Adventures in the Culture War w/ Ash Sarkar

Adventures in the Culture War w/ Ash Sarkar

Author: Pod Save the UK February 13, 2025 Duration: 46:50
The government has spent the week trying to out-Reform Reform by stirring up yet another moral panic about immigration. The Home Office has been boasting about its crackdown on “foreign criminals and illegal immigrants” and filming immigration raids and deportations. At the same time, it has toughened up rules to make it almost impossible for refugees who arrive in the UK via illegal routes to become British citizens. Contributing editor of Novara Media Ash Sarkar joins Nish and Coco to discuss her new book ‘Minority Rule: Adventures in the Culture War’ - highlighting how a minority elite are profiting from the chaos they create and how the “i” in identity politics can distract and divide progressive movements. And Health Minister Andrew Gwynne and Burnley MP Oliver Ryan - along with 11 Labour councillors - have been suspended from the Labour Party after it was alleged that they’d sent offensive messages to a whatsapp group chat lovingly entitled, “trigger me timbers”. Correction: A...

The political landscape in Britain is often dissected from within the Westminster bubble, but Pod Save the UK offers a different kind of conversation. This podcast cuts through the noise of the daily headlines with a blend of sharp analysis and relatable frustration, asking the bigger questions about power, policy, and what it all means for people across the country. The hosts, seasoned in activism and political commentary, break down the week’s events without relying on insider jargon or dry parliamentary procedure. You’ll hear discussions that connect government decisions to everyday life, exploring the real-world impact of legislation and the forces shaping national debates. It’s a space for understanding the mechanics of British politics while challenging the status quo, always with an eye on how to build a more equitable future. For anyone feeling adrift in the constant churn of news cycles, this series provides clarity and a sense of shared perspective, making complex issues accessible and engaging. Tune in for a candid, often witty, and consistently insightful take on the state of the nation, where the focus is on substance over spin and holding power to account.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Pod Save the UK
Podcast Episodes
McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:16
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet circles the wagons as he survives another hellish week in office. One that saw the loss of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and his director of communications, Tim Allan, as the…
Will Mandelson be Starmer’s downfall? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:33
The release of the latest Epstein files triggered a deluge of revelations, spelling the end for one of UK’s biggest political characters. Nish and Coco chat about Lord Mandelson’s fall and the damage done to Keir Starmer…
Will Starmer’s control freakery deliver victory to Reform? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:19
Keir Starmer jets off to Beijing, leaving Westminster - once again - bubbling with rumours about his future. The King of the North might be off the cards, but Angela Rayner and even Ed Miliband are eyeing up the top spot…
Starmer’s new Trump headache and making comedy under occupation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:45
Donald Trump brings his particular brand of terrible speeches to the billionaires and bankers at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Nish and Coco try to work out how Keir Starmer can keep on track when facing the threat…
Trump’s explosive start to 2026 - will Starmer find a backbone? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:55
The US President put the season of goodwill behind him with a New Year Venezuelan coup and the threat of further action across Central America and the Caribbean. Then there’s the little matter of his promise to seize con…
Why does the Left make it so f***** hard? Question Time - PSUK-style [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:19
You asked, Nish and Coco answered! What are their most conservative opinions? Why do both the left and right hate NATO so much? Should we ditch GDP? Why doesn’t the UK have compulsory voting and why do some many progress…
2025 in British politics: from Starmer’s flop-flops to AI slop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:13
Warning: this episode contains a use of a racial slur. From the rollback of human rights and Trump’s BBC lawsuit to AI slop in politics - what the %@£! was that? Nish and Coco are joined by comedian Shappi Khorsandi and…
Will cutting juries fix our maggot-ridden courts? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:07
“Dead and rotting seagulls within the roof insulation” and “maggots literally raining down on to the lobby” - this quote from a court in South Tyneside sums up the state of our creaking judicial system. So what are we go…