EP 7: Race in the UK and the US - with Tomiwa Owolade

The Lowdown from Nick Cohen

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The Lowdown from Nick Cohen this week examines the issue of race and diversity in the UK with the freelance writer and author Tom Owolade.
Tom's brilliant and ground-breaking book This is not America - published by Atlantic - argues that too much of the debate about race in Britain has been viewed through the prism of American experiences and history. This prism fails to reflect the challenges – and achievements – of an increasingly diverse black British population and distorts how many people view the issue of race in the UK.
Tom tells Nick that too few Brits understand the ethnic changes that are taking place in the UK or even the wide diversity of black British communities themselves, especially given the arrival of people from west and east Africa in recent years. Tom also believes class is a hugely important additional factor in the UK.
Tom and Nick explore the significant differences in the history and experiences of black Brits and Black Americans. You can read Nick's assessment of Tom's important debut book in his Substack column, Writing from London

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Listen to The Lowdown from Nick Cohen for in-depth analysis of the issues and events that shape our lives and futures. From Ukraine to Brexit, from Trump to the Tories - we hope to keep you informed - and sane! @NickCohen4

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#Books #Politics #News Talk #Arts #News #Nick Cohen

EP 7: Race in the UK and the US - with Tomiwa Owolade

The Lowdown from Nick Cohen

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published 2 jaar geleden

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69 afleveringen

#Books #Politics #News Talk #Arts #News #Nick Cohen

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1
Is Starmer the right stuff to handle Trump crisis? 47:54

3 dagen geleden47:54

47:54

Nick Cohen talks with Guardian political columnist and author Rafael Behr , @rafelbehr , a Lowdown regular, about Sir Keir Starmer, and asks Raf can the prime minister face down an erratic and increasingly unhinged US president? Labour's Comms issues and a hazardous future ahead Rafael says Sir Keir Starmer needs to communicate properly with the British public about how it negotiates the dangerous future ahead, "They seem completely unable just to narrate what they're doing and why they're doing it in a way that would lead people to accept. and get on board with and be patient with ... And that is true of the fiscal situation, and it's true of the geo-strategic situation." Is Starmer the Right Stuff to handle Trump & the Radical Right? Raf says many Brits understand the predicament that Starmer finds himself in with a hostile Trump, adding "They understand he's the prime minister. He can't just go and, and sort of piss all over the American president on live television. But no one seriously intuits that they are kindred spirits or alike..." Starmer best PM we've got Raf thinks Starmer is the best prime minister we've got adding "Constitutionally the alternative is Kemi Badenoch and the per, and if it's not her, it would've been Robert Jenrick with Farage in the wngs. And you look at most countries in the world, and he wouldn't swap him out for anyone who's actually there available. So from that point of view, he is the right leader for the times." Bye bye Badenoch! Raf & Nick discuss the state of UK politics, include the current dire Tory leadership. Raf says he's "pretty confident" than Kemi Badenoch will. not be leading the Tories into the next general election. Read all about it Rafael's recent book Politics: A Survivor's Guide: How to stay engaged without getting enraged is published by W.F.Howes Ltd and available at Amazon and in all good bookshops. Support the show You can also read his wonderful columns in the Guardian . His X handle is @rafaelbehr Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Farage's treason choice - King Don or the UK? 42:07

10 dagen geleden42:07

42:07

The jig is up for serial bull-shit merchant Nigel Farage Nick Cohen talks to Chris Grey @chrisgreybrexit - author, brexit expert and emeritus professor of organisation studies about where the madness of Donald Trump and his MAGA cult have left their supporters among Britain's Radical Right con artists, such as Nigel Farage, leader of Reform. By continuing their slavish obeisance to the US's crazed would be emperor Donald Trump, the UK's Radical Right and its leaders including Farage risk alienating those of his supporters who support Ukraine's existential fight against Putin and are coming to loath Trump and his reckless clown car administration. Even tricksy Farage can't carry on riding 2 horses at once! Chris Grey, one of the UK's leading experts on Brexit, says Nigel Farage and his radical right fellow-travellers have been badly caught out by Donald Trump's full fledged assault on the West. Farage's always far-fetched strategy of a brexit Brtiain forming some anglo-centric alliance with the US lies in tatters; Brexit has only further isolated the UK as the US turns its face away from Europe and throws its support behind the UK's enemies such as Putin's Russia. The UK is also now dangerously stranded between 2 stools. Read all about it Chris Grey is Emeritus Prof of Organisation Studies @RoyalHolloway , ex-Prof @Cambridge_Uni & @Warwickuni . Mainly analysis of Brexit (& related). @chrisgrey on BSky. Chris is also the author of Brexit Unfolded: How no one got what they wanted (and why they were never going to) Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Tough love but is Labour lost? 41:53

