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Crooked Media

Pod Save the UK is your weekly fix of political news, big ideas and a shot of inspiration. Each week hosts, comedian Nish Kumar and journalist Coco Khan are joined by politicians, experts, and famous friends to unpick the latest news, look for solutions, and inspire action. From Crooked Media – the creators of Pod Save America – in partnership with Reduced Listening, tune in to new episodes of Pod Save the UK every Thursday wherever you pod.

Pod Save the UK

Enough is enough! Nish stages an intervention with Coco about her troubling relationship with Chat GPT. Or as Coco puts it: her mate “Chatty G”. 

But Coco’s not the only one embracing generative AI - it’s creeping into politics. From MPs using it in their daily work to the Swedish prime minister turning to it for a second opinion on running the country. Is AI a useful and harmless political tool or will it erode trust even further?

Despairing, Nish catches up with internet pioneer and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. What can our increasingly polarised and trust-depleted world learn from the man who turned a crazy idea into one of the most popular websites in the world? Nish and Jimmy cover Musk’s “Wokepedia” attacks, the rise of AI and the Online Safety Act. 

And Nish and Coco check in on some other questionable distortions of reality - featuring everyone’s favourite charlatan Nigel Farage and Prince Andrew’s infamous inability to sweat.

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CALM

https://www.calm.com/PSTUK 

SPOTIFY

https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk 

GUESTS

Jimmy Wales

CREDITS

Al Arabia

BBC

The Sun 

Reform UK

Donald Trump

Bloomberg

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pod Save the Truth w/ Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales

It’s been an emotional week after the arrival of a Hamas-Israel ceasefire. This is good news - but issues of humanitarian aid, human rights, and accountability are all still up in the air. The struggle for a lasting peace continues... 

Closer to home - Nish and Coco check in with Plaid Cymru's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, to talk about seeing off Reform, what a new co-operative era in Welsh politics might look like and why voters may find themselves a little "indie-curious".

If Oasis can bury the hatchet, so can we! That's Your Party's message, but Nish and Coco aren’t totally sold on the Corbyn-Sultana reunion. In the wake of a Green membership surge, the party without a name is drawing dividing lines… But are they picking the right battles? 

And - the Iron Lady turns 100 - as lavish celebrations begin Nish and Coco ask why the UK is soooooooooo obsessed with Mags. From Right to Buy to Section 28 - her legacy isn't looking so great in 2025. And a scary revelation that Coco is spookily good at imitating her.

NB. A previous version of this episode contained an incorrect fact about Katy Perry. We regret the error. 

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GUESTS

Rhun ap Iorwerth 

CREDITS

The World Transformed

Turn Left Media

CNBC

USEFUL LINKS 

Medical Aid for Palestinians

https://www.map.org.uk

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
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Why can’t the UK get over Thatcher? Plus - “Your Party” infighting is Definitely Maybe over…

“Shocking... but not surprising” - the words of Stephen Bush, Associate Editor at the Financial Times and Chair of the Commission on Racial Inclusivity in the Jewish Community for the Board of Deputies of British Jews in 2020. Stephen joins Nish and Coco to discuss the fallout from the shocking attack on a synagogue in Manchester last week. 

The trio discuss solidarity and protest, and why the government’s response to the Manchester attack is not making all British Jews feel safer. 

Stephen has also spent the weekend in an all-but empty exhibition hall, at Tory conference in Manchester. It’s a land of misspelt chocolate bars and retro racism - have the Tories given up the ghost? 

Later - Coco and Nish try their hand at some data analysis - introducing Pod Save the UK’s brand-spanking-new diarrhoea index - before checking in on a bold new idea straight out of the Green’s conference - abolishing landlords. 

CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR

https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk 

GUESTS

Stephen Bush 

CLIP CREDITS

ITV

The Green Party of England & Wales

BBC

The Guardian 

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK

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Solidarity in the face of hatred: how to unite after the Manchester attack

It’s conference season, and at the Labour conference in Liverpool - flagshagging, snake-oil merchants and leadership jockeying - is it Keir Starmer’s final chance for a reset? Nish and Coco are joined by political journalist Zoë Grünewald.

And later - as Trump reveals his plans for peace in Gaza, including a bizarre role for former PM Tony Blair - is the UK doing enough for Gaza? Nish speaks to Labour MP for Stroud, Dr Simon Opher, who earlier this month was denied entry into the occupied West Bank. Simon also fills Nish in on an innovative new prescription medicine - Laughter. 

Finally - we open the mailbag to share your wonderful stories of immigration in the UK - and Nish furthers his feud with a beloved British comedy icon.

CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR

https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk 

GUESTS

Zoë Grünewald

Simon Opher MP

USEFUL LINKS

I am an Immigrant Podcast

https://iceandfire.co.uk/project/i-am-an-immigrant/

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
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Decency or division: Starmer takes aim at Reform

Oh dear lefties… We just can’t stop tearing each other apart, huh? One short month into the evolution of the new political party experiment undertaken by independent MPs Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn - and the whole thing has descended into acrimony. After a weekend of legal threats, “your” party is suddenly seeming to be a house of cards built amidst a hurricane.

 

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has seized the moment to vomit out a new wave of inflammatory anti-migrant rhetoric. The need for a unified left movement has never been more urgent - and new Green Party leader Zack Polanski is ready to meet the moment. 

Zack joins Nish and Coco in our (fully powered) studio - to talk about his vision for the future of the left, his plans to fight inequality and why he’s not actually thrilled to see Zarah and Jez at each others throats. He also brings up his ever-so-slightly hypnotherapy boobjob and in revenge, helps us pip the Sun to the post on a saaaaaucy exclusive. 

Later - Nish weighs in on the Jimmy Kimmel saga… It couldn’t happen here, right? Oh, wait… 

CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR

https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk 

GUESTS

Zack Polanksi - Green Party Leader

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
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Your loss, Zack’s gain? Polanski’s vision for the UK

It’s been a hellish week for our Disunited Kingdom. First Tommy Robinson mobilised ten of thousands in his ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march. Before we could recover from that toxic side show, the headline act arrived: President Trump. He was kept behind a ring of steel in Windsor where he enjoyed British brown nosing at its best from flatterers-in-chief, the Royal Family. What a state we’re in. 

Coco and Nish reflect on what they learned about their fellow Brits this week and the conclusion is scary. But before they abandon hope there was another march. Thousands of ‘Stop Trump’ protestors came out onto the streets of London - to hear from a range of the UK’s loudest progressive voices, from Zarah Sultana, to Zack Polanski and Jeremy Corbyn. Two protests, two faces of Britain. Can we ever bridge the divide? 

Finally - to round off the show, an injection of hope. Josie Naughton CEO of charity ‘Choose Love’ joins the pod to show us that there definitely is a way through this.

USEFUL LINKS 

Choose Love

https://choose.love/ 

Stop Trump Coalition

https://stoptrump.org.uk/protest/ 

Guests

Josie Naughton 

Zarah Sultana

Zack Polanski

Jeremy Corbyn

George Monbiot

Zoe Gardener

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
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Anger, Rage and Love - Trump’s visit to the UK and Tommy Robinson’s far right rally

Chaos, what chaos? Rayner's out. The cabinet's reshuffled. The lurch to the right hasn't stopped. But in the words of Homer Simpson, could Keir Starmer's shit show be a "crisitunity" for the left? 

To tell us how we can seize this moment, Nish and Coco are joined by leftwing royalty - Zarah Sultana MP and Bimini Bon-Boulash - live at the London Podcast Festival. 

Zarah shares why she feels liberated from Labour, has zero sympathy for Angela Rayner and zero tolerance for colleagues who don’t agree on trans rights. 

And as the government goes flag crazy, the gang reclaim some patriotic merch for the left. Zarah champions her Princess Diana mug and Bimini channels their inner Spice Girl by reclaiming the Union Jack.

CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR

https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk 

GUESTS:

Zarah Sultana 

Bimini Bon-Boulash

IMAGE CREDIT: 

Kings Place / Monika S. Jakubowska

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liberated from Labour: Zarah Sultana and Bimini Bon-Boulash - Live!

Pod Save the UK teamed up with Amnesty International UK for a powerful live recording to raise awareness and support to end the genocide in Gaza.

Nish and Coco are joined by Palestinian journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh, Gaza Bureau Chief of Al Jazeera, who shares first-hand experiences of reporting under unimaginable circumstances in Gaza and the deadly toll on journalists.

Comedians and activists Jen Brister and Alexei Sayle join the stage to reflect on the importance of speaking truth to power in a time of immense crisis and a dangerous escalation in the criminalisation of dissent.

