Dangerously Reasonable - The Mallen Baker Show: Recent Episodes
Mallen Baker
'Dangerously reasonable' analysis on politics, science, and particularly the bit where they bump into each other. I aim to give an independent, fact-focused, non-ideological take on the issues that matter.
There is nothing in the mere fact of having a dominantly powerful country in the world that says that it would be expected to act as an out-and-out bully. Indeed, before President Donald Trump, it was considered to be in the US strategic interest not to do that, for all that the US would certainly flex its muscles in specific instances reasonably often. The fact is that Trump had a completely different frame to any that came before - one based on the power dynamics of the playground and often profound misunderstandings of reality. Now, increasingly countries are reasserting the basic logic of geopolitics-as-usual, and rejecting Trump's frame. It is pushing him to the heights of fury as the techniques he assumed would always work, fail him over and over again. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday August 7th 2026. Iran and Oman are close to a deal on the Strait of Hormuz that cuts out Donald Trump's America entirely. Not everyone in the media, nor in the Trump administration itself, have entirely absorbed the fact. As the dust settles on the invasion of tens of thousands of people into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, it's worth reflecting on what the incident told us about the coiled spring that is now the far-right populists in Europe and America. And Russian and American disinformation is actively targeting the coming German state elections. And somewhat separate to that, Germany's Chancellor Merz could be about to do a repeat on Keir Starmer's premature ejection from power.
For the last year and a half, President Donald Trump and his self-styled Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have been pretty much in lockstep. But as the Iran war sours on Trump and he is confronted with the reality of weapons depletion, he has started lashing out at those he holds responsible - and the most obvious figure is indeed Hegseth himself. And so it has been reported that they had an angry confrontation last week. We discuss why Hegseth is unqualified for the job, as identified by a fifty year old book on military incompetence. And what happens if he gets booted out of Trump's cabinet. Let's discuss.
President Trump is displaying one of the most distinctive traits of the irrational dictator, as seen throughout history. And it's very bad news for Americans, given how it tends to play out as one step follows another. But it's trouble as well for the rest of the world, because the US is demonstrating that what it aims to do domestically, it is keen to export to the rest of the world. And it all starts with the fact that Trump is pushing the old red scare into high gear. Oh, and about that reflecting pool ... even that stupidity is a symptom. Let's discuss.
When President Trump threatens thunder and fury, and then announces that negotiations are under way - he rather expects to be taken seriously. And he's used to the illusion of that, because world leaders won't mock in public, and the media often report his words as though they represent more than the reality. But as he increases the exact same dance, the sheer absurdity of the presentation becomes harder and harder to ignore. And now the Iranians are gleefully mocking his latest turn, surely aware that - in so doing - they are merely voicing what the whole world is thinking. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday July 31st 2026 President Donald Trump announces that his Board of Peace has emerged triumphant with a breakthrough in Gaza. As you would expect, it's a bit more complicated than he would have you believe. Brazil denies visas to US state department officials because Trump's America is seeking to interfere in the forthcoming elections there - one of the most direct acts of defiance from a South American country. And we get a sense of the challenge for Trump in the coming mid-term elections, as the media machine of MAGA influencers, such a driving force in the last two years, seems to be struggling to hold its audience.
Many countries across the world have held inquiries into what worked and what didn't during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some have been better than others, but none of them looked like the complete sham accountability exercise that saw Anthony Fauci required to testify to Rand Paul's committee. So what should we have been talking about, and why has the United States decided uniquely that it is determined to be the least-well prepared for any future similar crisis? Let's discuss.
Following Trump's reportedly successful meeting with Ukraine's President Zelensky, many reporters are talking about how various factors are 'turning' Trump, or 'warming him' towards Ukraine and against Putin's Russia. At this stage in the Trump presidency, with all that has happened in the last year and a half - such commentary is baffling at best. Only possible by those who have a problem understanding just how much the game has changed. Let's discuss.
President Trump was in talks to discuss all his options in massively escalating the war against Iran over the weekend. It turns out, they were a lot more limited than he had imagined. Now, confronted as he has finally been, with the enfeeblement he has brought upon the US military, he must surely understand how few options he really has, and how bad all of them are. So suddenly diplomacy is back in vogue, and the US has to find a way to spin an obvious defeat into a victory. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week on Friday July 24th 2026. President Trump is furious about the rapid leaks about all the mis-steps and u-turns he's making over the Iran war. But they are many, and serious, and reveal that his push for military escalation is based on a delusion. The Saudis are furious about Trump agreeing a nuclear deal with them and then AFTER it was publicly announced, tacked on a condition that they find impossible to stomach. South East Asian countries are furious about Trump landing massive costs and consequences on them without apparently caring. And Trump has delivered the latest version of his global tariffs operation - and done so by slandering everyone for being just peachy with the idea of modern slavery.
President Trump's biggest triumph, according to some, was to get Israel and Hamas to agree to his Gaza peace deal. And then, to follow that up with the creation of the Board of Peace to oversee an astonishingly ambitious transformation of the territory from wartime disaster to thriving economic centre. Since then, it seems that the driving energy behind the plan has pretty much disappeared, leaving Gaza in as bad a position as ever before. Let's discuss.
As Trump's attacks on Iran resume, and his rhetoric escalates, reports are emerging that officials in the Pentagon are just not telling the White House, and Pete Hegseth, the truth about how depleted the US arsenal actually has become. Why? Largely because Hegseth's purges of senior figures have trained everyone to understand that the bearers of bad news, or even just cold reality as it exists outside of Donald Trump's wishful thinking, generally get fired. So it could well be that this escalation is the biggest mistake of the war so far. Let's discuss.
Canada is having a wildfire problem - a huge wildfire problem right now. In the past, it has collaborated with its southern neighbour over such moments - a reciprocal arrangement that has had lots of activation in recent years. But this time it's different. This time President Trump is seeing the large amount of unpleasant smoke making its way across the border and afflicting US cities, and using that to renew his economic threats and to mutter once again about the '51st State'. Obviously, it's not really about air pollution. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday July 17th 2026. President Trump addresses the nation and declassifies documents to show just how vulnerable US elections are. The documents don't show what he says they do - but that won't matter for what comes next. The Iran war is back in full flow - analysts are detecting a new strategy in the US military operation, and Iran's factional infighting took an interesting turn. And manly man's man Pete Hegseth doesn't think men in the US military are quite manly enough. Also, a passing nod to the UK getting a new prime minister, and the potential fascinating World Cup moment that has nothing to do with football.
President Donald Trump outraged much of the world yesterday when he announced his latest bold and audacious venture - a Strait of Hormuz protection racket. The US would promise to protect ships wanting to transit through the Strait, in the face of hostility by the Iranians, in return for a toll charged at a massive 20% of the value of the ship's cargo. The gulf states particularly were furious, and clearly made their displeasure known - with the result of one of the fastest u-turns ever. But also gathering clouds for a big announcement on Thursday. Let's discuss.
The Strait of Hormuz is the focus point once again. Iran has declared it closed. President Donald Trump has declared it closed to Iranian shipping with the reinstatement of the US blockade. But, this time, the US will escort ships out - for an extremely large fee. Seems like a return to how it was before, but it's different. This is no longer a war of economic attrition, it is a fierce fight over who controls the Strait from now on. That is established as the question that will ultimately show who won this war. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday July 10th 2026. President Trump floats what is obviously going to become his way out of the Iran war - and it's as bad as you would think. Far-right political leader Marine Le Pen has her sentence for embezzling reduced, meaning she can now stand as a candidate for president next year - a post the polls suggest she will win, which would transform France on the world stage. And far-right political leader Nigel Farage calls a special by-election, resigning his seat and determined to fight to re-win it against all comers in a special people versus the establishment election. Only, it seems to have backfired horribly almost within minutes.
stir - but the real events of substance were coming once again from Iran, and from the Strait of Hormuz. The deal, the memorandum of understanding, is full-on disintegrating, amidst accusations on both sides of non-compliance by the other side. By the written document, it seems that Iran has the stronger case, although its way of dealing with that (attacking vessels going through the Strait of Hormuz) is not supported by anyone but themselves. Can Trump rescue this, given his lack of options? Let's discuss.
The much-awaited NATO summit in Turkey has begun, and Trump went in firing off all the usual threats, statements and attacks that generated ... the usual headlines. But behind the Trump show, there are real stories to be told about what this summit is about. And they mostly come out of the quiet places where Trump isn't, where other NATO members are coming to realise the opportunity that a US exit gives them to completely reimagine how they plan to fight a future war. Let's discuss.
Trump had the perfect term to make a difference as US president - the year of the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the hosting of the World Cup tournament. Having underwhelmed on the first of those, he found a way to completely poison the US team's standing in the latter, to show himself up as a cheater to the entire world, which is watching the tournament closely, and to throw FIFA, and the game generally, into crisis. That's quite a lot for one phone call. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday July 3rd 2026. The Ukraine war is intensifying just days before a big NATO summit where Trump has made it clear he will be going in fiery mood, to punish those who dare to deny him. This comes days after his administration prevented Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from heading back to her earthquake-stricken country, because it wouldn't be helpful for Trump's Venezuela strategy. As Americans across the world prepare to celebrate July 4th, one country has stood out by disinviting US officials from the usually large events within its own borders. And one group, at least, has gone very quiet over the disclosure of how much money Trump has been raking in since becoming president.
President Donald Trump had one job in relation to the 250th anniversary of the United States. Hold a great big party to celebrate the founding mythology of America, focus on the things that bring people together, and remind them why they value their nation's remarkable experiment. Obviously that was out of the question. But now we hear that he is furious that crowds for his first rally were so small - and he is determined that his actual July 4th very similar rally should be better. All this while money has been flowing around the event in highly dubious ways. Let's discuss.
We know that President Donald Trump really cared about the birthright citizenship issue - because he made an unprecedented in-court appearance at the Supreme Court when it was being heard, and talked about it often as being a top issue for his administration. But sadly for the power of wishful thinking, the blatant unconstitutionality of what he wanted won out, and the court handed him another huge defeat - his second after the tariffs case. The actual issue is nuanced, and most countries across the world do not mimic the US birthright citizenship approach. But it was fundamentally about what sort of country America sees itself as. And for a number of reasons, that is very much in doubt, regardless of this case. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday 26th June, 2026. President Trump is back on the tariff trail, as he announces that all countries that dare to implement digital services taxes will be hit by 100% tariffs. Europe has been hit by massive heat waves many degrees above what it would normally experience at this time of year. So of course that means everyone's arguing. Ukraine is hitting Russia hard, and in particular has provoked a state of emergency in Russian-occupied Crimea as it has targeted it with massive drone strikes. And one duty being claimed by President Trump promises to put the whole world on tenterhooks worrying about the most awkward moment that might be coming their way.
When Trump came into office, everyone in public life across the world apparently started to mimic the nonsense, to talk as though Trumpian fantasy was real, even desirable. A process that one commentator has labelled 'farce politik'. But increasingly NATO's Mark Rutte is looking isolated as the only person left who seems to believe in such a process. Europeans, Gulf States, and even Trump's own party (well, baby steps maybe) are discarding the fantasies and calling out the reality for what it is. Not just allies, but also enemies such as Iran, who are working out how to use the fantasy to its best advantage. Let's discuss.
For someone who really needs this deal to work, Trump seems to be going out of his way to sabotage it. It's a reflection of two things - one, he just can't help himself. Whether it's Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Zelensky, or the Iranians, he needs to be insulting someone. But, more importantly, two - it's a reflection of the deeply flawed deal that is the best he could get - and his incentive to do whatever he can to appear to be in control, even when the evidence suggests otherwise. It's setting up a looming crisis moment. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday June 19th 2026. The backlash against Trump's ceasefire deal with Iran continues to intensify amongst the Republicans, and derision of the one-sidedness of it spreads worldwide. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hearing the clock ticking loudly on his premiership as his chief rival, Andy Burnham, wins his by-election and enters Parliament next week. Ukraine hits Moscow hard, and it underlines once again how the tide is turning against Vladimir Putin in the war he had imagined would be over in two or three days. And President Trump gives up the fight against one of his most hated enemies.
Ron Bailey's Book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Institutionalised-Deceit-Taking-Westminster-Governance-ebook/dp/B0H378FX79
My interview with Ron in 2019
https://mallenbaker.net/podcast/ron-bailey-successful-campaigns-against-powerful-opponents
Even as he was signing the Iran ceasefire deal, and talking more positively about Ukraine, Trump's first steps towards de facto walking away from NATO was being related to alliance defence ministers by Pete Hegseth. While berating the alliance for not spending enough, and not jumping to command on the Iran war, the US steps to reduce the forces committed to any action should Article 5 be invoked (i.e. Russia attacks NATO) were being confirmed. All in a tone of sneering superiority from the man who just lost a war. Let's discuss.
When Iran sent over its first list of demands to the Trump Administration, it was reportedly treated with derision - hopelessly unrealistic. And yet, every time when revised versions were being swapped, the Iranian demands remained - exactly the same. Now we have the final memorandum of understanding text - an earlier draft published by CNN, and literally just a couple of hours ago, the official version released by the White House. And it seems to be more or less every Iranian demand in full.
UPDATE: An amended segment of the Strait of Hormuz was shot for this video, as it was the main point of substance that had changed between the two versions. Other differences exist however, and the wording on the Iran nuclear commitment is clarified to include procurement of nuclear weapons, not just development of them. But the CNN draft was the one that was digitally signed by Trump and the Iranian leadership, although the amended one will be signed on Friday.
President Donald Trump got his birthday deal - well, maybe. So far the text hasn't been released, so we only have the word of the two different sides, and their words sharply contrast with each other. Let's look at what we know, what we think we know, and why this seems far more a positive step for Iran than it does the United States. If Trump is celebrating, it is likely that, at last, he sees a way out of the morass. And he will assume he can spin it as a win, even if it's anything but. Let's discuss.
Lots of us have observed the incompetence, the trashing of US constitutional norms, the undermining of democracy, and all the rest of it - and concluded that once Americans actually notice that this is all happening, they will obviously react firmly and fully against the administration of President Donald Trump. An article this weekend in the Atlantic, based on a piece of research into how conservative Trump-supporters actually think, suggests this narrative is completely misguided. It explains how that world view has made sense of its support for the world of Trump - and it brings massive implications for what happens next. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday June 12th 2026. The ceasefire deal that President Trump conjured as the reason for pulling back from invading Kharg island - the one that both sides have been giving wholly contradictory reports about - is now being flagged by mediators and Iranian political leaders as being very close. But it still seems as likely it could unravel completely, because the language and temperaments of both sides are still so far apart. The politics of the United Kingdom continues to disintegrate, with the new potential prime minister Andy Burnham showing what he's made of - it's not wholly encouraging. And the World Cup is under way - and once again Trump's America has shown a very special knack for getting in its own way on events that should have been a huge opportunity for it.
President Trump had gone back into bombing Iran, because this time he was going to grab all of Iran's oil, and invade Kharg Island and force them to agree to his deal. And they hit back, and refused to cave - and then suddenly (and not for the first time), he blinked. And now the attacks are off, and a deal is very much fully agreed this time definitely certainly probably. What's really going on? Let's discuss.
In this Q&A video, with questions submitted by Patreon supporters, we talk about the possibility that President Donald Trump will choose to invade Cuba, or will move towards serious authoritarian moves against his political opponents. And, speaking of those opponents, why CAN'T Democrats appear to provide more robust opposition to Trump's ongoing actions? What are the options for the end of the Ukraine war, and how fast could Ukraine join Europe? Should the US adopt an industrial policy to compete better with China? And, in the UK, how on Earth did the Green Party suddenly get to be taken seriously enough to rise in the polling? Let's discuss!
A major survey of global opinion, from the citizens of countries that make up 90% of the total world population - has found that Trump's America is now viewed as the biggest threat to the world. And it's not even close. Behind them is Russia, and China, and everyone else you might think deserving of extreme caution. There is more bad news for Trump, and important news for democracies in the survey - and it represents what we've already seen, a hardening of opinion against Trump, and a growing appetite for leaders to stand up to him. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday June 5th, 2026: In an interview with CNN, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader confirms some of the detail of the deadlocked talks with Trump that he's not been admitting. Marco Rubio sets off ripples of concern over Greenland, and NATO, even as the US ambassador to the EU is trying, somewhat feebly, to dismiss them. And Trump has found a new front for slapping tariffs on the rest of the world - and it rests upon a key platform within - um - the ESG movement. Possibly he hasn't noticed that part. Let's discuss.
