POPULARITY
Will Hutton and Polly Toynbee review the reforms and strategies of the new government and to discuss how it has been addressing the pressing economic, social and political challenges we face. They discuss the government's key missions – economic growth, clean energy, safer streets, opportunities for all and an NHS fit for the future – and the actions they have taken on these so far. Where do we need to see new policy development to deliver lasting economic and social change? Chaired by Dr Sophie Whiting. This University of Bath IPR event took place on 24 April 2025.
After weeks of cosying up to Donald Trump, the UK has still been hit with 10% tariffs on exports to the US, which is bad news for the economy and the public finances. So, how tough could things get for Britain? And how should Keir Starmer's government respond? John Harris asks the former UK ambassador to the US Kim Darroch and the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee. Send your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
Nick Cohen discusses Labour with Polly ToynbeeNick Cohen talks to the distinguished author and Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee about Labour's tough love strategy - targeting the welfare state and benefits to fill the black hole left by the Tories and Brexit."Not a very Labour thing to do" - And Keynes would not approve!Polly agreed with Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls' recent observation on the government's plan to cut disability benefits, describing the strategy on his own podcast as "not a very Labour thing to do."Polly - the proud owner of a portrait of the great economist John Maynard Keynes - says, "You know, you don't keep digging. You invest into a crisis and pay back when growth is restored. but she [Chancellor Rachel Reeves] seems to abandon that ..." Polly adds, "there's always this fear, and particularly for Labour, because Labour is less trusted by the markets and the business world; they're more inclined to suspect them of profligacy..."Polly says that Labour could raise an immediate £40 billion by simply imposing a 1 per cent wealth tax on the people worth in excess of £10 millionPolly and Nick also discuss the impact of the proposed welfare cuts on Labour's electoral base, and how Sir Keir Starmer should navigate the UK's foreign policy, particularly its relationship with Europe and an increasingly erratic and disturbing United States.Read all about itPolly Toynbee @pollytoynbee is a Guardian columnist, formerly BBC social affairs editor. Her recent book An Uneasy inheritance, my family and other radicals was published in 2023 by W.F.Howes Ltd. She's also the co-author, along with David Walker, of The only way is up: The way forward for British politics, again published by W.F. Howes Ltd in 2024.Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I regard the crimes committed by the Pakistani Rape Gangs as some of the most barbaric, if not the most barbaric, given the scale of them, ever to have been perpetrated on British soil.Yet, while I knew they were bad, I don't think I realized quite how bad they are.I've just finished playing a judge - Judge Peter Rook - in a new "verbatim film," which recreates the sentencing word for word of one of the most notorious grooming cases in Oxford. What went on is horrifying.It's called "The Grooming Gangs Cover-Up." It is produced by Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney, founders of the Unreported Story Society, which specializes in verbatim dramas, plays, and podcasts, and it comes out this Tuesday, January 21. Here's the trailer:At times, I could not believe the words that were coming out of my mouth.I remember telling my elder son and daughter about these rape gangs back in the mid-2010s. Neither believed such a thing was possible. My son started googling. Even on the internet, there was little evidence of what was going on. Rapists are predominantly white, he concluded, and that was that in their minds.The internet had smothered the story.In 2020, when everybody was squabbling over Brexit, there was this campaign to get the Remainer anthem - Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" conducted by André Rieu - to the top of the charts in time for the day we left. Fighting a rearguard action, Leavers then tried to get my song about Brexit, "17 Million F*ck Offs," to Number One. The result is that quite a few singles got sold. The media loved the story, and it was all over the papers. But there is one thing they left out: that I donated the proceeds to the Maggie Oliver Foundation, a charity set up to help the victims of rape gangs. Even that got covered up. (I don't know what Rieu did with his royalties).Midjourney, an AI art app which I use to illustrate these articles, refuses to design me a picture to illustrate the title of today's piece. Cover up, like the crimes themselves, is still happening.A couple of years ago, my daughter-in-law was drugged by a Pakistani Bolt driver who had offered her a drink of water. This was in London - not Rotherham or Telford. Fortunately, the drug only kicked in after she had arrived at her destination and her friends looked after her. But what would have happened if that man had "helped out" by offering to take her home? How many other young girls have not been so lucky?I put a picture of the guy online along with a warning. There were a lot of comments underneath. Many of them were deemed racist. Such is the extent of the brainwashing in the name of multiculturalism, a comment is now deemed of greater concern than actual deeds. What is racism, anyway?I define it as the wilful persecution of someone on the grounds of their race. These white girls were the victims of racism. And sexism. And paedophilia. And rape. And GBH. And, in some