17 dagen geleden41:53

41:53

Nick Cohen discusses Labour with Polly Toynbee Nick Cohen talks to the distinguished author and Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee about Labour's tough love strategy - targeting the welfare state and benefits to fill the black hole left by the Tories and Brexit. "Not a very Labour thing to do" - And Keynes would not approve! Polly agreed with Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls' recent observation on the government's plan to cut disability benefits, describing the strategy on his own podcast as "not a very Labour thing to do." Polly - the proud owner of a portrait of the great economist John Maynard Keynes - says, "You know, you don't keep digging. You invest into a crisis and pay back when growth is restored. but she [Chancellor Rachel Reeves] seems to abandon that ..." Polly adds, "there's always this fear, and particularly for Labour, because Labour is less trusted by the markets and the business world; they're more inclined to suspect them of profligacy..." Polly says that Labour could raise an immediate £40 billion by simply imposing a 1 per cent wealth tax on the people worth in excess of £10 million Polly and Nick also discuss the impact of the proposed welfare cuts on Labour's electoral base, and how Sir Keir Starmer should navigate the UK's foreign policy, particularly its relationship with Europe and an increasingly erratic and disturbing United States. Read all about it Polly Toynbee @pollytoynbee is a Guardian columnist, formerly BBC social affairs editor. Her recent book An Uneasy inheritance, my family and other radical s was published in 2023 by W.F.Howes Ltd. She's also the co-author, along with David Walker, of The only way is up: The way forward for British politics , again published by W.F. Howes Ltd in 2024. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Online authoritarians are poisoning our world 35:48

24 dagen geleden35:48

35:48

Former government behavioural warning - social media is now a tool of the authoritarians Nick Cohen @NickCohen4 chats with behavioural scientist and author Justin Hempson-Jones @JonesHempson about the growing threat posed to our freedom by the sinister merger of government and social media oligarchy, as we're witnessing now in the US with the sinister and toxic partnership of Donald Trump & Elon Musk. Political thugs are poisoning our minds Justin warns that we have lost control of our information system. An unhealthy alliance of authoritarian politicians and techno-oligarchs now controls our social media ,and the influence pathways to our minds. Justin likens it to bad food, saying, " We know that the food that we constructs, the body that we inhabit for better or worse. "And it's roughly the same with our information diets. The information that we ingest from the information environment is going to construct the thoughts and feelings and beliefs that we have, including what it is we think we're supposed to want and achieve out there in the world." Political scammers control the toxin of propaganda Justin describes the many the online propaganda techniques used by politician-authoritarians are like the scams used by digital criminals, adding, "they can more easily understand niche audiences and therefore tell them. what they want to hear...They will deliberately set up a fake infrastructure. So fake personas for example, and, tailor them fake personas...And this is too the type of mechanism that online politicians are using, for example, when they want to influence audiences." Justin makes the clarion call for people to take back control of our information-influence system from the authoritarians and their corrupt techno-oligarchs who currently control it. Read all about it Justin's book warning of this pernicious threat faced by all of us is Influence, Understand it, use it, resist it . It's out in paperback next month but available in hardback now. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Is War coming our way? 35:02

