What's Happening Now Podcast

With the news of Trump’s election win, Sam and James end series 3 finding ways to console themselves - the IFS and cockney drill music.

With the idea planted that “Keir Starmer is very much against pubs”, Sam won’t rest until he finds the truth - from a serious journalist (Matilda Davies), a serious campaigner (Jay Chan) and a seriously unimpressed James.

The UK is legally obliged to hit net zero by 2050 or… we’ll go to jail or something? With the help of Stuart Goldsmith and Adam Bell, and as a new government makes big promises, WHN figures out where we are on the path to a greener world.

With the help of comedian Rosie Holt, Sam and James wrestle with the prospect that now might just be the time to be Tory.

Joined by the comedian Alexandra Haddow and the author of ‘Democracy for Sale’, Peter Geoghegan, Sam and James figure out what’s happening now with donations and money in politics.

WHN returns for Series 3 looking at a big problem that won’t go away - housing. As a new government faces an old issue, James has a surprising suggestion to improve things and Anya Martin joins the conversation.

Ahead of Season 3, Kate Arkless Gray joins Sam and James to look at what’s happening in space with Space X’s Starship. Is it still summer? Is it special? Is it even happening now or will it be Now(vember)? You decide.

In the final, extended, episode of the series, Sam and James look at the latest news of the Rwanda policy and what’s behind it - from the effect on the ground to betting on polling. Migration expert Lou Calvey gives her view and author Jonn Elledge joins to tell us all about his latest book on borders.

In the middle of two scandals (not theirs) Sam and James look at what worries the parties in an election year and how they monitor success - through political polls. Expert input from Ben Walker, co-founder of Britain Elects, help us understand what’s up, what’s down and how we can tell.

Three pioneers of modern local journalism talk to WHN’s James O’Malley about their experiences in Birmingham, Edinburgh and Medway, comparing notes on their neighbourhoods, the work they do and why relevant, accessible and convenient local news matters.