Congress just passed a motion to restrict President Trump's Iran war powers - something that is a significant embarrassment as he struggles to get a peace deal with the other side. And the Gulf state of Oman is refusing to be cowed by his threat to bomb them if they go ahead with doing a deal with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz. And Israel continues to bomb Hezbollah in spite of Trump's instructions that they should not, because it jeopardises everything else he's trying to achieve. There is just one silver lining, but it's one that Trump is unlikely to appreciate ... let's discuss.
One day after another, it seems that not much is going right for the administration of President Donald Trump. The Iran war is the big quagmire, of course. But increasingly, all those other things that got pushed in - they are hitting a wall. Like Trump's massive slush fund for supporters. And the renaming of the Kennedy Centre and its reshaping around Trump's wishes. And the America 250 celebrations, which have turned into total fiasco. According to Politico, this is now an exhausted operation stuck in a mess of its own making. Let's discuss.
Ignore all the blather about the 'Art of the Deal' - why is Donald Trump in real life actually such a terrible dealmaker? And if that's the case, how did he establish a reputation for being good in business, to the extent where in 2016 a majority of the American public believed it to be true? In this video we look at the key aspects that the professionals say makes for a good negotiator, and observe how Trump fails on all of them. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday May 29th 2026 - President Trump is touting how close the US and Iran now are to the final deal. Well, let's not get too excited. A Russian drone injures two in NATO alliance member Romania and it highlights how difficult responding to grey area provocations by Putin is going to be. And the last month - and the coming year - are likely to see outlier hot weather thanks to climate change and an unusually strong El Nino - so why was Trump saying it had just all been proven to be wrong?
The US needs all the allies it can get amongst the gulf states, you would think. And yet yesterday, President Donald Trump casually threatened to bomb one of the most longstanding ones - Oman - if they dared to do some sort of deal with Iran over managing traffic that traverses the Strait of Hormuz. Add to that the lack of momentum and energy that represents Trump's previous initiative, the Board of Peace - and the Gaza problem it was supposed to resolve. And add to that the fact that both Ukraine and Russia have concluded that, should negotiations between them start up in a more serious tone, the US is NOT the mediating partner they want. It seems that the entire world is increasingly turning away from the spectacle of Trump, as it seeks serious partners and equally serious ways forward to address their all-too-serious problems. Let's discuss.
One minute, President Donald Trump is breathlessly announcing to the world that a deal is on the verge of being signed - the next he is in full pace retreat as the details begin to leak out, and so many people conclude that it is an incredibly weak deal for the United States. So having thought he was about to escape his predicament, he is right back in the mess. As a result, the US attacked Iranian operations. Trump attacked the media. None of it is getting him out of a trap very much of his own making. Let's discuss.
Artificial Intelligence is, by its very nature, a transformative technology. But right now, it seems to be being driven by characters who are happy to set themselves up in messianic roles, to embrace the idea of creative destruction without regard for who and what gets destroyed. It's the sort of situation where smart, enlightened government might take a part. Not so, says President Donald Trump. Maybe yes so, says Pope Leo. It's a serious subject, to be considered carefully, so let's discuss.
After numerous false signals where President Donald Trump would claim a deal was close, only to see Iran deny any such thing - it seems as though all parties are now suggesting that there has been movement, and maybe - just maybe - a deal could be done. According to reporting, the shape of such a deal seems remarkably based on Iranian proposals that Trump dismissed out of hand just weeks ago. So it seems as though the version of what finally gets signed is going to be a lot closer to the "US surrender" version and less like the "total Iran capitulation" version - which makes sense based on the dynamics so far. But can the US under narcissist Trump really bring itself to sign such a thing? Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday May 22nd, 2026: President Trump is ratcheting up the rhetoric and moving the pieces in place for an apparent attack of some sort on Cuba. His own party's lawmakers are in revolt about his latest scheme to hand out approaching two billion dollars of cash to anyone who supported him so much they were prepared to break the law for it. And following Trump's summit last week with Xi Jinping, his place was taken this week by Vladimir Putin, and the language on how they see the world was notably different.
Now that the 'excitement' of his summit meeting with China's Xi Jinping has worn off, President Donald Trump is left back exactly where he was before - staring at the Iran war, and clearly somewhat clueless as to what he can do next to seek to bring it to a successful conclusion. He has tried bluffing. He has tried bombing. What's left? Well, he described today an exciting new approach that he was taking, all assisted by his patience and lack of urgency. Well, that's his story anyway. Let's discuss.
An investigation by the New York Times has revealed how Trump's United States has been pushing a maximalist agenda for control on various aspects of Greenland in the working group talks that followed the grudging disavowal of the use of force earlier in the year. Those involved in the talks say that Trump has not given up on taking over the island and absorbing it into the USA. That being the case, how far can Denmark and Greenland continue to behave as though they're negotiating with a good faith actor? It seems that, while prime minister Nielsen is robust in public, some of those involved in the talks fear they're trying to give as much as they can in order to dissuade Trump from invading. Let's discuss.
While citizens of the United States fret about having to pay more at the pump for gasoline, President Donald Trump's illegal war on Iran is having massive consequences in many other parts of the world. The decision of this one man to abandon ongoing talks that were said to be making progress to use the military for an all-out attack instead - that is leading to tens of millions of people to be thrown into starvation who otherwise would not have been. While we care about how US people are feeling, since they are the ones who will soon be voting, it's important we don't lose sight of how this is playing out elsewhere, and particularly with the people it is hitting the hardest. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday May 15th 2026: President Trump is forced to explain to MAGA why what they heard with their own ears from Xi Jinping wasn't what they heard at all - even as the evidence is mounting that his summit was not a success. Britain's Keir Starmer is fighting for his political future, as the UK's political system disintegrates. And the US makes a sudden announcement that it is cancelling the sending of troops to Poland, almost as they were about to get on the plane. And yet Poland is supposed to be one of their favourites - so what's going on?
