Pod Save the UK

Donald Trump brings his particular brand of terrible speeches to the billionaires and bankers at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Nish and Coco try to work out how Keir Starmer can keep on track when facing the threat of US tariffs over Greenland as well as criticism of a lease deal with the Chagos Islands - which the US had previously praised. Liam Thorp, the Liverpool Echo’s Political Editor, is on hand to break down Labour’s big plan to make homes warmer, the fortunes of Reform and the latest delay to the Hillsborough Law Plus comedian Alaa Shehada, fresh from his show ‘The Horse of Jenin’, talks to Nish and Coco about the ‘Palestine Comedy Club’, a documentary which follows a group of Palestinians as they take their comedy show on tour in an occupied state. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  SHOPIFY Shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk WISE Wise.com GUESTS  Liam Thorp - Political Editor, Liverpool Echo Tess Ingram, UNICEF Alaa Shehada - Comedian USEFUL LINKS ...

X has been firmly in the firing line after its Grok AI tool was used to create sexualised images of women and children. Elon Musk’s company could face a fine of up to 10% of its global earnings by internet regulator Ofcom, or a ban in the UK. He denies that the AI has done anything illegal and says users are responsible for the images they create. How can we regulate AI? Nish and Coco speak to Rutger Bregman, historian and author who called out billionaires at Davos. He argues Big Tech should be treated like Big Tobacco, and gives his take on Iran, as thousands of protestors take to the streets, and what a radical policy platform looks like for the UK Left today. Plus - what on earth is UKIP proposing as a terrifying rebrand?  *Update on Palestinian Hunger Strikers*: On 14th Jan Heba, Kamran, and Lewie collectively paused their hunger strike. They made British history, lasting 73 days. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  SHOPIFY Shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk BABBEL ...

The US President put the season of goodwill behind him with a New Year Venezuelan coup and the threat of further action across Central America and the Caribbean. Then there’s the little matter of his promise to seize control of Greenland. Nish and Coco try to make sense of the senseless - and to assess the possibility that Donald Trump could end up destroying NATO - with Tommy Vietor from our sister podcasts Pod Save America and Pod Save the World.  Plus, comedian Cody Dahler gives us his take on how 2026 will shape up for politicians and satirists. How easy is it to make jokes while the world - literally and metaphorically - is on fire?  CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  WISE https://wise.com/ BABBEL https://www.babbel.com/PSUK  GUESTS  Cody Dahler, Comedian and Presenter of The Truth (In My Opinion) Tommy Vietor, Co-Host of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World Nida Jafri USEFUL LINKS Palestine Action Hunger Strikers: How to write to your MP  http...

You asked, Nish and Coco answered! What are their most conservative opinions? Why do both the left and right hate NATO so much? Should we ditch GDP? Why doesn’t the UK have compulsory voting and why do some many progressives stay true to Labour when the party is failing to measure up? All that plus the latest on Coco’s love-hate relationship with AI and a quickfire round to make sure no question is left unanswered. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  BABBEL Babbel.com/PSUK  SHOPIFY Shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk CALM Calm.com/PTSUK Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk Support PSUK! Don’t forget to like and subscribe. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk Facebook: https://facebook.c...

Warning: this episode contains a use of a racial slur. From the rollback of human rights and Trump’s BBC lawsuit to AI slop in politics - what the %@£! was that? Nish and Coco are joined by comedian Shappi Khorsandi and political commentator Jovan Owusu-Nepaul to make sense of the wild year that was.  Labour’s first full year in office was marked by u-turns and an inability to use the word ‘genocide’ but there were some significant new bills that boosted the rights of renters and employees.  Reform’s polling and local election success had mainstream parties running scared - but the reality of actually running stuff may have revealed the party’s limits. While Starmer focused on the threat from the right, the left was revitalised by the resurgence of the Greens and the (albeit chaotic) energy of Your Party - can they shift the political dial? As 2025 draws to a close - Nish and Coco hand out some very special awards and can we get a Palestinian lullaby to Christmas No.1? ...

Donald Trump has taken another swipe at Europe’s “weak” leaders over Ukraine and immigration including a special mention for - surprise surprise - Sadiq Khan, who got a shout out for being a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”. Honestly, why is he SO obsessed?!  But a Labour government trying to convince European allies to water down human rights law to deport people faster seems perfectly in line with Trump's vision. Nish and Coco are joined by Sky’s Deputy Political Editor Sam Coates. They also take a dive into the latest allegation swirling around Reform UK - this time the party’s election spending in Nigel Farage’s Clacton constituency is under the spotlight. And the scale of the homelessness crisis always seems more acute at this time of year - so the Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, joins PSUK to explain how their new plan will be the one to finally make a difference. Finally - PSUK has watched the first episode of the Liz Truss Sh...

“Dead and rotting seagulls within the roof insulation” and “maggots literally raining down on to the lobby” - this quote from a court in South Tyneside sums up the state of our creaking judicial system. So what are we going to do about it? Cut jury trials. Deputy PM and Justice Secretary David Lammy is hoping to clear the court backlog by scrapping jury trials for crimes with sentences of less than three years - but stories like these make Nish and Coco doubtful it will be the silver bullet Lammy hopes. Is removing one of the fundamental building blocks of our justice system worth some sweet sweet efficiency gains?  Then - is this the next post office scandal? Nish and Coco are joined by Liz Sayce OBE to discuss her damning report into how the Department of Work and Pensions failed to notify unpaid carers that they were accruing enormous debt for years.  And Your Party had its founding conference this weekend… and surprise surprise… it was a spicy one. In the end, Team Zara...

Coco and Nish listened to Rachel Reeves' budget so you don't have to. But hang on, we could all have skipped the speech and read it online. Someone screwed up big time, pressing a button and releasing the budget before Reeves even stood up. That cock up was possibly the most exciting thing about Labour's second budget.  A bit vanilla for you? Too much tax for ordinary workers? Too little for the wealthy? Journalist Zoë Grünewald tells Pod Save The UK why this budget might have done enough to pacify the Labour backbenches by lifting the two child benefit cap while soothing the markets with tax and spend plans... Dr Faiza Shaheen, Director of Tax Justice UK, was hoping for bolder action on wealth taxes, but she spots some reasons to be cheerful in the mix.  In other news, Nigel Farage gets rattled by questions about his past. Nish and Coco enjoy the novelty of seeing him squirm but wonder if it will harm his electoral chances. And bring a bottle and bury the hatchets, can ...

Warning: this episode contains strong language and a term of racist abuse.  Just when we thought the disasters of the government couldn’t get any worse… New Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has made it her “moral mission” to raise Nish and Coco’s blood pressure. Cruel new plans to end the permanent status of refugees and curb housing and support for asylum seekers do perhaps justify the government’s slogan of the biggest overhaul of the system “in modern history” - but at what cost? But - not to be outdone in terms of parties completely out of touch with reality - Your Party’s latest act of in-fighting leaves Nish and Coco with palms glued to their faces. Let’s face it - things have never been anything but fractious within the upstart political movement, but as their conference approaches the wind has never seemed further from their sails.  And ahead of the budget next week Chancellor Rachel Reeves is entertaining big cuts to the Warm Homes Plan in efforts to bring down energ...

Are knives being sharpened by disgruntled MPs planning a coup against the PM? As Keir Starmer’s team dig in against a supposed threat to the Prime Minister from Health Secretary Wes Streeting - has the Tory-brand of Westminster psychodrama come back for a new series?  Meanwhile the BBC is under fire from the left, the right, the centre and the US president. Nish and Coco dig into an existential crisis for the public broadcaster.  And as COP30 kicks off in Brazil - can we rescue the 1.5C climate target? Alex Reid from Global Witness drops in to give us a reality check.  Later - as Robert Jenrick begins posting AI generated slop to attack his political rivals -  Coco speaks to the AI and Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS SHOPIFY https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk  BABBEL https://www.babbel.com/PSUK  AUDIO CREDITS  BBC Radio 4 GUESTS Alex Reid, Head of Forests team at Global Witness Kanishka Narayan MP, AI and ...

Nish and Coco celebrate the win of Progressive New York Democratic Mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani - and ponder what British lefties can learn from his social-media friendly campaign.  And is Chancellor Rachel Reeves about to rip up Labour’s manifesto promise not to introduce any new taxes on “working people”? She certainly seems to be laying the groundwork for it, after an unusual pre-budget speech on Tuesday. Nothing was announced - but it’s what wasn’t denied that tells a story…  Later - Nish and Coco discuss the disturbing influence of American anti-abortionist lobbies on the UK’s political system and what we can do about it with New York Times investigative reporter Jane Bradley and campaigner for sexual and reproductive health and rights Lisa Hallgarten. To nobody’s surprise, Nigel Farage is involved.  CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS Babbel  https://www.babbel.com/PSUK  Calm  https://www.calm.com/PSTUK  Wise https://www.wise.com GUESTS Lisa Hallgar...

It’s been a painful week for the government, with a migrant sex offender accidentally released from prison and a damning report on the spiralling costs of the asylum system. But is a plan to house asylum seekers on military sites really the answer?  Political journalist Zoë Grünewald - standing in for Coco as Nish’s co-host this week - dives into how this re-hashed Conservative plan has managed to piss off, well, just about everyone.  In better news - it’s curtains for the hated section 21 ‘no-fault evictions’ notices. The long-awaited Renters’ Rights Act has become law! Nish and Zoe talk to housing journalist Vicky Spratt about how big a deal this is for renters across England.  Plus - why Housing Secretary Steve Reed's Maga-style 'build, baby, build' crusade looks likely to end in affordable housing targets more pathetic than they are now.   Then later – from spending £75,000 on flags to their only black party chair quitting - is Reform out-reforming Reform? And why is ...

Enough is enough! Nish stages an intervention with Coco about her troubling relationship with Chat GPT. Or as Coco puts it: her mate “Chatty G”.  But Coco’s not the only one embracing generative AI - it’s creeping into politics. From MPs using it in their daily work to the Swedish prime minister turning to it for a second opinion on running the country. Is AI a useful and harmless political tool or will it erode trust even further? Despairing, Nish catches up with internet pioneer and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. What can our increasingly polarised and trust-depleted world learn from the man who turned a crazy idea into one of the most popular websites in the world? Nish and Jimmy cover Musk’s “Wokepedia” attacks, the rise of AI and the Online Safety Act.  And Nish and Coco check in on some other questionable distortions of reality - featuring everyone’s favourite charlatan Nigel Farage and Prince Andrew’s infamous inability to sweat. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPO...

It’s been an emotional week after the arrival of a Hamas-Israel ceasefire. This is good news - but issues of humanitarian aid, human rights, and accountability are all still up in the air. The struggle for a lasting peace continues...  Closer to home - Nish and Coco check in with Plaid Cymru's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, to talk about seeing off Reform, what a new co-operative era in Welsh politics might look like and why voters may find themselves a little "indie-curious". If Oasis can bury the hatchet, so can we! That's Your Party's message, but Nish and Coco aren’t  totally sold on the Corbyn-Sultana reunion. In the wake of a Green membership surge, the party without a name is drawing dividing lines…  But are they picking the right battles?   And - the Iron Lady turns 100 - as lavish celebrations begin Nish and Coco ask why the UK is soooooooooo obsessed with Mags. From Right to Buy to Section 28 - her legacy isn't looking so great in 2025. And a scary revelation that Coco is spo...

“Shocking... but not surprising” - the words of Stephen Bush, Associate Editor at the Financial Times and Chair of the Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community  for the Board of Deputies of British Jews in 2020. Stephen joins Nish and Coco to discuss the fallout from the shocking attack on a synagogue in Manchester last week.  The trio discuss solidarity and protest, and why the government’s response to the Manchester attack is not making all British Jews feel safer.  Stephen has also spent the weekend in an all-but empty exhibition hall, at Tory conference in Manchester. It’s a land of misspelt chocolate bars and retro racism - have the Tories given up the ghost?  Later - Coco and Nish try their hand at some data analysis - introducing Pod Save the UK’s brand-spanking-new diarrhoea index - before checking in on a bold new idea straight out of the Green’s conference - abolishing landlords.  CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsaveth...

It’s conference season, and at the Labour conference in Liverpool - flagshagging, snake-oil merchants and leadership jockeying - is it Keir Starmer’s final chance for a reset? Nish and Coco are joined by political journalist Zoë Grünewald. And later - as Trump reveals his plans for peace in Gaza, including a bizarre role for former PM Tony Blair - is the UK doing enough for Gaza? Nish speaks to Labour MP for Stroud, Dr Simon Opher, who earlier this month was denied entry into the occupied West Bank. Simon also fills Nish in on an innovative new prescription medicine - Laughter.  Finally - we open the mailbag to share your wonderful stories of immigration in the UK - and Nish furthers his feud with a beloved British comedy icon. CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk  GUESTS Zoë Grünewald Simon Opher MP USEFUL LINKS I am an Immigrant Podcast https://iceandfire.co.uk/project/i-am-an-immigrant/ Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listeni...

Oh dear lefties… We just can’t stop tearing each other apart, huh? One short month into the evolution of the new political party experiment undertaken by independent MPs Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn - and the whole thing has descended into acrimony. After a weekend of legal threats, “your” party is suddenly seeming to be a house of cards built amidst a hurricane.   Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has seized the moment to vomit out a new wave of inflammatory anti-migrant rhetoric. The need for a unified left movement has never been more urgent - and new Green Party leader Zack Polanski is ready to meet the moment.  Zack joins Nish and Coco in our (fully powered) studio - to talk about his vision for the future of the left, his plans to fight inequality and why he’s not actually thrilled to see Zarah and Jez at each others throats. He also brings up his ever-so-slightly hypnotherapy boobjob and in revenge, helps us pip the Sun to the post on a saaaaaucy exclusive.  Later - Nish wei...

It’s been a hellish week for our Disunited Kingdom. First Tommy Robinson mobilised ten of thousands in his ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march. Before we could recover from that toxic side show,  the headline act arrived: President Trump.  He was kept behind a ring of steel in Windsor where he enjoyed British brown nosing at its best from flatterers-in-chief, the Royal Family. What a state we’re in.  Coco and Nish reflect on what they learned about their fellow Brits this week and the conclusion is scary. But before they abandon hope there was another march. Thousands of ‘Stop Trump’ protestors came out onto the streets of London - to hear from a range of the UK’s  loudest progressive voices, from Zarah Sultana, to Zack Polanski and Jeremy Corbyn. Two protests, two faces of Britain. Can we ever bridge the divide?  Finally - to round off the show, an injection of hope. Josie Naughton CEO of charity ‘Choose Love’ joins the pod to show us that there definitely is a way through this. USEFUL ...

Chaos, what chaos? Rayner's out. The cabinet's reshuffled. The lurch to the right hasn't stopped. But in the words of Homer Simpson, could Keir Starmer's shit show be a "crisitunity" for the left?  To tell us how we can seize this moment, Nish and Coco are joined by leftwing royalty - Zarah Sultana MP and Bimini Bon-Boulash - live at the London Podcast Festival.  Zarah shares why she feels liberated from Labour, has zero sympathy for Angela Rayner and zero tolerance for colleagues who don’t agree on trans rights.  And as the government goes flag crazy, the gang reclaim some patriotic merch for the left. Zarah champions her Princess Diana mug and Bimini channels their inner Spice Girl by reclaiming the Union Jack. CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk  GUESTS: Zarah Sultana  Bimini Bon-Boulash IMAGE CREDIT:  Kings Place / Monika S. Jakubowska Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via ema...

Pod Save the UK teamed up with Amnesty International UK for a powerful live recording to raise awareness and support to end the genocide in Gaza. Nish and Coco are joined by Palestinian journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh, Gaza Bureau Chief of Al Jazeera, who shares first-hand experiences of reporting under unimaginable circumstances in Gaza and the deadly toll on journalists. Comedians and activists Jen Brister and Alexei Sayle join the stage to reflect on the importance of speaking truth to power in a time of immense crisis and a dangerous escalation in the criminalisation of dissent. It’s an urgent and timely discussion that delves beyond the headlines, exploring the personal stories of those that have lived through the genocide in Gaza. It highlights the devastating realities and the glimmers of resilience and solidarity that persist and the urgent need to raise our collective voices to demand an end to the genocide. The conversation is book-ended with live performances from internat...

