Quiet Riot

Alex Andreou and Naomi Smith welcome special guest Vicky Pryce - former Joint Head of the United Kingdom's Government Economic Service and Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research - to discuss Rachel Reeves Spring Statement. Plus, of course, 'Wokey Dokey'. ***SPONSOR US AT KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD*** ALEX ANDREOU'S PODYSSEY can be found here: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alex-andreous-podyssey/id1798575126 SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/2x7cD3HjkOyOKTF4YT5Goy?si=e7a86b762431451f AMAZON MUSIC: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/8c996062-ef8d-42e4-9d80-5b407cb6e2e2/alex-andreou's-podyssey OVERCAST: https://overcast.fm/+ABN4Gd7AP9Q POCKET CASTS: https://pca.st/podcast/9e98d690-d812-013d-ea22-0affdfd67dbd YouTube Music: Coming Soon Or you can add it to any app, using the RSS feed: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/podyssey SUBSCRIBE OR FOLLOW NOW Our bookshop featuring many of the books we have featured can be found at uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot. Kick your X habit, finally, by using one of three Quiet Riot Bluesky Starter Packs. With one click, it will hook you up with, among many good accounts, Alex, Naomi, and Kenny. ***SPONSOR US AT KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at quietriotpod@gmail.com. Or visit our website www.quietriotpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Ed Davey the Anti-Trump? We digest the Lib Dem Conference. PLUS: A crazy 48 hours for Trump, even by Trump standards. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, Cambridge Law Professor, former Lib Dem MP and former Electoral Commissioner, David Howarth, discuss the rising threat of illiberalism, and the antidote. Including regular feature 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “Of the top twenty least-deprived constituencies in the country more than half of them are held by the Lib Dems. So, when Ed Davey says ‘we are the party of Middle England’ it sounds to many that he means ‘the middle class’. This is the party that allegedly chose its target seats on the basis of being outside London but with a Gail’s.” “The problem is assuming politics is about buying people’s vote. That’s an invitation for instability because you end up always disappointing voters - who feel they didn’t get enough or others got too much. A politics based on values that offers hope can appeal to lots of people in different circumstances, and is not all about giving you an extra fiver and taking a fiver off the other lot.” “One of the things about Ed Davey is that what he says drives Reform UK party people crazy. And that’s good. Because one of the major rules of politics is to work out what your opponent least wants you to say and say it.” “We need to be inside the new EU pact on migration and asylum. It is a burden sharing pact, but most of the things that people complain about would be solved within it: more information about the people we take, much easier returns, and an obligation for asylum seekers to apply only once, in the first country they land.” “What we are seeing [from Farage] is sinister. Reform is adopting a policy of ‘national preference’ - the fundamental policy of the far right in France. I starts with citizenship. Who counts as a citizen? Who should be a citizen? If you listen to Le Pen, it shifts to dual citizens. Suggests they have divided loyalties. It then goes to a very dark place all about having ‘the right’ ancestry.” “The gov’t has a moral responsibility to reform the electoral system. We are not in a situation where Labour’s partisanship over first-past-the-post ends up delivering a vaguely incompetent centre-right gov’t. It could deliver a far-right gov’t on 30% of the vote. It is morally reprehensible and irresponsible not to change the system.” “I’m much more worried about the rise of fascism than the rise in autism. All this Tylenol stuff is part of a portrayal of Gilead, basically, where women should not work or participate in civic society, but be at home, pregnant, and enduring as much pain as possible, in order to support the white patriarchy.” “I worry that all this forms a pattern of attack against evidence, a concerted attack on science, a sort of Endarkenment, an attempt to return people to a state of not knowing what to trust, in which Leader’s Word becomes the only source of truth.” “This idea of ‘behind the scenes’ doesn’t really work with Trump. There is no ‘behind’. All of it is played out on the stage. Trump has this idea that he has to win the day, of a reality show, where at the end of each episode, Trump must be the winner.” CALLS TO ACTION: Subscribe to David Howarth's substack here. Sign up for PBS America from the UK. GRIN AND SHARE IT: BONOBO BEBEH HERE!!! ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Your Party" seems to be falling apart. Can it be salvaged. And does it need to be, with Zack Polanski's Greens providing a challenger from a similar political space? Also - will US tech giants invest in the UK or exploit it? He mull the investment deal struck during the US President's state visit. Plus - has Trump discovered a business backdoor hack to the constitution? And might cancelling critics backfire? Alex and Naomi talk through the week's news. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “It’s partly generational, but not just about their ages. Corbyn is a slow-horses sort of guy and Sultana is a come-on-guys person. And with Zack Polanski hitting the ground running, I think she has good reason to want to go faster.” “The King’s Speech was superb: holding the line on disagreements without being argumentative, flattering without being unctuous. Then Trump gets up to respond and essentially reads out what I think might have been the Wikipedia page for the UK.” “Jimmy Kimmel could have the top podcast tomorrow. Maybe it is a huge strategic error to kick these big names out of legacy media and into spaces that the right wing has dominated and progressives have ignored, with 50 times the potential audience, AND armed with a legitimate grievance.”  “We’ve just got to stop taking the right wing at its word on free speech. What they actually want is to be insulated from any criticism. This is a fundamentally political story that echoes what we’ve seen from Meta, from X, from Amazon, from Tesla, whose fortune is tied up in their relationship with Trump.” Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump gets the full Windsor treatment and turns to Royal Jelly. PLUS: How to defeat the far right. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, boss of Hope Not Hate, Nick Lowles, discuss the Presidential visit and Nick's new book on lessons learned from decades fighting the fash. Including regualr features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “Ultimately we are not going to be able to address or reduce people’s anger around immigration, without being able to address the economic pessimism that is driving it.” “There’s very little common space - especially free common space. Much to do with political decisions, but also changing lifestyles. The large workplaces of the 70s are gone. 10,500 playing fields were sold off under austerity. There’s far less interaction between people from different communities.”  “We are looking for top-down solutions, but - particularly with current levels of lack of trust in authority - we need to do more peer-to-peer stuff. You can’t legislate away youth radicalisation. You are just pushing more young people to rebel against the system.” “The Royals looked utterly miserable. They all looked completely bored. Melania looked bored. And all for what? To appease a man who has criticised our democracy, insulted our Prime Minister, tried to humiliate our capital’s mayor. It is grotesque.” “We are trying to hang on, in the back seat of a car, being driven at speed by a maniac. Maybe jumping out or antagonising him is not the right choice. Maybe playing soothing music and engaging him in conversation, until we can get out alive is better. I don’t envy the choice for any politician.”  CALLS TO ACTION: Buy Nick's new book How to Defeat the Far Right here. Find out more about Hope Not Hate here. Read Alex's substack piece for free here. Naomi's hack for calculating crowd sizes. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Kirk, Peter Mandelson and two drunk raccoons feature as we try to balance the grim with some giggly for your listening pleasure. In the US, the Kirk story is moving to its next phase with the arrest of Tyler Robinson. But what is the truth about gun crime in the US, and what are we to make of the UK blanket coverage of Kirk's shocking death? Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell pick their way carefully through this political tinderbox. And, in the UK, Mandelson being sacked grabs the headlines but, behind the scenes, what on earth can Labour do to get on the front foot? Will a new Starmer deputy help, and what about master tactician Morgan McSweeney..? PLUS some bonus Wokeydokey action and multiple Grin And Share It happiness, because we like to find some smiles for you amid the bleak political headlines :-) ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** (And if you do, we'll invite you to our next online Editorial Meeting, at 6:30pm on Thurs 25th September... it's always worth it!) SHOW NOTES Woke beaches Bee-sting injections Bolsonaro Fux off to jail Nurse saves drunk raccoons ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is Putin provoking Poland, and how bad could this get? In this Quiet Riot special, Kenny Campbell is joined by Behind The Lines host and geopolitics specialist Arthur Snell to look at Russia's astonishing drone attack on Poland – a story that is being squeezed off front pages by madness on both sides of the Atlantic, but should definitely still be headline news. What is Putin's game plan here? How involved is Britian – and do we have the resources for yet another front in the Putin crisis? How bad could this get? Answers (with caveats) aplenty – and this is a hot topic. Just after we finished recording, NATO states were on high alert in response to joint Russia-Belarus military exercises near the borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** 'NATO's red line isn't red enough' 'Drones don't do training exercises' Love your global politics? Listen to Arthur's fantastic Behind The Lines ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Poland and Qatar are being dragged into conflict, while some of the West dithers and some falls apart. Is there a way back from the brink. PLUS - Decoding populism: Groundbreaking new reasearch that begins to understand what attracts very different voters to parties like Reform, and how to win them back. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, former Cabinet Secretary, and chair of the Trade & Business Select Committee, Liam Byrne MP, take a deep dive. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “This is just the latest episode in a series of the most appalling outrages perpetrated by the Netanyahu government. Trying to take out the team that you’re negotiating with is not the sign of someone who is serious about negotiating.” “We’ve been trying the diplomacy track [with Israel] for some time. It’s failed. There has now got to be a conversation in Parliament about ramping up consequences, together with allies, to try and end this culture of impunity.” “President Trump’s second term has moved on from the improv that characterised the first term to being a project. And if you look at the depth of Project 2025, actually he is pretty faithfully following that playbook.” “There are still within the Commission a lot of scarred individuals, who did not have the best time negotiating Brexit with Conservative politicians and one can understand the kind of mindset that left them with. Nonetheless, Europe has to move on. We have to lock arms against one of the biggest threats to democracy we have faced.” “This sort of incursion is almost always deliberate provocation; a testing of boundaries. It has two objectives. First, to see how quickly and strongly NATO and the EU react. Second, to make other countries bordering Russia think twice about shifting military assets to Ukraine.” “We found a complete fusion between the populist media system and populist politics. You’ve got money coming in from all sorts of strange places into channels like GB News, from where significant sums are now going to politicians of a particular party. And that’s a model - not an accident.” “Who is paying for thousands of flags to be put up everywhere? We just don’t know. The law around what are called ‘non-political campaigners’ is a joke - especially outside regulated election periods. The UK is extremely vulnerable. Money can come from Dubai into a think tank or media company, and be dispersed from there, completely unregulated.” “We mapped some accounts like GB News, their network of followers, then in turn who else they follow, this intricate network, and we found that 80% of the biggest influencers are American. What organisations like GB News have done, is to lay the foundation for an American populist ecosystem.” “Voters considering Reform are not a homogenous blob - they comprise five groups, united by concern about immigration, but with very different views of other issues. And if I had one to say to [Labour], it would be: Stop targeting your message to the most intractable members of that coalition. They’re beyond reach.” “I hope through this research we can generate some empathy for the plight that some of the people considering Reform have been through. Because they deserve answers and a politics that works, and they deserve it now.” “We have to start delivering change that people can see outside their front door. We used to say that politics is local - now it’s hyperlocal. It’s framed by the space between your front door, the patch of grass where you walk the dog, and the shop where you pick up milk.” CALLS TO ACTION: Help Smart Medical Aid for Ukraine here. Help Medical Aid for Palestinians here. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are Graham Linehan and Lucy Connolly the right pin-ups for an issue as important as Freedom of Speech? Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou discuss whether absorbing a universal right into a polarised culture war serves anyone's interests. ALSO, we take a deep dive into the shallow waters of the Reform UK party conference. PLUS with musical offerings galore during conference season, we give our best karaoke tips. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “I would suggest to genuine free speech champions out there, who are worried about the overreach of current legislation, that Lucy Connolly and Graham Linehan are not the right pin-ups. Absorbing such a serious issue into a culture war is not the right strategy. If you end up dying on a hill over those posts, your movement has a problem.” “None of this is keeping women safe. It’s certainly not keeping women who are quite masc-presenting safe. We have heard multiple stories of women being challenged just for going to the toilet, since the Supreme Court ruling, on the basis of what they look like. I just think that a lot of people have forgotten how to behave.” “Dorries is both very high profile and a nobody. Not an MP or a peer or someone with any role in the party. One could legitimately that leading councillor in a big local authority defecting to Reform is more consequential. But she does straddle that world between politics and celebrity and is therefore a significant scalp.” “We’ve done a big piece of work segmenting the Reform voter base. We found five distinct groups. Immigration ties them all together, but they differ widely in other areas, especially tax and spend, which creates some difficult traps for Farage.” Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They finally got her. But Rayner's departure triggers a wider reshuffle that nobody expected. Is this panic or is it - finally - grip? Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou discuss a huge day in Westminster. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If we do not defend a working class woman like Rayner, against this onslaught by a media that loathes her, we condemn our politics to be the pursuit of only rich men. PLUS Why we need proportional representation now - and how to get it. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, CEO of Make Votes Matter, Emma Harrison, discuss the big political issues of the week. Including regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALLS TO ACTION: Help the 5050 campaign to support women in Parliament. Find out more about the work of Make Votes Matter here. Find out how to disable the emergency alert here. GRIN AND SHARE IT: How 3D printed nerve scaffolds are helping victims of spinal cord injury. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump's presidency reaches the 'Is he dead?' stage, Angela Rayner is pilloried yet again for not breaking the law, and a big tub of sand helps Finland stay warm. It's an unusually generous helping of madness in this week's Sunday School, and who better than Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell to skip in wonder through the minefield of headlines and 'he said' lines. With bonus appearances from the Green Party leadership race and the Home Office workload, because we do serious here as well. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALLS TO ACTION: Email the Home Office to help HOPE not hate stop Great Yarmouth's Neo-Nazi music festival Check out Quiet Riot fan Emma Monk's excellent fact-checking Substack, Monk Debunks, here How Atlantic currents are signalling an even bigger climate catastrophe Finland's super-sandy battery breakthrough Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Labour government is talking about Europe, attacking the opposition, and putting forward some positive ideas. Could the new school year be better for them? Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, Labour MP Andrew Lewin discuss the mechanics of a closer relationship to the EU, the half-baked proposal to leave the ECHR, political strategy on whether to attack or ignore Reform - and Andrew's very exciting proposal for a Citizens Advance, to give young people, with no access to parental wealth, a leg-up, when they actually need it. Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “The technocratic approach is sensible, in normal times, but these aren’t normal times… and I think people, both here and in Brussels, need to realise that there are no longer guarantees on what comes next, here or in member states - everyone is butting up against the rise of the far right. They need to act quickly and lock in as much sensible change as possible.” “Most people’s position on Europe is practical. Farage is in a minority, because he is ideological about it, as is Badenoch. Both came to Parliament the week of the UK-EU summit and said they would rip the agreement - before they had seen it. Which is an extraordinary position for the leader - and wannabe leader - of the opposition and out of line with mainstream thinking. So, I do think there is an opportunity for us to be braver.” “The reason reopening the whole question of EU membership would be impossible to reopen in this parliament is that it would dominate everything else. And we were elected to fix a lot of things - public services, cost of living, that would be drowned out. Also, the EU27 are not ready, in my view, to talk about rejoin. So, my view as a backbench MP and a pro-European is that this parliament is the time to build bridges.” “We often debate inheritance tax and it is an unpopular tax. I wanted to approach it from a different perspective. This is about giving individuals agency, over something that is going to be their money anyway. That’s why it’s called a Citizens Advance. It’s an advance on your pension, at a time it can do the most good.” ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALLS TO ACTION: Plant a tree for Europe and help Best for Britain here. Buy Eliza Philby's "Inheritocracy" here. Find out more about Citizens Advance (the Lewin Loan) here. GRIN AND SHARE IT: Read about extraordinary TIME Girl of The Year, Rebecca Young, here. Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Social media firestorms agogo in this week's scorching Sunday School. Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell take a sideways look at how socials are starting to go wrong for Trump, thanks partly to Gavin Newsom and Jeffrey Epstein, plus the fallout from the release of UK Twitter criminal Lucy Connolly. And, yes, all the latest madness from the court of King Trump (or as much as we can fit in) and, by way of light relief, an actual discussion about art. Yes, art. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “I am fully prepared for the number of wars Trump has resolved to go up again next week, in order to include the great Empire-Ewok Accord, the Armistice with the Cylons, and finally sorting out the Gondor/Mordor situation. Perhaps that's why Trump is patchy. He's midway through his transformation from Gandalf the Dusty Rose to Gandalf the Ecru.” “The White House launched its TikTok account this week, put out a couple of posts, but they didn't turn off comments. There is a lot of MAGA presence on TikTok. But the responses under these two posts were off the scale hating on Trump’s links to Epstein. Hundreds and hundreds of them - to the point where [Billy McLaughlin] the digital media boss had to resign.” “Lucy Connolly fits a particular box when it comes to developing the “two-tier” narrative from a media perspective. And she came out of prison and straight into a summer of particularly relevant media headlines… There's a redemption arc playing out here. She is being weaponised by the media, in order to become a standard bearer for why it is ok to break the law.” “The tabloids tell us that Connolly is lovely and ordinary, runs a day care and is a great Mum, has suffered past tragedy and took her dog for a walk after posting what she posted. All of that may be true. But she wasn’t punished for any of that. She was punished for telling people it was okay to set fire to a building with human beings sleeping in it, because their life has little value. That she did that between having a cuppa and shampooing the dog, makes it more chilling, not less.” “Connolly decided that this country somehow belongs to her and she decides who gets set on fire and who doesn’t. And she communicated that wish, knowingly, to people who were out there looking for precisely such a rationale for their pre-existing grievances and violent tendencies. That is the bit that is not okay. The rest is window dressing.” Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Brought to you by Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Monday's European course-correction to Trump’s wobble, the situation is moving. The question is: in which direction? Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, More In Common boss Luke Tryl discuss the big stories. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “It really aggravates me when I hear news programmes repeat ‘Russia is winning this war’. When you look at territorial gains, you’re looking at one per-cent of Ukraine’s land mass, at the cost of almost a million Russian lives. That’s not ‘winning the war’.” “In terms of strategic objectives outside Ukraine, Putin has ended up uniting Europe, hardening its resolve, boosting its defence spending to double what it was, uncoupling Europe from his energy infrastructure, and with Sweden and Finland as members of NATO. Some pretty catastrophic misjudgment must have gone into his initial decision to invade.” “What the US [security] guarantee does is, it makes it easier for European leaders to convince their publics of their piece of it, which is continuing support and even boots on the ground, potentially. Having a US assurance makes that easier to sell to their voters.”  “If nothing changes, I do not think it is inconceivable that the Tories end up in the high teens at the next election. There is some complacence in the centre-right that of course Farage will flake out, of course he always falls out with everyone, and they’ll come back to us.” “The group that has had the biggest swing to Reform since the election are Gen-X women. They’re often the most unhappy with the state of Britain. Lots of them face double care crises - they’ve got kids still at home who can’t move out and looking after ailing parents. But they are also inherently more cautious.” “There is a group of Conservatives, who have always wanted to be Reform and who obsess that the only way forward is to ‘unite the family’. And I find it hard to think of an example where a party competing with another party has been so reluctant to take them on directly.” ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALLS TO ACTION: Please help Smart Medical Aid for Ukraine here. GRIN AND SHARE IT: Read about the Gallop global poll here. Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And so Volodymyr Zelensky returned to the White House, but this time with a phalanx of European leaders to support him – and, perhaps, to make sure the orange toddler didn't get upset. For his part, Trump played nice, despite talking with Putin mid-way through proceedings – oh to have a transcript of THAT call... In this Midnight Mass special, recorded while European leaders were still at the White House, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell look at what was said, by whom, and what it might all mean. Are there grounds for optimism? What, if anything, has changed? And who gets the Nobel Peace Prize..? ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “It was like the world's most elite babysitting team had assembled. As if Thanos had a stroke and the Avengers have to gather around him, as carers, to make sure he doesn't click his fingers. And they may have to do it again tomorrow, and every week for three years, but it's still worth doing.” “I detected a real insecurity in Trump. He kept going on about how unfair the media is being on him. It tells me that he read the coverage of the Alaska meeting and it did sting him… It's a mistake to see Trump as somehow untouchable. He cares about popularity and craves approval. That is his pressure point.” “Trump has shifted on the notion of America being somehow involved in the security guarantees given to Ukraine. Unreliable as he is, articulating that publicly for the first time is, I think, a major moment.” Help Ukraine by supporting ⁠⁠the Smart Medical Aid charity here⁠⁠. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Brought to you by Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Iceman cometh to Alaska, the Iceman getteth his photo opp and then the Iceman poppeth off again, leaving the Donald in a pool of tepid ignominy. Alex Andreou is joined by our regular foreign policy guru, Arthur Snell, to consider whether this was a bit of a disater for Trump, a bit of a let-off for Ukraine ahead of Zelensky's hastily-announced trip to Washington, or a bit of both. And they look at the latest from Gaza, another war Trump said he was going to end that has only got worse, as well as the increasing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. “Trump went out on a limb before the summit to say what he wanted out of it: a ceasefire. This gives a very clear yardstick by which to measure the result, which was - well - not a ceasefire.” “The fancy lunch that was planned was shelved. So, clearly, behind closed doors, things must have gone quite badly, whatever Trump now claims… Even if you're a supporter of Trump, the last person you would trust on what happened in a meeting behind closed doors, would be Donald Trump.” “Trump may not have ended the two wars he promised, but he has apparently ended up to six additional wars, some of them nuclear. Although you wouldn’t know them. They go to a different school.” “The Russians overplayed their hand, with their disrespectful, mocking approach. We know from, for example, Fiona Hill, who was Trump's Russia advisor in the first presidency, a Russia expert of considerable renown, that in meetings in Russian Putin is sarcastic and makes fun of Trump.” “What is it that Trump wants? This thing about the Nobel Peace Prize, again I thought was a bit of a joke, or that he wanted it just because Obama had had it. But apparently he's obsessed with this idea. He’s been ringing up Norwegian politicians to tell them that he deserves it.” “Russia underestimated Europe. Now, it had every reason to given the history. But Finland and Sweden in NATO, a huge advance in defence spending, and also Ukraine becoming itself a significant manufacturer of weapons - all of it points to a lack of tactical or strategic insight on Putin's side.” ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALL TO ACTION Help Ukraine by supporting ⁠the Smart Medical Aid charity here⁠. ⁠Medecins Sans Frontier⁠ is still operating in Gaza. Catch Arthur's latest ⁠Behind The Lines⁠ episode. Arthur's substack Not All Doom is here. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In trade, as in immigration, and every policy area, we have forgotten how to compromise. We demand the truth, but have a temper tantrum, when we get it. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, trade expert David Henig, discuss Reform's latest attempt to foment violence, by endorsing vigilantism, and the total absence of honest conversations on immigration and trade. Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “This rhetoric of ‘protecting women’, is actually all about the subjugation of women. Specifically who gets to subjugate us. It's just misogyny dressed up as heroism.” “There’s this fallacy about a fixed number of jobs, meaning immigrants are taking ‘our’ jobs, therefore we have fewer opportunities. It’s simply not true. Immigrants are often highly motivated and create jobs. What you want is to create an overall dynamic economy. And with these false narratives, we risk talking ourselves into economic decline.” “Having failed - so far - to fan the Epping protest into spreading, Reform UK seems to be trying an alternative theory of arson: creating the potential for many small fires. After a month of bleating about ‘LAWLESS BRITAIN’, their solution is more lawlessness. But this is good lawlessness, you understand, because it is their lawlessness.” “The path forward for the EU needs to be one of more openness to trade - not following the US down the path of protectionism. The EU economy has been strengthened by trade. It should deepen its relationship with the UK and others, like Canada, creating a different vision of the world to Trump - one that looks more successful.” ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALLS TO ACTION: Donate a little money or a little time to Citizens Advice here. Find resources for writing to you local paper about youth mobility HERE. GRIN AND SHARE IT: Read about the intrepid tortoise, Matilda, and her daring escape here. Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just smile and make nice until he VPees off; Our water is mostly poop now; A big fuss about a little pasta. Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou achew over the weeks latest news, in their signature, Sunday way. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALLS TO ACTION: Here is Best for Britain's Report on Water Quality. Read it, share it, send it to your MP. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAGA begins to turn on Trump. Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest Brian Klaas discuss the reasons for the Find Out stage coming so soon in this second FAFO Trump term. And - why is Nigel Farage afraid "to walk of an evening wearing jewelry"? Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “The best way to think about Republicans in Congress is as a full-time propaganda outlet for Donald Trump. What they are mostly doing in hearings is creating smoke screens for Trump. The pretence of trying to legislate has been largely abandoned. They’ve ceded control of process to the President and just create content for Fox News or social media.” “A huge number of donors use Trump as a vehicle to enrich themselves and they really don’t care about - or even celebrate - some of his more egregious moral stances or his authoritarianism. All that stuff is fine with them, as long as the gravy train for the elite continues to chug along.”  “The one thing Trump cannot fully distort is whether people out there, near the end of the month, go to the supermarket and can afford their food bill on their remaining salary. That is something they will experience objectively, whatever he does with the data.” “This looks like Trump trying to land a photo-finish foreign policy win in Moscow, while still angling for a handshake moment with Putin. If the plan is to send a property developer to make peace with a dictator, we should lower our expectations.” “[The Sidney Sweeney ad] is the corporate equivalent of a dog-whistle: provide the match, let others light the fire, bask in the heat of the coverage. Visually signalling a certain world view, without putting it into words - create the ambiguity, avoid accountability, and monetise the polarisation.” ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALLS TO ACTION: Here is Brian's superb blog on slowing down. If you're a US citizen, you can support Fair Fight. If you're not a US citizen, you can support Oxfam America or C-Span. GRIN AND SHARE IT: Read about Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest. Watch a demolition of the Discovery Institute. Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Uh-oh, the US economy appears to be entering the 'find out' stage of team Trump's eff-around experiment. As employment figures, market confidence and senior statisticians all take a beating from agent Orange , Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell survey the wreckage – and pay special attention to how AI is acting both as a destroyer of jobs and a huge economic stimulus. Closer to home, they look at Labour's new plan to get more working class people into the civil service – lefty social engineering or the beginning of a much-needed reset? And there's some new polling from our buddies at More In Common, who have been asking people when they think the wheels fell off Britain. Yes Minister clip courtesy of BBC ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Our bookshop, including many of the books we have featured, can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can find our sister podcast Podyssey ⁠here on Apple Podcasts⁠ and ⁠here on Spotify⁠ - or just search for "Alex Andreou's Podyssey" on any platform. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices