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Changing Politics

Ever feel like politics could be different? Join comedian Gráinne Maguire and journalist Marie Le Conte every Thursday as they work out how we can all get more involved.


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  • 7. Trans Rights

    30:51
    Ever feel like politics could be different? Join comedian Gráinne Maguire and journalist Marie Le Conte as they work out how we can all get more involved. This isn't just a podcast, it's Changing Politics.This week, we look back at the no confidence vote in Theresa May which was ONLY LAST WEEK and yet it feels like something from a bygone era.We've also replaced our regular producer for this last show of the series with a producer who is trans, to oversee a look at how the media can do better at covering trans issues and how you can help bolster trans rights.

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  • 6. Sex for Rent

    32:28
    Ever feel like politics could be different? Join comedian Gráinne Maguire and journalist Marie Le Conte as they work out how we can all get more involved. This isn't just a podcast, it's Changing Politics.This week, the news roundup is entirely focused on the top five candidates to replace Theresa May, as determined by the bookies. We actually recorded this on Tuesday afternoon, before the vote of no confidence was called on Wednesday morning - how could we possibly know it would be relevant? We must be psychic.In the second half of the show, Marie and Gráinne look at sex for rent, a seemingly personal arrangement that can become infinitely more sinister. We hear from Peter Kyle, MP for Hove, who has been campaigning to get landlords who advertise accommodation in exchange for sex prosecuted, and from journalist and housing policy expert Jonn Elledge.
  • 5. Deportation: Hilary Ineomo-Marcus

    40:16
    Ever feel like politics could be different? Join comedian Gráinne Maguire and journalist Marie Le Conte as they work out how we can all get more involved. This isn't just a podcast, it's Changing Politics.This week, Marie and Gráinne look at one particular case: Hilary Ineomo-Marcus, a man who came to the UK when he was ten, over twenty years ago. Following a conviction for tax fraud, he served fifteen months in prison, making him eligible for deportation under Home Office guidelines, despite having a British wife, two British children, and having visited the country he is being deported to just once since coming to the UK. A product of the British education system, the British workforce, British society and the British rehabilitation system, Hilary's story is an example of a punitive and inhumane migration system. Offering additional insight are Tottenham MP David Lammy and Luke Butterly from Right to Remain, a human rights organisation.The week's news roundup looks at the exciting and in-no-way pointless Brexit debates between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn; Gerard Batten's survival as leader of Ukip, and a down-on-his-luck arsehole; and Marie explains the riots in France in terms we can all understand.
  • 5. DSS Discrimination

    29:23
    Ever feel like politics could be different? Join comedian Gráinne Maguire and journalist Marie Le Conte as they work out how we can all get more involved. This isn't just a podcast, it's Changing Politics.This week, Marie and Gráinne look at the DSS Discrimination, a form of penalising the poor for being poor, with the help of Monica Burns from The National Housing Trust, and Vicky Foxcroft MP.The week's news roundup is, we're afraid, totally dominated by the recently-negotiated Withdrawal Agreement, but we also look at how Brexit has been covered by the media. Gráinne's angrier about this than Marie is, but Marie still calls two different people "morons" as well as telling you which journalists she really trusts.
  • 3. Gay Conversion Therapy

    33:05
    Ever feel like politics could be different? Join comedian Gráinne Maguire and journalist Marie Le Conte as they work out how we can all get more involved. This isn't just a podcast, it's Changing Politics.This week, Marie and Gráinne look at the gay conversion therapy, which is amazingly still happening in the UK. We spoke to ITV's Paul Brand, who's been reporting on this recently, as well as Rachel Taggart-Ryan from Humanists UK who have been campaigning on getting the practice criminalist. And the good news is this week, you can help by simply not laughing at bad jokes.The roundup of the week's news focuses largely on the attempted revolts on the Tory benches, where the ERG have finally pulled the trigger on Theresa May, only to realise that their water pistols are facing the wrong way. But there's also time to mention the UN report into UK austerity, and to consider how that looks on Esther McVey's CV.
  • 2. The Gig Economy

    31:01
    Ever feel like politics could be different? Join comedian Gráinne Maguire and journalist Marie Le Conte as they work out how we can all get more involved. This isn't just a podcast, it's Changing Politics.This week, Marie and Gráinne look at the gig economy, and how not deleting taxi-ride apps can benefit precarious workers. They speak to James Farrer and Yaseen Aslam, who are taking Uber to court to win rights for cab drivers.They also look at Hero Rebel of the Resistance, Jo Johnson, who bravely resigned from the Cabinet (apparently he was OK with all that cutting benefits stuff, but Brexit has been the final straw); the ongoing disaster that is Universal Credit - who knew that something invented by Iain Duncan Smith and overseen by Esther McVey could go wrong?; and the Taxpayer's Alliance, which it turns out aren't actually an alliance for us taxpayers, but a bunch of lobbyists.
  • 1. Homelessness

    29:44
    Changing Politics is back for a second run, and as the nights draw in and the temperature drops journalist Marie Le Conte and comedian Gráinne Maguire turn their attention to the issue of homelessness. The government currently does not keep figures on how many homeless people die each year, and this is something that needs to change. They speak to Melanie Onn MP, who was homeless at 17 and is now campaigning for the government to invest the time and effort to reduce homelessness that was invested in the early 00s, and to Maeve McLenaghan from The Bureau for Investigative Journalism, who has been working out what the numbers may actually be. And as ever, Marie and Gráinne have a small, practical step you can take which would make a real difference to the problem.They also discuss the week's news, including Arron Banks's troubles, Tracey Crouch's resignation, bullying MPs and a shit-ton of hospitality.You can find us on Twitter @ChangingPoliPod, and on Facebook @changingpol.