PSUK is taking a week off - so we’re bringing you a podcast from some of our friends - Sara and Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club!  In this first episode - PSUK’s very own Nish Kumar turns up to discuss the internet, vegetables, wet boyfriends and so much more! USEFUL LINKS  Stop the Genocide Special W/ Amnesty International- Tuesday 2nd  https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/pod-save-the-uk-x-amnesty-international-uk-stop-the-genocide/ Future of the left - Sunday 7th https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/pod-save-the-uk/ Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club Live!  https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/sara-cariads-weirdos-book-club/ Follow Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club on Instagram @saraandcariadsweirdosbookclub and Twitter @weirdosbookclub Recorded and edited by Naomi Parnell for Plosive. Artwork by Welcome Studio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High streets across the UK are being overwhelmed by betting shops. They gobble up £4.6 billion from punters every year - and local councils have almost no powers to block them.  Labour MP Dawn Butler’s constituency, Brent East in North-West London, has 81 licensed enterprises alone. Jumping into “Betsy”, Dawn’s prized old-banger, Coco is taken out and about in Willesden to see first hand how betting shops are popping up everywhere and hear what local residents think.  Along with 37 council leaders and mayors, Dawn is calling for a reform of the Gambling Act 2005 and a hike in gambling duties. With hints she might stand to be London mayor at the next election - could this be the first glimpse of her campaign? Then, Nish and Coco give their assessment of Keir Starmer and the European moral support squad’s visit to the White House - is Putin still calling the shots on Ukraine? And as Starmer’s Government slumps to an all-time low in the polls, Sadiq Khan has a spicy take on Labour’s...

Three thousand riot police were put on standby after Friday was dubbed “anti-asylum day” by far-right organisers, with 14 protests scheduled nationwide outside of suspected asylum hotels.  Tensions are high but with Keir Starmer constantly boasting about cracking down on “illegal” migrants - is the Government simply fanning the flames of unrest? The New Statesman’s Britain Editor Anoosh Chakelian has been speaking to locals and asylum seekers at asylum hotels. She joins Nish and Coco to discuss why they’ve become such a lightning rod and what else the Government could be doing. And Labour Minister Chris Bryant has had an unorthodox path into politics - from growing up in Franco’s Spain to being ordained as an Anglican priest. He answers some tricky questions on the Palestine Action arrests and landlord MPs. And digging into the mailbag, Nish gets an education on audio porn. CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk  USEFUL LINKS  See us ...

This week - we’re talking about the internet, Coco’s proclivities toward the disembodied voice of Pedro Pascal and Nish’s struggles to find any time to work on himself. Strap in - it’s a juicy one.  Nish and Coco are joined by technology journalist Chris Stokel-Walker to make sense of the UK’s new online safety laws - which restrict access to harmful and inappropriate content for young people - while simultaneously clamping down on free speech and digital privacy. The conversation is becoming a culture war topic - but are the political class actually having a sensible discussion about this seismic, world’s-first legislation?  And - guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission could see trans people excluded from public life. And now it might become law - with no debate, no scrutiny and no vote. We’ll be speaking to journalist Freddy McConnell about the risk to all of our rights and how we can fight back. And later - we’re getting Jezzy with it - we dive into the m...

PSUK is back - and this week Keir Starmer has swung open the door to recognising Palestinian Statehood - with caveats. Nish and Coco discuss the massive change in the UK’s foreign policy stance.  Later, they’re joined by suspended Labour MP Brian Leishman (and his Dachshund Hugo) who voted against the government’s welfare cuts, to discuss the direction of Labour and Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn’s new political party.  And - since Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist organisation back in July, more than 100 people have been arrested across the UK in protest. Nish and Coco discuss the future of civil disobedience with former Government lawyer and member of Defend Our Juries, Tim Crosland. CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk  USEFUL LINKS See us Live in London!  https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/pod-save-the-uk/ Guests: Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa & Grangemouth  Tim Crosland, Former Government Lawyer and F...

The co-Leadership bid of Ellie Chowns and Adrian Ramsay represents continuity for the Greens - they sit in Parliament and have proven they can win seats, but is their friendly language enough to cut through to the British public? Rival Zack Polanski says his alternative “eco-populist” vision can bring the fight to Reform and win.  Ellie and Zack sit down with Nish and Coco to make the case for their competing visions for the future of the Green Party - and answer your questions. Elsewhere - Nish and Coco dive into Labour’s union troubles and take a peek at Ed Miliband's “radical truth telling.” CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS   WISE  https://www.wise.com SHOPIFY https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk  Guests: Ellie Chowns Zack Polanski Useful links: Join the Green Party https://join.greenparty.org.uk/ Audio Credits BBC Parliament TV Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlist...

This week’s episode of Pod Save the UK comes live from Sheffield’s Crossed Wires Festival. Nish and Coco sit down with two special guests: former trader and economics commentator Gary Stevenson and South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard. Cracking open cans of Nish, provided by local brewery Triple Point, Nish and Coco discuss the recent vote on labelling certain protest groups as terrorist organisations and the not-so-slow creep in the loss of our rights. One year into Government - backflips on Labour’s Welfare Bill have led to a new round of supermassive black holes for the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to plug. Gary Stevenson gives us some ideas on how to do it… And what about tackling economic inequalities on a local level? Oliver Coppard reflects on the Government’s push to go further and faster on devolution and the difficult decisions he’s made to achieve his priorities for South Yorkshire. Finally, with Independent MP Zarah Sultana quitting Labour to form a new progres...

Nish’s inappropriate occurrences report at Glastonbury is in: there were people kissing, some people had their butts out and nobody seemed to be slapping on the SPF - all very inappropriate. But this isn’t what the right-wing press or the government has taken issue with… You’ve heard it already - the controversy around Kneecap and Bob Vylan’s sets engulfed the political discourse over the festival weekend. But is the controversy the real story here? Nish and Coco shine a light on some of what was REALLY said at Glastonbury and question why those messages didn’t receive as much airtime.  Later, as the government recovers from the brink of political crisis and the Chancellor’s position is drawn into question, Nish and Coco are joined by journalist and author Frances Ryan to discuss the u-turns on u-turns that led to the government’s welfare bill passing. But the battle isn’t over yet.  Finally, Men’s health in the UK is in a sorry place. Nish is joined by Movember’s Dr Zac Se...

