‘Radicalised, organised, and thick as s**t’: Nish has had it with far-right protests. Plus - why Cory Doctorow is waiting for the AI bubble to burst.

‘Radicalised, organised, and thick as s**t’: Nish has had it with far-right protests. Plus - why Cory Doctorow is waiting for the AI bubble to burst.

Author: Pod Save the UK September 10, 2026 Duration: 1:28:20

This week, there’s a lot of news! Nish & Coco react to the announcement of sanctions on the West Bank, after Ed Miliband accuses Israel of turning a blind eye to the “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians by illegal settlers. As Andy Burnham wrote in the Guardian, it’s time for Britain to ‘stand for something’...finally.

Also, are we taking the threat of the far right seriously enough? Following a series of anti-migrant ‘protests’ by a self-styled ‘Patriot Army’ helmed by yet another ‘Tommo’, Nish & Coco ask why we don’t call out these radicalised groups for what they are. And despite Nigel’s best efforts to distance himself from the balaclava-wearing vigilantes, Reform UK knows that this is the support they need to make it to Number 10. 

And, the King of enshittification, Cory Doctorow, joins us to talk about the AI bubble and why it’s going to burst. Meanwhile, these tech bros are blowing smoke up each other’s share prices, and we’re all inadvertently part of the marketing machine. Cory tackles the ‘collective action problem’ and what we can actually do to change the narrative. Just because there’s a huge pile of s**t, doesn’t mean there’s automatically a pony underneath it… 

There's an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for a national moratorium on new AI data centres, put forward by Richard Burgon, the MP for East Leeds. You can ask your local MP to support the new national moratorium. You can also read up on the campaign and sign Global Action Plan’s petition: globalactionplan.org.uk. 

USEFUL LINKS

Check out http://noleedsdatacentre.com/ and sign their petition. 

Buy Cory’s book! The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI: How to Think About Artificial Intelligence Before It's Too Late | Verso Books

Andy Burnham’s Guardian op-ed: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/08/uk-sanctions-israel-two-state-solution-middle-east-palestinians-andy-burnham  

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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…