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Political journalist, George Megalogenis has mapped key areas in our population, workforce and geopolitical standing in recent decades, and looks at how these shifts are impacting our collective political future.For the first time since Federation, Australia's population is mostly made up of migrants and their children. Professional women have now replaced men doing blue collar jobs as the largest segment of the workforce.And on the world scale, Australia can no longer rely on our traditional allies or trading partners.These three elements have already changed the political landscape in our country, and this will only continue as time goes on.Further informationThree Shocks: Who we are becoming in the 21st Century is published by Penguin Random House.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan and the Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It covers auspol, populism, John Howard, Paul Keating, Harold Holt, Pauline Hanson, One Nation, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Western Australia, parliament, teals, Higgins, Bennelong, Chinese-Australians, Peter Costello, First Nations, Federation, convicts, migration, White Australia policy, one parent born overseas, census, data, graphs, data journalism and Prime Ministers.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.
One of the SNP's top talents, Stephen Flynn is on hilarious form at the Edinburgh Festival.He opens up about his frustrations with Nicola Sturgeon's critique of the SNP campaign and exclusively reveals that he'd already resigned as SNP Leader in Westminster BEFORE the 2024 general election had been called. Stephen's got great stories about small talk with ex-Prime Ministers at the Cenotaph as well as his experiences from his summer travelling across the USA with the Tartan Army at the World Cup.It's clear to see why he's so highly regarded, especially as he had to overcome major health problems in his youth.This is a story of resilience, determination. And football. See the Political Party Live on Stage:18 August: Douglas Alexander (Edinburgh)20 August: Malcolm Offord (Edinburgh)9 November: Liz Kendall (London)21 December: Wes Streeting (London) GET TICKETS for Matt's brand new stand-up show Project Holy Moly at the Edinburgh Festival and touring nationwide in 2027:www.mattforde.comMARCH19 FAVERSHAM The Alex20 DORKING HallsAPRIL7 STOURBRIDGE Town Hall8 GLOUCESTER Guildhall9 LEICESTER Y Theatre12 SALFORD Lowry16 NORTHAMPTON Royal & Derngate21 EXETER Northcott Theatre24 LONDON Bloomsbury Theatre28 ALNWICK Playhouse29 BARNARD CASTLE Witham30 HULL AsylumMAY6 BIRMINGHAM The Glee Club12 COVENTRY Warwick Arts Centre13 WORCESTER Huntingdon Hall14 CHORLEY Theatre18 STAMFORD Corn Exchange19 SHEFFIELD Steamworks20 SHREWSBURY Theatre Severn21 NOTTINGHAM Theatre Royal23 LEEDS City Varieties Music Hall26 NORWICH Playhouse27 NORWICH PlayhouseJUNE2 SCUNTHORPE Plowright4 CANTERBURY Gulbenkian Theatre5 READING Concert Hall8 CARDIFF The Glee Club9 BATH Komedia10 MONMOUTH Savoy Theatre11 CHIPPING NORTON The Theatre15 BURY ST EDMUNDS Theatre Royal16 MILTON KEYNES The Stables18 TUNBRIDGE WELLS Trinity Theatre30 LIVERPOOL Everyman PlayhouseJULY1 CARLISLEOld Fire Station2 GLASGOW The Glee Club4 EDINBURGH Lyceum Theatre Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The former president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, has been sentenced to death in absentia while he reportedly lives a life of luxury in Russia. While al-Assad is living it up in Moscow, the Represent International team soldiers on as the studio burns down around them. After successfully fighting the fire with their bare heads, the team discusses the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia's own respective scandals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Becoming prime minister is a job like no other. The arrival of Andy Burnham is the latest in the UK's recent history of prime ministers coming to the job mid-way through a parliament. Mid-term prime ministers often take over after crisis, political upheaval or the sheer weight of the job have put paid to their predecessor. And mid-term prime ministers come to the job through very different means – a leadership contest rather than a general election, or sometimes even without that. They have less time to make a difference, a party looking for change, and a policy platform that is already well underway. In this three-part series, the Institute for Government takes you behind the scenes of the mid-term changes of prime minister from John Major to Rishi Sunak. Speaking to the senior officials and advisers who were there to explore how prime ministers, their teams and the civil service prepare, what the transition is like, how they build their teams, how they change policy, and the lessons from these premierships on what it takes to succeed as a mid-term prime minister. Mid-term prime ministers – Episode 2: The Transition Many politicians have ambitions to become prime minister but however long a would-be prime minister, their advisers and civil servants spend preparing for a transition of power, that first day walking through the famous No.10 door is the moment that reality hits and the job instantly begins. In episode two we take a closer look at what happened in the first weeks and months of the mid-term premierships from Major to Sunak. How did they go about reshuffling the ministers they inherited? How did they build their No.10 team? And how did they manage the fundamental question that affects mid-term prime ministers far more than those coming in from a general election: how much do they change their predecessor's agenda? Presented by Catherine Haddon Featuring Gus O'Donnell, Mark Sedwill, Helen MacNamara, Simon Case, Stewart Wood, Salma Shah, Lee Cain, Asa Bennett and Rupert Yorke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The smartest political moves and dirty tricks Scott Reid has seen behind the scenesSailor Overboard Incident Sparks Questions About USS Abraham Lincoln ConditionsGUESTS: Scott Reid - CTV Political Commentator and advisor to a number of Prime Ministers, premiers and political leaders Retired Vice Admiral Mark Norman - former Vice Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada
Nicholas Gruen is Australia's foremost public intellectual - and original economic mind. An iconoclast who has spent decades challenging how governments, markets and institutions actually work. Former advisor to a number of Prime Ministers, his gift for making complex ideas both practical and provocative has earned him an impressive global following. One that led Rory Sutherland (our guest in episode #199) to describe him as a personal hero of his - and nominate him for Five Of My Life Hear each song chosen by every Five of My Life guest at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/60PqJQ1rg6fverFMyKvdkG Follow The Five of My Life on Instagram: The Five of My Life (@thefiveofmylife) Contact Nigel at https://nigelmarsh.com/
With Sheldon today is his manager Craig Rogalski:Craig Rogalski is the Founder and Managing Talent Manager of CK Talent Management, aninternational entertainment management company operating across the US, UK, Canada,Europe, Africa, and Australia.Craig has represented and worked with some of the industry's leading talent, with clientsappearing in some of Hollywood's most iconic films and television projects. His clients have wonand been nominated for major industry honors, including Academy Awards, Emmy Awards,BAFTAs, and British Independent Film Awards. Collectively, his clients have appeared in leadingand supporting roles in films that have generated more than $1.5 billion at the worldwide boxoffice.Craig is also a member of the very private and invite-only Renaissance Institute who's membersinclude past US presidents, Prime Ministers, NASA Astronauts, the President of Harvard toname a few of its prestigious members. He is also a member of theTelevision Academy of Arts& Sciences, and has served as a Daytime Emmy Awards judge for the past three years. He ison Guidepoint's the biggest consulting firm in the world which conslutes industry leaders andfinancial institutions. He is on their expert roster, where he consults on the media andentertainment industry, including talent management, studios, and entertainment investment.Through CK Talent, Craig works across film, television, music, fashion, branded entertainment,and sports-adjacent media, with a focus on developing talent for long-term careers rather thanshort-term visibility.Craig's work sits at the intersection of talent representation, media strategy, and careerdevelopment. Through CK Talent, he helps guide performers through the realities of an evolvingglobal entertainment industry — from branding and auditions to image repositioning,professional boundaries, and long-term opportunity.Today, Craig joins Sheldon as the manager helping guide this next chapter of Sheldon's career— moving him from being seen through a narrow online image into a more elevated path as aprofessional model and actor
Our first episode explores the recent history of mid-term changes of prime minister from John Major to Rishi Sunak. Speaking to senior officials and advisers involved, we go behind the scenes of the preparation and leadership contests, the context in which they took over, and find out what kind of experience makes a difference when inheriting the top job in UK politics. Featuring Gus O'Donnell, Mark Sedwill, Helen MacNamara, Simon Case, Stewart Wood, Salma Shah, Lee Cain, Asa Bennett and Rupert Yorke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome to a revamped Everything Compliance. We have a new host, Adam Turteltaub, and a new panelist, Rebecca Walker, who joins returning regulars Matt Kelly, Jonathan Armstrong, and Karen Moore for the next iteration of Everything Compliance. Matt Kelly analyzes the Scoular Company FCPA enforcement action. Karen Moore reviews a recent pay discrimination case in Oregon. Jonathan Armstrong discusses the change of Prime Minister in the UK and what it means for compliance. Rebecca Walker looks at the current status of law and cases related to Board oversight. The members of Everything Compliance are: Rebecca Walker – a top legal mind in ethics and compliance. Woody can be reached at the law firm of Kaplan and Walker. Matt Kelly – Founder and CEO of Radical Compliance. Kelly can be reached at mkelly@radicalcompliance.com Jonathan Armstrong – a UK colleague and an experienced data privacy/data protection lawyer in London. He can be reached at Armstrong@puntersouthall.law. Karen Moore, a principal at Sounding Board Compliance, can be reached at moore@soundingboardcompliance.com The award-winning Everything Compliance is a part of the Compliance Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One of Britain's best known educators, a prolific contemporary historian and biographer of Prime Ministers from Major and Blair to Sunak (out soon!) and Starmer (upcoming!), Sir Anthony Seldon offers his insights on the qualities needed for running Britain, looks back at leaders of the past and looks ahead to the challenges facing Andy Burnham. Sir Anthony also reflects on a career in education, spells out what good teaching involves, emphasises the need for joy in learning, and throws forward to a world dominated by AI.
Under normal circumstances, if I was a Prime Minister, I'd avoid the dumb brigade. In general terms they preside in music radio and/or on podcast platforms. It is the arena of numbnut behaviour, it's always a trap. Anthony Albanese found this out a few weeks ago when he was offered an option of who to shag or marry and ended up bumbling through an answer that suggested he would shag Kylie Minogue and that the Rabbitohs were an aphrodisiac. He almost immediately apologised, as he should have. Paul Henry suggesting he would shoot Chris Hipkins is our new version as of yesterday. This came off the back of the Stuart Nash mess (for the record, a completely different set of circumstances) and what appears to be a newfound desire to be “outraged”. Labour is “outraged”. My fear this election campaign is there is more where this came from. Nash is an idiot with form and his comments weren't funny, or even in the entertainment realm. Henry, who also has form but in the “this could be funny, or could be a bridge too far” category, gets away with it this time because of the setting i.e. a music radio station looking for giggles, and also because Labour need to be careful with their “outrage” habit. Henry also gets away with it because he currently is merely a citizen. It will be different, potentially, if he is an MP and even more different if he is a Cabinet minister. Albanese didn't get away with it because he isn't funny at the best of times, just looked like a dirty old man and, more importantly, because he is a Prime Minister and Prime Ministers need to be beyond reproach. Citizens can do what they like but MPs need to be one rung up from that. Cabinet ministers need to be pretty squeaky clean and Prime Ministers need to be saint-like, artificially so, hence we don't attract normal people to represent us anymore. Labour need a sense of humour and the ability to manufacture their outrage at opportune times, not anytime. It is still only July and I'm over this election and it hasn't even started. Henry will be back for more of this, I wouldn't rule Michael Laws out of saying something random, Shane Jones is building a head of steam, and my bet is that before November 7th someone we haven't even thought of will end up doing something weird, creepy, or mental. All I can say is, be patient. It's only just begun. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
#543 House of Losers - Richard has had a worrying dream, but what can it all mean? His guest is an alien from outer space and not a man in an impressive but ridiculous costume, the artist formerly known as Lord Buckethead, Count Binface. They discuss his reasons for travelling light years to take on sitting Prime Ministers in UK elections, some of his excellent policies involving hand dryers and Ceefax, whether snooker is already in 3 dimensions, losing a bind, whether old people should lose the vote, improving the House of Lords and how the UK's future span out of control due to the Olympic opening ceremony and a bacon sandwich. Will Count Binface become Mayor of Croydon? Watch this (outer) space.Check out the Count's live dates on his website, and vote for him in Clacton on 13 August if you can https://www.countbinface.com/See a live recording of RHLSTP - https://richardherring.com/rhlstpSUPPORT THE SHOW!See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES Watch our TWITCH CHANNELBecome a badger and see extra content at our WEBSITE Buy DVDs and books from GO FASTER STRIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Charles Spicer concludes that after the war, Christie and Conwell-Evans published a limited-run book, None So Blind, detailing their ignored warnings to the government. Though Martin Gilbert later attempted to correct the record, these amateur spies largely slipped from historical memory. Tennant died in 1962, his contributions unacknowledged. Conwell-Evans lived modestly until 1968, having advised five Prime Ministers. Grahame Christie, a heroic and modest figure, committed suicide in 1971 at age 91. Their story remains a testament to the "blindness" of official diplomacy and the bravery of those who tried to "civilize" the Nazis to avert global catastrophe. (16)1943
Charles Spicer recounts how, in September 1936, Lloyd George met Hitler at the Berghof, where the dictator successfully charmed the aging statesman. Hitler was so delighted by the initial meeting that he invited Lloyd George's entourage, including his children, back for a second day. Lloyd George proposed extending the Locarno conference to address grievances regarding the Versailles Treaty. However, observers noted Hitler's visceral, twitching physical response whenever the Soviet Union was mentioned. Although Lloyd George was later castigated for praising Hitler in the press, Spicer argues he was effectively attempting the diplomacy that subsequent Prime Ministers failed to master. (5)19451
