Life from the Left

Theresa May’s Brexit deal was soundly defeated, but what next? Omar and Tom discuss.

* What is more likely to break the impasse? A general election or a 2nd referendum?* Will May get the necessary changes to her deal to win over hardline Tory Brexiteers and the DUP?* Extension of Article 50 inevitable?* Should Labour keep firm on delaying committing to a 2nd ref?* What should Labour’s Brexit policy be if a general election or 2nd ref is called?

* Treatment of Diane Abbott on Question Time

In this Christmas special we have author and Afghanistan veteran, Joe Glenton.

We talk about:

* Harry Leslie Smith who Joe says was as a writer was a rare “powerful working class voice.”* Our 2018 political and non-political highlights.* The shady Integrity Initiative, recently exposed as a £2m govt funded “charity” through its parent company the Institute of Statecraft.* Brexit – Thoughts about a possible 2nd referendum & pitfalls the remain campaign should avoid if they want to win.* Tom’s venture into short films, starting with a movie set in Wiltshire, the birthplace of “magic Grandpa Corbyn.” * Our predictions for 2019.

* We’ve been away for 6 months. What the hell have we been up to in that time? Tom and Omar reveal all.

* What’s behind some anti-Corbyn Labour MPs rebelling against Labour’s position on the Budget and tax reforms?

 

In this 2018 Council election special podcast, Tom and I talk to Labour council candidate for Earls Court ward Sam Batra. A ward that forms part of Kensington and Chelsea council.

* What are people talking about on the doorstep?

* Has Grenfell affected how the community view politics?

* Has the election of Labour MP Emma Dent Coad given the local party activities renewed optimism for the upcoming elections?

In our first podcast of 2018 we talk to Jaq Berry, a critical care nurse in the NHS about the following in Part 1:

* What life is like as a critical care nurse and more widely as an NHS staff member during a time of crisis for our nation’s public healthcare service.

* The knock on effect to our social care system. Does out social care system need to be moved into a collective ‘National Care Service’ together with the NHS under one umbrella?

* The effect of creeping privatisation in our NHS. What does that ultimately mean for patients and staff?

* Is Boris Johnson just posturing on his call for more money for the NHS?

* Will Theresa May stay on as PM?

Part 2

* Tom talks about his recent visit to The Winnie the Pooh exhibition at the V&A in London, plus;

* What are our favourite cartoons from our childhood?

 

Track of the Week

 

 

In our last episode before Christmas we chat to Patricia Natalia Pino, a contributor to the economics section of The Pileus, a progressive online news media outlet about the following:

* Background to The Pileus – challenges and opportunities that they and other new progressive news media outlets face.

“If we’re going to have publicly funded media, it cannot be centrally controlled”.

The Alternative?

“Everybody would have an allowance to choose which outlet to fund”.

* An Introduction to MMT (Modern Monetary Theory) – UK Government is the sovereign monopoly issuer of pounds sterling. Therefore, it cannot run out of money.

“It should not be called Modern Monetary Theory, it should be called Modern Monetary Reality”.

* Fiat Currency System = Money not backed by any commodities.

“Government promise to accept currency as a means to pay taxes”.

“We need pounds to pay taxes, that’s where the demand for pounds comes”.

* The lack of an economically literate mainstream media – peddling economic myths that have not fully understood our transition from the pre- 1970s gold standard era.

* Government debt – Is running up large debt a bad thing? Are there any constraints on government spending?

“Government debt is our savings”.

“Government spending is private sector income”.

“The real constraint [to government spending] is whether there is spare capacity in the economy to spend”.

You can read more on MMT and Patricia Natalia Pino’s articles on economics in The Pileus by clicking on this link https://www.thepileus.com/economics/

Follow Patricia on twitter https://twitter.com/PatriciaNPino

Track of the week

 

 

 

In this week’s episode we talk to Joe Glenton, author of Soldier Box and the 1st British soldier of the Afghanistan war to publicly refuse a second tour. He went AWOL and left the country, but returned voluntarily to fight his case, with the military accusing him of desertion. We discuss the following issues with him:

Part 1

* The background to his experience with the British army during the mid 2000s and how it shaped his outlook on foreign policy.

* Could Jeremy Corbyn create an ethical foreign policy?

* Sovereignty – Brexiteers talk about taking back control and regaining sovereignty on national matters from the EU, but what about regaining sovereignty from the US on the issue of British foreign policy?

* Extrajudicial killings.

* Mental health and general welfare provisions for military veterans.

Part 2

* Scottish Labour leadership election.

* Omar talks about his experience going down the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide – The World’s Tallest Slide at the Olympic Park, Stratford, London. (Find out more here: http://arcelormittalorbit.com/whats-on/the-slide/)

* Joe talks about the main love in his life…….Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Find out more here: http://www.ukbjja.org/club-locations)

 

* You can purchase a copy of the book Soldier Box by Joe Glenton here: https://www.versobooks.com/books/1428-soldier-box

 

Track of the Week

In this week’s episode we talk to Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi from the new progressive Jewish organisation, Jewish Voice for Labour about the following issues:

Part 1

* The origins of Jewish Voice for Labour, the challenges it faces and the key aims for the organisation (http://www.jvl.org.uk).

* Antisemitism: A very real problem in our society but do false accusations undermine the challenge to tackle it effectively?

* Jewish voices within the Labour Party.

* Balfour Declaration – Who were the individuals behind it and what have the consequences been for Palestinians and Jews?

* Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (https://bdsmovement.net).

Part 2

My Name Is Rachel Corrie – Omar talks about a play that focuses on Rachel Corrie, a 23 year old American peace activist killed by a soldier from the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in his bulldozer in March 2003.

Track of the Week

In this week’s episode we welcome Sam Green, Labour activist and newly appointed Parliamentary Assistant to a Labour MP to discuss the following:

Part 1

* The Labour Conference in Brighton – Corbyn’s Speech. What were the main themes and was it a speech to inspire people?

* Media Reaction to Corbyn’s Speech.

* The World Transformed – sister conference to the main event. Sam and Omar discuss their highlights.

Part 2

* Sam’s take on the Labour Women’s Conference and also;

* The role of women in politics – the challenges faced and ideas for making progress on this important issue.

* And finally, we discuss how we can build on this conference and attract new support required to win at the next General Election.

*N.B. JVL (Jewish Voice for Labour) is open to both those that believe in a two state or one state solution in Israel/Palestine.

Track of the Week 

Part 1

* We discuss the implications of the EU Withdrawal Bill which was passed recently in  the UK parliament.

* The public sector pay cap has been removed for police and prison officers, but why is it far from good news for these public servants?

* Imagine being a pub landlord, taking over the lease of a run down English pub in south London, building it up into a well run, welcoming social space for your local community, only for your pub company that owns your establishment to hike up your rent by more than double? Do we need to re-evaluate the role of the pub in our communities? We hear ex-pub landlord Mark Dodds’ story, who was made bankrupt in 2011 thanks to his exploitative pub company’s demands.

Full interview with Mark Dodds can be listened to here: 

Part 2

* Omar reviews his experience of meeting the legend that is Tommy Wiseau, filmmaker of the cult hit, The Room at the Prince Charles cinema in Leicester Square, London. Wiseau reunites with Greg Sestero (actor in The Room and writer of the critically acclaimed book, The Disaster Artist) for the new comedy/thriller, Best F(r)iends.

* And finally, it’s official…Tom Mellors calls war on the national scandal that is tiny plates of food in non-Michelin starred restaurants. Tom explains why.

Track of the week