Quiet Riot

Special guest Sam Freedman, discusses the week's big stories with Alex, Naomi, and Kenny. Is there a future for the Conservative Party? Is there a future IN the Conservative Party. Should they stick with Badenoch, or twist and risk the - incredibly - LESS likeable, Jenrick? AND - Is France basically ungovernable now? Our favourite Chevalier, Olivier Morel, talks us through the latest drama. PLUS - with a deal on Gaza close, the repercussions for Jews globally may take much longer to heal. INCLUDING - a very funny (and surprisingly angry) 'Wokey Dokey'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “For a long time the Tories have depended on ‘the party in the media’, as it is often called, to maintain their relationship with their base - the Mail and Telegraph in particular, because organisations like the BBC often take their cue from them. Losing those papers to Reform is very dangerous.” “The party is already where [Jenrick] wants it, because basically he’s been shadow-leading the Tories, and it hasn’t helped their poll ratings. Also, he focus-groups really badly. Even voters who agree with him dislike him. So, I don’t think he is the answer to the party’s problems.” “We are roughly the same distance from Labour having to call a General Election, as we are from the last pandemic lockdown. Try to conceive of that amount of stuff still to happen. For me, it’s far too soon to predict how the next election will shape up.” “When challenged about the consequences of leaving the ECHR for the wider EU trade agreement Badenoch said that she could give notice to leave it all behind. Best for Britain polling shows that this plays very badly with voters who have not abandoned the Tories for Reform - and who tend to be more moderate.” “All political parties in France are behaving as if they have a majority and deserve to implement their programme. I have heard several leaders adopting a very grave tone and saying now is the time to compromise, but they mean everyone else must compromise. This is making France ungovernable.” “Will Macron resign? I think it’s not in his DNA to do that at all. And on the international stage, he still believes he has a big role to play. Against that, Macron is facing criticism and even calls to resign from loyalists within his own camp and this is new.” “Whether this plan succeeds depends directly on how much pressure Trump puts on Netanyahu. the Israelis will be at the negotiation with the objective of changing the terms in a way that forces Hamas to say ‘no’.” “I have never known the Jewish community to be so divided over Israel. The sheer violence of what’s happened in Gaza has pushed a lot of people into a very uncomfortable position of believing in Israel as an idea but being horrified by what the current gov’t is doing.” CALLS TO ACTION: Sam's substack can be found here. Find out more about the Community Security Trust charity here. Help us never forget with the Holocaust Educational Trust. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Strip away the schadenfreude around Michelle Mone's fall from grace, and what is the real story here? Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell look at a scandal that is far from over. Also, with the Conservatives and Greens in conference mode, we consider the contrasting fortunes of their respective leaders – and dive into some fascinating data around Tory voters. Plus, in tribute to the late, great Patricia Routledge, we ask the BIG question of the week: how would Hyacinth Bucket vote? And what about other TV greats, such as Rab C. Nesbitt and Del Boy? ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do fightbacks always begin at Liverpool? An unexpectedly feisty speech by Starmer leads to a lot of pearl-clutching by Reform. But will our media cover it? Also, the former Welsh leader of Reform admits to taking Russian bribes. But will our media cover it? And with the election in Moldova sends an unequivocal F-U to Moscow. But will our media cover it? Alex Andreou, Kenny Campbell and special guest, Annette Dittert, discuss. PLUS dispatches by Naomi Smith, from inside the Labour Conference. Including 'Grin And Share It' and the triumphant, if extremely confusing, return of 'Wokey Dokey'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “I have spent a lot of time in the Northeast recently and was shocked by the amount of anger from lifelong Labour voters who feel betrayed… The sentence I heard most often was: they take it out on us, they take it out on the poor, because it’s easier.” “It was really important that Starmer called those policies out for what they are - they are racist. Farage stokes this up, cynically and cleverly. Labour have tried to tiptoe around it all summer and it hasn’t worked.”  “We saw it during Brexit and we see it with the AfD in Germany. Pandering to the far right never works. And yet conservative parties seem to have this - in German we call it ‘angstlust’ - this desire to go somewhere dangerous.” “Racism is a little like political pornography. Its practitioners enjoy it privately or with groups of likeminded people. But if one were to start enjoying it in public, awkward questions will arise.” “From Russian bribes to Musk beaming onto big screens advocating violence, we can’t go on pretending this isn’t happening. That there are not powerful interests from both East and West pouring money into destabilising our democratic processes.”  CALLS TO ACTION: Let us have your ideas on how to send the BBC a message. Help Smart Medical Aid for Ukraine. GRIN AND SHARE IT: Quietly Rioting is GOOD FOR YOU! ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Starmer heads to Labour Conference fending off challenges from within and outwith, not boosted by an announcement on Digital ID cards that appears to have backfired. Meanwhile, the White House seems to be becoming more aligned with the European view on both Gaza and Ukraine. Is this another set of random words or a genuine shift in policy? Plus - with a Youth Mobility Scheme finally enjoying Treasury support, Alex and Kenny discuss their own early experiences of youth mobility. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Cheeky bonus: Elena's Bolero from Verdi's "I Vespri Siciliani" here. Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Ed Davey the Anti-Trump? We digest the Lib Dem Conference. PLUS: A crazy 48 hours for Trump, even by Trump standards. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, Cambridge Law Professor, former Lib Dem MP and former Electoral Commissioner, David Howarth, discuss the rising threat of illiberalism, and the antidote. Including regular feature 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “Of the top twenty least-deprived constituencies in the country more than half of them are held by the Lib Dems. So, when Ed Davey says ‘we are the party of Middle England’ it sounds to many that he means ‘the middle class’. This is the party that allegedly chose its target seats on the basis of being outside London but with a Gail’s.” “The problem is assuming politics is about buying people’s vote. That’s an invitation for instability because you end up always disappointing voters - who feel they didn’t get enough or others got too much. A politics based on values that offers hope can appeal to lots of people in different circumstances, and is not all about giving you an extra fiver and taking a fiver off the other lot.” “One of the things about Ed Davey is that what he says drives Reform UK party people crazy. And that’s good. Because one of the major rules of politics is to work out what your opponent least wants you to say and say it.” “We need to be inside the new EU pact on migration and asylum. It is a burden sharing pact, but most of the things that people complain about would be solved within it: more information about the people we take, much easier returns, and an obligation for asylum seekers to apply only once, in the first country they land.” “What we are seeing [from Farage] is sinister. Reform is adopting a policy of ‘national preference’ - the fundamental policy of the far right in France. I starts with citizenship. Who counts as a citizen? Who should be a citizen? If you listen to Le Pen, it shifts to dual citizens. Suggests they have divided loyalties. It then goes to a very dark place all about having ‘the right’ ancestry.” “The gov’t has a moral responsibility to reform the electoral system. We are not in a situation where Labour’s partisanship over first-past-the-post ends up delivering a vaguely incompetent centre-right gov’t. It could deliver a far-right gov’t on 30% of the vote. It is morally reprehensible and irresponsible not to change the system.” “I’m much more worried about the rise of fascism than the rise in autism. All this Tylenol stuff is part of a portrayal of Gilead, basically, where women should not work or participate in civic society, but be at home, pregnant, and enduring as much pain as possible, in order to support the white patriarchy.” “I worry that all this forms a pattern of attack against evidence, a concerted attack on science, a sort of Endarkenment, an attempt to return people to a state of not knowing what to trust, in which Leader’s Word becomes the only source of truth.” “This idea of ‘behind the scenes’ doesn’t really work with Trump. There is no ‘behind’. All of it is played out on the stage. Trump has this idea that he has to win the day, of a reality show, where at the end of each episode, Trump must be the winner.” CALLS TO ACTION: Subscribe to David Howarth's substack here. Sign up for PBS America from the UK. GRIN AND SHARE IT: BONOBO BEBEH HERE!!!! :-) ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Your Party" seems to be falling apart. Can it be salvaged. And does it need to be, with Zack Polanski's Greens providing a challenger from a similar political space? Also - will US tech giants invest in the UK or exploit it? He mull the investment deal struck during the US President's state visit. Plus - has Trump discovered a business backdoor hack to the constitution? And might cancelling critics backfire? Alex and Naomi talk through the week's news. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “It’s partly generational, but not just about their ages. Corbyn is a slow-horses sort of guy and Sultana is a come-on-guys person. And with Zack Polanski hitting the ground running, I think she has good reason to want to go faster.” “The King’s Speech was superb: holding the line on disagreements without being argumentative, flattering without being unctuous. Then Trump gets up to respond and essentially reads out what I think might have been the Wikipedia page for the UK.” “Jimmy Kimmel could have the top podcast tomorrow. Maybe it is a huge strategic error to kick these big names out of legacy media and into spaces that the right wing has dominated and progressives have ignored, with 50 times the potential audience, AND armed with a legitimate grievance.”  “We’ve just got to stop taking the right wing at its word on free speech. What they actually want is to be insulated from any criticism. This is a fundamentally political story that echoes what we’ve seen from Meta, from X, from Amazon, from Tesla, whose fortune is tied up in their relationship with Trump.” Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump gets the full Windsor treatment and turns to Royal Jelly. PLUS: How to defeat the far right. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, boss of Hope Not Hate, Nick Lowles, discuss the Presidential visit and Nick's new book on lessons learned from decades fighting the fash. Including regualr features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “Ultimately we are not going to be able to address or reduce people’s anger around immigration, without being able to address the economic pessimism that is driving it.” “There’s very little common space - especially free common space. Much to do with political decisions, but also changing lifestyles. The large workplaces of the 70s are gone. 10,500 playing fields were sold off under austerity. There’s far less interaction between people from different communities.”  “We are looking for top-down solutions, but - particularly with current levels of lack of trust in authority - we need to do more peer-to-peer stuff. You can’t legislate away youth radicalisation. You are just pushing more young people to rebel against the system.” “The Royals looked utterly miserable. They all looked completely bored. Melania looked bored. And all for what? To appease a man who has criticised our democracy, insulted our Prime Minister, tried to humiliate our capital’s mayor. It is grotesque.” “We are trying to hang on, in the back seat of a car, being driven at speed by a maniac. Maybe jumping out or antagonising him is not the right choice. Maybe playing soothing music and engaging him in conversation, until we can get out alive is better. I don’t envy the choice for any politician.”  CALLS TO ACTION: Buy Nick's new book How to Defeat the Far Right here. Find out more about Hope Not Hate here. Read Alex's substack piece for free here. Naomi's hack for calculating crowd sizes. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Kirk, Peter Mandelson and two drunk raccoons feature as we try to balance the grim with some giggly for your listening pleasure. In the US, the Kirk story is moving to its next phase with the arrest of Tyler Robinson. But what is the truth about gun crime in the US, and what are we to make of the UK blanket coverage of Kirk's shocking death? Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell pick their way carefully through this political tinderbox. And, in the UK, Mandelson being sacked grabs the headlines but, behind the scenes, what on earth can Labour do to get on the front foot? Will a new Starmer deputy help, and what about master tactician Morgan McSweeney..? PLUS some bonus Wokeydokey action and multiple Grin And Share It happiness, because we like to find some smiles for you amid the bleak political headlines :-) ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** (And if you do, we'll invite you to our next online Editorial Meeting, at 6:30pm on Thurs 25th September... it's always worth it!) SHOW NOTES Woke beaches Bee-sting injections Bolsonaro Fux off to jail Nurse saves drunk raccoons ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is Putin provoking Poland, and how bad could this get? In this Quiet Riot special, Kenny Campbell is joined by Behind The Lines host and geopolitics specialist Arthur Snell to look at Russia's astonishing drone attack on Poland – a story that is being squeezed off front pages by madness on both sides of the Atlantic, but should definitely still be headline news. What is Putin's game plan here? How involved is Britian – and do we have the resources for yet another front in the Putin crisis? How bad could this get? Answers (with caveats) aplenty – and this is a hot topic. Just after we finished recording, NATO states were on high alert in response to joint Russia-Belarus military exercises near the borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** 'NATO's red line isn't red enough' 'Drones don't do training exercises' Love your global politics? Listen to Arthur's fantastic Behind The Lines ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Poland and Qatar are being dragged into conflict, while some of the West dithers and some falls apart. Is there a way back from the brink. PLUS - Decoding populism: Groundbreaking new reasearch that begins to understand what attracts very different voters to parties like Reform, and how to win them back. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, former Cabinet Secretary, and chair of the Trade & Business Select Committee, Liam Byrne MP, take a deep dive. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “This is just the latest episode in a series of the most appalling outrages perpetrated by the Netanyahu government. Trying to take out the team that you’re negotiating with is not the sign of someone who is serious about negotiating.” “We’ve been trying the diplomacy track [with Israel] for some time. It’s failed. There has now got to be a conversation in Parliament about ramping up consequences, together with allies, to try and end this culture of impunity.” “President Trump’s second term has moved on from the improv that characterised the first term to being a project. And if you look at the depth of Project 2025, actually he is pretty faithfully following that playbook.” “There are still within the Commission a lot of scarred individuals, who did not have the best time negotiating Brexit with Conservative politicians and one can understand the kind of mindset that left them with. Nonetheless, Europe has to move on. We have to lock arms against one of the biggest threats to democracy we have faced.” “This sort of incursion is almost always deliberate provocation; a testing of boundaries. It has two objectives. First, to see how quickly and strongly NATO and the EU react. Second, to make other countries bordering Russia think twice about shifting military assets to Ukraine.” “We found a complete fusion between the populist media system and populist politics. You’ve got money coming in from all sorts of strange places into channels like GB News, from where significant sums are now going to politicians of a particular party. And that’s a model - not an accident.” “Who is paying for thousands of flags to be put up everywhere? We just don’t know. The law around what are called ‘non-political campaigners’ is a joke - especially outside regulated election periods. The UK is extremely vulnerable. Money can come from Dubai into a think tank or media company, and be dispersed from there, completely unregulated.” “We mapped some accounts like GB News, their network of followers, then in turn who else they follow, this intricate network, and we found that 80% of the biggest influencers are American. What organisations like GB News have done, is to lay the foundation for an American populist ecosystem.” “Voters considering Reform are not a homogenous blob - they comprise five groups, united by concern about immigration, but with very different views of other issues. And if I had one to say to [Labour], it would be: Stop targeting your message to the most intractable members of that coalition. They’re beyond reach.” “I hope through this research we can generate some empathy for the plight that some of the people considering Reform have been through. Because they deserve answers and a politics that works, and they deserve it now.” “We have to start delivering change that people can see outside their front door. We used to say that politics is local - now it’s hyperlocal. It’s framed by the space between your front door, the patch of grass where you walk the dog, and the shop where you pick up milk.” CALLS TO ACTION: Help Smart Medical Aid for Ukraine here. Help Medical Aid for Palestinians here. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices