Best UK Progressive Podcasts (2024)

1
99: Georgia's democratic uprising against the 'Russian law' 36:39

27d ago36:39

36:39

A huge protest movement has taken to the streets in Georgia against the "foreign agent" law. This new legislation would require all organisations that receive foreign funding to declare it on a national register. Protestors have argued that this is the thin end of the wedge amid an increasingly authoritarian climate in the country for human rights …

1
98: Liz Truss and the scary future of the British Conservatives 43:50

2M ago43:50

43:50

Liz Truss has managed to persuade herself of a very convenient (from her perspective) "truth": she wasn't a terrible prime minister with a flawed economic strategy, but the victim of a deep state conspiracy. Swinging aggressively to the far right, she has been courting Steve Bannon and the American Trumpists on a recent US tour. What does this mean…

1
97: How the rich win: A story of misogyny, money and power 41:15

3M ago41:15

41:15

He's the city trader that went rogue. But he didn't lose the bank money. Quite on the contrary, he made them hundreds of millions from the fallout of the financial crisis. Then he dared to speak out against a system that was broken for the many but working for the few. In The Trading Game former city trader and friend of the Another Europe podcast …

1
96: British politics after the return of George Galloway 39:17

4M ago39:17

39:17

George Galloway has done it again, in a byelection as predictable as it was depressing. But surely this is isn't just about one individual. It feels like a moment of crisis and disruption in British politics. After the dust had settled on the result, Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper spoke to James Meadway and Michael Chessum about what it means for Bri…

1
95: The Polish Spring 37:11

9M ago37:11

37:11

Poland has dumped its far right government in a historic election victory for pro-democratic forces. After years of authoritarianism and anti-migrant racism, the Law and Justice party have been defeated by a coalition of pro-democratic parties. In this podcast, Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to Polish activist Ana Oppenheim about the historic tr…

1
94: Robert Oppenheimer, anti-fascism and the nuclear bomb 47:33

11M ago47:33

47:33

It was a scientific discovery that changed the world forever. The nuclear bomb was largely a brainchild of left wing scientists who were determined Nazi Germany would not win the race to build this terrible weapon. The recent Hollywood biopic focuses on the role of Robert Oppenheimer in this fascinating period in history, the man who led the team w…

1
93: Decolonising Crimea 43:16

12M ago43:16

43:16

In the first podcast in our Ukraine and the World series, Luke Cooper talks to Masha Shynkarenko, a Research Associate with the Ukraine in European Dialogue programme at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna and an expert on the Russian colonisation of Crimea and the Crimean Tartar national movement. They discuss the long history of Russian an…

1
92: From 'Global Britain' to Broken Brexit 34:33

1y ago34:33

34:33

It managed to unite Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in opposition. So why has the UK signed up to the CPTPP (the 'Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership')? In this podcast, hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to trade justice campaigner Nick Dearden about the Brexiter push for more global trade dea…

1
91: Neoliberalism and the war against Ukraine 38:41

1+ y ago38:41

38:41

Ukrainians have shown extraordinary heroism and resilience in pushing back the imperialism Russian invasion. But are Ukraine's successes on the battlefield at risk of being undermined by the government's economic policy on the 'home front'? In our latest podcast Alena Ivanova and Luke Cooper discuss the country's economic future and the risks ahead…

1
90: This is only the beginning – the making of a new left 35:46

1+ y ago35:46

35:46

Hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to Another Europe Is Possible old-hand, Michael Chessum, about his new book, This is only the beginning (Bloomsbury, 2022). They reflect on a decade or two of tumultuous change and what it all means for the future of radical politics. Navigating hope, vision and realism, they ask whether the left's best days …

1
89: Free: Coming of Age at the End of History 39:37

2y ago39:37

39:37

In our latest podcast, Luke Cooper talks to Lea Ypi about her extraordinary international bestseller, Free; Coming of Age at the End of History. A year since it first hit the bookshops, Lea reflects on the book's reception and the tremendous controversy it has sparked in Albania. Across their wide-ranging discussion they talk about the relationship…

1
Women in Politics 50:53

2y ago50:53

50:53

Progressive Britain History Project hosts Laura Beers and Steven Fielding, speak to Dr Emma Lundin, Senior Lecturer at Malmo University in Sweden, about women in politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
88: The cost of living crisis 45:50

2y ago45:50

45:50

Another year, another crisis. As inflation skyrockets, we talk to leading economic thinker and former City trader Gary Stevenson about the almighty hit, indeed the catastrophe, facing the incomes of working class people. What are the economics of the current crisis, and how do we build a people's alternative? You can also subscribe to Gary's Youtub…

1
Wilson's Impact and Legacy 47:30

2y ago47:30

47:30

Progressive Britain History Project hosts, Laura Beers and Steven Fielding, speak to professor of modern and contemporary history at Oxford Brookes, Glen O'Hara, about Harold Wilson's impact and legacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
87: Brexit is racist 39:12

2y ago39:12

39:12

Asking whether "Brexit is racist" might be seen as the "is the pope a Catholic" question of our era. But calling out the racism of Brexit is often seen as unacceptable in contemporary British politics. In this podcast, hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to Martin Shaw, emeritus professor in International Relations at the University of Sussex, …

1
86: World politics after Putin's war 39:34

2+ y ago39:34

39:34

As the Russian invasion moves into its second month, in this special edition of the Another Europe podcast we were joined by a panel of experts to analyse this new age of catastrophe in a live podcast event with listener questions. How should we explain the rise of authoritarianism, fascism and ‘Putinism’? Can Ukraine win the war – and if so, how? …

1
Half a Broad Church: The Labour Left 57:12

2+ y ago57:12

57:12

Simon Hannah, author of 'A Party With Socialists In It: A History Of The Labour Left' and 'Can't Pay Won't Pay: The Fight To Stop The Poll Tax', discusses the history, impact, failures and future of the Labour left with Progressive History Project hosts Laura Beers and Steven Fielding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
85: Betwixt and between? Eastern Europeans in Britain 34:20

2+ y ago34:20

34:20

In the last twenty years Britons and Eastern Europeans have become closer and more intertwined than ever before. But it's often been a relationship of frustration, and, through the rise of anti-immigration and Eurosceptic politics, marked by xenophobia and racism. In this podcast hosts Luke Cooper and Zoe Williams talk to Yva Alexandrova and Alena …

1
84: As the Boris Johnson regime faces its most serious crisis... how do we beat the Tories in 2022? 38:24

2+ y ago38:24

38:24

As his government lurches from scandal to scandal there is a new sense of hope that the Tories can be defeated. So what role can Another Europe play in building mass opposition and resistance? In this podcast, hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to Seema Syeda, a new staff member in the Another Europe office, about our plans for 2022 and how yo…

1
83: Spain’s left are leading Europe, so why are the far right on the rise? 33:34

2+ y ago33:34

33:34

Spain has one of the most successful vaccination programmes in the world. It's also set to launch the most ambitious national investment strategy in its post Franco history. But its trailblazing left wing coalition are, despite these tremendous achievements, not as popular as we might expect. Meanwhile, the far right Vox party has established itsel…

1
Hugh Gaitskell's Leadership and Legacy with Greg Rosen 47:58

2+ y ago47:58

47:58

Laura Beers and Steven Fielding, hosts of the Progressive Britain History Project, speak to Greg Rosen about the former chancellor and Labour leader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
82: COP26 and the global climate crisis: how do we save the planet? 42:20

2+ y ago42:20

42:20

As COP26 comes to a close, we investigate the global environmental and economic challenge facing humanity. In this podcast, Luke Cooper talks to economist Laurie Macfarlane, a columnist at Open Democracy and a fellow at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, to get a digest on COP26 and discuss the relationship between social justice, glo…

1
South Africa: apartheid, corruption and politics, with Lord Peter Hain 1:02:41

3y ago1:02:41

1:02:41

Joe speaks to Lord Peter Hain, who grew up in South Africa under apartheid rule before leaving for London with his family, was a leader in the protests against the South African cricket and rugby tours of the 60s and 70s. He then went on to become an MP, Secretary of State and now Labour peer. The discussion focuses on his two most recent books, Th…

1
81: Reflections on the German elections: Scholz's Spring and the centre-right collapse 36:23

3y ago36:23

36:23

It wasn't so long ago that Germany's declining social democratic party was seen as a a classic example of 'Pasokification' in Europe, a term referring to the steep decline of centre-left parties derived from the experience of the now deceased Greek party, Pasok. Polls at the start of the year put the party pretty clearly in third place. But the cen…

1
Inequality, with Lise Butler 53:04

3y ago53:04

53:04

Laura Beers and Steven Fielding, hosts of the Progressive Britain History Project, speak to Lecturer in Modern History, University of London , Lise Butler, about Labour's relationship inequality and meritocracy and where the party stands on the issues now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
80: Paul Mason on How to Stop Fascism 44:53

