in society due to self-imposed fiscal rules, while others have questioned the role of the OBR in guiding the Treasury's hand every six months.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
Sir Brian Leveson has been one of the most publicly prominent legal minds of the 21st century. From his early days prosecuting the likes of Ken Dodd and Rose West, Sir Brian became a household name when he chaired the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press. In this wide-ranging interview, he talks to Nicholas Mostyn, Helena Kennedy and Charlie Falconer about his career, whether we need a Leveson Part Two, and his new role looking into the ongoing crisis in Britain's courts system.If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mass demonstrations have erupted in Turkey after the jailing of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. Thousands have gone to the streets to protest the silencing of President Erdogan's most obvious opponent for the 2028 elections.What does this public anger tell us about the regime's current strength in Turkey? And are there through lines with other far right governments world-wide? Tom Hamilton, Emily Tamkin and Rohan Venkat are joined by Selim Koru, the author of New Turkey and the Far Right.Here's Selim's Substack!Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/is-turkeys-declining-democracy-a-model-for-trumps-americahttps://kalamweekly.substack.com/p/will-the-monarchy-returnhttps://amitavghosh.com/parallel-journeys-turkeys-experience-of-akp-rule-and-its-portents-for-india-under-the-bjp/Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's said that the most consistent symptom of Parkinson's isn't the tremor, but constipation. Could this rather inconvenient truth reveal a relationship between our gut microbiome and development of the disease? To help with this deep-dive into the gut, the Movers & Shakers are joined by a gastroenterologist, a professor of microbiome, and the creator of a probiotic for gut health. Tune in, and get to the heart of how a Mediterranean diet could help with PD (though sadly it doesn't consist of profiteroles, moussaka or a big bowl of paella).Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our courts are in crisis, with a sentencing backlog stretching to unthinkable lengths. To discuss this issue, the Law & Disorder trio are joined by Alex Chalk KC, who was Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice until the summer, and Lord Thomas, a former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. They are proposed a radical new programme for dealing with this backlog, involving slimming down the trial process for more minor offences. Could this clear the backlog? Or does it risk jeopardising our jury-based justice system? As ever, Helena Kennedy, Charlie Falconer and Nicholas Mostyn are on-hand to ask the questions.If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Last week Keir Starmer scrapped NHS England as he signalled the government's aim to fundamentally reshape and rewire how the state operates, so the panel is discussing what this means for civil service staff numbers, what impact this will have on the delivery of public services, and how briefings about a so-called ‘project chainsaw' have gone down in Whitehall. Joining host Alain Tolhurst is Max Blain, who was the official spokesperson for three Prime Ministers, and is now a director at the global advisory firm Portland, as well as Hannah Keenan, associate director at the think tank the Institute for Government, and Suzannah Brecknell, co-editor at our sister publication and Whitehall bible, CivilServiceWorld.To sign up for our newsletters click hereTo view this year's Women in Westminster 100 list click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
Elon Musk and his DOGE squad continue their crusade against government bodies, slashing departments and firing federal employees. This, apparently, is done in the name of stripping things back, maximising efficiency and getting rid of the dark forces that obstruct government productivity. But where did the idea of federal employees as a powerful force come from? And does it exist elsewhere in the world? Rohan Venkat, Emily Tamkin and Tom Hamilton discuss how countries view their own civil servants and federal employees.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/canadian-detained-us-immigration-jasmine-mooneyhttps://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/january/everyone-has-their-reasonshttps://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-doge-firing-federal-employees-ivy-league-jobs.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/health/food-safety-trump-fda-cutbacks-deadly-outbreaks.html (if only they'd published this before we recorded!)Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A recent spate of Parkinson's related headlines – from miracle pumps to worm-based solutions – have had the Movers and Shakers questioning exactly how the condition is portrayed in the media. Are we getting a good balance between raising the salience of the diseases ill effects, on the one hand, and inspiring hope on the other? To discuss this, the (rather depleted) team in the pub are joined by a top newspaper editor and the Parkinson's UK's media bod.Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's time for the Law and Disorder crew – Nicholas Mostyn, Charlie Falconer and Helena Kennedy – to plunge into the Mailbag once again and answer your correspondence. You've been appalled by Donald Trump's desecration of the rules-based order, delighted by Dan Neidle's forensic tax analysis, and otherwise moved to correspond on a wide range of issues. As ever, do keep the emails coming – we love to hear from you!If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With Donald Trump's ongoing trade wars, the markets have been rattled. Tariffs come and go, but uncertainty remains. As for the American people, who were promised cheaper every day items, are they seeing more money in their pockets? Will eggs ever be a normal price again? And if not, are voter's ready to grin and bear short term financial pain? Rohan Venkat, Tom Hamilton and Emily Tamkin discuss.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/paradox-trumps-economic-weaponModi's India (book)https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-14474223/Donald-Trump-unprincipled-narcissistic-charlatan-democracy-ANDREW-NEIL.