It’s an urgent and timely discussion that delves beyond the headlines, exploring the personal stories of those that have lived through the genocide in Gaza. It highlights the devastating realities and the glimmers of resilience and solidarity that persist and the urgent need to raise our collective voices to demand an end to the genocide.

The conversation is book-ended with live performances from internationally acclaimed Palestinian musician Adnan Joubran, who brings the spirit and sounds of Palestine to life through his playing.

USEFUL LINKS 

Sign Amnesty International's petition to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza!

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/demand-immediate-and-permanent-ceasefire-psuk

Donate here to support Amnesty’s work on the ground in Gaza

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/giving/donate/help-protect-civilians-gaza-POD

Come to our next live show w/ Zarah Sultana and Bimini Bon-Boulash - this Sunday!

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/pod-save-the-uk/

GUESTS

Wael Al-Dahdouh

Jen Brister

Alexei Sayle

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop The Genocide! w/ Wael Al-Dahdouh, Jen Brister and Alexei Sayle

PSUK is taking a week off - so we’re bringing you a podcast from some of our friends - Sara and Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club! 

In this first episode - PSUK’s very own Nish Kumar turns up to discuss the internet, vegetables, wet boyfriends and so much more!

USEFUL LINKS 

Stop the Genocide Special W/ Amnesty International- Tuesday 2nd 

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/pod-save-the-uk-x-amnesty-international-uk-stop-the-genocide/

Future of the left - Sunday 7th

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/pod-save-the-uk/

Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club Live! 

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/sara-cariads-weirdos-book-club/

Follow Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club on Instagram @saraandcariadsweirdosbookclub and Twitter @weirdosbookclub

Recorded and edited by Naomi Parnell for Plosive.

Artwork by Welcome Studio. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of PSUK - Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club

High streets across the UK are being overwhelmed by betting shops. They gobble up £4.6 billion from punters every year - and local councils have almost no powers to block them. 

Labour MP Dawn Butler’s constituency, Brent East in North-West London, has 81 licensed enterprises alone. Jumping into “Betsy”, Dawn’s prized old-banger, Coco is taken out and about in Willesden to see first hand how betting shops are popping up everywhere and hear what local residents think. 

Along with 37 council leaders and mayors, Dawn is calling for a reform of the Gambling Act 2005 and a hike in gambling duties. With hints she might stand to be London mayor at the next election - could this be the first glimpse of her campaign?

Then, Nish and Coco give their assessment of Keir Starmer and the European moral support squad’s visit to the White House - is Putin still calling the shots on Ukraine? And as Starmer’s Government slumps to an all-time low in the polls, Sadiq Khan has a spicy take on Labour’s first year in power. But a glimmer of hope: is that a don’t-call-it-a-wealth-tax on the horizon?

On a less hopeful note, what on earth is going on with Labour’s social media account? And Nish and Coco struggle to get their head around the new Gen Z additions to the Cambridge Dictionary. Is politics all “delulu with no solulu”?

CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR

https://www.wise.com

USEFUL LINKS 

See us Live in London! 

Stop the Genocide Special - Tuesday 2nd 

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/pod-save-the-uk-x-amnesty-international-uk-stop-the-genocide/

Future of the left - Sunday 7th

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/pod-save-the-uk/

Sign Dawn Butler’s Petition for Gambling Reform 

https://www.dawnbutler.org.uk/gambling_reform_petition

Gambling Support

https://www.gamcare.org.uk/ 

GUESTS

Dawn Butler MP

CREDITS 

IG / @UKLabour

TikTok / @politicsprincess

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does the UK have a gambling problem? Out and about w/ Dawn Butler

Why did Suella Braverman’s speeding ticket take up so much oxygen, and who did it serve? Nish and Coco discuss whether the leaks against the Home Secretary are symptomatic of a party that’s heading into yet another bout of self-destructive psychodrama. As if that’s not enough, Boris Johnson is back in trouble too! 
As another set of record migration figures are published, Nish and Coco reflect on the immigrant experience and how it forged their own friendship. And there’s a big serving of hope too…in the form of economist and philosopher Daniel Chandler and his ideas to improve our politics - democracy vouchers anyone?
Plus Coco delivers a lesson in Greek Mythology, and find out what Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Succession’s Logan Roy have in common.
Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. 
Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk
WhatsApp: 07514 644572 (UK) or + 44 7514 644572
Twitter: @podsavetheuk
Guest:
Daniel Chandler, economist, philosopher and author of Free and Equal: What would a fair society look like?
Audio credits:
Parliament.tv

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