Quiet Riot

Alex Andreou, Naomi Smith and special guest, investigative journalist Peter Geoghegan, discuss the significance of the French President's visit, the Post Office scandal first report, how big money has infected politics, and Woke Superman.

Plus 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin and Share It'.

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“Brexit is still the word that nobody in British politics wants to utter. We’re constantly talking about stagnant growth, but nobody in the Labour Party wants to say: shall we push that big button named Europe?” 

“Questions remain over just how far France is willing to go and whether Macron is offering genuine structural cooperation, or just diplomatic flattery. But this is the most substantial UK-French bilateral moment in years and potentially a turning point in the post-Brexit story.”

“The UK is a significant asset, as an ally and a strategic partner. And it’s good to see that we have advanced to a place where, instead of just going ‘GRRR! FOREIGNERS! EUGH!’, we can say: What can we offer you and what do you have that we want?”

“This should not be just about trade. There is more at stake than just that. The US and Europe are pitching not just different trade blocs, but different versions of what democracy and statehood look like in the 21st century - and we should acknowledge that.”

“The way in which influence can be bought and sold is actually hard-wired into our political system. It runs on private money and parties go out there to raise it from, increasingly, a small number of individuals. Over half of the money raised in the last election came from 19 individuals.”

“There is a need to properly update electoral law and rationalise it. It is a patchwork of different legislation, some of which is 150 years old. It’s not joined up. It’s full of gaps and confusion, which are easy for bad actors to exploit, while making it difficult for those who want to comply to do so.”

GRIN AND SHARE IT

Read about the teenager escorted to the prom by 1,500 bikers here.

CALLS TO ACTION:

Subscribe to Peter's substack ⁠Democracy for Sale here⁠.

Support Best for Britain here.

Click ⁠here for your Quiet Riot Bluesky Starter Pack⁠. Email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠. Or visit our website ⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠.

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

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Another new party is created, another Reform MP is un-created, another ceasefire is hoped for, and another depressing poll.

Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell talk through the week's political stories, with a focus on the emerging (possibly Corbyn-led) party on the left of British politics, hopes of respite for Gaza from being pounded, and a new pan-European poll that finds the youth of our continent more disengaged from politics than ever.

PLUS news of Reform UK losing another MP reached us LIVE as we were recording. I won't spoil the moment for you. But it is a keeper.

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“The last few years are a reminder that equality is a garden that needs constant tending, because the weeds never stop growing."

“Maybe this fracturing of politics that we've experienced means that, even with first-past-the-post, we've got a few years of coalitions ahead . People need to start adjusting their psychological stance to that idea. The two dominant parties cannot keep relying on the 'blackmail', if you want, it's either us or them.”

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

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

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

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Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, security expert Arthur Snell, discuss the first anniversary of Labour's election victory being marked by - probably - it most difficult week.

Also, what is next for Ukraine, now that much of the West is fully distracted by the Middle East? Plus, who will actually pay for Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill.?

And, of course, the latest instalments of 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'.

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“My sympathy for the gov’t is limited, because they have boxed themselves needlessly into a corner on so many issues. Whether it is red lines on spending, or taxation, red lines on Europe, or on the fiscal rules - they keep doing this. They keep putting up these artificial barriers that make it difficult to do anything.”

“Who would do better in Reeves’ position and how? There seems to be both a lack of guidance coming from No.10 and a weird extra hand on the tiller coming from No.10. So, would a new Chancellor do any better in that environment?”

“There has been friction between No.10 and No.11 before, but you could always see what the source of that friction was. What was the difference of opinion. Where it’s difficult to see it now, because it’s difficult to understand what Starmer’s real direction is.”

CALL TO ACTION

Help Ukraine by supporting the Smart Medical Aid charity here.

Medecins Sans Frontier is still operatin in Gaza.

Catch Arthur's latest Behind The Lines episode.

GRIN AND SHARE IT

Read about the Polish delivery driver who turned into an Irish national hero.

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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.

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Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou talk through the week's stories, including the government's climbdown on welfare reform and the launch of its trade and industrial policies.

Finally, three weeks ago every other news story was about the "riots" in California. What happened?

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

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.

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Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, Green Party MP (and co-leadership candidate) Ellie Chowns, discuss the Labour rebellion against welfare cuts and the future of the Green Party as a new home for those looking outside the establishment.

And an update on the Iran ceasefire and the NATO Summit/Trump crèche, with security expert Arthur Snell.

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

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CALL TO ACTION

Help MamaSuze here, in honour of Annabel Rook.

Find out about Ellie and Adrian's leadership campaign here.

GRIN AND SHARE IT

Read about that extraordinary Alan Turing Attic Haul here.

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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.

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And so it came to pass that the US, in lockstep with Israel, bombed Iran, probably while you were sleeping.

For this week's Sunday School, we knew it would be tough to keep up with developments in the Middle East and so we called in our tame geopolitics expert Arthur Snell, he of the wonderful Behind The Lines podcast, for a look at where things stood on the eve of Trump's decision to send in the B-2s.

Who knew what and when? What’s it mean for Britain? Should we cancel holidays in Cyprus?

And ... are we careering towards regime change here?

Closer to home, your presenters Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell also look at the latest data on what Brits REALLY think about getting cozier with the EU, and don their mortar boards to examine a couple of big stories that have shaken the university sector this week.

"That’s the thing you've got to remember about populists… as soon as the thing that they think is popular no longer is, then they move on to the next thing"

Show notes

That YouGov poll on Brits and the EU

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

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

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With just over a year to go until the 2026 Senedd elections, Welsh politics is anything but quiet. Reform UK is making noise, Plaid is recalibrating, and Labour is battling to stay visible - all as new EU-UK agreements raise questions about the future of flagship Welsh initiatives like the Taith scheme. Award-winning journalist Will Hayward joins Naomi Smith for a deep dive into the political forces shaping the next chapter of Welsh democracy. From Wrexham terraces to Cardiff Bay, it's all in flux and it all matters, and not just for Wales.

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LINKS:

Find Will Hayward's ⁠substack here⁠, his ⁠podcast here⁠, and his ⁠YouTube channel here⁠.

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

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

With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – 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

Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, economist Vicky Pryce take a detailed look at the Spending Review. Does the ambition match the maths?

And in Part II, we ask whether, before we have another inquiry, we need to question whether this slow, expensive model achieves change or actually impedes it.

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

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“Infrastructure matters hugely. If you want to be competitive and have an economy with high productivity you have to put the infrastructure in place.” 

“What this new government really should have done is immediately reversed the National Insurance contribution cut that Jeremy Hunt gave just before the election. That twenty billion accounts for most of the black hole they found when they came into power.”

“Public inquiries have become a tool for governments to put distance between themselves and the problem. Instead of being an instrument for change, they are a way to take energy out of a push for change.”

“Often, the very people screaming about rape gangs are the same people saying, we shouldn't have age-appropriate sex education, the very people denying children agency over their own bodies, denying them education to give them the language to be able to talk to someone who can help.”

“It seems utterly bizarre to end up in a situation where the Prime Minister says: ‘Well, I read the report and it convinced me," and everyone's reaction is: ‘What? This is outrageous!’”

CALLS TO ACTION

Buy Vicky's books - and support a local bookshop - at our online bookstore.

Read about the work of Campaign for The Arts here.

Find out more about the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) here.

GRIN AND SHARE IT

Discover more about nano-needle technology!

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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.

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Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou talk through the week's stories, including Israel's escalation towards Iran and where that leaves an already inflamed region. Plus, the Ahmedabad plane crash and the toxicity added to the trauma by social media.

Finally, some personal reflections about the riots in Ballymena.

CALL TO ACTION

Support the charity Migrant Centre NI.

http://migrantcentreni.org/

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"Netanyahu, Khamenei, Erdogan, Putin, Trump - they are on the same wavelength. A bunch of angry men whose only obssession is holding on to power . They may not agree on many things, they may not agree on anything, but - by God - they understand each other."

"Putin playing peacemaker is like a pyromaniac volunteering for the fire brigade. He's spent the last three years trying to turn Ukraine into a giant car park and is now trying to position himself as a voice of reason in the Middle East. But who knows? Maybe he will be useful for once in his god damn life."

“Social Media is a negative space. You don't exist unless you say something vaguely original or controversial. And controversial is easier. The majority of people lack the capacity to articulate something original. That leaves only one avenue to being noticed - to existing ."

"What happened in Ballymena wasn’t panic or collective outrage. It was a crowd eager to act out. The girl at the centre of it was not mentioned once. Not her name. Not a sign. Not a chant. She was not the reason. She was the excuse."

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

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

Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, Liberal Democrat MP James McCleary, analyse the political landscape, the recent election results, what next for the LibDems, the rise of Reform UK, and react to the Spending Review.

And in Part II, we look at the absolute madness in California and ask whether it is retrievable or whether America is heading for full-fat authoritarianism.

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

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“It’s one thing if you lose lots of councillors and they’re sitting there, demotivated, waiting for a new leader to reactivate them. The existential threat is that Conservatives are losing them to another party. Reform UK are hoovering up disillusioned Tories. When that starts to happen it’s very difficult to build back, because people who want to get involved in local politics are rare.” 

“We have to get better at doing the quid-pro-quo of providing infrastructure - roads, schools, GPs - together with building houses. We’re just saying to people: take the houses and magically this other stuff will appear. And it’s not appearing.”

CALL TO ACTION

Here is Jazz Turner's mission to sail around Britain and her fundraising page - as promoted by James.

Here are some California and Los Angeles migrant charities you can support:

California Immigrant Policy Centre

https://caimmigrant.org/

Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project

https://www.esperanza-la.org/

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)

https://www.chirla.org/who-we-are/about-us/mission-history/

GRIN AND SHARE IT

Learn all about diamond battery technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgGVt4sUnnw&t=1s

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

***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