4 weeks geleden35:02

35:02

Nick talks to Mike Martin MP- soldier, author and Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells Nick Cohen and Mike Martin MP discuss the dramatic & disturbing shifts in international relations and diplomacy, thanks to Donald Trump's apparent volte-face on Ukraine and the United States' traditional allies, particularly in the context of the US and UK. Mike also talks domestic politics - are we witnessing the death of the Tory party as a major political force? The UK needs a political consensus on boosts to defence spending As Poland announces plans to make all men undergo military training , Mike Martin MP stresses the need for increased defence expenditure and improved military capabilities in the UK. Nick & Mike also explore the emergence of so-called "progressive patriotism" in Britain, the changing political landscape in traditionally Conservative areas, and the potential consequences of a war on national survival. War involving the UK now more than 50 per cent possible Mike said defence spending should be at least 3.5 per cent of government spending. He estimates that a war involving the UK was now more than 50 per cent possible. The UK & Europe must prepare for the worst. Are we witnessing the strange death of Tory England? Lastly, Mike and Nick discuss the UK's current politics - particularly the appalling state of the Conservative Party - woefully stuck in the No Man's Land between the Reformist Radical Right and the One Nation Tories who've abandoned them largely for the Liberal Democrats as well as Labour and the Greens. Mike says, "The Tories are being crushed between the pincer movement, between the Lib Dems and reform. And they don't know which way to face." Watch out for the County Council elections on May 1st 2025! This could be the key indicator of whether the Tories can recover to become a real party of opposition or could it continue its speedy descent into political oblivion. Mike says "It would be very interesting to see the results ... you might even see the Tory vote collapsing into to, into, into our pile and into the Reform pile." Read all about it Mike Martin is the Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells and a member of the Commons Defence Committee. A former British Army Office, Mike is a Senior Fellow at King’s College London – an expert in geopolitics and conflict – and the author of several books on psychology, conflict and travel, including Why We Fight . Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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What does Putin have on Trump? 46:45

5 weeks geleden46:45

46:45

Nick talks to the author & reporter John Sweeney who is on the ground in Kyiv Nick Cohen and John Sweeney discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the implications of Donald Trump's apparent betrayal of Ukraine - as further revealed by the despicable ambush by Donald Trump & his side kick vice-president J.D.Vance. Trump is now "Leader of the unfree world " John Sweeney talks to Nick about the current situation in Ukraine and compares the current situation there to previous historical events such as to the Hungarian uprising in 1956 and the Prague Spring in 1968. John expresses his deep concern about the betrayal of America's support for Russia. John, who is currently based in Kyiv, shared his observations about the Ukrainian people's resilience and unity behind President Zelenskyy. They also discussed the postponement of elections in Ukraine, drawing parallels with Britain's decision not to hold elections during World War 2. They discuss focus the alarming support of Russia by Trump, now touted as the leader of the "unfree world." Ukraine's growing and under-estimated military prowess John talks about Russia's invasion & the potential influence of Russian interference in the US political system, as well as the potential for peace talks and the role of the United States under Trump's leadership.They discuss current geopolitical situation, the potential consequences of Trump's actions, and the resilience of Ukraine in the face of adversity. John also talks of the My Room Clinic with Ukrainian soldiers, the effectiveness of Ukraine's jamming of Russia's glide bomb. Ukraine has made astonishing advances in drone technology- producing approximately 2 million a year and is stockpiling Patriot missiles for future use against potential Russian attacks. Fearing the worst of Trump and his relish for appeasement, President Biden managed to provide huge amounts of military aid before he left office. What does Putin have on Trump? John discusses the revelations and allegations of the so-called Steele dossier - compiled by former Mi6 Moscow desk chief Christopher Steele - and whether the Kremlin has blackmailed Trump into doing its bidding. John says he investigated what turn out to be - so far, at least - unsubstantiated rumours that a Putin ex-mistress later rocked up at Trump Tower where she shacked up with Trump. Read all about it John is a distinguished broadcaster and author. His latest book is Murder in the Gulag the explosive account of how Putin poisoned Alexei Navalny . Another of John's most recent must reads is best-seller on Putin, The Killer in the Kremlin , published by Headline Press . Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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The Big Trump Double-cross 37:24

6 weeks geleden37:24

37:24

Nick Cohen talks to author, intelligence expert & one-time career diplomat Arthur Snell Donald Trump appears to have unequivocally sided with Vladamir Putin's malignant regime in Moscow and has made clear his intention to fuck over Ukraine, Europe and the UK - jeopardising the security of all and making World War 3 much more likely? How can the West react? It's not too late for Europe & Canada to re-tool but action to boost defence spending needs to happen straight away. A Europe in-denial caught on the hop - Trump pulls the security blanket despite warnings Arthur, a one-time career diplomat with the Foreign Office, said the UK was nervous about how EU membership where it impacted the UK's relationship with the U.S before Brexit. This was before the UK was eventually dragged out of the EU together - with Brexiter nutjobs insisting on the hardest separation terms possible. Now brexiter dreams of a transatlantic 'Anglo-sphere' love-in that would replace EU membership has collapsed. Arthur says, "I would say we were warned. Now, what I think what we weren't warned about was we were warned that America was losing interest in Europe, becoming frustrated with the Europeans unwillingness to spend money to defend themselves, and also America realising it had its own fish to fry, if you like, in the Pacific. "Of course, what we were not warned, because it really is the most mind boggling aspect of all of this, is having an American president who basically sides with Russia on the big geopolitical issues when it pertains to Europe, and that is the, the sort of utterly horrifying element of, of what's unfolded really in the last few days." Need to act now in Europe's defence before it's too late Nick asks Arthur how he'd be advising Sir Keir Starmer. Arthur says, "I would be advising is that we need to rip up a lot of the basic tenets that underpin our defence and security structures and think very hard and very fast about European security as a single entity. And this isn't about the EU or about NATO. It's about a continent that's called Europe that is geographically pretty distinct." Read all about it Arthur Snell's substack column is Not all doom & his regular inciteful podcast is Behind the Lines. Arthur's first not fiction book is How Britain Broke the World: War, Greed and Blunders from Kosovo to Afghanistan, 1997-2022 . Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Read Nick's latest column, Can Europe resist Trump's gangsterism? Does it have the willpower to try? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Defeating Farage & the populist right 37:26

7 weeks geleden37:26

37:26

John McTernan - the ultimate Labour insider - talks Tories & Reform Nick Cohen talks to John McTernan - , the political strategist and commentator, and a former senior advisor to the Labour Party. John was Tony Blair's Director of Political Operations from 2005-2007 before acting as special advisor to two cabinet ministers under Blair's Number 10 successor - Gordon Brown. Other roles since then has been as a columnist at The Scotsman and as Director of Communications for Australia's Labor party prime minister Julia Gillard. Reform emerges Labour's main threat as Tories continue to crumble The Conservative Party appears to be crumbling before our very eyes: poorly led, tanking in the polls way behind Reform, myopically fixated on failed crank ideologies like Brexit & its preposterous Rwanda migrant scheme - while Nigel Farage surges ahead of them in the polls with his latest political vehicle - Reform. The first step to seeing off the populist right embodied by Farage, argues John, is to understand his appeal , adding "Farage sees the demand for change in the public, names his party Reform, another word for change, and is going quite successfully, just simply stating "The country voted for change. Where's the change?" Labour needs traditional working class & metropolitan graduate wings to win John says that Labour has to be aware of the coalition support. - the two wings of different supporters the party needs to balance out on a wide range of issues and win round, saying "they elected us this time around, and that was a coalition of two halves. It was absolutely liberal minded, guardian reading, graduate London and South East voters, as well as, working class, Northern voters... if Labour moves too far in either direction towards the liberal green minded green agenda, or towards, the right wing agenda, it will lose. "It's got to maintain both of those wings. You know, a plane flies on two wings. This government needs two wings of support. So I would be, my advice into combating Farage us is take him seriously. This is real, you can't ignore it. Understand the dynamics that are working out on the right of politics everywhere in Europe." Read all about it Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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International law & disorder 36:56

8 weeks geleden36:56

36:56

Is our rules-based world finished? This week, Nick Cohen discusses the current & disturbing breakdown in international law - in the week indicted alleged war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu was the first overseas guest of convicted felon President Donald Trump with author & campaigner Steve Crawshaw, the author of the just published Prosecuting the powerful: War crimes & the pursuit of justice . A world run by bad men was never going to improve the international rule of Law Donald Trump, Vladamir Putin & Xi Jinping - let alone their 'mini mes' in Hungary, Israel & elsewhere - are proving a toxic combo' for the maintenance of a new world order that came into being in the wake of the Nuremberg trials. Slobodan Milošević, Ratko Mladić and 19 other individuals have been jailed by the International Criminal Court at The Hague for crimes ranging from genocide to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Bringing powerful political crooks seemed to usher in a new age of international justice. Yet now indicted personalities such as Putin remain at large, while Benjamin Netanyahu is feted by Donald Trump, himself the first convicted felon to occupy the White House. Trump has just issued sanction against the ICC and its senior officials, partly in retaliation for their indictment of Netanyahu! What can we do to stop our world reversing into a new international disorder? Steve Crawshaw argues this is not the time to "hide under the duvet" but to fight back against a tide of authoritarianism and contempt for the international rule of law. Read all about it! Steve Crawshaw @stevecrawshaw reported extensively for decades from Europe. He was in Poland during the rise of Solidarity in Poland, a pivotal event in the fall of the Berlin Wall, and covered the wars in the early 1990s in the former Yugoslavia. Steve has worked subsequently for NGOs, including Amnesty International and Freedom From Torture. He is now a freelance journalist and writer. His latest book, Prosecuting the powerful: War crimes & the pursuit of justice , has published by Little, Brown Book Group. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Flogging the dead horse of Brexit 33:14

9 weeks geleden33:14

33:14

Nick talks to Naomi Smith of the campaign group Best for Britain on the dead hand of Brexit On the fifth anniversary of Brexit, Nick Cohen @NickCohen4 talks with Naomi Smith, @pimllicat chief executive officer o f Best for Britain which is campaigning for a re-building of the important relationship the UK once enjoyed with its closest and biggest trading partners in the European Union. Brexit is dead - but long live Brexit! Poll after poll has shown that public confidence in Brexit has all but collapsed. The July 2024 election returned a strong remainer-friendly parliament and yet the Labour government is trying to work with the badly bungled hard Brexit deal inflicted on the country by Boris Johnson and David Frost. Same old Brexit doom loop to appease the same old Brexit nut-jobs Naomi argues that the government can be bolder in re-building the relationship with Europe, so recklessly destroyed by Johnson & co. The country should not allow itself to be trapped with a project that has obviously failed. It seems Brexit is being prosecuted by people who don't believe in it to indulge the extremist nationalist fantasies of the political & media grifters & con artists who argued for for it. The UK can escape the dead hand of Brexit "We are not stuck with it and there is a way out," insists Naomi, who cites reliable recent research showing how Brexit is impoverishing the average Brit by at least £2,000 a year, killing growth, ransacking public services, crippling business with red tape and not only killing growth, but is knocking a massive 4% off annual GDP. (The 2008 Great Recession/crash led to a 2% reduction.) Breaking the Brexit Omertà Namoi said the government is beginning to break the taboo on Brexit, adding, "they are now beginning to talk more openly about how bad the deal that Johnson and Frost negotiated was for the country...They are now beginning to talk more openly about how bad the deal that Johnson and Frost negotiated was for the country. They don't do it ad nauseam ." Naomi adds, "People aren't stupid. They've realised that they were sold a load of rubbish, and that their lives weren't going to improve and they can't now see their GP any more easily than they could before we left the EU etc." Naomi Smith is one of the country's most incisive commentators on politics & the UK-Europe relationship. She can also be found on Bluesky . Naomi is also a seasoned podcaster, co-hosting the Quiet Riot Pod , the politics podcast with more passion, less shouting & lots of laughter. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Trump wrecking ball in full swing 45:14