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/us/politics/trump-manufacturing-economy-risk.htmlSubscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the wake of Donald Trump's demand for a juicy minerals deal in Ukraine, Neil and Jonathan join author James Barr to look at the history of possibly the greatest minerals carve-up of all time - in the post First World War Middle East - and ask the key question: "How did that all work out?"Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With James Barr.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After winning five MPs last year and continuing to surge in the polls - are the wheels starting to come off for Reform UK after this week's damaging but wholly predictable internal row involving MP Rupert Lowe and party leader Nigel Farage? Gawain Towler, the party's former director of communications and a long-time spokesman for Nigel Farage, as well as Sophie Stowers, research associate at the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, and Harriet Symonds, commissioning editor at The House magazine, join host Alain Tolhurst to discuss if this is just the usual teething problems for an insurgent party, if it might damage their electoral chances this May, and whether this meme is coming true once again.To sign up for our newsletters click hereTo view this year's Women in Westminster 100 list click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton for Podot
Do you know what mitochondria are? Don't worry, neither did the Movers & Shakers until they gathered two top experts with them at the Notting Hill pub in order to probe this line of enquiry. Could "aberrant" (as the Judge is prone to call them) mitochondria be responsible for Parkinson's? And, if so, are there possible therapies that might impact the development of the disease, and, if not cure it outright, arrest its progression? All this – and more! – on a fascinating voyage into one of the most exciting areas of scientific discovery.Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With two upper chamber inhabitants amongst our hosting roster, it seems only right that the Law and Disorder crew discuss reform to the House of Lords. Lord Falconer, Baroness Kennedy and (meagre) Sir Nicholas are joined by Tom Strathclyde, 2nd Baron Strathclyde, to interrogate the purpose of our unelected chamber and whether, after a 27-year grace period, the last hereditary peers might, finally, be headed for the door. This is a rambunctious debate, conducted in good/high spirits and the editor has done his earnest best to eliminate as much cross-talk as possible!If you have questions, criticisms, praise or other feedback, please do send your thoughts to us via lawanddisorderfeedback@gmail.com!Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.Executive Producer and Editor: Nick Hilton.Associate Producer: Ewan Cameron.Music by Richard Strauss, arranged and performed by Anthony Willis & Brett Bailey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As the future of Europe dominates the headlines, Lib Dem defence spokesperson Helen Maguire MP, former Tory ministers James Heappey and Greg Hands, and More in Common's Luke Tryl join host Adam Payne to discuss a seismic week in world affairs as Prime Minister Keir Starmer tries to bring peace to Ukraine. With the tectonic plates of geopolitics shifting day by day, the Labour government faces major questions like how to deal with Donald Trump, and whether a 'coalition of the willing' can really protect a peace deal from Russian aggression.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Adam Payne, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
Trump 2.0 has been characterised by unpredictability. In recent days, we've seen a tariff war with Canada and Mexico, a shouting match in the Oval Office and the reignited call to welcome Greenland in to United States territory. So how is this unpredictability being handled by international leaders, and how do the common public feel about him abroad? Rohan Venkat, Emily Tamkin and Tom Hamilton discuss.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.techdirt.com/2025/03/04/why-techdirt-is-now-a-democracy-blog-whether-we-like-it-or-not/https://themorningcontext.com/chaos/trumps-white-house-drama-with-zelenskyy-creates-strategic-nightmare-for-indiahttps://www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/europe-enters-its-metal-era/Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Would you rather: bid for a rugby shirt signed by the mysterious "Mike Tiddle", run a marathon around Loch Ness, or paraglide off the top of Mont Blanc? Those are some of the extraordinary fundraising projects undertaken in the name of Parkinson's, and that's what the Movers & Shakers are discussing in the pub today. With inspirational stories from great fundraisers as well as a look at how effective charities are – both at accumulating this money and also at spending it – this episode will make you grateful for the amazing acts of bravery (and generosity) going on around us.Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the Prime Minister in Washington this week the Labour MPs Steve Yemm and Chris Evans, as well as Professor Sam Edwards from Loughborough University, and Lord John Alderdice, Liberal Democrat peer, join host Alain Tolhurst to look at the so-called ‘special relationship'. From its history, to why the close bilateral partnership between the UK and America is so enduring, but why it might now be under threat as Keir Starmer tries to deal with the Donald Trump White House. Elsewhere in the episode Katie Perrior, Downing Street director of communications under Theresa May, also talks about what is was like to deal with the first Trump administration. To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
