Pod Save the UK

In this insightful conversation, climate activist Patience Nabukalu, from Uganda, shares her passionate efforts advocating for divestment from fossil fuels. She highlights the urgent need for financial accountability, particularly from major banks like HSBC. The discussion also tackles the recent electoral shifts in the UK, the rising influence of the Reform party, and the implications for Labour. Amid these political changes, Nabukalu offers a glimmer of hope, emphasizing the power of grassroots activism to drive change in climate policy.

Ellen Jones, an LGBTQ+ activist and author of 'Outrage,' delves into the ramifications of the UK Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of 'woman,' which she argues endangers trans rights. She discusses the backlash against figures like J.K. Rowling and the need for community support in advocacy. Meanwhile, Wayne Swan, former Deputy PM of Australia, highlights the importance of the Commonwealth in light of global political shifts and shares insights on Australia's voting system, offering lessons for the UK and US.

Nish and Coco dive into a mailbag of intriguing listener questions, tackling everything from the identity of the true progressive party to the complexities of leaving the UK. They share personal stories about how events like the murder of Stephen Lawrence have shaped their political views. The duo also humorously debates Bob Dylan's Instagram antics while discussing how tax payments relate to public happiness. Plus, they lighten the mood with quirky personal habits and favorite indie music, blending humor and thoughtful conversation.

Melissa Benn, author and political commentator, and daughter of the late Tony Benn, discusses the implications of Trump's tariffs and their impact on the UK economy. She reflects on her father's lasting influence in today's political landscape and critiques the Labour Party's new education bill, labeled 'an act of vandalism' by Kemi Badenoch. The conversation also touches on human rights issues, including Israel's treatment of Labour MPs and the urgent need for accountability in global politics. Thought-provoking and timely, this dialogue navigates complex contemporary challenges.

In this engaging discussion, Professor Tim Lang, a leading expert in food policy from City, University of London, tackles the pressing issue of food security. He highlights the UK's reliance on food imports and the potential for shortages amid rising tariffs and climate change. The conversation also dives into the diminishing rights to protest, drawing attention to recent heavy-handed police actions. Lang's proposed strategies for bolstering community resilience in food production offer a hopeful perspective on navigating these turbulent times.

Join economist James Meadway, a former advisor to John McDonnell, as he delves into Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement, discussing the looming austerity measures that could push thousands of children into poverty. He proposes an alternative vision for economic growth that focuses on equity over cuts. Also, the hosts humorously reflect on a military messaging blunder and the political fallout, alongside pondering the societal impacts of the Netflix drama 'Adolescence' on issues of masculinity and media influence.

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/psukSHOPIFY https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk GuestsMikey ErhardtZoë Grünewald Audio CreditsSky NewsBBC Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.ukBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.comInsta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheukTwitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheukTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 of Amazon, Tesco, Argos and others - but what exactly is it like to work in this algorithm-driven gig economy? Coco speaks to Laura Carreira, the director of a new film about the hidden lives of warehouse workers in the UK.Finally, here’s something nobody wants to hear. King Charles has launched a personal playlist to mark this year’s Commonwealth Day. Nish and Coco strike back with their own playlist. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS SKY SPORTS F1 https://www.sky.com/tv/sportsSHOPIFY https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk Useful LinksPSUK Alternative King's Playlist Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/pod-save-the-uks-alternative-kings-playlist/pl.u-b3b8V47tgYEzzSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/10MMDAPgitIYDgImod7C4T?si=bCtep-upSIyH2SXbbqQ1XQ&pi=2GVMWqSIQlyjq GuestsMikey ErhardtLaura Carreira Audio CreditsBBC Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.ukInsta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheukTwitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheukTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 a difference. Author Sophie Lewis digs into the true heart of feminism and how we can reclaim it. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORSSHOPIFY https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukSKY SPORTS F1 https://www.sky.com/tv/sports Useful LinksSophie Lewis - Enemy Feminisms: TERFs, Policewomen and Girlbosses against Liberation https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2440-enemy-feminisms GuestsAva-Santina EvansSophie LewisAudio CreditsBBCPod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.ukInsta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheukBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheukTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices