After Monday's European course-correction to Trump’s wobble, the situation is moving. The question is: in which direction?

Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'.

Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, More In Common boss Luke Tryl discuss the big stories.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

“It really aggravates me when I hear news programmes repeat ‘Russia is winning this war’. When you look at territorial gains, you’re looking at one per-cent of Ukraine’s land mass, at the cost of almost a million Russian lives. That’s not ‘winning the war’.”

“In terms of strategic objectives outside Ukraine, Putin has ended up uniting Europe, hardening its resolve, boosting its defence spending to double what it was, uncoupling Europe from his energy infrastructure, and with Sweden and Finland as members of NATO. Some pretty catastrophic misjudgment must have gone into his initial decision to invade.”

“What the US [security] guarantee does is, it makes it easier for European leaders to convince their publics of their piece of it, which is continuing support and even boots on the ground, potentially. Having a US assurance makes that easier to sell to their voters.” 

“If nothing changes, I do not think it is inconceivable that the Tories end up in the high teens at the next election. There is some complacence in the centre-right that of course Farage will flake out, of course he always falls out with everyone, and they’ll come back to us.”

“The group that has had the biggest swing to Reform since the election are Gen-X women. They’re often the most unhappy with the state of Britain. Lots of them face double care crises - they’ve got kids still at home who can’t move out and looking after ailing parents. But they are also inherently more cautious.”

“There is a group of Conservatives, who have always wanted to be Reform and who obsess that the only way forward is to ‘unite the family’. And I find it hard to think of an example where a party competing with another party has been so reluctant to take them on directly.”

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

CALLS TO ACTION:

Please help Smart Medical Aid for Ukraine here.

GRIN AND SHARE IT:

Read about the Gallop global poll here.

Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And so Volodymyr Zelensky returned to the White House, but this time with a phalanx of European leaders to support him – and, perhaps, to make sure the orange toddler didn't get upset.

For his part, Trump played nice, despite talking with Putin mid-way through proceedings – oh to have a transcript of THAT call...

In this Midnight Mass special, recorded while European leaders were still at the White House, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell look at what was said, by whom, and what it might all mean.

Are there grounds for optimism? What, if anything, has changed? And who gets the Nobel Peace Prize..?

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

“It was like the world's most elite babysitting team had assembled. As if Thanos had a stroke and the Avengers have to gather around him, as carers, to make sure he doesn't click his fingers. And they may have to do it again tomorrow, and every week for three years, but it's still worth doing.”

“I detected a real insecurity in Trump. He kept going on about how unfair the media is being on him. It tells me that he read the coverage of the Alaska meeting and it did sting him… It's a mistake to see Trump as somehow untouchable. He cares about popularity and craves approval. That is his pressure point.”

“Trump has shifted on the notion of America being somehow involved in the security guarantees given to Ukraine. Unreliable as he is, articulating that publicly for the first time is, I think, a major moment.”

Help Ukraine by supporting ⁠⁠the Smart Medical Aid charity here⁠⁠.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

Brought to you by Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Iceman cometh to Alaska, the Iceman getteth his photo opp and then the Iceman poppeth off again, leaving the Donald in a pool of tepid ignominy.

Alex Andreou is joined by our regular foreign policy guru, Arthur Snell, to consider whether this was a bit of a disater for Trump, a bit of a let-off for Ukraine ahead of Zelensky's hastily-announced trip to Washington, or a bit of both.

And they look at the latest from Gaza, another war Trump said he was going to end that has only got worse, as well as the increasing humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

“Trump went out on a limb before the summit to say what he wanted out of it: a ceasefire. This gives a very clear yardstick by which to measure the result, which was - well - not a ceasefire.”

“The fancy lunch that was planned was shelved. So, clearly, behind closed doors, things must have gone quite badly, whatever Trump now claims… Even if you're a supporter of Trump, the last person you would trust on what happened in a meeting behind closed doors, would be Donald Trump.”

“Trump may not have ended the two wars he promised, but he has apparently ended up to six additional wars, some of them nuclear. Although you wouldn’t know them. They go to a different school.”

“The Russians overplayed their hand, with their disrespectful, mocking approach. We know from, for example, Fiona Hill, who was Trump's Russia advisor in the first presidency, a Russia expert of considerable renown, that in meetings in Russian Putin is sarcastic and makes fun of Trump.”

“What is it that Trump wants? This thing about the Nobel Peace Prize, again I thought was a bit of a joke, or that he wanted it just because Obama had had it. But apparently he's obsessed with this idea. He’s been ringing up Norwegian politicians to tell them that he deserves it.”

“Russia underestimated Europe. Now, it had every reason to given the history. But Finland and Sweden in NATO, a huge advance in defence spending, and also Ukraine becoming itself a significant manufacturer of weapons - all of it points to a lack of tactical or strategic insight on Putin's side.”

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

CALL TO ACTION

Help Ukraine by supporting ⁠the Smart Medical Aid charity here⁠.

⁠Medecins Sans Frontier⁠ is still operating in Gaza.

Catch Arthur's latest ⁠Behind The Lines⁠ episode.

Arthur's substack Not All Doom is here.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In trade, as in immigration, and every policy area, we have forgotten how to compromise. We demand the truth, but have a temper tantrum, when we get it.

Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest, trade expert David Henig, discuss Reform's latest attempt to foment violence, by endorsing vigilantism, and the total absence of honest conversations on immigration and trade.

Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

“This rhetoric of ‘protecting women’, is actually all about the subjugation of women. Specifically who gets to subjugate us. It's just misogyny dressed up as heroism.”

“There’s this fallacy about a fixed number of jobs, meaning immigrants are taking ‘our’ jobs, therefore we have fewer opportunities. It’s simply not true. Immigrants are often highly motivated and create jobs. What you want is to create an overall dynamic economy. And with these false narratives, we risk talking ourselves into economic decline.”

“Having failed - so far - to fan the Epping protest into spreading, Reform UK seems to be trying an alternative theory of arson: creating the potential for many small fires. After a month of bleating about ‘LAWLESS BRITAIN’, their solution is more lawlessness. But this is good lawlessness, you understand, because it is their lawlessness.”

“The path forward for the EU needs to be one of more openness to trade - not following the US down the path of protectionism. The EU economy has been strengthened by trade. It should deepen its relationship with the UK and others, like Canada, creating a different vision of the world to Trump - one that looks more successful.”

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

CALLS TO ACTION:

Donate a little money or a little time to Citizens Advice here.

Find resources for writing to you local paper about youth mobility HERE.

GRIN AND SHARE IT:

Read about the intrepid tortoise, Matilda, and her daring escape here.

Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just smile and make nice until he VPees off; Our water is mostly poop now; A big fuss about a little pasta.

Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou achew over the weeks latest news, in their signature, Sunday way.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

CALLS TO ACTION:

Here is Best for Britain's Report on Water Quality. Read it, share it, send it to your MP.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAGA begins to turn on Trump.

Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and special guest Brian Klaas discuss the reasons for the Find Out stage coming so soon in this second FAFO Trump term.

And - why is Nigel Farage afraid "to walk of an evening wearing jewelry"?

Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

“The best way to think about Republicans in Congress is as a full-time propaganda outlet for Donald Trump. What they are mostly doing in hearings is creating smoke screens for Trump. The pretence of trying to legislate has been largely abandoned. They’ve ceded control of process to the President and just create content for Fox News or social media.”

“A huge number of donors use Trump as a vehicle to enrich themselves and they really don’t care about - or even celebrate - some of his more egregious moral stances or his authoritarianism. All that stuff is fine with them, as long as the gravy train for the elite continues to chug along.” 

“The one thing Trump cannot fully distort is whether people out there, near the end of the month, go to the supermarket and can afford their food bill on their remaining salary. That is something they will experience objectively, whatever he does with the data.”

“This looks like Trump trying to land a photo-finish foreign policy win in Moscow, while still angling for a handshake moment with Putin. If the plan is to send a property developer to make peace with a dictator, we should lower our expectations.”

“[The Sidney Sweeney ad] is the corporate equivalent of a dog-whistle: provide the match, let others light the fire, bask in the heat of the coverage. Visually signalling a certain world view, without putting it into words - create the ambiguity, avoid accountability, and monetise the polarisation.”

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

CALLS TO ACTION:

Here is Brian's superb blog on slowing down.

If you're a US citizen, you can support Fair Fight.

If you're not a US citizen, you can support Oxfam America or C-Span.

GRIN AND SHARE IT:

Read about Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest.

Watch a demolition of the Discovery Institute.

Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Uh-oh, the US economy appears to be entering the 'find out' stage of team Trump's eff-around experiment.

As employment figures, market confidence and senior statisticians all take a beating from agent Orange , Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell survey the wreckage – and pay special attention to how AI is acting both as a destroyer of jobs and a huge economic stimulus.

Closer to home, they look at Labour's new plan to get more working class people into the civil service – lefty social engineering or the beginning of a much-needed reset?

And there's some new polling from our buddies at More In Common, who have been asking people when they think the wheels fell off Britain.

Yes Minister clip courtesy of BBC

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

Our bookshop, including many of the books we have featured, can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find our sister podcast Podyssey ⁠here on Apple Podcasts⁠ and ⁠here on Spotify⁠ - or just search for "Alex Andreou's Podyssey" on any platform.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All about contested spaces: physical statehood and online safety.

Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell discuss the impending recognition of Palestine by Britain (and France). Why now?

And as the Online Safety Act begins to impact our internet use, we ask whether it fixes anything or just creates a whole new range of problems.

Plus regular features 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠***

“Netanyahu has behaved in a way that demonstrates exactly the characteristics of a politician who is running out of time. There is only so long he can avoid an election. As the pressure builds towards it, maybe what we are seeing is part of an emboldened international community speaking directly to the Israeli people.”

“A two-state solution depends on there being power brokers on both sides who can sit down and talk meaningfully to move things forward. That's not Hamas and, increasingly clearly, that’s not Netanyahu either. Whatever solutions eventually come to pass, key to them is gonna be getting those problematic parties out of the picture.” 

“Trump is transactional and being transactional, he doesn't really understand ideological constraints. Having offered transactions that he thinks Netanyahu and Putin would take, he just cannot fathom why they didn't. So he's beginning to see them as people he can't do business with. A bad position to be in with Trump.”

“As the law comes into effect, there is no public register of approved age verification providers, no duty on those providers to meet any specific privacy or security standards, above data protection alone, and no requirement for platforms to choose trusted or certified providers.”

“The Online Safety Act is like saying: We love the sea. The sea is a fabulous place. We spent many happy years playing in the sea. But the sea is now full of sewage and horrible things. And we're going to solve that problem by making it harder to get into the sea. It doesn't actually deal with any of the causes at all.”

“I keep coming up against this conundrum, this circle that cannot be squared: the same anonymity that makes the internet exceptionally useful to some, is also what makes it a risk to others… For it to become a space within which the law applies, it cannot be anonymous. Otherwise we accept it is incapable of being regulated and belongs, in part, to bad actors.”

“What happens if you shut down direct access to a thing for the group of people who are most likely to use it? Especially young people. They will go round the side.”

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

CALLS TO ACTION:

Complain to Sky News about disproportionate Reform UK coverage.

Find out more about the UNICEF Gaza appeal for children in crisis.

Sign the Open Rights Group letter to gov't about online safety.

GRIN AND SHARE IT:

Watch the report about the discovery of the Denver Parkingsaurus.

Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Left has a new bouncing baby party!

Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell talk through the week's political stories, with a focus on Your Party - no, not your party; Your Party - the trade deal between the UK and India, and the success story of Baltimore, pointing the opposite way of populism on how to reduce crime.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

“If we did an episode about every rich old fart that goes to Scotland to golf, it would be a daily podcast. Although, to be honest, we would probably have richer sponsors."

“I think we should be happy to see a serious addition to the political landscape. I think we should be happy that somebody like Corbyn's involved… His base was full of energy and he was getting cut-through. In short. More options are good and a democracy, aren't they?”

“Democracy is democracy, and plurality is plurality. We have to live our values. You can’t treat voters as if they belong to you. You can’t get stroppy when someone else decides to set up a party. You can fight them, politically, ideologically, contest those votes ten times harder. But you don’t own them.” 

Our bookshop including many of the books we have featured can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find Podyssey here on Apple Podcasts and here on Spotify - or just search for "Alex Andreou's Podyssey" on any platform.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Andreou, Naomi Smith and special guest, CEO of migrant support charity PRAXIS, Minnie Rahman, discuss the protest flashpoint in Epping and ask what does a humane, open, fair immigration policy look like and how we can make the case for it.

And in Part II, as Parliament goes into recess, we look at the assortment of Oppositions' Positions and whether they add up.

Plus 'Wokey Dokey'.

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠***

“I dislike the term ‘integration’ applied to immigrants. The people who are not integrated in this country are the politicians and the Eton crowd. They are the ones who need to integrate with the general population.”

“The [Johnson] gov't added to the mistrust about immigration, by cynically injecting record numbers of migrants as a counterbalance for a disastrous Brexit. They knew the economy was going to suffer significantly and the easiest way of that not happening was to shove an extra million people's product onto the GDP.” 

“Local funding has been cut and cut and cut. And when local authorities cannot afford libraries, or leisure centres, or even a fireworks display, then communities don’t spend time together, they don’t work together, they don’t get to know or understand one-another.”

“I don’t think this country is particularly racist. But it is very insular. It is very: We’re in. You’re out. But the crux of the out-group does not seem to be race. It is more: We understand the rules. You don’t know the rules. We hate having to explain the rules. Therefore, we don’t want you.”

“We don’t talk enough about class. Class division is ignored and pushed into the conversation about racism. Now, obviously, class and race are integrated and racism does exist in the country. But progressives lack a clear vision. We are missing strong voices on the left that can go out and say: I get it. You’re having a shit time. But this isn’t the solution.” 

“We are basically serfs. Doffing our cap and heralding privilege in such a grotesque way that people can’t even see through this bullshit peddler, who went to Dulwich college, became a banker, and now tries to tell you that refugees are the problem and not this entrenched privilege from which he and his ilk have benefited far more than anyone who has arrived on a boat.”

***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠***

CALLS TO ACTION:

Support the great work that PRAXIS does here.

Buy something from ⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.

Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠.

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices