The Two Matts

Your questions answered, including why Keir Starmer should stay abroad, Trump's political maneuvers and whether we should have a referendum on referendums. The Matts share advice on how to maximise your cultural consumption and address how the beloved Barbour jacket, can become politically charged. Tune in for a comprehensive Q&A session analyzing these pressing topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coming Trump administration appointment of Robert F Kennedy Jnr should terrify us all. An oddball conspiracy theorist who has a track record of causing real damage to the health of millions is to be the next Health Secretary of the United States. The Matts are joined by one of the world’s leading authorities on vaccines - Mark Honigsbaum - to understand the danger RFK Jr represents, not just to the US but to us all. But first - the Matts bid a fond farewell to John Prescott and wish there were many more of his ilk around today. Enjoy!Join The Two Matts LIVE this Monday! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get Alistair Campbell's 2024 Diaries: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does Joe Biden’s move to permit the use of US missiles against Russian territorial targets mean for the war in Ukraine and the security of Europe? Also - what does the interminable Allison Pearson saga tell us about free speech in the UK? Enjoy!Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get 2 FREE packs of our 2024 festive cards worth £20: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts tackle Rory Stewart's optimistic predictions and why hope alone isn't a strategy. They delve into Elon Musk's influence on politics and the uniqueness of Trump's second presidency. The discussion then inevitably shifts to Brexit, and then takes a turn into dinner with Bob Geldof. With the Best Sweetcorn Ever. Enjoy!Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get 2 FREE packs of our 2024 festive cards worth £20: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The full horror of sexualised abuse in the Church of England has claimed the scalp of Archbishop Justin Welby. Was he the victim of a witch hunt; a man forced out of office by unfair pressure as many seem to think? No, say the Matts. And there’s a CONTENT WARNING on this episode: some of the ghastly abuse suffered by victims of John Smyth is discussed, as is the wider issue of child abuse in other churches including the Roman Catholic Church. Also - what difference does the interlude between Trump’s first and second term make? A lot think the Matts. Find out why!Content warning: discussion of abuseIn the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get 2 FREE packs of our 2024 festive cards worth £20: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The election of Donald Trump poses huge challenges to the UK … but can Keir Starmer act to protect his government from the Trump storm to come? How can a small nation off the coast of the EU best defend its interests in the new global reality? And if Starmer’s challenge is daunting, his predicament is as nothing compared to that of Vlodymyr Zelensky. Is Ukraine’s struggle against Putin now doomed? The Matts discuss.Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get 2 FREE packs of our 2024 festive cards worth £20: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

YOU join the discussion on the implications of Donald Trump's election victory, the public's perception of political candidates, and the role of right-wing media and dark money. Plus Starmers' advisor problem.Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get 2 FREE packs of our 2024 festive cards worth £20: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a moment of clarity, the Matts reflect on what just happened .. and why. And find themselves strangely energised by the thought of what is to come. Enough of the hand-wringing already - yes you Rory! - now is the time for action. Also - Matt D talked about working with the great Michael Caine on his brilliant new biographical journey through life and the lessons he’s learned. Enjoy!Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get 2 FREE packs of our 2024 festive cards worth £20: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s an earthquake and it changes everything. The Matts take in the scale of Trump’s victory and discuss how it happened and what it means; for the UK, for Labour specifically, for Ukraine, for the Middle East, for the climate. And they start to map out a response for fighting back against the oncoming tide of far right populism - both here and abroad.Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Subscribe to The New European and get 2 FREE packs of our 2024 festive cards worth £20!!!: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of The Two Matt's Q&A, the pair take on questions on Reeve's budget, taxes on the rich and lowering the voting age to 16. Also in this episode, where should the line be drawn on slavery reparations and what will the Matts be doing on the 5th of November?Email your questions to 2matts@tnepublishing.comSubscribe to The New European: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feargal Sharkey has galvanised the nation over the scandalous - and criminal - negligence our water companies and their so-called regulators have displayed for years. Our rivers are flooded with sewage on a daily basis and the privatised water companies have been pillaged. On Sunday he’s leading a march for clean water in London and he tells the Matts why he is so determined to correct this enormous injustice. It’s a brilliant, searing interview. If you’re not already furious about this, you will be soon.Join the March for Clean Rivers this Sunday: marchforcleanwater.orgSubscribe to The New European: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/Join The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are Labour making life so hard for themselves? The Matts assess the ups and downs of the government’s first months in power ahead of what promises to be a defining moment for Keir Starmer - Wednesday’s Budget. Also - what does Jeff Bezos’s interference in Washington Post editorial policy matter? Quite a lot as it turns out. Tune in to find out why! Enjoy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More on the contentious debate on assisted dying, including a view from Canada. Plus: alternatives to X and NHS reform insights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does the fact that Donald Trump now thinks Keir Starmer’s Labour Party are actively interfering in the US election matter? The Matts consider how a story that should be a nothingburger has the potential to upset relations between the UK and the US for years to come. In Part 2, the Matts discuss whether or not Britain should pay reparations to the descendants of the slave trade from which this country profited so much. Also - details of how to see the Matts in the flesh on November 25! EnjoyGet tickets for The Two Matts LIVE! https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2mattslive/Ta-Nehisi Coates: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts spend some quality time with fellow podcaster Jon Sopel … reflecting on the state of Britain as described in his hit book Strangeland. And they tap into his deep Washington insight for a long view of American politics - and just how scared should we be about the prospect of a second Trump presidency. Also - podcasts! Are they the future of journalism? Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Matt Kelly and Matt d'Ancona dive into Kamala Harris's Fox News interview - smart move or not? Plus, why aren't we talking more about the climate crisis?! They also tackle immigration, those cultish Trump/Johnson fans, and the age-old debate: audiobooks vs. real books. Oh, and Matt d'Ancona REALLY hates Halloween.Further reading/watching/listening"The Uninhabitable Earth" by David Wallace-Wells"The True Believer" by Eric Hoffer"Lincoln in the Bardo" by George Saunders"Sonny Boy: A Memoir" by Al Pacino"Don't Look Up" (Netflix film) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As parliament prepares to debate legalising assisted suicide, the Matts argue their respective corners on its desirability. Also - if they think having a German football manager is bad, wait until they find out about the King’s antecedents. The Matts despair at little England’s bottomless capacity for xenophobia when it comes to Germans. Enjoy!Content warning: strong language, references to suicide, depressionIn the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Keir Starmer enthuses to merchant banks and global conglomerates about opening up Britain for investment … and tearing down regulatory barriers that get in their way … the Matts wonder who actually runs the country? Not least since one of the shiny new investors are the very same people who ransacked Thames Water. And while we are talking about investment, what about the drastic cuts to local government funding that are damaging some of the most vulnerable in society? Also - Alex Salmond … is it too soon to mention the dark side? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Sunday edition of The Two Matts the pair chat about Labour's terrible start, Tory freebies and the US support for Israel. Coming from Berlin this week, the Matts also dip into drumming and whether young people not being able to read long books is a problem.Subscribe to The New European today!: theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts are in Berlin, discovering all is not well in the powerhouse of Europe. Is the rise of the far right AfD party inevitable? And how is migration warping the political discourse? Also - Boris Johnson’s worst lie yet? Could be. His mendacious outpouring about Trump’s innocence over the insurrection is a signal of a dark ambition; a return to power alongside his mate in the White House. The Matts weigh up the evidence. Warning! Contains impressions. Enjoy!Subscribe to The New European today!: theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.