A bonus clip from the new series of science and psychology podcast, Why? – from the makers of Oh God, What Now? In Episode One: Most of us think we’re too smart, stable and strong-willed to join a cult – but clearly somebody’s joining them. So why do people willingly give up their free will and independence to join secretive communities with charismatic leaders – and how do they get out? Emma Kennedy talks to world-leading cult deprogrammer Rick Alan Ross and NXIVM cult survivor Sarah Edmondson ...
Oct 24, 2024•12 min•Season 2Ep. 385
The US election is hanging in the balance with either candidate looking just as likely to win in November. Brian Klaas , author of Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters and professor of global politics at University College London, says it’s “absurd” that the race is as close as it is and joins the panel to explain how catastrophic a Trump 2.0 Presidency could be. And in the second half, we went to see the new biopic ‘The Apprentice’ which Trump called a “politically disgusting ...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 384
It’s not been plain sailing for the Labour government since the election, but what’s the state of play within the wider party? Now we’ve had 100 days of Starmer, how are the factions behaving, and where does the real power lie? Morgan Jones is a contributing editor for Renewal and formerly of Labour List – she gives us the lowdown on it all. Plus, why has the UK economy stopped growing? And following the international investment summit is Labour capable of righting the sinking ship? Then in the ...
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 383
The Tory leadership race is down to two: Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick – did this really take the Tories by surprise? Plus, we’re 100 days into the new Government. How long does Starmer have before he has to start producing results? And Andrew Harrison talks to ITV’s Deputy Political Editor Anushka Asthana about her new book: Taken as Red How the Election Was Won and Lost – find the full interview on The Bunker later this week . Buy Taken as Red How the Election Was Won and Lost through our a...
Oct 15, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 382
We were all set for a relaxing live show in Hove and then the Tories made the worst choice since the mayor in Jaws kept the beaches open. On this feature-length show: live Jenrick/Badenoch reaction, a look at Labour’s imposter syndrome and the Conservatives’ irrational exuberance, we put the boot into Boris Johnson’ wretched book, and much, much more. • Longtime OGWN fans Make A Will Online have a special offer for fellow listeners. Go to Makeawillonline.co.uk/whatnow for a 20% discount. Don’t p...
Oct 11, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 381
• Last chance for tickets to OGWN Live in Hove at the Old Market, this Weds 9 Oct. Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff gets the Spanish Archer and nobody was expecting it… or were they? Who is her replacement Morgan McSweeney and what does he want? Can he lift Labour’s Chaos Curse? Plus – After Laura Kuenssberg accidentally torpedoes her own “scoop” interview with reclusive former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, are political journalists too close to their quarry? And who <I>really<i> wanted...
Oct 08, 2024•58 min•Season 2Ep. 380
• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here . After the Tory leadership hopefuls made their pitches to the party conference, we unpack whether they offered anything new, interesting or remotely sane. We talk it all over with Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, and author of The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation . Plus, Starmer’s been to Brussels – is he drawing the UK back towards the EU? And in the Extra Bit for subscribers, with confe...
Oct 04, 2024•55 min•Season 2Ep. 379
The Conservatives gather in Birmingham to contemplate their lost hopes and dreams (we’ve all done it). Why are Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick the frontrunners to lead what’s left of the party and where would they take it? Plus, will Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah bring peace any closer… or push it further away? • Get tickets for Levitation , the annual festival of electronic music and ideas presented by friends of the pod Castles In Space, at Bedford Esquires on Sa...
Oct 01, 2024•48 min•Season 2Ep. 378
• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here . This year’s Labour conference was the biggest in the party’s history – but what did we learn from the gathering in Liverpool? Jacob Jarvis and producer Chris Jones went up to Liverpool to speak with friends of the podcast new and old, to get their key takeaways and ask whether it went well, or badly, for Starmer and co. We’re on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/@ohgodwhatnow www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow • Get tickets for Levitation , the annual fe...
Sep 27, 2024•15 min•Season 2Ep. 377
Starmer’s Liverpool speech: the PM sticks to his guns but does Captain Competence need more pizzazz? Plus, a But Your Emails special featuring more of your brilliant questions. And in the Extra Bit for Patreon people, do freebies really move the dial? As the Tory press rage about Starmer’s free specs and Rayner’s holiday in New York, we look at the ins and outs of the political backhander. • Get tickets for Levitation , the annual festival of electronic music and ideas presented by friends of th...
Sep 26, 2024•55 min•Season 2Ep. 376
• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here . In the second half of our Labour conference live show from Liverpool, Emily Thornberry MP joins Dorian, Jonn and Zoe. They discuss the mood in the party, touch on controversies, recap the victory and much more. • The people behind Make A Will Online are longtime fans of Oh God What Now and they’ve got a special offer for fellow listeners. Go to Makeawillonline.co.uk/whatnow and you’ll get a 20% discount. Don't put off making a will, get peace of mi...
Sep 25, 2024•53 min•Season 2Ep. 375
• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here . It was a big week for Labour in Liverpool and the Oh God, What Now? gang couldn’t miss it. In a special live edition, recorded at the Laughterhouse in Liverpool, Dorian, Jonn and Zoe discuss the state of things for Labour as they head into this chaotic gathering – and what the vibe has been like at the big meet up. Here the first half of the show with this trio… and come back soon for the second half with a very special guest. • Get tickets for Lev...
Sep 24, 2024•45 min•Season 2Ep. 374
Starmer’s meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni caused quite a stir. Is it meeting with her in the first place that’s the problem? Or is it because Italy’s deal with Albania over migration is, at the very least, problematic? The panel discusses how the Government should navigate world leaders it might not agree with. Plus, Sir Ed Davey wants his Lib Dems to replace the Tories as the official opposition. Is that a real prospect or an idea as silly as his many campaign stunts? Then, in the Extra ...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 373
• OGWN Live in Hove, Weds 9 Oct. Tickets here . Party conference season is here and there’s much to talk about. What really goes on at these events, do they matter and what kind of vibe will Starmer give now he’s at the helm? Plus, the UK’s creative arts industry has some of the lowest government funding levels in Europe. Will Labour put a cash rocket up the arts? Or will it continue to let the industry decline? Alistair Barrie is a writer, actor, and comedian and joins the panel to discuss. The...
Sep 17, 2024•59 min•Season 2Ep. 372
Keir Starmer’s cut to the winter fuel allowance has passed through Parliament – but at what cost? Plus, the Harris-Trump presidential debate was dominated by Trump lying through his teeth, but do we expect any difference from him? And does this make any difference to the race for the White House? Associate professor in politics and international relations at UCL, Dr Julie Norman , joins the panel to discuss. And in the Extra Bit for subscribers, Labour is coming across as the no-fun, eat-your-gr...
Sep 13, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 371
• 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 p...
Sep 10, 2024•52 min•Season 2Ep. 370
• 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 La...
Sep 06, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 369
• 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, 2024•58 min•Season 2Ep. 368
• 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 offic...
Aug 30, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 367
• 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 VP...
Aug 28, 2024•56 min•Season 2Ep. 366
• 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 A...
Aug 23, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 365
• 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 n...
Aug 20, 2024•53 min•Season 2Ep. 364
• 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 f...
Aug 16, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 363
• 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, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 362
• 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, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 360
• 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 ...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 359
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, 2024•37 min•Season 2Ep. 358
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 A...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 355
• 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, 2024•56 min•Season 2Ep. 354
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, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 353
