What's Left? With Jovan + Freddie

George Gilbert, the Gen-Z Farage fan recently kicked off Big Brother, joins us for a chat on cancel culture, young men and the radical right, with guest host Jordan Stephens!As you know, What’s Left aims to stick its head above the culture wars. But we can’t avoid the magnetic pull from controversial personalities that keep the digital news cycle churning. We’re just as human as you.Following our interview with the Oxford Union’s George Abaraonye, it appears we’ve found a new theme: interviewing cancelled Georges. Indeed, George Gilbert is a very different phenomenon - a young Parish councillor, recently booted off one of the UK’s biggest reality TV shows for voicing contrarian and inflammatory views, which included an allegation of antisemitism which ITV decided not to broadcast.When I asked Jordan Stephens to guest host, we agreed we wanted to make something fresh. How rare is it to see a healthy conversation of three lads with very different politics, discussing challenging topics? George had already been on the circuit of right-wing anti-woke podcasts with Dan Wootton and Andrew Gold. We wanted to show that the Left are equally as up for these chats. Yep, some ‘Wokies’ are, in fact, against culture.This is not to absolve George from the framing of his questions, but to show that civil society must explain to young people why some views and questions are considered beyond the pale. Just shutting down the conversation is clearly not working. If anything, it pushes some young people further down the rabbit hole. Jordan and I believe that openness and dialogue is key to dissolving animosity and encouraging compassion in our politics. Hopefully this conversation is a step in the right direction.Chapters00:00 Intro, Waffle + Housekeeping09:54 Greens vs. Labour20:15 George Gilbert Arrives25:50 Why George Got Kicked Off Big Brother36:00 The Right-Wing Rabbit Hole51:55 Tommy Robinson Is A Grifter58:05 Stop and Search Racism Allegations1:06:42 George’s Dating Challenges1:15:13 Post-Christian West1:22:15 How Social Media Creates Populists1:35:20 Has Brexit Destroyed the UK?1:42:13 Wealth Inequality Is Out of Control1:50:41 George’s National Identity Mission

Political commentator Sam Freedman discusses the current state of British politics, emphasizing the decay at its core. He questions Labour's capacity and critiques Reform's governance strategies after recent electoral gains. Freedman warns that their populist approaches may lead to chaotic rule reminiscent of Trump's tactics. He also examines systemic failures, such as state capacity and the heavy burden of austerity since 2008. While offering a sobering outlook, he concludes with a glimmer of hope for societal recovery amidst political turmoil.

Jonathan Hall, the Independent Reviewer of Terror Legislation, was in the room when the UK Govt decided it would proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group, alongside the likes of Al-Qaeda and ISIS.Since then, we’ve seen anti-war activists, including pacifist priests and grandmothers (even both!) arrested for carrying placards, as the police enforce the letter of the law. A recent Guardian article revealed that the home office was advised that proscribing Palestine Action could make the organisation more popular. Over a thousand arrests later, it appears the advisors have been proved right.Simultaneously, Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom marches have taken place in the capital with far fewer arrests, despite now-viral footage of some attendees calling for racist violence (see Niko Omilana!). Moreover legal responses to the Southport Riots last year found swift convictions without one terror law invoked, despite the threshold seemingly being met.So is there really two-tier policing going on or is it all just a game of optics and perspective… and has the government’s use of terror laws undermined trust in terror law itself?National security expert Jonathan Hall addresses:Why the Home Office chose proscription of PA as a ‘terror group’ over other means2-tier policing accusations + Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ marchesWhether Elon Musk’s call for revolution in the UK is foreign interferenceHall’s concerns about the government’s ineffective communication with the publicIranian, Chinese and Russian interference in the Culture WarsThe threat of AI, deepfakes and tech deregulationHow to protect democracy via a ‘Blitz’ resilience spiritDeep concerns re the far-right narrative against multiculturalismThe likelihood of civil war or mass civil disobediencePrisons crisis and the threat of islamist violence vs far-rightIn times of grievance politics, subversion and widespread cynicism about politics and government, how do we ensure the protection of our civil liberties? We hope this episode, discussing some of the most controversial issues of the day, helps elucidate the challenges in applying the law equally to all. Chapters00:00 Intro02:13 Palestine Action Proscription 10:47 Is this Chilling Dissent in a Democracy?19:45 Two-Tier Justice and the Far-Right25:36 Failures in Political Communication33:42 Undermining Democracy and Foreign Interference44:21 Subversion, Culture Wars and Free Speech51:42 Generative AI + Big Tech’s Deregulation Threat1:02:28 Algorithms, Revolutions and Civil Unrest1:14:11 Islamist Extremist vs Far-Right Threat

Miles Taylor, a former U.S. Department of Homeland Security official and whistleblower against Trump, discusses the chilling effects of techno-authoritarianism and the crackdown on dissent. He warns about the dangers of the Insurrection Act and the potential weaponization of government resources against critics. Joining him, Sasha Havlicek dives into the harmful impact of algorithms that amplify extremism, while Imran Ahmed calls for accountability in the tech industry to combat online hate. The conversation warns of the urgent need for democratic control over technology.

Aaron Bastani, co-bossman ⁨@NovaraMedia⁩ just burnished our leftie credentials!!!Super gassed to share this episode with one of our absolute favourite political commentators. We filmed this on August 20th (2 months before release) so we didn't manage to get into the Your Party in-fighting / capitulation nor the rise of eco-populist Zack Polanski. Sorry about that.But we still managed to get into the weeds on immigration, identity politics and why Aaron thinks the Labour Party is failing to win over the public!!! You're welcome. In a time of insurgent politics, commentators like Bastani have taken the risk of meeting audiences where they are. While mainstream media continues to flounder, Novara has grown to new heights, breaking audience records month on month. Given the way digital is now dominating electoral politics, it's hard to see how Novara's coverage isn't shaping the weather for Leftist audiences in the UK and further afield.That said, Bastani often appears as a bug bear amongst leftist comrades, exasperated at his heterodox takes, pushed from his marxist-futurist, self-confessed socially conservative vantage point. He is not afraid to think for himself nor challenge those who disagree with him. That's why he's at the frontier of what's left.Chapters00:00 Intro02:25 Digital Political Communication10:50 Corbyn’s Labour Failures20:22 Why Labour is Losing34:30 End of 2 Party Politics43:40 Reform’s Immigration Plans54:00 Labour’s Comms Problem1:05:35 Britain’s Managed Decline1:16:08 Identity Politics and Race1:25:00 Can Leftist Politicians Capitalise1:35:45 Strategic Autonomy and US-UK RelationsCome hang @wtf_is.left

EXCLUSIVE: Oxford Union President wants to make amends for insensitive Charlie Kirk comments.In June, George Abaraonye rose to uni fame as the Oxford student who challenged Charlie Kirk about ‘toxic masculinity’. Just a few months later, his name and face was plastered all over digital and broadcast media as the Oxford Union President who ‘celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s death. What happened? Moments after news broke that Kirk had been shot at one of his classic campus debate events, Abaraonye took to Instagram to post a public note ‘Charlie Kirk got shot LOOOOL’ and in a private group chat, ‘Charlie Kirk got shot let’s f——ing go’. After seeing the shockingly gruesome video of Kirk’s execution, Abaraonye deleted his comments. But by this point, screenshots had already been taken that would soon be leaked to the press. In our interview, George tells his side of the story, including: - those notorious leaked messages- the campaign for his resignation from the Union and expulsion from Oxford, pushed by ex-PM Liz Truss and Elon Musk - that viral Union video which has led to accusations of Abaraonye calling for violent revolution- death threats and racist abuse - what really goes on in the Oxford Union- his apology and accusations of doubling down- his hopes for making amendsThere are going to be some people watching this interview who think we’ve gone too soft on George. The question I would ask is, ‘Where else do you see conversations like this?’ – Discourse where a young man is held accountable, reflects on his actions and charts a path for his personal growth. Honestly, when I look at George, I see a 20-year-old lad learning on the job about the weight and power of language in our febrile political environment. He found out in no uncertain terms just how much political capital he had, while being, like us all, a work in progress.When Jovan Owusu-Nepaul and I started What’s Left - these were the exact conversations we had in mind. The ones that democracy are all about. Oh btw, thank you for 100k followers xChapters: 00:00 Intro06:08 Why George Debated Charlie Kirk15:30 Labelling People ‘Fascists’26:43 George’s Journey Through the Oxford Union36:20 Reacting To Kirk’s Death46:33 George’s Apology + Reaction55:15 Dealing with Radicalised Online Abuse1:04:00 Free Speech vs. Campaign for George’s Resignation1:13:33 How To Defuse Political Anger1:21:10 Immigration, Labour + Community1:30:10 Building A Great BritainCome hang @wtf_is.left

Will Ed Miliband take on Richard Tice in a Misfits Boxing Match for the future of Net-Zero? We’ve got the exclusive 🤣 It’s been an exhilarating 10 days of b2b conferences and a huge milestone for What’s Left as we interviewed ex-Labour leader, Energy Secretary of State Ed Miliband and Kamala Harris’ immigration tsar Frank Sharry! In this episode we’ve got something a bit different for you – a buy one get one free. The first half is an interview with Miliband, where we discuss the challenges of urgently lowering bills and industrial energy costs, while delivering new jobs. We all know Reform is on the offensive, but Miliband is up for the fight against Tice and his legion of chronically online climate change deniers. LPC was a curious bubble, with attendees drifting from ‘complacency to cynicism’. The vibe, as Ed pointed out, was “anxious”. We felt the PM delivered a punchy speech against Farage, framing the next election as Labour vs Reform - but will it be enough to pull together a fractured and divided left? Deindustrialisation, how the PM has handled Trump, and ofc my Issey Miyake trousers also feature in our convo w Ed… Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen a Labour politician look more natural and relatable in an interview for quite some time. But then again, we didn’t have enough time to truly get into the weeds of policy. Ed you’ll have to come back for some more scrutiny!
The 2nd half of the ep joins us at the Global Progress Action Summit (think centre-left CPAC!) which saw the PM announce digital ID cards in a bid to tackle illegal immigration. Once polling at +35%, support has cratered to -19, demonstrating a govt severely lacking in trust to deliver the change the country needs. Now even Palantir has come out against the policy, which may be surprising to some, but consider their current PR troubles and the type of access they could acquire under a Reform govt. Maybe twisting the knife is in their interest? Frank Sharry, the Biden-Harris border security policy tsar was kind enough to give us an interview on how the centre-left responds to the challenge of illegal immigration. He makes a compelling argument for Labour to change tack and become the party of both immigration and controlled borders. We also discuss the government’s £5bn high-street regeneration plan - the exact sort of policy that could go some distance in galvanising community spirit in the places hit worst by the cost of living crisis. It’s a brilliant policy. So why do we hear so little about it? Ofc, we were delighted to be invited to GPAS and to discuss with leading experts of the Left how we unite against populism. But, I can’t help feeling that we’re still lacking the radicalism we need at such a crisis point in our politics. It’s not looking good brev but we’re still holding out hope. Follow us @wtf_is.left + fix up as we organise against the Right. Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:08 Cold Water Swimming, Chappell Roan + Mental Health 05:50 Fears of Reform + Radical Right 12:20 Taking the Fight to Richard Tice 18:30 Challenges for Net-Zero 24:26 Cutting Edge Communication 27:47 Our Verdict on Ed 32:57 Global Progress Action Summit 38:45 Starmer’s Digital ID Gamble 45:40 AI + Growth Agenda 50:10 Best Policy for Fighting Populism 53:00 Interview with Frank Sharry - Biden/Harris Immigration Tsar 58:35 Farage Copying Trump’s Playbook 1:07:08 American Authoritarianism Backsliding

Bill Gates Advisor + LSE academic Hassan Damluji offers us a glimmer of hope to avoid international catastrophe! Expert in global politics, climate change, pandemics and education reform, Hassan spent a decade at the Gates Foundation in charge of the Middle East, Pakistan and East Asia, closely advising Bill Gates and holding discussions with the likes of Saudi’s MBS, UAE’s President MBZ, Pakistan’s PM Nawaz Sharif and original GOAT investor Warren Buffet. Quite the line up. Currently, he is a senior visiting fellow in International Relations at LSE and director of the think/do tank ‘Global Nation’, which advises UN agencies. He is also the author of ‘The Responsible Globalist’, a manifesto for reforming internationalists, unmoored by the MAGA-led nativist populist insurgency that has multilateralism on its knees. Gates described it as “thought-provoking and well written”, endorsing Hassan’s “ideas that can help make global systems more successful’. At the UN General Assembly this week, Trump doubled down on the end of American Internationalism. In the face of increasing global disorder and violent conflict, what strategy should the Labour pursue to protect the UK’s interests while meeting its principles as a moral mission? Such a tightrope has seemed contradictory at times - with the pomp and flattery of a Trump state visit being counterbalanced by the historic recognition of Palestine as a state. Hassan believes this can be turned into a coherent strategy, with the UK pursuing a middle powers alliance that stands up for the international rule of law. His latest report, Rules Britannia, is well worth a read: In this episode, we chart the failures of ‘globalism’, addressing the rise of populism in response to the immigration crisis, as well as the economic challenges facing developed economies. Hassan explains his vision for a world that feels solidarity around global identity, giving international institutions the requisite consent to solve complex problems like climate change. We also spend a long time discussing the US’ internal contradictions and how it’s not in billionaire’s interests for the world to descend into war and chaos. An international wealth tax must form some part of the solution. This chat with Hassan is probably our favourite so far for the podcast. It addresses the seemingly intractable political problems of our era and offers a real yet narrow way forward. I hope it gives you a bit of hope in these worrying times. As always, follow us @wtf_is.left on Instagram/TikTok Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/ZJe5aef3 00:00 Intro 01:25 Bill Gates, Billionaires and Philanthropy 11:10 Globalism vs Populism22:15 Democracy Matters Most 35:18 Why Populists are Winning 43:09 Britain + Middle Powers Alliance 53:05 An End to American Hegemony 1:04:02 Avoiding World War 3 1:12:04 UK’s Response to America’s Economic Revolution

Jameela Jamil, a prominent actor and activist, shares her insights on navigating the turbulent waters of modern activism. She delves into the concept of ragebait, highlighting how social media fuels division and shapes identity. Jameela criticizes the pitfalls of performative liberalism and stresses the need for coalition-building among the Left. The conversation also touches on online misogyny, the impact of AI on jobs, and the importance of promoting healthier masculine role models. Her call for radical empathy and understanding is both timely and imperative.

When Britain is shattered who do you need to win the next UK election? Latest What's Left episode with pollster Luke Tryl drops amongst the “OMG this poll has Reform predicted to win 400 seats” hysteria. Chillllll, Winston, we’re still a few years out. Of course, any given poll should be taken with a pinch of salt and a shot of tequila + lime. Politicos are taught not to read polls in isolation - but to look at the average across the polls for a sober analysis. Even then, you only have a limited snapshot and political parties and No 10 have their own operations with more accurate data. But if we’re being fully real rn, to quote Castillo, the average of the public-facing polls is “not looking good brev [sic]”. So what explains Labour’s drop off and the dramatic rise of Reform in the polls since the election? Who better to ask than one of the UK’s leading pollsters, Luke Tryl.Luke is the Executive Director of More in Common, widely rated as one of the best polling companies in SW1. He’s long had his finger on Westminster’s pulse, having served as a Special Advisor in the Department for Education during the Theresa May premiership following years on the think tank circuit. His analysis is deeply respected across the major parties, as shown by his frequent guest appearances on The News Agents’ podcast. In this discussion we delved into More in Common’s latest report, ‘Shattered Britain’, and its segmentation of the electorate which identified 7 types of voter. In particular, we zoomed in on the growing anti-system sentiment across the UK and Labour’s challenge in being seen as defenders of a rotten orthodoxy. Luke also made some adroit observations around the prospect of widespread social disorder, that has been whipped up by Farage and co over the past few weeks. No one wants to see the ugly and violent scenes we saw last year. Cool heads are needed to avoid talking ourselves into a febrile atmosphere. And Reform themselves would be wise to heed Luke's advice on how the public views such self-fulfilling prophecies...So how can Labour win the next election? The government needs to be seen to deliver for normal people - it’s about returning control to the electorate around a politics of respect. A renewed social contract, where you give in and understand that you also get out. Now more than ever, we need to rebuke the Thatcherism that 'there is no such thing as society' and create an integrative common culture. Otherwise, the UK will capitulate to the f@r-r1ght. It really is that deep, I’m afraid.Chapters00:00 Intro01:35 Britain is Shattered11:23 Pro-System vs. Anti-System21:23 What’s Causing Social Fragmentation?30:30 Splitting the Left Vote37:10 Better Political Comms 42:33 Impending Civil Unrest?46:30 Immigration and Social Integration53:10 Can our Electoral System Cope?59:50 How to Win the Next Election---------------Follow Luke on Tw*tter: @LukeTrylFollow us on IG/TT: @wtf_is.leftBe safe be lucky people yh!