On the Couch

On this episode, Lucy Beresford speaks to Steve Baker MP about his mental health, the current dangers facing MPs in their constituencies and what the government can do to improve the nation's mental health.

Lucy speaks to Ali Miraj, financier and political commentator, about 2023, what went wrong for Rishi Sunak and why he needs to stand up to the right of the party. 

On this episode, Lucy speaks to Dawn Neesom, GB News presenter and former editor of the Daily Star, about the Covid inquiry and the stories we tell ourselves about what happened during the pandemic. 

Lucy speaks to Jill Rutter about the psychology of economics, the competing narratives around the Autumn Statement and whether Jeremy Hunt is listening to voters or Tory MPs.

Lucy speaks to Kim, Lord Darroch about how Sunak and Starmer are seen to be handling the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On this episode, Lucy speaks to broadcaster and journalist Rachel Johnson about sexual harassment in Westminster and how to change the culture. 

Lucy speaks to Londoners' Diary columnist Robbie Griffiths about the role gossip plays in politics, and especially at Party Conferences. 

This week, Lucy speaks to Baroness Altmann CBE, leading UK pensions expert and former pensions minister, about why it's so hard to get people to focus on pensions, and why nudge theory has been proven to help.

Lucy speaks to James Kirkup, partner of Apella Advisors (and conference addict of 20+ years) who interprets the mood music of party conferences, whether Conference Lurghie is psychosomatic, and the strange cognitive dissonance of the attendees. 

Lucy speaks to James, Lord Bethell of Romford, about stopping children accessing porn and how more hours in the UK are spent watching PornHub than the BBC.

Lucy speaks to Stuart Andrew MP, parliamentary under secretary at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and minister for loneliness, on whether the government is well-placed to address the mental health crisis. 

Lucy speaks to journalist and photographer Laura Dodsworth and behavioural scientist Patrick Fagan, authors of Free Your Mind – the new World of manipulation and how to avoid it about how our politicians are manipulating us and how we can resist.

Lucy speaks to Kulveer Ranger, former advisor to Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London, about what it takes (and takes out of you) to work inside politics.

Lucy speaks to Henry Hill, deputy Editor of ConservativeHome, about how to get better people into politics. 

Lucy talks to Author and journalist Robert Hutton about why Boris is playing The Victim card, and whether we all colluded to create the cartoon figure of Boris. 

Lucy speaks to comedian Neil Mullarkey, about how to make politicians communicate better with voters. 

Lucy Beresford speaks to writer Ed West about the future of Conservatism.

Lucy speaks to royal historian and author Dr Tessa Dunlop, about the coronation, whether it is happening at the wrong time, and whether it will boost UK influence abroad. 

Lucy speaks to TalkTV Political Editor Peter Cardwell about the psychology of the latest bullying allegations within Westminster.

Lucy speaks to Tim Marshall, British journalist and leading authority on world affairs, about the psychology of China, what might solve the Arab-Israeli conflict, and how space will be the new political battleground.  

Lucy speaks to body language expert Judi James, about Boris's body language at the Privileges Committee, and what she would have advised him (and Harriet Harman) to do differently. 

Lucy chats to Reaction Editor Maggie Pagano about the psychological impact of Jeremy Hunt's Budget -and why it wasn't the story we shuld have been paying attention to. 

Lucy talks to businessman and cross bench peer Lord Digby Jones, about what should be in The Budget, windfall taxes, and whether the electorate have become infantilised.

Lucy talks to the Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski about life in Ukraine today, the psychological impact of the war, and what Ukraine needs most of all - and its not weapons.

Lucy Beresford speaks to Sam Olsen, Co-Founder and CEO of The Evenstar Institute about China balloon drama, and the psychology of President Xi and the Communist Party.