cases, murder.They were targeted because of their race. They were called "white w****s," "white c*nts," and "white slags," and no amount of contempt was enough for them. Yet, of course, they were white, and apparently, whites cannot be the victims of racism. Whites are privileged, you know that.When is this two-tiered insanity going to stop? Is it not clear how much damage these false, progressive narratives, which we have let thrive, are doing?We need a clear discussion followed by a definition - not the definition of a race grifter - of what racism is. And the rules need to be the same for everyone. No more multi-tiered nonsense.These were racist crimes. And they went on for so long because those who should have put a stop to them were scared of being labelled racist. Rather than risk that slur, they threw children under the bus. Woke is, truly, cancerous. If you live in a remote rural village, and somebody of unusual appearance comes along, and you stare at them, that does not make you racist. Staring at what is unusual to you is normal. If you use a word that is now considered out-of-date, perhaps as a result of not mixing in sophisticated urban circles, with zero harmful intent that does not make you racist. However, if you target a little girl because she is white, then groom her, inject her with drugs, rape her, and then sell her body to people you know so they can rape her - well, that is racist. And a whole lot more besides.Let the truth be toldAt lunch the other day, I started to read out to my family some of the judge's sentencing remarks, which detail what happened. We got about two sentences in before it all got to be too much, and they didn't want to hear it. No surprise. What happened is beyond awful.Read the below if you can stomach it.How can one human being do something like this to another?The beauty of these verbatim dramas is that the creators cannot be accused of sensationalism or exaggeration. It is the truth. That is what needs to come out. We have to learn about what has happened if only to motivate ourselves and our leaders into doing something about this.It has been going on since the 1990s. It is still going on today. No more brushing it under the carpet in the name of multi-culturalism.The Jay Report claims that 1,400 children (that's just the under-age ones) were sexually exploited in Rotherham over 16 years. If you extrapolate that number over 50 other towns and cities, you arrive at roughly 70,000 victims. That is a conservative estimate. You can do similar extrapolations and come to a figure of a million. The likelihood is 250,000-500,000, given that we are talking about a period longer than 16 years and it has been happening in more than 50 locations. Kids!For sure, the cover-ups - the unwillingness to police, prosecute, publicize, or punish - meant the rape gangs went much further than they otherwise would. They thought they could get away with it.We need truth, even if it is unpalatable, if we are to stop things like this ever happening again.Most of these girls have never had anything like justice. How is a few years in prison anything like justice anyway?If you are buying gold to protect yourself in these uncertain times, I recommend The Pure Gold Company. Pricing is competitive, quality of service is high. They deliver to the UK, the US, Canada and Europe or you can store your gold with them. More here. The system does not work - smash itPrison is no longer sufficient punishment. It does not work as a deterrent. With almost 20% of inmates now Muslim and, according to a solicitor friend, with prisons now largely controlled on the inside by Muslim gangs, prison has become a place of indoctrination, radicalization, and Islamism. Thus, not only does imprisonment not work, it is actually counter-productive: it is creating offenders. Who'd've thought something run by government doesn't work as intended? Then prisoners get let out too early, especially to make room for people uttering wrong think on social media.Prison is also expensive - annual imprisonment now costs more than £50,000-100,000 per year per inmate, plus the costs of processing it all (police, courts, legal aid, etc) also amount to more than £50,000. As if what the rapist has done is not already bad enough, now we have to pay for him too. The courts are overwhelmed. The justice system is exploited. We need something different and better. It's long overdue. Horror stories like this one can at least motivate the required reform.There are other factors motivating the cover-up in my view. Policing your own community, where everybody knows who's who, everybody speaks the same language, and comes from the same culture is one thing. But policing another culture, where the language is different, the values are different - even the names are difficult - is much harder.It gets even harder when the majority of that culture feel a greater loyalty to their own people and culture than they do to what is right in the eyes of the host culture, or indeed the people of the host culture. If the alien culture does not integrate, it gets even harder. It was probably easier for the police to let stuff go, and focus on other things.Put your email in the box below and get my free guide to investing in gold.Here's a thoughtIn the largely secular UK, where the state now takes on responsibilities which were once borne by the church - education, care and so on - the state has also replaced religion. From Nigel Lawson to Polly Toynbee, it is now recognized that the NHS has become a religion.But the Pakistani communities that have taken over so many towns in the north and elsewhere do not feel the same sense of loyalty, protection, or worship to Britain's welfare state. It is something to take from rather than contribute to. They worship the Prophet Mohammed, not the NHS. I will wager a large bet that - especially in these communities where cash plays such a big role - they are paying much lower levels of tax than their earnings dictate. They will pay their Zakat long before they pay their VAT, Income or other taxes. Is HMRC policing these economies to the same extent? You know it isn't.Will a thorough investigation be commissioned? Of course it won't. That would be racist.More tiers, more iniquity, more injustice.But that's is another story, and it'll be years before that one comes out. Please tell your friends about this article.Follow the release of the film here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theflyingfrisby.com/subscribe
