Pod Save the UK
- Épisodes
- 183
- Parution
- hebdomadaire
- Dernier épisode
- 22 Oct 2026
À propos du podcast
Pod Save the UK is your weekly fix of political news, big ideas and a shot of inspiration. Each week hosts, comedian Nish Kumar and journalist Coco Khan are joined by politicians, experts, and famous friends to unpick the latest news, look for solutions, and inspire action. From Crooked Media – the creators of Pod Save America – tune in to new episodes of Pod Save the UK every Thursday wherever you pod.
Épisodes 183
Pod Save…the world? Global justice w/ Thomas Piketty and ‘Changing Gender’ w/ Susan Stryker
It’s a bumper episode this week! Put on your big brain hats, as Nish & Coco are joined by two incredible thinkers from around the world: PSUK goes global.First up, it’s pioneering (or ‘OG’) trans historian …
Notes de l’épisode
It’s a bumper episode this week! Put on your big brain hats, as Nish & Coco are joined by two incredible thinkers from around the world: PSUK goes global.
First up, it’s pioneering (or ‘OG’) trans historian Susan Stryker who discusses her new book, ‘Changing Gender’: charting the history and development of the concept and language of gender, weaving in elements of memoir and observations from the present day. As “gender” has become the bogeyman for gender-critical campaigners, ethno-nationalists and religious conservatives alike, Susan traces the development of these transphobic ideologies, and sets out how the existence of ‘transness’ itself could offer the potential for human liberation.
Next, we’re joined by academic and economist Thomas Piketty, who runs Nish & Coco through the Global Justice Report that was released this summer: a comprehensive roadmap to achieving global equality and planetary sustainability by 2100. What’s the catch? Look away, billionaires– it’s time for global redistribution. He also explains the significance of the mass student protests in France, and the role they may play in next year’s presidential election.
No prizes for guessing the common enemy in both conversations… What a treat! Let us know what you think of the episode in the comments, and don’t forget you can email [email protected] with any questions, musings, or thoughts!
USEFUL LINKS
Read the Global Justice Report: https://globaljusticeproject.wid.world/global-justice-report/
Buy Susan’s book: https://www.hive.co.uk/product/susan-stryker/changing-gender--the-history-and-future-of-a-concept/26517789
Justice for Joelle: https://www.translegalclinic.com/justice-for-joelle
Further information about the NHS’s ‘single sex spaces’ guidance: https://genderedintelligence.co.uk/news/37-nhs-single-sex-guidance
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUKPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukThe Brexit Cinematic Universe w/ Anand Menon, and Premier League pitfalls ft. Man City
This week, Nish & Coco reckon with the latest act of political desperation from Farage and his ailing Reform party: returning to their single-issue roots and promising to shut down England’s asylum system …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish & Coco reckon with the latest act of political desperation from Farage and his ailing Reform party: returning to their single-issue roots and promising to shut down England’s asylum system altogether.
Plus, amidst the ongoing Manchester City scandal, we dive into the PSUK vault and return to an interview from June 2023 with then-mayor Andy Burnham, where Nish & Coco quizzed him on Abu Dhabi investment in the city. Back then, he said broader issues were a “matter for government”. Now he is the government–what next? Also, Nish outs himself as a football nerd.
And, Brexit’s back on the table– again?! We’re joined by Professor of European Politics Anand Menon, to talk about whether rejoining the EU is desirable, or even possible anymore. Will this dominate the next ten years’ worth of political debate? Does Europe even want us back? We discuss, using a lot of Marvel metaphors…
USEFUL LINKS
Manchester Mill’s reporting on Abu Dhabi’s relationship with Manchester City Council: https://manchestermill.co.uk/exclusive-sheikh-mansour-contract-manchester/
UK in a Changing Europe website and resources: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheuk
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.ukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukIt’s Conference season: ideology, Iron Domes and independence. Plus, why is Burnham “hypocritical and insulting”? w/ Lara Bird MP
This week, Nish & Coco are joined by Megan Kenyon, Political Correspondent at the New Statesman, to unpack some of the noisy headlines coming out of the Green Party conference over the weekend. They discuss …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish & Coco are joined by Megan Kenyon, Political Correspondent at the New Statesman, to unpack some of the noisy headlines coming out of the Green Party conference over the weekend. They discuss what the passing of the ‘Zionism is Racism’ means for the party, and how the Greens are positioning themselves in relation to Labour: as a wholesale replacement, or as a way to hold Burnham to account?
They also look ahead to the Holborn & St Pancras by-election (which is happening today as you listen!), and ask: who is the Conservative Party actually for in 2026? Dinkwads, Dumpys, or something in-between?
Also, newly elected SNP MP Lara Bird joins us! She shares her experience navigating Westminster, reflects on how her work for Britain Palestine Project has shaped her politics, and explains why achieving the SNP’s core mission would put her out of a job…
**Coco was a little under the weather in this week’s episode, so you may hear some coughs. We tried to remove as many as we could, but there was so much interesting conversation we didn’t want to lose! **
USEFUL LINKS
Catch up with Megan’s reporting on the Green Party Conference and the ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2026/10/greens-vote-to-declare-zionism-as-racismWatch the I Think You Should Leave Hot Dog sketch Nish references: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLfAf8oHrMo
Join the National March for Palestine on the 10th October: https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-march-for-palestine-save-the-date/
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
HEXCLAD: https://www.hexclad.co.uk/PSTUK
BETTERHELP: https://www.betterhelp.com/psuk
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.ukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukBurnham’s barnstormer - ‘Hope Again’ for Labour? Plus, ‘the most dangerous story ever told’: Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor on ‘End Times Fascism’
This week, Nish & Coco catch up on the Labour Party Conference, and react to Andy Burnham’s promises to break with the politics of the past, and build a sustainable future…but what about the present? We’re also …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish & Coco catch up on the Labour Party Conference, and react to Andy Burnham’s promises to break with the politics of the past, and build a sustainable future…but what about the present?
We’re also starstruck in the studio as we’re joined by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor to discuss their latest book, ‘End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World’. They talk about the consequences of a dangerous alliance of tech bros, Christian fundamentalists, and ethno-nationalists, wary of the so-called “great replacement”.
But there’s also hope in community organising, action, and championing the natural world; staying grounded, while the billionaires plan their exit to space. Nish wanted to call this episode “gay porn and soup”... you will have to listen to find out why!
USEFUL LINKS
Buy Naomi & Astra’s book: End Times Fascism : Naomi Klein, : 9780241816288 : Blackwell'sRead Jane Bradley’s reporting for the New York Times into Nigel Farage and Reform UK’s links to one of America’s most influential conservative Christian groups, the ‘Alliance Defending Freedom’: They Helped Topple Roe v. Wade. Now Their Sights Are Set on Britain. - The New York Times
Join the National March for Palestine on the 10th October: https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-march-for-palestine-save-the-date/
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.ukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk“The world is a casino”: polling, politics & Palantir w/ Galen Druke
This week, Nish & Coco are left reeling from the news that Tom Watson is the latest in a long line of politicians swapping the ballot box for big tech bucks. They consider the implications of Palantir’s cosy …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish & Coco are left reeling from the news that Tom Watson is the latest in a long line of politicians swapping the ballot box for big tech bucks. They consider the implications of Palantir’s cosy relationship with former government officials, and ask where the line is with lobbying.
Also, we’re joined by 33.3% of the hosts of Crooked’s new podcast, ‘Still Counting’ - Galen Druke. He demystifies all things polls, explaining the methodology in the madness and how much we can learn from all these numbers. Plus, have you ever wondered who’s the most optimistic about fighting a bear?
And, Coco & Nish reunite with Nikesh Shukla, ten years after the publication of The Good Immigrant. They consider the role identity politics has played in the last decade, and how we can stay optimistic–and active–members of our communities during increasingly scary times.
USEFUL LINKS
Read the Nerve’s excellent reporting on Palantir poaching government officials: https://www.thenerve.news/p/palantir-revolving-doors-peter-thiel-transparency-corruption-riskListen to Still Counting: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/still-counting/
Buy Nikesh’s book (10th anniversary edition)! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Immigrant-writers-reflect-contemporary/dp/1837266220
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheuk
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUKPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukGood Men, Bad Algorithms w/ Jordan Stephens. Plus, The Future of the Union: Is Westminster’s Time Coming to an End?
This week, journalist and friend of the show Will Hayward joins to unpack a landmark summit between the leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. With pro-independence parties joining forces and …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, journalist and friend of the show Will Hayward joins to unpack a landmark summit between the leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. With pro-independence parties joining forces and declaring that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end” – bold words, but what does it really mean?
Plus, Jordan Stephens, musician, writer and one half of Rizzle Kicks, joins Nish and Coco to discuss the rise of hyper-masculine figures online, and whether human connection can offer a healthier model and an alternative to the politics of division.
USEFUL LINKS
Subscribe to Will Hayward’s substack here
Watch Jordan Stephens ‘In Search Of Peace’ hereCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
BETTERHELP: https://www.betterhelp.com/psuk
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.ukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk‘Radicalised, organised, and thick as s**t’: Nish has had it with far-right protests. Plus - why Cory Doctorow is waiting for the AI bubble to burst.
This week, there’s a lot of news! Nish & Coco react to the announcement of sanctions on the West Bank, after Ed Miliband accuses Israel of turning a blind eye to the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians by …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, there’s a lot of news! Nish & Coco react to the announcement of sanctions on the West Bank, after Ed Miliband accuses Israel of turning a blind eye to the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians by illegal settlers. As Andy Burnham wrote in the Guardian, it’s time for Britain to ‘stand for something’...finally.
Also, are we taking the threat of the far right seriously enough? Following a series of anti-migrant ‘protests’ by a self-styled ‘Patriot Army’ helmed by yet another ‘Tommo’, Nish & Coco ask why we don’t call out these radicalised groups for what they are. And despite Nigel’s best efforts to distance himself from the balaclava-wearing vigilantes, Reform UK knows that this is the support they need to make it to Number 10.
And, the King of enshittification, Cory Doctorow, joins us to talk about the AI bubble and why it’s going to burst. Meanwhile, these tech bros are blowing smoke up each other’s share prices, and we’re all inadvertently part of the marketing machine. Cory tackles the ‘collective action problem’ and what we can actually do to change the narrative. Just because there’s a huge pile of s**t, doesn’t mean there’s automatically a pony underneath it…
There's an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for a national moratorium on new AI data centres, put forward by Richard Burgon, the MP for East Leeds. You can ask your local MP to support the new national moratorium. You can also read up on the campaign and sign Global Action Plan’s petition: globalactionplan.org.uk.
USEFUL LINKS
Check out http://noleedsdatacentre.com/ and sign their petition.
Buy Cory’s book! The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI: How to Think About Artificial Intelligence Before It's Too Late | Verso Books
Andy Burnham’s Guardian op-ed: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/08/uk-sanctions-israel-two-state-solution-middle-east-palestinians-andy-burnham
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukNish is Back - and Keir’s Off! Plus ‘The Shafted Majority’: Racism and Resistance w/ Taj Ali
This week, Nish is back from his fringe frolics, and joins Coco to talk about parliament’s return from summer recess. The revolving door continues as Keir Starmer resigns, Nigel Farage gets sworn in (again) and …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish is back from his fringe frolics, and joins Coco to talk about parliament’s return from summer recess. The revolving door continues as Keir Starmer resigns, Nigel Farage gets sworn in (again) and Andy Burnham tests his stamina with nearly three and a half hours’ worth of questions in the commons. With Zack Polanski rumoured to run in St Pancras and Holborn, how might the next by-election (another one?!) play out?