After a rollercoaster week of news - the threat of World War 3 suddenly felt a little overstated. But a few short hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran - both countries returned to a war of words and missiles - leading to President Trump delivering an outburst for the ages: “They don’t know what the F*** they’re doing”.  But does Trump? Nish and Coco don’t think so. The UK has been swept up in the maelstrom - with the pomp and circumstance of diplomatic theatrics making little impact in a world where the US president acts unilaterally.  Then, the gang speak to urban sociologist Dr Abi O’Connor about a potential way out of the affordability crisis in housing - rent controls. Abi breaks down the concept for us all to digest, with some listener questions along the way.  Then, finally - the home secretary Yvette Cooper is seeking to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group… WTF. SEE US LIVE!  https://crossedwires.os.fan/pod-save-the-uk  CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR S...

Keir Starmer is not afraid of a U-turn. From abandoned policy pledges to reinstating the winter-fuel allowance, the list is growing. To add to this - this week, the PM has expressed his support for Israel’s military action against Iran, despite criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza. Then he caved in to calls for a full national inquiry into grooming gangs, despite earlier dismissing them as amplifying far-right demands. Whether you think these are sensible or sly, these political backflips have certainly led to a lot of headscratching when it comes to one question: what does our Prime Minister actually stand for? Nish and Coco sit down with New Statesman Editor in Chief, Tom McTague, who has spent months with Starmer trying to find out what lies beneath the title. The Government’s new Welfare Reform Bill is introduced in Parliament this week, which experts say will lead to nearly a quarter of a million more families being pushed into poverty. Nish heads down to Westminster to meet ...

Rachel Reeves has delivered her very first spending review, promising to ‘renew Britain’ with big cash boosts for the NHS, housing and defence. It’s a marked change of tone but the Tories are calling her approach “spend now, tax later”.  Nish and Coco dig into the details and are left with some questions. Are tax rises in the Autumn inevitable? Are high-stakes promises, like vowing to end spending on controversial asylum hotels, ill-thought-out? Will all this be enough to change the public mood?  And as we’ve seen across the pond in LA this week, face masks have been critical to protect the identity of protestors demonstrating against immigration raids and deportations. But the UK government plans to ban them. Nish and Coco speak to Akiko Hart, director of human rights organisation, Liberty, about how we can uphold the right to protest and the latest on challenging the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman. And finally - it gives us great joy to announce - Refor...

England and Wales is still - unbelievably - operating under an 1861 law that criminalises abortion access. An unprecedented rise in prosecutions and the rise of an aggressive US-style anti-abortion movement in the UK have triggered calls for change. Labour MP Stella Creasy joins Nish and Coco to break down her bill to decriminalise abortion and make it a protected human right.    Over in Scotland - Reform and Labour are battling against the SNP in a crucial by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse on the outskirts of Glasgow. Former First Minister Humza Yousaf MSP shares his thoughts on this two-horse race, the Government’s complicity in genocide in Gaza, and what his next career moves might be. And finally - is Dominic Cummings, former special advisor to Boris Johnson - yes, the one who broke lockdown rules driving to Barnard Castle to “test his eyesight” - worth paying attention to… Stay tuned after the credits for a trailer for a special crossover with The News...

Stay out of wombs Nigel! Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wants us to have more babies - which for new mum Coco feels like being bamboozled into being rightwing. Not only this, Farage is even coming for abortion - saying it’s “utterly ludicrous” to allow abortion up to 24-weeks. Keep your wits about you! From leaked memos and inner-circle beef to U-turns and rumoured U-turns - Keir Starmer is feeling the pressure. Nish and Coco dive into the Westminster bubble to find out why the Government has become a leaky ship with Politico reporter Bethany Dawson. Half a decade on from the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests that shook the world, only one third of the recommendations of major reports to tackle endemic racism in the UK has actually been implemented and equality initiatives are facing a rightwing backlash on both sides of the Atlantic. So, is the UK backsliding on racial justice?  Guardian community affairs correspondent and author Aamna Mohdin reflects on the personal and political...

Reunited, Coco and Nish are finally back together in the studio to talk U turns, disability benefits, Brexit and… gimp masks? There’s a lot of politics to catch up on including some big shifts from the Labour government.  First on Gaza - Keir Starmer and David Lammy changed tack with fierce criticism of the Israeli government. But critics argue that without an actual arms embargo talking tough with Israel is inadequate. So is it all too little, too late?  And in another change of direction, the Prime Minister has been listening to voters and his own disgruntled MPs on benefits. He signalled a rethink on one of Labour's most unpopular moves - cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners. But reforms of disability benefits are still on the cards so Nish heads to Westminster where disability activists gathered to lobby their MPs. With a major rebellion on the cards from Labour MPs, can Starmer be steered into a U-turn on this too? Employment minister Alison McGovern explains ho...

Coco’s back! She’s both sleep and politics deprived, but Nish is ready to fill her in. The government's shake-up of legal migration laws landed this week - but the news has been dominated by one question. Is Keir Starmer Enoch Powell incarnate? His speech warned that we ‘risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks together’ - a careless comment or a reaction to Reform gains? Nish and Coco dissect and take a deep dive into the government’s plans with Minnie Rahman, CEO of migrants' rights charity Praxis.  Next up, the Government are jumping for joy about the US-UK trade deal, but Nish struggles to find anything to say… is this just a downgrade portrayed as an upgrade?  The race for the next leader of the Greens is on, and will Youngblud make a foray into politics? Nish and Coco discuss how to capture the youth vote. And grassroots football teams are fighting back against the FA’s ban on trans women playing football.  CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR  Shop...

There’s no ifs or buts - Reform had a won big in last week’s local elections - but it’s not all bad news. Near-total Tory wipeout, positive signs for the Liberal Democrats and Greens and a lesson for Labour: acquiescing to Nigel Farage will only empower him.  A slightly jetlagged Nish and a fresh as a daisy Zoë digest the results before diving into demands to end Israel’s occupation of Gaza… Led by, of all people, rebel tories? In the wake of the Netanyahu’s latest actions, why isn't the British Government speaking up more?  Later, the pair are joined by climate activist Patience Nabukalu, for an injection of hope following her direct action calling for an end to fossil fuel investment from one of the UK’s biggest banks.  **Comment was sought from HSBC regarding claims of dismissing voices at their AGM but was not received in time for publication. We will update this podcast if we receive a reply** CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  SHOPIFY https://www.shopify.co.uk/pod...

In the wake of the UK Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of woman should be based on biological sex, Nish and Zoë speak to LGBTQ+ activist Ellen Jones, author of "Outrage: Why the fight for LGBTQ+ equality is not yet won and what we can do about it" about the implications for trans people .  They discuss how the campaigning of reactionaries like billionaire author JK Rowling led to the decision that has seen Prime Minister Keir Starmer backflipping on his support for the trans community. Ellen speaks on the dangers of the recent ruling and practical ways to resist and support the trans community. Then, as the Tories flounder ahead of the local elections, Zoë hedges her bets. And we take a look at two shocking attempts to seize the limelight by Liz Truss and Tony Blair. Plus, ahead of the Australian election this weekend, Nish speaks to former Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan about how, in the wake of Trump's tariffs and attacks on allies, the commonwealth might be mor...

As Parliament sits for Easter Recess, Nish and Coco dive into the PSUK mailbag to answer your burning questions.  There’s the serious political questions - who are the real progressive party? How can we fight Reform? Should we all just leave the UK?? But there’s some curveballs, too - like what’s up with Bob Dylan’s instagram posting? Boxers or briefs? And most importantly… Has Nish Kumar ever eaten a pot noodle in the bath?  CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk  Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UPDATE: 10/04/25: President Trump has planned to pause extended tariffs on most countries for 90 days, while pushing ahead on plans to implement a 104% tariff on Chinese goods. A flat 10% tariff remains in place. Trump’s tariffs continue to cause chaos in the stock markets and the threat of a recession looms. As Rachel Reeves put it in her Spring Statement - the world is changing before our eyes - but is it enough to see her back down on her precious fiscal rules? Co-host Zoë Grünewald joins Nish to make sense of it all. Can ‘the most dangerous man in Britain’ shed light on this moment of global chaos? Author and education campaigner Melissa Benn, daughter of the late great politician Tony Benn, reflects on her father’s relevance today and the future of the left.  Plus, Melissa takes a look at what’s in Labour’s new education bill. Kemi Badenoch has labelled it “an act of vandalism” - but are the reforms as revolutionary as critics claim? And a couple of monumental WTF’s for yo...

Warning: this episode contains descriptions of sexually explicit and sexist song lyrics. While we wait to see if Trump’s tariff juggernaut is going to squash our fragile economy, Nish and Coco count the cost of the “bill-mageddon” we already face. It’s a perfect storm of steep rises in household bills and a bonkers global trade war.  While we’re staring economic apocalypse in the face, we seem to be losing our rights to protest. If the Quakers get raided, who’s safe from heavy handed policing and draconian laws? And have you prepared yourself for food shortages? Your stash of beans might not cut it. Professor Tim Lang - author of a major report on food security- has a plan we all need to hear.  On the bright side, 2025 is the year the Labour Party has decided to embrace social media and podcasts. What can possibly go wrong?  CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  VOY https://www.joinvoy.com/psuk  Guests Tim Lang Zoë Grünewald Audio Credits C4 Garys Economics Pod Save the ...

First the good news: we might just manage to build a lot of new houses. And the bad news? Millions of people will be worse off and about fifty thousand children will be pushed into poverty by welfare reform. Nish and Coco unpack Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement with the help of economist James Meadway, former advisor to John McDonnell. It was pretty bleak stuff from Reeves: the world is scary, growth is low, and cuts are coming. All with a strong whiff of austerity 2.0. The Chancellor says her fiscal rules are “non-negotiable”. But James has an alternative Spring Statement to banish the gloom and challenge the way we think about growth. Plus, as the great Signal security cock up rumbles on in the US, Nish and Coco wonder why they've never been included in a top-secret military chat. It’s just not fair. And it’s got the UK talking, but will the Netflix drama ‘Adolescence’ make a difference in the real world? CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  SKY SPORTS F1 https://www.sky.com/tv...

After weeks of speculation, Liz Kendall has confirmed what benefits are to be axed in order to save £5 billion from the welfare bill - but at what cost for sick and disabled people? Keir Starmer says the rising benefit bill is “devastating for public finances” and has “wreaked a terrible human cost”. But many of his own Labour MPs have accused him of selling cuts as compassion and in the words of Clive Lewis “causing pain for millions”. Zoë Grünewald steps in for Nish to survey the fallout with Coco.  And the cuts don’t stop there - NHS England’s abolition and unprecedented cost-cutting could see up to 30,000 jobs lost. Zoë and Coco discuss the “high-stakes” move, which the Institute of Fiscal Studies has said is “not fully thought through”. Next up, the Tories and Reform are trying to seize the news-agenda with a pair of not-so special special announcements. And Coco has one of her own…   CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS  VOY https://www.joinvoy.com/psuk SHOPIFY https://www....

