Peter York's Culture Wars House Party

Professor Bobby Duffy, Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London — author of books that puncture our most sacred cows and a demystifier-in-chief of generational squabbles and supposed divides.We delve into the why: why certain myths have grown such sturdy roots, why “delusions align with an identity,” and its impact on shaping norms.Culturally, are we closer to the Americans or the Europeans? Does the US predict our future? Are we, “slightly canary” — an early indicator of what may be heading Europe’s way?And does one side see things “clearly”? And in a world of deep divides should we be kissing more Tories? Then there’s the global view of civilisation: as China and South East Asia succeed, will those values eventually trump those of the West?“Something has shifted in the last 18 months, two years” is Bobby’s view of our times as bad as we fear?Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.social

Michael Crick is an Oxford-honed, long-haul chronicler of the Westminster circus. He’s run the whole gauntlet—from bare-knuckle TV newsrooms to writing biographies of colourful grandees, and chasing Cabinet Ministers down Whitehall. Together, we explore how news got smarter (and sometimes not), why local papers are the canaries in the democratic coalmine, and how AI could blow it all apart. With friends such as Robbie Gibb, what does Michael make of the latest BBC crisis? Are malign forces circling? And as the biographer of Nigel Farage: why do voters like him, and why would governing by Reform—which already has form—be no laughing matter?Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.social

Paul Krugman is a Nobel laureate, economics sage, “deranged bum” according to President Trump, and a former New York Times heavyweight. Together, we unravel Trump’s economic policy (does he have one?) and why he’s “not a Mussolini” when it comes to public transport. We dissect the Trump era’s political theatre: Nazis in the Republican institutional structure, and a Putin/Orban-style bid for takeover. But is Trump following the right rule book? How’s the resistance faring? Will there be fair elections, or is “everything on the table as a possibility”? We also explore the chill felt by academics, authoritarian shifts, the clout of oligarchs and think tanks, global echoes of populism, the decline of expertise in government—and, finally, why Paul left the New York Times.Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.social

Tom Mills is a sociologist, senior lecturer at Aston University, and author of The BBC: The Myth of a Public Service Broadcaster. Once “a communist in my early teens,” he now dissects how media and politics intertwine—how the national print press, 90% owned by three businesses, has the ability to shift stories to which “the BBC is kind of responsive,” and what happens when funding cuts “smash morale” in great institutions. And if there is a Farage government, will the BBC stand up to power? We explore the changing media landscape—ownership, independence, and how we’ve ended up sandwiched between “unaccountable, patrician, well-meaning people at the BBC” and “odd characters in Silicon Valley and Washington.” Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.social

Cosmo Landesman is a mature journalist and cultural commentator and a "conscientious objector" to the heated political debates of our time. We explore his experiences in Islington's media circles, his evolution from the bohemian 80s where "a canon of good taste" existed to today's polarised media environment, and his nuanced views on political debate, social media, and preferring dessert over discourse. From his work with the Modern Review, keeping "debauchery away from Uncle Peter," to his current writing for the Spectator, we explore how political conversations have changed, the role of media in shaping public opinion, and whether it's possible to have "ghastly" friends.Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.socialLinkedIn: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productions

Jolyon Maugham KC, founder of the Good Law Project, is one of the UK’s most prominent—and provocative—legal campaigners. Jolyon reveals how, as a high-flying tax barrister, “I knew where the bodies were buried often, because it was my clients who had dug them in,” and why he traded big money for bigger causes. He explains the origins of the Good Law Project, his mission to fight the “decay in our public life,” and candidly addresses why “the right hates me.” We delve into the mechanics of judicial review, the realities of modern culture wars, and the challenges of tackling misinformation, wealth inequality, and creeping authoritarianism. Jolyon also reflects on what he’s done since “waking up,” the controversies that follow him, and the future battles for justice in a rapidly changing political landscape.Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.socialLinkedIn: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productions

On this week’s episode, Angus Hanton, author of Vassal State: How America Runs Britain, explains why his book emerged from one simple question: “How much of the UK is controlled by the Americans?” In seeking the answer, he uncovers shocking numbers that reveal the extent to which American capital, corporations, and influence permeate the UK economy and society. Remarkably, Hanton’s analysis anticipated the risks of a Trump presidency—making his warnings more urgent and relevant than ever considering recent events.  We ask why does the British government seem unconcerned about who owns British industry? How was the British “national jumble sale” allowed to happen? While Americans may act like lions, Hanton insists the real question is how Britain, as the zookeeper, has allowed this situation to develop. His recommendations? There are three key actions needed to take back control.  And what about the media? Is the BBC playing its proper role, or does it appear to lean too heavily toward an Atlanticist perspective?Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.socialLinkedIn: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productions

Katherine Stewart is the investigative journalist who’s spent twenty years following the money, myths, and masterminds behind America’s new right — from Bible Belt Sunday schools to Silicon Valley boardrooms and shadowy donor networks that span continents. Her new book, Money, Lies and God, exposes the billionaires, strategists, and true believers who, she argues, are reshaping not just America, but democracy itself.We talk about the rise of Christian nationalism — how “Caesar” Trump, “an imperfect ruler that God chose to enact his will,” ended up crowned by what Katherine calls “the angriest group of winners I’ve ever seen.” How did they pull it off?What did “billions of dollars” capture? What was the master plan? What three things did Trump promise “over 1,000 pastors in New York City”? Why the push to target “children aged 4 to 14” - and what’s behind the “persecution narrative”?We also peer into the mindset of the wealthy funders — those who, feeling they don’t quite deserve their fortunes still justify “squelching the voices of their critics.” Is this all just an American phenomenon? What is a $1.6 billion trust funding here in the UK?And, finally — we talk fashion. Fancy a T-shirt with guns saying I’m going RINO hunting? But we’re not talking about the horned variety.Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book shops.@peteryork.bsky.socialLinkedIn: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productions