11 weeks geleden45:14

45:14

Nick Cohen talks Trump with U.S. expert & historian Andrew Gawthorpe Nick Cohen talks to Andrew Gawthorpe - historian, substacker and researcher of the modern and contemporary United States at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands - about Donald Trump's cataclysmic first week in the White House. Trump in full Caligula mode at home... The first week of Trump's 2nd presidency is turning out to be an even bigger disaster than anyone feared. With pardons for violent thugs and unprovoked threats against traditional allies, the U.S. is rapidly turning into the world's first banana republic super power! Trump has issued pardons for a notorious international drug dealer, a man convicted of possessing child pornography and hundreds of violent extremists convicted for the January 6th attack on the Capitol. He has spread chaos and fear throughout the government, firing senior federal officials and even nobbling cancer research, as well as initiating initiated trumped-up investigations into the Biden administration. He has even threatened to abolish the country's federal dIsaster response body, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. Trump has also given officials unprecedented authority to expedite deportations for up to one million immigrants who entered the country with government authorisation through two key Biden-era programmes. ....And abroad! Trump has already threatened allies - notably Denmark over Greenland - and predictably made threatening noises about aid to Ukraine. He has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate accords and the World Heath Organisation. Monstrously, he has suggested ethnically cleansing Gaza of Palestinians and dumping them in Egypt and Jordan. He's slapped 25% tariffs on Columbia for refusing planeloads of deported illegal immigrants. And all this before the end of his first weekend! Read all about it! Andrew Gawthorpe @andygawt explains an increasingly bat-shit U.S. to his baffled readers in his highly thought of Substack column America Explained . Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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The Coming Trump Terror 37:03

11 weeks geleden37:03

37:03

Trump Terror will turn U.S. into world's biggest banana republic Nick Cohen @NickCohen4 dials up Washington to speak to namesake & fellow commentator Ben Cohen, editor of The Daily Banter website @thedailybanter about the coming Trumpian Terror, that starts in earnest following this week's presidential inauguration. The world is likely to witness the emergence of the U.S. as the world's biggest banana republic, headed by a billionaire oligarchy out-going President Joe Biden warned us all about. Revenge is a dish worst served hot Ben expects a revanchist reign of Terror from Donald Trump, with a purge of his enemies in the judicial system, the media, government and possibly even the military. '"There was a hit list ... that was just being shared in right wing circles," says Ben Cohen ." We know that the federal government is going to be raised from top to bottom of anybody they perceived as being loyal to Biden or the Democrats." A new oath of loyalty to "King Donald the First" Ben says it's likely that politicians, military and government employees will be forced to an oath of loyalty to Trump, just as nobles and peasants were forced to sign oaths to medieval monarchs. Ben thinks this will also involve signing up to the biggest, baddest lie of all - that the 2020 presidential election was "stolen" by the Democrats. Ben adds, "I do know that a lot of people I know in government are busy, wiping their online profiles...because they're very worried about what the incoming administration is going to be doing." A dystopia of tariffs, deportations and brutal 80% cuts to government spending The new Trumpian dystopia will descend very rapidly, says Ben. We can expect mass deportations of immigrants, attempts by Elon Musk to slash government spending by a staggering 80 per cent and a series of trade wars sparked by Trumpian tariffs. "It's going to be worse than you think it could possibly be," is Ben's grim prediction. He adds, "we are in uncharted territory and we are in with a government that is more radical than any government that I've seen in my lifetime, at least in America. I can't think of...and that's including the first Trump administration And that was generally a failure - the first Trump administration -because they weren't organised. But this is different." Read & hear all about it! Read Ben's The Banter Substacks here and listen to his podcasts here. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Facing a hostile U.S 38:16