Goodbye Starmer, Hello Burnham | New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham | Can He Succeed Where Keir Starmer Failed?Andy Burnham is Britain's new Prime Minister after replacing Keir Starmer as Labour leader, but will anything really change? In this episode of Mark and Pete, we ask the question millions of voters are already asking. Is this the fresh start Britain has been waiting for, or simply another change of face while the same old problems remain stubbornly parked on the nation's driveway?Burnham meets the King to be invited to form a government, beginning what could become one of the most closely watched premierships in recent history. We look at what brought Keir Starmer's time in office to an end, why Labour turned to Andy Burnham, and whether the new Prime Minister genuinely has a workable plan for Britain or merely a better sales pitch.We dig into the political realities behind the headlines. How secure is Burnham's position? Could he still be in Number 10 six months from now? What are his priorities on housing, immigration, the NHS, local government, policing and the economy? More importantly, can any Prime Minister realistically deliver meaningful change when expectations are sky high and public patience is, well, somewhere beneath the floorboards?Along the way we explore Britain's remarkable habit of changing Prime Ministers with alarming regularity. It almost feels as though Number 10 has become the political equivalent of a holiday cottage. Lovely address, but nobody seems to stay very long.As always, Mark and Pete go beyond the headlines with facts, context, statistics and plenty of good-humoured conversation. We don't simply repeat the news. We ask what it means, what might happen next, and what history suggests is likely to happen instead.Our Bible reflection comes from Psalm 146:3: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." It's a timely reminder that while governments rise and fall, Christian hope rests somewhere far more secure than Westminster.Whether you're fascinated by British politics, interested in current affairs, or simply wondering if this latest chapter will finally bring stability, this episode offers thoughtful discussion with a little dry humour, a few surprising facts and, quite possibly, more optimism than the evening news can usually manage. Then again, that isn't setting the bar terribly high.
Keir Starmer departs soon as British Prime Minister... But not before telling a joke or two — about sex ..."On consistency, don't get me started: five Prime Ministers, six Chancellors, eight Home Secretaries 16 Housing Ministers—they had more positions in 14 years than the Kama Sutra. No wonder they are knackered; they left the country screwed."That was Prime Minister's Questions. .... January 14th, 2026 — Turns out, during this past year of PMQs, Keir Starmer told many jokes— and not all about sex. Was Keir Starmer funny? What jokes did Members of Parliament tell? What are some top jokes from prior PMQs? And — are Prime Ministers Questions really all that funny? How does Jon Macks rate each PMQ joke? How would he improve them? And which "joke" heard during Prime Ministers Questions does Jon Macks think was the funniest? To find out, in this week's episode of C-SPAN's podcast "Extreme Mortman," we're joined by a very special guest – one of the funniest people on this side of the pond ... legendary comedy writer Jon Macks. Find out in Extreme Mortman - as we say goodbye to Keir Starmer — and celebrate 250 years of American independence from Britain – not just from British rule, but independence from British comedy.Find Extreme Mortman wherever you get podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today, Keir Starmer delivered his final performance at Prime Ministers' Questions before his time as PM officially draws to a close on Monday. Adam, Alex and Chris unpack what his last exchanges with MPs tells us about the end of his premiership. Plus, the team look ahead to the handover of power and what we know, and what we don't, about Andy Burnham's plans for his new top team. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Miranda Slade with Anna Harris and Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The social producer was Beth Pritchard. The technical producer was Jonny Hall. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
On today's episode of the Whitehall Sources podcast, Calum Macdonald, Jo Tanner and James Nation discuss the fallout to Nigel Farage's triggering a by-election in his own seat of Clacton.With most parties not standing his main challenger seems to be Count Binface....Does this by-election even matter and should it get media attention, or is it a political stunt from the Reform UK leader that is best left alone? Later, the trio are joined by Alex Thomas from the Institute for Government, to discuss how soon-to-be Prime Ministers get ready for the highest office in the land. What is Andy Burnham thinking and planning ahead of his time in No. 10 and is there anything he is missing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
BURNHAM'S LEFT-WING COUP? HAS BRITAIN BECOME A BANANA REPUBLIC? #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #Live #AndyBurnham #NigelFarage #ReformUK #GeneralElection #UKPolitics Westminster has done it again. Today Labour MPs queued up to salute their new leader as if the British people don't matter. No General Election. No manifesto. No mandate. Just another Westminster stitch-up. They tell us to shut up and accept it. I say rubbish. This country doesn't belong to MPs. It belongs to us. Today I'm asking whether Britain has become a democracy in name only. Has Parliament become a private members' club that picks Prime Ministers while voters are expected to clap politely? Are we becoming a Banana Republic where Westminster insiders decide who governs while the British people are expected to keep quiet? And isn't the timing remarkable? Reform UK has been leading the opinion polls for months. Nigel Farage has become the biggest electoral threat to the Westminster establishment. Yet while Andy Burnham gets the red-carpet treatment, Farage finds himself under relentless political and media scrutiny. Coincidence? Or panic from an establishment that knows the public has had enough? Tonight we'll debate:
The release of the Rupert Lowe Rape Gang Inquiry Report showed that the entire United Kingdom has been groomed into accepting a foreign invader's insatiable appetite for sexual destruction and oppression. Starting at the top, a long list of Prime Ministers have enabled the rape of 250,000 British girls over the past two decades.Ironically, creating a podcast about what the Pakistani rape gangs were doing in the U.K. is more likely to warrant jail time than the crimes themselves. As London falls, one must consider that more dominoes are being set up now across the West, with a similar outcome predicted in the future.---Macroaggressionswww.Macroaggressions.ioMerch StoreLink Tree Video ChannelsRumble | YouTube | BrighteonActivist PostNewsletter Sign UpAudiobooksHypocrazyThe Octopus of Global ControlSupport Our SponsorsReplace Your Mortgage: www.WipeOutYourMortgageNow.comGround Luxe Grounding MatsC60 Power | Promo Code: MACROChemical Free Body | Promo Code: MACROWise Wolf Gold & SilverLegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.comChristian Yordanov's Health ProgramThe Dollar VigilanteNesa's Hemp | Promo Code: MACROAugason Farms
This week Mike hosts over Prime Ministers and Purple People with some board game panel show wonderfulness. This Game is Broken is a comedy board game panel show with Matthew Jude, Dave Luza, Paula Deming, Nick Murphy and Mike Murphy. We play a lot of nonsense games full of role playing and trivia as well as other fun stuff which can be found at the links below. Support us here! PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/thisgameisbroken This Game is Broken is eternally thankful to our sponsors Restoration Games - Find them at https://restorationgames.com/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/TGiBpodcast iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-game-is-broken/id1282526804?mt=2 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/this_game_is_broken_podcast/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Thisgameisbrokenpodcast/ Email - Thisgameisbrokenpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feline goings on from around the world
What does it take to interpret for Prime Ministers? It's far more than knowing two languages. In this episode, Dr Abhishek Dadhich, who has interpreted during engagements involving Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese, takes listeners behind the scenes of diplomatic interpreting. From decoding idioms and humour in real time to staying neutral under pressure, he explains why interpreters carry meaning, not just words, and why human judgement remains indispensable even in the era of AI.
Breathe Pictures Photography Podcast: Documentaries and Interviews
Harry Borden has spent more than four decades photographing some of the world's most recognisable faces. His portraits of actors, musicians, business leaders and every UK Prime Minister from Margaret Thatcher onwards have appeared in publications including The Observer, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Magazine and Vanity Fair. But behind those well-known portraits is a photographer equally drawn to quieter, more personal work. In the first of a two-week conversation, Harry joins me to talk about photographing celebrities, captains of industry, and Prime Ministers; how he approaches portraiture when the clock is ticking; and why curiosity has always mattered more than reputation. We also begin exploring some of the personal projects that have shaped his career, before next week's episode turns more towards the story of Harry himself. The mailbag is in particularly good form this week, too. Michael Assmann writes a thoughtful and moving letter about fatherhood, Paul Holdorf shares a photo essay on darkness. Sandro Correia wonders how to rediscover his love of photography. Paul Eaves pens an unexpectedly poetic tribute to his washing machine, we unveil a brand-new Biscuit Tin Question, bring the latest quarterly photo assignment to a close, and hand over the next challenge to none other than portrait photographer Platon. Read more about our photographic adventures on our photography travel website, The Journey Beyond. Links to all guests and features will be on the show page, my sincere thanks to our Extra Milers, without whom we wouldn't be walking each week and Arthelper.ai, giving photographers smart tools to plan, promote, and manage your creative projects more easily. BUY THE NEW SHOW ZINE, REFLECTIONS
Care about independent and ethical news? Support Media Storm on Patreon! Are you thrilled to see the back of Keir Starmer? Or - like us - are you oh so sick of the Westminster drama? The UK is set to see its seventh Prime Ministers in 10 years after Andy Burnham's Makerfield coup. You couldn't write it… or could you? One might argue, that's exactly what our media did. Today we assess: do political correspondents enflame political chaos? Should Westminster gossip constantly be centre stage (and front-page). And for the media's endless analysis of “what went wrong for Starmer”, why does none of it look at itself? After the break… everyone's talking about the World Cup! But there's a glaring gap in the coverage. Did you know that several of the men now dominating global screens have been charged with or accused of rape and sexual assault? Football pundits keep repeating the familiar refrain: 'innocent until proven guilty'. We examine why this doesn't actually hold up in the context of rape and sexual assault. This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) and Helena Wadia (@helenawadia) Edited by Toka Omer The music is by @soundofsamfire Follow us @mediastormpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
UK is NOT UNGOVERNABLE! We just have USELESS MPS! #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #Live #UKPolitics #Westminster #AndyBurnham #IllegalImmigration #ECHR #CommonSense #UKPolitics Is Britain broken, or is it just the people running it? Today I am taking on the Westminster circus. We've seen seven Prime Ministers in ten years, and now the MSM wants to tell us that the British public is "ungovernable." I say that's a load of old pony—the problem isn't us, it's a bunch of useless MPs who have lost touch with reality! We'll be diving into: ❌ The Westminster Circus: Why 7 PMs in a decade is a failure of leadership, not the voters. ❌ The Army Camp Sham: Looking at the latest "test plan" for illegal immigration. They want to house people in three army camps that aren't even secure! People can come and go as they please! It's a joke! What we actually need to do is deter, detain, and deport. ❌ The Burnham Coronation: Why they're trying to stage a coronation for Andy Burnham instead of giving the people a real choice. This is the home of free speech. I want to hear from YOU. Are you sick of the excuses? Are you tired of the spin? Join me Get in the chat and let's talk some common sense! #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #Live #UKPolitics #Westminster #AndyBurnham #IllegalImmigration #ECHR #CommonSense #UKPolitics #FreeSpeech #TwoTierJustice #BreakingNews Jon Gaunt, JonGauntTV, live, politics, Westminster, Andy Burnham, illegal immigration, ECHR, common sense, UK politics, free speech, two tier justice, breaking news, useless MPs, army camps, asylum seekers This is political blogging and hard-hitting social commentary from Triple Sony Gold Award-winning talk radio legend, Jon Gaunt — former host on BBC, Talk Radio, and Sky News. On Jon Gaunt TV, we cut through the noise and say what others won't. No political correctness. No censorship. Just real conversations that matter.
PLUS:Former U.S. soccer player charts a history of sportswashing, from Mussolini to TrumpA Manitoba Pride group turned a vandalized billboard into a successful protest campaignCory Doctorow's new book challenges us to think about AI before it's too latePalestinian architect curates an exhibit based on what his family lost in the NakbaRiffed from the Headlines, our weekly musical news quiz.