Also on the pod, we’re joined by journalist and historian Taj Ali. He unpacks what we can learn from grassroots organising and community resistance in the 1970s, shares reflections from the worst racist violence in over a century, and explains why the white working class has more in common with the South Asian community than they might think. Also, PSUK exclusive: fellow Luton native Stephen Yaxley-Lennon eats halal?
Content note: the conversation between Nish, Coco and Taj is a full and frank discussion of racism, and includes the use of a racial slur that’s historically been used towards the South Asian community.
USEFUL LINKS
Taj’s book is out on the 15th September: https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/come-what-may-were-here-to-stay/taj-ali/9781526177582?srsltid=AfmBOoqg8Daxime9FB1T9FFCKNn6tUFY2bAbY75ybjQm_J4PKibB_KX4FB0Anti-racist RADAR: https://antiracistradar.co.uk/ - report an incident of racism here.
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
HEXCLAD: https://www.hexclad.co.uk/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukBritain’s Rotting Barrel: it’s time to use the ‘C’ word w/ Robert Barrington
This week, we take a minute to remember dear Dolly Parton (Comrade Dolly!); an extraordinary force of nature, talented musician, incredibly generous person and fierce ally, whose kindness and positivity …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, we take a minute to remember dear Dolly Parton (Comrade Dolly!); an extraordinary force of nature, talented musician, incredibly generous person and fierce ally, whose kindness and positivity inspired millions across the world–we’ve lost one of the good ones.
Meanwhile, Coco gets the lowdown from Cody about his latest video being flagged for bullying (billionaire Mark Zuckerberg?!) during Meta’s child privacy trial. Since we recorded this episode, Meta has settled for $17bn, agreeing major changes to its platforms including usage limits and nighttime blocks.
Also, Reform is at it again, unveiling a policy to prioritise social housing for ‘British born workers’ and married couples. But…you have to keep your gardens tidy? Coco & Cody discuss what sits at the heart of this latest divisive declaration.
And: are we living in a Corrupted Kingdom? Robert Barrington thinks so. As the former head of Transparency International and professor of Anti-Corruption, he joins us to talk about why we’re reluctant to use the ‘C’ word in the UK, and what we can do to safeguard against corruption across all aspects of British society.
USEFUL LINKS
https://www.transparency.org/en
https://antislapp.uk/Buy Robert’s Book! https://www.waterstones.com/book/corrupted-kingdom/robert-barrington/9781805223153
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheuk
HEXCLAD: https://www.hexclad.co.uk/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukThe Nuance Drought: False Binaries and Critical Friends w/ Natasha Devon
This week, it’s Coco & Cody Dahler while Nish is away at the Fringe! With the recent, shocking news of Jason Arday’s death, they’re joined by broadcaster and writer Natasha Devon to reflect on the role of …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, it’s Coco & Cody Dahler while Nish is away at the Fringe! With the recent, shocking news of Jason Arday’s death, they’re joined by broadcaster and writer Natasha Devon to reflect on the role of legacy media, and where the line is drawn between public interest and pile ons.
Also: is Britain living through a ‘nuance drought’? Coco, Cody, and Natasha wrestle with the decline of the ‘critical friend’ perspective, and ask how we can bring back the grey area when people are encouraged to pick a side–not just in politics, but wider society.
And when pain is preferred to certainty, is Farage the devil we know? They discuss ideological fault lines, false binaries, social media bans, and burning everything down…
USEFUL LINKS
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised during this episode, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.orgPre-order Natasha’s book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-nuance-drought/natasha-devon/9781837733170
Petition demanding a public inquiry into Jason Arday’s death: https://goodlawproject.org/petition/jason-arday-letter/
‘Farage Fest’ AI music video: https://x.com/reformparty_uk/status/2089464382925205526
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukWhat happens if no one votes in the Clacton s**tshow? And what's Nish's favourite pizza? Question Time - PSUK-style
This week, it’s just Nish, Coco, and you! You asked, they answered – thanks to everyone for their questions! Nish and Coco discuss how to stay positive amidst all the current political noise, how hopeful they …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, it’s just Nish, Coco, and you! You asked, they answered – thanks to everyone for their questions! Nish and Coco discuss how to stay positive amidst all the current political noise, how hopeful they are about our new Prime Minister, and what their favourite films have been this year…Plus, should we publish the faces of people who earn over a certain amount of money in the UK?
Also: you listen to Nish & Coco every week, now we want to hear from you! We’re launching an audience survey to hear about what you like, dislike, and want to see more of from PSUK. Guests! Live shows! Topics! Explainers! And did we mention there’s a prize draw? You’ve got to be in it to win it - so fill out the survey here: https://forms.gle/fWp9xXb6tcWhPxSm8
USEFUL LINKS
Audience survey here: https://forms.gle/fWp9xXb6tcWhPxSm8Nish’s ultimate taskmaster episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENMjwuvNZsA
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukThe Exxon Heatwave: Climate Crisis & Denial w/ Simon Clark. Plus, Save Our Humanities!
This week, as Britain enters its fourth heatwave amidst blazing wildfires across Europe, Coco & Nish are joined by Climate scientist and educator Simon Clark to ask: is this the new normal? They discuss rising …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, as Britain enters its fourth heatwave amidst blazing wildfires across Europe, Coco & Nish are joined by Climate scientist and educator Simon Clark to ask: is this the new normal? They discuss rising temperatures, online misinformation, fire clouds(!) and which policies the UK government could be championing to both mitigate and adapt to a warming climate–listen up, Andy!
