CakeWatch

Coffee tariffs and orange tariffs and zero tariffs oh my! Chris in conversation with Twitter trade legend and man of mystery, Jim Cornelius, self-made walking encyclopedia of all things tariff-related, and scourge of so-called liberal leavers everywhere.

Heads up: there are a couple of audio glitches that might make you jump if you're listening over headphones, for which we apologise in advance.

Special Guest: Jim Cornelius.

A podcast of two halves this week. The first half is a look at the day's news from Westminster, where Corbyn now says he backs a referendum with Remain on the ballot, and where May now says she will call for a vote on whether to leave with no deal, or extend Article 50. Plus, more importantly, how the EU might feel about this. Then, in the second half, an extended discussion on Steve's personal Twexit - why he has taken the decision to step back from Twitter activism.

Navel-gazing post-Remainiacs self-congratulation cut with road trip excerpts all amount to another week in the podcast that isn't about cake. We also reflect on the futility of TIG-related hope and the futility of unicorn-related Brussels tourism.

We donned safety helmets and ventured forth into the archives to seek out our very first podcast, recorded one year ago on wax cylinder, and listen back to it to see whether anything has changed in the world of Brexit. Spoiler: it hasn't.

The Brexit database from Twitter user @brexology_uk

Dmitry Grozoubinski is our guest this week to talk about what the hell a "WTO terms deal" is(n't), and we weigh up the risks and chances of a disorderly Brexit. Plus easily the sexiest Lie of the Week ever.

Dmitry's trade explainer blog, Trade Explained

Special Guest: Dmitry Grozoubinski.

Chris and Tanja have no confidence in this government and reject its withdrawal agreement but more specifically talk about Brexit British attitudes towards Germany, where things stand for EU citizens as B-day approaches, and Brecht.

Become an EU Citizens Champion

EU citizens are your colleagues, neighbours, friends and family. Your doctors, builders, teachers and hairdressers. As the UK descends further and further into chaos, we need you to stand with EU citizens. We need you to say: #HandsOff and support us to #RescueOurRights. 1/ pic.twitter.com/5MFNGTOPFi

January can be a difficult month, and Brexit is not helping. Many of us find ourselves struggling to cope with the insecurity that Brexit is causing. In this episode, we look at how Brexit is making us feel and how we're dealing with those feelings. We also look ahead to The Convention, an event taking place in London on 11 January to prepare for a potential new referendum.

Mind, the mental health charity, offering help and advice to you if you are suffering from depression or if you are looking for advice on how to help someone who you think might be depressed.

The Convention

Special Guest: Laura Shields.

Theresa May's shocker at the European Council, and why it happened. Plus: Tony Blair, huh, what he isn't good for. And some home truths on what the Article 50 ruling means and what it doesn't mean. Finally, a few cracking Lies of the Week, and an absolute zinger as Tweet of the Year.

Chris' tweet about the Economist's Bagehot column

A throwback to the early days of the podcast in which Steve and Chris wind each other up into a state of high-pitched sweary indignation as they survey the carnage wrought by Brexit. Specifically, the importance of accuracy and honesty on the Remain side, negative and exceptionalist framing, government dishonesty and delusion, and car doors.

The unorthodox structure of this week's podcast is not so much down to avant garde editing as technical snafu, but we start at the beginning with Chris and Laura putting the world to rights over kebabs and prosecco, and end in the middle of things as we join Steve, Steve, and Chris half way through a discussion of Tuesday's events in Westminster, where this leaves Brexit, and was the UK really such an obstacle anyway?

Special Guest: Laura Shields.