COUNTER•POWER

Ten years after the Brexit referendum, Britain is still living with its political and cultural consequences. In this episode, Luke Cooper is joined by Kojo Koram and Alena Ivanova to ask what Brexit was really about—and why its legacy continues to shape British politics.

Was Brexit simply a revolt against Brussels, or did it reflect a deeper desire to restore Britain's imperial place in the world? The conversation explores Brexit as a colonial project, the normalisation of anti-migrant politics, the relationship between tech billionaires and the far right, and why the promise to "take back control" ultimately failed to deliver.

In the second half, Kojo discusses his new book The Next Fix, examining how the war on drugs has evolved from prohibition to profit, and what today's drug policies reveal about power, capitalism, policing and empire.

In This Episode 

Guests

Kojo Koram is an award-winning writer and an academic, teaching at the School of Law at Birkbeck College, University of London. His new book, The Next Fix : The Winners and Losers in the Future of Drugs asks whether the War on Drugs is really over – or merely changing its chemical formula. Buy your copy here. 

Alena Ivanova is a workers’ rights campaigner and a member of the National Committee for Another Europe is Possible.

Mentioned

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to COUNTER•POWER for more discussions on global solidarity, democracy, international politics and the movements shaping our world.

If you'd like to support the podcast and help us produce more episodes, please consider becoming a supporter.

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Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

"Brexit" by --Sam-- is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
"Banksy does Brexit (detail)" by dullhunk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
"Nigel Farage" by Michael Vadon is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Eight of the ten richest men in the world built their fortunes through Big Tech. As artificial intelligence drives unprecedented profits and market power, a handful of corporations are reshaping economies, politics and societies on a global scale.

In this episode of COUNTER•POWER, host Nick Dearden is joined by Sofia Scasserra of the Transnational Institute and Anita Gurumurthy of IT for Change to examine the rise of the new tech empires, the political power of Silicon Valley's billionaires, and the growing resistance to their influence around the world.

Together they explore whether today's tech giants are simply the modern successors to the robber barons of the nineteenth century—or whether we are entering something entirely new: a world of techno-feudalism, where control over digital infrastructure and data underpins unprecedented forms of economic and political power.

The conversation ranges from the impact of Big Tech on economies in the Global South to the growing debate around digital sovereignty, and asks what progressive movements should be demanding in the face of AI-driven transformation.

In this episode:

As governments compete for technological supremacy and corporations consolidate ever greater power, this episode asks a crucial question: what would a democratic, just and internationally accountable digital future look like—and how do we fight for it?

Guests

Anita Gurumurthy is Executive Director of IT for Change, a Bengaluru-based organisation working on issues of digital justice, governance and development.
Learn More and Donate Here

Follow IT for Change
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YouTube

Sofia Scasserra is a researcher and fellow at the Transnational Institute based in Argentina, focusing on digital economies, trade and the political economy of technology.
Learn More and Donate Here

Follow Transnational Institute
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Bluesky
TikTok
YouTube

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support.

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

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@globaljusticenow 
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@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

In this episode, we're talking about the people's sport, football, and its fascinating relationship with anti-fascism and the political power of sport ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Host Nick Dearden speaks with Chris Lee, author of The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism, Daniel Noroña from Amnesty International US, and Shaista Aziz, co-founder of The Three Hijabis.  

Throughout history, authoritarian regimes have used international sporting events to whitewash their reputations. The World Cup is usually framed as a celebration of unity and global joy around love for the sport, but this year’s events in Trump’s America are likely to become sites of repression and human rights abuses – despite Trump being given the first ever FIFA ‘Peace Prize’ earlier this year. 

In This Episode

Football Against Fascism 

Website

World Cup Chaos Tracker 

Chris Lee 

Blog: Outside Write

Book: The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism
Instagram

Amnesty International 

Report: Humanity Must Win: Defending Rights, Tackling Repression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup 

World Cup Travel Advisory

Website

Instagram 

The Three Hijabis

LinkedIn

Twitter/X 

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 

We need £8,000 to catapult COUNTER•POWER into the podcasting sphere with the aim of making it self-sustaining in the future.

The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support. 

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

What does it mean to build a political movement rooted in working-class organizing, anti-imperialism, and grassroots activism in a moment of deep instability across Europe?

 Co-Hosts Seema Syeda and Nick Dearden discuss this with Danièle Obono, a left-wing deputy in the French National Assembly and member of La France Insoumise. 

In 2024, France’s New Popular Front captured the imagination of progressives in Europe, showing that it was possible to form a successful left coalition, even though Macron ultimately kept them out of power. Two years later, left-wing party La France Insoumise is facing unprecedented attempts to marginalise and delegitimise it including, most recently, by attempts to blame the assassination of a young far-right activist on members of the party. 

Tune in to explore the political crisis unfolding in France and across Europe: the mainstreaming of the far right, the collapse of the political centre, and the emergence of new left-wing movements attempting to resist authoritarianism, austerity, and fascism.

