The Lowdown from Nick Cohen

FARAGE'S CRYPTO-BUNG WOES ARE MOUNTING & RIGHTLY SO!In his latest "The Lowdown" podcast, Nick Cohen talks to Peter Geoghegan, author of "Democracy for Sale," about the corruption allegations surrounding Nigel Farage and the Reform Party. Their chat centres on Farage receiving a £5 million personal donation from crypto billionaire Christopher Harbourne and being funded by convicted fraudster George Cottrell, with money potentially being funnelled through Richard Tice's companies. Peter explains how Farage's policies on cryptocurrency align with his donors' interests, noting that Reform Party has concrete policies on crypto deregulation despite having few other defined positions. The conversation explored how Farage's claims about being tough on crime contrast with his support from a crypto industry used by criminals, and discussed the lack of political opposition from Labour in highlighting these corruption issues.Read all about itPeter Geoghegan's must read Substack is Democracy for Sale & his best selling book Democracy for Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics  is published by W.F.Howes Ltd.Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA MUST NOT FALL FOR NIGEL FARAGE'S LATEST RUSENick Cohen addresses the mainstream media's missed aspect of the story regarding Nigel Farage's links to the crypto industry. He highlights that Farage received £5 million from British Thai crypto billionaire Christopher Harbourn without declaring this donation, and that his convicted fraud pal, George Cottrell ,provided gifts in kind for Farage's political operations. Nick slams Farage's claim to be tough on crime while simultaneously lobbying against a digital pound and supporting the crypto industry, noting that crypto serves as a tool for criminals and state actors due to its untraceable nature. He emphasises that journalists and politicians should challenge Farage on this contradiction by asking why someone claiming to be tough on crime would be soft on crypto.

"LONDONOV!" HOW THE SLOANE RANGERS WHORED THEMSELVES OUT TO DODGY OLIGARCHS & SHEIKHS In his latest Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to Peter York, the legendary social commentator who co-wrote the influential "Sloane Ranger's Handbook" in the 1980s about the English upper class in London.Peter discusses how London has transformed from an English-dominated city to a global centre for wealthy international elites, with properties like the One Hyde Park development being owned primarily by Russian oligarchs, Middle Eastern investors, and other foreign billionaires rather than British residents. They examined how American and Russian influence has disrupted traditional national identities, with Peter citing examples like Elon Musk's deliberately inflammatory statements and the US government's official security strategy calling for regime change in favor of European far-right parties.Peter and Nick explore how the English ruling class has been replaced by international plutocrats, with British citizens now often serving as "butlers to the world" in various service industries, while political figures like Nigel Farage receive funding from wealthy developers like the Candy Brothers who build luxury properties for international clients. Peter reflects on his own political awakening and expressed concern about Britain's future choices between aligning with America, Europe, or other global powers, emphasising the need for truth-telling about the current state of international relations.Read all about it! Peter York @PeterPeteryork The legendary journalist, author, style guru & social commentator. Author: Sloane Ranger Handbook, Dictators Homes, Style Wars, The War Against the BBC, Dead Cat on Your Table Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

The tide has turned on Brexit - the "Brexiteers" have only the dead to rallyIn his latest Lowdown" podcast, Nick Cohen discusses the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum with Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and the significant changes in global politics over the past 10 years since 2016 that make Brexit an even worse decision than it was a decade ago.They both examine how Europe has moved from a "Kantian" rule-based system to an "unorder" world where international rules no longer have standing, using the Iran conflict as an example of how military actions are now conducted without regard for international law. They discuss Brexit's impact on Britain's position in the world, with Mark Leonard presenting polling data showing that 58% of Leave voters believe Brexit has been bad for border management and that 75% of Britons want closer EU relations.They discuss how Germany has transformed its energy system and defence posture in response to global challenges, while Britain struggles with infrastructure projects and defence capabilities. Mark explains that British public opinion has shifted from the 2016 Brexit divide to three new groups: "loners" (27% who want to stay out of Europe), "optimists" (30% who would vote to rejoin), and "realists" (35% favouringcloser cooperation), with younger demographics being more pro-European. They conclude with optimism about potential future shifts in British politics toward re-engagement with Europe, particularly if Labour adopts a more pro-European stance.Read all about it! @markhleonard Co-Founder & director, @ecfr, bestselling author, latest book THE AGE OF UNPEACE, keynote speaker & weekly podcast host http://apple.co/2ACObcjNick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

Keir 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.

The 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.

Mackerfield 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.

UK 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.