Today we're excited to bring you the first episode of Shadow Kingdom: God's Banker. In the summer of 1982, the Vatican’s top money man was found dead. Roberto Calvi was at the center of a prolific money laundering scheme that put him in the crosshairs of the Sicilian mafia, a secret far-right chapter of the Freemasons, and the Catholic Church. Forty years after his death was ruled a suicide, Shadow Kingdom host Nicolo Majnoni got a tip that there was more to the story. So who killed God’s banker?     Shadow Kingdom is a new series from Crooked Media and Campside Media. Each season starts with a crime, and as the layers are peeled back to find out who or what is at the center of it, a larger system at play is revealed.     Subscribe to Shadow Kingdom: God’s Banker wherever you get your podcasts or join Crooked's Friends Of The Pod subscription community to hear the full season right now. Join Friends Of The Pod at crooked.com/friends or subscribe through the Shadow Kingdom Apple feed...

We’ll start with the good news - Reform UK appears to be imploding. Nigel Farage has had a wildly public fallout with (now former) Reform MP Rupert Lowe, who was stripped of his whip and investigated by the police over alleged workplace bullying and “verbal threats” against the party chairman. As Reform flounders, the Government is busy making itself even more unpopular - if that’s possible - by trailing a series of public sector cuts ahead of the Spring Budget. There are plans to cut half of the staff in NHS England and thousands of jobs in the civil service, not to mention impending benefit cuts.  Keir Starmer is expected to announce £5 billion of cuts to personal independence payments - commonly known as PIPs - the main disability benefit. Mikey Erhardt from Disability Rights UK speaks to Nish and Coco about the devastating impact this could have on 3.6 million claimants across the UK. Next up, over the past few years we’ve seen waves of strikes by warehouse workers for the likes...

A shouting match in the Oval Office probably should have been on everyone’s Trump 25 bingo card - but the extraordinary breakdown in relations between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy shocked the world. Keir Starmer rolled up his sleeves and spent the weekend in full-blown diplomacy mode - leading to Politico calling him the “unlikely leader of the free world”.  But with Trump pulling the plug on military aid to Ukraine, leaving the UK and Europe scrambling to increase defence spending - will Starmer’s peace plan work? And what does it all mean for the future of the war? Coco and Nish discuss. With International Women’s Day this week, Political Editor at PoliticsJoe Ava-Santina Evans calls in to discuss what the government has achieved when it comes to women’s equality. And with less than one in five young women identifying as a feminist and self-described feminists like Kemi Badenoch calling maternity pay ‘excessive’ - Coco wants to know if changing labels and groups would make...

War - what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. But this week we found out that defending the UK from it is going to cost us a lot of money. And the losers will be the world's poorest people - the money for Britain's boosted defence budget will come from foreign aid.  Sir Ed Davey - leader of the Lib Dems - tells Coco he has an alternative: bigger taxes on big tech (and some other ideas). And Coco goes a bit Yoko Ono, wondering how we give peace a chance.  Zoe Grunewald steps in for Nish as the pod asks what Macron can teach Starmer about Trump wrangling. And we send out a search for Kemi Badenoch… Has anyone seen her? As Ed Davey presents a credible opposition voice to the Government - the Tory leader is missing in action: last seen in a right wing podcast vortex. While Kemi Badenoch struggles to cut through, the Climate Change Commission has thought of an ingenious way to get us to act on net zero. The humble kebab. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORSVOY:  https://www.joinvoy.c...

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-drivi...

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...

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 ...

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: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk TikTok: htt...

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 De...

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 fuckwitte...

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...

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...

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 ...

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 Parliam...

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 05/1...

Russia’s war with Ukraine is escalating dramatically - as we record reports have begun to emerge about Ukraine firing British long-range “Storm Shadow” missiles into Russia. Nish and Coco are joined on the couch by Stephen Bush, associate editor at the Financial Times, to discuss the chance of...World War Three? Meanwhile - closer to home - we find out why farmers are descending on Westminster. How big a blow is the Government’s budget for farmers and will Labour face a wipe out of rural supporters? And as Elon Musk is summoned to testify about X’s role in the UK summer riots, we’ll be speaking to Jamie Bartlett misinformation expert and host of hit podcasts “The Missing Cryptoqueen” and “The Gatekeepers” about Musk’s influence in politics and if we should all be quitting X. Guests: Stephen Bush Jamie Bartlett    Useful Links: Jamie Bartlett’s Substack - How to Survive the Internet https://substack.com/@jamiejbartlett   Jamie Bartlett's BBC Radio 4 podcast on the rise of social medi...

President-elect Donald Trump has a strong stance on many issues, from isolationism to border control, not to mention he’s an open climate change denier. Is his political platform already shaping UK party politics? Nish and Coco chat to Sky News Political Editor and host of Electoral Dysfunction Beth Rigby about what his looming second-term means for the UK. And with changes to university tuition fees in England for the first time in eight years - we dissect the crisis in higher education with President of the National Union of Students Amira Campbell and General Secretary of the University and College Union Jo Grady. Nish and Coco also dig into the mailbag to find out what you think.  Plus - some essential listening - does Coco not understand what a mullet is? Guests: Beth Rigby Amira Campbell Jo Grady   Useful Links: Christmas Comedy in aid of Women and Children First ft. Nish Kumar https://www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/show/christmas-comedy-in-aid-of-women-children-first/   Pod S...

