Oh God, What Now?

“Small Boats Week” was a horrific failure. Why do the Tories keep getting it so horrendously wrong? Plus, are politicians playing up to the cameras to gain viral popularity? We unpack whether our politicians are more camera conscious ever as they chase online moments. We discuss with this week’s guest Ed Campbell from PoliticsJOE.  “The further we strip real human lives out of this, the more we avoid an actual human solution.” – Yasmeen Serhan “The problem is that Braverman does know how to throw red meat to Tory activists.” – Seth Thévoz “If you think about the younger Prime Ministers, they’re all gifts to cartoonists - and they all played that up.” – Seth Thévoz  “The problem with online content compared to a party political broadcast is that you’re competing against every other piece of online content.” – Ed Campbell www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Alex Andreou with Seth Thévoz, Yasmeen Serhan and PoliticsJOE’s Ed Campbell. Producers: Alex Rees & Chris Jones. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Tories have ramped their anti-immigration rhetoric up to eleven – can it help their election fortunes? With Lee Anderson going all in with belligerence and asylum seekers being moved on to the Bibby Stockholm barge, we pick apart the Government’s motives. Plus, who are the elite? Is it you? Is it us? Is being elite bad now? The panel tries to unpack it all. And in the extra bit for subscribers, is doing things by yourself always empowering?  “I think the Tories have decided that they want to make immigration their focus of the next election campaign.” – Rachel Cunliffe “This stigmatisation is completely central to their electoral campaign.” – Seth Thévoz “The government certainly is not signalling openness and tolerance with any of its messaging.” – Padraig Reidy “Elite used to be a good thing, right?” – Rachel Cunliffe www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by managing editor Jacob Jarvis with Rachel Cunliffe, Seth Thévoz and Padraig Reidy. Producers: Alex Rees & Chris Jones. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. 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

We’ve been governed by populism for over a decade now, as has a lot of Europe. Will it ever blow over? Or are we stuck with it forever? Well, there is one ray of hope and that’s Millennials. Statistics show they're becoming more liberal and overtaking the older right-wing generation in number. But how long could that take? And how could this millennial invasion REALLY impact British politics? “There is this deeply believed thing that the arch of history leads toward progress, and I don’t know if I believe that now.” – Alex Andreou. “Unless we get really strong governance that is able to say “you may not love this, but it has to happen” we are in a world of shit.” – Alex Andreou. “I think the problem is people don’t see Sunak as a Tory right-wing populist.” – Marie Le Conte. “I think what you've seen is a generation growing up with a little bit of hope and seeing it get trashed again and again.” – Zoe Grunewald www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou, Zoe Grunewald and Marie Le Conte. Producers: Alex Rees & Chris Jones. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin 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

Were we all conned by Calm, Collected, Competent Sunak? Have oil, cars, migration and woke-bashing revealed him to be the most right-wing PM since Margaret Thatcher? We look at the real Rishi who was unveiled last week, and how he’ll govern in the year (?) he’s got left. Plus, rent controls: a great fix for our housing hell or totally impractical? And in the Extra Bit, tat’s entertainment. We look at political merchandise.Joining Dorian Lynskey are Hannah Fearn, Geri Scott of The Times and special guest Oli Dugmore, Head of Politics at PoliticsJOE. • “Sunak’s trying to be all men to all people… and for a man who trades on authenticity that’s not a good look” – Geri Scott• “He comes across as calm even though he holds exactly the same views as the most extreme right-wingers.” – Hannah Fearn• “You’re looking at a gold medal in mental gymnastics if you think that burning more fossil fuels will bring us closer to net zero.” – Oli Dugmore• “The climate isn’t a liberal agenda any more. It’s a central facet of modern politics.” – Hannah FearnPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Hannah Fearn and Geri Scott. Audio producer: Alex Rees. 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

Sunak is turning climate change policy into the next frontier of his party’s neverending culture war. Why have the Tories lost their minds over green policy? And first, Suella Braverman came up with the big barges. Now it’s massive marquees for migrants. How has the Home Office got this issue so horribly wrong? That’s Oh God, What Now? With special guest, lawyer and author, Sam Fowles. “There’s a danger here that Labour and the Tories are becoming too similar.” – Zoe Grunewald. “It does seem to me that the Tories have been driven mad by that ULEZ campaign.” – Matt Green. “This hasn’t come out of nowhere, this isn’t because Sunak woke up one morning and said ‘god I just love my private jet’.” - Sam Fowles. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Alex Andreou with Matt Green, Zoe Grunewald and guest Sam Fowles. Producers: Alex Rees & Chris Jones. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin 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