I regard the crimes committed by the Pakistani Rape Gangs as some of the most barbaric, if not the most barbaric, given the scale of them, ever to have been perpetrated on British soil.Yet, while I knew they were bad, I don't think I realized quite how bad they are.I've just finished playing a judge - Judge Peter Rook - in a new "verbatim film," which recreates the sentencing word for word of one of the most notorious grooming cases in Oxford. What went on is horrifying.It's called "The Grooming Gangs Cover-Up." It is produced by Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney, founders of the Unreported Story Society, which specializes in verbatim dramas, plays, and podcasts, and it comes out this Tuesday, January 21. Here's the trailer:At times, I could not believe the words that were coming out of my mouth.I remember telling my elder son and daughter about these rape gangs back in the mid-2010s. Neither believed such a thing was possible. My son started googling. Even on the internet, there was little evidence of what was going on. Rapists are predominantly white, he concluded, and that was that in their minds.The internet had smothered the story.In 2020, when everybody was squabbling over Brexit, there was this campaign to get the Remainer anthem - Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" conducted by André Rieu - to the top of the charts in time for the day we left. Fighting a rearguard action, Leavers then tried to get my song about Brexit, "17 Million F*ck Offs," to Number One. The result is that quite a few singles got sold. The media loved the story, and it was all over the papers. But there is one thing they left out: that I donated the proceeds to the Maggie Oliver Foundation, a charity set up to help the victims of rape gangs. Even that got covered up. (Rieu on the other hand kept his profits).Midjourney, an AI art app which I use to illustrate these articles, refuses to design me a picture to illustrate the title of today's piece. Cover up, like the crimes themselves, is still happening.A couple of years ago, my daughter-in-law was drugged by a Pakistani Bolt driver who had offered her a drink of water. This was in London - not Rotherham or Telford. Fortunately, the drug only kicked in after she had arrived at her destination and her friends looked after her. But what would have happened if that man had "helped out" by offering to take her home? How many other young girls have not been so lucky?I put a picture of the guy online along with a warning. There were a lot of comments underneath. Many of them were deemed racist. Such is the extent of the brainwashing in the name of multiculturalism, a comment is now deemed of greater concern than actual deeds. What is racism, anyway?I define it as the wilful persecution of someone on the grounds of their race. These white girls were the victims of racism. And sexism. And paedophilia. And rape. And GBH. And, in some cases, murder.They were targeted because of their race. They were called "white w****s," "white c*nts," and "white slags," and no amount of contempt was enough for them. Yet, of course, they were white, and apparently, whites cannot be the victims of racism. Whites are privileged, you know that.When is this two-tiered insanity going to stop? Is it not clear how much damage these false, progressive narratives, which we have let thrive, are doing?We need a clear discussion followed by a definition - not the definition of a race grifter - of what racism is. And the rules need to be the same for everyone. No more multi-tiered nonsense.These were racist crimes. And they went on for so long because those who should have put a stop to them were scared of being labelled racist. Rather than risk that slur, they threw children under the bus. Woke is, truly, cancerous. If you live in a remote rural village, and somebody of unusual appearance comes along, and you stare at them, that does not make you racist. Staring at what is unusual to you is normal. If you use a word that is now considered out-of-date, perhaps as a result of not mixing in sophisticated urban circles, with zero harmful intent that does not make you racist. However, if you target a little girl because she is white, then groom her, inject her with drugs, rape her, and then sell her body to people you know so they can rape her - well, that is racist. And a whole lot more besides.Let the truth be toldAt lunch the other day, I started to read out to my family some of the judge's sentencing remarks, which detail what happened. We got about two sentences in before it all got to be too much, and they didn't want to hear it. No surprise. What happened is beyond awful.Read the below if you can stomach it.How can one human being do something like this to another?The beauty of these verbatim dramas is that the creators cannot be accused of sensationalism or exaggeration. It is the truth. That is what needs to come out. We have to learn about what has happened if only to motivate ourselves and our leaders into doing something about this.It has been going on since the 1990s. It is still