Mid-Atlantic - conversations about US, UK and world politics

Philippe Marlière, Professor of French and European Politics at University College London, joins Roifield Brown in conversation to examine the tensions shaping French politics.

They explore the polarisation between Marine Le Pen’s far right and Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s radical left, the argument that France’s electorate has shifted to the right, and what that could mean in a hypothetical presidential run-off between the two.

The discussion also addresses disturbing accounts of flash-ball injuries, including a school student losing an eye, highlighting the human stakes of France’s social tensions.

After 14 years of conversation, Mid-Atlantic is now on YouTube and Substack too. Follow, subscribe and join the debate.

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Can English football enforce its rules when the stakes include Gulf wealth, political influence and Britain’s relationship with the UAE?

On Mid Atlantic, Roifield Brown is joined by John Gunnison in Dublin and Tonye Altrade in London to explore the Manchester City controversy. John, a City supporter who spent eight years living in Abu Dhabi, offers an insider’s perspective on the emirate’s ambitions. Arsenal supporter Tonye examines the consequences for rival clubs and the credibility of English football.

They debate the financial allegations, which City denies, the blurred boundaries between royal wealth and state power, and whether investment in Manchester risks becoming political protection.

From relegation to a change of ownership, what would meaningful accountability look like—and who should bear the consequences?

A passionate discussion about football, fairness and whether the beautiful game has become too valuable to govern.

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What does a ceasefire mean when Palestinians are still being killed—and what future can a people build when their homes and land keep disappearing?

Roifield Brown welcomes Palestinian analyst Mouin Rabbani back to Mid Atlantic for a searing examination of Gaza, the occupied West Bank and the politics behind the promises of peace. Rabbani argues that Trump’s Board of Peace risks entrenching foreign control, that settlement expansion is dismantling the foundations of Palestinian statehood, and that replacing Netanyahu may offer Palestinians little meaningful change.

From Hamas and Mahmoud Abbas’s failing leadership to the E1 settlement project, Israeli elections and international accountability, this conversation asks who holds power—and who pays the price. Can growing global solidarity become political action, or will “peace” remain a word that conceals dispossession?

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Roifield Brown is joined by Logan Phillips, founder of Race to the White House, to ask whether America is heading for a historic Democratic blue wave in the 2026 midterms.

They explore how frustration over living costs, healthcare and the Iran war is shaping the election, why races in Iowa and Kansas are suddenly competitive, and what Democratic control of the House and Senate could mean for Donald Trump’s final two years. Can Democrats turn voter dissatisfaction into victory—and an effective check on presidential power?

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The episode discusses Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push to reduce Canada’s economic dependence on the United States after escalating tensions with Donald Trump, including tariffs and repeated comments threatening Canadian sovereignty such as calling Canada a “51st state” and referring to Canadian prime ministers as governors.

Carney toured Europe and proposed a broad Canada–Europe “alliance for the future” spanning defense, energy, critical minerals, AI, research, and digital trade; Ursula von der Leyen floated the idea of Canada as the EU’s first associate member. An Abacus Data poll shows 81% support closer integration with Europe while staying outside the EU (49% support full membership).

The conversation explores whether this is durable strategy or reaction to Trump, the complexities of adopting EU rules, Canadian protectionism (dairy, poultry, forestry), internal political and constitutional hurdles, and how Carney’s popularity has reshaped Canadian politics and weakened Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s path forward.

00:00 Canada Turns to Europe

01:37 Canadians React to EU Idea

02:27 Trump Threats and Sovereignty

05:08 Is the Rift Permanent

07:06 Who Opposes Integration

09:06 Carney Middle Powers Strategy

11:51 EU Rules and Trade Frictions

15:34 Associate Membership Hurdles

17:30 Carney Reshapes Politics

20:24 Carney and Liberal Leadership

22:03 Wrap Up and Farewell

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Is the pressure on Donald Trump turning into a political backlash and is America ready for an even bigger upheaval?

On this episode of Mid Atlantic, Roifield Brown joins Mike Donahue in Las Vegas to discuss the Iran war, rising fuel prices and Democratic hopes ahead of November’s midterms. Mike argues that household finances are doing more to erode Trump’s support than outrage over his conduct, while questioning whether Republican dissent amounts to a meaningful break with the president.

Then the conversation turns to artificial intelligence and a sharp disagreement over whether its development should slow down. From cybersecurity and national competition to mass unemployment and concentrated wealth, Roifield and Mike explore two possible futures: shared prosperity or a society where millions survive on the margins. Can politicians prepare for the changes ahead, or will they act only once the damage is done?

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Does American liberty depend on God, and what happens when the country’s actions contradict its founding ideals?

On this episode of Mid Atlantic, Roifield Brown welcomes author, West Point graduate and former Army officer Randy DeSoto to discuss the updated edition of We Hold These Truths. DeSoto argues that God-given rights and divine providence have shaped America’s defining moments. Roifield challenges that interpretation through the history of slavery, Indigenous dispossession and the gap between the Declaration of Independence’s promise of equality and its practice.

The conversation moves from the religious convictions of America’s founders to abortion, Donald Trump’s character and the moral compromises of his Christian supporters. It culminates in a passionate exchange over evangelical support for Israel, Palestinian rights and the destruction in Gaza. A robust but civil encounter between sharply different worldviews, asking whether faith provides a consistent moral standard, and whose liberty gets defended when belief meets political power.

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The political map of Birmingham has been redrawn.

After decades of Labour dominance, the May elections left Birmingham City Council with no overall control. Anger over the city's financial crisis, the prolonged bin strike, rising council tax and declining public services produced one of the most dramatic electoral shifts in the city's modern history.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Roifield Brown sits down with Tyrone Fowles, Labour's candidate for Bordesley & Highgate, who narrowly lost his seat by just 94 votes.

Together they explore:

• Why Labour suffered such heavy losses across Birmingham.
• Whether Keir Starmer became a liability on the doorstep.
• The impact of the city's financial crisis and bin strike.
• Why voters are turning towards the Greens, Liberal Democrats and independents.
• Andy Burnham's emergence as Labour's new standard bearer.
• Whether British politics needs a new generation of leaders who understand social media and modern political communication.
• Poverty, crime and deteriorating public services in Birmingham.
• Tyrone's journey from the UK Youth Parliament to Labour candidate.
• Why local politics must reconnect with communities before trust can be rebuilt.

It's an honest discussion about political failure, renewal and what happens when one of Britain's largest cities decides enough is enough.

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This week's Mid-Atlantic examined two stories where sport, politics, identity, and power collided.

In the first half, Roifield Brown was joined by John Gunnerson and Tonye Altrade to discuss the 2026 World Cup. The conversation explored FIFA's relationship with political power, visa refusals affecting officials and visitors, Gianni Infantino's leadership, Donald Trump's use of the tournament as a showcase for American influence, and growing concerns that the World Cup is becoming increasingly entangled with geopolitical tensions.

The panel questioned whether the tournament can still serve as a global celebration when participants, journalists, and officials from some countries face barriers to entry. They also debated whether FIFA's pursuit of profit and political patronage has undermined the spirit of the game.

The second half focused on the riots in Belfast following the attempted murder case involving a Sudanese asylum seeker. The discussion examined how a criminal incident became a flashpoint for wider debates about race, immigration, social media, political opportunism, and public trust. The panel explored the role of figures such as Elon Musk, the influence of online platforms, media responsibility, and whether Britain is becoming increasingly vulnerable to division driven by grievance politics.

Despite concerns about rising tensions, the discussion ended on a note of cautious optimism, asking whether Britain can still pull itself back from the edge and reaffirm its tradition of tolerance and democratic resilience.

• The politicisation of the World Cup
• FIFA, power, and accountability
• Trump's America and global sport
• Immigration, race, and public anger
• Elon Musk's influence on political discourse
• The role of media and social media in amplifying conflict
• Whether Britain's institutions can withstand growing polarisation
• Hope versus grievance in modern democratic societies

Overall, the episode argues that both the World Cup and the Belfast riots are symptoms of a broader global struggle over identity, belonging, power, and who gets to shape the narrative in an increasingly fragmented world.

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Westminster was meant to be projecting calm. Instead, this episode of Mid-Atlantic finds Labour staring into a leadership crisis, with Keir Starmer under pressure after bruising local election results and a party increasingly unsure what, or whom, it represents. The panel weighs whether Starmer can survive, how a Labour leadership contest would work, and why Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting and others are being talked up as possible successors.

The conversation then moves from palace intrigue to the larger political fracture: Reform gaining ground in working-class areas, the Greens attracting disillusioned progressives, and Labour struggling to explain what it has actually achieved in government. Palestine, energy prices, public ownership, immigration and the cost of living all surface as signs of a party caught between managerial caution and a country demanding something with a pulse.

And because despair has its limits, the panel ends where all serious political analysis eventually must: the World Cup. America is apparently excited, England is apparently good, and Arsenal fans are, as ever, treating optimism as a constitutional right.

1. “Political parties appear detached from the people they are created to represent.”
2. “Nobody knows what this Labour Party actually stands for.”
3. “The middle ground is losing.”
4. “Reform are more than the opposition. They’re the favourites now.”
5. “We’re in this constant psychodrama.” 

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