Obono traces the rise of France’s far-right movement from the era of the National Front to the rebranding of Marine Le Pen’s party and the growing prominence of Jordan Bardella. We discuss how billionaire-controlled media, neoliberal policies, and anti-immigrant rhetoric have helped normalize the far right — and why anti-fascist organizing remains a decisive force in stopping it.

In This Episode

Danièle Obono

Website: deputee-obono.fr
Instagram: @deputee_obono
Twitter/X: @Deputee_Obono
TikTok: @bds.movement

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 

We need £8,000 to catapult COUNTER•POWER into the podcasting sphere with the aim of making it self-sustaining in the future.

The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support. 

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

Syria and the new world war

Are we witnessing the beginnings of a new global war? With conflicts stretching from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Ukraine, and across the Middle East and Africa, it can feel like the world is spiraling into chaos.

In this episode, Host Nick Dearden speaks to guests Elif Sarican, a writer and contributing editor at The Amargi, and Mazen Gharibah, an academic with the Conflict and Civicness Research Group at LSE and member of the UN’s Syrian Constitutional Committee, to unpack the complexity behind today’s interconnected conflicts by looking at Syria as an epicentre of geopolitical tensions. But beyond the headlines of violence and instability, they also explore the overlooked stories of resilience, solidarity, and hope emerging from communities on the ground.

This episode was recorded 8 April 2026. 

In This Episode

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 
The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support.

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

This episode steps back from the daily news cycle to examine the structural roots of the current global energy crisis. Host Zoe Williams speaks to Chris Hayes, the Chief Economist at Common Wealth, and Luke Cooper, LSE academic. 

Drawing parallels to the 1970s oil shock, their conversation explores how decades of policy decisions have left economies—particularly the UK—dangerously exposed to volatile energy markets. The discussion moves from global context to concrete proposals for reforming the UK energy sector.

This episode was recorded 1 April 2026. 

In This Episode

Common Wealth
Website
Bluesky: @cmmonwealth
Twitter/X: @cmmonwealth
TikTok: @cmmonwealth 

Featured Organisation: Global Justice Now
Get your free ticket to Resisting Big Tech Empires on 25 April 2026!

An international conference, ‘Resisting Big Tech Empires: The fight for the future’ will take place in London on the 25th of April 2026 at London South Bank University. Organised by UK-based NGO Global Justice Now in association with Balanced Economy Project, the conference promises a “day of talks and strategy on big tech’s impact on democracy, economies, war and the environment, and how we can challenge it”.

The line-up for the event boasts speakers including multi-award-winning novelist and campaigner Cory Doctorow; founding member and executive director of IT for Change, Anita Gurumurthy; campaigner with Our World is Not for Sale, Sofia Scasserra; author of Silicon Empires and Platform Capitalism, Nick Srnicek; and director of Foxglove, Rosa Curling.

Facebook: @globaljusticeuk
Instagram: @globaljusticenow
Twitter/X: @globaljusticenow 

ABOUT THE PODCAST
COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 

We need £8,000 to catapult COUNTER•POWER into the podcasting sphere with the aim of making it self-sustaining in the future.

The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support.

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

War and resistance in Ukraine

Just over four years ago, as Putin launched Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he expected the war to be over in a matter of days. But Putin’s army would soon be shocked by the resistance they encountered, and today Ukraine still hasn’t fallen. But it hasn’t won either. This is now a complex, attritional war for endurance against an autocratic, imperial state that appears willing to absorb huge economic and human costs to fight on. 

If you’re unsure of what to make of the war, its history, and some of the debates it throws up, then this is the show for you.

Host Luke Cooper is joined by Roksolana Nesterenko, a researcher at the Kyiv School of Economics, and Taras Fedirko, an academic with positions at the University of Glasgow and the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. 

In this episode: 

Featured Organisation: Ukraine Solidarity Campaign 

Bluesky
Instagram
Twitter/X
Facebook


Links to things we discussed

Come Back Alive: a charitable foundation that comprehensively equips the Defence Forces of Ukraine with everything from vehicles to grenade launchers, as well as implementing educational projects for the military.

Freefilmers: a cinemovement and NGO from Mariupol, Ukraine

Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation: focused on strengthening the Defence Forces of Ukraine and providing assistance to the civilians affected by Russian aggression.

Solidarity Collectives: a group of Ukrainian anarchists and anti-authoritarians who united in 2022 to support comrades fighting the Russian imperial aggression in Ukraine and help people affected by the war. Since then, they have built a mutual aid network for the anti-authoritarian movement in Ukraine.

UNITED24: this platform allows one-click donations to Ukraine from anywhere. Why is this so important? Because Ukraine itself knows best what is needed and can deliver aid directly.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 

We need £8,000 to catapult COUNTER•POWER into the podcasting sphere with the aim of making it self-sustaining in the future.

The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support.

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

The issue which has, more than any other, shown the depth of hypocrisy in the international rules based order is Palestine. In Gaza, the world watched a genocide in real time. Despite massive global protests, the machine rolled on – yet Palestinians remain hopeful. 

Host Nick Dearden speaks with Omar Barghouti, founder of the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) Movement and the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, and a recipient of the Gandhi Peace Award. They discuss the source of hope in the face of ongoing atrocities, the continued devastation post-ceasefire, and what Trump’s approach to Greenland and Gaza means for the world order. 

In This Episode

Boycott, Divest Sanction Movement
BDS Movement

Facebook: @BDSNationalCommittee
Instagram: @bds.movement
Twitter/X: @bdsmovement
TikTok: @bds.movement


Featured Organisation: Na’amod
Na’amod

Facebook: @NaamodUK
Instagram: @NaamodUK
Twitter/X: @NaamodUK

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 

We need £8,000 to catapult COUNTER•POWER into the podcasting sphere with the aim of making it self-sustaining in the future.

The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support.

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

Islamophobia and antisemitism are unfortunately no longer fringe. Increasingly open, increasingly violent, they are reshaping what it means to be Muslim or Jewish in Britain today. And yet these hatreds are rarely examined directly. Instead, they are instrumentalised, folded into debates about immigration, national security, public order, and foreign policy, in ways that often do not represent the actual communities. 

Host Zoe Williams is joined by Shaista Aziz from the Three Hijabis and Stop Trump Coalition, and Em Hilton, a Jewish organiser and writer based in London, and co-founder of Na’amod: UK Jews against Israeli occupation and apartheid. 

In this episode: 

Featured Organisation: CADFA (Camden Abu Dis Friendship Association)
Facebook: @camdenabudis
Instagram: @c.a.d.f.a
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/camdenabudis


Links to things we discussed
How White Feminism Harms Muslim Women (Shahed Ezaydi)

Islamophobia and Securitization: Religion, Ethnicity and the Female Voice (Tania Saeed)

Huey P. Newton archive

Facing antisemitism: the struggle for safety and solidarity (Runnymede Trust)

Islamophobia: A Challenge For Us All (Runnymede Trust)

The Lucifer Effect: How Good People Turn Evil (Philip Zimbardo)

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 

We need £8,000 to catapult COUNTER•POWER into the podcasting sphere with the aim of making it self-sustaining in the future.

The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support.

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)

Fascism has never really gone away—but it has changed shape. From the street-level racism and open organising of the British National Party in 1990s East London to today’s globalised far right, this episode traces how authoritarian politics have moved from the margins to the mainstream.

Host Nick Dearden draws on personal experience of anti-fascist organising, and is joined by Seema Syeda from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and co-author of Creeping Fascism, and Luke Cooper, author of Authoritarian Contagion and academic at the London School of Economics. Their conversation explores how the far right has built international networks, institutions, and narratives that now feel disturbingly normal. They dig into why “fascism” remains a contested term on the left, what’s genuinely new about the current moment, and what can still be done to resist it.

In This Episode

Featured Organisation: No to Hassockfield

No To Hassockfield

Facebook: The No to Hassockfield Campaign
Instagram: @no2hassockfield
Twitter/X: @No2Hassockfield

Links to things we discussed

Creeping Fascism by Neil Faulkner with Samir Dathi, Phil Hearse and Seema Syeda.

Authoritarian Contagion by Luke Cooper

A Town Within: Visiting Baqa’a Refugee Camp by Madihah Karim

What happened when I met my Islamophobic troll by Hussein Kesvani

The law of the jungle by Nick Dearden

Praxis: The essential guide for changing minds on migration

UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees

Time For Change: The evidence-based policies that can actually fix the immigration system

Make a donation to COUNTER•POWER

ABOUT THE PODCAST

COUNTER•POWER is brought to you by Stop Trump Coalition, Another Europe Is Possible and Global Justice Now, three organisations at the centre of the new global resistance. 

This podcast isn’t just about chatting and conversation — it’s about turning ideas into action and building real community power. 

That’s why we have a simple pledge to you, our audience. On every single episode we’ll leave you with something you can do to catalyse change. Whether it’s the latest big ideas or the movements you need to check out, you’ll find them on COUNTER•POWER. 

But we need your help to launch this project. 

We need £8,000 to catapult COUNTER•POWER into the podcasting sphere with the aim of making it self-sustaining in the future.

The funds will cover high-quality production – including sound and visuals – as well as consistent editorial quality, all of which are essential to creating the kind of impactful podcast we’re aiming for.

Any donation – big or small – can help us get there. Thank you for your support.

DONATE HERE

Follow Us 

Instagram
@anothereuropeispossible
@globaljusticenow 
@ukstoptrump

TikTok
@global.justice.now
@uk.stop.trump.coa

Twitter / X 
@Another_Europe
@GlobalJusticeUK
@UKStopTrump

Music(cc): Intro R&B instrumental loop, Mcgrogo (Freesound.org)