The Tories are failing on their housing promises. Quelle surprise. Up steps Michael Gove to save the day – or is he? Are his newly announced plans actually anything new? And will they make a difference? Then, as the world heats up and our political parties abandon key pledges on climate, are you losing hope? We discuss climate despair. And in the extra bit for subscribers, the panel unpacks Oppenheimer and how its dual release with Barbie could impact Hollywood. “They’re simply announcing things they’ve already tried with no clear answer.” – Hannah Fearn. “They’ve suddenly realised that people really do care about housing…they know they need to say something.” – Hannah Fearn. “The polling shows there is a real consensus amongst voters that climate is important.” – Hannah Fearn. “If more general elections were held in the middle of July I think people would vote accordingly.” – Seth Thévoz. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Hannah Fearn and Seth Thévoz. Producers: Alex Rees & Chris Jones. Assistant producer: Adam Wright. Audio production: 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

Last week’s by-elections left the Tory party wounded, with Labour and the Lib Dems on the front foot. Or are they? The Tories JUST held onto Uxbridge and South Ruislip, and those on the right say that’s down to Labour’s ULEZ policy. Starmer, for some reason, ran with that narrative. Is he losing his nerve over his party’s green policies? And when will the Tories stop shitting on young voters? That’s Oh God, What Now? With this week’s guest, Rachel Cunliffe. “If I were Sunak I’d be tearing my hair out, but the narrative is - it wasn’t that bad really.” – Rachel Cunliffe  “The Lib Dems are like ‘WE ARE KINGS OF THE WORLD’.” – Marie Le Conte “I think Labour are currently making a category error on what the Tories’ strategy is.” – Alex Andreou. “You don’t earn any votes by shitting on young people.” – Marie Le Conte. Support us on Patreon:www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Gavin Esler with Alex Andreou, Marie Le Conte, and Rachel Cunliffe. Producers: Alex Rees & Chris Jones. Assistant Producer: Adam Wright. Social Media Producer: Jess Harpin. Audio production by: Jade Bailey. 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

The Tories clutch at a straw marked “ULEZ” but can’t hide the fact that they got an absolute hiding in three by-elections. What’s the truth behind the spin? Will Uxbridge tank Labour’s green policies? And who made a bigger fool of himself: Grant Shapps or Johnny Mercer?Jacob Jarvis is joined by Alex Andreou and the New Statesman’s Zoë Grunewald to read the runes of a big night in Somerton and Frome, Selby and Ainsty, and former Boris Johnson stronghold Uxbridge and South Ruislip. • “It was a spanking… The Tories’ narrow path to victory got a whole lot narrower and anyone who thinks others” – Alex Andreou• “The Conservatives are going to use this to paint Labour into a corner on ULEZ… Labour need to stand their ground and keep their cool.” – Zoë Grunewald• “Ever since their poll slide started the Conservatives have been looking for their new Brexit… .” – Alex AndreouPresented by Jacob Jarvis with Zoë Grunewald and Alex Andreou. Audio producer: Alex Rees. 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

Is keeping the Tory two-child benefit cap Starmer’s biggest mistake? We look at Labour’s trade-off between maintaining deadly seriousness on the economy and the party’s core beliefs. Plus, in a new irregular series we look ahead at the huge challenges facing the next government. This time: defence. Are Britain’s armed forces fit for purpose and how will Labour deal with troop levels, cyber war and costly nukes in a world where “there is no money left”? Politics professor Richard Whitman of the University of Kent joins us to explain. https://www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Hannah Fearn and Arthur Snell. Audio producer: Alex Rees. 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

Will the UK’s new trade deal with the CPTPP fill the massive, gaping hole that Brexit left? No, probably not. So why are the Tories framing this as a huge win? Plus, Rishi and his mates are acting ‘ard. Will this new tough act win them votes, or is it just pushing us all even further away? That’s Oh God, What Now? with special guest Padraig Reidy, political commentator and editor of the literature, science, art and politics magazine littleatoms.com. “The problem here is we’re doing an agreement with places that are quite far away.” – Seth Thevoz “This deal is like having a horrible partner rather than dying alone.” – Jacob Jarvis. “There is something very patronising about the whole toughness rhetoric.” – Seth Thevoz. “I think we’re in a spiral at the moment of a Tory party just trying anything.” – Padraig Reidy. “They’ve just run out of new ways of being wankers basically.” – Padraig Reidy. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis with Yasmeen Serhan, Seth Thévoz, and guest Padraig Reidy. Producers: Alex Rees. Assistance: Adam Wright. 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