What kind of Pope was Francis? Is it chaos and division he leaves in his wake… or a pathway for a more liberal, hopeful Roman Catholic Church? The Matts discuss his legacy. Also this week - the Matts’ inbox was bursting at the seams with reaction to their recent pod on trans rights and the Supreme Court’s definition of what a woman is. They take you through a representative selection - with some fascinating points of view. Enjoy!

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The Matts are joined by Dutch popular historian and author Rutger Bregman to discuss his new book, Moral Ambition. How does the world change for the better? Why do so many talented people do bullsh*t jobs? And what’s wrong with a life spent worrying about reducing your carbon footprint to zero? Rutger’s a man with strong opinions on all the above and more. It’s a fascinating in-depth interview on what you - yes, YOU! - need to do to fix the planet. Enjoy!

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The row over Chinese investment in British Steel opens up a whole can of worms for the Matts. How does an astroturf football pitch in Copenhagen, Argentinian Che Guevara and a steelworks in Scunthorpe all add to the debate? Only one way to find out … listen! Also this week - congratulations to Douglas Murray, right-wing author and commentator, for giving the almighty king of podcasting, Joe Rogan, some serious home truths. How can people maintain a grip on reality when podcasts they tune into are so ready to platform, to use Murray’s phrase, pure horsesh!t. It’s a podcast full of the big questions this week - enjoy!

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This week the Matts answer questions on Keir Starmer’s Keep Calm response to global economic mayhem; what Kim Jong Un is getting from Putin; whether the Beatles are any match for the mighty Rolling Stones; whether Nigel Farage is entirely in command of the respect of EU leaders; and do you home in or hone in? Enjoy!

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The Assisted Dying Bill gave the Matts plenty to think about a few months ago. Since then much has changed as it made its way through parliament. Has any of it changed the Matts’ minds? The answer is yes - but it’s a nuanced and challenging difficult debate without any easy answers. All the more reason to have it, in true Two Matts style. But first - as Trump doubles down on his trade war with China (or is it now trebles or even quadruples down? We’ve lost count!), the Matts assess the intellectual coherence of those saying we should thank Brexit, and they also think about the long term effects of an effective shutdown of trade between two of the world’s greatest markets. Enjoy!

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The Matts are joined by João Vale De Almeida, whose 40 year career as a diplomat has seen him represent the EU in the United States, the United Nations and … thanks to Brexit … as history’s first ever EU ambassador to the UK. João’s new book - The Divorce of Nations - could not be more timely; an exhilarating ride through the political turmoil of this century so far. Why did America turn inwards economically? What drives Vladimir Putin? How and when could the UK ever hope to return to the European Union? And what is the future of the EU itself? All this and more in an engrossing conversation with a man who has seen it all … and still remains an optimist! Enjoy

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The Matts tackle questions from listeners including learned helplessness, a new timezone for Scotland, are the Beatles uniquely great, welfare v warfare (which nearly ends up in a dust-up) and a flood of American refugees into the UK. Enjoy!

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On Liberation Day +1, the Matts take stock of the maniac’s economic shake-up and what it means for the world and the UK in particular. Stripping away the theatre and bullsh*t, they hone in on what is really happening in Trump’s head and ask the late Ronald Reagan for an explainer about why the coming trade war is every bit as cataclysmic as it seems. If you aren’t yet convinced that this new Trump era represents a fundamental change in how our world operates, then you haven’t been paying attention and you certainly haven’t been listening to enough Two Matts. Enjoy!

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