The Long Game

On this week's episode of The Long Game, Ben and Jason discuss Reform UK's decimation of Labour and the Tories in the UK and what it means for Ireland; the ongoing Irish by-elections; the outbreak of hantavirus, and more.

Ben and Jason consider Ireland's impending nuclear debate, the upcoming by-elections in Dublin and Galway, and the cancellation of a controversial surrogacy event following substantial criticism.

Jason and Ben comment on the slow-but-steady death spiral of FFG which the latest polling indicates is continuing, as well as on the Government's modular housing plans and the reputational blow the Southern Poverty Law Center has taken in the last week.

Micheál Martin's dodgy Muhammad Ali impression and his enduring grip on Fianna Fáil; Leo Varadkar's take on the rural-urban divide; and whether the State media regulator is currently engaged in policing speech. All on this week's Long Game podcast.

The fuel protests have wound down, a minister's not happy with the media's lack of support for Government and a battle for the ages: Donald Trump vs Pope Leo XIV. All discussed on this week's episode of The Long Game Podcast.

On this week's episode of The Long Game, Ben and Jason discuss the ongoing fuel protests disrupting traffic across Ireland, Donald Trump's Iran war ceasefire, and how the Christian messages of the Artemis II astronauts are making atheists on Reddit go berserk.

Jason is joined this week by Fatima, who comes bearing stories from the courts. They also discuss the state of Ireland's Covid-19 'evaluation' and the quality and quantity of biblical dramas on streaming services in 2026.

Freshly returned from his time Stateside, Ben joins Jason to talk banned TikTok videos and EU content policing, Iran war energy woes and the wild reaction to Ryan Casey's political opinions.

The growing tendency to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of national and cultural celebrations irks Jason and Maria this week. The deepening oil crisis and Maria's experience of the recent Women's Coalition on Immigration event make up the rest of the show.

Ben and Jason discuss Barbie Kardashian's new digs and Dublin Zoo's Mother's Day marketing, as well as the Government's commitment to the Cost of Living crisis.

Jason and special guest Maria Maynes discuss the spiralling situation in the Middle East, the sectarian trend in UK politics and the shocking abortion story receiving no coverage from the Irish media.

The security concerns surrounding the Ireland/Israel Nations League fixture, Minister Helen McEntee's Defence Forces diversity drive and LENT are all up for discussion on this week's episode of the Long Game podcast.

On this week's episode of The Long Game, Ben and Jason analyse some of Ben's recent encounters with Government ministers and their disappointing (non-) answers.

Ben and Jason bemoan the weather and the Government response to it, before turning to problems of entirely human origin: the State's funding of, apparently, everything, the Deposit Return Scheme's disastrous effect on Dublin and the omnipresence of gambling.

This week, Ben and Jason discuss Helen McEntee’s great love of Europe, a Fianna Fáil TD’s suggestion that the State should steer clear of "anti-Government" CEOs for State contracts, and the political leanings of modern movies.

On this week's episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss the tech illiteracy of the people regulating the Irish digital space, Trump's impending seizure of Greenland and the growing threat of a US-EU trade war, and the re-arrest of Enoch Burke.

Jason and Ben discuss the week’s top news, from Sinn Fein failing to learn lessons, Grok being bold to the impending end of the 25 year-long Mercosur saga.

Ben and Jason cross swords over the American intervention in Venezuela, before discussing lighter things like the new Dublin city traffic plan and the dire state of modern children's books.

In something of a Christmas special, Ben and Jason discuss whether 2025 went as they predicted politically-speaking, the weekend whooping of Andrew Tate and the ethics of Santa Claus.

Ben and Jason discuss whether or not virginity is embarrassing following Piers Morgan's interview with a American streamer, as well as the merits and dangers of online age restrictions, and the tragic events at Bondi Beach over the weekend.

On this episode of The Long Game podcast, Ben and Jason discuss Irish school children being taught they have "white privilege"; what America's new national security policy means for Europe; and the young man taking the "looksmaxxing" trend way too far.

Ben is back from Greece, and he's got a complaint to make. After venting, the conversation moves on to the Battle of Herzog Park and a senior garda's admission that radical Islam is on the rise in Ireland.

Jason is joined this week by Fatima Gunning to discuss the US State Department's announcement that mass migration is an "existential threat" to Western civilisation, as well as Slovenia's rejection of assisted suicide and the ongoing Christian persecution in Nigeria.

The failure of the State to treat the housing crisis like the "emergency" they say it is; prison overcrowding and the drastic measures authorities are considering to cope with it; and a mad German NGO are all on the agenda for Ben and Jason this week.

This week, Ben and Jason rant and rave about institutional failures and shortcomings, from the BBC to RTÉ and everywhere in between.