The answer to this question is hugely significant. Look back and mid-term Prime Ministers fall out badly with their chosen Chancellor - too often Labour Prime Ministers seek to reassure the media and the markets with their choice, only for both to turn on the Chancellor that is supposed to bring ‘stability'.To join in the never-ending debate in the Rock & Roll Politics co-operative, email steveric14@icloud.com• Special offer! Get 20% off any vehicle history check at carVertical.com/steve20Subscribe to Patreon here for exclusive extra content and bonus episodes, plus the regular podcast a day early and ad-free. Dates for the diary: Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Ropetackle Arts Centre in Shoreham on July 1st. Tickets on the Ropetackle website.An extra Rock & Roll Politics Special is live at Kings Place in London on Monday July 13th - get your tickets here.Written and presented by Steve Richards. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As the country hurtles towards appointing its seventh PM in a decade, this week The Rundown asks has the UK become ungovernable? And if so, why? And what can be done, if anything can be, to stop the rot and get back to a period of relative stability in our national politics.Joining host Alain Tolhurst in looking at where Keir Starmer failed, as Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, Theresa May and David Cameron did before him, and whether Andy Burnham will end up going the same way, is Caroline Slocock, former Private Secretary to two Prime Ministers and a longtime senior civil servant, who has a new book out entitled ‘Bad Government', going behind the famous black door of Number 10 to reveal why the ship of state is so hard to steer, and exploring why successive leaders have failed in their promises to reset government and rebuild trust.Alongside them are Joe Hill, director of strategy at the think tank Re:State, as well as Hannah Keenan, associate director at the Institute for Government.To sign up for our newsletters click herePresented by Alain Tolhurst, produced and edited by Ewan Cameron and Lulu Goad for Podot
Six prime ministers, a Brexit referendum, and an (unlawful) prorogation of parliament — it has been an extraordinary decade to lead the UCL Constitution Unit. Meg Russell steps back from that role and joins host Emily McTernan to reflect on a career spanning nearly three decades, from advising Robin Cook as Leader of the House of Commons to shaping parliamentary reform from the outside. Along the way, they discuss what this turbulent period reveals about the fragility of British democracy, the erosion of constitutional norms, and who is ultimately responsible for protecting our political system. Mentioned in this episode: Meg Russell's valedictory lecture
British Political Fragmentation and the Immigration Crisis. Guest: Gregory Copley. Britain has seen seven prime ministers in ten years due to political fragmentation over illegal immigration and European relations. Copley suggests that the Labour Party is failing to represent the British working class, which favors traditional values and stricter border controls, leading to a rise in alternative parties. 11
The Prime Minister of the Labour Party in the UK just resigned, and looks set to be replaced by Andy Burnham.It got us thinking, what can you change (and not change) when you change leaders? We aren't particularly focused on the specifics of the UK situation - but we wanted to reflect broadly on what it means for organisations to change leaders, and what it takes to change organisational culture, practice and impact in the process.Amanda initiated this digest, having just spent time in the UK and being from Australia, where removing Prime Ministers is a kind of sport. Samuel chips in reflecting on the culture of political parties in the US and organisations he has been part of.In the conversation Amanda mentions two books, they are:People Power in Cities - order it via here - (which talks about the power of failure in strategy)Conscious Tribes - which you can pre-order now (and has the story about the school in it)For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.org (where you can also sign up to our email list!)Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changemakerspodcast/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@changemakerspodcastBlue Sky: https://www.threads.com/@amandatattersall.bsky.socialFor more about Samuel:Personal site: https://www.samuelmchu.comThe Campaign for Hong Kong: https://www.thecampaignforhongkong.orgDemocracy in Flight: https://www.democracyinflight.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelmchuTwitter/X: https://x.com/samuelmchuFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuelmchuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/samuelmchuFor more about Amanda:Personal site: https://amandatattersall.com/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandatattersall/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.tattersallBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amandatattersall.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.com/@amandatattersall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Keir Starmer's resignation was distinctly less dramatic than previous Prime Ministers' - is Britain just too used to upheaval in Downing Street?Hugo unpacks the politics of the day with James Marriott and Charlotte Ivers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Keir Starmer's resignation as Britian's Prime Minister marks the 6th in just a decade, as political turmoil and a post-Brexit reality disturb the country's stability. Poised to be the country's next leader is Greater-Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham. Host Caryn Ceolin speaks to Mel Cappe, distinguished fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy to discuss what lead to Starmer's step-down, what challenges lies ahead for the country's new leader, and the legacy that Starmer leaves behind. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky
Following the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's resignation last night, the UK is set to get its seventh Prime Minister in ten years. Seven different leaders in a decade reflects one of the country's most politically turbulent periods in modern history. As one BBC commentator said, if you go back 40 years it would be unthinkable to have such a high turnover of Prime Ministers in such a short timeframe. Currently it looks the next leader will be Andy Burnham, former Mayor of Greater Manchester, and front runner to claim the top job. Whoever becomes the next leader of the UK, they will have to move fast to stabilise the country. Marcus Ganley is a public law specialist with firm Franks Ogilvie but was previously a ministerial adviser to the Clark government and held senior roles in Australian federal politics. He joins Emile.
This week marks 10 years since the Brexit referendum, when a majority of the UK population voted to leave the European Union. In that time, six Prime Ministers have resigned - the latest being Keir Starmer, who led Labour to a landslide victory less than two years ago. In today’s episode, we’ll explain exactly how Starmer’s position became untenable. Hosts: Lucy Tassell and Emma Gillespie Producer: Rosa Bowden Shot on Fujifilm. Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Larry for PM!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Howie Kurtz on President Trump's public disputes with international leaders like Italy's Giorgia Meloni and the UK's Keir Starmer, the controversy surrounding a detailed investigative report alleging former DNI Tulsi Gabbard's political messaging was controlled by her guru's religious sect, and the federal appointees who halted a criminal investigation into a suspected multi-million dollar clemency buyout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
As we sadly file away that ‘Keep Keir And Carry On' headline in the bottom drawer… Keir Starmer steps down and our panel look at what the Starmer era really means. Are we now in a world where petty politics will always trump service to country? Why was this decent, vaguely boring man so loathed in the country? Does this public bloodletting help or hinder Labour's existential battle against Reform? And why can't Britain hang on to its Prime Ministers? We're joined by Chris Grey, the don of Brexit bloggers to discuss it all. This is a special two-part split edition, enabling us to get you the Farewell to Keir Starmer portion of the pod as fast as possible. Be here tomorrow as our panel “celebrate” ten years of the Brexit Referendum that pitched Britain into a psychodrama it still can't escape. • Read Chris Grey's blog Brexit and Brexitism • Pre-order Jonn's new book 31 Inventions That Made Our World through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at ogwn@podmasters.co.uk. • Special offer! Get 20% off any vehicle history check at carVertical.com/OhGodWhatNow. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Ros Taylor with Jonn Elledge and Rafael Behr. Audio Production by Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. 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
Get a better way to stay informed at https://ground.news/winston and see through biased media. Subscribe through my link for 40% off unlimited access. Keir Starmer has resigned.After less than two years in power, one of the most unpopular Prime Ministers in modern British history is out. But while many on the right will be celebrating, I'm not so sure there's much reason to.In this monologue, I look back at Starmer's premiership: the immigration crisis, two-tier policing, censorship, soaring taxes, attacks on farmers, grooming gang scandals, welfare dependency, energy policy, foreign affairs, and a seemingly endless series of humiliating U-turns. From Channel crossings to digital IDs, from the Chagos Islands to Britain's deteriorating relationship with America, I examine the record of a government that promised change and delivered chaos.But this isn't really a story about Keir Starmer.It's about what comes next.Our show is independently supported by you, consider signing up to our substack to get added benefits like ad-free and extended episodes here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/
This week Gavin may have been a hero to a dog and Dan has been working on a snooker based song. We know a cat lasts longer than Prime Ministers and celebrate Meryl Streep by not watching any of her films. Are dinosaurs a good reason to break up? And are we easily persuaded? This weeks recommendations: Foux : ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul Knock Knock : Blu, Madib, MED, MF DOOM Kick The Ball!! : Lynks Dumped At The Quarters : Bebe Barry Talk to us here: www.betherewithbelson.com Email: betherewithbelson@gmail.com TikTok : @betherewithbelson X : @therewithbelson
Baroness Minette Batters DL is arguably one of the most influential voices in British agriculture in a generation. In 6 years as President of the NFU she worked with four Prime Ministers and six Secretaries of State at Defra. She faced Brexit, Covid, the War in Ukraine and many other challenges. But what was it really like to lead the NFU, especially as the first woman to be President? What does leadership mean to her and what does she think about progress regarding her Farm Profitability Review? Listen to the full interview here.
