The Political Dispatch

In this episode of The Political Dispatch, Tom, Lily, and Sidd mark 10 years since Ireland became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote. They explore how a conservative, Catholic nation transformed so rapidly, examining the role of activists, the decline of Church influence, and the landmark 2015 referendum. Join the team as they reflect on the global impact of Ireland’s...

In this episode of The Political Dispatch, Tom interviews Fr Damian Howard, the Senior Catholic Chaplain at Oxford University, to talk about the life and legacy of Pope Francis. Tom and Fr Howard discuss the impact of the Jesuit order on Pope Francis’s early life, his early career in Argentina and the papacy. As well as talking about what distinguished the 266th pontiff from his predecessors, Tom...

To celebrate May 4th, Sidd, Lily and Tom travel to a galaxy far, far away to explore the politics of Star Wars. The franchise’s creator, George Lucas, didn’t just draw on the mythology of Joseph Campbell or the cinematic style of Akira Kurosawa. He also held up a mirror to the politics, economics, and society of 1970s America. The Political Dispatch team discuss the influence of the Vietnam War an...

Join Sidd, Lily, and Tom for a deep dive into the evolving role of artificial intelligence in global elections. From deepfakes to ballot scanning, The Political Dispatch team breaks down how AI is shaping elections. With examples from South Korea, India, the United States, and beyond, they explore AI's impact on accessibility, efficiency, and disinformation—and what it all means for the future of...

Join Sidd, Lily, and Tom for political news from around the world. In this episode, The Political Dispatch team focuses on Serbia, Turkey, and Canada. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on Instagram: @sparetom , @lilymott3 , and @siddkurapati . For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media Networ...

Join Sidd, Lily, and Tom for Part 2 of a special two-part series exploring what life is like in the United States now that Donald Trump has returned to office. This episode features Amelia Southern Uribe and Bryson Austin, who are two new members of Be the Change. Media Network and the hosts of the upcoming podcast The Ozark Agenda . If you have not listened to Part 1 of this series, please listen...

Join Sidd, Lily, and Tom for Part 1 of a special two-part series exploring what life is like in the United States now that Donald Trump has returned to office. This episode features Amelia Southern Uribe and Bryson Austin, who are two new members of Be the Change. Media Network and the hosts of the upcoming podcast The Ozark Agenda . This episode delves into the political climate, policy changes,...

Join Sidd, Lily, and Tom as they dive into Channel 4’s Gen Z Trends, Truth and Trust report, exploring the key themes shaping the views of young people in the UK. From a fragmented media landscape and declining trust in institutions to gender divides and shifting political ideologies, the team unpacks what the findings mean for society, democracy, and the future of news consumption. This episode w...

Join Tom Spare for a solo deep-dive into Donald Trump’s inaugural address as the 47th President of the United States. Donald Trump is now the second president in US history to serve two non-consecutive terms. President Trump now holds another distinction: at 78 years and 220 days old, he’s the oldest person to assume the office, taking the title from his predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump is also the f...

Join Sidd, Lily and Tom as they delve into some of the most pressing current events shaping the digital and political landscape, including Meta’s controversial decision to remove third-party fact-checkers, Elon Musk’s growing influence in global democracies, and the wider implications of online political speech. This episode was recorded on January 9, 2025. Please leave a rating, share a comment,...

At the end of December, Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, passed away at the age of 100. In this episode, Sidd, Lily and Tom discuss the life, political career, and legacy of the peanut farmer’s son who became President and redefined the post-presidency career. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on...

2024 was heralded as the year of the election, however many democracies around the world find themselves in political crisis. France, Germany, South Korea, the United States of America and the United Kingdom have seen huge political changes over the last twelve months. In this episode, The Political Dispatch team discuss whether this is simply a blip of our time or if we are seeing the terminal de...

On this episode of The Political Dispatch, join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they take a deep dive into COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11-22, 2024. To learn more about the heat pumps mentioned in the episode, visit: https://www.getaheatpump.org.uk/ . Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on Ins...

This episode is the second in a two-part series focused on the 2024 presidential election in the United States of America. Join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they reflect on the election results and discuss the implications for the future of the US. This episode was recorded on November 9, 2024. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or...

This episode is the first in a two-part series focused on the 2024 presidential election in the United States of America. Join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they record from Cardiff, London, and Atlanta, Georgia and share their thoughts on the presidential race ahead of Election Day in the US. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or L...

On this episode of The Political Dispatch, Tom Spare interviews Dr Kathryn Simpson, who is an associate professor in the politics and economics of the European Union and the Director of Research at Keele Business School. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on Instagram: @sparetom , @lilymott3 , and @siddkurapati . For mo...

On this episode of The Political Dispatch, join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they discuss recent political updates from around the world. This episode features a review of events that occurred between early August and late September 2024. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on Instagram: @sparetom , @lilymo...

On this week's episode of The Political Dispatch, join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they discuss the political, economic, military, civic, and environmental implications of artificial intelligence. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on Instagram: @sparetom , @lilymott3 , and @siddkurapati . For more inform...

On this week's episode of The Political Dispatch, join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they discuss the tumultuous and historic 54 days in the USA between Donald Trump's conviction and the nomination of Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on Instagram: @sparetom...

In part two of The French Political Dispatch, join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they dive into the recently concluded elections in France with Dr. Charles Devellennes, a senior lecturer in political and social thought at the University of Kent. To get connected with Dr. Devellennes, please email him at c.devellennes@kent.ac.uk. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! T...

In part one of The French Political Dispatch, join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they dive into the recently concluded elections in France with Dr. Charles Devellennes, a senior lecturer in political and social thought at the University of Kent. To get connected with Dr. Devellennes, please email him at c.devellennes@kent.ac.uk. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! T...

On this week's episode of The Political Dispatch, join Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare as they discuss the results of the 2024 UK General Election. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! To get connected with Sidd, Tom, or Lily, please find them on Instagram: @sparetom , @lilymott3 , and @siddkurapati . For more information about the show, please find Be the change. Media N...

Welcome to The Political Dispatch! On this podcast, Sidd Kurapati, Lily Mott, and Tom Spare explore the world of politics and policy through conversation. In today's fast-paced news cycle, it's easy to get lost in the details. Our goal is to step back and look at the broader trends shaping our society. Whether you are a policy wonk, a political junkie, or just someone who wants to stay informed, t...