President Donald Trump is very used to deploying fiery rhetoric against his enemies to seek to cow them into submission, even though he's found his brand of bluster to be losing its effectiveness in recent months. But it seems that China's President Xi Jinping has found the more effective formula, as his warnings in relation to Taiwan, delivered during today's state visit to Beijing, had the effect of making Trump refuse to answer journalist questions on the topic at all. It highlighted just how focused the Chinese have been in setting parameters for the relationship with Trump. But it also misses the reality that both leaders are fighting headwinds that are making their lives more difficult, and the future for their countries less certain. Let's discuss.
Later this coming week, China's Xi Jinping will be hosting President Donald Trump in Beijing for their delayed summit meeting. It's hard to ignore the fact that, since the last time they met, the US seems to have been bent on destroying its own leverage at every opportunity. It is caught in Trump's illegal war in Iran. His big punitive tariff policies came crashing down. And he has been single-handedly driving all of America's former allies, to some degree, into the embrace of China as the more stable alternative partner. So what will they be aiming to achieve in this meeting, and how will that impact the rest of the world? Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday May 8th, 2026. It turns out that President Donald Trump's about-turn on Project Freedom had even less to do with his fake stories than we knew. Trump's replacement tariffs for the ones that were judged to be illegal have turned out to also be illegal. The UK prime minister Keir Starmer is fighting for his political survival after the UK local elections were exactly what the polls had said they would be - in other words, terrible for Labour. And President Putin is to preside over a much scaled down Victory day parade in Moscow as he is apparently terrified that new Ukrainian drones will gatecrash the party.
President Donald Trump has 'paused' so-called Project Freedom. Supposedly, it's because the Pakistanis asked him to. Nothing at all to do with the reality that almost no ships had actually gotten out of the Strait of Hormuz as a result of it i.e. it was a complete failure. The line is that a deal is SO close that it's worth pausing the project (not the blockade, mind, because that's mostly being successful) to see if final agreement is reached. And yet, even as the media and the stock market takes Trump's bait again, the mood music from the other side isn't exactly encouraging. Let's discuss.
There's no doubt that the thousand ships that are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz need rescuing - and if it could be achieved, it would be a tremendous success. But by announcing that the US would be doing just that raised the stakes for President Trump because he set himself an extremely difficult, some would say impossible, task and, in so doing, likely set himself up for humiliation. In any case, it's been a day of claim and counterclaim, shots being exchanged, and the potential for the re-escalation of the war back into full swing. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday May the first, 2026. Iran presents its new peace proposal, and it does not make President Donald Trump happy - even while Congress ponders whether to engage with the looming war powers deadline. Meanwhile Trump adds Italy and Spain to the list of countries he wants to pull US troops out of as he looks to punish those who didn't fall in line on demand. A Supreme court judgement could lead to a flurry of gerrymandering that will render the 2028 elections a truly fixed election. And I answer a viewer question, on media companies and culture wars and democratic decline.
German Chancellor Merz made an entirely reasonable observation - Iran had humiliated the United States, and was being much more skilful in its negotiations strategy. This is a widespread perception across the world, but it made President Donald Trump utterly furious. He spat his rage into not one, but two posts on social media, and he let it be known he is reviewing whether to pull US troops from Germany. Arguably, such a move would be the beginning of the end for NATO, as currently constituted. Is he serious? And what does the world conclude from this latest example of seeking to bully compliance in word and deed across the world? Well, to all appearances, most of the world thinks the act is wearing pretty thin. Let's discuss.
King Charles spoke to Congress, and then again at President Donald Trump's own banquet. He impressed many with his skilful diplomacy, and also that while keeping the right side of his host he nevertheless was able to touch on a number of the central faultlines that have opened up in US politics and society. Let's go through the key points of what he covered, why it was effective, why it's different to what the political leaders of Europe should be doing, and whether it will actually make a difference.
The world is changing - especially in the fact that a growing number of world leaders are prepared to speak the truth in public, caring little any more how it will land with that one individual in the White House. The latest evidence is the comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said that Iran had humiliated the United States, and was showing great skill in its negotiations that were not reflected on the other side. This as Trump had his lies about the Iranians wanting talks exposed for what they were, and hence the conflict has slipped into a phoney peace phase. Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, and the impact on the world is becoming more severe by the day. Let's discuss.
At the White House Correspondents' Dinner we saw the latest in a growing line of incidents of political violence directed at President Donald Trump and other members of his cabinet. Like previous attempts, this one failed. But each time nonetheless pushes the United States further and further into the sort of polarised mindset you would associate with civil war. Can the country halt the downward slide, or will the various players simply follow the immediate incentives in front of them and keep feeding the beast? Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday April 24th 2026. A leaked email shows that President Trump is looking for new ways to bully the world, and specifically punish NATO, now that his favourite tariff weapons have been blunted. The US extends the Iran war ceasefire, although Iran hasn’t agreed to do likewise, so what happens next could go completely off script. The Trump administration seems to be backing down from its big fight with the AI company Anthropic, now it just released a tool that would be really REALLY useful. And one year on, the Trump meme coin seems not to be the hot property that it once was.
The theory, as expounded by Trump's former strategic adviser Steve Bannon, was that the Trump administration could utterly change America by 'flooding the zone' with so many radical actions that the opposition, and the media, would not be able to keep up. But what Bannon and others forgot was that actions have consequences. And a flood of action could mean a veritable tsunami further down the line. That seems to be exactly where we are, and could be the reason why Trump is coming across as increasingly unhinged. Let's discuss.
One of the biggest barriers preventing serious work on an Iran negotiated settlement is the fact that the Iranians have so little trust when it comes to President Donald Trump, and the Americans generally under his rule. He has, after all, while proclaiming 'the art of the deal' shown that he will refuse to honour former deals - even ones that he signed. He will change them after the event whenever someone annoys him. And he will lie about the progress of deal making while it's in negotiation, with a daily drama based on blatant lies. Iran is the first time this trust deficit has emerged as a major factor - but it is infecting how the US is seen across the world. So there is a lot more to come. Let's discuss.
After a painful year and a quarter of flattering and pleading with Trump to stay the right side of the Ukraine war, the president's obvious predisposition for Putin's Russia, and his constant insulting and erratic behaviour, has finally led to the inevitable. Ukraine has had enough. In the last few days, President Zelensky has been speaking plainly and critically about the Trump administration in ways he would not have dared to do before. In this, he joins Canada's Mark Carney and growing numbers of European leaders who will no longer filter all public discussion through the lens of one man in the White House. Let's discuss.
President Trump thought he was being forceful in declining to drop the blockade on Iran's vessels in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran had declared it open. But now Iran has reminded him that it still is very happy to walk away from a deal if it doesn't suit Iran's interests - and it does so knowing that, for all his bluff and threats, he really can't. So now he is starting to talk about Pakistan asking him to lift the blockade - the same excuse he used the last time he delivered on Iran's demands while pretending not to. It's 'the Art of the Deal', but with Iranian characteristics. Let's discuss.
The sight of Donald Trump's America throwing everything it has (nearly) at a smaller, but smarter and more determined adversary - this has been a goldmine of data for Xi Jinping's China, as it considers its options with regard to Taiwan. And, of course, it has likewise been crucially important for Taiwan itself - especially since both Trump's Iran war, and the Ukraine war, have been examples of the smaller defensive force finding effective ways to hit back against the much larger aggressor. China and Taiwan are in a two-horse race to learn the right lessons, and act on them. Even as President Trump seems determined to learn no lessons at all. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for April 17, 2026: Iran is demonstrating its leverage as the US pushes Israel into a ceasefire with Lebanon, and the Strait of Hormuz is magically open for business. But it's complicated - and not least by Trump's refusal to reciprocate. President Trump continues his other war with the Pope and seems to be losing bigly. As American corporations have been emboldened by Trump's disregard for ethical guardrails, a massive finding in a French court that sends a corporate CEO to jail is a significant line in the sand.
Ever since he became president again, Donald Trump has been enthusiastically burning through any goodwill he might have had, or indeed that the United States might have had. But the pace of the destruction has been massive in the last couple of weeks, since the impacts of the Iran war started to be felt, and since Trump announced his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The number of former supporters and allies who have turned their backs is truly impressive. Let's discuss.
By all accounts, right up until the moment when Viktor Orban gave his concession speech, things were tense in Hungary's election. After 16 years of autocratic rule - would there be a rabbit pulled out of the hat, an attempt to discard the result ... or what? Well, none of the above - just a massive victory for Peter Magyar and the dawn of a new age for the country. Meanwhile, Trump's MAGA movement is dismayed, having seen Orban as its best respresentative in Europe. So what does this all mean for those opposing MAGA-inspired populism across the continent and, of course, the United States? Let's discuss.
It was all but inevitable that the talks were going to fail - Iran's position, as correctly described in the 10-point list reported publicly (despite the Trump administration's denial) and President Donald Trump's own 15-point list, were so far apart, and with both sides convinced they won, neither was much willing to compromise. But that leaves Trump with a problem, with an unpopular war, a major supply chain pinch point still offline, and a lot of his friends and allies telling him he has to clean up his own mess. So he has publicly declared for the operation of clearing the Strait of Hormuz. This is where it's going to get really messy. Let's discuss.
The Trump team of crack negotiators head to Pakistan for talks, but will the Iranians even show up? Anthropic announces its new AI could basically hack all the systems on the planet without breaking a sweat - so they're only releasing it to all the companies who need to learn how to fix those systems fast. Hungary votes this weekend and we'll find out whether Orban's sixteen-year autocracy can still be defeated at polls that have been heavily weighted in his favour. And reports emerge that the Pentagon threatened the Pope if he didn't fall in behind its planned military adventurism. With one official saying they could even set up an anti-pope if he didn't cave in. Because yes - that's the world we live in now.
More and more world figures, leaders, commentators, are agreeing in public that the US seems to have lost the Iran war. And that includes oil company executives, horrified that Trump seems to have accepted Iran will remain in control of the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump is clearly not happy about it - he wants to end the war with the world believing he triumphed. And what seems to be panic at the opposite being the case, is seeing him lashing out anew at the allies he claims didn't help, new demands for those allies to send warships to open the Strait of Hormuz. Claims that the agreement never included Lebanon, even though there is evidence in writing that it did. It's all getting a bit messy. Let's discuss.
After all the fire and thunder, the deadline came, and it presented mostly as a feeble capitulation to the need for compromise. In spite of all the usual bluster from President Donald Trump and his administration, all the protestations of 'negotiating from strength' and 'the art of the deal', it seems that Iran is predominantly setting the terms of reference for the discussion, and determined to hold onto its dominance over the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiations may follow, but these are the factors that suggest Iran has won the war - so you can check to see which of them endure through the talks.
