Oh God, What Now? cover image

Oh God, What Now?

Latest episodes

undefined
Oct 27, 2023 • 1h 7min

Inside the Great Water Rip Off – With Special Guest Feargal Sharkey

After being battered by two byelections, where could the Tories possibly turn next? That’s right more of the same – no wonder the votes of no confidence are pouring into the 1922 committee. PLUS, Speaking of pouring, the water companies are destroying our waterways and running away with huge profits. Why? And how can we fix the system? Prominent Water campaigner Feargal Sharkey joins the panel to discuss all that. And in the extra bit for subscribers the panel answers the question: How do we stop pop music from turning into a sterile heritage industry? “Rishi’s Sunak’s message that he’s now the changed candidate hasn’t gone down too well.” – Rachel Cunliffe. “The simple truth is that this country is in pain and we need relief from it.” – Feargal Sharkey. “For me water is a litmus test for the state that the rest of the country is in.” – Feargal Sharkey. “We’re completely committing ecocide in our own backyard.” – Feargal Sharkey. We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0A www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Matt Green, Rachel Cunliffe and guest Feargal Sharkey. Producers: Chris Jones and Alex Rees. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
undefined
Oct 24, 2023 • 1h 8min

Rishi Sunak and the One-Year Itch

British politician Rishi Sunak discusses the Tories' recent by-election losses and their impact on the party. The podcast also covers the rise of private healthcare in the UK and its potential impact on the NHS. Other topics include Conservative PMs and their phone usage, challenges faced by women accessing healthcare, and the need for an improved and well-funded NHS.
undefined
Oct 20, 2023 • 27min

Emergency By-Election Gloatcast – What Mid-Beds and Tamworth mean

SPECIAL EDITION: You’ve made your Mid-Beds, now lie in it. As Labour register stupendous victories in the former constituencies of tragic never-to-be Baroness Dorries (Mid-Beds) and poster boy for nominative determinism Chris Pincher (Tamworth), the Conservatives break out their emergency supplies of copium. What does it all mean? Alex Andreou and Andrew Harrison read the entrails of two historic by-elections. Audio producer: Alex Rees. Theme music by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
undefined
Oct 20, 2023 • 60min

Can Europe handle another Trump presidency?

The Israel-Hamas conflict is as intense as ever – but who can we trust to tell us what we need to know? The panel discusses the latest. Plus, the prospect of Donald Trump winning the next US election looms. What would that mean for Europe? And in the extra bit for subscribers a group of MEP’s were diverted to Disneyland in a bizarre turn of events earlier this week, what’s the weirdest diversion our panel have faced in their careers? That’s Oh God, What Now? with guest Brian Klaas, associate professor in global politics at UCL. “Britain does appear as the mouse that roars… we’re not a significant power anymore in the Middle East.” – Gavin Esler “Trump 2.0 would be Trump unleashed” – Brian Klaas We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0A www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Ros Taylor with Rachel Cunliffe, Gavin Esler and special guest Brian Klaas. Producers: Chris Jones and Alex Rees. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
undefined
Oct 17, 2023 • 1h 4min

Gross and Grosser Negligence: Inside The COVID Inquiry

The second leg of the Covid Inquiry is very much underway and Johnson’s government looks evermore like a "terrible, tragic joke". They’re not our words but those of Cabinet Secretary Simon Case. What else did we learn about the handling of the pandemic? And there’s been a small influx of Tory defection to Labour, meanwhile, former SNP MP Lisa Cameron has moved over to the Conservatives. What’s going on? “It’s a sort of confirmation of what we thought might be the worst case scenario.” – Alex Andreou. “Unless you told Johnson over and over again what you wanted him to say, he would wander off and announce the first thing that came into his head.” – Alex Andreou. “There’s one thing to know about rats: and that’s that they don’t really like sinking ships… “ – Marie Le Conte. “Something like 4% of Reclaim voters are telling pollsters they’d vote Remain. Who ARE these people?” – Matt Green. We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0A www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis with Marie Le Conte, Matt Green and Alex Andreou. Producers: Chris Jones and Alex Rees. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
undefined
Oct 13, 2023 • 59min

Can Starmer Get Back to the Future?