3y ago44:53

44:53

Fascism - the twentieth century's most barbaric ideology - is back and winning support on the streets and at the ballot boxes all over the world. What can we learn from the struggles against fascism in the past? How do we understand the source of the potency of the fascist appeal? In this podcast hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to Paul Maso…

1
79: 'I fled the Taliban, now I fear for my people' 1:02:44

3y ago1:02:44

1:02:44

The crisis in Afghanistan has dominated the airwaves this summer - and rightly so. In this episode, Luke Cooper talks to Shukria Rezaei, an Afghan living in London about her family's decade-long battle to flee the Taliban and resettle in Britain. It's a shocking story of oppression and the global border policing regime. Now she fears for those she …

1
Wellbeing with Alison McGovern 44:34

3y ago44:34

44:34

The first in a mini-series hosted by Henna Shah and Cllr Amina Ali focusing on mental health and wellbeing. Henna and Amina spoke to Alison McGovern, shadow sports minister, about the relationship between wellbeing, the olympics, racism, housing, mental health policy and more… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
78: England, Englishness and anti-racism after the Euros 40:49

3y ago40:49

40:49

Can Englishness be anti-racist? After a remarkable football tournament, where the England football players made such a strong anti-racist statement we draw out some of the political implications for anti-racism and the constitutional future of the United Kingdom after Brexit. To get a handle on these issues Luke Cooper talks to two impeccably quali…

1
The Progressive Dilemma 45:27

3y ago45:27

45:27

Laura Beers and Steven Fielding, hosts of the Progressive Britain History Project, speak to political scientist and professor of Politics at the University of Sheffield, Andrew Gamble, about the progressive dilemma popularised by David Marquand in his 1991 book of the same name. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
77: Hope despite retreat? Reflections on five years since the Brexit referendum 51:57

3y ago51:57

51:57

Does June 2016 seem like only yesterday? Or does it seem like an eternity? Fives years on from the referendum hosts Luke Cooper and Zoe Williams meet up with Laura Parker from the Another Europe National Committee to reflect on a period of dramatic change in UK politics. They uncover some small shoots of hope, despite all the problems we face, and …

1
The what and why of the CAC, with Mary Wimbury and Shama Tatler 19:08

3y ago19:08

19:08

Frankie speaks to CAC candidates, Mary Wimbury and Shama Tatler, about what the CAC is for and why they're standing for the committee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
76: Where is Germany going? The future of Europe's sleeping giant after the Merkel era 38:01

3y ago38:01

38:01

The fight is on to replace Germany's centrist chancellor, Angela Merkel, who is stepping down after dominating the country's political scene for a decade and a half. With new elections scheduled for September will Germany embrace change, or choose the centrist status quo? To get a handle on Germany's next political chapter, hosts Luke Cooper and Zo…

1
US politics with Andy Laub 55:12

3y ago55:12

55:12

Joe speaks to next gen fellow at Foreign Policy for America, Andy Laub, about the current state of US politics, the legislation going (or rather not going) through congress, and the big challenges facing Biden and Harris on immigration and foreign policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
75: European super WHAT? Money and power in modern football 39:39

3y ago39:39

39:39

The European Super League was dead almost on arrival. An uprising of fans, the football authorities and governments swiftly killed the project. It seemed to encapsulate everything that had gone wrong in a beautiful game where greed has long been king. In this podcast, hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to David Kogan. The Premier League’s medi…

1
74: Do economies always have to grow? The question facing capitalism 42:50

3+ y ago42:50

42:50

In this podcast, hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to ecological economist, Tim Jackson, about his new book, Post-Growth; Life After Capitalism. Every society in the world shares a fundamental cultural assumption about how our economies work: that growth is good. But what if this is running up against both its material and ecological limits? …

1
73: Fighting for life after Covid: how do our economies need to be redesigned? 44:57

3+ y ago44:57

44:57

By now it should be clear. Coronavirus is a ‘strategic’, not episodic, crisis for human development in this century. It poses sweeping social and economic change to our societies – as we try to come to terms and deal with mounting ecological crises. To get a handle on what these changes might be, hosts Zoe Williams and Luke Cooper talk to economist…

1
How to be a good ancestor, with Roman Krznaric 56:49

3+ y ago56:49

56:49

We're in an ecological crisis which threatens to change our planet beyond repair within two decades. Philosopher and author, Roman Krznaric, spoke to Joe about his book 'The Good Ancestor', explaining what we can do as individuals and together to think long-term and take future generations into account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo…

1
How organisers turned Georgia blue and flipped the US Senate, with Nse Ufot, CEO of The New Georgia Project 49:53

3+ y ago49:53

49:53

Pearl and Joe speak to Nse Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project, about how she organised on the ground in Georgia in advance of November's election and January's crucial Senate run-offs and what she thinks Democrats must do to win again in 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
72: Migrant rights under Covid: the quiet battle for human dignity 42:26

3+ y ago42:26

42:26

Britain's migrant workers are living through a huge moment of change. The country's immigration system has now fundamentally changed after the exit from the European Union and vast numbers of migrants have left Britain during the Coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of the most vulnerable EU nationals risk falling through the cracks and losing their rig…

1
Sikhs in the Labour Party: In Conversation with Tan Dhesi and Satvir Kaur 55:38

3+ y ago55:38

55:38

Joe and Henna speak to Southampton Labour Councillor, Satvir Kaur, and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, MP for Slough and Shadow Rail Minister. They talk about Sikhs for Labour and diaspora campaigning, the Indian farmers protests, the proud ignorance of the Tory government and the Sikh tradition of langar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in…

1
71: One good thing could come out of Brexit: a bonfire of national illusions 38:08

3+ y ago38:08

38:08

As the four nations of the United Kingdom struggle to reconcile themselves to life outside the EU are we witnessing the gradual unravelling of the illusions and delusions that have dominated the traditional British political elite? Is this end of the "era of self-deception" the one positive aspect of Brexit? And, if the project itself is overwhelmi…

1
70: 2021 – year of climate resistance? 30:54

3+ y ago30:54

30:54

The Coronavirus pandemic can be seen as a huge ecological warning: a sign that our footprint on planet Earth is becoming terribly unsustainable. And while that crisis continues to - rightly - dominate global headlines it is still rarely seen as the environmental crisis that it is. In the year that the UK will host COP26, the annual global climate c…

1
Why are there no black men on the NEC? 1:02:57

3+ y ago1:02:57

1:02:57

Tower Hamlets councillor Amina Ali speaks to NEC candidates Jermain Jackman and Terry Paul about the experiences of black men in the Labour party, why there is no black men on the NEC and what the party has got right and wrong when it comes to diversity. This episode is the first in a series of episodes on diversity within the party, hosted by some…

1
69: The UK at the cliff edge. Are we heading for a no deal catastrophe? 27:08

3+ y ago27:08

27:08

Will he do it? If Boris Johnson leads the UK to a no deal crash out from the transition period he'll surely be remembered as the most irresponsible prime minister in British history. His flag waving jingoism risks an economic and social disaster. Is it all a bluff? Will he climb down at the 11th hour? To find some answers hosts Zoe Williams and Luk…

1
Pluralism, Not Populism. Chris Clarke on his book The Dark Knight and the Puppet Master 1:02:59

3+ y ago1:02:59

1:02:59

Chris Clarke, author of 'The Dark Knight and the Puppet Master', speaks to Joe about the book and why a pluralist left is the way forward. They discuss the three populist myths detailed by Chris in the book and talk about their origins and political ramifications— from losing elections to inspiring antisemitism. Chris' ideas are backed up by solid …

1
Dr Samara Linton on Diane Abbott and mental health 47:11

3+ y ago47:11

47:11

Special guest Samara Linton is a Doctor, Writer and now radio Producer. She co-edited ‘The Colour of Madness’: an anthology of poems, stories and art about the experiences of minorities with mental health services in the UK. Samara also co-authored 'Diane Abbott: The Authorised Biography'. Henna Shah returns to host this episode with Frankie Grant,…

1
68: Is the game finally up for Donald Trump? 40:10

3+ y ago40:10

40:10

After what seemed like a lifetime, the final results are in: America has said "no more" to Donald Trump. Collectively the world breathed a sigh of relief as the results came in. But many questions still remain unanswered. How much damage can Trump do between now and his exit day, the 20th January next year? Will his racism and unfounded attacks on …

1
The EHRC report and antisemitism with Dena Ryness and Michael Rubin 55:04

3+ y ago55:04

55:04

For the last five years, Jewish Labour members had been told by many within the party that the issue of antisemitism was manufactured and exaggerated. The EHRC report into institutional racism in the Labour party acted as a vindication for those members and for others in the Labour movement who knew the extent of the problem and were desperate for …

1
67: Is an ethical foreign policy possible in an authoritarian world? 37:21

4y ago37:21

37:21

We talk about authoritarianism a lot on this podcast and how it's resisted from below by grassroots movements. But we haven't yet broached what the principles are in how democratic states should operate in an increasingly dictatorial world order. In this podcast we talk to Mary Kaldor, emeritus professor of global governance at the London School of…

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UK Progressive Podcasts

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