Oh God, What Now?

Rejected Alan Partridge character “Sir” Gavin Williamson resigns to spend more time with his tarantula. (Poor Cronus). Is Sunak even paying attention to anything that isn’t the economy? Plus, the US Mid-Terms weren’t quite as hellish as expected. UCL politics professor Julie Norman explains what it means for Biden’s next two years and the spectre of Trump II. And the latest on Elon Trussk wrecking Twitter. Get your tickets for our Christmas show on Mon 12 Dec here: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/MDQXAzs4dr  “Gavin Williamson was that embarrassing middle-aged guy who’s never seen any service but wets himself when he meets the SAS.” – Arthur Snell “I’m pathetically sentimental about the British-French relationship… When it’s not good, it upsets me.” – Ian Dunt “Biden’s agenda is pretty much done now… Republicans will air all the bad stuff they possibly can from now on.” – Julie Norman Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Ian Dunt and Arthur Snell. Producers: Alex Rees and Jet Gerbertson. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Theme music by Cornershop. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rishi Sunak promised stability but here we are, back in a u-turn vortex. If he can’t stop the rot, what’s the point of the new PM? Does he have a political north star? And as Braverman’s shirks blame, we agree the asylum system is broken – just not in the way she thinks. What needs fixing? Plus, Matt Hancock joins the shameful list of reality TV politicians. Seriously? This week’s guest is Satbir Singh, managing director of openDemocracy. Get tickets for A VERY OH GOD, WHAT NOW? CHRISTMAS on Mon 12 Dec at 21 Soho, London here: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/MDQXAzs4dr “If there's one thing we know about Sunak it is he very obviously panics quite quickly.” – Marie Le Conte “Sunak will piss off several parts of the Parliamentary party no matter what he does.” – Marie Le Conte  “As a country we’ve never been capable of having a sensible debate on asylum.” – Tom Peck  “I feel physically sick hearing some of the things being said by ministers.” – Satbir Singh  www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Alex Andreou with Tom Peck and Marie Le Conte. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Jet Gerbertson. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We thought they couldn’t do worse than Priti Patel. As conditions in Manston reveal Suella Braverman’s stupendous callousness, it turns out that yes, they could. We unpack the rank incompetence, as well as the rank and incompetent. Plus, New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg joins us to look ahead to the US midterms – and the unfortunate parallels in politics both sides of the pond.  “The blue tick is going to become a sign that basically you’re a huge dork.” – Michelle Goldberg  “Everyone in the Conservative Party now thinks they’re Winston Churchill.” – Seth Thévoz  “What you’re seeing with Braverman is the Republicanisation of British politics.” – Seth Thévoz  “The Republicans are now a party that has turned its back on democracy.” – Michelle Goldberg “It’s frustrating that only the people who believe in language take it seriously.” – Michelle Goldberg www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Arthur Snell and Seth Thévoz . Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees, Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trick or Tweet? Elon Musk buys Twitter to impose his half-formed ideas about free speech on the online world. Will he just make things worse? Suella Braverman doggedly refuses to take responsibility for either her emails or the migrant processing crisis. How long can she hang on? Plus, Labour’s attack lines for the Sunak Era. And why is Hallowe’en growing while Bonfire Night fizzles?Get tickets to Origin Story Live on Weds 2 Nov here: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/OHXEPSMwj1 “Somehow even Priti Patel is showing more moral backbone than Suella Braverman.” – Hannah Fearn “Sunak is finally, finally the evidence of Cameron detoxifying the Tory Party." – Ahir Shah “Halloween is Goth Christmas. What’s not to love?” – Marie Le Conte Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Hannah Fearn, Marie le Conte and Ahir Shah. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production: Alex Rees. Theme music by Cornershop. Lead Producer: 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 the hope that kills you. We didn’t have lots, but c’mon Rishi – Braverman? You know when a band reforms, with a couple of members swapped out for session musicians? Imagine they were always crap and it’s not a band, it’s the Cabinet. We chat through the no-shuffle. Plus, guest Adam Wagner, author of Emergency State: How We Lost Our Freedoms in the Pandemic and Why it Matters, to discuss his book and the imminent torching of more EU regulations. “If you’re going to do sensible politics, you’re not going to give Braverman any job. Sunak has given up the chance to be mature.” – Ian Dunt “This government knows this is their last chance to win back any credibility in the country.” – Ros Taylor “Sunak just looks like a political hangover.” – Ian Dunt “Braverman was genuinely the worst Attorney General, and as Home Secretary she was a walking disaster.” – Adam Wagner www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Dorian Lynskey with Ian Dunt and Ros Taylor. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees, Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So Rishi Sunak, that bloke who couldn’t use a contactless card, is set to bring total normality to No.10. How will this megabrained and approachable (he owns a hoodie) maestro, you may remember from such successes as ‘Eat Out to Help Out’, lead us through this crisis? Plus, even if you’ve forgotten Liz Truss, the world hasn’t forgotten us having her as PM – we look at the international reaction to her downfall.  “Johnson’s fervent wish to destroy Sunak will not have gone away.” – Tom Peck "People imagine Rishi Sunak provides some economic ballast because he worked in the City. But he's provided no credible economic case for Brexit." – Tom Peck "Individuals making economic decisions looked at the slate of policies, and were horrified." – Alex Andreou "The occupants of No. 10 Downing Street will be richer than those of Buckingham Palace." – Yasmeen Serhan www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou, Tom Peck and Yasmeen Serhan. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees, Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a sad little life, wokerati. I hope you’re happy. Liz Truss is off. After being in office for less time than it takes to listen to Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, she’s on the way out of Downing Street. The Daily Star’s infamous lettuce looks set to roll into Number 10, and we ask: what the f**k is going on? “We’re laughing but I also want to cry, I’m just so angry they’re inflicting this on us again.” – Ros Taylor  “She couldn’t even deliver a resignation speech properly, it was boring and full of mistakes.” – Alex Andreou  “The party cannot agree on anyone, there is no continuity candidate. They will continue to tear themselves apart.” – Ros Taylor “It was so obvious to anyone looking from the outside that she would be entirely out of her depth.” – Alex Andreou  www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Alex Andreou and Ros Taylor. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees, Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An out-of-her-depth politician gets sacked by an out-of-her-depth politician who should get sacked. Tofu’s surprisingly high protein content boosts the Wokerati to victory over Suella Braverman – will Truss be the next victim of these Guardian-reading hooligans? Our panel talks about the Tory chaos (loath to say it’s the latest at this point), and even gets into a bit of Remainiacs style red meat to discuss rejoin. Our guest this week is ARD correspondent and New Statesman columnist Annette Dittert.Get tickets to Origin Story Live here: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/OHXEPSMwj1Browse our Tofu-Eating Wokerati and Anti-Growth Coalition merchandise here: https://podmarket.co.uk/ “It’s so clear Truss cannot go on like this, I don’t know why they don’t find a solution other than having her sitting there like a dead puppet.” – Annette Dittert “This is not even sub-GCSE economics. It’s fetish.” – Seth Thevos “It’s party before country, but they can’t be serious whilst Liz Truss is around.” – Annette Dittert “Nobody would like to rejoin the EU more than me. But this the work of years, as much as we would like it to happen tomorrow.” – Naomi Smith www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Alex Andreou with Naomi Smith and Seth Thevoz. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees, Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now twice a week, because you demanded it… Liz Truss is definitely not hidden under a desk – but we can’t necessarily confirm she’s still in Number 10. And if she is, who knows how long she can stay without hiding somewhere. We look at the new power of Prime Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, and the Tories’ ever falling standing in the latest opinion polls. Is a general election (or a genny leccy between friends) inevitable? This week’s special guest is veteran pollster and BBC election night mainstay, John Curtice.Get tickets for ORIGIN STORY LIVE here: https://www.tickettext.co.uk/OHXEPSMwj1Get our coveted ANTI-GROWTH COALITION mugs and more here: https://podmarket.co.uk/products/oh-god-what-now-anti-growth-coalition-mug “Hunt constantly looks like he’s been startled, like he's woken up in the middle of the night by a loud sound downstairs.” – Ian Dunt  “How did it not occur to Truss that she would have to explain her ideology to the country?” – Marie Le Conte “Anyone from the leadership election would be better than Truss. Even Peter Bone wouldn’t have messed it up this badly.” – Ian Dunt “Truss and Kwarteng found the high spending and taxation of the post-covid world impossible.” – John Curtice www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Ian Dunt and Marie Le Conte. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees, Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kwasi go gos and the Government’s spinning around like a yo-yo – Andrew and Naomi pick apart the wreckage in an ever more regular EmergencyCast. What forced the PM’s hand and will it save her career – or has she just made yet another enemy? The Truss bus ploughs on full steam ahead, with or without anybody at the wheel… “She spoke abstractly to the markets in a very robotic way – and so far, they haven’t reacted well.” “The disconnect between Truss and reality is unbelievable.” “This market fundamentalism policy approach has been roundly rejected by, guess who… the markets.”  “The one thing we can rely on the Conservatives for is sheer ruthlessness.” www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnowPresented by Andrew Harrison with Naomi Smith. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Alex Rees, Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Audio production by Alex Rees. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices