Oh God, What Now? - podcast cover

Oh God, What Now?

Podmasterstwitter.com
Making sense of our political hell every Tuesday and Friday! Oh God, What Now? is the no-bulls**t politics podcast, making the unbearable bearable with top quality guests and analysis, plus poor quality jokes.  Regulars include: Dorian Lynskey, author of The Ministry Of Truth: A Biography of Orwell’s 1984 and host of Origin Story • Writer and commentator Ros Taylor • Rachel Cunliffe of the New Statesman • Writer and host of This Is Not A Drill Gavin Esler • Social affairs journalist Hannah Fearn • Comedian Matt Green • The Lead's Westminster Editor Zoë Grünewald • Group Editor Andrew Harrison • Journalist Marie Le Conte • Podmasters Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis • New Statesman columnist Jonn Elledge • Guardian writer Rafael Behr Sign up and get ad-free shows earlier than anyone else: patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow. Oh God, What Now? is a Podmasters production
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Episodes

Grenfell report: The lessons from a tragic tale of greed

• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. The final Grenfell Tower fire report told a story of tragedy, greed, and dishonesty. What can Starmer’s Labour Party learn from the mistakes made that led to 72 lost lives? Plus, we speak to Andrew Connelly about the new podcast Fortress Europe, a seven-part podcast series that explores how years of brutal, dehumanising, anti-migrant policies have had their impact across the continent. And in the final part of the show new research suggests more peo...

Sep 10, 202456 minSeason 2Ep. 370

Trading Blows: PMQs clashes, right-wing media moves and EU talks explained

• New second live date in Liverpool, Tue 24 Sept. Tickets here. • OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. Parliament is back and so is PMQs, the right-wing media is on one and trading with the EU is still confusing. The panel discusses the latest flashpoints, what’s happening at the Telegraph and the Spectator, and guest Dmitry Grozoubinski, author of Why Politicians Lie About Trade... and What You Need to Know About It, delves into what our current situation is with the EU under a new Labo...

Sep 06, 20241 hr 1 minSeason 2Ep. 369

24 Hour Party People: Parliament's back! What now?

• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. After what felt like the longest recess ever, finally, Parliament is back. What are Labour’s priorities and what backlash is Starmer facing? The panel is joined by Tim Roca, the first Labour MP to represent Macclesfield in over 100 years, to discuss – and to ask about his own goals in the Commons and for his constituents. We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Jacob Jarvis with Rafael Behr ...

Sep 03, 20241 hr 2 minSeason 2Ep. 368

(50) Days of Starmer – What have we found out about the PM?

• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. • New second live date in Liverpool, Tue 24 Sept. Tickets here. Starmer has been in office more than 50 days – at least he’s beaten Liz Truss there, but his approval ratings have fallen. Is that because people now know more about him and don’t like what they see? Or is it just a natural decline in popularity? Plus, the UK’s criminal justice system has been described as being in “crisis”. Prisons are overcrowded and there aren’t enough prison officer...

Aug 30, 20241 hr 10 minSeason 2Ep. 367

Keir Starmer: "We've gotta roll with it"

• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. • New second live date in Liverpool, Tue 24 Sept. Tickets here. Keir Starmer has painted a bleak picture of Britain’s future over the next few years. Is he being a needlessly miserable sod, or just realistic? And there have been multiple arrests over social media posts supporting the rioting a couple of weeks ago. Has social media made people think that actions don’t have consequences – and what are we going to do about it? • Get exclusive Nord VPN ...

Aug 28, 20241 hrSeason 2Ep. 366

Identity Crisis: Keir Starmer’s Britain and Kamala Harris’s United States

• New second live date in Liverpool, TUE 24 SEPT. Tickets here. • OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. Labour’s aspiration to transcend culture wars is easier said than done. What’s Starmer’s take on the politics of identity and can he paint a more hopeful picture of Britain? Director of British Future and author of How to Be a Patriot, Sunder Katwala, joins the panel. Plus the DNC has got Democrats hyped, but how unified are Democrats really? And what is Kamala Harris’s vision for Ameri...

Aug 23, 20241 hr 12 minSeason 2Ep. 365

That Thing Unions Do!

• We’re LIVE at the Old Market Theatre, Hove on Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. Liverpool on Mon 23 Sept now sold out! The right-wing press has gone off the rails after Labour struck a deal on train driver pay to end strikes. So, are union barons really going to rule the country now? Or is it the media having a meltdown again? Plus, Liz Truss and David Frost say Starmer is "a threat to free speech". What’s this latest row about – and should we totally ignore it? • Get our exclusive Nord VPN deal at no...

Aug 20, 202457 minSeason 2Ep. 364

New Kids on the Block

• We’re LIVE at the Old Market Theatre, Hove on Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. Over half of the MPs elected in July’s Labour landslide are new to the Commons. Jim Murphy led the Scottish Labour Party and in 1997 he was propelled into Parliament for the first time, after winning the Tory stronghold of Eastwood. He joins the panel to discuss his experiences and what his advice is for up-and-coming MPs. Plus, did anyone watch Elon Musk’s conversation with Donald Trump on X? It was wild, rambling, and fu...

Aug 16, 20241 hr 16 minSeason 2Ep. 363

Riots aftermath: Where do we go from here?

• OGWN Live in Liverpool, Mon 23 Sept. Tickets here. • OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. As the dust settles from the far-right riots of the past two weeks – has the violence and the backlash against it changed the country or revealed something about it? Plus, across the pond, the Democratic Party is having a ball. Have they found the winning ticket to beat Trump? Or could things crumble very quickly? We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatno...

Aug 13, 20241 hr 5 minSeason 2Ep. 362

The Fascist and the Furious

• OGWN Live in Liverpool, Mon 23 Sept. Tickets here. • OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. Immigrants across all parts of the UK have been reported to be living in fear over the violent anti-immigration riots. Many of the rioters say they have “legitimate concerns” - but is that just total bullshit? Because immigration is so central to this issue, what are Labour’s plans apart from scrapping the Rwanda plan? UK and EU migration expert Zoe Gardner joins the panel to discuss all of that. ...

Aug 09, 20241 hr 17 minSeason 2Ep. 360

Liars, Liars, Streets On Fire

• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here. • OGWN Live in Liverpool, Mon 23 Sept. Tickets here. Following the horrific knife attack in Southport that left three young girls dead, England has seen a mass of violence sweeping the country. That violence has been spurred on by misinformation allowed to spread like wildfire across social media. Hope Not Hate’s Director of Research, Joe Mulhall, joins the panel to discuss what’s happening, why, and how it can be stopped. Plus, Should we call out p...

Aug 06, 20241 hr 4 minSeason 2Ep. 359

Greens co-leader Carla Denyer full interview – “We’re here to get Greens elected and get stuff done”

The Greens pulled off an all-time best performance in the 2024 General Election, doubling their vote share to a historic high of 6.4% and winning four MPs. But can they handle the transition from outsiders to effective Parliamentary party? How do they square the need to remake Britain as a low-carbon economy and the traditional Green suspicion of development? And can they peel away disillusioned left voters from Labour? Co-leader Carla Denyer talks to Andrew Harrison about another green world. •...

Aug 02, 202439 minSeason 2Ep. 358

Tory leadership: Let’s get ready to grumble!

We’re live in Liverpool on Mon 23 Sept for Labour’s first conference in government. Join Dorian Lynskey, Raf Behr, Jonn Elledge and a special guest TBA at the Laughterhouse – tickets here. The Tory bust up over who should be the party’s next leader is underway. Who is in the running, what do they want and is there a least worst option? Plus, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer tells Andrew Harrison what her party wants to achieve in Parliament and gives her take on Labour’s green platform. And An...

Aug 02, 20241 hr 8 minSeason 2Ep. 355

Supermassive Black Hole

• We’re live in Liverpool on Mon 23 Sept for Labour’s first conference in government. Join Dorian Lynskey, Raf Behr, Jonn Elledge and a special guest TBA – tickets here Rachel Reeves revealed a £20bn black hole in public finances in a speech on Monday. How did the Tory Party let it get so bad? And what must Labour now cut to fix the mess? Plus, why did the Liberal Democrats do so well in this election? Newly elected Lib Dem MP for Chichester and first non-Tory for her constituency in 100 years, ...

Jul 30, 202459 minSeason 2Ep. 354

Bark at the Honeymoon

Prime Minister Starmer (still getting used to that) faced his first PMQs this week. How did he do? And does Sunak make a better opposition leader than he does PM? Plus, Kamala Harris is all but confirmed as the Democratic nominee. What attack lines can we expect from the RNC now? Can the oldest presidential nominee in US history, Donald Trump, even afford to fund any more after splurging ageism attacks on Biden? And in the Extra Bit for subscribers: Andy Murray quit, Southgate quit, Biden quit a...

Jul 26, 20241 hr 12 minSeason 2Ep. 353

Wake Me Up Before You Go, Joe

President Joe Biden’s decision not to run for a second term wasn’t exactly a shock, but what does it mean for the race for the White House? And could Vice President Kamala Harris beat Trump if she were the Democratic nominee? Rolling Stone Magazine politics reporter and co-host of our companion podcast American Friction Nikki McCann Rámirez, joins the panel. Plus, Keir Starmer’s been busy improving relations with Europe. No, we’re not rejoining the EU before you ask, but could things be about to...

Jul 23, 202458 minSeason 2Ep. 352

Special: When the Ministers talked to OGWN

Keir Starmer’s new cabinet is full of our past guests. So we thought, why not revisit some of those classic interviews to see what they tell us about the big figures of the new era of politics? Come back in time as we talk to David Lammy, Bridget Phillipson, Wes Streeting, Lisa Nandy and Ed Miliband on episodes of Remainiacs and The Bunker of yore. The moral: If you want to get into Cabinet, be a guest on our podcast… • The Pension Confident Podcast from PensionBee aims to improve listeners’ und...

Jul 22, 202435 minSeason 2Ep. 351

The Great British Brakes Off

King Prince Charles makes his first speech of Labour era, announcing a raft of legislation that will “take the brakes off Britain”. What was in it, what wasn’t and what does it all say about how Starmer will govern? Plus, with election candidates under increasing threat of abuse and harassment, what can be done to make the job safer? And in the Extra Bit for subscribers, if you absolutely HAD to save the Tories from extinction, how would you do it? • Get exclusive NordVPN deal here – https://nor...

Jul 19, 20241 hr 5 minSeason 2Ep. 350

Trump: The shot heard around the world

The assassination attempt against Donald Trump shocks the world. Has it handed Trump an unbeatable advantage in the Presidential election? And can Biden withdraw now even if he wants to? Plus, England’s moment of national euphoria in the Euros is fated not to happen. Is the football-based feelgood factor in politics real or just a figment of the collective imagination – or both? • The Pension Confident Podcast from PensionBee aims to improve listeners’ understanding of personal finance – whether...

Jul 16, 20241 hr 5 minSeason 2Ep. 349

Mr. Starmer Goes to Washington

As Prime Minister Starmer jets off for the 75th NATO summit in Washington DC, how will he perform on the global stage? And how impactful will David Lammy be as the new foreign secretary? Plus, the Lib Dems’ strategic genius, Labour’s peculiar losses, and Reform’s overrated performance – the panel unpacks some of the election trends you might have missed. And in the Extra Bit for subscribers, Dorian, Zoë, and Raf detail their most forgettable and unforgettable election nights. Get exclusive NordV...

Jul 12, 20241 hr 10 minSeason 2Ep. 348

Ikea Starmer assembles a Cabinet

Well his dad WAS a toolmaker… What’s on the agenda in Week One of the Brave New Starmer Era? What do we make of Labour’s team? Is the party’s support really “broad but shallow” and does it matter anyway? Plus, as the Far Right is unexpectedly defeated in France, we demand of Marie: Qu’est-ce que cela signifie? Andrew’s music choice: Madres by Sofia Kourtesis. Matt’s music choice: The Walls by Holly Henderson. The Pension Confident Podcast from PensionBee aims to improve listeners’ understanding ...

Jul 09, 20241 hr 4 minSeason 2Ep. 347

Election Night Live in London Part 2: The Moment of Truth

Drink in the tension in the room as we wait for the first Exit Polls of General Election 2204. LBC’s James O’Brien joins Dorian, Ros and Alex for the countdown, the reveal, and audience questions. Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ https://nordvpn.com/ohgodwhatnow. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! Support us on Patreon to get early access to all our live tickets plus mugs, t-shirts and more. Presented by Dorian Lynskey with Ros Taylor and Alex Andreou. Audio production ...

Jul 08, 202451 minSeason 2Ep. 346

Election Night Live in London Part 1: Scorn on the Fourth of July

Come with us back into the misty before-times… Election night, when we didn’t yet know the result. LBC’s James O’Brien joins Dorian, Ros and Alex for Part 1 of a nail-biting evening. Which Portillos are they expecting? How many seats do the audience think the Tories will get? And Matt Green brings his good friend the Rt Hon. Geoffrey Geoff-Geoffrey to celebrate fourteen glorious years of Conservatism. It’s dramatic irony overload! Part Two coming tomorrow. Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ h...

Jul 07, 202456 minSeason 2Ep. 345

Election Aftermath 🌹 At Long Last, Victory

Well, we got the bastards. Dorian Lynskey, Ros Taylor and Andrew Harrison gather in awe before the scale of Labour’s historic achievement. How did Starmer pull it off? What will Labour’s new era of service mean? And did we get the Portillos we wanted? Sure, there are some flies in the ointment – Farage, Corbyn, some tight victories – but this is a good-vibes-only zone. Stay for the end. It gets emotional. Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ https://nordvpn.com/ohgodwhatnow. It’s risk-free with...

Jul 05, 20241 hr 6 minSeason 2Ep. 344

Election ’24: The Calm Before The Starm

• Watch our FREE all-night Election Livestream on YouTube from 10pm til early on July 4. • Watch our Election Night Live Special on Zoom when you back us on Patreon. It’s the end of an error! In the final edition of Oh God What Now of the whole nightmare Conservative age… What have we learned about Britain, politics, campaigning and the merits of waterproofing Prime Ministers during the longest and most gruelling election campaign ever? And how will it feel to watch what could be the actual dest...

Jul 04, 202458 minSeason 2Ep. 343

What if… the Tories won the Election?

• Watch our FREE all-night Election Livestream on YouTube from 10pm til early on July 4. • Watch our Election Night Live Special on Zoom when you back us on Patreon. It couldn’t happen… could it? Everything points to a Labour landslide but regulars Jonn Elledge and Rob Hutton join Andrew Harrison for a journey into a nightmare parallel reality where Sunak somehow scrapes it. What happens? Does Starmer have to quit? Is ReformUK defanged or empowered? And what does a knackered Tory party do with a...

Jul 03, 202440 minSeason 2Ep. 342

Election ‘24: Sunak’s Last Gasp

• Don’t forget our Election Night live show, streaming to Patreon backers. Rishi Sunak told Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday that life in Britain is better now than it was in 2010. Is his campaign more delusional now than ever, or is there still time for a late Jude Bellingham-esque comeback for the Tories? The panel unpacks the weekend’s drama just days before the general election. Plus, is Marine Le Pen and her far-right National Rally party on the verge of history in France after taking a lead in t...

Jul 02, 20241 hr 6 minSeason 2Ep. 341

Election Week 5: The Beginning of the End – with Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor

In our latest bonus edition, Ros Taylor and Gavin Esler talk us through another week on the campaign trail. What was the point of the debate? Who cares about the tabloids? Why can’t we just reach polling day already? We are streaming LIVE on election night! Come and join your favourite panellists from Oh God, What Now?, The Bunker and Paper Cuts on YouTube from 10pm on Thursday 4th July as we react to the results live – you won't want to miss it. Visit https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow and s...

Jun 28, 202423 minSeason 2Ep. 340

Election ’24: Starmer – A New Hope?

• Don’t forget our Election Night live show, streaming to Patreon backers. Have Tory governments depleted all of our optimism – or could a Starmer government restore hope in politics? The panel discusses whether things really can only get better post-Sunak. And our special guest today is award-winning journalist Peter Kellner, who has served as president of YouGov and previously worked on BBC Newsnight. He joins the panel to discuss polls, Farage, and everything in between. And in the Extra Bit ...

Jun 27, 20241 hr 5 minSeason 2Ep. 339

Election bonus: Can we trust the polls? – with special guest Prof. John Curtice

In our latest bonus edition, polling guru Professor John Curtice talks Jacob Jarvis through the latest numbers – and tells us how much faith to have in what they’re predicting. What would the result be even if they were epically wrong? And what has made them shift? Plus, he gives his advice on staying awake on election night… We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production by: Tom Taylor. Vid...

Jun 26, 202430 minSeason 2Ep. 338
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