Also on the show: as Exeter proposes 150 job cuts which are expected to fall disproportionately on the humanities, Nish speaks to his friend and staff member at Exeter University, Dr Peter J Riley. They dig into the value of a humanities degree and what we’re missing when we make everything about money.
And: Coco & Nish reflect on the UK’s first week with Burnham at the helm, as Labour leads Reform in the polls for the first time in almost 18 months. Is it too early to be optimistic?
Plus - bonus content! We bring you a clip from a conversation with actor Siobhan McSweeney and Gazan student Mahmoud Hasanain as they discuss the government’s renewed scheme to evacuate Gazan students to study at UK universities–but only if they have fully-funded places. Siobhan, along with many other well-known faces from stage and screen, is auctioning off personal items in a bid to raise funds to support these students. You can catch the full episode on YouTube, and bid online here - until Friday 7th August!
Plus: you listen to Nish & Coco every week, now we want to hear from you! We’re launching an audience survey to hear about what you like, dislike, and want to see more of from PSUK. Guests! Live shows! Topics! Explainers! And did we mention there’s a prize draw? You’ve got to be in it to win it - so fill out the survey here: https://forms.gle/fWp9xXb6tcWhPxSm8
GUESTS
Simon Clark
Dr Peter RileyUSEFUL LINKS
Audience survey here: https://forms.gle/fWp9xXb6tcWhPxSm8University Cuts
Petition to stop redundancies at Exeter University: https://www.change.org/p/stop-redundancies-at-the-university-of-exeter-706befbf-8195-4b87-a96c-13666e695878
Exeter UCU: https://www.instagram.com/uniexeterucu/Climate Crisis
DeSmog: https://www.desmog.com/2026/04/30/reform-uk-nigel-farage-millions-donations-fossil-fuel-interests-climate-science-deniers/
Matt Hughes and Nick Ames - Uefa accuses Fifa of ‘enriching themselves and their friends’ over World Cup sell-off
Share Action: https://shareaction.org/
Cool Earth: https://www.coolearth.org/
Fossil Free Media: https://fossilfree.media/Gaza Auction: https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/ScholarshipsForGaza
Keir’s goodbye video: https://www.tiktok.com/@keirstarmer/video/7664565924204203286?lang=en-GB
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
HEXCLAD: https://www.hexclad.co.uk/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukBurnham’s Britain & Cabinet Pic ‘n’ Mix w/ Anoosh Chakelian
This week, Nish & Coco do a deep dive into the beginnings of Burnham’s Britain. He’s only been Prime Minister for a few days, but Andy has already pledged to end rough sleeping, cut electricity bills, and cap …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish & Coco do a deep dive into the beginnings of Burnham’s Britain. He’s only been Prime Minister for a few days, but Andy has already pledged to end rough sleeping, cut electricity bills, and cap bus fares, as his new ‘cost of living government’ takes shape.
They’re joined by Anoosh Chakelian, the New Statesman’s Britain Editor, who has interviewed Burnham several times over the last decade. Is he the flip-flopping, people-pleasing Prime Minister his critics say he’ll be, or do these early signals from No.10 suggest a clean break with the politics of the past?
Anoosh, Coco & Nish talk through cabinet picks, what Trump might make of ‘Red Ed’ as foreign sec, and how social care reform–if done right–could be good for us all. All eyes on the seventh Prime Minister in a decade…
Plus: you listen to Nish & Coco every week, now we want to hear from you! We’re launching an audience survey to hear about what you like, dislike, and want to see more of from PSUK. Guests! Live shows! Topics! Explainers! And did we mention there’s a prize draw? You’ve got to be in it to win it - so fill out the survey here: https://forms.gle/fWp9xXb6tcWhPxSm8
GUESTS
Anoosh ChakelianUSEFUL LINKS
Audience survey here: https://forms.gle/fWp9xXb6tcWhPxSm8CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
HEXCLAD: https://www.hexclad.co.uk/PSTUK
WISE: https://www.wise.com
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
We’ll be filming another mailbag episode next week so get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukWildfires, World Cup Football and Women’s Aid w/ Farah Nazeer
This week, with Andy Burnham’s coronation just days away, Coco & Zoe dig into why the whole thing felt like such a foregone conclusion, and unpack what we might expect from Burnham’s summer season.Speaking of …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, with Andy Burnham’s coronation just days away, Coco & Zoe dig into why the whole thing felt like such a foregone conclusion, and unpack what we might expect from Burnham’s summer season.
Speaking of Burn-ing, the UK is literally on fire… so why are some politicians urging us to drop net zero targets altogether as we swelter through another heatwave?
Also on the show: CEO of Women’s Aid, Farah Nazeer, joins to talk about their World Cup campaign, ‘The Other Kick Off’, and how we need cultural and structural changes to meaningfully move the dial on domestic abuse and violence against women and girls. Plus, as the news of Ann Widdecombe’s death shocks us all, Coco & Zoe discuss the reality of being a woman in the public eye.
Content note: This episode contains discussions of rape, sexual assault and domestic abuse.
GUESTS
Farah NazeerUSEFUL LINKS
Women’s Aid
Refuge
Research Digital Misogynoir Report — Glitch
Women’s Aid Reveals ‘The Other ‘Kick Off’ Time Thousands of Women Dread During the World CupCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
We’ll be doing another mailbag episode soon so get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk‘The Sleaze By-Election’: Farage Resigns…and Runs Again?! Plus, World War Three is here w/ Hannah Lucinda Smith
This week, we cancel our early celebrations at the news of Nigel Farage’s resignation, given that he announced in the same breath he would be standing in the very by-election he triggered… Another one?! While …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, we cancel our early celebrations at the news of Nigel Farage’s resignation, given that he announced in the same breath he would be standing in the very by-election he triggered… Another one?! While Nish is off on a glamorous sidequest, Coco’s joined by guest host journalist Zoë Grünewald to make sense of this latest stunt from Nige. Is this a political gamble that will pay off, or a final act of desperation?
Also on the show, we look to Ankara, where world leaders have descended for the latest NATO summit amidst rising geopolitical tensions... Author and foreign correspondent Hannah Lucinda Smith breaks down how warfare has changed, why we should be investing more in defence, and what the presumptive PM Andy Burnham could do to get Britain back on track on the world stage.
USEFUL LINKS
Buy Hannah’s book! https://www.waterstones.com/book/hinterlands/hannah-lucinda-smith/9781805225416Sunday Times Investigation into ‘Daddy’ Farage and ‘Posh George’: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/revealed-nigel-farage-secretly-funded-by-convicted-criminal-j0brtrlnk
GUESTS
Hannah Lucinda SmithCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
WISE: https://www.wise.com
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
We’ll be doing another mailbag episode soon so get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukNo10 in the North: Andy Burnham’s Manchester mission... Plus, is ‘free speech’ just a free pass for tech bros?
“Are you ready for this?” Following Andy Burnham’s first big policy speech since becoming an MP, and with his sights set firmly on the top job, Coco & Nish dig into his promises of regeneration …
Notes de l’épisode
“Are you ready for this?” Following Andy Burnham’s first big policy speech since becoming an MP, and with his sights set firmly on the top job, Coco & Nish dig into his promises of regeneration, reindustrialisation, and…a new pair of running shorts. From No10 North to nationalisation and the biggest council house building programme since the postwar period, they discuss their unanswered questions and first impressions of the Manchester man offering “growth in every postcode, and hope in every heart.”
Plus, they’re joined by journalist and campaigner Adele Zeynep Walton who shares her first-hand experience of the consequences of online harms. We ask whether the proposed social media ban for under-16s really gets to the heart of the problem (spoiler alert: no), and how we can truly hold the tech industry to account. Content note: this discussion includes references to suicide.
USEFUL LINKS
Buy Adele’s book: “Logging Off: The Human Cost of our Digital World” https://www.waterstones.com/book/logging-off/adele-zeynep-walton/9781398722941Write to your MP and support the call for a public inquiry into the scale of harm facilitated by online suicide forums: https://mollyrosefoundation.beaconforms.com/form/90ddb8e4
https://mollyrosefoundation.org/campaigns/campaign-against-pro-suicide-forums/GUESTS
Adele Zeynep WaltonCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.
HRF Power Plays: Search Power Plays wherever you get your podcasts.
WISE: https://www.wise.comPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
We’ll be doing another mailbag episode soon so get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukStarmer Resigns! Listen up, Labour: Lessons learned from the Trump trap w/ Ben Rhodes
As Ben Rhodes says on this week’s episode, “we’re in a revolutionary moment globally”. Joining Nish and Coco from sister show Pod Save the World, Ben shares (and despairs) about the state of UK and US politics …
Notes de l’épisode
As Ben Rhodes says on this week’s episode, “we’re in a revolutionary moment globally”. Joining Nish and Coco from sister show Pod Save the World, Ben shares (and despairs) about the state of UK and US politics, and tells us what we can take from the Democrats’ disaster of 2024. Isn’t it time that progressives got their own populist?
Plus, we hear about Ben’s new book, ‘All We Say’, tracing American history through some of its most famous–and infamous–speeches. We talk to him about the similarities between Britain and America both losing their way when it comes to national identity, and how our leaders need to tell it like it is. We can handle the truth!
Also on the show: New Statesman Editor Tom McTague dissects Starmer’s swan song, explains his last minute decision not to challenge Burnham for leadership, and sets out why it all went wrong for a man who won a landslide victory less than two years ago.
USEFUL LINKS
Grab a copy of Ben’s new book, All We Say: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/470622/all-we-say-by-rhodes-ben/9781847928887Ailbhe Rea’s recent piece in the New Statesman: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/labour/2026/06/what-happens-now
Tom McTague’s interview with Keir Starmer: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/06/what-keir-starmer-cant-say
GUESTS
Ben Rhodes
Tom McTagueCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
SAILY: https://www.saily.com/podsave
HRF Power Plays: Search Power Plays wherever you get your podcasts.
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
WISE: https://www.wise.com
BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected] we’d love to hear from you as we plan to do a mailbag episode soon: end any questions, thoughts, or musings our way!
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukMakerfield decides, Labour holds its breath…Plus, Palestine Action & Social Media bans w/ Akiko Hart
As Makerfield goes to the polls today, Nish and Coco take a look back at Andy's campaign. They interrogate Burnham’s ‘King of the North’ brand, and dig into what ‘Manchesterism’ actually is —asking how it could …
Notes de l’épisode
As Makerfield goes to the polls today, Nish and Coco take a look back at Andy's campaign. They interrogate Burnham’s ‘King of the North’ brand, and dig into what ‘Manchesterism’ actually is —asking how it could work on a national scale.
They’re joined by Jack Dulhanty, journalist at Manchester Mill, to break down whether we can expect a people-pleaser for our next Prime Minister, how voting intentions have split households, and why a four-month old political party has given Reform a run for its money.
Plus: following the Court of Appeal’s ruling upholding the ban on Palestine Action and the terror sentencing of the ‘Filton 4’ activists, we speak to Akiko Hart, director of Liberty, the UK’s oldest human rights organisation, to understand the consequences of applying such a broad definition of terrorism.
And, as a social media ban looms for under-16s, what could this mean for the future of digital privacy in the UK?
USEFUL LINKS
See Ben Rhodes and Coco Khan live! Tickets here.Liberty breaks down the Palestine Action ruling: https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/breaking-down-the-court-of-appeal-judgment-on-palestine-actions-proscription/#:~:text=On%2015%20June%202026%2C%20the%20Court%20of%20Appeal%20ruled%20in,proscription%20was%20lawful%20and%20proportionate.
GUESTS
Akiko Hart
Jack DulhantyCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
SAILY: https://www.saily.com/podsave
BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.
SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUKPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukHasan Piker: “Not Conducive to the Public Good”?
This week, as the far-right continues to fan the flames of violence and division, Coco and Nish are joined by Hasan Piker: Twitch streamer, influencer, and left-wing political commentator who was recently …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, as the far-right continues to fan the flames of violence and division, Coco and Nish are joined by Hasan Piker: Twitch streamer, influencer, and left-wing political commentator who was recently blocked from entering the UK. They dig into what makes him “not conducive to the public good”, and why it’s important to speak the truth–however that comes across.
They also talk about political allegiances, the future of progressive politics, and the worrying rise of far-right MAGA movements across the world. Does a Labour government have the answer?
GUESTS
Hasan PikerCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
AURA FRAMES:https://www.auraframes.co.uk Code: PSTUK
WISE: https://www.wise.com
BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukThe Mandelson Files: Chaos Inside Labour? Plus: Sabah Choudrey on the Culture War over Public Spaces
This week, Nish and Coco dig into the latest release of files around Peter Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the US, and what the hundreds of emails and WhatsApps reveal about Labour’s internal panic …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish and Coco dig into the latest release of files around Peter Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the US, and what the hundreds of emails and WhatsApps reveal about Labour’s internal panic, Keir Starmer’s leadership, and a government that seems increasingly unsure of itself.
They also unpack Alan Milburn’s major review into youth unemployment. Is Britain dealing with a generation that doesn’t want to work, or a broken system that has stripped away routes into jobs, training and support?
Plus: Nish and Coco are joined by Sabah Choudrey, speaker, consultant and founder of Trans Pride Brighton, to discuss the EHRC’s new guidance on single-sex spaces, the worsening climate for trans people in the UK, and how a small network of gender-critical organisations has helped push trans rights into the centre of the culture war.
GUESTS
Zoë Crowther
Sabah ChoudreyUSEFUL LINKS
Updated EHRC Code of Practice: GI’s response | Gendered Intelligence
Join the trans lobby on the 25th June: Mass Lobby for Trans EqualityCHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
SHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
AURA FRAMES: https://www.auraframes.com Code: PSTUK
BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukWe Read Tony Blair So You Don’t Have To. Plus: Who Really Owns Britain? w/Hettie O’Brien
This week, Nish and Coco head back to Makerfield, where the by-election campaign is already turning into a political demolition derby; Andy Burnham is just ahead of Reform, the far right is fighting itself …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish and Coco head back to Makerfield, where the by-election campaign is already turning into a political demolition derby; Andy Burnham is just ahead of Reform, the far right is fighting itself, Elon Musk has wandered into the discourse, and Nigel Farage has reappeared after questions over his £5 million gift.
Plus: they’re joined by Hettie O’Brien, journalist and author of The Asset Class, to break down how private equity quietly bought up the services we rely on, from nurseries and care homes to vets and water companies, and why that matters for the broken economy we’re all living in.
GUESTS
Hettie O'Brien, journalist and author of The Asset Class: How Private Equity Turned Capitalism Against ItselfUSEFUL LINKS
Amnesty Report | Like a snowball: the growth and impact of the gender critical movement in the UK
Tony Blair Article | The Labour Party Is Playing With Fire Over Its Future and the Future of the Country byCLIP CREDITS
Carol Vorderman via Instagram, (@carolvorders)CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
AURA FRAMES: https://www.auraframes.com Code: PSTUK
BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukStarmer clings on, Burnham steps up w/ MP Nadia Whittome
This week, Nish and Coco make sense of another chaotic week in Westminster, as Keir Starmer clings on in Downing Street, Wes Streeting resigns, and Andy Burnham’s route back to Parliament suddenly becomes very …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish and Coco make sense of another chaotic week in Westminster, as Keir Starmer clings on in Downing Street, Wes Streeting resigns, and Andy Burnham’s route back to Parliament suddenly becomes very real.
They’re joined by Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East and one of the earliest MPs to call for Starmer to go, to unpack the mood inside the Labour Party, whether Burnham is really the answer, and what Labour needs to do to win back progressive voters.
Plus: after Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson’s latest rally in London, how should progressives respond to the far right without simply echoing its politics?
And: Nigel Farage faces questions over a £5m gift from a crypto billionaire. Does the man of the people have some very expensive explaining to do?
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheuk
SHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukGUESTS
Nadia Whittome MPUSEFUL LINKS
@Femi_Sorry: Tommy Robinson supporters expose themselves so fast! - Unite The Kingdom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBdc_HsSA5YCLIP CREDITS
Femi Oluwole
Nigel Farage Interview: The SunPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukStarmer’s Survival Week w/NoJusticeMTG, plus Mo Gawdat
This week, as Labour reels from a brutal set of election results, Nish and Coco try to make sense of Keir Starmer’s fight to stay in Downing Street, a story moving faster than political journalists can refresh …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, as Labour reels from a brutal set of election results, Nish and Coco try to make sense of Keir Starmer’s fight to stay in Downing Street, a story moving faster than political journalists can refresh their phones.
They’re joined by Helena, aka NoJusticeMTG, Twitch streamer, YouTuber and Novara Media contributor, to break down Labour’s post-election meltdown, the rise of Reform, and whether the Greens’ surge points to a more hopeful progressive future. They also dig into who might replace Starmer, from Angela Rayner to Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting.
Plus, what should we take from Plaid Cymru’s win in Wales, Reform’s new foothold, and the Greens breaking through in places Labour once took for granted?
And former Google executive Mo Gawdat joins to discuss Chasing Utopia, the new documentary asking whether AI is about to transform our lives, our politics, and possibly the future of humanity itself.
Watch Mo Gawdat in Atlantic Studios new release Chasing Utopia from Friday 15th May 2026 at Everyman Cinemas. Book tickets at everymancinema.com.
GUESTS
Mo Gawdat
NoJusticeMTGUSEFUL LINKS
Raphael Behr
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/13/labour-battle-of-ideas-no-10-keir-starmer-leadershipCREDITS
BBC ONE: Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Youtube: Novara MediaPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukLast orders for Labour? Starmer’s election nightmare and Westminster’s booze problem w/Will Hayward and Zoë Grünewald
This week, Nish and Coco make sense of a bruising local election week, as Labour braces for heavy losses, Reform eyes major gains, and the Greens look to break through in London.They’re joined by Will Hayward …
Notes de l’épisode
This week, Nish and Coco make sense of a bruising local election week, as Labour braces for heavy losses, Reform eyes major gains, and the Greens look to break through in London.
They’re joined by Will Hayward, award-winning investigative journalist and expert on Welsh politics, to break down what’s happening in Wales, where Labour’s century-long dominance could be coming to an end. He explains the new Senedd voting system, the rise of Plaid and Reform, and what this election could mean for the future of devolution.
Plus: Zoë Grünewald joins to unpack Reform’s latest migrant detention centre proposal, Green hopes in the capital, and what a bad night could mean for Keir Starmer.
And: should MPs be allowed to drink on the job, or is Parliament’s bar tab finally becoming a political problem?
GUESTS
Zoë Grünewald, political journalist
Will Hayward, Cardiff-based investigative journalistUSEFUL LINKS
Guide to Senedd voting system: https://senedd.wales/senedd-now/senedd-blog/how-will-the-new-voting-system-work-at-the-next-senedd-election/CREDITS
Radio 4, Today Show
Tiktok, Zia Yusef (@ziayusufuk)
Instagram, Hannah Spencer (@hannahtheplumbermcr)Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukMandelson, May Elections & Rosie Jones Mayhem
British politics was shaken to its core this week when we all realised that, maybe, Keir Starmer isn’t as quite across the detail as he tries to make out. He had to explain exactly what he did and didn’t know …
Notes de l’épisode
British politics was shaken to its core this week when we all realised that, maybe, Keir Starmer isn’t as quite across the detail as he tries to make out. He had to explain exactly what he did and didn’t know about the developed vetting carried out for Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s Ambassador to the US.
Right on the heels of that, came Olly Robbins, who was sacked last week from his role as the chief official at the Foreign Office. In a very civil servant way, he revealed the internal pressures and machinations that were happening during the appointment process.
Both men had serious questions to answer about what they did but Coco and Nish are joined by political journalist Zoë Grünewald to ask why everyone is obsessing over the process while almost totally ignoring the larger, moral decision to make the appointment in the first place.
Plus the comedian Rosie Jones arrives to totally derail the whole podcast with a mix of funny jabs at Nish while still telling us about the work of her brilliant foundation which is celebrating its first birthday!
Don’t forget to leave a review - it gives the show a boost and we love to see your comments.
**Warning: use of a racial slur during the Labour May election segment**
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheuk
WISE: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
AURA FRAMES: https://www.auraframes.com Code: PSTUK
SHIPSTATION: https://www.shipstation.com Code: PSTUK
GUESTS
Zoë Grünewald - Journalist, broadcaster and political commentator
Rosie Jones - Comedian
USEFUL LINKS
The Rosie Jones Foundation: https://www.rosiejonesfoundation.com/
CREDITS
Sir Keir Starmer MP - Parliament TV
Emily Thornberry MP - The Mirror, YouTube
Sir Oliver Robbins - Parliament TV
David Miliband MP - Mornings with Ridge and Frost, Sky News
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukTrump's Jesus Meme Chaos w/ Tommy Vietor
Who says the special relationship is on the ropes? Coco and Nish are joined by Pod Save America’s Tommy Vietor to showcase transatlantic co-operation at its very best. From the battle of slopaganda to the real …
Notes de l’épisode
Who says the special relationship is on the ropes? Coco and Nish are joined by Pod Save America’s Tommy Vietor to showcase transatlantic co-operation at its very best. From the battle of slopaganda to the real war in Iran - there’s a lot to talk about.
Donald Trump deleted a Truth Social post because he looked a little bit too much like Jesus for the Christian community - many of them have been some of his biggest supporters. Meanwhile Iran has released a series of sometimes-antisemitic, AI, Lego rap videos.
In the UK, Keir Starmer is being criticised for not spending enough on defence at a time when the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are focusing minds.
Plus - Your Party hits the skids in Scotland - we hear from an insider about what went down.
Don’t forget to leave a review - it gives the show a boost and we love to see your comments.
