Pod Save the UK

This week, journalist and friend of the show Will Hayward joins to unpack a landmark summit between the leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. With pro-independence parties joining forces and declaring that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end” – bold words, but what does it really mean? Plus, Jordan Stephens, musician, writer and one half of Rizzle Kicks, joins Nish and Coco to discuss the rise of hyper-masculine figures online, and whether human connection can offer a healthier model and an alternative to the politics of division.USEFUL LINKSSubscribe to Will Hayward’s substack hereWatch Jordan Stephens ‘In Search Of Peace’ here CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS BETTERHELP: https://www.betterhelp.com/psuk    SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk Pod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] 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

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 LINKSCheck 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 BooksAndy Burnham’s Guardian op-ed: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/08/uk-sanctions-israel-two-state-solution-middle-east-palestinians-andy-burnham  CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUKSHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] 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

This week, Nish is back from his fringe frolics, and joins Coco to talk about parliament’s return from summer recess. The revolving door continues as Keir Starmer resigns, Nigel Farage gets sworn in (again) and Andy Burnham tests his stamina with nearly three and a half hours’ worth of questions in the commons. With Zack Polanski rumoured to run in St Pancras and Holborn, how might the next by-election (another one?!) play out?Also on the pod, we’re joined by journalist and historian Taj Ali. He unpacks what we can learn from grassroots organising and community resistance in the 1970s, shares reflections from the worst racist violence in over a century, and explains why the white working class has more in common with the South Asian community than they might think. Also, PSUK exclusive: fellow Luton native Stephen Yaxley-Lennon eats halal? Content note: the conversation between Nish, Coco and Taj is a full and frank discussion of racism, and includes the use of a racial slur that’s historically been used towards the South Asian community. USEFUL LINKSTaj’s book is out on the 15th September: https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/come-what-may-were-here-to-stay/taj-ali/9781526177582?srsltid=AfmBOoqg8Daxime9FB1T9FFCKNn6tUFY2bAbY75ybjQm_J4PKibB_KX4FB0 Anti-racist RADAR: https://antiracistradar.co.uk/ - report an incident of racism here. CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS HEXCLAD:  https://www.hexclad.co.uk/PSTUK SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] 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

This week, we take a minute to remember dear Dolly Parton (Comrade Dolly!); an extraordinary force of nature, talented musician, incredibly generous person and fierce ally, whose kindness and positivity inspired millions across the world–we’ve lost one of the good ones. Meanwhile, Coco gets the lowdown from Cody about his latest video being flagged for bullying (billionaire Mark Zuckerberg?!) during Meta’s child privacy trial. Since we recorded this episode, Meta has settled for $17bn, agreeing major changes to its platforms including usage limits and nighttime blocks. Also, Reform is at it again, unveiling a policy to prioritise social housing for ‘British born workers’ and married couples. But…you have to keep your gardens tidy? Coco & Cody discuss what sits at the heart of this latest divisive declaration. And: are we living in a Corrupted Kingdom? Robert Barrington thinks so. As the former head of Transparency International and professor of Anti-Corruption, he joins us to talk about why we’re reluctant to use the ‘C’ word in the UK, and what we can do to safeguard against corruption across all aspects of British society. USEFUL LINKShttps://www.transparency.org/en https://antislapp.uk/Buy Robert’s Book! https://www.waterstones.com/book/corrupted-kingdom/robert-barrington/9781805223153 CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS INCOGNI: https://www.incogni.com/podsavetheuk Code: podsavetheukHEXCLAD:  https://www.hexclad.co.uk/PSTUK SHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] 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

This week, it’s Coco & Cody Dahler while Nish is away at the Fringe! With the recent, shocking news of Jason Arday’s death, they’re joined by broadcaster and writer Natasha Devon to reflect on the role of legacy media, and where the line is drawn between public interest and pile ons. Also: is Britain living through a ‘nuance drought’? Coco, Cody, and Natasha wrestle with the decline of the ‘critical friend’ perspective, and ask how we can bring back the grey area when people are encouraged to pick a side–not just in politics, but wider society. And when pain is preferred to certainty, is Farage the devil we know? They discuss ideological fault lines, false binaries, social media bans, and burning everything down…USEFUL LINKSIf you have been affected by any of the issues raised during this episode, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org Pre-order Natasha’s book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-nuance-drought/natasha-devon/9781837733170 Petition demanding a public inquiry into Jason Arday’s death: https://goodlawproject.org/petition/jason-arday-letter/ ‘Farage Fest’ AI music video: https://x.com/reformparty_uk/status/2089464382925205526 CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUKSHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Don’t forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: [email protected] 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