- 39 minutes 38 secondsEd Miliband, the war on truth and the truth about Israel
When Ed Miliband announced that the UK would take action and sanction illegal Israeli settlements, the response was swift.
Britain had lost its moral compass, these moves would only aid Benjamin Netanyahu, the real victims were the Palestinian people were among the lines of attack.
Miliband, who is Jewish, was called a ‘Jew hater’ by Mike Huckabee, the US’s ambassador to Israel.
On Free State today we look at how Israel went on the attack and why it is not a pariah but a model for the future.
We examine the range of the criticism for anyone who deals in the reality of life in Gaza and the West Bank and details the ethnic cleansing and war crimes that have been committed.
Will Israel’s approach be viewed dimly in time or will it be seen as a template for the post democratic apocalypse we’re entering?
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10 September 2026, 12:00 am - 1 hour 3 minutesFree State: Live in West Belfast
What will it take to unite Ireland? In a live Free State we took that question (and Dion) to West Belfast.
We were joined by Paul Howard, author of the brilliant new novel ‘A Nation Once Again’ about the government department secretly planning for a United Ireland.
In front of a packed crowd, Paul took us through the absurdities of the situation and why bureaucracy says no even if the people say yes.
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8 September 2026, 12:00 am - 37 minutes 20 secondsThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Qatar & the unbribeable Mr TrumpJoe and Dion look at the 'cruel and unknowable' Donald Trump, and how Qatar are regretting getting friendly with the 'hyena' in the White House. Meanwhile, the Man With Zero Political Convicton, Keir Starmer, is stepping down as a MP mere weeks after relinquishing his role as Prime Minister - in sharp contrast to Jeremey Corbyn who has remained on to serve his constituents long after leaving his role as leader of the Labour Party.
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3 September 2026, 12:00 am - 46 minutes 36 secondsAndy Burnham announces border poll for 3026Should Andy Burnham have a say in the future of Northern Ireland? Could "Kitchen Appliances : The Musical" be the next big thing at the Fringe? And will Dion be shunned by the Dungiven whatsapp group when he heads to Belfast this Thursday with Joe to interview Paul Howard?
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1 September 2026, 12:00 am - 55 minutes 40 secondsWhy Nobody wants to be a Referee (and what it tells us about the world)Referees are abused and derided. They are mocked and pursued but what does their demonisation tell us about the world we live in today? William Ralston talks to Dion about his deep dive into the world of refereeing. He talks about his own attempts to referee at the lowest level and the lack of humanity shown to officials - people - at all levels of sport.
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29 August 2026, 12:00 am - 50 minutes 53 seconds‘We used to be neo-Nazis but we're all right now’ - Why Sweden is a warning for Ireland's future
Few things make Irish people feel more inadequate than being told how well everything functions in Scandinavia.
We are constantly told about their education systems, its welfare system and its work-life balance.
But have we got it wrong?
On Free State, Philip O’Connor, who has been based in Sweden since 1999, talks to us about the upcoming election in Sweden.
He explains the rise of the Sweden Democrats and how a party with Neo-Nazi origins may now hold the balance of power.
He also tells us how they did it, how they switched from talking about race to talking about culture even if their message is the same. And he explains why Ireland should be concerned.
A reminder that on Sept 3rd, Free State will be live in Belfast with Paul Howard to talk about his brilliant new book ‘A Nation Once Again’. Book your free ticket here - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-free-state-podcast-live-paul-howard-in-conversation-tickets-1998226075984?aff=oddtdtcreator
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27 August 2026, 12:00 am - 35 minutes 3 secondsAgreement, what agreement? Donald Trump and his disappearing pens
‘We recognise sometimes its signature is written in pencil’
With these words Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney declared a trade war with its unreliable neighbour, the United States.
On Free State today, we look at why so few want to assert what Carney stated so baldly, that America under Donald Trump cannot be trusted.
This is a reality the world knows but the leaders instead of acknowledging it, run from it as they try and pretend the world is still the same.
A reminder that on Sept 3rd, Free State will be live in Belfast with Paul Howard to talk about his brilliant new book ‘A Nation Once Again’. Book your free ticket here - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-free-state-podcast-live-paul-howard-in-conversation-tickets-1998226075984?aff=oddtdtcreator
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25 August 2026, 12:00 am - 44 minutes 20 secondsHow the world might end with Annie JacobsenAnnie Jacobsen deals in scenarios. As she says on today's Free State, there are other scenarios around biological war. They are worse. Jacobsen talks to Dion about the world's failure to learn from the pandemic, the Wuhan lab theory and what we can do to prepare for an even more devastating lab leak.
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22 August 2026, 12:00 am - 32 minutes 2 secondsHow James McClean became football’s Kneecap
James McClean’s return to Derry hasn’t worked out as anticipated.
But beyond the headlines, what was at stake when he was on the receiving end of abuse on social media, in the English media and from the football grounds of England?
On Free State today, Dion and Joe look at how McClean was reduced to caricature and how the outrage machine shaped it.
We also have some Free State news. On Sept 3rd, Free State will be live in Belfast with Paul Howard to talk about his brilliant new book ‘A Nation Once Again’. Book your free ticket here - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-free-state-podcast-live-paul-howard-in-conversation-tickets-1998226075984?aff=oddtdtcreator
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20 August 2026, 12:00 am - 40 minutes 25 secondsThe Tragedy of Jason Arday
On August 14, Jason Arday was found unresponsive at his home in Battersea in London.
In a statement, his family said they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son".
They added that the “campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone."
On Free State today, we look at the life and death of Jason Arday. A man who made mistakes in his life but was pursued relentlessly by sections of the media until it became too much.
Was it just sport for them or was there something more sinister at stake?
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18 August 2026, 12:00 am - 55 minutes 24 secondsMo Salah: The Most Important Footballer in the World?"Can you tell us how he died, where and why?" On August 9, 2025, Mo Salah tweeted this above a Uefa post which said "Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the Palestinian Pele". Salah's tweet has been viewed 140 million times. On Free State today, Melissa Reddy talks to Dion about the cultural importance of Mo Salah, how he has been held to a different standard and why his last year at Liverpool wasn't what it seemed.
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