Oh God, What Now?

Get the political cliché klaxon ready – Rishi Sunak has invoked the so-called “will of the people” as he boosts his Rwanda rhetoric. Does he have any idea what the public actually wants? And why is he so desperately upping his populist-but-not-very-popular messaging? Plus, as attacks on Starmer get increasingly desperate – should anyone care about mud-slinging from the tabloids? Ros Taylor is joined by Hannah Fearn and Times columnist Hugo Rifkind. • “When he has seen the will of the people he’s chosen to ignore it. It’s a strange choice of words.” – Hannah Fearn • “It’s easy to say he’s not very good at being Prime Minister, but it’s worse than that. He’s not very good at being Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He’s literally someone who started a job and doesn’t know how to do it.” – Hugo Rifkind • “Sunak sort of exudes weakness.” – Hugo Rifkind • “Sunak is seen as useless and out of touch – both worse than boring.” – Hannah Fearn Hear the new series of Ros's documentary podcast Jam Tomorrow here: https://listen.podmasters.uk/JamTomorrowWe’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0A www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Ros Taylor with Hannah Fearn and Hugo Rifkind. Producers: Chris Jones and Alex Rees. 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

Lee Anderson and his pals have thrown their toys out of the pram – we unpack the latest Tory fallout. Plus, Houthi rebel strikes across Red Sea shipping lanes have led to counterstrikes from the UK and the US militaries. How has that action been justified and what’s the danger of escalation? And, leading transport commentator Simon Calder joins the panel to give his thoughts on the UK’s travel networks – the good, the bad and the ugly. • “It felt like ‘we’ve bombed this and this is why we did it’ and it doesn’t feel like that’s how it should be in a democracy.” – Ros Taylor• “I’m not sure David Cameron is getting all 8 hours at night.” – Zoe Grunewald• “Everything is simply decided now it seems by Number 10 on what is most expedient politically.” – Simon Calder• ”There is simply no appetite for rail and that is why we’re going into such a long spiral of decline, it is absolutely miserable.” – Simon CalderWe’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnowwww.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Ros Taylor, Zoe Grunewald and guest Simon Calder. Producer: Alex Rees and Chris Jones. 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

‘Oh God, What Else?’ is our Monday morning extra edition for Patreon backers. This week’s episode is a bit special so we thought we’d make it available to the wider OGWN-verse too. This time: After 1,875 days, Oh God, What Now? producer extraordinaire Alex Rees is leaving Podmasters. He joins the rest of our audio team, Jade Bailey, Simon Williams and Robin Leeburn to take you behind the scenes of Podmasters to discuss how the company, podcasts and people have changed over the years.• “In my final interview with Andrew he asked me ‘Oasis or Blur?’ and I was convinced I’d lost the job because I said Oasis” – Jade Bailey• “I think our studio pushes 100 degrees in summer. That’s CELSIUS.” – Robin LeeburnPresented by Jade Bailey, Alex Rees, Simon Williams and Robin Leeburn. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Audio production by Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT ELSE? is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s another tough week for Rishi Sunak as a new poll suggests the Tories are set for 1997-style obliteration. But, are the results all they seem? And are certain Tory factions turning further against him? Then, inspired by Ian Hislop Vs Jake Berry on Peston last week – the panel discusses how you win a meaningful argument in the world of politics. Is it even possible?• ”We always talk about the red wall going down, but this poll shows it's being rebuilt?” – Matt Green• “Voters care if he does something, and in the end it doesn’t feel like the Rwanda plan is actually going to happen.” – Matt Green• “TV and radio debates do not matter at all… the media’s role should be to inform people” – Marie Le Conte.• “Politics is never something that is resolved one day, so setting down where we went right or wrong is good because someone is going to pick up the torch.” – Seth ThevozWe’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnowwww.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Alex Andreou with Matt Green, Seth Thevoz and Marie Le Conte. Producer: Alex Rees & Chris Jones. 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

An ITV drama throws the Post Office scandal back into the public eye. Why was it ignored – and what other scandals should we be discussing more? Plus, hands up if you had net zero goals as Sunak’s first blow of 2024. Chris Skidmore’s resignation over the Offshore Petroleum Bill has put the Tories in a spin. And in the Extra Bit for subscribers the most depressing day of the year (apparently) is on the horizon, what do our panel do to cheer themselves up in January? • “We really mustn't obscure the fact that Fujitsu and the Post Office went to great lengths to obscure the issues.” – Alex Andreou• “Sunak falls from policy position to policy position as he relaunches his leadership campaign every two weeks.” – Alex Andreou• “Even if the green policies are in place to make something happen in the UK, the general culture, mood, is we’re not interested.” – Hannah FearnListen to Alex Andreou’s Bunker episode on the Post Office scandal: https://listen.podmasters.uk/BUNKER240110QuirkPostOffice We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnowwww.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Ros Taylor with Alex Andreou and Hannah Fearn. Producer: Alex Rees and Chris Jones. Audio production by: Alex Rees. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When is a vote not a vote? Billions of people will go to the polls around the world this year but in Britain and the US, will the elections cover up deep democratic decay? Plus, the Conservative’s long goodbye to power is creating its own alternative universe of TV, comment and counterfactual reality. What happens when the Tory infosphere loses its mind? • “The country that’s worrying me at the moment is Germany.” – Marie Le Conte.• “Some people want Fox News for Britain and the more controversial the better.” – Rachel Cunliffe.• “One of the best things to grow your profile online is to be really extreme and that’s basically what’s happened with Miriam Cates.” – Rachel Cunliffe.We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnowwww.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Rachel Cunliffe, Marie Le Conte, and Rafael Behr. Producer: Alex Rees and Chris Jones. Audio production by: Alex Rees. 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

It’s 2024 and Rishi Sunak is up to his old tricks. The panel discusses what lies ahead for the year, plus all you might have missed over the festive period – from Sunak's meeting with Cummings to the pint of wine discourse. And in the extra bit for subscribers, what’s in and what's out for 2024 according to our panel? “I think 2024 could be the year of reclassifying things off of your to do list.” – Zoe Grunewald “Sunak’s big problem is Reform UK.” – Alex Andreou “Why would you trust Dominic Cummings to do anything in secret? – Zoe Grunewald Presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou and Zoe Grunewald. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production by: Alex Rees. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowWe’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnowPresented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou and Zoe Grunewald. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production by: Alex Rees. 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

What have Donald Trump, Suella Braverman, and 495 voters in Uxbridge and South Ruislip all got in common? That’s right, they’re all terrible. For our last episode of the year, we’ve decided to put together a list of our 12 villains of Christmas. And in the extra bit for subscribers only, it’s the festive season – so what wholesome traditions does the panel have at Christmas?• “Nadine Dorries either genuinely has absolutely zero self-awareness, or she’s taking the piss.” – Alex Andreou• “Boring, quiet, madly right-wing guys like Mike Johnson are actually far more dangerous than someone like Trump.” – Dorian Lynskey• “What the last year has taught me is that I would not trust Elon Musk to fly me to Mars.” – Rachel Cunliffe• “It’s fair to say that Yevgeny Prigozhin was the winner of the F*** Around And Find Out prize this year.” – Matt GreenWe’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnowwww.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Alex Andreou, Rachel Cunliffe, and Matt Green. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production by: Simon Williams. 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

Michelle Mone admits lying to the media about her PPE links – but hey, that ain’t a crime! What will the repercussions be of her belated honesty? Plus, Labour is getting ready for a spring election. Should we be braced for campaigns to start in earnest once the tinsel’s been taken down? And Christmas is a boring time for political geeks. The panel discusses getting through a period of little to no Westminster news. • “People do hate the press, but you only have to take it one step further to see that blaming them is a stupid argument.” – Hannah Fearn • “Social media? Maybe there are more things Sunak wants to ban we don’t know about…” – Ros Taylor We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOIkIWUDtu7VrVcFs0OI0A www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowListen to Andrew’s choice of album, Where The Rabbit Sleeps by Sensorama. Presented by Andrew Harrison with Ros Taylor and Hannah Fearn. Producer: Alex Rees. 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

Ho Ho Ho God, What Now? It’s part two of the OGWN Christmas live show as Dorian, Ros, Alex and special guest James O’Brien return for a half-time freshener at London’s legendary Comedy Store and look to the future. What’s waiting down the line for the next Government (whomever they may be)? Who’s looking like a future Cabinet star and who looks like trouble? Plus questions from our well-refreshed audience. Support us on Patreon to get early access to all our live tickets plus mugs, t-shirts and more. Visit our new affiliate bookshop to buy books by the panel and our pals. You’ll be helping to fund the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale plus Bookshop.org helps to support independent bookshops too.Written and presented by Dorian Lynskey with Alex Andreou and Ros Taylor. Producers: Chris Jones and Alex Rees (audio). 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