The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters PREVIEW: Realpolitik #9 | The UK Is Unrecognisable with Peter McCormack
4 snips
Aug 18, 2025 Peter McCormack, a podcast host and business owner, lends his insights on the troubling landscape of British politics. He discusses the alarming rise in crime rates and the challenges facing local communities, particularly in Bedford. McCormack calls for urgent government action to address public safety and critiques ineffective policing. He also examines the diminishing ideological gaps between major political parties and how rising poverty contributes to a surge in petty crime, reflecting a deeper moral decline in society.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Becoming Invested In Bedford
- Peter McCormack bought a football club, a café and a bar and became deeply involved in Bedford's town centre life.
- That proximity revealed visible addiction, open drug use and shoplifting harming local trade and safety.
Letter Prompted Temporary Policing
- Peter wrote a letter putting the police on notice and threatened to act if enforcement didn't improve.
- Police briefly increased patrols for days but then largely disappeared again, leaving problems unresolved.
Safety Is The Precondition For Revival
- Peter argues safety is the necessary starting point to revive a town centre and restore economic activity.
- Without enforcement, shoppers avoid town and businesses close, creating a self-reinforcing decline.
