Trendy by Tortoise Media

05.16.2024

Was school better in your day?

John and Rachel discuss how schooling has changed from the 1960s until now. Who goes to school? Who runs them? And are school-leavers better at maths now than their predecessors? Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more...

05.09.2024

Trendy Live: The fallout from the local elections

John Curtice and Rachel Wolf discuss the fallout from the local elections results and work out what this could mean for the major parties in a the general election. Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about...

05.02.2024

King and Country

Just over half of the British public now think the monarchy is ‘very’ or ‘quite’ important. That’s according to new data published by the British Social Attitudes survey which suggests that support for the monarchy has been in decline over...

04.25.2024

Dating, love and marriage

Nearly two-thirds of under 35s have used a dating app or online service to meet a partner. That’s according to an exclusive poll for Trendy. However, opinion is split about whether online dating is a positive or negative experience. How...

04.24.2024

Join us for Trendy Live to make sense of the local election results

Tortoise is hosting a special live edition of Trendy on Wednesday 8th May. Join hosts John Curtice and Rachel Wolf in the Tortoise newsroom for this special live recording of the podcast to make sense of the local elections being held...

04.18.2024

What London Thinks

Forty years ago London was in decline. Now it’s a global megacity with a growing population and a large economy, but it’s quite socially conservative. How does that shape the politics of the capital and who governs it? Click here to...

04.11.2024

Local elections 2024: what to expect

Voters in England and Wales will elect councillors, mayors, London Assembly members and police and crime commissioners. What’s at stake? Is local democracy in Britain in good shape? And what can these elections tell us about the general election? Hosts: Professor...

03.28.2024

How to fix the NHS

A new survey suggests the public’s satisfaction with the NHS is at a record low. What can the next government do to fix this? John and Rachel are joined by Julian le Grand, former senior policy advisor to Tony Blair specialising...

03.21.2024

The election campaign starts here

There’s feverish speculation about the timing of the next election, so in this episode Rachel and John look at how campaigns have changed with the help of Kate Dommett, professor of digital politics at Sheffield University. Guest: Kate Dommett, professor of...

03.14.2024

Where’s all the money gone?

The state of public finances is dire: government debt is high and so too are taxes. How did we get into this mess and what choices does the next government have? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app...

03.07.2024

Britain’s Covid hangover

Four years on from the start of the pandemic we’re still living with the consequences. In this episode, John Curtice and Rachel Wolf discuss Covid’s legacy. What has it done to the size of the state, public services and the...

02.29.2024

The race for the White House

The US presidential election is shaping up to be a repeat of 2020: Joe Biden vs Donald Trump. How does America choose its candidates and what’s likely to happen in November’s election? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise...

02.22.2024

Good times, bad times

What do you do all day? Data suggests the average time people spend on leisure has decreased since the 1980s. John and Rachel explain what’s going on and what they spend their time doing. Email: [email protected] Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To...

02.15.2024

A home of your own

One of the biggest policy challenges Britain faces right now is its housing crisis. How did we get into such a mess and how do we get out of it? John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by Dr Tim...

02.08.2024

Going places: is social mobility alive and well?

The number of university graduates has never been higher, but what does that mean for social mobility? Has it stalled and if so, what does that reveal about inequality? Email: [email protected] Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Executive producer: Jasper Corbett To find out...

02.05.2024

The paradox of populism

Across Europe the radical right is making progress and winning elections. To understand why, Rachel and John speak to Professor Sara Hobolt from the London School of Economics. Email: [email protected] Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Producer: Lewis Vickers Executive producer: Jasper Corbett To find...

01.25.2024

Britain’s baby bust

Across the western world birth rates are declining. Why aren’t we having as many children as we used to? Is there still a link between marriage and having children? And what can policy makers be doing about the falling birth...

01.18.2024

The welfare state we’re in

A quarter of all government spending goes on welfare, including pensions, housing and incapacity benefit. What challenges does the next government face when it comes to welfare? Email: [email protected] Guest: Robert De Vries, senior lecturer in sociology and social policy at the...

01.12.2024

When everyone hates you for the same reason

If the opinion polls are right the Conservatives could face one of their worst electoral defeats in their history in the upcoming general election. Can anything change that? To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening...

12.07.2023

Oh Come, All Ye Faithful: religion, politics and values

Two thirds of us never go to a place of worship. Support for organised religion in the UK is in steep decline among most groups in the UK. Yet most of us will celebrate Christmas in a few weeks. So...

11.30.2023

Did the government really just cut your taxes?

Jeremy Hunt announced £20bn in personal and business tax cuts in his recent Autumn Statement. But to pay for that schools, hospitals and other public services won’t be protected from the rising cost of inflation. On top of that, forecasters...

11.23.2023

Could Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak face defeat at the ballot box next year for the same reasons?

Polls suggest both US president Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak face an uphill battle to win votes in upcoming national elections. John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by US polling expert, Professor Christopher Carman to discuss whether Biden and...

11.16.2023

War and peace: do we want to spend more money on defence?

Britain spends nearly £50 billion a year on defence. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there were renewed calls for an increase to defence spending. Would voters support this? Rachel Wolf and John Curtice discuss how voters view the armed forces...

11.09.2023

Can the King’s Speech dig the Conservatives out of the poll doldrums?

The King’s Speech had 21 pieces of legislation including proposals for toughening sentencing laws, a gradual ban on selling cigarettes and annual licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. But will any of it matter? John Curtice...

11.02.2023

Immigration: have we taken back control?

Be wary of a politician who promises to get net migration down to the tens of thousands. Several have tried in recent years, but none has succeeded. Net migration - in part thanks to one off events like the war...

10.26.2023

Overcrowded prisons: does the punishment fit the crime?

Two-thirds of prisons in England and Wales are officially overcrowded. How did that happen and what do people think about punishments for criminals? Trendy is the must-listen show about key trends and forces shaping public opinion with Sir John Curtice and...

10.19.2023

Why the Brexit referendum wasn't all David Cameron's fault

What do the numbers tell us about the UK’s past relationship with the EU; what do we think about Brexit now and is it still an issue which is driving voter intention? Trendy is the must-listen show about key trends and...

10.12.2023

University: who goes, who pays and does it change us?

The UK has seen a huge increase in the number of young people going to university in recent years. Rachel Wolf and Sir John Curtice examine who goes, how we should pay for it and whether having more graduates has...

10.05.2023

Why Labour’s poll lead might not be as strong as you think and what do Scottish voters want?

Labour is enjoying a poll lead of around 17 per cent. But how strong is that lead and what do the numbers suggest when it comes to Keir Starmer’s leadership? And how has the turmoil in the SNP following the...

09.28.2023

Drill baby drill: rowing back on net zero targets

Why is Rishi Sunak giving the go ahead to drill the UK’s biggest untapped oil field in the North Sea and rowing back on net zero commitments? And as the main parties hold their annual conferences, who belongs to a...

09.21.2023

Liz Truss returns and why young people want lower taxes

For forty years the British Social Attitudes survey has provided the most comprehensive insight into who we are and what we think. Sir John Curtice and Rachel Wolf make sense of what it tells us about ourselves. Trendy is the must-listen...

09.06.2023

Welcome to Trendy

Welcome to Trendy, the new weekly show from Tortoise. Britain’s top pollster, Sir John Curtice, and former Downing Street advisor, Rachel Wolf, explore the key political, social and economic trends that help shape what voters think and what politicians do. New episodes...