Reasons Revisited

Hello! In February the Supreme Court ruled against Uber in a major case on the rights of its drivers. Could it prompt a shift in working conditions in the gig economy? Former Uber driver and co-claimant in the recent case James Farrar tells us about his legal victory, Kelle Howson from Fairwork talks about what it could mean more widely, then Martin Buttle from ShareAction talks us through the inv...

Hello! The ‘right to play’ is recognised by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. How can we make sure all children have the time and space to play? Aled Hanson tells us about his experience of working at Flintshire Playscheme. Marianne Mannello from Play Wales talks about the pioneering Welsh play legislation. Then writer and researcher Tim Gill talks about how ‘child-friendly cities’ aro...

Bonus episode: Our extended conversation with poet and children's author Michael Rosen about his new book 'Many Different Kinds of Love'. We talk about Michael's experience with Covid and why he decided to write about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! President Biden’s Covid relief package has been described as the most progressive piece of US legislation in the US for decades. Does it mark the start of a transformational presidency? We speak to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro about the historic expansion of child tax credit and her 18 year campaign to make it happen. Lindsay Owens from the Groundwork Collaborate talks us through Biden’s wide...

Hello! Is remote working here to stay? How do we deal with the new inequalities that creates? Friend of the pod & home working guru Nick Bloom talks us through his research on the future of workplaces. Claire McCartney from the CIPD explains how employers can make hybrid working work for all. And Claire Carpenter from the Melting Pot in Edinburgh sets out her vision for ‘hyper local’ coworking...

Hello! Parks and green spaces have been more important than ever over the last year but there are deep inequalities in who has access to them. We’re asking why that is and what we can do about it. Kate Ashbrook from the Open Spaces Society talks us through the history. Then Beth Collier from Wild in the City and Helen Griffiths from Fields in Trust discuss how we can ensure everyone can access to...

Hello! In 1942 William Beveridge published the report that shaped Britain’s welfare state. We’re asking what lessons it offers us nearly 80 years on. Journalist Nicholas Timmins talks us through the history of the original report then LSE’s Tania Burchardt explains how to fix the holes in our welfare safety net today. And for World Book Day we’re chatting to author, vet and children’s TV presenter...

Bonus episode here! It’s our full conversation with Marc Stears about his new book, ‘Out of Ordinary’. We chat about the 1945 government, the dilemmas of big change and how politics can reflect our everyday lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! What happens when an economy rewards owning things rather than doing things? Author Brett Christophers argues it’s a recipe for soaring inequality and economic stagnation. We chat to Brett about Britain’s “rentier economy” and what to do about it. Then Pascale Robinson from We Own It explains how the problems play out in public sector outsourcing. AND here’s a taster of our chat with Ed’s f...

Hello! What happened to the UK’s thriving tradition of adult education? How can we rebuild it for the 21st century? Union learning rep Sue Mann tells us about her experience and the importance of having opportunities to learn throughout life. Then friend of the pod Melissa Benn and adult education guru Sir Alan Tuckett talk us through their vision for adult education and how to make it a reality....

Hello! We're talking about a BIG idea that's transforming how towns, cities and even schools are run across the world. It's called participatory budgeting (PB) and involves letting citizens decide how public money is spent. We ask Shari Davis what happened when Boston gave young people control of a $1 million budget. Brazilian political scientist Rebecca Abers explains how the city of Porto Alegre...

In partnership with Oatly, Geoff and guest co-host Matt Forde dig into how what we eat and drink impacts the environment. Toni Vernelli from Veganuary sets out the link between our diet and the climate crisis, nursery owner Claire Taylor tells the story of what happened when she transformed her business to plant-based, and social psychologist Melanie Joy (author of  Why We Love Dogs, Eat...

Hello! We lead the world on offshore wind power, but not on offshore wind jobs. How can we make sure the green transition delivers good quality work in the UK? Union organiser Hazel Nolan explains the risks of getting things wrong. Thomas Sylvest from Danish Shipping tells us about Denmark’s thriving offshore wind sector. And Chaitanya Kumar from the New Economics Foundation talks us through lesso...

Hello! ‘Blue Zones’ are parts of the world where people live much longer and healthier than average. What’s their secret? We ask journalist Dan Buettner, who came up with the idea after researching longevity hotspots across the globe. Thea Parikos tells us about life in one of the original Blue Zones: the Greek island of Ikaria. And Mayor Betsy Price explains how Fort Worth in Texas has been tryin...

Hello! With President Trump now banned from many of the world’s largest tech platforms, we’re exploring who should decide what is acceptable online speech. Do tech CEOs have too much power over the public conversation? Yaël Eisenstat explains how her time working at Facebook left her convinced that we need more accountability of Big Tech. Then Professor Lorna Woods talks us through her proposal to...

Hello! In the last year we've seen huge, unplanned changes in how lots of people go about their jobs. We’re asking what it means for the future of flexible working. Jane Van Zyl from Working Families talks about how to give people more control over where, when and how much they work. Karen Mattison from Timewise explains why it makes sense for employers. Then Eero Vaara tells us what we can learn...

Happy New Year! This week we're talking to green energy supremo and founder of Ecotricity, Dale Vince. Dale chats about his extraordinary journey from a single wind turbine in Stroud to building the world’s first vegan football club. AND his next venture: producing diamonds from carbon the sky. BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND: Dale Vince on green energy, vegan football & sky diamonds Happy New Year!...

Hello! It’s the end of December, which can only mean one thing: time to unveil our favourite episodes of the year. We’ve listened back, tallied up the scores and meticulously whittled it down to the top 10. What’s made it to the coveted Number 1 spot? All will be revealed... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! We've got the mince pies out and put our Christmas jumpers on for our first ever AMA (Ask Me Anything). We answer your questions on everything from Christmas dinner to how we first met. And Geoff finally reveals the leisure centre story... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! We’re asking the big questions about where power lies in Britain. Why is government so centralised? Why are we so regionally unequal? Are the two linked? Local government guru Tony Travers talks us through the history. Then Sarah Longlands from IPPR North and Neil McInroy from the Centre for Local Economic Strategies chat about where we go from here. Before you go: next week we’re doing our...

Hello! This week we’re talking about rethinking the role of the state. How can we shift power to both frontline workers and citizens? Sue Goss explains why we should ditch the machine metaphors and think about government as a gardener. East Ayrshire Council’s Katie Kelly talks about how they’ve reimagined their relationship with local residents. And Adam Lent from New Local chats about why he thin...

Hello! We all love a good story. This week we’re talking about ‘framing’ - how the stories and metaphors we use shape how people understand politics, the economy and our society. Framing experts Dora Meade and Nicky Hawkins discuss what it’s all about and what progressives can learn. Then California-based Ian Haney Lopez explains how the ‘Race Class Narrative’ can build a coalition for change. Hos...

Hello! A growing movement of businesses argues we need to rethink their role in society. At the forefront of this are BCorps - a new type of business putting purpose alongside profit. We chat to Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen, about why they became a BCorp and what he’s calling for next. Then academic Lenore Palladino explains how we could embed these principles more widely.  PLUS QI...

Hello! We hear a lot about political polarisation, but is it actually worse than the past? And what can we do about it? Journalist Monica Guzman talks about bridging divides in her own family and her work with Braver Angels in the US. Tim Dixon from More in Common explains fascinating research showing Britain isn’t as divided as we think. And former Danish MP Özlem Cekic makes the case for ‘dialog...

Hello! Biden’s victory is a huge moment for climate politics. But with just 12 months until COP26 in Glasgow next year, we’re asking how to ensure the vital climate summit is a success. We chat to architect of the Paris Agreement Christiana Figueres about what’s at stake next year. WWF’s Katie White talks about the role of the climate movement. Journalist Isabel Hilton explains why China’s net zer...