Donald Trump has ripped up the rulebook on post-war Western defence strategy, indicating that conflict in Europe is Europe's problem. What does this shift mean for those caught between Russia and the USA? Is the Western world ready to go without the backing of the USA? Rohan Venkat, Emily Tamkin and Tom Hamilton discuss.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://snyder.substack.com/p/recoup-the-costshttps://thecritic.co.uk/the-ukrainian-minerals-myth/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/02/trump-ukraine-russia-war-started-zelensky-putin-rakusan.htmlhttps://zygaro.substack.com/p/three-years-of-war?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=2396897&post_id=157813064&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=isdo&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=emailhttps://www.africanistperspective.com/p/american-aid-cutsdisruptionsSubscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's getting rather hot in the Notting Hill pub this week, as we convene to discuss the (t)horny question of intimacy. Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it – but do Parkies? The Movers and Shakers are joined by an expert sexologist and an intimacy co-ordinator to get to the bottom of the issues around sex. It's a candid conversation – covering everything from erectile dysfunction to vaginal dryness, viagra to lube – that will open your eyes to the possibilities of intimacy with the condition.Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Parliament could finally see further modernisation of the way the Commons operates, with a new committee led by Cabinet minister Lucy Powell setting out plans for meaningful reform in a host of areas, after clamour from new MPs to finally bring how Westminster works into the 21st century. One of the 2024 intake, Labour's Rachel Blake, joins Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney, her party's spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, as well as Sophie Church, reporter at our sister publication The House magazine, alongside host Alain Tolhurst discuss if Westminster working will finally get dragged into the 21st century. To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced by Nick Hilton and edited by Ewan Cameron for Podot
Since 2021, Olaf Scholz has been the Social Democrat chancellor of Germany. But in November, his three way coalition collapsed in spectacular fashion. Now, the country is off to the polling booths.So, who are the front-runners and what could German leadership look like in the near future? And how has Elon Musk injected himself in to the equation? Rohan Venkat and Emily Tamkin discuss with Carol Schaeffer, an American journalist based in Germany. She has written for The Nation, Smithsonian Magazine, ProPublica, The Atlantic, and other publications.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/02/17/marco-rubio-state-department-toosi-00204407https://theprint.in/opinion/india-us-ties-stuck-in-cute-acronyms-delhi-must-wait-out-the-chaos/2497844/Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A man walks into the pub wearing vibrating shoes – no, that's not the start of a joke, but exactly what happened to Rory Cellan-Jones. On this week's episode, the Movers and Shakers are looking at some of the new technology, from fancy footwear to rhythmical cuing devices, to look at what tech can do for Parkies. They're also joined by the author of a snazzy new guide to Parkinson's gadgets, which aims to separate steps forward from snake oil. Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The BJP have won big in New Delhi, a seat of huge symbolic importance to the party. But how did they cross the line after such a long time in the doldrums? And how did they silence Arvind Kejriwal, the, now former, Chief Minister of New Delhi and a significant thorn in Modi's back during the last general election? Tom Hamilton, Emily Tamkin and Rohan Venkat are joined by Dhrubo Jyoti, Senior Editor at the Hindustan Times.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.ft.com/content/65e2baaf-b71f-4d63-a717-d8a111392537https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/07/india/india-trump-shackles-deportations-intl-hnk/index.htmlhttps://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/what-swung-the-vote-in-delhi-polls-ideology-101739041081422.htmlhttps://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/what-swung-the-vote-in-delhi-polls-class-101739041261641.htmlhttps://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/what-swung-the-vote-in-delhi-polls-welfare-101739041382384.htmlSubscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In October last year, broadcasting legend John Stapleton, a former host of shows like Nationwide and Watchdog, was diagnosed with Parkinson's. This week, he joins the Movers & Shakers in the Notting Hill pub to discuss his life, career and his PD journey so far. From getting pecked off our screen's by Rod Hull's intemperate Emu to making a film about his diagnosis with his award-winning documentarian son Nick, John has led an extraordinary life. Sitting down with Mark, Gillian, Rory, Paul and the Judge in 2025 is not quite watching the Beatles in 1963 – but it'll have to do!Sponsored by Boardwave, who support Cure Parkinson's.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Slovakia is at a turning point. The Prime Minister, Robert Fico, has been signalling a tilt towards a pro-Russian style of governing. However, with widespread peaceful protests across the country, is this plan working? Investigative journalist, Tomáš Madleňák, speaks to Emily Tamkin and Tom Hamilton about Fico's Slovakia and why this shift to electoral authoritarianism is so concerning. Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://vsquare.org/vladimir-putin-robert-fico-kremlin-visit-moscow-social-media-viral-posts-inauthentic-accounts/https://vsquare.org/donate/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/opinion/trump-musk-federal-government.htmlhttps://www.amazon.com/Democracy-Its-Critics-Robert-Dahl/dp/0300049382Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to an ad-free version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're back! But today's episode isn't coming to you from the Notting Hill pub – instead, it was recorded live at the Middle Temple. In this special episode Rory, Gillian, Nicholas, Paul and Mark talk through their Parkinson's journeys and are joined, from the gallery, by a number of special guests (you'll have to tune in to find out who but they include a star neurologist, a research director and a charity CEO) to kick off this the fifth – !!! – season of Movers and Shakers. Sponsored by Boardwave. Recorded live at the Middle Temple.Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sound mixing by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.