It’s a dark, dark day for the world. Donald Trump - a convicted criminal no less - has been elected 47th US president in a shocking political resurrection.  Nish and Coco are joined by the Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls to discuss just how ready the UK Government is for Trump’s comeback and Kemi Badenoch’s leadership win.  Later, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations, calls in to discuss her dismay at the US news and to Foreign Secretary David Lammy ruling out cash-based reparations for countries blighted by slavery. And with the Government announcing the first hike in tuition fees since 2017 - we want to hear from you. Are the increased fees or maintenance loans affecting you? Are you sick of paying off student loan repayments? How can we fix the crisis in higher education? Email us at psuk@reducedlistening.co.uk as we’ll be chewing this over with some special guests next week.    Guests: Katy Balls Bell Ribeiro...

Double, Double, toil and trouble…the Government’s first budget has been unveiled on the eve of Halloween, and Nish and Coco are peering into chancellor Rachel Reeve’s cauldron. It’s a spooky episode, so buckle up, we find out if the Halloween budget is the horror show it’s been predicted to be. A seance with economic and political journalist Grace Blakeley helps us break down the raft of tax rises, loosened borrowing restrictions, and investment in public services. But what about the skeletons in the closet? Principal policy advisor at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Katie Schmuecker drops in to chat about reforms to benefits for sick and disabled people, as well as private renters on low incomes. And finally Torsten Bell, Labour MP and former head of the Resolution Foundation, reveals if he’s going to sleep easy or if he’s worried about any market monsters emerging overnight…   Guests:  Grace Blakeley Katie Schmuecker Torsten Bell MP   Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening producti...

The Government’s rallying cry to the nation to help fix the NHS via a public consultation has not disappointed. In what is fast becoming the National Health Service’s very own Boaty McBoatface moment, Nish and Coco dissect the wild and weird policy suggestions flooding the website. Then Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour Party leader and Independent MP for Islington North, joins to tell us how the left can make their voices heard in Parliament and whether a new leftwing political party could be on the horizon. Later, with the US elections looming, co-host of our sister show Pod Save the World Tommy Vietor calls in to discuss why the Labour party is under fire for sending hundreds of staffers to canvas for the Democrats and what the result next month might mean for US-UK relations. Finally, Nish and Coco discuss a protest from an Australian Senator who shouted directly into the ears of King Charles, which comes as the Government resists paying reparations - or even apologising for - slaver...

With just two weeks to go until the Autumn budget, the Labour government is preparing to make some huge reforms. But just how ruthless is Keir Starmer willing to be in reshaping the UK? Coco and Nish dig into it with Anushka Asthana, ITV’s political editor and author of “Taken as Red: How Labour won big and the Tories crashed the party”. Later, in the wake of the Tories latest round of madness, Liberal Democrat MP Josh Babarinde calls in from parliament to discuss how the Government can be held to account in the absence of a sane opposition. And speaking of political ruthlessness, we find out why Labour are demanding a police investigation into the Monster Raving Loony Party’s role in unseating Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth in Leicester South.  Useful links: Taken as Red: How Labour won big and the Tories crashed the party.  Guests:  Anushka Asthana  Josh Babarinde MP    Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co...

The Tory party have once again chosen violence against themselves, as Keir Starmer’s Labour party are languishing in the polls after 90-something days of a lack of action.  Nish and Coco burst the bubble on the news that Starmer’s Chief of Staff has been replaced by his election guru, joined by political journalist Ian Dunt to find out just how big a deal this backroom reshuffle is for the machinations of government.  Ian also unravels the ideology of centrism - explaining why it was a huge part of the Labour Party’s success at the general election and why it might not be enough to keep the electorate happy without some actual policy to back it up.  Later, Labour MP Nadia Whittome calls in from Portcullis House to talk about why she’s still hopeful for what the new government can deliver, before the biggest WTF moment since Rishi Sunak walked out in the rain - the Tory Party eliminating centrist candidate James Cleverly from the leadership.  Guests:  Ian Dunt  Nadia Whittome MP    A...

The new Labour government has promised bold action to fix Britain’s benefit system. Last week, Keir Starmer announced a crackdown on benefit fraud and said people on long-term sickness benefits should look for work. But is this the answer? To chew over the Government’s plans, Coco and Nish are joined by Caroline Selman, senior research fellow at the Public Law Project, and John Pring, the founder and editor of Disability News Service and author of “The Department: How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence”. With some help from our listeners, they tell us how broken the benefit system is and how we can fix it. Then, to mark the Conservative party conference, we have the return of the section we like to call WTF. Some absolute shockers from the Tory leadership hopefuls remind us why they are no longer in power. Useful Links:  For advice on benefits  https://www.advicenow.org.uk/guides/how-deal-universal-credit-overpayment Contacting your MP https://www....

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal ➼ go to https://incogni.com/podsavetheuk to get 60% off your annual plan! Keir Starmer gave his first Labour Conference speech as Prime Minister this week - but his message of “national renewal” was slightly spoiled by a backdrop of poor polling, infighting and their never ending “garm drama”. Journalist Zoë Grünewald joins Nish and Coco on the couch to search for the “light at the end of the tunnel” promised by the new government. Later, Simon Kuper, Financial Times journalist and author of Good Chaps: How corrupt politicians broke our law and institutions - and what we can do about it, joins the show to  delve into the government’s first scandal-not-scandal. They discuss how donations have infected our politics and why there’s no such thing as a free box at the Arsenal game. Guests:  Simon Kuper https://x.com/KuperSimonZoë Grünewald Audio Credits:  ITV News Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via email: PSUK@reduce...