PoliticsJOE Podcast
This is PoliticsJOE's podcast - the only explicitly anti-nonce podcast in the UK.Reporting on British politics with a sense of humour, the podcast is a recorded version of the conversations we have after work.So pull up a stool, pour yourself a cold one, and laugh through the misery alongside us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We Need To Talk About Cuba | Jeremy Corbyn interview
Jeremy Corbyn has been no stranger to international solidarity in his long career as a politician.
He sat down with Ava to discuss his campaigning for the blockade to be lifted on Cuba, after a summer of campaigning which led him to travel to the Caribbean island to show his support for its people.
Corbyn also breaks down his assessment of Andy Burnham's time as Labour leader to this point, and how the former Manchester mayor can solidify Labour's recent spike in the polls.
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What I didn't get to say on BBC Newsnight
Ava and Seán take to the studio to chat through Ava's appearance on the beeb last week, on the topic of immigration.
Having had a couple of chances to speak on a crammed show, she and Seán get into the meat of the arguments started on the telly.
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Nobel-Winning economist: AI WILL Destroy Democracy | Daron Acemoglu interview
Daron Acemoglu is a Nobel Prize-winning economist and author of What Happened to Liberal Democracy.
He joined Ava to explain why liberal democracy is facing one of its biggest crises in generations — and what needs to change to save it.
Acemoglu argues that the problems facing democracies go much deeper than individual politicians. Across the UK, US and Europe, trust in political institutions has eroded as economic growth has become less widely shared, communities have weakened and the relationship between political elites and working-class voters has fractured.
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Trump will lead to America's downfall | Owen Jones Interview
Owen Jones makes his PolJOE debut to talk all things Western decline, chatting to Ava about where everything went wrong.
His new book, The Fall of the West, recaptures the narrative of our present economic, military, and moral crises. From Western support for Israel to Trump's creeping authoritarianism, to the legacy of Iraq and deindustrialisation, Owen exposes the hypocrisy and danger of concentrated wealth.
Find Owen's book:
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/468587/the-fall-of-the-west-by-jones-owen/9780241740644
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Trump's Greenland Deal Isn't What You Think | Scott Lucas interview
Ava is once again joined by friend of the podcast Scott Lucas to break down the latest in the world of Donald Trump. He had a busy couple of days in New York where he met Andy Burnham face-to-face, but another of the big stories at the UN was the long-awaited "deal" on Greenland. Scott breaks down what actually happened in the US/Denmark/Greenland trilat.
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Going deep on Ed Sheeran's Palestine downfall
Ed Sheeran dropped Macklemore from his tour over the artist's pro-Palestine platform. He played his last gig alone, after all of his supporting artists (and his backing band) dropped out in solidarity.
Ava and Seán break down what on earth happened, and react to Sheeran's apology.
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Who broke Britain's energy system? | Arthur Downing interview
Arthur Downing is an energy expert. His new book, Power and the People, charts the history of British energy, and, critically, how things got so bad.
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Cory Doctorow: AI isn't Dangerous. America Is.
There's only one story in town at the moment. With Dario Amodei running around telling us all how dangerous he and his acolytes are, while Trump tells us we need to deregulate more than we already have, everyone's asking: Is AI about to end the world?
Cory Doctorow joins Ava to discuss this, breaking down the good and bad of the industry, and why the problem is far deeper than just the latest software Silicon Valley is imposing on the world.
Cory Doctorow's new book The Reverse Centaur's guide to Life after AI...
Peter Oborne on Nigel Farage's downfall, and Labour's Palestine U-turn
Ava was joined by journalist for the Middle East Eye and author of Complicit, Peter Oborne. They break down the latest scandal engulfing Nigel Farage, and the Labour Party's change of heart on Palestine, by slapping sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
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Gary Stevenson: Tax wealth NOW or prepare for poverty
In what may be Gary Stevenson's last ever interview, he spoke to PoliticsJOE about his new documentary How To Get Filthy Rich, the need for wealth taxes, and how we got into this mess in the first place.
How To Get Filthy Rich is available now on Channel 4 streaming.
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Gerry Adams on Andy Burnham, the far-right, and the breakup of the UK
Gerry Adams is one of the most significant political figures on these islands of the last fifty years, and he has taken time out of his busy schedule to speak to PoliticsJOE.
In a conversation just days before the coronation of Andy Burnham and days after the burning of nationalist effigies on bonfires across his hometown, Adams speaks to us about the necessary next steps for Burnham's government, how to quell the rise of the far-right, and how to prepare for the end of the union with Britain.
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How The UK Is Letting Silicon Valley Take Over | Beeban Kidron interview
Baroness Beeban Kidron is a filmmaker and tech campaigner, and she joined Ava at Sunday Papers Live recently to speak about her book Users: How Big Tech Took Control and How to Fight Back.
During the course of the conversation, Kidron breaks down the ways in which big tech have wormed their way into democracy to warp regulatory structures for their own benefit. She also explains how they've knowingly harmed the lives of their users, and offers solutions for governments to fight back.
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What does Andy Burnham’s Britain look like?
Labour's leadership nominations opened today and, so far, Burnham remains unopposed on his march to Number 10. But who is Andy Burnham, and what does he want for Britain? Andy and Seán recap what we know so far, and speculate as to how Burnham might build a cabinet.
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Nigel Farage's resignation stunt backfires | PMQs reaction
With Keir Starmer away on NATO duty it's Deputies Day at PMQs, but Ava and Seán are still here to unpack the drama.
Nigel Farage's resignation stunt has lost some momentum after all the major parties announced they wouldn't be standing a candidate in Farage's 'People v Establishment' by-election, meaning the Reform leader will spend his summer battling Count Binface for the seat.
At the despatch box, David Lammy and James Cleverly clash over prison records and jury reform.
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I exposed Nigel Farage's criminal benefactor | Sunday Times Investigation
Ava is joined by Venetia Menzies of Insight, the investigations team at The Sunday Times.
Over the weekend, Venetia and her colleagues published a story uncovering the extent of the relationship between Reform's Nigel Farage and 'Posh' George Cottrell, a convicted felon, as well as a potential breach of the parliamentary rules linked to gifts from Cottrell to Farage.
Menzies breaks down the story and the investigation leading up to it.
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The walls are closing in on Nigel Farage
Another week, another Reform scandal. Ava, Andy and Seán react to news of an investigation into Nigel Farage after it emerged he accepted gifts from one George Cottrell, an old friend and colleague, before he became an MP.
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Why We Need to Abolish Politicians | Hélène Landemore interview
In this interview, Yale political scientist Hélène Landemore, author of Politics Without Politicians, argues that the political systems we take for granted are no longer fit for purpose. As trust in politicians reaches historic lows across Britain, Europe and the United States, Landemore makes the case that elections alone may no longer be enough to produce governments that truly represent ordinary people.
Drawing on examples from Ancient Athens, France, Ireland, the United States, and the UK, she explains why professional politicians often become disconnected from the people they represent—and why citizens chosen by lott...
Beginning of the end of Keir Starmer | PMQs analysed
Ava and Andy take to the studio to break down Keir Starmer's first PMQs since resigning, where he defended his government's record since taking office in 2024.
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The Biggest Lie about Capitalism | Mariana Mazzucato interview
In this episode, we sit down with renowned economist, author, and founder of the UCL Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose, Professor Mariana Mazzucato, to discuss her new book The Common Good Economy: A New Compass, and why she believes modern capitalism is failing to deliver for ordinary people.
From Palantir's NHS contracts and the future of AI governance to Thames Water, steel, industrial strategy, and the green transition, Mariana argues that governments have lost confidence in shaping markets around public purpose. Instead, she says, we've created an economy that too often socialises risk while privatising reward.<...
Is Andy Burnham's win the death of Blue Labour? | Jonathan Hinder interview
As Labour grapples with falling poll ratings, the rise of Reform UK, and growing questions about its political identity, Labour MP Jonathan Hinder joins PoliticsJOE to discuss the future of the party, the influence of Blue Labour, and why so many traditional Labour voters have drifted away.
In this wide-ranging interview, Hinder argues that Labour has lost touch with many of the working-class communities it was founded to represent. He discusses why issues such as immigration, economic security, national identity, workplace democracy, and public ownership have become central to political debate, and why Labour must rebuild trust...
Going deep on the Makerfield by-election
Before the people of Makerfield head to the polls to potentially crown the next Prime Minister, Ava and Seán break down what they saw on the ground there last week.
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Keir Starmer BANS social media for under-16s
Ava and Andy return to the PolJOE sofa to dive deep on Keir Starmer's social media ban, weighing the pros, cons, and wider implications. Is this a well-considered crackdown or a desperate lurch for legacy?
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Hasan Piker meets Jeremy Corbyn | Israel, Trump, and the death of free speech
Jeremy Corbyn is no stranger to media and political pile-ons. Neither is Hasan Piker.
Hasan was due to grace the PolJOE dungeon with his presence, for a chat with the former leader of the Labour Party, but the UK government had other ideas.
Himself and his uncle, Cenk Uygur, had their e-visas revoked by the Home Office, who believed their arrival would not be "conducive to the public good." We decided to find out whether that was true or not by carrying on with the interview regardless.
Hasan and Corbyn...
The truth about the Belfast riots | Claire Hanna interview
Ava is joined by Claire Hanna, the Social Democratic and Labour Party MP for Belfast South and Mid Down, to break down the recent violence and unrest in Northern Ireland.
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Why is Starmer So Slow on Fixing Student Loans? With the Conservative's Ruth Davidson
For millions of graduates, student loans are just another deduction on the payslip. But what does Plan 2 actually mean — and why has it become one of the most controversial policies affecting young people in Britain?
This week, Ava Santina takes a deep dive into the student loan system created under the Cameron-Clegg coalition and asks whether today's graduates have been sold a raw deal. From ÂŁ9,000 tuition fees and RPI-linked interest rates to frozen repayment thresholds and balances that seem to grow despite years of repayments, Ava unpacks how the system works and why it has become a pol...
Starmer fumes at Farage for "exploiting" Henry Nowak tragedy
At the centre of this week's PMQs was the tragic killing of Henry Nowak, which some political figures seem to have used for their own ends. Seán is joined by Charlie Herbert of The London Economic to breakdown the session.
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Can Labour win back the unions?
Simon Dubbins is the Head of International at Unite the union, and came by the JOE studios to speak to us before the leadership race for General Secretary in one of Britain's biggest unions. He speaks to Laura and Andy about the union's changing relationship with the Labour party, the shift in member's politics, and how to reignite the ties between the Labour party and the workers' movement
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Hasan Piker banned from the UK & SNP in turmoil
Monday has come around again. Andy and Seán react to Nicola Sturgeon's headline interview with Laura Kuenssberg yesterday in light of her estranged husband's admission to embezzling funds from the SNP, as well as to the news that Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has been barred from entering the UK.
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Extremist Billionaires are Taking Over the Internet | Taylor Lorenz interview
Taylor Lorenz is the journalist mapping out the culture of the internet and everything surrounding it. She took time out to swing by the JOE dungeon to speak to us about the growing power of the right in the online world, their ever-tightening grip on regulations of the internet and speech in the digital space, and how to fight back against it.
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Boomers created an economy that FAILS young people
As Britain faces a lost generation of over a million young people not in education or employment, the author of a sobering report into the epidemic, Alan Milburn, speaks to Ava about what the government need to do to put an end to the crisis in opportunities for young people.
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Why I walked off Piers Morgan Uncensored
In the wake of Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom rallys in Central London, Ava went on Piers Morgan to debate the happenings on and off the stage.
The conversation quickly descended into chaos as contributors, wilfully or not, misunderstood what was being discussed, and the severity of it.
It all came to a head when a contributor made a baffling accusation of Ava, which led her to walk out.
Her and Seán run through the show and what led to the moment.
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When will Tony Blair get lost?
Ava, Andy, and Seán brave the heat to cover Tony Blair's latest meddling, with the former PM's institute publishing an essay critical of Labour's lack of direction. Those named include Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting, and of course Keir Starmer himself.
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The truth about Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom rally
Ava is joined by broadcaster and activist Nicola Thorp to hear what she saw on the ground at last Saturday's Unite the Kingdom rally.
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Why the far-right HATE London | Sadiq Khan interview
Sadiq Khan marked ten years in City Hall this May, and Ava joined the Mayor of London to walk back through a decade running Britain's capital.
Sadiq's time in charge has been far from smooth. From Conservative administrations to conspiracy theories, the Mayor of London has fought against opposition from all angles to get his agenda through.
During the chat, Sadiq speaks about the pockets of offline and online opposition to his leadership of the city, and how he pushes back against those who want to do London down.
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What I saw at Tommy Robinson's right-wing march
Laura reflects on her journey to Central London last Saturday for the Unite the Kingdom rally, fronted by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon aka Tommy Robinson. She breaks down the faces seen on the ground, the ideology, fragmented as it was, of the attendees, and key takeaways from the day.
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This is how Labour can transform Britain's economy | Economist and Labour MP Jeevun Sandher
Jeevun Sandher is a Labour MP and economist, and swung by the studio to speak to us about the economy, Labour and Keir Starmer's woes, and how to turn around the government's fortunes.
For Sandher, affordability is key. He breaks down key issues he saw on the doorstep from 2015 until today, and how both real and imagined threats have mobilised the country around a far-right alternative in Reform UK. He explains how a drop in living standards has led to Brits up and down the land turning away from parties like Labour and turning towards Farage...
Is Keir Starmer finished? PMQs analysis
Ava and Andy sit down to break down Keir Starmer's first PMQs back from recess as his own MPs circle and call for him to resign. Will he make it to another PMQs session?
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Will the Greens block Burnham's path to No 10?
Ava and Andy take to the PolJOE sofa to unpack last week's chaos, from Wes Streeting's sustained meddling to Mayor Burnham's prospects in the upcoming Makerfield by-election.
Watch Ava's Your Party explainer: https://youtu.be/5WnxZFg_J9U
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The sinister plot behind the far-right's shift on Israel | Norman Finkelstein interview
Norman Finkelstein is the foremost scholar on the politics of Palestine and Israel since the foundation of the Israeli state.
He took time out of his busy schedule to speak to us about the deepening crisis in free speech across the globe that has stemmed from public opposition to Western complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
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Q&A: Will Wes Streeting be Prime Minister?
Ava Santina and Andy Twelves sit down to answer your questions about a potential Labour leadership contest after a crazy week in British politics.
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