Pod Save the UK
Crooked Media
Pod Save the UK is your weekly fix of political news, big ideas and a shot of inspiration. Each week hosts, comedian Nish Kumar and journalist Coco Khan are joined by politicians, experts, and famous friends to unpick the latest news, look for solutions, and inspire action. From Crooked Media – the creators of Pod Save America – in partnership with Reduced Listening, tune in to new episodes of Pod Save the UK every Thursday wherever you pod.
- 49 minutes 43 secondsTrump’s plan for “Peace” in Ukraine only pleases Putin + The Politics of Modern Love
As Europe looks on in disbelief, Donald Trump has been throwing his geopolitical weight around. A monumental meeting with Russia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine was held without Ukraine or Europe.Trump then branded Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and accused Ukraine of starting the conflict.
Keir Starmer has said he is “ready and willing” to put UK troops on the ground in Ukraine. But is this the answer? And as shares in major arms manufacturers soar, who’s profiting? Nish and Coco chew it over.
And from war to love - loneliness is on the rise but according to journalist and author Shon Faye, the problem isn’t us, it’s capitalism. Phew! She joins Nish and Coco to discuss the highly politicised terrain of modern romance - and why it eludes us.
Later, Tortoise tech reporter Patricia Clarke calls in to discuss what the government can do about our unhealthy social media habits and if the Online Safety Bill holds up.
And Starmer has been ambushed by tractor-driving farmers blasting out… “Sandstorm” by Darude. Yes, Darude.
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Love in Exile by Shon Faye https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/453476/love-in-exile-by-faye-shon/9780241605981Guests
Shon Faye
Patricia ClarkeAudio Credits
The Guardian
The White House
UK GovernmentPod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
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20 February 2025, 4:00 am - 46 minutes 50 secondsAdventures in the Culture War w/ Ash Sarkar
The government has spent the week trying to out-Reform Reform by stirring up yet another moral panic about immigration. The Home Office has been boasting about its crackdown on “foreign criminals and illegal immigrants” and filming immigration raids and deportations. At the same time, it has toughened up rules to make it almost impossible for refugees who arrive in the UK via illegal routes to become British citizens.
Contributing editor of Novara Media Ash Sarkar joins Nish and Coco to discuss her new book ‘Minority Rule: Adventures in the Culture War’ - highlighting how a minority elite are profiting from the chaos they create and how the “i” in identity politics can distract and divide progressive movements.
And Health Minister Andrew Gwynne and Burnley MP Oliver Ryan - along with 11 Labour councillors - have been suspended from the Labour Party after it was alleged that they’d sent offensive messages to a whatsapp group chat lovingly entitled, “trigger me timbers”.
Correction: A previous version of this episode included a statement that Sheffield's recycling bins were not collected from the roadside whilst discussing an ongoing workers strike. Recycling bins continue to be collected amidst the strike. We regret the error.
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Useful Links
Write to your MP about the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
www.fighttheantirefugeelaw/org
https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/
Guests
Ash Sarkar
Nathan Phillips
Audio Credits
Sky
Channel 5
GB News
ITV
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
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13 February 2025, 4:00 am - 46 minutes 28 secondsTrump’s Gaza madness ft Lewis Goodall
Donald Trump has left the world reeling with a plan to turn Gaza into *checks notes* “the Riviera of the Middle East”. He vowed that the US will “take over” and “own” the Gaza strip, effectively endorsing the ethnic cleansing of 1.8 million Palestinians who would have “no alternative” but to leave.
With rumours circling that his inner-circle are calling him an “HR manager” rather than a leader, in classic style, Keir Starmer has pushed back but avoided directly criticising Trump.
News Agents co-host Lewis Goodall joins Nish and Coco to discuss this latest tidal wave of horror and whether Starmer has it in him to stand for something.
On a more hopeful note, the decision to greenlight the giant new Rosebank oilfield off Shetland has been ruled unlawful by the courts. At the forefront of the fight has been Uplift Director Tessa Khan, who calls in to celebrate this major win for climate action and let us know how we can stop this oilfield for good.
Later, Coco sinks her teeth into our household waste, after Green-led Bristol Council unleashes the wrath of local residents.
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Useful Links
Get involved with the Stop Rosebank Campaign
https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/
Guests
Lewis Goodall
Tessa Khan
Audio Credits
The Guardian
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
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6 February 2025, 4:00 am - 45 minutes 13 secondsMasculinity and Misinformation: How JimmyTheGiant Escaped The Alt-Right Pipeline
Warning: this episode contains strong language and a term of racist abuse.
Nish and Coco dig into some scary data about Gen Z. A poll of 13-27 year olds this week suggested nearly half of them favour authoritarian government. And nearly half of young men think women have been given too many rights. Youtuber JimmyTheGiant joins the pod to tell us about this mindset and how he disappeared into the right wing wormhole, and came out the other side.
And newts v planes: Nish and Coco check out Rachel Reeves plans for growth. Is she pinning her hopes on the tech bros and Heathrow while sticking two fingers up to net Zero?
Useful Links
https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTheGiant/videos
Guests
JimmytheGiant
Clare Farrell
Audio Credits
Today Programme, BBC Radio 4
Clare Farrell
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Contact us via email: [email protected]
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30 January 2025, 4:00 am - 47 minutes 51 secondsTrump 2.0: Fear and Loathing in DC
A trigger warning for progressives: this episode contains explicit Trump content.
Nish and Coco’s nightmare begins with inauguration Trump meme coins, grinning tech bros and disputed Nazi salutes. Then comes the blizzard of executive orders targeting migrants and freeing rioters. But this is not just a bad dream for our liberal hosts. This is the reality of Trump world. The groundwork of MAGA 2.0 has been laid.
How should Britain react? The UK’s very own “basket of deplorables” including Farage, Truss and Braverman donned their MAGA caps and descended on the US. But they didn’t even scrape an invitation to the main event. Back home Keir Starmer and David Lammy opted for love-bombing the new President. But there is an alternative to a sucking up strategy. Pod Save the UK has spotted some green shoots of resistance.
While Trump has thrown the Paris Climate Agreement out the window - again - the UK has an opportunity to lead the way on the environment. Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer joins the pod to explain how clever cross party collaboration and campaigning could push through the new Climate and Nature Bill.
And Jon Favreau, host of ‘Pod Save America’ and ‘Offline’, joins Nish and Coco from across the pond to find out what’s in store for the US, UK and the world.
Useful Links
Write to your MP about the Climate and Nature Bill
https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/
Guests
Jon Favreau
Carla Denyer MP
Audio Credits
X / Lawrence Fox
Channel 4 News
Sky News
BBC
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Contact us via email: [email protected]
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23 January 2025, 4:00 am - 51 minutes 9 secondsFacts versus F-wits: how to fight the Alt Reich
Artificial intelligence will be “mainlined into the veins” of the nation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared, with a multibillion-pound investment and huge public rollout. Amid bond market chaos and a falling pound, the Government is pinning its hopes for growth on the AI revolution - what could possibly go wrong?
To unpick the technogobledigook with Nish and Coco is technology journalist Chris Stokel-Walker. They drill into the Government's AI action plan and the potential pitfalls of this silver bullet for society, jobs and the environment.
With the far right surging across the world - it’s important to know when you can call a fascist a fascist. No one knows this better than Nafeez Ahmed, investigative journalist and author of “Alt Reich: The Network War to Destroy the West from Within”. He breaks down the scale of the threat we are facing and how we can fight it.
And with so much Billionaire BS flying about, we debut “Facts versus Fuckwits”, debunking some prime fuckwittery from a painfully out-of-touch Tony Blair.
Useful Links
“Alt-Reich: The Network War to Destroy the West from Within” by Nafeez Ahmed
https://www.waterstones.com/book/alt-reich/nafeez-ahmed//9781916754140
Mental Health Services:
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/
Guests
Chris Stokel-Walker
Nafeez Ahmed
Audio Credits
Sky News
Jimmy’s Jobs for the Future Podcast
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Contact us via email: [email protected]
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16 January 2025, 4:00 am - 47 minutes 10 secondsBillionaire BS: How can Britain Stop Musk’s Disinformation?
Happy New Year - is 2025 going to be the year of disinformation? Elon Musk started in attack mode with a flood of vitriolic and false tweets about UK grooming gangs. In Musk’s crosshairs: Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. He accused them both of cover ups. Can Nish and Coco survive a year of Musk madness - the man who already makes Nish want to “eat his own anus”?
We’re joined by political journalist Zoë Grünewald to discuss how to fight the disinformation invasion and what else might be in store in 2025 - from Reform eating the Tories to Labour delivering some much-needed change. And just when we thought we were done with billionaire BS - Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta is scrapping its fact-checking service and Andrew Tate launched a new political party.
And poor Nish is under fire from GB News for “unnecessary political swipes”on the BBC. A word to GB News - unnecessary political swipes is what Nish does! Brace yourselves - it’s a wild first show back.
Guests:
Zoë GrünewaldAudio credits:
The Guardian
BBC
Sky News
Mark ZuckerbergPod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
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9 January 2025, 4:00 am - 50 minutes 41 secondsJust Stop Politics - 2024 Wrapped! w/ Desiree Burch and Liz Bates
What a year! While Rishi Sunak held true to his January commitment to hold the election in the second half of the year - the spectacle that followed couldn't have been predicted as 2024 dawned.
Nish and Coco are joined by Sky News’ political correspondent Liz Bates and comedian Desiree Burch to chew over the gristle of the year that was.
From racist Tory donors, to milkshaked MPs, creative political stunts and Rishi Sunak’s D-Day disaster - the first half of the year had plenty to keep us entertained.
But once Labour took power - optimism quickly turned to gloom. The seven week garm-drama saga took the sheen off Keir Starmer’s newly minted cabinet, while the endless don't-call-it-austerity chat has jaded people across the country.
As 2024 draws to a close - there’s still plenty to laugh about - including the best of the worst political pop songs of the year. Prepare to cringe.
Useful Links:
https://choose.love/ - make a donation now!
Ed Davey and the Bath Philharmonic Carer’s Choir - Love is Enough https://linktr.ee/love.is.enough
Guests:
Liz Bates
Desiree Burch
Audio credits:
Sky News
BBC
ITV
Channel 4
Tiktok / Dawn Butler
Liberal Democrats
Talk TV
Fox News Via Channel 10 Australia
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
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19 December 2024, 4:00 am - 49 minutes 49 secondsFIFA World Cup: Trade Deals 1, Human Rights Nil
In the same week FIFA decided an appalling human rights record is no obstacle to Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 World Cup, Keir Starmer was schmoozing the kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. What lengths will our former human rights lawyer PM go to in his pursuit of growth? Joey Shea from Human Rights Watch takes us through what went down during the visit.
Back home, the government is talking up its plans to build 1.5 million new homes. Housing journalist Vicky Spratt joins Nish and Coco to assess whether Labour can pull off the biggest home building initiative since the second world war.
And Pod Save The UK has found the perfect job for the royal family: Trump whisperers. Prince William was hastily wheeled out in Paris to charm the President and Nish and Coco explore why Trump has a weird soft spot for the Windsors.
Guests:
Vicky Spratt
Joey Shea
Audio Credits:
Sky News
UK Government
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Contact us via email: [email protected]
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12 December 2024, 4:00 am - 52 minutes 24 secondsToxic men and toxic politics: the problem with Gregg Wallace and Nigel Farage
As Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace faces a stream of allegations about inappropriate behaviour at work, Nish and Coco take on the entertainment industry’s toxic culture. Nish gives an insider’s view of why change is long overdue in an industry that enables massive egos, bad behaviour, even abuse. And Coco argues that to take women’s safety seriously we need to start with zero tolerance on bullying banter.
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer’s reset this week promises to focus on working people’s priorities but is this going to deliver results. And is Labour missing a trick? Journalist Zoë Grünewald on why the government needs a big vision for young people.
And with Reform UK support on the rise and soaring youth unemployment, is the left in danger of losing young voters to the right? Jacob Diggle of UK Youth joins us with solutions to get young people into work or study.
Guests:Zoë Grünewald
Jacob Diggle
Useful Links:
UK Youth https://www.ukyouth.org
Audio Credits:
Sky News
BBC Radio 4
Parliament TV
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Contact us via email: [email protected]
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5 December 2024, 4:00 am - 48 minutes 39 secondsWho gets to decide how we die? w/ Rosena Allin-Khan MP
This Friday, MPs are challenged with an enormous question of conscience - should we allow people with six months left to live the right to die at a time of their choosing?
Joining Nish and Coco is Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting and A&E Doctor, to help us understand the strong feelings on both sides of the debate, the difficult decision that MPs are grappling with and how she decided which way she will vote.
As the UK reels in the wake of Storm Bert, climate change lawyer Tessa Khan celebrates a victory in the legal fight against fossil fuels and tells us why the UK could lead the world on the environment.
A petition calling for a General Election only months after the last one makes Nish’s blood boil. And have you ever wondered what Keir Starmer likes to cook? A clue: it involves pasta, and it’s not very exciting.
** We have a special competition for listeners to win tickets to a special preview screening of the film Rumours, starring Cate Blanchett, next Thursday 05/12/24. To win up to two tickets, we’re asking what your political highlight was this year - they can be funny, sad, insightful or inspiring. To enter, fill in this form: https://tinyurl.com/45s5uz7t **
Guests:
Rosena Allin-Khan
Tessa Khan
Useful Links:
Stop Rosebank - https://www.stopcambo.org.uk/
Audio Credits:
ITV News
LBC
BBC
Sky News
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Contact us via email: [email protected]
Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
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