Over/Under 1.5 Cardinals joining the show today on their way down to the ol' ballyard. Gifts for dignitaries. Hey fella, got any nudes? Ghosted by McGreevy. Jackson might be the best fan in baseball. Suite Life for Papers. Bryce Jordan. Not expecting Joshua Baez to get the call up any time soon. Nine games over .500. Stanek looked good last night.Big stars had some big days in the World Cup. Spanish language call of one of Messi's goals for Argentina yesterday. Portugal putting their feet in the sand to get acclimated. Audio of Oli Marmol talking about the starting pitching the last couple nights and Pallante's performance. A problem with communication, not simple addition. Jelly Roll and Bunnie. Papers XO. Not touching today's Busman's Special. Are the Padres using an opener today? Love Island. Four homeruns for Joshua Baez last night.Happy Birthday, Kendrick. How many of the Top 100 Players To Be Traded Can Doug Name? It's called a pop quiz dude. Condescending Papers out in full force today. Pieces that the Cardinals have with some value. Blaze Jordan hasn't familiarized himself with TMA yet. How will a potential work stoppage affect this year's deadline?Still trying to get McGreevy to get us Dustin May and Martin still efforting Lars Nootbar. Audio of Zlatan giving it to Alexis Lalas during their post-match analysis. Landon Donovan's new piece. Chairman is going to try and get Tim some prosthetic artificial longer legs. Jameis Winston, surprise guest? Self-admitted hole sniffer.When we hear this song 50 years from now we'll remember the summer of 2026. Michael McGreevy will be calling in at 9. Landon Donovan's new hair is to blame. Call in ProdJoe. Interesting take from Sharon. We've booked Sweet Sweet Ky for the 29th.McGreevy needs a couple minutes but will be joining us shortly. Big numbers for Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Peaking at 33M viewers. Audio of Vincent Goodwill calling the Larry O'Brien Trophy a participation trophy. Friend of the show and 2026 NL Cy Young winner Michael McGreevy checking in on the phones. Talking D-May's phenomenal start on Monday. Pitching with confidence in front of a great defense. Not talking to other pitchers during starts. Loving playing for this team. The buzz around Papers getting the invite to McGreevy's wedding.Audio of Nevin Shapiro taking to the streets to rank his four most hated programs. Armageddon or Deep Impact? Mt. Rushmore of timeless faces. Mount Rushmore of Ralph Macchio films.Doug doesn't wanna play 36 holes in one day. The super is texting in pulling rank. Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTDHave the Padres announced a starter yet or we got some more opener nonsense? Prime Ministers dropping Joshua Baez? Tatis plays a shaky right field. The Tarps Off demographic. Get drunk and come out and hang with the topless boys. Sounds like a guy that would call you bud on Twitter. Max Velocity.Dueling YouTube weathermen. Max Velocity vs. Ryan Hall Yall. Chicken wings on a first date. The beehive haircut. Audio of Scottie Scheffler talking about the Grand Slam not being a motivating factor. Scheffler the favorite at +550. Cardinal lineup out for today. Night and day difference at the bottom of the lineup.Did we mess up the lineup game? This has always been the people's show, we're just conduits. Screened in porches. TMA garden gnomes. Buncha rich guys talking young boys.And the winner of the Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTD is...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
(00:00-13:25) Audio of Nevin Shapiro taking to the streets to rank his four most hated programs. Armageddon or Deep Impact? Mt. Rushmore of timeless faces. Mount Rushmore of Ralph Macchio films.(13:33-24:21) Doug doesn't wanna play 36 holes in one day. The super is texting in pulling rank. Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTD(24:31-35:04) Have the Padres announced a starter yet or we got some more opener nonsense? Prime Ministers dropping Joshua Baez? Tatis plays a shaky right field. The Tarps Off demographic. Get drunk and come out and hang with the topless boys. Sounds like a guy that would call you bud on Twitter. Max Velocity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
IDS was recently honoured to welcome the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr Harini Amarasuriya to mark the 60th anniversary of IDS. She shared her journey from her career as an academic and an activist before entering politics and being elected as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in 2024.In this special episode of the IDS Between the Lines podcast we present the Prime Ministers speech and her discussion with IDS Director Anuradha Joshi. We will also hear from two respondents, IDS Alum, Dr. Sepali Kottegoda and current master's student Renushi Ubeyratna who will comment on what the Prime Minister said. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PREVIEW for Later Today: Conrad Black. Conrad Black analyzes unprecedented governance failures within the "Five Eyes" nations, focusing specifically on the streak of seven consecutive failed prime ministers currently paralyzing Great Britain.1940 GROUND DEFENSES.
As Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and former health secretary Wes Streeting jostle for influence in the Labour party, host Sascha O'Sullivan looks at what it takes to turn around a party's fortunes mid-term. Former John Major aide Daniel Finkelstein explains how the Conservative Prime Minister managed to win the 1992 elections against the odds and differentiate himself from his predecessor, Margaret Thatcher. Theo Bertram, former Tony Blair and Gordon Brown advisor turned think tank boss, talks Sascha through Brown's fateful decision not to call a snap election after taking over from Blair, and the challenge he faced in gripping the No. 10 machine. The most recent history of mid-term Prime Ministers might prove most instructive for any new Labour Prime Minister, and Rishi Sunak 's former deputy director of policy James Nation takes Sascha inside the effort to reboot his premiership. He tells Sascha Sunak's team found themselves hamstrung by the manifesto commitments promised in 2019, and struggled to keep the party from infighting after taking over from Liz Truss. Sascha discusses the lessons from these mid-term Prime Ministers with former Keir Starmer policy director Claire Ainsley to find out if Labour can fight its way out of unpopularity — with or without Keir Starmer at the helm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we talk about Keir Starmer, Labour, and the Reform UK party.We also discuss Tories, the Lib Dems, and two-party systems.Recommended Book: Peak by K. Anders Ericsson and Robert PoolTranscriptFor more than 100 years, the British political system has been dominated by two parties: Labour and the Conservative Party, often called the Tories.In practice, that means these two parties, which are center-left and center-right in their leanings, respectively, have tended to shape the direction of British politics and the Overton Window of thinkable proposals—things that might actually happen because they get the requisite support from politicians and the public.These two parties have usually had to work with other, smaller parties in order to get anything done, because the UK has a parliamentary system that often leaves the party with the most representatives lacking enough support to run a functioning government, solo. As a consequence, the Liberal Democrats, which is a fairly centrist party, the Green Party, which focuses on environmentalism and more left-wing concerns, Plaid Cymru (plied KUM-ree), which is the Welsh nationalist party, and the Scottish National Party, which is exactly what it sounds like, have long influenced Labour and the Tories, aligning their votes with whomever gives them a seat at the table. This has given some influence to smaller groups that might otherwise lack representation, though that influence has typically been moderate to meager, at best—the folks in Labour and the Conservative party have run things in the UK, and that's been the case for generations.Things started to shake up a bit in the 20-teens, however, when anti-immigration and EU-skepticism in Britain led to the creation of the far-right Brexit Party, which was co-founded by politician Nigel Farage, who was the leader of the UK Independence Party in the early 2000s and 20-teens, and who was previously a Tory, and Catherine Blaiklock, a politician and hotelier who stepped down from her position as party leader the year after the Brexit Party was founded after anti-Islamic and racist comments she'd previously made online were rediscovered.The Brexit Party existed, almost exclusively, to push for a no-agreement exit from the European Union by the UK, which was considered to be a fairly fringe ideology back then, but which gained a lot of steam as other populists began to add their support to the general concept.Both the government and the existing political structure of the UK was then caught flat-footed, by all indications very surprised by the eventual success of that push, and the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020, after a whole lot of skepticism that it would ever happen, even after a vote in favor of Brexit took place. This represented a serious come to Jesus moment for British politicians, but also British society, and there's been quite a lot of self-reflection and naval gazing in the years since, as the Brexit pullout from the EU has caused quite a lot of economic and diplomatic damage, while also shining a spotlight on numerous simmering issues that were previously overlooked or unaddressed, including the bubbling resentment and at times outright xenophobia felt by a significant portion of the British electorate, and persistent economic issues faced by folks at the middle and lower rungs of society.What I'd like to talk about today is the recent 2026 UK Local Elections, and what they seem to tell us about how things are going in British politics, and what they portend for the current Labour-run administration.—On May 7, 2026, the UK held local elections for 5,066 councillors, 136 local authorities, and six directly elected mayors. Some of these elections were postponed in 2025 to allow for government restructuring, but most of these positions were last up for election in 2022.This election was generally seen as an unofficial referendum on the governing Labour Party, and in particular the current Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who has been in office for just under two years, and who stepped into the role of PM after the role was held by the Conservative Tories for 14 years; five different Prime Ministers taking the reins during that period, including David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak.All that changing in leadership is indicative of the chaos the UK government was experiencing at the time, the May 2010 general election leading to a period of significant austerity—the government cutting tons of social programs in order to reduce spending—which then fed into more support for Brexit when some members of the party positioned the economic issues people were facing as the consequence of EU-related immigration, and shortly thereafter, the world succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic.There was a lot of truly significant political change from about 2010 onward, then, and a lot for the general population to be upset about. The Conservatives held onto power despite it all for those 14 years, but the shift back to Labour was the result of Starmer and his party saying, listen, we hear you, a lot has to change, and we can instigate that change. Trust us.This new election suggests that the majority of voters in the UK feel that the Labour Party hasn't lived up to that trust.In Wales, Plaid Cymru has taken the most seats, 43, but failed to achieve the 49 seat majority they would require to govern, solo.In Scotland, the SNP took the most seats, but also fell short of a majority, netting 58 seats, not the 65 required for a majority.Both of those results are not terribly shocking, though in Wales Labour lost a lot of power, down 35 seats and holding onto just 9. The Conservatives also lost in Wales, holding onto seven seats and losing 22.In Scotland, too, Labor lost some of their influence, losing 4 seats and retaining 17, while the Conservatives lost a whopping 19 seats, holding onto just 12.In England, the change in seat allocation was stunning, though.Labour lost 1406 seats, leaving them with 997, while the Conservatives lost 557 seats, holding onto just 773.Even considering those losses, the biggest story in England is the surge in support for previously small parties, in particular a far-right party called Reform UK, previously called the Brexit Party, and run by the aforementioned proponent of the British exit from the EU, Nigel Farage.Reform UK went from 2 seats to 1,444; a shocking outcome, and one that makes them the biggest winner in this election, by far. They also gained 17 seats, up from zero, in Scotland, putting them at an equal level there with Labour, and they went from zero to 34 in Wales, putting them in a competitive second place after Plaid Cymru, which again, claimed 43 seats.Other, non-Labour, non-Conservative parties also gained seats in this election, though not at the level of Reform UK.The Green Party gained two seats in Wales and six in Scotland, bringing them up to 15 there. They also gained 374 sets in England, bringing them up to 515 total seats, which leaves them in fifth place, but just 258 seats shy of the Conservatives.The Lib Dems, which are the local Centrist party, gained 151 seats, putting them in third. And there was a small surge in independent politicians winning elections, as well, that group now controlling 199 seats, up from 27 before this vote.In the wake of this absolute shellacking of Keir Starmer's Labour party—which again, lost 1406 seats in England, and their opposition, and in many ways their polar opposite, the far-right Reform UK party, gained even more than Labour lost, up 1442 seats—in the wake of that, Starmer has been asked to resign, and as of the day I'm recording this, at least, he's saying that he will not resign, and since there's no formal challenge to his leadership, he can stay in power if he chooses.There is a growing movement amongst Labour lawmakers to ask him to set a timetable for stepping down, however, and there's a pretty good chance that will happen, as the British political system allows parties to change their Prime Minister mid-term without requiring a new election, so they could swap him out for someone else, making him the face of this immense electoral failure, then they could try to change course before the next election, which will happen by mid-August of 2029, during which the vote will be for the 650 seats in the House of Commons, which is currently dominated by Starmer's Labour party.The big takeaway here, from political analysts at least, is that what used to be a reliably two-party system, for over a century that's been the case, is now a five-way race within a cultural context in which voters seem to be a lot less loyal to politicians and parties, and in which a whole lot of previously reliable infrastructure, social systems, and cultural expectations have been recently disrupted.People in the UK seem to be generally unhappy about all sorts of things, and that kind of broad unhappiness often results in more populism, which means general anti-establishment stances and us-versus-them ideologies, including racial, religious, and nationalistic versions of such ideologies, and typically a lot more support for charismatic leadership over leaders who are generally qualified and will probably be good at their jobs because they're experienced and knowledgeable.In other words, you're more likely to get loudmouths and celebrities running for office, successfully, in populist electoral contexts, and you're also more likely to see parties leaning into superficial race, class, and elite-vs-everyman issues, as opposed to running on well-defined approaches to dealing with more complex issues.In the meantime, until that 2029 election, it's likely Farage's Reform UK will bang the drum against the governing Labour party to gather more power in the lead up to 2029, and that other non-Labour, non-Conservative parties will attempt to do the same, newly energized by these results.And depending on how that non-voting-year rallying goes, this could represent a foot in the door for these smaller parties. And we could consequently see more former Labour and Conservative politicians and voters leaving for Reform, for the Lib Dems, for the Greens, and for independents. All of which will make UK politics a lot more chaotic, but also probably more diverse, with power less centralized and the government's makeup a bit less predictable.Show Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_Kingdom_local_electionshttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/world/europe/uk-elections-local-takeaways.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/05/08/world/uk-local-elections-resultshttps://apnews.com/article/uk-elections-starmer-labour-what-to-know-eb11ff39b1b74bbaf9f4ef6abfd60f64https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/08/uk/uk-local-election-reform-farage-starmer-intlhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-08/how-bad-for-labour-britain-s-local-elections-in-six-chartshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_the_United_Kingdomhttps://www.bbc.com/news/live/c1428pev1n0t#election-englanhttps://www.politico.eu/article/nigel-farage-reform-uk-win-next-general-election/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_United_Kingdom_general_electionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Blaiklockhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_UKhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Faragehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe
It's not too early to start counting down to a wild card berth. Battlehawk, Battlehawk, Roar, Roar, Roar. Big bases clearing double for Herrera. Oli Marmol talking about the team's relentlessness. The religious right of the TMA audience. Good on em, I say. JJ Wetherholt talking about the Cardinal lineup being 'convicted to the plan.' Porta Potty Guy.The Prime Ministers are falling apart. Congratulations to the April 2026 Listener of the Month, Ray King. The heavy, bearded men census. Golden Girl Talk. They're not happy in Toronto. Audio of a reporter going off on the hire of John Chayka. Rank and file fries. Keep an eye on Flag Day.Runnin' down the hallway. Chairman's got the Mozeliak look going. Larry Nickel will NOT be calling in due to prior commitments. Cards were 33-24 going into the month of June last year. Why does it feel so different this year? All homegrown players in the lineup last night. Committing to a plan. Scholarship players gone.Powell Symphony Hall. Ken Rosenthal had a lot to say on his podcast about the direction of the Cardinal franchise. Audio of him talking about going back to their roots and going with younger players. Expecting the Cardinals to be back in a big way. Rosenthal talking about what the Cardinals may do if they're contending at the trade deadline. Natty Nate is back. He told us. He's convinced getting rid of Mo was the key. What's Natty Nate been up to? Bucky's Bang Bus is gonna gift Natty Nate some Big Mac Land tickets. Stay out of it, Kilcoyne. Popcorn and water. Tums Cam. Anti nacho stance. Ste. Genevive vs. Jefferson County.Happy Birthday, Adele. Still trying to figure out what's different with this year's Cardinal team. At this pace... Doug wants Fedde back. Can't blame fans for liking this team because they're cute. Things are gettin' ugly in the Red Sox clubhouse.Jackson's Cinco de Mayo plans. In the shadows of River Des Peres. The Battle of Puebla. You may not have multiple scores in an update. Calling time and temperature. Timmy Touts. Situation on the Spread Zone. Tyga. Tips for having the middle seat stay open. A nauseous pervert.Mambo Number 5. Grab your best gal. More Ken Rosenthal audio talking about no expecting the Cardinals to stay in the hunt.Look, Doug, it's Brody sittin' over there. Brody was at the Tigers luncheon and saw Doug getting taken to task. A hero's entrance. High pockets. Brody redirecting the conversation. Dylan Holloway's extension. Lots of SLU and Mizzou college basketball talk. Brody wants a Wetherholt extension NOW.Doug Vaughn Memorial Sex Addict. Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTDFavorite Bond songs. Sabby Carpenter's dress at The Met Gala. Diamond bangs. Timothy Chalamet skipped The Met Gala to see Knicks/76ers Game 1. Down on bright colored suits.What do you rhyme with Sosa? Greatest heel tag team in wrestling history. Audio from Cards Territory of Lance Lynn supporting the homerun chain. The Hot Take Chain. Red boots with the fur. Doug topless at the Cards game. Blues fan survey results per Jeremy Rutherford. 1.6 was a year ago last night.And the winner of the Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTD is...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
(00:00-18:47) It's not too early to start counting down to a wild card berth. Battlehawk, Battlehawk, Roar, Roar, Roar. Big bases clearing double for Herrera. Oli Marmol talking about the team's relentlessness. The religious right of the TMA audience. Good on em, I say. JJ Wetherholt talking about the Cardinal lineup being 'convicted to the plan.' Porta Potty Guy.(18:55-36:24) The Prime Ministers are falling apart. Congratulations to the April 2026 Listener of the Month, Ray King. The heavy, bearded men census. Golden Girl Talk. They're not happy in Toronto. Audio of a reporter going off on the hire of John Chayka. Rank and file fries. Keep an eye on Flag Day.(36:34-58:10) Runnin' down the hallway. Chairman's got the Mozeliak look going. Larry Nickel will NOT be calling in due to prior commitments. Cards were 33-24 going into the month of June last year. Why does it feel so different this year? All homegrown players in the lineup last night. Committing to a plan. Scholarship players gone.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.