12 weeks geleden38:16

38:16

How does Starmer handle the threat posed by Trump & Musk? This week Nick Cohen @NickCohen4 talks with Steve Richards @steverichards14 , political commentator, author, broadcaster & historian about the threat posed to the Labour government by in-coming U.S. president Donald Trump & the menagerie of far-right weirdos like Elon Musk who has been launching a barrage of inflammatory tweets at the government since last Summer. Trump "much more dangerous" than U.S.-UK relationship breakdown over Suez Steve and Nick explore the post-war history of the U.S. - UK relationship which hit a severe low during the 1956 Suez crisis. But Steve says the threat posed by Trump & his gang was "much more dangerous." Eisenhower's administration was recognisably stolid & solid; Trump's government of MAGA nutjobs & fanatics looks set to be even worse than his first administration. The inauguration is only days away and already Trump has threatened to annex Canada, Greenland and the Panama canal! Brexit and Trump have made UK isolated from Europe & the U.S. "The British electorate has changed dramatically," says Steve. So, Starmer must be bold in dealing with the UK's isolation and continue rebuilding the country's relationship with Europe. Starmer's caution "isn't working", says Steve, adding, "it's risky being cautious, but they haven't realised that." The "revolutionary Tories" are apeing Musk & sucking up to Trump Steve says it's clear the Tories, particularly Kemi Badenoch & Robert Jenrick, have decided to throw their lot in with Trump/Musk & help them attack the government. "They have made a decision & they are going to ride these bonkers wild waves as much as possible," says Steve in relation to the the latest Musk X assaults including his deranged libels against Starmer over grooming gangs. Steve says of today's Tories: "they're a revolutionary party now...they're not the party of one nation kind of moderates." Read all about it! Steve is an accomplished political commentator, author & podcaster. His latest book Turning Points: Crisis and Change in Modern Britain, from 1945 to Truss is published by Macmillan & his regular podcast Rock and Roll Politics is a must listen. Read Nick Cohen's regular and compelling Substack column Writing from London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Dark money for dark times 38:06

13 weeks geleden38:06

38:06

Dark money for dark times Nick Cohen talks to investigative reporter & author Peter Geoghegan, the UK's leading journalist exposing the dark money and cash from right wing extremist billionaires that's been driving UK politics since the ill-fated 2016 Brexit referendum. Brexit & Trump-related funding that have poisoned UK & U.S. politics Peter @PeterKGeoghegan explains how Donald Trump's election victories, Brexit and the failed Liz Truss experiment have helped fuel a crackpot anglocentric extremist right wing movement that has taken root either side of the Atlantic. In London, Tufton Street so-called "think tanks" a-wash with dark money mainly from U.S. billionaires and corporations have been influencing UK politics - helping to drive a number of right wing culture wars from climate denial & Europe to Ukraine and the NHS. This UK-U.S. phenomena was recently best exposed by the "National Conservatism Conference" in London in May 2023 which heard from a number of extreme right voices from either side of the Pond. Peter tells Nick: "You have a growing link between that sort of Trumpist right, the MAGA right, and ... the Right to the Conservative Party, Robert Jenrick, Liz Truss, people like that, all have strong links." Farage, Reform and the Elon Musk fanboy Peter says even if Trump stooge Elon Musk does not or cannot make good on his promise to bung Nigel Farage & his Reform gang a reported £100 million, the story has already boosted the radical right in the UK. Labour doing "sweet F.A" as dark money floods in But Peter is despondent about the prospects of stopping foreign cash fuelling extremist politics in the UK. The Tories castrated the Electoral Commission, & Sir Keir Starmer shows no appetite to tackle the issue. Peter says Labour will reportedly not change electoral law because it "could stoke populism" if the government is seen to react to the threat posed by Trump, Musk & Farage. Peter adds, "I think is a completely crazy position to take, to say that we're not going to do something that we are actually philosophically in favour of ...because it, it might create a couple of bad headlines. Read all about it Peter Geoghegan 's must read Substack is Democracy for Sale & his best selling book Democracy for Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics is published by W.F.Howes Ltd. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Buckle up for a bumpy ride -2025 is here! 40:47

14 weeks geleden40:47

40:47

Reading the runes for 2025 Nick Cohen reads the runes for 2025 with fellow Substackers and writers - Tim Walker @ThatTimWalker and Nick Tyrone @NicholasTyrone . Early reviews for 2025 are already in, and they're not looking great! 2025 promises to be full of nasty surprises - particularly following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the U.S.'s 47th presidents. Pardons for the thugs and insurrectionists of January 6th looks baked in and the impacts on Ukraine could b deadly. Read all about it Read Tim Walker's Substack column A Point of View . Tim, an established Fleet Street columnist and journalist, has written several plays including Bloody Difficult Woman about Gina Miller's brexit legal battle with Theresa May. He has a new political play in the new year on BBC Radio 4. Nick Tyrone is an author, activist, policy advisor and commentator and keen observer of the Tory party whose Substack column as Neoliberal Centrist Dad - nick.tyrone.substack.com - is a must read for those of us desperate for the return of sanity to our national political discourse. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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