321. Question Time: Why do politicians leak to the press?

whatshot 16 snips

Sep 25, 2024

This podcast dives into the intriguing dynamics of political leaks and the motivations behind them. The discussion highlights recent electoral shifts, particularly the rise of far-right parties in Europe. Personal anecdotes add a light touch, with karaoke preferences revealing the hosts' entertaining sides. They delve into the impact of environmental crises on elections, while contrasting their reading habits to shape engaging topics. A blend of serious insights and humorous confessions makes for an enjoyable listen.

32:42

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Floods' Impact on Austrian Elections

Austrian elections are approaching, and the far-right's potential involvement in government is a concern.
Recent floods have impacted public awareness of the climate crisis, potentially influencing election outcomes.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Sri Lankan Election Upset

Sri Lanka's recent election saw a surprising victory for the Marxist-Leninist party leader, AKD.
This win follows an economic crisis partly attributed to the country's radical shift to organic farming.

insights

INSIGHT

Swiss Reject Biodiversity Proposal

The Swiss public rejected a proposal to increase natural habitat protection.
Concerns about economic impacts on agriculture and energy likely influenced the vote.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Political Shifts and Media Dynamics

02:17 • 18min

chevron_right

Leaks, Elections, and Karaoke

19:49 • 4min

chevron_right

Musical Memories and Karaoke Confessions

24:18 • 2min

chevron_right

Reading Habits and Podcast Topics

26:03 • 4min

chevron_right

Decoding Political Engagement

29:42 • 4min

chevron_right

#17506

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

The Five Giants

A Biography of the Welfare State

Nicholas Timmins

The Five Giants explores the creation and evolution of the British welfare state, focusing on the five core programs of social security, health, education, housing, and full employment. The book provides a detailed narrative of the welfare state's history, highlighting key personalities, challenges, and transformations over the decades. It offers a compelling account of how these programs have shaped British society and faced various political and economic pressures.

Romance in Marseille follows Lafala, a West African sailor who becomes wealthy after winning a lawsuit for mistreatment. The novel delves into themes of disability, the legacy of slavery, and queer identity, set against the vibrant backdrop of Marseille's Vieux Port during the Jazz Age. It was published posthumously in 2020, nearly 90 years after it was written.

#28105

The Penguin history of Latin America

Edwin Williamson

The Penguin History of Latin America by Edwin Williamson offers a thorough exploration of the region's history, from the initial Spanish and Portuguese conquests to the complex societal and economic transformations of the twentieth century. The book delves into the colonial era, independence movements, and the challenges of modernization, providing insights into countries like Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Cuba.

#15275

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Tod in Venedig

Thomas Mann

Published in 1912, 'Der Tod in Venedig' is a symbol-laden novella by Thomas Mann that explores themes of aestheticism, decadence, and the conflict between intellect and passion. The story follows Gustav von Aschenbach, a disciplined and respected author, who becomes infatuated with a young Polish boy named Tadzio while on vacation in Venice. Despite the outbreak of a cholera epidemic, Aschenbach stays in the city, sacrificing his dignity and well-being for the sake of his obsession with Tadzio. The novella culminates in Aschenbach's death, highlighting the tragic consequences of his unchecked desires and the decay of his moral and physical self.

#3434

• Mentioned in 8 episodes

Lying for Money

Dan Davies

In 'Lying for Money,' Dan Davies delves into the world of financial fraud, explaining how such crimes work by manipulating institutional psychology. The book categorizes frauds into four main types: long firm, counterfeiting, control fraud, and market crimes. Davies uses historical and contemporary examples, such as the Great Salad Oil swindle and the Theranos scandal, to illustrate how these frauds operate and how they shape the development of the modern world economy. The book emphasizes the systemic weaknesses that fraudsters exploit and the importance of maintaining a skeptical approach to unusually rapid growth.

#1719

• Mentioned in 15 episodes

The Unaccountability Machine

Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions - and How The World Lost its Mind

Dan Davies

In 'The Unaccountability Machine', Dan Davies explores why large systems, including markets, institutions, and governments, often produce outcomes that no one intends. He draws on the work of Stafford Beer, a pioneer in management cybernetics, to explain how organizations can be seen as artificial intelligences making decisions independent of their members' intentions. Davies critiques the current state of management and economic systems, highlighting the concept of 'accountability sinks' where negative feedback is ignored, and discusses the consequences of these systemic failures, including the 2008 financial crisis. The book is a blend of part-biography and part-political thriller, offering a compelling narrative on the need for better accountability and decision-making processes.

#1742

• Mentioned in 15 episodes

Material World

Ed Conway

#5749

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

Fighting for Life

Contest, Sexuality, and Consciousness

Walter Ong

In 'Fighting for Life', Walter J. Ong examines the significance of contest in biological evolution, the growth of consciousness, and its effects on social, linguistic, and intellectual history. He discusses how agonistic drives manifest in sports, politics, business, academia, and religion, and how these drives can lead to a deeper understanding of self and human freedom.

Was the recent election in Brandenburg really a “huge success” for the far-right AfD? Why are MPs allowed to be on their phones in the House of Commons? And what are Rory and Alastair’s go-to karaoke songs?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.

TRIP Plus:

Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.

Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

TRIP TOUR: To buy tickets for our October Tour, just head to www.therestispolitics.com

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across the UK. Use referral code POLITICS after sign up for a chance to win tickets to the TRIP O2 Arena show in October. Learn more at getfuse.com/politics ⚡

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✅

Instagram:

@restispolitics

Twitter:

@RestIsPolitics

Email:

restispolitics@gmail.com

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Video Editor: Jake Liascos

Social Producer: Jess Kidson

Producer: Nicole Maslen and Fiona Douglas

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Home Top podcasts Popular guests Top books