CakeWatch

With only two days to go until UnBrexit Day, we try to survey the rapidly shifting landscape and chart a course for where we head next. It's an exciting and unexpected place to be with only two days to go until 29 March, but we are by no means out of the woods. Listen while our takes still have some residual warmth left.

In the second episode of the week, we visit Alyn Smith MEP in his offices, surrounded by boxes, for what might be a farewell chat, and reflect on another absolutely hatstand day in Brexit's endgame. Theresa May has written a letter to the European Council asking for a short extension and managing to annoy everybody on all sides; and (at time of recording) we're hiding behind the sofa waiting for h...

Chris, Steve, and a gurgling kitchen sink discuss extensions and whether the neighbours might lodge an objection with the council.

So the government has lost the meaningful vote on the Withdrawal Agreement by a massive margin - AGAIN - and now what? Should we celebrate? How will Brussels react? What are the options for and chances of extending the Article 50 two year deadline? Steve and Chris bravely combat man flu to bring you their thoughts. Listen all the way to the end for a treat and, er, brillax! (Episode title shameles...

Coffee tariffs and orange tariffs and zero tariffs oh my! Chris in conversation with Twitter trade legend and man of mystery, Jim Cornelius, self-made walking encyclopedia of all things tariff-related, and scourge of so-called liberal leavers everywhere. Heads up: there are a couple of audio glitches that might make you jump if you're listening over headphones, for which we apologise in advance. S...

A podcast of two halves this week. The first half is a look at the day's news from Westminster, where Corbyn now says he backs a referendum with Remain on the ballot, and where May now says she will call for a vote on whether to leave with no deal, or extend Article 50. Plus, more importantly, how the EU might feel about this. Then, in the second half, an extended discussion on Steve's personal Tw...

Navel-gazing post-Remainiacs self-congratulation cut with road trip excerpts all amount to another week in the podcast that isn't about cake. We also reflect on the futility of TIG-related hope and the futility of unicorn-related Brussels tourism.

We donned safety helmets and ventured forth into the archives to seek out our very first podcast, recorded one year ago on wax cylinder, and listen back to it to see whether anything has changed in the world of Brexit. Spoiler: it hasn't. The Brexit database from Twitter user @brexology_uk

Dmitry Grozoubinski is our guest this week to talk about what the hell a "WTO terms deal" is(n't), and we weigh up the risks and chances of a disorderly Brexit. Plus easily the sexiest Lie of the Week ever. Dmitry's trade explainer blog, Trade Explained Special Guest: Dmitry Grozoubinski.

Chris and Tanja have no confidence in this government and reject its withdrawal agreement but more specifically talk about Brexit British attitudes towards Germany, where things stand for EU citizens as B-day approaches, and Brecht. Become an EU Citizens Champion EU citizens are your colleagues, neighbours, friends and family. Your doctors, builders, teachers and hairdressers. As the UK descends f...

January can be a difficult month, and Brexit is not helping. Many of us find ourselves struggling to cope with the insecurity that Brexit is causing. In this episode, we look at how Brexit is making us feel and how we're dealing with those feelings. We also look ahead to The Convention, an event taking place in London on 11 January to prepare for a potential new referendum. Mind, the mental health...

Theresa May's shocker at the European Council, and why it happened. Plus: Tony Blair, huh, what he isn't good for. And some home truths on what the Article 50 ruling means and what it doesn't mean. Finally, a few cracking Lies of the Week, and an absolute zinger as Tweet of the Year. Chris' tweet about the Economist's Bagehot column Ivan Rogers' speech JC Piris' tweet of the century

A throwback to the early days of the podcast in which Steve and Chris wind each other up into a state of high-pitched sweary indignation as they survey the carnage wrought by Brexit. Specifically, the importance of accuracy and honesty on the Remain side, negative and exceptionalist framing, government dishonesty and delusion, and car doors.

