Share
The Lowdown from Nick Cohen
Britain's broken politics
Season 1, Ep. 132
•
In this week's Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to author and historian Robert Saunders about Britain's transition from decades of political stability to having six prime ministers in ten years and how this reflects deep systemic pressures rather than just poor individual leadership. Robert explains that modern leaders have faced an unprecedented convergence of global crises—including Brexit, COVID-19, and soaring public debt—with very little governance experience. He views Brexit as both a symptom of long-term political decline and an amplifier that polarized the electorate into rigid identities and normalised political dishonesty.
Unlike the unstable 1920s, which maintained experienced leadership and defended democratic norms against extremism, today's crisis is unprecedented because both major parties have lost their traditional social roots, resulting in a highly volatile electorate. This instability is compounded by massive public debt, which severely constrains government action. Rather than addressing these constraints honestly, modern politicians have largely abandoned their "educative" role, choosing to hide difficult economic trade-offs from the public.
This systemic decay is further accelerated by a plutocratic assault on democracy, led by billionaire-controlled platforms and populist media that actively promote anti-establishment sentiment. Robert argues that mainstream politicians must stop legitimising this "anti-politics" rhetoric and instead actively defend democratic institutions by highlighting their tangible successes. Ultimately, he warns that universal suffrage is less than a century old, and citizens must stop acting as complacent "vandals" of a highly fragile democratic ecosystem.
Robert Saunders - @redhistorian - author and academic. Author of "Yes to Europe! The 1975 Referendum & Seventies Britain". "A jaw-dislocating page turner"(Andrew Marr). Co-director the Mile End Institute @MileEndInst , Reader Queen Mary's @QMHistory
Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.
More episodes
View all episodes
2. Keir Starmer resigns
15:00||Season 2, Ep. 2Keir Starmer resigns - can Andy Burnham save the country from the disaster of a Reform government?Nick Cohen talks about Keir Starmer's resignation as Britain's sixth Prime Minister in ten years, reflecting on the implications for the country and the wider West. Nick explores concerns about Britain's political stability, comparing the situation to historical examples of governments collapsing, and talks about how nationalist parties are gaining power across the UK. Nick defends Starmer's leadership, highlighting his handling of Trump's presidency and his efforts on Ukraine, while acknowledging his political shortcomings. Nick expresses optimism about Andy Burnham becoming the next Prime Minister and emphasises the need for the centre-left to unite to counter the growing influence of the radical right, led by figures like Farage who has successfully split the right-wing vote.136. A World Cup in the age of Trump
37:37||Season 1, Ep. 136The World Cup - the goals, the corruption and the colonialism!In this week's Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to Professor Stefan Szymanski, Professor of the Economics of Sports at Michigan University, about the World Cup and the evolution of global football. They explore how the tournament has shifted from being hosted by nation-states to being controlled by oligarchical interests, with Stefan explaining how FIFA's corruption stems from colonialism's legacy and the post-colonial power struggle within the organisation. The conversation covered dramatic price increases in World Cup tickets from 1994 to the present, with final match tickets rising from $475 (inflation-adjusted) to $10,000 calculated for this year's final! Stefan argues the problem isn't the high prices themselves but where the money is being directed. They discuss the tension between FIFA and UEFA, the flow of talent from developing to developed nations, and the political challenges facing future World Cup hosts including the current tournament in the United States and Canada. The interview concludes with a discussion about whether the World Cup could eventually unravel due to political tensions and boycotts, similar to what happened with the Olympics.Read all about it! Stefan Szymanski @sszy is Professor of the Economics of Sports at Michigan University, a leading sports historian, academic and podcaster - author of Crickonomics: The Anatomy of Modern Cricket, which was Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 2023. Stefan is co-host of the Soccernomics podcast, alongside hosted by renowned football author Simon Kuper and Ashish Malhotra. Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.1. The Mackerfield Byelection
