In this special live episode from the Edinburgh Fringe, recorded on 07/08/24, Nish and Coco are joined by comedians Adam Hills and Kemah Bob to talk about how political comedy offers relief in dark times, while still holding power to account. 

The gang reflect on political flashpoints and what they learned from it, from dropping a spoonful of sugar to the unique lens that comedy can lend while reporting devastating events. Once again, Nish is confounded by Brat Summer. 

Later, in a special Q&A session with our live audience, we resurrect Pod Shag the UK and hear about some of the things bringing hope to our listeners, with a special appearance from Nish’s mum. 

Guests: 

Adam Hills - Comedian 

Kemah Bob - Comedian

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

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In this special live episode from the Edinburgh Fringe, Nish and Coco bring two special guests to talk about the racist riots tearing Britain apart. 

**CORRECTION** This episode incorrectly states that the Baha Men's "Who Let The Dogs Out" has a sexist subtext, when it is in fact a song criticising misogyny. We regret the error. 

Nish, Coco and Ahir reflect on their personal feelings and experiences of racism in the UK in the wake of the violence, while sharing some advice for anyone feeling disturbed. Later, Tom Ballard jumps on stage to share how the UK took some of the worst possible inspiration from his home country of Australia. 

The gang turn to the audience - while sharing advice for wearing sunscreen… And burrito-based magic. 

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guests: 

Ahir Shah - Comedian 

Tom Ballard - Comedian 

Useful Links: 

ahirshah.com

tomballard.com.au

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It’s been a tough few weeks for new Chancellor Rachel Reeves. In a speech to the House of Commons on Monday, Reeves declared that despite going in to government with gloomy prospects, the financial inheritance was much worse than she had expected. Naturally, this didn’t go down particularly well with the now Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, as the two traded barbs whilst invoking the opinions of THE name in British economics - Paul Johnson. 

Nish and Coco sit down with the man himself, Paul, to talk about how deep the budgetary black hole goes and solutions for how the Government might tax their way out of it, whilst still meeting the difficult manifesto commitment of “no new taxes on working people”. 

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guest;

Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. 

Useful links:

Pod Save the UK, Live! 

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pod-save-the-uk-live

PSUK YouTube: 

https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK

Audio clips:

Parliament.TV

Instagram / James Cleveley

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Three weeks haven’t yet passed since the election, but Keir Starmer’s Government has faced its first rebellion. The response to seven Labour MPs breaking rank over the Government’s stance on the two child benefit cap was swift and fierce, leading to the whip being removed and anger inside and outside the party. Nish and Coco ask if Starmer has only stoked further division within the party. 

Clare Farrell drops in to discuss the landmark sentencing of five Just Stop Oil protesters and how the previous government’s draconian anti-protest legislation led to this moment. 

Later, chair of the NHS Federation Victor Adebowale joins Nish and Coco to discuss the National Audit Office’s recent findings into the state of NHS finances and what can be done to fix the service, while taking the pressure off of near-breaking point staff. 

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guests:

Clare Farrell, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion

Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of the NHS Confederation 

Useful Links:

Open Letter:

https://defendourjuries.org/wtf/

Just Stop Oil petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/no-prison-for-protest/

Pod Save the UK: live! 

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pod-save-the-uk-live

Audio credits:

BBC Radio 4 Today

Department of Health and Social Care

parliamentlive.tv

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As parliamentarians were ironing their robes in preparation for the King’s Speech, Trump’s new running mate JD Vance shocked the UK with flippant remarks that have sent a shiver down the spine of the New Government. Nish and Coco are joined by Liz Bates to discuss Vance’s comments, the themes behind the surprise-free King’s Speech and two shock resignations - those of Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething and England manager Gareth Southgate. 

Later, Nish and Coco catch up with two young people with lived experience of our crumbling education system and check in with Janeen Hayat, Director of Collective Action at the Fair Education Alliance. Education is one of the new government’s top five priorities - where the few short-term wins to be had are balanced out by some prickly policy problems. 

Later, Liz returns to unveil an MP’s (not-so) shameful secret, the neverending Tory psychodrama and the reality TV show nobody was asking for. 