The unorthodox structure of this week's podcast is not so much down to avant garde editing as technical snafu, but we start at the beginning with Chris and Laura putting the world to rights over kebabs and prosecco, and end in the middle of things as we join Steve, Steve, and Chris half way through a discussion of Tuesday's events in Westminster, where this leaves Brexit, and was the UK really suc...

The Centre for European Reform is the UK's foremost think tank on matters European, and Ian Bond is its Director of Foreign Policy, so Chris is in his element this week discussing how Brexit might affect both UK and EU foreign policy. Featuring not one, not two, but three baskets. Special Guest: Ian Bond.

Nick Crosby joins Chris to wonder whether and how the House of Commons might yet find a way to reject the Withdrawal Agreement and #StopBrexit. Also Hostile Environment Lady jumps the Lie of the Week queue. Special Guest: Nick Crosby.

Steve is back and vaping hard (sorry for the background noises) while he outlines options for amending the bill to pass the Withdrawal Agreement and Chris listens in increasing bewilderment. We also discuss whether the UK has really been the disruptive force within EU structures that it's been made out to be in some quarters (OK these quarters).

Alas poor Steve, he's still poorly, so Chris is hosting solo this week and joined by special guest Garvan Walshe (yes we know he was already on Remainiacs grrr) for a chat about the so-called Irish backstop, Jeremy Hunt's brass-necked cakeism, and whether Anna Soubry is a Leninist. Plus: would Remaining really be a good thing? No I mean really ?? Also: Thucydides! Jon Lis' opinion piece in the Gua...

Steve Analyst is back and promoted to stand-in co-host covering for Steve B. What do Chris and Steve A do while Steve B is away? Get stuck in to some proper trade nerdery, that's what. We discuss how the UK can realise its global trade ambitions, whether EU trade deals can be rolled over, and what a unilateral zero tariff regime would do to the country's bank balance. Rock & roll! Also: a cont...

We leave the podcast dungeon and lug our recording equipment to a meeting room in the European Parliament where we chat with not one, not two, not three, but four MEPs about the Brexit endgame! This was a cracking conversation with political heavyweights so do not miss this one Remain nerds! Our guests are, in no particular order: Julie Girling MEP (EPP/independent - Julie was a Conservative MEP u...

Our friends at the Nottingham European Movement asked us if they could use our podcast to share a recording of their ' Brexit: What Next? ' event with our listeners, and we bit their arm off! Enjoy this hour and a half panel discussion with these stone-cold Remain legends: Ken Clarke QC MP, Conservative Chris Leslie MP, Labour Tom Brake MP, Liberal Democrat Natalie Bennett, Green Party (leader of...

We were going to have a theme this week but we ran out of time before we could start on one. Plenty of follow-up, looking ahead to next week's European Council showdown, wondering where it's all heading, and looking at the In Limbo book that was launched this week. Oh and Lie of the Week, of course. Sponsored by Wandsworth European Movement who are launching their Four Freedoms Pale Ale on 19 Octo...

Warning: this episode includes very strong language (I mean, read the title) - listener discretion is advised (not one for teatime with the kids) Awesome citizen rights campaigner Tanja Bueltmann co-hosts this week's episode as we talk about her work on behalf of EU27 citizens in the UK, what it's like being a constant target of online and offline harrassment, why we should reclaim the c-word, and...

A bit of follow-up on Armenian regulatory competences trade nerds, then it's straight into Salzburg OMG she didn't did she she did! and then Labour Conference and the thrill we felt when Starmer said what he said and the Conference did what it did. Closing out with Silver Jubilee Cake(ism) and one of the all time great Lies of the Week. Jim Cornelius we salute you .

A bit of a long one this week, in which we explore how a Peoples Vote might happen, and ask what a successful campaign might look like. And we take Cakewatch to a sunny Place Lux for lunch with David Henig, he of #TwitterTrade fame. Lie of the Week featuring the Raabinator. Special Guest: David Henig.