No10 in the North: Andy Burnham’s Manchester mission... Plus, is ‘free speech’ just a free pass for tech bros?

No10 in the North: Andy Burnham’s Manchester mission... Plus, is ‘free speech’ just a free pass for tech bros?

Author: Pod Save the UK July 2, 2026 Duration: 1:19:37

“Are you ready for this?” Following Andy Burnham’s first big policy speech since becoming an MP, and with his sights set firmly on the top job, Coco & Nish dig into his promises of regeneration, reindustrialisation, and…a new pair of running shorts. From No10 North to nationalisation and the biggest council house building programme since the postwar period, they discuss their unanswered questions and first impressions of the Manchester man offering “growth in every postcode, and hope in every heart.” 

Plus, they’re joined by journalist and campaigner Adele Zeynep Walton who shares her first-hand experience of the consequences of online harms. We ask whether the proposed social media ban for under-16s really gets to the heart of the problem (spoiler alert: no), and how we can truly hold the tech industry to account. Content note: this discussion includes references to suicide. 

USEFUL LINKS
Buy Adele’s book: “Logging Off: The Human Cost of our Digital World” https://www.waterstones.com/book/logging-off/adele-zeynep-walton/9781398722941 

Write to your MP and support the call for a public inquiry into the scale of harm facilitated by online suicide forums: https://mollyrosefoundation.beaconforms.com/form/90ddb8e4  
https://mollyrosefoundation.org/campaigns/campaign-against-pro-suicide-forums/  

GUESTS 
Adele Zeynep Walton 

CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS 

BT: Search ‘Why BT’ to find out more.
HRF Power Plays: Search Power Plays wherever you get your podcasts.
WISE: https://www.wise.com

Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.

We’ll be doing another mailbag episode soon so get in touch! Contact us via email: podsavetheuk@crooked.com if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings! 

Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK 
Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk 
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com 
Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk 
X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk


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: 50

Pod Save the UK
Podcast Episodes
Can AI really be your friend? w/Jamie Bartlett [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:48
Coco and Nish are joined by top author and tech expert Jamie Bartlett. His new book is a deep dive into the ways AI is being used - highlighting its pitfalls and also where it might be beneficial.Jamie even created an AI…
Truth, Lies and Donald Trump w/ Stewart Lee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:56
Comedian and columnist Stewart Lee joins Nish and Coco to discuss the week’s big stories.They talk about Donald Trump’s deadly and yet utterly confusing war with Iran, as the US President continues to contradict his own…
The Mandelson Files Are Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:26
The first wave of Mandelson files have been published. We all wanted to know what Keir Starmer knew, and when he knew it. Now we can see it in black and white. And as it turns out - Starmer was warned there was a “genera…
“No Winston Churchill”: is the special relationship over? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:14
A world leader has been assassinated, schools and hospitals have been hit, and Donald Trump thinks that Keir Starmer is no Winston Churchill. It’s all kicking off as the US and Israel’s illegal war escalates across the M…
Are we stuck in never-ending political scandal? w/Ash Sarkar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:58
This week Nish and Coco are joined by friend of the pod, Ash Sarkar from Novara Media to talk about political scandal, trust and compromise. Ash’s book, Minority Rule, has a new afterword which talks about two progressiv…
Can she fix it? Hannah the plumber and politician on tackling Reform [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:19
This week Coco is joined by the comedian Cody Dahler while Nish takes a brief break and there’s so much to talk about!The Greens' Hannah Spencer has become the unexpected bookies favourite to win the Gorton and Denton by…
McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:22
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: 50:29
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…