13:21||Season 2, Ep. 1Mackerfield shows why Andy Burnham must lead Labour in the fight against the Radical RightNick Cohen gives a comprehensive analysis of the Makerfield by-election results from early Friday morning, where Andy Burnham emphatically defeated Nigel Farage's Reform Party, arguing this victory represents both an opportunity and a significant challenge for the Labour Party.Nick criticises the unprecedented propaganda campaign against Keir Starmer, including claims about a racist police incident and allegations of abuse, which Nick attributes to foreign interference led by Donald Trump's administration and supported by figures like Elon Musk and J.D. Vance.Nick criticises the Labour government's failure to properly deal wth far right propaganda, or even enforce the Ofcom rules that are constantly flouted by GB News, little more than a voice for Reform. Nick warns that Burnham would face steep learning curves on foreign policy issues, particularly regarding defence spending and relations with America, and emphasises the need for Labour to develop a clear "theory of victory" to address why Starmer became so unpopular despite relatively successful policy outcomes on inflation and immigration control.135. The death of conservatism
53:54||Season 1, Ep. 135UK needs a a strong liberal voice in the south to counter the predictable catastrophe of Farage and Reform In his latest Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to historian and author James Hawes about parallels between current political developments and fascist movements in the 1930s and 1970s. James compares Elon Musk's influence to that of Alfred Hugenberg in 1930s Germany, noting how both used media control to promote extreme right-wing parties. Nick and James discuss conservative establishment figures like Michael Grade at Ofcom were failing to enforce impartiality laws, how the government was unwilling to act against platforms promoting insurrection, and how the right-wing media landscape had shifted dramatically since the days when Enoch Powell was rejected by the Conservative Party. Hawes emphasises the need for a united liberal democratic front to oppose far-right parties like Farage's, warning that the first-past-the-post electoral system could allow Nigel Farage to become Prime Minister with less than a third of the vote if the left remained split. They conclude with calls for a "popular front" similar to those that successfully opposed fascists in the past, with both hosts expressing optimism that such a coalition could still be formed. The UK desperately needs a strong Liberal voice in the south to prevent Farage inflicting his second catastrophe on the UK after Brexit - a Reform government with the inevitable division, economic misery and national failure that would guarantee.Read all about it! James Hawes @jameshawes2 Renaissance man, historian, writer and novelist. James, the author of The Shortest History of England and The Shortest History of Germany. His latest in the series, The Shortest History of Ireland, is out next month.Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.134. HS2 - The rail to nowhere
32:41||Season 1, Ep. 134Rail to nowhere - HS2 - the poster child project of a failed British political classIn this week's Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to author and doyen transport writerChristian Wolmar about the serial UK failed high-speed railway project. HS2 has spiralled to an estimated cost of £87-102 billion pounds due to political fickleness, mismanagement, inefficiency, and excessive environmental requirements. Christian Wolmar, author of "Fast Track: The Extraordinary Story of High-Speed Rail," explains how Treasury interference, lack of coherent government strategy, and environmental concerns (including a notorious £130 million bat tunnel) contributed to the project's catastrophic cost overruns. Nick and Christian compare Britain's failure with successful high-speed rail implementations in Spain, China, and other countries that maintained national strategic vision and better project management. Christian expressed skepticism about current Labour government reforms, noting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apparently shown little interest in the Euston station project despite being the local MP.Read all about it! Christian Wolmar Christian Wolmar is an award-winning writer and broadcaster specialising in transport and is the author of a series of books on railway history. He has spent nearly all of his working life as a journalist, and his interest in transport began at The Independent when he was appointed transport correspondent in 1992, a job he did until 1997. Christian's latest book is Fast Track: The Extraordinary Story of High-Speed Rail.Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.133. All we have comes by sea
37:01||Season 1, Ep. 133Iran and the Strait of Hormuz crisis reveal how much we owe to our merchant marinersThis week, Nick Cohen talks to author, travel writer and writer-mariner Horatio Clare about the hidden world of merchant marines and the critical role they play in global trade. Horatio shares insights from his experience as a writer-in-residence on container ships, describing the challenging conditions faced by seafarers stuck in the Gulf during the ongoing conflict, including extreme heat, isolation, and the constant threat of Iranian drone attacks. They discuss how modern shipping relies on a largely invisible workforce of approximately 18 people per large vessel, predominantly from countries like the Philippines, who maintain the world's supply chains while facing dangerous working conditions and minimal oversight.Horatio explains how containerisation moved ports away from cities, making shipping less visible to the public while simultaneously making globalisation possible, with shipping costs representing just one cent for goods transported globally. They also discuss the environmental impact of shipping, with vessels contributing significantly to global pollution, and the lack of journalism or union representation in the industry, leaving seafarers vulnerable to abuse and dangerous practices like throwing stowaways overboard to avoid fines.Read all about it! Robert Saunders - @redhistorian - author and academic. Author of "Yes to Europe! The 1975 Referendum & Seventies Britain". "A jaw-dislocating page turner"(Andrew Marr). Co-director the Mile End Institute @MileEndInst , Reader Queen Mary's @QMHistoryHoratio Clare, @HoratioClare is an author, with books including We Came By Sea; Your Journey; Heavy Light, Down to the Sea in Ships, Aubrey and the Terrible Yoot, Running for the Hills.131. Why we think what we think!
54:22||Season 1, Ep. 131Why we think what we think! The factors beyond our control that form our beliefs!Nick Cohen chats to author, journalist and entrepreneur Turi Munthe about his latest book "Why We Think What We Think," which explores how non-rational factors significantly influence political and social beliefs.In an increasingly polarised and fractious world, the issue of people's beliefs and think and why they hold them is becoming increasingly of importance, and for our sinister tech giants, of monetary value!Turi Munthe discusses various research findings showing how physical attributes like beauty, neurological differences, climate, and cultural background shape political preferences, including examples like taste bud variations between liberals and conservatives, and how collectivist versus individualist cultures affect moral reasoning. Turi's research also reveals how factors such as good looks can have an inordinate influence on people''s belief systems and how they succeed or fail in life.Nick and Turi discuss concerns about using biological research to pathologise political differences, the importance of free speech in allowing different perspectives to emerge, and how gender differences in political attitudes have shifted over time. Turi concludes by emphasising that humans think better in conversation than alone, suggesting that robust debate remains essential for understanding and potentially overcoming our predisposed opinions.Read all about it!Turi Munthe FRSA is an Anglo-French journalist and entrepreneur. He is the founder of Demotix, which became the largest network of photo-journalists in the world, as well as Parlia, an encyclopaedia of opinion. His book Why we think what we think, The unexpected origins of our deepest beliefs is published by Penguin. Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.130. Brexit Britons - away with the fairies!
01:05:25||Season 1, Ep. 130Lowdown election special with Rafael Behr of The GuardianBrexit Britons away with the fairies- and believing in at least 6 impossible things before Breakfast! In the local - and national elections, British voters voted for parties in Wales & Scotland that want to destroy the United Kingdom and for Nigel Farage and his fellow Reform con artists who conned 17.4 million people into voting for Brexit and geo-political isolation and economic impoverishment! WTF planet do these people inhabit?In his latest Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to Rafael Behr - the distinguished Guardian columnist - about the political crisis facing Britain and the Labour Party following recent election defeats across Scotland, Wales, London, and English local government. The two political commentators discuss Labour's leadership challenges, with Sir Keir Starmer facing significant unpopularity, and examine potential successors including Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, and Andy Burnham. They discuss how the Labour Party lacks a clear identity or heartland support, while also addressing the rise of the Green Party and Reform Party as electoral forces. Nick and Raf conclude with analysis of Britain's broader political fragmentation, including the dominance of pro-independence parties across Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and the challenges facing centrist politics in the current political environment.Read all about it!Rafael's recent book Politics: A Survivor's Guide: How to stay engaged without getting enraged is published by W.F.Howes Ltd and available at Amazon and in all good bookshops.Support the show You can also read his wonderful columns in the Guardian. His X handle is @rafaelbehrNick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.