The Matts are joined by Dutch popular historian and author Rutger Bregman to discuss his new book, Moral Ambition. How does the world change for the better? Why do so many talented people do bullsh*t jobs? And what’s wrong with a life spent worrying about reducing your carbon footprint to zero? Rutger’s a man with strong opinions on all the above and more. It’s a fascinating in-depth interview on what you - yes, YOU! - need to do to fix the planet. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European fo...
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Join the Matts this Easter Sunday as they tackle a wide range of topics: Is it time we abandoned Sunday trading laws? How should we think about assisted dying? Is the death penalty appropriate for people who split infinitives? Why isn’t the minister for technology more important? And is there life on Mars? Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 20, 2025•38 min
WARNING: If easily triggered by rational discussion of complicated social topics, then this episode may not be for you. This week, the Matts react to the Supreme Court ruling defining women by their biological sex. It’s a landmark in a vitriolic, and sometimes violent, battle over trans rights. Who should hang their heads in shame at their conduct over this issue? Who deserves plaudits for courage in the face of cancellation? And how can we finally start to act constructively to overcome the obv...
Apr 17, 2025•53 min
The row over Chinese investment in British Steel opens up a whole can of worms for the Matts. How does an astroturf football pitch in Copenhagen, Argentinian Che Guevara and a steelworks in Scunthorpe all add to the debate? Only one way to find out … listen! Also this week - congratulations to Douglas Murray, right-wing author and commentator, for giving the almighty king of podcasting, Joe Rogan, some serious home truths. How can people maintain a grip on reality when podcasts they tune into ar...
Apr 15, 2025•49 min
This week the Matts answer questions on Keir Starmer’s Keep Calm response to global economic mayhem; what Kim Jong Un is getting from Putin; whether the Beatles are any match for the mighty Rolling Stones; whether Nigel Farage is entirely in command of the respect of EU leaders; and do you home in or hone in? Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month . Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 13, 2025•34 min
The Assisted Dying Bill gave the Matts plenty to think about a few months ago. Since then much has changed as it made its way through parliament. Has any of it changed the Matts’ minds? The answer is yes - but it’s a nuanced and challenging difficult debate without any easy answers. All the more reason to have it, in true Two Matts style. But first - as Trump doubles down on his trade war with China (or is it now trebles or even quadruples down? We’ve lost count!), the Matts assess the intellect...
Apr 10, 2025•45 min
The Matts are joined by João Vale De Almeida, whose 40 year career as a diplomat has seen him represent the EU in the United States, the United Nations and … thanks to Brexit … as history’s first ever EU ambassador to the UK. João’s new book - The Divorce of Nations - could not be more timely; an exhilarating ride through the political turmoil of this century so far. Why did America turn inwards economically? What drives Vladimir Putin? How and when could the UK ever hope to return to the Europe...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 2 min
The Matts tackle questions from listeners including learned helplessness, a new timezone for Scotland, are the Beatles uniquely great, welfare v warfare (which nearly ends up in a dust-up) and a flood of American refugees into the UK. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month . Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 06, 2025•32 min
On Liberation Day +1, the Matts take stock of the maniac’s economic shake-up and what it means for the world and the UK in particular. Stripping away the theatre and bullsh*t, they hone in on what is really happening in Trump’s head and ask the late Ronald Reagan for an explainer about why the coming trade war is every bit as cataclysmic as it seems. If you aren’t yet convinced that this new Trump era represents a fundamental change in how our world operates, then you haven’t been paying attenti...
Apr 03, 2025•49 min
The Matts are joined by Ian Leslie, author of the stupendously good John And Paul - A Love Story In Songs . They explore the freakish nature of an artistic collaboration that shook the world, as Ian brings fresh insight to the intimate relationship between the most influential songwriters in history. It’s a must listen for all Beatles fans but also anyone interested in their creative process and the psychology that bound them together. Before that – the Matts digest the incroyable news from Fran...
Apr 01, 2025•55 min
The Matts tackle listener questions this week on Gareth Southgate’s inspiring BBC lecture, Rachel Reeves’ survival chances, European defence spend, WhatsApp faux pas, the decline of the Democrats … and the big one; how can a couple of mere mortal journalists like us compete with master baker Adrian Chiles? EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month . Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 30, 2025•29 min
Is Rachel Reeves merely disappointing, or is there a willful denial of reality going on? Since when did Labour become the party of warfare over welfare? And who thought this was a great way to communicate national renewal? The Matts are bemused and worried that the government seems to have entirely misunderstood the new world we find ourselves in. Also - the ghastly performance of deportations to El Salvador from the States has dark undertones of some of the worst fascist regimes in history. The...
Mar 27, 2025•41 min
Unprecedented scenes from Washington as it becomes apparent the US Government leadership has been wargaming on the equivalent of WhatsApp… and accidentally looped in a top journalist. The leaked security information – including specific details of American military missions – is astonishing enough. But what the messages also betray is the sheer loathing of Europe held by JD Vance and others in the administration. The Matts pick their jaws off the floor and discuss. Also - will Rachel Reeves’ “mi...
Mar 25, 2025•55 min
Should the French take back the Statue of Liberty? Will Canada join the EU? Why do Liverpool FC fans boo the national anthem? How can we control social media from brainwashing us? And why the hell are you two talking so fast? All these and more, answered just for you! Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month . Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 23, 2025•29 min
It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Nigel Farage and his Reform Party - 20% of whose MPs have been expelled and are now threatening to sue him. But beyond that fun, what does the split in the party mean? Should we take any comfort from it or the Farage juggernaut still on track to challenge Starmer at the next General Election. In Part 2, The Matts discuss one of the best books they’ve read in ages - Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. It’s an epiphany - how right wing nationalists use...
Mar 20, 2025•38 min
The ceasefire is over. More than 400 Palestinians, including children, are dead after Israeli air bombardments in the middle of the night, with the assent of Donald Trump’s White House. What end is there now, other than the ultimate ethnic-cleansing of Palestine? Meanwhile, in New York’s Columbia University, a student is threatened with deportation for pro-Palestinian activism. The Matts look deep into the authoritarian regime forming in Washington. But don’t worry about any of that! Simply take...
Mar 18, 2025•49 min
Is America Brexiting from the world? Did we learn anything from Covid? Why isn’t history taught more in school? Have we got a problem with young white males? And was Kevin Bridges right about Trump all along? All this and more in this week’s Q&A with the Two Matts. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month . Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 16, 2025•42 min
The past two weeks have been good for Keir Starmer. As Tom Baldwin writes in this week’s New European, he has fallen back on his core qualities; a kind of radical relentlessness. The Matts assess his performance and ask if Starmer is ready to throw off the Labour obsession with appeasing the so-called red wall and instead embrace Labour’s natural audience: Us! In the first part, the Matts discuss the latest news from the ongoing Ukraine sell-out. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for ...
Mar 13, 2025•53 min
The Matts speak with Sam Wetherell, author of the brilliant Liverpool And The Unmaking Of Britain . It’s not only a fascinating dive into the history of Liverpool, a city whose rise and fall impacted the whole world, but it’s also a prism through which we can try to understand our own complex times. How did one man from North Carolina doom the entire Liverpool dock industry? How did a black pastor try to ignite the cause of Pan-Africanism from two knocked-together terrace houses? How did the Bea...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 7 min
The Matts tackle questions from listeners including should X be banned in the UK? Should we withdraw the offer of a State Visit for Trump? Are we AI friendly? And why the hell are we insulting the dignity of the Two Matts podcast by not wearing suits? Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month . Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 09, 2025•33 min
The Matts are transfixed by Trump’s address to Congress. Once they get over the sheer magnetism of his schtick, they unpack how it works and why the right is so good at messaging. In part two, they analyse what might be the greatest speech to date about the horrifying implications Trump holds for Europe. A real reality check, articulated perfectly by a French centre-right politician. If you seek clarity in what Trump means for democracy, then click and listen. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New...
Mar 06, 2025•54 min
The Matts are joined by Trump chronicler supreme, Michael Wolff, whose new book All Or Nothing is a riveting and revelatory telling of Trump’s extraordinary journey back to the White House. What are the characteristics that turned a seemingly irredeemable position into a second term? What do his inner circle really think of him? Why does Melania “hate his f***ing guts?” What triggered such an explosion against Zelensky? What has Putin got over him? And how can Europe deal with a President who th...
Mar 04, 2025•52 min
The Matts grapple with our former Prime Minister's latest outbursts, dig into a deep mailbag of Burnham questions and speculate wildly on the Oscars this evening. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 02, 2025•37 min
What is Trump’s real objective? And what do European leaders do now, as the reality that the President of the United States is not simply indifferent to their fate, but actively hostile. Trump hasn’t just abandoned Ukraine - he’s actually switched sides and in siding with Russia over the carve up of its territory and mineral wealth, has sealed the coffin lid on what we grew up knowing as The West. Only one man emerges with integrity and understanding of what Trump wants and how to deal with him ...
Feb 27, 2025•41 min
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham joins the Matts ahead of this week’s Convention of the North - the annual meeting of minds focussed on the ongoing revival of the UK’s great northern regions and cities. Andy delves deep into the opportunities and challenges facing cities like Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds - emerging from the threat of obsolescence into economic and cultural powerhouses of the 21st Century. Does Westminster really have a clue about the North? How much of a blow was the cancellatio...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Should the Matts write the briefing notes for Keir Starmer’s trip to see Trump? What would Mr Kelly do if a populist Government tried to muzzle The New European? And what should we make of Boris Johnson's silence on matters Ukraine these past few weeks? All these questions and more answered on today's Q&A. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month. Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 23, 2025•31 min
The Matts are joined by New European columnist Tanit Koch who tells them everything they need to know about the weekend’s federal elections in Germany. What are the consequences of the far right AfD’s growing support? What difference will a conservative Chancellor make on illegal immigration and the economy - the two burning issues at the heart of this vote? And what role can Germany play in a Europe suddenly confronted with the reality of a Donald Trump presidency? It’s a fascinating insight in...
Feb 20, 2025•42 min
Keir Starmer has pledged British boots on the ground to keep whatever peace Trump and Putin carve up between them over Ukraine. The consequences are staggering and disturbing, as the Matts discover during the course of a tightly argued podcast. Meanwhile, JD Vance openly humiliates European leaders and sends the clearest signal yet that America First is a slogan representing international menace and opportunism and national selfishness. How can divided and US-dependent European nations hope to d...
Feb 17, 2025•51 min
Is Labour's immigration posturing the last straw for those who wanted a progressive Government? Should Eric Schmidt be listened to about anything? And was the last Liverpool derby at Goodison a game for the ages? The Matts ponder all in this Sunday's bonus Q&A episode. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month. Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 16, 2025•31 min
The Matts are live at the Media Collective Summit and discuss the extraordinary pace of events in Washington - are we literally watching a coup taking place in the world’s biggest democracy? Who is in charge? Elon Musk or Donald Trump? And what are the consequences for Europe? How should Starmer react? In part two - are politicians getting crapper? The Matts discuss and make an astonishing discovery (for them anyway) about William Gladstone. Enjoy! EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just ...
Feb 13, 2025•40 min
