Center-Left's Struggle Against Radical Right

Nick Cohen talks to The Guardian's chief political correspondent Rafael Behr discuss the failure of the Western centre-left to effectively counter the rise of the radical right, using examples from the United States and Britain. They highlighted the Democrats' inability to stop Trump's return to power and Labour's struggles under Keir Starmer despite a significant majority. The discussion touched on the fragmentation of the centre-left vote into Greens and socialists, which has weakened their ability to present a unified front against their opponents.

Rafael's chilling warning of the UK's political direction

Rafael is very pessimistic about the future as a result of Labour's ability to fight the Radical Right: "it is increasingly my view that the evidence that we need - historically - to track the trajectory of where a lot of the salient politics that we're in at the moment leads is into the abyss, right? Although we don't know exactly what is in that abyss, we know that, you know, nationalism that is on this sort of self-reinforcing, spinning outward ever into, increasingly extreme versions of itself leads to really, really dark places..."

Rafael adds, "the best arguments we have against extreme nationalism are, for fuck's sake, read some history! Look at who these people are! Just, you know, pay attention to who, what these people are, what they're saying, who their friends are. What a bunch of nasty, angry, racist, thieving, kleptocratic, psycho self-serving, venal bastards they actually are! Look at that. Just look at them in the face! Look in the face of the Gorgon! Be petrified and don't vote for it. Right. And that argument, which I feel is, should be incredibly compelling, isn't working."

Rafael's recent book Politics: A Survivor's Guide: How to stay engaged without getting enraged is published by W.F.Howes Ltd and available at Amazon and in all good bookshops.

Support the show You can also read his wonderful columns in the Guardian. His X handle is @rafaelbehr

Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE - FROM EUROPE'S RADICAL RIGHT, AND EX-BREXIT PARTY MEP NATHAN GILL!

Nick Cohen and Arthur Snell - the author and ex-diplomat - discuss political corruption and treason - following the sentencing of Nathan Gill, the former Brexit Party MEP and ex-leader of UKIP in Wales. They discuss the deply disturbing case of Gill- convicted of eight counts of bribery, after an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing uncovered how he received payment in return for making statements which supported the presence of pro-Russian media outlets in Ukraine.

Arthur explains the enduring love affair between Putin's Russia and Europe's Radical Right politicians. Gill and others have collaborated with pro-Kremlin politicians to spread anti-Ukrainian propaganda. Nick and Arthur explore the unique aspects of corruption across different countries and highlighted an upcoming trial involving charges of bribery related to pro-Kremlin propaganda activities. The discussion concluded with an examination of the complex relationship between the radical right in Western countries and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian Influence in European Politics

Arthur explains the widespread pro-Russian sentiment among far-right European politicians, noting examples like Farage's admiration for Putin and Tice's connection to a Russian financier. He emphasises that while Nathan Gill's influence was limited, his propaganda echoed broader Russian efforts to insert pro-Russian narratives into mainstream media Nick highlights how Russian disinformation, amplified through social media and media outlets, can shape public opinion, referencing instances like Nigel Farage's paid appearances on Russia Today, the Putin propaganda channel now banned from UK airwaves. Both Arthur and Nick agree about the reluctance of British authorities to investigate Russian interference, particularly in the context of Brexit, due to political sensitivities.

Arthur Snell's substack column is Not all doom & his regular inciteful podcast is Behind the Lines. Arthur's first not fiction book is How Britain Broke the World: War, Greed and Blunders from Kosovo to Afghanistan, 1997-2022 .

Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Read Nick's latest column, Can Europe resist Trump's gangsterism? Does it have the willpower to try?

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Nick Cohen and Robert Saunders, the author and academic, discuss historical political party splits in Britain, particularly in the 1920s when the Liberals split and Labour formed, contrasting with the current situation where both left and right-wing votes are fragmented. Nick and Robert analyse the current political landscape, noting that while the right-wing vote is divided with Nigel Farage being popular, the centre-left could dominate British politics if it remains united. The discussion highlighted the challenges of multi-party democracy under the first-past-the-post system and the potential for new parties like the Greens and a Corbyn-led radical left party to impact the political landscape.

