The first ceasefire deal in the Israel/Hamas conflict has been signed and hostages have been released. How will the war continue after this pause ends? Yair Wallach is a cultural historian of modern Palestine/Israel at SOAS University of London and joins the panel to discuss. Plus, With the Tories suffering so much in the polls how scared of the Reform UK party should they be? And in the extra bit for subscribers we ask: has Rishi Sunak lost his marbles? We unpack his row with Greece over ancien...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 270
Net migration is at a record high in the UK, and as you might expect the Tories are tearing their hair out over it. After the failure of the Rwanda plan, Home Secretary James Cleverly sayid that plan is not the “be all and end all”, angering those on the very right of his party. Can Sunak provide a credible answer to the backlash the Tory party has received over its migration policies? Or has it lost all public trust? And the general election is somewhere on the horizon, but does it really matte...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 269
Hold tight for the white-hot excitement of the Autumn Statement! Why is Jeremy Hunt cutting taxes when public services are in the toilet? And what’s gone under the radar? Special guest Miatta Fahnbulleh of the New Economics Foundation has the receipts and the cheats. Plus, the great inheritance tax panic. Why is a tax that only 4% of estates pay such a hot potato? Boost the economy! Don’t miss the Podmasters Christmas Market at podmarket.co.uk • “Hunt said very little about how he’s going to res...
Nov 24, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 268
The Rwanda plan is in tatters but when did that ever stop the Government from ploughing on mindlessly? Plus, is it hard to wage war on the House of Lords when that’s where your new Foreign Secretary sits? And why Suella Braverman’s fulminating letter to Sunak was exactly the same as ‘Stan’ by Eminem. Don’t miss the Podmasters Christmas Market at podmarket.co.uk ...with discounts available for backers! https://www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow • “The Tories are not trying to distract US with Rwanda. T...
Nov 21, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 267
Complete our listener survey for a chance to win an OGWN t-shirt or mug: https://www.patreon.com/posts/92531764 The Supreme Court throws out the Government’s Rwanda plan quicker than a Cruella tantrum. Is the infamous scheme dead or will the Government have the brass neck to appeal to the ECHR? Plus the Thug Life madness of the Braverman Letter, why David Cameron is the Harold Bishop of Conservatism, Greg Hands finds there is no job left, and Esther McVey, Minister for GB News. This week’s speci...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 266
Complete our listener survey for a chance to win an OGWN t-shirt or mug: https://www.patreon.com/posts/92531764 Suella Braverman’s out (finally) and former PM David Cameron’s in – what on Earth is going on?! The panel reflects on Braverman’s sacking and the latest reshuffle. Plus, free firework displays and other events of the sort are becoming more rare up and down the country. Are cash-strapped councils pricing young people out of culture? Is it even their fault? “Braverman was a liability.” –...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 265
Complete our listener survey for a chance to win an OGWN t-shirt: https://www.patreon.com/posts/92531764 Imagine waiting 73 years to become King and then you get dog-end policies from the bottom of a dying government’s drawer for your first speech to Parliament. We look at what’s in Rishi’s Big Plans – cigs! pedicabs! – and what’s conspicuous by its absence. Plus, does it matter whether Starmer is “statesmanlike” on Gaza or not? And Dorian sets up the Institution for Neutral Thinking. Dr Robert ...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 264
“Watch this space” said Rishi Sunak ahead of the King’s speech – well we have been watching it and it’s been catastrophic so far. Apart from vowing to halt climate saving policies, what is their long term plan and is there even a point of having one? PLUS, it’s almost exactly a year until the polls open in the US election, how are things looking? Could Trump turn it around, or is it in the bag for Biden and the Democrats? This week’s guest is Julie Norman, co-director of the Centre on US Politic...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 263
Dominic Cummings gave a colourful account of life in Downing Street at the Covid inquiry this week. Other than him describing people as “morons” and “useless f**k-pigs” – what else did we learn? Plus, our guest this week is the public policy editor of the Financial Times, Peter Foster. He joins the panel to discuss his new book – What Went Wrong With Brexit And What We Can Do About It. Peter Foster’s book: https://canongate.co.uk/books/5012-what-went-wrong-with-brexit-and-what-we-can-do-about-it...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 262
War in Gaza is getting worse by the day. How is Labour and the rest of Europe dealing with the conflict between Israel and Hamas? TIME writer Yasmeen Serhan has been speaking to people inside the war zone – she shares what she’s learned from those conversations. Plus, who on Earth would want to be an MP in today's day and age? Well, hundreds apparently. Will the next generation emerge to be great political leaders? Or will we be short of Parliamentary talent once again? "I can understand why peo...
Oct 31, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 261
After being battered by two byelections, where could the Tories possibly turn next? That’s right more of the same – no wonder the votes of no confidence are pouring into the 1922 committee. PLUS, Speaking of pouring, the water companies are destroying our waterways and running away with huge profits. Why? And how can we fix the system? Prominent Water campaigner Feargal Sharkey joins the panel to discuss all that. And in the extra bit for subscribers the panel answers the question: How do we sto...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 260
Two disastrous by-election losses have sent the Tories into crisis as Rishi Sunak approaches a year in office. What can we expect next from this flailing and failing party? Plus, is private healthcare becoming the norm for more Britons? And, if so, could that impact the NHS’s ability to provide a better service? “Both Sunak and Hands are committed to this line that it’s all about turnout.” – Hannah Fearn “Why are Conservative PMs so bad with their phones?” – Zoe Grunewald We’re on YouTube!: http...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 259
SPECIAL EDITION: You’ve made your Mid-Beds, now lie in it. As Labour register stupendous victories in the former constituencies of tragic never-to-be Baroness Dorries (Mid-Beds) and poster boy for nominative determinism Chris Pincher (Tamworth), the Conservatives break out their emergency supplies of copium. What does it all mean? Alex Andreou and Andrew Harrison read the entrails of two historic by-elections. Audio producer: Alex Rees. Theme music by Cornershop. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. G...
Oct 20, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 258
The Israel-Hamas conflict is as intense as ever – but who can we trust to tell us what we need to know? The panel discusses the latest. Plus, the prospect of Donald Trump winning the next US election looms. What would that mean for Europe? And in the extra bit for subscribers a group of MEP’s were diverted to Disneyland in a bizarre turn of events earlier this week, what’s the weirdest diversion our panel have faced in their careers? That’s Oh God, What Now? with guest Brian Klaas, associate pro...
Oct 20, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 257
The second leg of the Covid Inquiry is very much underway and Johnson’s government looks evermore like a "terrible, tragic joke". They’re not our words but those of Cabinet Secretary Simon Case. What else did we learn about the handling of the pandemic? And there’s been a small influx of Tory defection to Labour, meanwhile, former SNP MP Lisa Cameron has moved over to the Conservatives. What’s going on? “It’s a sort of confirmation of what we thought might be the worst case scenario.” – Alex And...
Oct 17, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 256
The Labour Party Conference is over – Keir Starmer glittered, but did he shine? We’ve got reaction from Labour MP Stella Creasy, Rock and Roll Politics host Steve Richards and The Trawl podcast’s Marina Purkiss. The panel also discusses the best political orators from the past and present. And in the extra bit for subscribers – what's the scary new appeal of the occult and the irrational? “It was quite bizarre really to be somewhere so normal.” – Jacob Jarvis. “It was an unremarkable speech and ...
Oct 13, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 255
Labour’s Conference in Liverpool is rammed and optimistic but Starmer is desperate not to look triumphalist. What must he do this week to seal the deal with Britain? Plus, as Hamas’s atrocities horrify the world, we look at what the unprecedented crisis in Israel means – the monstrous arguments that certain people think it’s OK to make – and why blue ticks are a red flag. Dorian Lynskey, Hannah Fearn and Alex Andreou are joined by special guest Hugo Rifkind of The Times. • “If you compare Starme...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 254
We really didn’t think things could get much worse, then Rishi Sunak took to the stage. His Tory conference speech was almost indescribable in terms of how awful it was. Suella Braverman was also at it being her usual offensive self, while the party decided to have a little flirt with Nigel Farage too. Plus, we discuss the issue of respect in politics – and how MPs can prove to the public they respect them. Luke Tryl, the UK director of More in Common, joins the panel to discuss research on this...
Oct 06, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 253
If Rishi Sunak hoped the Tory conference might be a gathering of friendly faces he must be very disappointed. The constant HS2 controversy is bogging him down and he’s witnessing rivals pitch to replace him already… Plus, while the Conservatives fall apart, Labour aren’t without their wobbles. Is Starmer too quickly knocked off course when the media turns nasty? “There is a sense that the right-wingers are on the front foot, and that the one nation Tories are taking a back seat.” – Ros Taylor “T...
Oct 03, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 252
Forget HS2, the current systems of public transport we have barely work. Other countries can manage it, so why can’t we? Are transport issues going to be a big selling point in the next election? Plus, Britons are more liberal now since the National Centre for Social Research began its first survey in 1983. Does that surprise you? And in the extra bit for subscribers, the Hollywood writers’ strike is over, what’s been agreed to get our favourite shows back on our screens? “People like the idea o...
Sep 29, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 251
HS2 was greenlit over a decade ago and now the Manchester extension seems doomed. What does that say about Sunak’s priorities? Does he even have a mandate anymore? And even if he does, is it too late to make it make sense? Plus, hands up, who hates London? Will the UK ever sort out the North vs South debate? That’s Oh God, What Now? with Andrew Harrison, Alex Andreou and Marie Le Conte. “In the end it will just be two steam trains between two villages ironically named HS2.” – Alex Andreou. “A go...
Sep 26, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 250
Rupert Murdoch has finally retired… kind of. He’s stepping down as Fox and News Corps chairman. His son, Lachlan, will now take on the role, how will he rule? And what does this all mean for Fox News and the rest of the media mogul’s empire? Dan Cassino is a Professor of Government and Politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He’s also the author of Fox News and American Politics: How One Channel Shapes American Politics and Society. “I think we are past a crisis point with Fox News … and I t...
Sep 22, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 249
This week's sponsor is the Disorder Podcast - listen here: https://linktr.ee/disorderpod Rishi Sunak disappoints again on the environment – the panel give their reaction to the delays he announced on key Net Zero deadlines. Plus, ‘Broken Britain’ is a phrase we’ve been hearing for a while but now it’s not just the left saying it. Is there a general consensus across all sides? And the online safety bill is still knocking around but it’s getting ever close to passing. Tech expert and founder of Fa...
Sep 22, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 248
This week's sponsor is the Disorder Podcast - listen here: https://linktr.ee/disorderpod As Liz Truss defends tanking the economy, the Government is wrangling whether to keep giving more money to OAPs. Is a pension crisis looming? Plus, Starmer’s been trotting around the world in an attempt to fix some of the damage of the last 13 years – will the likes of the EU listen? Or have we pushed it too far? “Starmer wants to see a cultural change in our attitudes to the EU - to take the toxicity out of...
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 247
With unions gathering for the TUC conference, parties are setting out how to engage with workers. Will Sunak change, and how will Starmer deal with them? Plus, we take a deep dive into Starmer’s leadership. How does he compare to the likes of Harold Wilson - when (if ever) will he have his own ‘white heat’ moment? That’s Oh God, What Now? With special guest Anthony Broxton, who runs the Tides of History project and is author of Hope and Glory: Rugby League in Thatcher’s Britain. https://www.pitc...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 246
There’s no escape for Justice Secretary Alex Chalk as he faces questions over the state of our justice system. Daniel Khalife’s runner from HMP Wandsworth is only a small example of its decaying state. So why does a government with such a hardline stance on crime struggle to fund the justice system? Plus, comedian Matt Green tells us why our plight often makes us want to laugh as he discusses political comedy in bleak times. And hope is on the horizon – literally. The UK’s rejoining the EU’s Hor...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 245
There’s concrete evidence the Tories have messed up again – literally. School roofs are crumbling, but the Government is bragging at least most are fine… Plus, the PM says he cares about Net Zero, but does he really? And in the extra bit for subscribers, hot mic moments can reveal more than a whole interview. But are they ethical? That’s Oh God, What Now? With very special guest, Labour MP for Brent North, Barry Gardiner. “It’s a perfect physical manifestation of 13 years of the Tories being in ...
Sep 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 244
As Rishi Sunak wrangles with the school cement fiasco, he’s also been forced into a timid reshuffle. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has also tweaked his top team. Who’s in, who’s out and who cares? And Penny Mordaunt wants to give young people National Service (but not really) to increase "resilience and pride". Out of touch? Or is this a scheme that could actually work? “It’s not so much mismanagement as it is the entire Conservative approach.” – Ros Taylor “It really is the epitome of everything a go...
Sep 05, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 243
Suella Braverman’s told the police to get tougher on crime – but do they have the resources? She’s also keen to get people back on the Bibby Stockholm and hasn’t ruled out putting tags on migrants. Plus, what slogan should Labour use next? The panel answers your questions. And, for subscribers only, a search for the Loch Ness monster has just taken place – the panel reveals the mysteries they were obsessed with as youngsters. “I think Braverman has come out of this Summer with her position in re...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 242
Nadine Dorries has finally gone (we think), but her behaviour will stick in our minds forever. She’s not the only Tory MP to have let us all down over the last 13 years. So why are the parliamentary standards of this government so abysmal? Plus, a closer relationship with Europe could be key to the UK’s future. So how does Labour go about that, especially when it persists with its messaging that it will ‘make Brexit work’? That’s Oh God, What Now? with special guest, Labour MP for Walthamstow, S...
Aug 30, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 241
