Oh God, What Now?

Ed Davey’s reborn Lib Dems are on a 100-year high with 72 MPs and a shot at becoming the conscience of progressive Britain. So why do Reform get all the coverage? He joins our regulars to talk about fighting Farage, Labour’s travails, the war on cruelty in politics, why all those General Election surfing and bungee stunts worked, and what the Lib Dems can get done in Parliament. “We’ve been the best opposition,” he tells Alison Phillips, Matt Green and Hannah Fearn. Will they believe him…?

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ESCAPE ROUTES

• Ed Davey recommends There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak.

• Hannah has been watching Black Doves on Netflix. 

• Matt recommends Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz. 

• Alison recommends Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. 

When you buy books through our affiliate bookshop you help fund OGWN by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

• Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact [email protected] to find out more

• Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. 

Presented by Alison Phillips with Hannah Fearn and Matt Green. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Robin Leeburn. Theme music by Cornershop. Art direction: James Parrett. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk

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 The Constitution expressly forbids anyone from seeking a third term as US President. But since when did that ever stop Trump from doing anything? Ex-congressional staffer turned politics professor at George Washington University Casey Burgat joins Guardian leader writer Rafael Behr and Andrew Harrison to look at the many weird ways Trump could cling to the White House… the hidden rivalries within MAGA… and what happens to a personality cult when (if) the personality vacates the scene.  

• Don’t miss Talk ’90s To Me: Nirvana with Miranda Sawyer. 

• Buy Casey’s book We Hold These “Truths” through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund OGWN by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. 

 • Get our exclusive NordVPN deal ⁠here⁠. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee!  

ESCAPE ROUTES 

• Raf went to see Erasure at Brighton Pride. 

• Casey went to see The Lumineers  live. 

• Andrew recommends Fantastic Four: First Steps and the first couple of songs from Saint Etienne’s final album International.

• Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact [email protected] to find out more 

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow 

Presented by Andrew Harrison with Rafael Behr. Audio and video production by Chris Jones. Music by Cornershop. Art direction: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. 

www.podmasters.co.uk  

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Is the hysteria around digital I.D. cards justified? Or should we simply realise this is the future and get on with it? Plus, how deep is the UK university crisis? Professor Glen O’Hara is a voice at the forefront of this issue and joins us to shed some light on the dire situation. And in the Extra Bit for Subscribers, the Channel 4 documentary 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story has created a media storm about sex, morality and censorship. Why have one woman’s actions caused such angst?

Escape Routes:

• Rachel went to A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Bridge Theatre 

• Glen watched The Fantastic Four: First Steps (other cinemas are available)

• Jonn went to the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition 

• Dorian watched Mix Tape on iPlayer

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

• Get our exclusive NordVPN deal ⁠here⁠. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee!  https://nordvpn.com/ohgodwhatnow

• Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact [email protected] to find out more

Presented by Dorian Lynskey, Jonn Elledge and Rachel Cunliffe. Audio Production by Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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In one of the most fascinating episodes we’ve ever done Alex Hern – A.I. writer at The Economist, who writes on A.I. but isn’t one himself – joins us for an ultra-deep dive into the truth about A.I. and what it means. How far off is “artificial general intelligence”? Which jobs would it wipe out? What happens if the promised turbo-growth of 30% a year arrives? And will A.I. turn our world into fully automated luxury capitalism or a sci-fi dystopia? Puny humans Andrew Harrison and Zoë Grünewald heed the call of the machine… 

• Don’t miss the new episode of Talk ’90s With Me presented by Miranda Sawyer.  

• Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! 

• Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact [email protected] to find out more

Escape Routes: 

• Alex Hern is playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth 

• Zoë recently read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. 

• Andrew watched Operation Dark Phone: Murder by Text on C4. 

• Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more.  

Presented by Andrew Harrison with Zoë Grünewald. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Robin Leeburn. Art by Jim Parrett. Theme music by Cornershop. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. 

www.podmasters.co.uk 

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Far-right agitators are amping up protests against a migrant hotel in Epping and Farage claims Britain is “close to civil disobedience on a vast scale”. We look at why populists are so desperate for chaos on the streets. Plus, as our brand new podcast Talk ’90s To Me launches, host Miranda Sawyer joins the panel to explain how the decade of Cool Britannia, Britpop and New Labour changed everything. And in the Extra Bit: The Internet is horrible but is it just a few people ruining it for everyone? 

• Don’t miss the very first episode of Talk ’90s With Me: Oasis! presented by Miranda Sawyer. 

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Rachel has been bingeing on Only Connect on BBC iPlayer. 

• Jarv recommends Memoir of a Snail on the BFI Player. 

• Miranda is enjoying Baxter Dury’s new album Allbarone.

• Alison is off to see Superman at the pictures (verdict TBC). 

• Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. 

Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact [email protected] to find out more

Presented by Alison Phillips with Rachel Cunliffe and Jacob Jarvis. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Robin Leeurn. Theme music by Cornershop. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk

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OK, the launch might have been a bit shambolic and the name isn’t settled – but will Corbyn and Sultana’s “Your Party”* have more impact than the average new party, yes we’re looking at you Change UK? Specifically, will it split the left of centre vote and put Farage in No.10? Plus – Vanity Fair is now running adverts featuring AI models. Is there any job the slop machine can’t destroy, even Kate Moss’s? And if women can’t live up to unrealistic human beauty standards, how about going up against literally unreal heights of perfection?

[* Name TBC]

• Don’t miss the very first episode of Talk ’90s With Me: Oasis! presented by Miranda Sawyer. 

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Zoe recommends Amy Bradley Is Missing on Netflix. 

• Seth recommends Le Canard Enchaîné – practice your French first. 

• Ava recommends The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Disney+ 

• Andrew recommends (after a fashion) Trainwreck: Poop Cruise on Netflix. 

• Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. 

Presented by group editor Andrew Harrison with Zöe Grünewald, Seth Thévoz and Ava Santona. Audio production by Tom Taylor. Theme music by Cornershop. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk

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Has our perception of what it is to be patriotic been skewed by the likes of angry protesters parading outside a refugee hotel in Essex? And can the idea of patriotism ever be reclaimed from furious far-right groups like Britain First? Plus, what’s the latest on the Brexit reset with the EU? Director of UK in a Changing Europe Anand Menon joins the panel to discuss. And in the Extra Bit for subscribers, we’re wondering if we’ll EVER be able to retire.

Escape Routes:

• Ros recommends Inter Alia at the National Theatre.

• Matt has been watching Yellowstone on Netflix. 

• Hannah recommends Lush by Rochelle Dowden-Lord. 

• Anand recommends Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan. 

Buy Lush or Caledonian Road through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund Oh God, What Now? by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

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Back us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Ros Taylor with Hannah Fearn, and Matt Green. Audio Production by Tom Taylor & Robin Leeburn. Music by Cornershop. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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The government wants to lower the age of voting to 16. Does anyone really know why? Do most 16-year-olds even care about politics? And will it make even a shred of difference to election outcomes? Plus, Donald Trump’s Jeffrey Epstein meltdown continues. He’s now suing Rupert Murdoch over an article published by the Wall Street Journal last week linking him to the disgraced financier. How damaging is this for the US president? And finally, with more suspensions than the Humber Bridge, has the Labour Party become addicted to heavy-handedness?

Escape Routes:

• Andrew went to see all-female Slade tribute band Slady

• Seth recommends Doctor Who: Warriors’ Gate And Beyond by Stephen Gallagher

• Jonn went to see Nye at the National Theatre. 

• Marie recommends Model Behaviour by Jay McInerney.

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Andrew Harrison with Jonn Elledge, Marie Le Conte and Seth Thévoz. Audio Production by: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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Keir Starmer suspended 4 ‘persistent rebels’ on Wednesday. Clive Lewis was not on that list, despite his many disagreements with his party, but he is on our podcast this week. We sat down with the MP for Norwich South to discuss those suspensions, why Labour's not delivering on its promise for ‘change’, and why the UK should move back closer to Europe. Plus, campaign group More in Common’s latest study categorises the electorate into seven groups. Is it useful? And who are these types of studies really for? And in the Extra Bit for subscribers – is there an argument FOR air con? 

Escape routes:

• Clive Lewis recommends Andor on via Disney Plus

• Zoë recommends Dept Q on Netflix. 

• Matt watched England vs India in the cricket. The 4th test is available to watch on Sky Sports from July 23rd

• Dorian recommends Nye at the National Theatre.

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Dorian Lynskey with Zoë Grünewald and Matt Green. Audio Production by: Tom Taylor and Robin Leeburn. Video Production by: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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The Macron-Starmer love-in during the French President’s UK visit was guaranteed to enrage the Continuity Brexiters. But will their one-in-one-out migration plans actually deliver? Plus, is Britain’s justice system broken beyond repair? Jury-less trials are on the horizon but are they the fix that an impoverished, dysfunctional courts system needs? And Greater Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham is back with a bold Ten Year Plan for the city. Ambitious or just aspirational? We explore what the rest of the UK could learn from his northern blueprint.

• Listen to The Bunker episode Watch The Spies – Can the CIA survive Trump?

• Get a month of The New World in print and digital for just £1 here.

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Rachel recommends the Mitfords drama Outrageous on the U channel. 

• Matt recommend the Philosophise This podcast and The Crisis Of Narration by Byung-Chul Han. 

• Seth had his mind blown by Bayeux Cathedral. 

• Alison saw Olivia Rodrigo live. 

NOT FOR PATREON

• Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. 

Presented by Alison Phillips with Rachel Cunliffe, Seth Thévoz and special guest Matt Kelly. Audio production by Robin Leeburn and Simon Williams. Theme music by Cornershop. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk

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