They talk about the decline of the two-party system in the UK, highlighting how Labour's popularity has dropped significantly since the 2024 election. Labour barely won a third of the vote in 2024 but still secured a majority of seats under the first-past-the-post system, leading to concerns about the system's fairness. Robert explains that the decline of the two-party system can be traced back to the 1950s, when Labour and the Conservatives together accounted for 97% of the vote, compared to 65% by 2010. They also discuss how Brexit and the implosion of the Liberal Democrats in 2015 temporarily reversed this trend, but Robert believes these were anomalous elections and that the longer-term pattern of decline continues.

Tory party is dying on its feet

Possibly the most dramatic and most influential event driving current politics is the slow agonising death of the Conservative Party. Robert says "This is a party that used to be anchored in all sorts of important institutions that was very deeply rooted in the world of British business. That was connected to institutions like the Church of England, the armed forces, the kind of voluntarist culture, and that also meant it had a lot of kind of different sources of information and ideas flowing into it. It's either cut itself off from those things, or those things have essentially died. So it's become a kind of tree with no roots, and then I don't think it's entirely surprising, therefore, that it crashed down in the way that it did in 2024. "

He adds "The biggest danger for the conservative party was that they took refuge in comfortable myths about their defeat. And I think that's what they've been doing."

Read all about it!

Robert Saunders - @redhistorian - author and academic. Author of "Yes to Europe! The 1975 Referendum & Seventies Britain". "A jaw-dislocating page turner"(Andrew Marr). Co-director the Mile End Institute @MileEndInst , Reader Queen Mary's @QMHistory

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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Nick Cohen talks to and Ronan McCrea about the current state and future challenges of the gay rights movement. Ronan expressed concerns about the potential reversal of LGBTQ+ gains due to weakening secular and liberal forces, arguing that the movement's expansion beyond gay rights has become counterproductive and risks alienating straight allies. The discussion concluded with Ronan emphasising the need for continued vigilance and moderate strategies to maintain long-term gay rights gains, while acknowledging the challenges of balancing conservative and liberal approaches in an evolving political landscape.

Andrew and Ronan discussed the scheduling of a program to air at the end of October, prioritizing it over live political news. They then delved into the topic of gay rights, with Ronan expressing concern that the gains of the past 60 years could be reversed due to the weakening of broader forces such as secularism and liberalism. Ronan emphasized the importance of maintaining the unprecedented freedom already achieved rather than pushing for further expansions of the LGBTQIA+ agenda, which he believes could make the movement more vulnerable to setbacks.

Ronan warns, "It's really dangerous for us, because it's not only in the US Interestingly in the UK, in France, the numbers of people who say that homosexuality is morally acceptable are now declining.

For the first time in 40 years, they've been, they had been just steadily rising. Rising, rising. you know, the, the change is not yet huge, but there is a kind of, there's a definite change. It's no longer rising. It's falling, and we are, people are much more vulnerable than the gay People are much more vulnerable than they realise".

Ronan adds "All of the political dynamics are, are, are now that were, that had sustained the gay rights movement and given it energy for 50 years are now fading." He says of LGBTQ+ campaigner, " by making gay rights appear part of a movement that challenges all their, all conservatives cherished norms. They make gay rights their top target, and they alienate moderate conservative support that the gay rights

movement absolutely will need to be long term viable."

Gays rely on straight majority for their rights

Ronan articulates a tragic fact about gay people and theirn reliancer on the straight majority for their rights. " it'd be lovely if gay people could say, screw you. We're not gonna think about what straight people think of us, " he says. We're just gonna get on and, and determine our own future. But until they find they form some gay micro state, that's not gonna happen. That's just the tragic reality of gay politics. We will always depend on what I call in the book, the Kindness of Strangers, and that is. I think the straight, the straight majority."

Read all about it!

Ronan McCrea @RonanMcCrea is professor of constitutional & European law at @ucl His book 'The End of the Gay Rights Revolution - How Hubris and Overreach Threaten Gay Freedom is published by @politybooks

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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Can the Centre hold in France?

Nick Cohen discusses the dire state of French politics with journalist, author & academic Agnès Poirier. They discuss the chaos of politics in France over the last years which has seen 4 prime ministers come and go in barely a year. Extremists on the far right and far left are becoming ever more dominant - their voices ever more shrill.

In 2017, Emmanuelle Macron became the youngest man since Napoloeon to head the French state and to become President of France, voted in off the back of his own centrist En Marche movement. In 18 months' time, Macron's second term and presidential career come to an end. And there are growing fears about what next presidential elections of May 2027 could herald a major extremist upset, as disappointed French political opinion seems to rush to the extremes of either the hard left firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon - defacto leader of La France Insoumise - or Marine Le Pen and the far right Le Rassemblement National (The National Ralley, formerly the National Front).

Agnès Poirier explains the disillusionment and the current political landscape divided among Islamified left, failed Macron-centered centre, and radical right factions. Agnès and Nick explore Macron's challenges in maintaining power despite a lack of majority support, the rise of extreme parties, and the shifting dynamics within the French socialist movement. The discussion concludes with an examination of France's welfare system, the transformation of the National Rally under Marine Le Pen, and concerns about the potential rise of far-right leaders in future elections.

French are more scared of hard left that far right

What if the Centre continues to collpase and the French are left with a choice between extreme right and left? Agnes Poirier says people are more concerned and worried about Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the left than the far right of Marine Le Pen, saying, "They [the Left] they go to the National Assembly dressed in t-shirts, um, or in football, shirts; they insult each other. They just want insurrection. They look dangerous. They speak dangerous, and they don't care. Whereas Marine Le Pen party is much more clever in the way they present themselves. They don't insult people. They're not loud; they put on a suit, and so at least on the surface, they are not scaring people and, and it works. It does work. Um, you'd rather have somebody who's not insulting you or shouting at you the way they do with their hard left."

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Is is already too late to save US democracy?

In this week's The Lowdown, Nick Cohen asks Edward Luce - the Washing-based editor & columnist of the Financial Times - is it already too late to save the US? Trump is already trying to gerrymander the critical 2026 mid-term elections by demanding re-districting of states like Texas to produce more Republican states. Also, he repeatedly threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to further threaten freedom, and sends ICE agents and troops into peaceful Democrat cities to intimidate them. Nick and Edward discuss the institutional purges, widespread corruption, and the chilling effect of Trump's personal vendettas on free speech and political opposition. Edward Luce, explores how Trump's presidency has eroded traditional American values and institutions, noting the widespread fear and self-censorship that has developed across society.

Fear stalks America

Luce says fear stalks the US and that the richest are the most afraid because they feel they have the most to lose. Trump's henchmen denounce Democrats as terrorists and traitors, while destroying the freedoms of much of the mainstream media. Edward says, " [Trump's] not only getting away with it, but sort of doing it so easily, steamrolling these guardrails, these traditions so easily... because he comes at the end of 20/30 years worth of declining trust in institutions, and of growing cynicism about institutions and about the media, not just about elected politicians."

No King's Day but no objective for the opposition either!

Luce says the US needs a Martin Luther King type figure to lead the opposition against Trump's growing tyranny, adding "What is it that the No Kings Rally (on October 18th) is demanding? I don't know. It's, it's saying Trump's a king. He's behaving like a king. He's doing what he likes. There's no restraint on him, all of which is true. But what's the deliverable here?"

Edward adds, "Democracy is about. Winning and winning is about building coalitions. And building coalitions is an additive game. You actually link arms with people you might disagree with on important issues like, for example, abortion, or gun control, whatever it might be, or taxes and you hold your nose and say, look, we've got something bigger in common here."

Read all about it!

Edward Luce @EdwardGLuce is Associate Editor, Financial Times, a US-based writer/columnist. Author of books including The Retreat of Western Liberalism, &, Time to Start Thinking.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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Nick Cohen and historian and author James Hawes explore the rise of far-right sentiment in Britain and the Conservative Party's transformation, including their evolving definition of English identity and embrace of discriminatory immigration policies. Historical parallels were drawn between contemporary political events and pre-World War I era, with particular focus on the party's strategic shifts and potential mergers with right-wing factions. The conversation concluded with analysis of current political dynamics, including the challenges of governing under a first-past-the-post system and the implications of right-wing.

populism on British society.

The end of the UK is nigh

James predicts the Tories' lurch to the far right will inevitably lead to the brea-up of the UK, if, as he sees likely, Reform and the Tories enter into some sort of merger. An ethno-nationalist far right government is bound to boost the prospects of nationalists elsewhere in the UK, particularly the SNP in Scotland and Plad Cymru in Wales.

Rise of Far-Right Sentiment in Britain

Nick and Jim discuss the rise of far-right sentiment in Britain, highlighting events such as Tommy Robinson's march and Elon Musk's controversial statements. They examine how right-wing figures like Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick have embraced discriminatory immigration policies targeting black and brown migrants. Nick and James also critique the lack of pushback from the conservative press and party, while noting the emergence of pro-Palestinian sentiment and anti-Semitic attacks. They draw parallels to the Weimar Republic era, expressing concern about the current state of British society.

Read all about it!

James Hawes @jameshawes2 Renaissance man, historian, writer and novelist. James, the author of The Shortest History of England and The Shortest History of Germany. His latest in the series, The Shortest History of Ireland, out In the new year.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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Nick Cohen talks to leading US political commentator Charlie Sykes about the impact of Donald Trump's presidency on American politics and conservative institutions, with Charlie sharing his perspective as one of the first "Never Trump" conservatives and discussing the erosion of traditional conservative values and principles. They examine how Trump's rise was connected to broader trends in right-wing politics, including the appeal to "own the libs" and the normalisation of previously unacceptable behaviour. They discuss their concerns about Trump's potential future political influence and the need for institutions, media, and individuals to push back against extreme political trends in both the US and U.K.

Conservatives voices must take on Trump & the radical right

Charlie says his fellow "Never Trump" Conservatives made a huge strategic error in confronting Trump and MAGA before the 2024 presidential election, saying, "I think it was a major mistake for much of the Never Trump movement to basically become Liberal Democrats. Because what happened is they were no longer speaking to those centre Right. Conservative swing voters. They were perceived to be simply just parroting the other lines. And by the way, take some responsibility. I'm a contributor for the Progressive network, MSNBC, and I think this is a real problem.

"The other problem was that during the Biden years, I think that one of the, the fundamental roles of the centre. You know, the centre should have been to keep the administration from, from going too far left on all of the issues on crime, on immigration, on the trans issue. And by the way, Democrats are still deeply in denial."

You have to stop Farage now - before it's too late

Charlie Sykes warns the UK that Nigel Farage and Reform have to be stopped now before it is too late. Ciservative vocies must play their part in preventing the UK sinking into a Trump-like darknes, adding, " If in late 2015 if you had big conservative voices like Rush Limbaugh, not a fan, but if Rush Limbaugh would've told his audience, come on, people. Donald Trump's a joke. Donald Trump is not what we have fought for all these years. the best time to get these to stop these guys is on the launchpad before they achieve velocity.

"Maybe too late. but it's gotta be done early and it's gotta be done forceful because it's if you, if if you, if you don't do it now, it's gonna be exponentially harder a year from now. "

Charlie Sykes @SykesCharlie is a leading highly respected United States conservative political commentator who was formerly editor-in-chief and founder of the highly influential website The Bulwark. Charlie has been a leading Never Trump Conservative since Trump stood for the presidency in 2015. Charlie's Substack - To the contrary is a must read, and his regular podcast - also called To the contrary - a must listen. He has also been a columnist and author for the progressive channel MSNBC.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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Nick Cohen talks to Ed Hodgson from the More in Common think-tank about growing concerns over the potential shift towards extreme right-wing politics by Nigel Reform & his latest insurgent party Reform and the implications for British society and the political landscape. Ed Hodgson explores divisions in British society and the rise of the Reform, while examining public sentiment towards immigration policies and the challenges facing Labour under Keir Starmer's leadership. The conversation concluded with an analysis of the current political dynamics, including the complexities of the British electoral system and the challenges of polling and predicting future elections.

Farage's Right-Wing Political Shift

Nick and Ed discuss Reform's potential shift towards extreme right-wing politics, citing Farage's recent proposals to abolish indefinite leave to remain and his embrace of pseudoscientific claims. He argues that Farage's rhetoric is being influenced by Trump and that the British media and political class have not adequately recognised this shift. Ed and Nick discuss ways in which mainstream parties can counter the toxic messaging from the extreme right and & its apparently unstoppable rise. these divisions in British society and the need to address extremism.

Farage Trump worship could backfire

Ed says Farage's craven worship of Donald Trump and his copying out of the worst of MAGA excesses - particularly on prurient and untrue allegations again migrants - could backfire among Brits who increasingly see the US as a hositle power, adding, "...people who say America is an ally in Britain has fallen to less than half. Right. In America, More than 80% of Americans think that Britain is an ally. So there's this weird sort of one way relationship going on, at least in a public opinion perspective, where Americans still feel very close to Britain and Britain's in many way do feel quite close to America."

More in Common is a think-tank that seeks to understand polarisation and to work on initiatives to tackle division in our society. The innovative and extensive research we have carried out in the UK forms the basis of our efforts to tackle division.

Ed Hodgson @edhodgsoned is deputy director for More in Common in 2022 @Moreincommon. Ed manages More in Common UK's polling function on a day-to-day basis, and has led More in Common's in-depth research into topics such as assisted dying, Progressive Activists, the Israel-Gaza war, and tackling climate change.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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Let's face it - Labour inherited a total shit show after 14 years of Tory misrule - an economy crippled by Brexit, immigration chaos, turds in our rivers and seas, and rapidly deteriorating public services. But - inevitably - it's Sir Keir Starmer who's getting the blame for the country's woes, thanks mainly to the the fickleness of the electorate as well as the country's evident decline. But Labour seems to have bent over backwards to help its opponents with self-inflicted wounds such as inept communications, avoidable scandal and bouts of epic political bungling.

As the Labour Party Conference gets under way next weekend, Nick Cohen talks to Keir Starmer's biographer Tom Baldwin about the prime minister's leadership position within the Labour Party, examining the PM's challenges and potential future in politics.

Labour needs to expose the malice and plastic patriotism of the Far Right

Nick and Tom discuss the current state of Labour's position, focusing on whether Sir Keir Starmer's leadership is in jeopardy. They highlighted Labour's low vote share in the 2024 election and recent poor opinion poll ratings, including a recent approval rating of minus 54 for Keir Starmer. The discussion touches on the potential leadership challengers within the Labour Party, including, possibly the current metro-mayor for Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, with Nick noting the historic difficulty of replacing a sitting Prime Minister, particularly in the Labour Party. In contrast, as we know, the Tories have never had any problem knifing their leaders in the back - or front.

Both Tom and Nick explore the broader topic of combating the far right in politics. Tom says Starmer should articulate Labour values more forcefully and espouse his own more gentle and inclusive version of patriotism in stark contrast to the nationalist bombast of Nigel Farage and and the more sinister extremism of Tommy Robinson/Yaxley-Lennon.

Starmer needs to articulate & lead national renewal

Tom says Starmer needs to be able to convincingly argue for a gentle and inclusive patriotism, to lead a sense of national renewal and take on the plastic patriots of Farage and the far right, He says, "It's not some sepia-tinted restoration of the past. It's not some like we're going to like back ruling the waves like Boris Johnson pretended, or you where the country invented liberties. So we don't need to be members of the ECHR or this nonsense."

The paperback version of Tom's must-read bestseller, Keir Starmer, the biography, is out now with updated chapters.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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