Anglofuturism Podcast

Space policy expert Peter Hague joins from his emergency shuttle to discuss Labour's decision to fold the UK Space Agency into a larger department, effectively ending Britain's independent space ambitions just as the new space age begins.In this episode:* Why the UK Space Agency's absorption into DSIT represents Britain "quitting before it started" - losing budget autonomy and direct ministerial access just when space is becoming strategically crucial,* The historical pattern of British space failures: from abandoning the successful Blue Streak rocket (which could have rivaled Atlas) to the disastrous Europa program where continental partners kept sabotaging British components,* Why the Apollo program wasn't popular at the time but became mythic afterward - and how political leadership means doing unpopular things that future generations will thank you for,* Peter's "Penny for Space" campaign: spending just 1% of government budget on space (compared to 33% on welfare) as a "civilizational pension" for Britain's future in the 22nd century,* The coming space revolution that will make 2029 politically embarrassing: private space stations, Indian human spaceflight, and potentially Chinese or American boots on Mars while Britain has no space program at all,* Why we need a new UK space agency focused on building rotating space habitats in Earth orbit - stepping into the gap as America abandons permanent orbital presence for lunar missions.Peter asked us to higlight the recent work of Progress in building a technology-forward Britain. We recommend trying out the excellent Nick, 30 ans simulator. Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe

Tom and Calum humorously celebrate their journey over 25 discussions, reflecting on the surprising influence of their ideas on political figures. They tackle accusations of nostalgia and critique radical change movements, questioning their authenticity. The hosts dive into concepts of geoengineering and the ambitious Anti-Catastrophe League, while exploring the implications of the new Elizabethan age birthed by innovative agencies. They blend light-hearted anecdotes with pressing concerns, creating an engaging discourse on history, identity, and existential risks.

In this insightful discussion, Alex Burghart, former MP and advisor, shares his journey in creating Britain's first government AI unit. He reveals the day-to-day realities of AI in government, from automating mundane tasks to detecting benefit fraud. Burghart discusses the challenges of data sharing among departments, the startling lack of basic demographic data, and how to attract top talent outside traditional pay bands. He envisions a future of a more streamlined and qualified civil service, driven by AI innovations.

Conservative MP Alex Burghart and AI expert Dr Laura Gilbert argue that Britain's mediaeval past holds the key to mastering its technological future–from Alfred's burghs to sovereign data centres.Calum, Tom, Alex, and Laura explore:* How Alfred the Great's response to Viking invasion mirrors today's AI challenge–using crisis as the moment to forge new order when "the metal is hot," creating institutions that lasted centuries,* Why the collapse of Roman Britain offers hope for our post-imperial moment: just as Alfred built something more durable than Rome from chaos, we can create lasting prosperity from current decline,* Laura's insider account of building i.ai within government–attracting world-class talent with the mission to save lives and money, while navigating civil service "antibodies against change" and demands for "Whitehall Sherpas,"* The case for sovereign compute power and data ownership as national security imperatives–why relying on foreign AI models could leave Britain vulnerable to future Donald Trump Jrs turning off access,* Alex's vision for technological Anglo-Saxonism: virtual reality mead halls where the nation's "Witan" assembles annually, plus genetically enhanced oaks growing fast enough to maintain our aesthetic inheritance,* Why the next government needs to break the bureaucratic paradigm that's paralysed Britain since 1990–and why Conservative experience of governmental frustration makes them uniquely positioned to "seize the liquid moment."Sovereignty, Security, Scale: A UK Strategy for AI InfrastructureProfessor James Campbell (historian)Clip from “Harold Godwinson” used with permission from The Skaldic Bard. Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe

Political theorist Philip Cunliffe argues that globalism is dying and Britain has a rare chance to lead the world into whatever comes next - but only if it rediscovers what sovereignty actually means.Philip Cunliffe on:* Why we're witnessing the collapse of globalist political structures that layered transnational governance over democratic nation states,* How ruling elites from the 1980s onwards deliberately fragmented political power to escape working-class demands, creating the regulatory "blob" that can't build railways or defend territory but excels at shuffling PowerPoint decks,* The failure of populists like Trump and Meloni to break free from globalist institutions, despite their rhetoric - and why even "America First" gets sucked back into Middle Eastern quagmires,* Why Brexit was a precocious early move in this global transition, giving Britain unique advantages as other nations will "inevitably have to follow us down as globalism continues to decay,"* The case for "new nations" - not territorial breakups but politically renewed nation-states that can actually defend their interests, requiring proportional representation, ending devolution, and forcing politicians to think in terms of national interest rather than international virtue signaling,* How a revitalised Britain could seize unprecedented opportunities in a multipolar world without a single hegemon - if it's willing to focus on what sovereignty actually means.The National Interest: Politics After Globalization Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe

Dan Tomlinson MP, Labour's official growth mission champion, boards the KC-3 to discuss what Britain needs to sacrifice for economic growth and whether we're still a country capable of big things.Dan Tomlinson on:* Why Britain has lost the ability to do "big and bold" things like the Apollo missions, trapped by endless processes, consultations, and judicial reviews that would make a modern space program impossible,* Testing Labour's growth priorities against various "sacred cows" - from building on the greenbelt (yes) to fracking and North Sea drilling (no) to social housing in central London (complicated),* Whether high immigration helps or hurts growth, arguing that the recent scale (equivalent to adding Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool combined) has unclear benefits for GDP per capita despite official studies,* His three-pillar growth strategy of stability, investment, and reform - particularly planning reform that could add £7 billion to GDP - and why he believes Chancellor Rachel Reeves has the right approach,* His vision for Britain in 50 years.Further readingDan asked us to share this clip of a happier time, when the country struggled under the weight of GP appointments that were simply too easy to obtain: Watch it on YouTube. Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe

From the King Charles III Space Station, Tom and Calum welcome Alex Fitzgerald, founder of Isembard - a micro-factory startup that's building Britain's manufacturing future one CNC machine at a time.Alex explains how Britain's manufacturing crisis isn't just about big factories closing - it's about the hidden supply chain of small family-owned machine shops that actually make the parts for everything from F-35 jets to AirPods. With 95% of CNC machines owned by small businesses, and those business owners now retiring en masse, the West faces a manufacturing capacity cliff just as geopolitical tensions increase demand.“Fundamentally, how you build great product is having engineers ingest pain and then output product.”The episode explores:* Whether distributed manufacturing is more resilient than centralized factories* How Britain's hidden aerospace and defense supply chains actually work* Why small machine shops are the real manufacturing base, not big assembly plants* The role of risk capital in building trillion-dollar manufacturing businesses* How software and AI are transforming traditional machining and production* What young engineers can do to build world-changing manufacturing businessesFurther readingIsembard - Faster, Cheaper, Greener ManufacturingThe Manufacturing ManifestoCareers at Isembard Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe

In this solo episode recorded from the King Charles III Space Station, Tom and Calum eat humble pie after their confident predictions about the Chagos Islands deal being shelved proved spectacularly wrong. Within days of the last Britannia dispatch, Keir Starmer confirmed the handover to Mauritius would proceed, decisively answering the question "Is Keir Starmer an Anglofuturist?" with a resounding no.This giveaway fits into a broader pattern of Britain's political elite prioritizing abstract internationalist ideals over their inheritance from previous generations. Tom and Calum draw parallels between the Chagos surrender and the potential handover of the Elgin Marbles, arguing that Britain's custodians are conducting a "national fire sale" that makes the country look weak to international observers.The episode explores:* Whether Britain's political class has lost the Burkean sense of obligation to past and future* How the country has become "brittle" with single points of failure in central government* The need for local organization and civic engagement when the state fails* Why planning reform is essential but constantly undermined by the "vegetable lobby"* The demographic realities that make military mobilization increasingly difficult Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe

Santi Ruiz is a policy researcher at the Institute for Progress and host of the Statecraft newsletter and podcast. He's one of the editors of the Techno-Industrial Policy Playbook, a comprehensive strategy document produced by three American think tanks to help the US compete with China's manufacturing dominance. The playbook outlines concrete policy proposals across frontier science, energy abundance, and national security—from creating special compute zones to reforming naval shipbuilding and accelerating geothermal development.The Society for Technological Advancement (SoTA) is organising a hackathon on 31st May and 1st June focused on geoengineering and weather control. Click here to find out more.Episode outline* How China's 230x shipbuilding advantage over America represents an existential threat to Western naval power* The X-Labs proposal to fund cutting-edge research institutions outside traditional universities using flexible block grants* Special compute zones that would fast-track energy infrastructure for AI development in exchange for security commitments* Why America's Loans Programs Office has funded every nuclear plant built this century and shouldn't be dismantled by DOGE* How regulatory carve-outs for geothermal energy could unlock abundant clean power using proven oil and gas drilling techniques* The critical minerals challenge where China could crash markets to destroy American mining operations* Why American naval shipbuilding fails because design is outsourced instead of done in-house like it used to be* Whether Britain should be America's lapdog or develop independent techno-industrial capacity focused on European threats* How elite consensus matters more than popular mobilisation for implementing transformative policy changes* The difference between financialisation that enables productive investment versus financialisation that replaces itMentioned in this episode:The Techno-Industrial Policy Playbook: How to Kickstart America's Techno‑Industrial RenaissanceStatecraft on SubstackWhy FORGE Works by Tom Ough for IFP Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe

A break from our regular schedule to bring you urgent news on the Chagos Islands and a sudden change for Britain’s immigration policy.We’re back with the regular podcast on May 28th when we’ll be talking to Alexander Fitzgerald, industrialist and Founder/CEO of Isembard. Get full access to Anglofuturism at www.anglofuturism.co/subscribe