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guests: 

Liz Bates

Janeen Hayat

Useful Links: 

Find us on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@podsavetheuk

Buy Tickets to see Pod Save the UK live - https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pod-save-the-uk-live

Audio Credits: 

Parliament.TV

ITV Good Morning Britain

The Guardian

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It’s week one in government and Labour have hit the ground running. We’ve got a new cabinet and big moves on planning reform and international relations are underway. But what about the opposition? Nish and Coco check in with Substack superstar Sam Freedman to uncover some of the challenges the new government faces over the course of the parliament and hear who might lead a new-look Conservative Party. 

Later, Kwajo Tweneboa and Toby Lloyd drop in to chew over one of the prickliest issues the UK needs to deal with - housing. From social housing, to affordability, to no-fault evictions, we cover off the biggest challenges the government faces. 

Finally, things get weird when Coco declares a “Red Ed Summer” as TikTokers thirst over the new energy secretary. 

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.
 

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guests:

Sam Freedman, political analyst

Kwajo Tweneboa, housing campaigner

Toby Lloyd, housing consultant
 

Useful links:

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pod-save-the-uk-live
 

Audio clips:

parliamentlive.tv

The Telegraph

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It’s official. The election results are in and we are in the era of a Labour government. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stepped up the 10 Downing Street - but one of the key questions for Nish and Coco is will things concretely improve under his leadership? What can we hope for in this new era?

The results of this election has shown massive changes in all directions and with all the parties. Joining Nish and Coco to analyse all the seismic shifts is political journalist, Zoe Grünewald. She discusses whether the Conservatives and the SNP are on the brink of collapse, and the implications of Reform getting seats in parliament.

We also hear from newly elected Labour MP for Swansea West, Torsten Bell, and Femi Oluwole looks at the early stats around tactical voting.

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guests:

Zoe Grünewald, political journalist

Torsten Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West

Femi Oluwole, journalist and campaigner
 

Useful links:

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pod-save-the-uk-live
 

Audio clips:

Channel 4

Sky News

BBC

Femi Oluwole

LBC

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Counting down the last five days until the election results come flooding in, the Conservative Party is still blowing themselves apart from the inside. Why has the Tory campaign been such a clusterfuck and should we care if they implode? Would a Labour supermajority be good or bad for democracy as a whole?

To discuss these points, Nish and Coco are joined by Rory Stewart - hearing what he thinks on both the future of the Conservative party, and the future of British democracy. Now known for hosting the “The Rest is Politics” podcast with former Labour spin-doctor Alastair Campbell, Rory explains why he might return to politics - even going for the top job.

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guest:

Rory Stewart

Useful links:

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pod-save-the-uk-live

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/442034/politics-on-the-edge-by-stewart-rory/9781529922868

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With just one week to go until the election, Rishi Sunak’s chances of avoiding a landslide defeat might have just got slimmer - all thanks to “gamble-gate”. 

Nish and Coco are joined by political correspondent Liz Bates to discuss the betting scandal plaguing the government. Sunak vowed to lead the world in “standards of decency” but has been very slow to act. Might this mean a complete wipeout for them?

But that’s not all the scandals this week. Education secretary Gillian Keegan has repeatedly used a claim about children being taught there are “72 genders” to back up government plans to ban schools from talking about gender identity. Nish, Coco and Liz investigate her so-called sources.

 And from politicians playing minecraft to the Reform UK Party singing the Spice Girls, the WTF moments are multiplying. Nish, Coco and Liz dissect their favourites from the week.

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guest:

Liz Bates, Political Correspondent, Sky News

Useful links:

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/pod-save-the-uk-live

Audio clips:

BBC 

ITV

Reform UK

TrophyTime

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The major parties have failed to pledge to make the radical changes needed to save our planet from climate catastrophe - but people power may well save us yet. 

Nish and Coco are joined by conservationist Chris Packham to find out what more our politicians need to do and how citizens can get involved. Chris also questions the wisdom of Taylor Swift’s private jet usage and brings a suggestion of how she could help create change. 

Later, Adrienne Buller drops by to explore GB Energy - Labour’s signature manifesto pledge that they’ve claimed to be the most radical climate policy ever. 

Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: [email protected]

WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally)

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld

Guests:

Chris Packham - Conservationist

Adrienne Buller - Author 

Useful links:

The Break Down 

https://www.break-down.org/post/welcome-to-the-break-down

Restore Nature Now

https://www.restorenaturenow.com/

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