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
AURA FRAMES: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
SHOPIFY: https://www.wise.com
WISE: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
GUESTS
Tommy Vietor, Host, Pod Save America and Pod Save The World
USEFUL LINKS
How to email your MP about NHS Palantir contracts - https://www.amnesty.org.uk/get-involved/take-action/sign-a-petition/mp-demand-no-palantir-in-our-nhs/
CREDITS
Donald Trump - @rapidresponse47, X
Iranian Propaganda Video - Explosive Media
Owen Maitland, Former Your Party Scotland executive committee member
Faiza Shaheen, Director, Tax Justice UK - ‘Politics Live’, BBC One
Saturday Night Live UK, Sky One
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukCan AI really be your friend? w/Jamie Bartlett
Coco and Nish are joined by top author and tech expert Jamie Bartlett. His new book is a deep dive into the ways AI is being used - highlighting its pitfalls and also where it might be beneficial.Jamie even …
Notes de l’épisode
Coco and Nish are joined by top author and tech expert Jamie Bartlett. His new book is a deep dive into the ways AI is being used - highlighting its pitfalls and also where it might be beneficial.
Jamie even created an AI alter-ego to help people understand how the technology really works, its strengths and its limitations.
Plus, your questions, answered! From the new electoral system in Wales to favourite conspiracy theories - you’ll learn and you’ll laugh!
Don’t forget to leave a review - it gives the show a boost and we love to see your comments.
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
WISE: https://www.wise.com
GUESTS
Jamie Bartlett, Author, ‘How To Talk To AI (And How Not To)’ and Host of Everything is Fake (And Nobody Cares) on BBC Sounds
Special guest appearance: Jimmy Botlett
USEFUL LINKS
‘How To Talk To AI (And How Not To)’: Out April 9th.
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/475950/how-to-talk-to-ai-by-bartlett-jamie/9780753561980Welsh Assembly election guide
https://senedd.wales/senedd-now/senedd-blog/senedd-election-2026-what-is-the-d-hondt-formula-and-how-does-it-work/Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukTruth, Lies and Donald Trump w/ Stewart Lee
Comedian and columnist Stewart Lee joins Nish and Coco to discuss the week’s big stories.They talk about Donald Trump’s deadly and yet utterly confusing war with Iran, as the US President continues to …
Notes de l’épisode
Comedian and columnist Stewart Lee joins Nish and Coco to discuss the week’s big stories.
They talk about Donald Trump’s deadly and yet utterly confusing war with Iran, as the US President continues to contradict his own statements about the Strait of Hormuz and peace talks, almost in the same breath.
It certainly means a new, live, UK sketch show has plenty of material - but how should comedy respond to the challenging times we are all living through?
Plus - why having a weekly opinion column is good for your mental health and why news organisations need to do more to tackle the lies and extreme rhetoric coming from politicians.
Don’t forget to leave a review - it gives the show a boost and we love to see your comments.
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUK
SHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheuk
GUESTSStewart Lee, Comedian and columnist for The Nerve
USEFUL LINKS
Guide to Senedd voting system: https://senedd.wales/senedd-now/senedd-blog/how-will-the-new-voting-system-work-at-the-next-senedd-election/
CREDITS
Saturday Night Live UK, Sky One
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukCan Britain’s myth and magic challenge the far right? w/ Zakia Sewell
Last summer - fuelled by the far right - a rash of St George and Union Jack flags spread across the country. Flag-waving became a symbol of prejudice, not pride. In that context it's hard as progressives to …
Notes de l’épisode
Last summer - fuelled by the far right - a rash of St George and Union Jack flags spread across the country. Flag-waving became a symbol of prejudice, not pride. In that context it's hard as progressives to feel particularly patriotic. So what is Britishness… and does it even matter?
Someone who is hopeful that our national identity is worth saving is writer, a DJ and broadcaster Zakia Sewell. In this bonus episode of PSUK, she tells Nish and Coco about her journey to uncover an alternative version of Britishness - one that unifies rather than divides.
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
BABBEL: https://www.babbel.com/PSUK
WISE: https://www.wise.com
SHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukGUEST
Zakia Sewell, writer, DJ & broadcasterUSEFUL LINKS
“Finding Albion: Myth, Folklore and the Quest for Hidden Britain” - out now.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/finding-albion/zakia-sewell/9781399735902Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheukFarage’s Wild Week: Energy bill stunts and questionable Cameo videos
Reform UK is getting into the lottery business - inviting people to sign up for a chance to have their energy bills paid for a year. But is the real prize a massive database of voters ahead of the next General …
Notes de l’épisode
Reform UK is getting into the lottery business - inviting people to sign up for a chance to have their energy bills paid for a year. But is the real prize a massive database of voters ahead of the next General Election?
Plus - party leader Nigel Farage has been caught saying some pretty questionable stuff for money on Cameo. Is that really the kind of thing we should expect from someone who plans to be our next Prime Minister?
Nish and Coco are joined by authors Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff. Their new book Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed looks at the billionaire manbaby in a whole new way. If you want to understand what’s driving Musk and what it could mean for all of us - this is the chat for you.
And POLITICO’s Anne McElvoy is on hand as the former Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner pops up to point out all the ways Labour is getting it wrong at the moment - subtext: without her they’re lost.
Reminder to send in your burning questions for Nish and Coco to [email protected]
CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS
BABBEL: https://www.babbel.com/PSUK
WISE: https://www.wise.com
SHOPIFY: https://shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk
GUESTS
Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff, Authors. Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed
Out on March 24thAnne McElvoy, Executive Editor, POLITICO and co-host Politics at Sam and Anne’s
USEFUL LINKS
The Podcast Show - https://www.thepodcastshowlondon.com/explore-passes
Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/477340/muskism-by-tarnoff-quinn-slobodian-and-ben/9780241805114CREDITS
The Guardian - YouTube
The Independent - YouTube
Reform UK - YouTube
Today in Focus - The GuardianPod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
Get in touch - contact us via email: [email protected]
Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk
X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk
Voici les 100 derniers épisodes sur 183. Les épisodes plus anciens se trouvent dans le flux du podcast.