Labour MP Stella Creasy, Rock and Roll Politics host Steve Richards, and The Trawl podcast's host Marina Purkiss discuss Keir Starmer's performance at the Labour Party Conference and the best political orators throughout history. They also explore the appeal of the occult and irrational beliefs in a bonus segment.
undefined
Oct 10, 2023 • 1h 9min

Hope in Liverpool, horror in Israel

Labour’s Conference in Liverpool is rammed and optimistic but Starmer is desperate not to look triumphalist. What must he do this week to seal the deal with Britain? Plus, as Hamas’s atrocities horrify the world, we look at what the unprecedented crisis in Israel means – the monstrous arguments that certain people think it’s OK to make – and why blue ticks are a red flag. Dorian Lynskey, Hannah Fearn and Alex Andreou are joined by special guest Hugo Rifkind of The Times. • “If you compare Starmer now to where Blair was in 1996, of course he’s less interesting. Because Britain is less interesting. There’s no wave of social change to ride.” – Hugo Rifkind• “There’s a really dirty election ahead. Forget minimum standards, the Tories are going to fight from the gutter.” – Alex Andreou• “Politicians here are looking at capturing in a 60 second soundbite the complexity of an 80-year conflict.” – Hannah FearnWritten and presented by Dorian Lynskey. Audio producer: Robin Leeburn. Producer: Chris Jones. Art: James Parrett. Theme music by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
undefined
Oct 6, 2023 • 1h 7min

The Tories Finally Lose Their Minds

We really didn’t think things could get much worse, then Rishi Sunak took to the stage. His Tory conference speech was almost indescribable in terms of how awful it was. Suella Braverman was also at it being her usual offensive self, while the party decided to have a little flirt with Nigel Farage too. Plus, we discuss the issue of respect in politics – and how MPs can prove to the public they respect them. Luke Tryl, the UK director of More in Common, joins the panel to discuss research on this. “It was a very strange conference. Last year there was a sense of mania, this year was different. There was a sense of resignation that Sunak hadn’t turned things around.” – Luke Tryl “I think the next leader of the Conservative Party will be from the right side of the party. I think what’s up for grabs is how right.” – Luke Tryl “I found Sunak’s speech surreal, it felt like it came from a different world.” – Matt Green “There were so many dog whistles I thought he was going to enter Crufts at one point.” – Matt Green “A party that’s going to win a majority doesn’t flirt with Nigel Farage.” – Luke Tryl Thanks to this week's sponsors, the Disorder Podcast. You can listen here: https://linktr.ee/disorderpodWe’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0ASupport us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Alex Andreou, Hannah Fearn and Matt Green. Producer: Alex Rees. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
undefined
Oct 3, 2023 • 57min

In Manchester, So Much To Answer For

If Rishi Sunak hoped the Tory conference might be a gathering of friendly faces he must be very disappointed. The constant HS2 controversy is bogging him down and he’s witnessing rivals pitch to replace him already… Plus, while the Conservatives fall apart, Labour aren’t without their wobbles. Is Starmer too quickly knocked off course when the media turns nasty?  “There is a sense that the right-wingers are on the front foot, and that the one nation Tories are taking a back seat.” – Ros Taylor  “The Tory leadership is already underway. They’re expecting to lose, they’re expecting Sunak to be out, they’re on manoeuvres.” – Seth Thévoz  “This is not about policy, it’s about headlines. They’re doing ‘look over there’ politics.” – Gavin Esler  Thanks to this week's sponsors, the Disorder Podcast. You can listen here: https://linktr.ee/disorderpodWe’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0A www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Ros Taylor, Seth Thévoz and Gavin Esler. Producers: Chris Jones and Alex Rees. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
undefined
Sep 29, 2023 • 1h 12min

The Great Train Robbery

Forget HS2, the current systems of public transport we have barely work. Other countries can manage it, so why can’t we? Are transport issues going to be a big selling point in the next election? Plus, Britons are more liberal now since the National Centre for Social Research began its first survey in 1983. Does that surprise you? And in the extra bit for subscribers, the Hollywood writers’ strike is over, what’s been agreed to get our favourite shows back on our screens? “People like the idea of better transport in theory but in practice when it has to be built, that’s when the problems come in.” – Ros Taylor. “In this country, there’s so much stress involved in public transport - every time you get on a train you’re worried it’s going to get cancelled.” – Matt Green. “If you drill down into the figures it’s younger people who are getting more liberal since the pandemic.” – Ros Taylor. We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0A Thanks to this week's sponsors, the Disorder Podcast. You can listen here: https://linktr.ee/disorderpodwww.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Hannah Fearn, Ros Taylor and Matt Green. Producers: Chris Jones and Alex Rees. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app