The Progressive Britain Podcast

Should the suffragettes be pardoned? Is the centenary of some women getting the vote really worth celebrating? And what is the problem with that Telegraph front page? Stephanie Lloyd and Conor Pope respond to listeners’ comments. Further reading: * Jane Merrick on #MeToo   * Henna Shah interviews Jacqui Smith * Jessica Asato on why domestic violence should be treated as a public health epidem...

Jess Phillips talks to Alison McGovern, Stephanie Lloyd and Conor Pope about how changes to the way women’s refuges are funded is putting their future at risk, whether the government is serious about keeping them open, and if there has been a shift in the way society thinks about abuse. Further reading: * Harriet Harman on how much work there is to be done for women’s rights   * Jess Phillips...

Richard Angell and Conor Pope discuss the latest in local government, baby leave for MPs and dish out prizes to listeners. Further reading: * Sarah Hayward on Claire Kober's resignation in Haringey * MPs back efforts to overturn '18th Century' baby leave by allowing proxy votes for new parents * Harriet Harman: It's 35 years too late for me, but MPs must get baby leave Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...

With how to run a council hitting the news and the LGA Labour conference coming up, Southwark council leader Peter John and former Camden council leader Sarah Hayward talk to Richard Angell and Conor Pope about Haringey, the ‘Preston model’ and cuts to local services. Further reading: * Labour council leaders hit back at NEC effort to change Haringey council policy   * Estelle Hart on the Nua...

Alison McGovern talks to chair of the Brexit select committee Hilary Benn about Doc Marten boots, that Syria speech and, of course, Brexit, in a live recording of a Progress "in conversation"’ event from 22 January 2018. To find out more about Progress events, visit prog.rs/events Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Angell and Conor Pope discuss families in politics, and reveal the details about two special upcoming shows. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Zealand’s Labour prime minister Jacinda Ardern has announced she will be having a baby in the summer. So how easy is it to juggle parenting with politics? Labour MP Darren Jones recently brought his newborn daughter into the UK parliament for a three-line whip on Brexit – he speaks to to Alison McGovern, Richard Angell and Conor Pope about that, as well as the Boris bridge to France. Further r...

Can Labour sharpen up to make its Brexit stance clearer? Will Emmanuel Macron be the man to help the party do it? And what was the big deal with the Labour NEC this week? Richard Angell and Conor Pope respond to listeners on the back of the week’s events. Further reading: * The Left Foot Forward Polling on Labour's Brexit position * Labour MPs defy Corbyn to vote on the single market * More detail...

More people in the UK say they share the values of the Labour party than the Tories. What does that mean for the kind of platform Labour should stand on, what should it mean for our electoral expectations and, most importantly, what does that mean for the country? Plus: is Mrs Brown’s Boys tearing the nation apart? Conor Pope discusses all that with Alison McGovern, Richard Angell and Fabian...

Richard Angell and Conor Pope discuss the latest crisis in the NHS, the shambolic Tory reshuffle and the single market – as well as responding to listeners’ comments and revealing which unpopular Conservative minister used to be a Labour party member… Further reading: * Five ways to get a face-to-face meeting with your MP on Brexit * After this reshuffle, it’s clear Theresa May can’t detoxify the...

Chuka Umunna joins Alison McGovern, Richard Angell and Conor Pope to discuss how 2018 will decide the outcome of Brexit, and what progressives at home can do to change it. The panel also debate whether Donald Trump will be impeached, the likelihood of an alien invasion, and old school soul. Five things people can do on Brexit: - Go to see your MP during one of their surgeries   - Email your M...

Andrew Adonis joins Stephanie Lloyd and Conor Pope to discuss the past few weeks in British politics, including his explosive resignation, the government’s ideological mishandling of the railways, Brexit, and Clement Attlee’s birthday. Further reading: * Lord Adonis is the political heavyweight Labour needs to stop Brexit   * The New Yorker’s praise for Clement Attlee, a model for our times &...

A 2018 election? Theresa May still in No 10? Who will win Love Island? Richard Angell, Stephanie Lloyd, and Conor Pope consult the spirits of election campaigns yet to come for their predictions for the year ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who are the progressives of the year? Alison McGovern, Richard Angell, Stephanie Lloyd and Conor Pope discuss the progressives who got things done in 2017 – but can you beat them in the surprise end of year quiz? Further reading: * Charlotte Norton on Stella Creasy and abortion rights in Northern Ireland   * Ealing Council bans anti-choice demos outside abortion clinics * The women of LabourT...

Ayesha Hazarika joins Alison McGovern, Richard Angell and Conor Pope to pull crackers, drink prosecco, argue over the best Christmas songs of all time and discuss the political high points of 2017. May include Neil Kinnock impressions. Further listening: * Fairytale of New York by the Pogues  * Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love  * O Come All Ye Faithful Hosted on Acast. S...

Dropping Beveridge not bombs – what did readers make of using policy documents as war propaganda? How can we regain trust in the north? And if Barry White was a centre-left Labour party member, it might sound a little something like this… Richard Angell and Conor Pope are back to respond to listeners’ comments. Further reading: * Nicholas Timmins biography of the welfare state * Chris Renwick’s bo...

The 75th anniversary of the publication of the Beveridge report, which laid the foundations for the welfare state, has just passed. On its first release, it was met with the kind of acclaim rarely given to policy documents, but how does it stand up to the challenges of 2018? Are the ‘five giants’ still relevant? Welfare expert Nicholas Timmins sits down with Alison McGovern, Richard Angell and Con...

The government's Brexit defeat, a referendum in Northern Ireland, cuts to early years, and Estonia’s world leading sector – Richard Angell and Conor Pope look back over the week in politics. Further reading: * Labour’s plan for Northern Ireland vote on gay marriage   * Spending on early years cut by £650m   * Former Estonia PM Toomas Hendrik Ilves receives World Leader in Cybersecurity A...

Theresa May looked to have pulled it out of the bag when an initial Brexit deal was announced with the EU last week. But is all as it seems? Eloise Todd and Alison McGovern tell Progressive Britain listeners that not it is not as much of a step forward as some believe. Richard Angell talks to Manchester mayor Andy Burnham about his plans for a crowdsourced digital Manchester, while as a new Star W...

Peter Kellner’s essay has started a debate about productivity – are the statistics or the facts on the ground to blame? Richard Angell and Stephanie Lloyd take in your feedback and we learn who the last chancellor to drink alcohol at the dispatch box was.  Further reading * Peter Kellner’s essay: Productivity is fine. Let’s count and tax it better * December 2017 Progress magazine * Listener...

Is productivity really a problem for the British economy – or is it simply the way we look at it that is the issue? Peter Kellner thinks so, and Richard Angell interviews him on his new essay for Progress magazine, while Alison McGovern, Stephanie Lloyd and Conor Pope discuss podcasts for popstars, feminists, football fans and wrestlers. * Peter Kellner’s long read on why productivity isn’t the is...

Conor Pope and Richard Angell discuss how the real picture of George Osborne’s legacy as chancellor can only be seen further down the line, the infiltration of the Progressive Britain podcast into the UK’s university system, and Cypriot first division football. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inequality is not just caused through how much people earn, but how much wealth they own besides. Tackling that is a cause close to Liz Kendall’s heart. She joins Alison McGovern, Richard Angell and Conor Pope on the Progressive Britain podcast to discuss what can be done about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Budget fallout! Richard Angell and Conor Pope look at Philip Hammond’s plans, and reveal the winner of the Progressive Britain reality TV contest.  Further reading: * Alison McGovern’s five tests for the budget * Emma Burnell says that the housing crisis is caused by the Tories’ blind faith in a broken market Get in touch:  @ProgressOnline  |  /ProgressLabour  |  @Pro...

Alison McGovern gives you everything you need to know ahead of this week’s budget, from growth to child poverty, to the spectre of Brexit, in this special extra episode of the Progressive Britain podcast. Tired of listening? You can find out what Alison’s 10 things to watch in the budget are the old-fashioned way, by reading it here . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.