going on today. No more brushing it under the carpet in the name of multi-culturalism.The Jay Report claims that 1,400 children (that's just the under-age ones) were sexually exploited in Rotherham over 16 years. If you extrapolate that number over 50 other towns and cities, you arrive at roughly 70,000 victims. That is a conservative estimate. You can do similar extrapolations and come to a figure of a million. The likelihood is 250,000-500,000, given that we are talking about a period longer than 16 years and it has been happening in more than 50 locations. Kids!For sure, the cover-ups - the unwillingness to police, prosecute, publicize, or punish - meant the rape gangs went much further than they otherwise would. They thought they could get away with it.We need truth, even if it is unpalatable, if we are to stop things like this ever happening again.Most of these girls have never had anything like justice. How is a few years in prison anything like justice anyway?If you are buying gold to protect yourself in these uncertain times, I recommend The Pure Gold Company. Pricing is competitive, quality of service is high. They deliver to the UK, the US, Canada and Europe or you can store your gold with them. More here. The system does not work - smash itPrison is no longer sufficient punishment. It does not work as a deterrent. With almost 20% of inmates now Muslim and, according to a solicitor friend, with prisons now largely controlled on the inside by Muslim gangs, prison has become a place of indoctrination, radicalization, and Islamism. Thus, not only does imprisonment not work, it is actually counter-productive: it is creating offenders. Who'd've thought something run by government doesn't work as intended? Then prisoners get let out too early, especially to make room for people uttering wrong think on social media.Prison is also expensive - annual imprisonment now costs more than £50,000-100,000 per year per inmate, plus the costs of processing it all (police, courts, legal aid, etc) also amount to more than £50,000. As if what the rapist has done is not already bad enough, now we have to pay for him too. The courts are overwhelmed. The justice system is exploited. We need something different and better. It's long overdue. Horror stories like this one can at least motivate the required reform.There are other factors motivating the cover-up in my view. Policing your own community, where everybody knows who's who, everybody speaks the same language, and comes from the same culture is one thing. But policing another culture, where the language is different, the values are different - even the names are difficult - is much harder.It gets even harder when the majority of that culture feel a greater loyalty to their own people and culture than they do to what is right in the eyes of the host culture, or indeed the people of the host culture. If the alien culture does not integrate, it gets even harder. It was probably easier for the police to let stuff go, and focus on other things.Put your email in the box below and get my free guide to investing in gold.Here's a thoughtIn the largely secular UK, where the state now takes on responsibilities which were once borne by the church - education, care and so on - the state has also replaced religion. From Nigel Lawson to Polly Toynbee, it is now recognized that the NHS has become a religion.But the Pakistani communities that have taken over so many towns in the north and elsewhere do not feel the same sense of loyalty, protection, or worship to Britain's welfare state. It is something to take from rather than contribute to. They worship the Prophet Mohammed, not the NHS. I will wager a large bet that - especially in these communities where cash plays such a big role - they are paying much lower levels of tax than their earnings dictate. They will pay their Zakat long before they pay their VAT, Income or other taxes. Is HMRC policing these economies to the same extent? You know it isn't.Will a thorough investigation be commissioned? Of course it won't. That would be racist.More tiers, more iniquity, more injustice.But that's is another story, and it'll be years before that one comes out. Please tell your friends about this article.Follow the release of the film here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theflyingfrisby.com/subscribe
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Conservative MP and shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart, broadcaster Anne McElvoy, Labour MP Danny Beales and Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
Will the Gaza ceasefire last?Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Conservative MP and shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart, broadcaster Anne McElvoy, Labour MP Danny Beales and Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
• Get 20% off a year's Patreon support in our Cyber Monday sale. Why not ask for it for Christmas? Panic stations? Reform UK has overtaken Labour in the polls for the first time. Is this just a standard mid-term setback (albeit a bit early) or is Labour's real battle with Farage not the Tories? The Guardian's Polly Toynbee joins us to explore it. Plus, after the Assisted Dying debate, is religion creeping into famously secular British politics? And the highs and lows of the panel's week. Support us on Patreon to get early access to all our live tickets plus mugs, t-shirts and more. Presented by Ros Taylor with Seth Thévoz and Matt Green. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Theme music by Cornershop. Produced by Chris Jones. 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
Polly Toynbee on a fair society, Labour's Budget, public services, the importance of growth, and the pressure of writing her Guardian columns.
The Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has introduced a private member's bill on assisted dying for terminally ill adults. John Harris speaks to her about whether her proposed legislation is the right path, and discusses the benefits and flaws of assisted dying with the columnist Polly Toynbee, who has long argued for a change to the law Support the Guardian today: theguardian.com/politicspod. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
Amy Stewart paints a powerful portrait of the human passion for plants in “The Tree Collectors” with fifty different tales of people who, for one fascinating reason or another, devote their life to trees. The book is illustrated with Amy's vibrant watercolours of the trees and their idiosyncratic owners. Compared in his heyday to Brett Whitely, painter, printmaker, teacher, writer and ornithologist Don Binney (1940–2012) was an artistic icon in New Zealand in the 1960s. His unmistakable, stylised depictions of birds and the Te Henga coastline are imprinted upon the psyche of that nation. Don Binney was a mercurial, eccentric and often abrasive character whose early brief fame defined his life. In “Don Binney: Flight Path” award-winning author and curator Gregory O'Brien follows the painter from the wild coast of New Zealand through Latin America and Europe, using his letters, journals, and distinctive bird paintings to take us inside Don Binney's world. Guests Amy Stewart, NYT best-selling author of “The Tree Collectors; Tales of arboreal obsession”, “The Drunken Botanist; The Plants that Create the World's Great Drinks” and “Wicked Plants; The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities”. Greg O'Brien: Wellington-based poet, painter and curator who has written books on art for young people as well as several other books on artists including Ralph Hotere and Pat Hanly, and co-edited several poetry anthologies besides his solo poetry collections. His most recent book of poems is “House and Contents”, Auckland University Press. Other books that get a mention Cath mentions “An Uneasy Inheritance; My family and other radicals” by Polly Toynbee and Shankari Chandran's new novel “Safe Haven”. Michaela mentiones “The God of No Good” by Sita Walker. INSTAGRAM @amystewart @text_publishing @aucklanduniversitypressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Amy Stewart paints a powerful portrait of the human passion for plants in “The Tree Collectors” with fifty different tales of people who, for one fascinating reason or another, devote their life to trees. The book is illustrated with Amy's vibrant watercolours of the trees and their idiosyncratic owners. Compared in his heyday to Brett Whitely, painter, printmaker, teacher, writer and ornithologist Don Binney (1940–2012) was an artistic icon in New Zealand in the 1960s. His unmistakable, stylised depictions of birds and the Te Henga coastline are imprinted upon the psyche of that nation. Don Binney was a mercurial, eccentric and often abrasive character whose early brief fame defined his life. In “Don Binney: Flight Path” award-winning author and curator Gregory O'Brien follows the painter from the wild coast of New Zealand through Latin America and Europe, using his letters, journals, and distinctive bird paintings to take us inside Don Binney's world. Guests Amy Stewart, NYT best-selling author of “The Tree Collectors; Tales of arboreal obsession”, “The Drunken Botanist; The Plants that Create the World's Great Drinks” and “Wicked Plants; The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities”. Greg O'Brien: Wellington-based poet, painter and curator who has written books on art for young people as well as several other books on artists including Ralph Hotere and Pat Hanly, and co-edited several poetry anthologies besides his solo poetry collections. His most recent book of poems is “House and Contents”, Auckland University Press. Other books that get a mention Cath mentions “An Uneasy Inheritance; My family and other radicals” by Polly Toynbee and Shankari Chandran's new novel “Safe Haven”. Michaela mentiones “The God of No Good” by Sita Walker. INSTAGRAM @amystewart @text_publishing @aucklanduniversitypressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Keir Starmer has one hell of a challenge fixing everything the Tories broke in their 14 years in charge. Where to begin? Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee sits down with Ros Taylor in The Bunker to discuss Starmer's uphill battle ahead. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker for £100 sponsored credit. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Art by James Parrett. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Alex Forsyth presents political discussion from the Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre.
On this new episode of THE POLITICRAT daily podcast Omar Moore takes a trip down the nightmarish Brexit memory lane, exactly eight years after the UK public voted to leave the European Union. Recorded on June 23, 2024. Episode stories: Polly Toynbee article 2021: https://tinyurl.com/yunnfhc7 and FT mini doc 2023: https://tinyurl.com/2n9ueytz Recent stories of note: Project 2025 really hurts everyone, especially Black people. (Story: https://tinyurl.com/3re9n3sw) Fans pay tribute to Hall Of Fame baseball legend Willie Mays: (https://tinyurl.com/ynhmtmn8) Vice story: Republicans don't really want to secure the border: https://bit.ly/4c3uuJV | Debunking the myth of the migrant crime wave: https://tinyurl.com/msx2fc3r Reminder: Get busy voting. https://vote.org. Ajike Owens' official GoFundMe page: https://bit.ly/3WQOAk6 Donate: https://PayPal.me/PopcornReel New podcast: TÁR Talk (https://bit.ly/3QXRkcF) The new POLITICRAT newsletter is here! Subscribe for free: https://politicrat.substack.com. Social media: Spoutible - https://spoutible.com/popcornreel Mastodon - https://mas.to/@popcornreel Post: https://post.news/popcornreel Twitter: https://twitter.com/popcornreel Black Voters Matter: https://blackvotersmatterfund.org. Vote 411: https://vote411.org. The AUTONOMY t-shirt series—buy yours here: https://bit.ly/3yD89AL Planned Parenthood: https://plannedparenthood.org Register to vote NOW: https://vote.org The ENOUGH/END GUN VIOLENCE t-shirts on sale here: https://bit.ly/3zsVDFU Donate to the Man Up Organization: https://manupinc.org FREE: SUBSCRIBE NOW TO THE BRAND NEW POLITICRAT DAILY PODCAST NEWSLETTER!! Extra content, audio, analysis, exclusive essays for subscribers only, plus special offers and discounts on merchandise at The Politicrat Daily Podcast online store. Something new and informative EVERY DAY!! Subscribe FREE at https://politicrat.substack.com Buy podcast merchandise (all designed by Omar Moore) and lots more at The Politicrat Daily Podcast Store: https://the-politicrat.myshopify.com The Politicrat YouTube page: bit.ly/3bfWk6V The Politicrat Facebook page: bit.ly/3bU1O7c The Politicrat blog: https://politicrat.politics.blog Join Omar on Fanbase NOW! Download the Fanbase social media app today. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to this to this podcast! Follow/tweet Omar at: https://twitter.com/thepopcornreel.
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski, Lib Dem Munira Wilson, the Telegraph's Annabel Denham and Polly Toynbee from The Guardian.
Why are the main parties so negative about immigration?Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski, Lib Dem Munira Wilson, the Telegraph's Annabel Denham and Polly Toynbee from The Guardian.
Sonia Sodha of The Observer assesses the latest developments at Westminster. Following the Prime Minister's speech on global insecurity she speaks to former Conservative Defence Secretary, Sir Liam Fox MP, and former Labour International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander. Theo Bertram, director of the Social Market Foundation and a former Labour adviser, discusses whether election 'pledge' cards are a good idea following Sir Keir Starmer's campaign event this week. After a knife-edge vote on excluding from Parliament MPs accused of serious offences, Sonia speaks to Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP and Conservative MP Nigel Mills. And, after claims a Liberal Democrat candidate was deselected because of his Christian faith, Sonia brings together the Rt Rev Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, and Polly Toynbee, journalist and vice president of Humanists UK, to discuss whether Christianity and modern politics are compatible.
The Labour leader has managed to stem a potential showdown with trade union leaders this week over wording on a workers' rights deal. If this is a dress rehearsal for Labour in government, how has Keir Starmer and his party fared? The Guardian's John Harris is joined by the columnist Polly Toynbee and Marc Stears, a former Labour party speechwriter and UCL Policy Lab director. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
Politics Weekly UK is taking a break. So this week John Harris revisits a conversation with the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and political reporter Aletha Adu about what a Labour government would look like and why it feels like Keir Starmer has a lot of convincing to do. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
Ali Miraj sits in and is joined on Cross Question by former Lib Dem Leader Sir Vince Cable, Conservative peer Baroness Neville-Jones, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee & ConservativeHome Deputy Editor Henry Hill.
Journalist, author and broadcaster Polly Toynbee, joins Georgina Godwin on the show this week. She is a Guardian columnist and previously worked as social affairs editor for the BBC, as well as ‘The Independent'. Early on in her career, she spent eight months experiencing manual work ‘undercover' with stints as a nurse and Army recruit, which she details in her first book ‘A Working Life', published in 1970. She has won numerous awards, including the Orwell Prize, for her impressive body of work on social affairs, continuing a family tradition of attempting to eradicate class divides in Britain. Her new book, ‘An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals' charts how her ancestors grappled with this and looks further into how the issue is being dealt with today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Iain Dale interviews columnists Polly Toynbee and Peter Hitchens, live from the Edinburgh Fringe. It gets heated as they discuss the downfall of marriage in the UK, whether Brexit is going well, how to write a column and much more.
See this as a tasting menu for the delights to come, in thirteen All Talk interviews recorded in front of a live audience at the Edinburgh Fringe. Featuring Mick Lynch, Jess Phillips, Alex Salmond and David Davis, Nicola Sturgeon, Chris Mullin and Sasha Swire, Wes Streeting, Harriet Harman, Polly Toynbee and Peter Hitchens, Penny Mordaunt, Jeremy Corbyn and Len McCluskey, Sir John Curtice and Brian Taylor - finishing with Humza Yousaf. Enjoy! The full episodes will all be released over the next few weeks.
When Polly Toynbee arrived at The Observer in the late 1960s, she quickly concluded that she'd make a poor news reporter. Hailing from a long line of well-heeled and highly educated liberals and social reformers, Polly surmised that she didn't know enough about the country she'd grown up in. Since then, Polly has worked in factories, hospitals and care homes, shedding light on the nature of work and class. Now regarded as one of the country's best journalists, her latest book, An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals tracks her genealogy and takes a deep dive into what it means to be privileged in Britain.
Keir Starmer's Labour party looks closer to power than at any point over the past 13 years, but where is the sense of optimism and vision for the future? The Guardian's John Harris is joined by political reporter Aletha Adu and columnist Polly Toynbee. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Conservative MP and former minister Dame Andrea Leadsom, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, Chair of the Jewish Labour Movement Mike Katz and Dr Alan Mendoza from the Henry Jackson Society.
Unite the union puts Keir Starmer 'on notice', Cross Question & how difficult is it for ex-prisoners to get work?Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Conservative MP and former minister Dame Andrea Leadsom, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, Chair of the Jewish Labour Movement Mike Katz and Dr Alan Mendoza from the Henry Jackson Society.
Following the publication of her book - My Family and Other Radicals, Polly Toynbee reflects on being privileged and on the left, her remarkable family, being on the losing side in politics most of the time and her hopes for Keir Starmer. Rock n Roll Politics is live at Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13 with a different show each day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nick Cohen talks to Polly Toynbee, celebrated columnist, broadcaster and author about Britain's stubborn class system and the growing gap between the rich and poor under successive Tory governments.Atlantic Books has just published Polly's latest book, An Uneasy Inheritance, My family and other radicals, which has received rave reviews, not least from Nick himself in a recent Substack column.Polly explains how - over the years - she has taken a series of blue collar jobs to better understand the lives of working people. She laments how the class system continues to dominate British society and is now a bigger determinate in people's futures than factors such as ethnicity. Polly also discusses the extraordinary radicals from her family history, including her father, the journalist Philip Toynbee, her grandfather, the historian Arnold J. Toynbee.Support the showListen to The Lowdown from Nick Cohen for in-depth analysis of the issues and events that shape our lives and futures. From Ukraine to Brexit, from Trump to the Tories - we hope to keep you informed - and sane! @NickCohen4
As a self confessed “silver spooner” who enjoyed a privileged upbringing Polly Toynbee talks to Nuala McGovern about her committed left wing "rabble rouser" ancestors and her own life long battle with the injustices of the British class system. In our series about narcissistic mothers we've heard a lot from daughters. Yesterday, a listener we are calling Bethany told her story. Her relationship with her daughter had been strained for a long time. In January she received a book in the post about how to spot and deal with a narcissistic mother, some passages were highlighted , and a letter. Today she picks up the story and explained how she felt as she opened the book and read the passages pointed out by her daughter. How does it feel to be labelled a narcissist and how can you move forward from there? Last month we looked at the experience of caring with authors Emily Kenway and Lynne Tillman. So many of you got in touch including academic Dinah Roe, a Reader in nineteeth-century literature, who with poet Sarah Hesketh, managing editor of Modern Poetry In Translation, have been running a series of free online workshops, inspired by Christina Rossetti's writing, designed specifically for people with caring responsibilities. Dinah and Sarah join Nuala in the studio. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Duncan Hannant
'An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals' is an enthralling family memoir from The Guardian columnist, as she recounts her family's highly privileged background and their fight against the British class system
This week, Norma Clarke unpicks the complicated business of family legacy in Polly Toynbee's memoir; and Nicholas Clee immerses himself in Paul Murray's multi-generational saga of Irish small-town life.'An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals' by Polly Toynbee'The Bee Sting' by Paul MurrayProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Today Debate is about taking a subject and pulling it apart with more time than we could ever have during the Today programme in the morning. Today presenter Mishal Husain was joined by a panel of guests in the BBC's Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House to look at the future of the Royal Family in 'The Today Debate: Do we need a Monarchy?' Joining her were Billy Bragg, the singer and songwriter; Juliet Samuel, a columnist for the Times; Polly Toynbee, a columnist at the Guardian; Charles Moore, former editor of the Telegraph and the Spectator, biographer of Margaret Thatcher and Jason Arday, an academic who works on inequality, race and education.
With the death of Queen Elizabeth, one of the longest serving monarchs in world history, the commonwealth is adjusting to a new normal and a new face of the firm, Charles III. “God Save the Queen” is back to “God Save the King”, there's a new face on postage stamps, a new face on the pound, and a slew of other changes big and small. But above all, Britain is grappling with their identity, and what the monarchy means for them today. For some, this means that the time has finally come to do away with the outdated parliamentary monarchy system in favor of a proper modern republic. They argue that the British Royal Family is out of touch with ordinary Britons, and represent an unsavory colonial history that must be left behind. The slew of scandals plaguing the Royal family hurts the country's image internationally. They argue the Royals represent the past, and Britain must move into the future. But others argue that the royals serve an important albeit limited function. Beyond representing a rich and storied history, the Royal family is a unifying force amid political and cultural divisions. And without the royal family, the UK loses an important piece of their cultural identity at a time when Britains are struggling to define themselves. The Royal family may have problems, but they're existence is necessary. Arguing for the motion is Polly Toynbee, columnist for The Guardian newspaper since 1998.Toynbee previously worked as social affairs editor for the BBC and also for The Independent newspaper. Arguing against the motion is Richard Fitzwilliams, freelance royal commentator, film critic, and vocal monarchist. He has covered the largest royal events of the last two decades for the BBC, Sky, CTV, CBC, and Al-Jazeera. Speaker Quotes POLLY TOYNBEE: “ If they are the sovereign and we are the subjects, we are subject to the absurdity of this extraordinarily ordinary family, who had after all the highest education available ended up being so very little intellectually interested in anything, beyond the polo and corgis”. RICHARD FITZWILLIAMS: “There's nothing ephemeral about a reign such as the Queen, and there's nothing ephemeral about an institution that's lasted a millennia.”. The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths - @rudyardg. Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/ To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to podcast@munkdebates.com. To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership Members receive access to our 10+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/ Senior Producer: Jacob Lewis Editor: Adam Karch
In this live stream, Will reviews a Guardian article by Polly Toynbee from 2005 when Narnia came out in theaters. Will reviews her conclusions on Christianity, her predictions of the movie's performance, and her conflation with US politics and CS Lewis 50+ year old work.
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are former justice minister Lord Faulks, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, Alba Party Westminster Leader Neale Hanvey and Stefanie Bolzen, UK correspondent for Die Welt.
PM declares 'golden age' of UK relations with China is over, Cross Question & how has your relationship with religion changed? Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are former justice minister Lord Faulks, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, Alba Party Westminster Leader Neale Hanvey and Stefanie Bolzen, UK correspondent for Die Welt.
What Does Britain's Latest PM Mean by "Difficult Decisions to Come"? | Running Against the Biden Economy, Republicans Promise to Tank the Global Economy to Force Cuts in Social Security and Medicare | Escalating Talk of a "Dirty Bomb" Raise Fears Putin is Looking For an Excuse to Use a Nuke in Ukraine backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
The Queen has died aged 96 at her Scottish home of Balmoral. Polly Toynbee looks back on her life. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
The Queen has died aged 96 at her Scottish home of Balmoral. In this episode of our Today in Focus podcast, Polly Toynbee joins Nosheen Iqbal to look back on her life. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
The Queen has died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. In this episode of Today in Focus, Polly Toynbee joins Nosheen Iqbal to look back on her life. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod
The Queen has died aged 96 at her Scottish home of Balmoral. The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland introduces this special episode of Today in Focus, with Nosheen Iqbal speaking to Polly Toynbee about the Queen's life
The Queen has died aged 96 at her Scottish home of Balmoral. In this episode of our Today in Focus podcast, Polly Toynbee joins Nosheen Iqbal to look back on her life
The Death of Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family's Future Under a New King Charles | How American Political Culture Disempowers Ordinary Citizens and How to Take Back the Ground We Have Ceded to Anti-Politics backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia
Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee identifies how Tory leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have channelled the former prime minister, and what it says about the Conservative party in 2022. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question are SNP MP Drew Hendry, former Conservative special adviser Charlie Rowley, Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke & Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
Is the heatwave changing your approach to climate change? Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question are SNP MP Drew Hendry, former Conservative special adviser Charlie Rowley, Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke & Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee.
Chris Mason presents political discussion from St James, in St Peter Port, Guernsey.
An Assassination Attempt on Putin in March and Cancer Treatment in April | How Much Will the American President Have To Bow Before the Entitled Saudi Thug? | Amid Pomp and Ceremony, a Majority of Young Britons Want an Elected Head of State backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia