It's over the pond we go to see what cheesy wotsit toddler, Trump has been up to... which is being found guilty on 34 counts. The ladies discuss those who leapt to his defence and the common thread that runs through them before finishing with a Trump sandwich: white bread, full of baloney, Russian dressing and a small pickle. And while Boris Johnson is still firmly attached to Trump’s bottom, Nigel Farage has chosen to unweld himself and bin off his plans to campaign for Trump in the US - lucky ...
Jun 06, 2024•41 min•Ep. 156
With the election looming, all the political parties are trying to grab headlines. The Tories want your children to sign up, whether they like it or not. If they don't want to do military service they'll be forced to volunteer their weekends, even if they need to be earning. Rachel Johnson thinks it's a great idea because they could be forced to pick fruit. After all we don't have anyone else to do it due to her brother's Brexit. Yet despite the Tories best efforts to grab all the headlines by b...
May 31, 2024•48 min•Ep. 155
In this episode, Marina and Jemma meet the person who can, in large part be thanked (blamed?!) for turning their mild interest in politics into a passion - Mr Brexit himself: James O'Brien. The LBC star, journalist and best-selling author of books including his latest, How They Broke Britain, for once finds himself on the opposite side of the interrogating questions. They hear about his leap to fame courtesy of Brexit and take a trip down memory lane with some caller clips that never get old. Th...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 155
Broadcaster, Jemma Forte, and political commentator, Marina Purkiss, scroll through Twitter so you don’t have to. Now on Global Player. If you're already enjoying The Trawl, please do leave a rating and a review. And don't forget, you can listen to every episode for free on Global Player. Download it from the App Store, or head to globalplayer.com And it's only Global Player where you'll be able to find an EXCLUSIVE bonus episode, with Jemma and Marina answering your questions. Just head to Glob...
May 28, 2024•2 min
Election is GO! Marina and Jemma happened to be together when the news broke and enjoy sharing what happened next. Then, it's a look back at the most undignified election announcement of all time and what's happened since. The parties have hit the campaign trail running. Although the Tories are looking pretty desolate and have many seats to fill. Still, perhaps in a passive aggressive act of revenge, they've sent Sunak to a brewery in Wales so people can think 'piss up in' and left him talking t...
May 25, 2024•49 min•Ep. 154
This Ep was recorded the morning of the election announcement so the Trawl ladies are busy collating all the best reactions for the next episode. This one unpacks a strange week for Suella but before they get into that, they begin their trawl with a wonderful moment from Carol Vorderman who had the Joe Lycett audience whooping with delight. The students at Cambridge were much quieter when GB News and Braverman turned up to ask them why they were protesting about Palestine. Words have power but s...
May 24, 2024•38 min•Ep. 153
We love it when politics goes mainstream... And it did this week when Sunak and Starmer decided to appear on Loose Women and Sunday Brunch, respectively. Jemma and Marina discuss how they both fared, and why one of them went viral - probably because he tried to suggest he was fixing child poverty with an Online Safety Bill. Next up are more culture wars as a result of the 72-gender myth which is resulting in new legislation, despite the only evidence of this being a thing coming from someone's n...
May 22, 2024•41 min•Ep. 152
Up is down, black is white and now... Blue is red! Because this week, the Labour Party welcomed Tory MP, Natalie Elphicke with open arms, which raised more than just a few eyebrows. Jemma and Marina discuss the mafioso-style tactics from the party of Government to keep defection to a minimum and revisit moments of joy where Tories tie themselves in knots by slating someone - who was one of theirs - until about 5 minutes ago. Count Binface continues to prove he's the hero we never knew we needed,...
May 17, 2024•46 min•Ep. 151
Marina and Jemma start with a lookback at this year's Eurovision Song Contest and discuss why it was such a political hot potato this year. The UK entrant received a lot of criticism for not boycotting the event and the Israeli singer had unprecedented levels of security. All this makes the notion that it's 'just' a song contest and 'apolitical' for the birds. There's plenty of reaction and clips. Due to the subject matter, it's a more serious Trawl than usual but as Israel carry out airstrikes ...
May 15, 2024•46 min•Ep. 150
Having raked over the council elections in the last episode, Jemma and Marina spend this one dissecting the Mayoral results. It's a win for Andy Burnham, a loss for Andy Street, a win for Ben Houchen and, most thrillingly of all, a loss for Susan Hall. Susan, who spent her time campaigning telling Londoners that where they live is a hellscape of unparalleled proportions. Funnily enough, that strategy didn't work. In this Trawl, enjoy her entirely graceless speech and Khan's humorous one which re...
May 10, 2024•35 min•Ep. 149
Jemma and Marina discuss what were a pleasingly catastrophic set of results for the Tories in the local elections and wonder why everyone knows that, apart from The Mail on Sunday. Oh, and Sunak......yes, the Prime Minister is still convinced his plan is working, despite the country trying desperately to tell him that it isn't. Meanwhile, Suella thinks she has the answer which is her answer for everything. Be More. Right. Wing. No thanks, Suella. Meanwhile, on the Laura Kuenssberg show there are...
May 08, 2024•36 min•Ep. 148
Poor poor Lawrence Fox - literally. The episode opens with the unfortunate news of Laurence Fox having to pay large sums in libel damages. Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke. Then all aboard the private jet - that's right, Lord David Cameron's £42m private jet, which he hired for his latest jaunt as Foreign Secretary, with the bill being footed by us taxpayers. Just as well he can be questioned about this in the House of Commons...Oh. Next stop is Question Time, and this week was Tory MP, Chris Ph...
May 03, 2024•36 min•Ep. 147
It's squeaky-bum time for our Prime Miniature Rishi Sunak this week... Jemma and Marina open with a discussion around the many elections taking place this week that could see things go from bad to worse for Rishi Sunak. And please God, deliver us from Susan Hall becoming the new London Mayor. Then, what's better: Twitter or X? The ladies discuss the worst rebrand of all time before moving on to an MP who this week rebranded himself from Tory blue, to Labour red. We're talking of course, about Dr...
May 01, 2024•47 min•Ep. 146
The episode opens with a visit to the US courtroom where strange noises and smells have reportedly been emitted from a somewhat sleepy Donald Trump... Then it's onto the latest performative cruelty policy from the party of Government as they announce punitive reforms to sickness and disability benefits, because why would they sort out the collapse of our National Health Service, when they can simply scapegoat the people who need it? Included is some context that shows we might not be quite the '...
Apr 26, 2024•38 min•Ep. 145
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, has said that the Tory's have overshot all their targets.... without laughing....on National TV. This is such an outlandish claim, she almost deserves a medal but not as much as Chris Packham does for his outstanding performance on the Laura K show. And certainly not as much as everyone who ran the London Marathon does. Jemma and Marina enjoy some highlights and chat about what impressed and inspired them most about the annual...
Apr 24, 2024•44 min•Ep. 144
Marina and Jemma are thrilled to chat to activist and author of the No 1 Sunday Times Bestseller, The Trading Game, Gary Stevenson. They hear about his humble beginnings, his route to university and what it felt like to be Citibank's most successful trader. They're particularly fascinated by the reasons that at age 27, Gary eschewed his life in the city to start explaining why the system is rigged and profoundly unfair. The Trawl ladies talk to him about wealth tax, being a 'patriotic millionair...
Apr 19, 2024•51 min
Jemma and Marina open with an emotional appeal...For a group of people who feel petrified, forced to flee their homes against their will. They're talking of course, about... non-doms. Then it's straight into the latest from Liz Truss' deluded book tour in which Jemma and Marina try to outdo each other with the worst clips of our former PM that they can find. They discuss Truss' latest bid to ditch the Supreme Court, leave the ECHR and her attempt to ditch The Equality Act - when she was equaliti...
Apr 18, 2024•39 min•Ep. 143
Reform have had a fair few struggles with their vetting process but this week have surpassed even themselves by cancelling an inactive candidate who turned out to be.....dead. A pulse is probably necessary, even at Reform. Then, it's time to look at the papers and, despite the prospect of WW3, The Mail are focusing on Angela Rayner and what she 'might' or might not owe in capital gains tax. Jemma and Marina discuss how Laura Kuenssberg can't get enough of the story and pay tribute to writer, Joh...
Apr 17, 2024•41 min•Ep. 142
Just when you thought the Glaswegian Wonka was the worst ever entertainment experience, along comes Nigel Farage with his 60th birthday party celebration... Jemma and Marina discuss the bizarre goings-on from the bash and what one is supposed to do with a Farage-shaped ice luge. Then it's onto the latest social calamity X post from the Govt of the second most powerful country in the world - or at least it was the most powerful country according to the Conservative's X account earlier in the week...
Apr 12, 2024•49 min•Ep. 141
Financial advice from Sunak, anyone? Because that's what was offered by our PM in his latest comms disaster video put out by No.10. The ladies discuss the desperate attempts by the PM to shift public perception, as well as the very obvious flaw. Then it's onto "courageous and fulsome" William Wragg - whose latest accolade includes being praised by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for sending photos of his meat and two veg to a perfect stranger on the internet before compromising his colleagues, s...
Apr 10, 2024•47 min•Ep. 140
Tory MP for Uxbridge is campaigning hard for a fish and chip shop in the centre of Uxbridge, and that's despite refusing planning permission for one in 2019. Marina and Jemma rarely start an episode with their head in their hands but this time they do. And their despair isn't going away because this ep has sewage at it's heart and some dismal facts about how badly privatisation has failed us all. Jemma tries to change the subject / lighten the mood with a series of tweets Marina is only half sur...
Apr 05, 2024•35 min•Ep. 139
Jemma and Marina kick off with a quick look at the latest MRP poll as reported in The Times, which doesn't read well for Sunak and Co. For some unknown reason, Rishi is still laughing however, as are the Question Time audience when Esther McVey is asked about her role as 'Minister of Common Sense.' Though arguably X (formerly known as Twitter) could do with some sort of Common Sense Tsar because over Easter there was a lot of performative Christianity happening which was more sickening than over...
Apr 04, 2024•42 min•Ep. 138
It's another jam-packed pod... opening with furious reaction to Nike's England flag rebrand and some commentary from Marina which resulted in an Express news article dedicated just to her. Then it's onto Owen Jones, who this week announced he was leaving the Labour party, to a very mixed reaction. Marina and Jemma explore their own thoughts and feelings on this, because despite the polling and the complacency - it ain't over till it's over. Hunt gets his own section thanks to his tone-deaf comme...
Mar 28, 2024•56 min•Ep. 137
Did you even realise the LibDems had held their Spring Conference? No, nor did Jemma and Marina. So in a bid to readdress the balance, the ladies open with a rather compelling snippet from leader, Ed Davey. Then it's onto a rare moment where Keir Starmer offers hope (but careful, it's the hope that kills you), before delving into GB News' latest accolade: yet another strongly worded letter from Ofcom regarding their breaching of the impartiality rules. But you know, these things happen...once, t...
Mar 22, 2024•40 min•Ep. 136
Does anyone else have a strong sense of déjà vu? Because it appears it's that time of year again: When the Tories decide to ditch their useless leader. Yep, because as Sunak continues to take his taxpayer-funded chopper on tour to tell us all that his plan that clearly isn't working is working, in other corners of the Tory party, the penny is dropping... Penny Mordaunt to be precise. The ladies discuss the rumour mill of letters of no confidence going in, election dates, and revisit Penny Mordau...
Mar 20, 2024•44 min•Ep. 135
Jemma and Marina are delighted to speak to LBC presenter and writer, Natasha Devon, about the time she was fired by the government, why the younger generation prioritise work/life balance and why callers need to be ‘match fit’ if they want to talk about Meghan. Plus, Marina and Jemma spring a round of Education Secretary bingo on her. A wonderful chat with a friend of the pod. Enjoy! Natasha's Website: natashadevon.com . Follow her on Instagram and Threads as @_natashadevon. Clicks: How to Be Yo...
Mar 16, 2024•54 min
Jemma and Marina pay tribute to Theresa May who will be standing down at the next election. If by pay tribute you mean, remembering what she was known for re Windrush, the Hostile Environment and Brexit, amongst other 'hits.' And then it's back to the big political news of the week. Lee Anderson is off to Reform. Getting suspended and then being offered a lot of money had nothing to do with it. He just wants his country 'back' apparently. The ladies wonder what it is he wants it back from.... Th...
Mar 15, 2024•46 min•Ep. 134
Murdoch is engaged again. Marina and Jemma ponder this romantic news before delving into the aftermath of last week's budget. If the Tories had been hoping for a bounce in the polls, their political hearts will have dropped when they saw the latest results from Westminster Voting Intentions. Turns out, 2p off your NI hasn't had the cut through they were hoping for...funny that. The Trawl ladies trawl through a few clips from the aftermath, some wonderful ones and some bias ones. Laura K they mig...
Mar 14, 2024•50 min•Ep. 133
It's budget day! And at time of record, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had just dropped what the ladies hope will be the last Tory budget. Imagine that... Jemma and Marina give some initial reactions to Hunt's speech which opened with lies, continued with lies, and then finished with lies - because if there's one thing Hunt is good at, it's consistency. The ladies then move from the goings-on in Westminster to those in Rochdale with a lookback at George Galloway coming first in the Rochdale by-election,...
Mar 07, 2024•48 min•Ep. 132
Like Mariah, Celine and Whitney, Tory bells Lee, Suella and Liz need only their first name for instant recognition. But sadly, instead of singing absolute belters, this trio of wrong' uns are spewing hate, division and stoking fear. This pod is sectioned, as some might suggest our trio should be, to allow for individual dissection of the latest line-crossing of these three Tories, who are seemingly on a mission to get themselves so far to the right, that our hope is they tip over. Jemma and Mari...
Mar 01, 2024•58 min•Ep. 131