Immediately after celebrating the rescue of a US airman from Iran, Trump launched into a tirade that was extraordinary even for him - where he threatened actions that would count as war crimes against Iran, suggesting they had to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday to avert it. Just another flip-flop then, following his earlier message that he didn't care if the Strait was open or not? Well, yes. But the US normalising of intended war crimes, and the rise of somewhat disturbing 'holy war' rhetoric, is starting to make the operation seem even more unhinged than it did already. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday April 3rd 2026. After Trump's incoherent address to the nation the backlash against his war on Iran is widening, and given voice by a particularly sharp attack by French President Macron. The Pentagon is looking to exploit its existing treaty with Denmark to open three new military bases on Greenland - but that treaty was struck at a time before the US became a rogue superpower. And there has been a sudden rush of purges. President Trump fired Pam Bondi, possibly because she couldn't deliver convictions against Trump's enemies. And Pete Hegseth fires the most senior general - in the middle of a war - and replaced him with a loyalist.
The administration of President Donald Trump was quick to cancel USAID. But quietly since then, it has been reinstating some programmes - with a catch. Increasingly, his 'art of the deal' team are demanding that essential aid for HIV sufferers is tied to preferential access to minerals, and a ten year access to health information for all citizens. The 'deals' are egregiously one-sided, assuming that the other side will have no option. But increasingly now African nations are saying no. President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia is the most recent, following in the wake of Zimbabwe's similar refusal. Let's discuss.
Another day, another verbal twist from the President of War. Yes, now Trump is SO furious at all those Europeans who apparently care about international law and war crimes, that he is threatening to pull the United States out of NATO. It's something we've heard before, and generally it's about trying to terrify the Europeans into dancing to President Trump's tune. But it's getting to the point where many will be seeing such an exit as not just inevitable - but actually a desirable outcome.
President Donald Trump, who just yesterday was threatening to commit war crimes against Iran if it didn't open the Strait of Hormuz, is now on whiplash mode again, and is now talking up the prospect of leaving Iran after a bit more bombing, whether the Strait is open or not. Those countries who need that oil, he said, can sort out the mess (that he is single-handedly responsible for) for themselves. Needless to say, many are not happy at this proposition. But out of the two scenarios, there is cause to think this will endure as the likeliest one to actually be executed. Let's discuss.
The multi-faceted stream of consciousness from President Donald Trump about what he wants from the Iran war, when and how he might end said war, and more besides continues. Now he is saying straight out that he would like to take Iran's oil - something that would only be possible if the US actually occupied Kharg island, something which most analysts say could only happen at very high cost. So maybe he'll just bomb the island's facilities instead, along with all the rest of Iran's energy and water infrastructure. Or maybe America will declare victory, leave, and then work out how to get the Strait of Hormuz reopened. Oh, and in the mean time, they're going to take those weapons for Ukraine that Europe BOUGHT from the US, and send them to the Middle East instead. No refunds, obviously. What could possibly go wrong?
In principle, Palantir is just a company that helps governments to work smarter. In practice, it has embraced the absence of guardrails of the US administration of President Donald Trump, its technology can be used for expanding surveillance, and for making life and death decisions that are extremely in the public eye right now. Its most high profile project has been its support of ICE's mass deportation efforts, that have been so controversial they turned Trump's most popular issue into a liability. Now, it seems there is increasing pushback, and taking support from Palantir is becoming toxic in a number of areas. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday, March 27th 2026. Trump declares that Iran negotiations, which seem mostly to be conducted between the voices in his head, are going very well - meanwhile Iran is solidifying its control of the Strait of Hormuz. Meta and YouTube were found legally liable by a California jury for deliberately addicting users and causing harm to young people. A finding that could open the floodgates to many more. And Robert F Kennedy Junior's anti-vax agenda is falling apart as the Trump administration notices it might not be the vote-winner it had hoped it would be.
Even though President Trump declared to the world that peace negotiations with Iran were advanced, and seeing agreement on most points of substance - today the US presented Iran with its starting-position 15 point plan. Iran basically shrugged it off, presented its own demands, and repeated that no negotiations have taken place, and Iran is not interested in a ceasefire. The absurd Trump claims would be hilarious if the conflict weren't causing such major consequences. But is it all a delaying game? Let's discuss.
The election in Hungary is getting closer - and we've been seeing all the things we knew were coming - Trump's endorsement of Viktor Orban, related to CPAC Hungary conference. Other far-right figures from across Europe turning up to give their support. Reams of Russian disinformation on social media. And ... wait, a false flag assassination attempt? Well, evidence has emerged that the idea was floated to the Kremlin at least - whether it was agreed or not. It gives some indication just how much weight Viktor Orban's autocratic allies are putting on him surviving his closest election yet. Let's discuss.
President Donald Trump has form in claiming that he is in active negotiations with other leaders, or with countries, when the other parties deny any such thing is happening, and it turns out that they were right. So it's somewhat surreal to find him making exactly that sort of claim about the Iranian leadership, when there is precisely nothing you would expect could be achieved by doing so. Except that any excuse to delay an unviable deadline gives him more time to come up with more distractions. And any excuse will give the stock market a boost and oil markets a price drop - and that's enough for today's headlines. But it's hard to see how any of it turns into the off-ramp he's now obviously seeking. Let's discuss.
In the course of 24 hours, President Donald Trump went from saying that he was looking at 'winding down' the Iran war, to issuing threats to escalate the crisis should Iran refuse to completely open up the Strait of Hormuz. Such massive whiplash on positions suggest that he is getting increasingly agitated about his options, and is looking around - and testing out publicly - the course of action that will enable him to get out of this situation while credibly claiming victory. But, on that score, nothing much is going his way. Which could be entertaining to watch, except that the consequences for the rest of the world seem likely to get more and more difficult as he follows the logic of his position to its end conclusion. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up for March 20th 2026: Iran's strike on Qatar has triggered what energy analysts are calling an "Armageddon scenario" for global gas markets — and Trump's denial that the US knew about the Israeli attack that provoked it lacks credibility. President Trump invoked Pearl Harbor during the latest Oval Office struggle session, this time with Japan's prime minister Takaichi. Then praised Japan for support that seems somewhat theoretical. And eleven weeks after US forces arrested Venezuela's president, we catch up with what's been happening there since.
According to one of his best allies in the Senate, President Donald Trump is more furiously angry about having none of America's allies agree to join it dealing with the consequences of his illegal war on Iran, than he's ever been seen. How did we reach this moment? From the time when the consensus seemed to be to flatter and appease Trump, to the point where former allies of the United States are content to defy his wishes - and have clearly reached the conclusion that the consequences of so doing are little different to those of doing what Trump wants. And hence, suddenly 'America First' has truly become 'America Alone'. Let's discuss.
In the last few days, the administration of President Donald Trump has been going hard after the media - any journals or networks that have reported the slightest bad news about Trump's Iran war have been getting schooled on being more patriotic. That could just be so much business as usual - except that the FCC Chair Brendan Carr has pitched in to suggest that 'fake news' about the war would be remembered at licence renewal time, and defence secretary Pete Hegseth has been publicly pitching for the takeover of CNN to see a more compliant political stance. Is American freedom of the press in serious trouble? Let's discuss.
President Trump told NATO allies, as well as countries like Japan, South Korea and even main geopolitical rival China, that they must send warships to help open the Strait of Hormuz - or else. This would be bad for NATO. He would delay his planned visit to Beijing to meet with Xi Jinping. And so far, having spent the last year being insulted, threatened, tariffed and bullied - all of those countries are saying 'no thanks'. Is this the pivotal moment where the US, having realised it needs alliances, will cut them off one and for all? Let's discuss.
It's not a secret that Elon Musk's xAI platform, Grok, is not entirely like other AI models. Specifically, he has gone to great lengths to ensure it absorbs his ethos and "anti-woke" mindset, even as he has been promising it would overtake all the other models any day soon. However, it seems not all has been well in xAI - and Musk has been clearing out the old guard, firing people all over, and talking publicly about reapproaching people who were rejected for job interviews who may have been what they needed after all. Could it be that training an AI on ideology is NOT the most effective way? Maybe - but it seems a long way distant that such a thought would occur to Musk. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday March 13th 2026. Pentagon insiders reveal that Trump's war on Iran has burned through years of critical munitions in two weeks of his illegal war on Iran. And this could seriously weaken the US in dangerous times. As the Pentagon tries to isolate and damage AI company Anthropic for ethical restrictions on what its system will do, Microsoft has stepped out, risking billions in government contracts, to stand alongside it. And Trump's threats and insults against Canada continue to backfire as Mark Carney's government comes close to an overall parliamentary majority.
The alarm bells across the world are really starting to sound loudly now, as the short-term effects on the cost and availability of energy and fertiliser is hitting the citizens of countries across the world. President Donald Trump's war of choice with Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz. He has proven unable to reopen it, and the future consequences if this remains the case for an extended period have been predicted as being 'catastrophic'. Let's do the quickest of canters across the globe to see what's happening right now - and reflect on Trump's latest contribution where he shows zero interest in any of it.
Today, the Financial Times reported on a leaked proposal for Russia to engage in a disinformation and influence campaign in support of the re-election of autocrat Viktor Orban. This comes as his opponent in next month's election, Peter Magyar, is significantly ahead in independent polling. But President Vladimir Putin does not want to lose his best ally in Europe. President Donald Trump likewise. And hence begins what may be a template election for Russian and American influence campaigns on behalf of populists across Europe over the coming years. The stakes could not be higher. Let's discuss.
Trump has started talking in terms of the war being complete, and stressing that it was just an 'excursion' - a sign, according to stock markets and commodity traders, that he is looking pretty urgently for an off-ramp from the Iran war. Is Trump, some are asking, about to TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) out of the Iran war? Well, unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. In a war, it doesn't fall to just one side whether it stops or not. And, in this case, there is plenty of evidence that the consequences will be significant even if it stopped tomorrow. And then there are questions about all the dead civilians, and the fact that Trump's department of defence deliberately dismantled the programme that aimed to prevent innocent deaths. Let's discuss.
Even before Iran had announced the selection of its new Supreme Leader, President Trump and Israel had said they were intending to assassinate whoever it was - unless Trump was involved in the selection. It's a breathtaking statement of imperial ambition - and one that has not been revised after the revealing of Mojtaba Khamenei as that leader. It's also a major breach of the last 400 years of statecraft. This is not a new norm the world wants to set, and yet who is really standing up to defend the old order? Let's discuss.
Xi Jinping's China sees itself as the rising primary power in the world, soon to take over from the fading old empire of the United States. But it knows its new, rapidly growing military, is untested, and may remain so up until it gets called into action over Taiwan. So it has been taking a very keen interest in President Donald Trump's war in Iran, and took the unusual step of releasing five of the key lessons they have learned from doing so. They are real points, and quite instructive, so let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday March 6th 2026. The first of Trump's Cabinet Secretaries to be fired is Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Trump declares that he will only accept Unconditional Surrender from Iran, but don't worry - it's not REALLY a war. We discuss something you may not have noticed, sparked by the appearance of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office. And Anthropic is officially designated a risk to national security - and yet Claude is now number one in the Apple app store.
Most of the international community know that President Donald Trump's war on Iran, having been launched without any sort of imminent threat, having been focused on assassinating all the leadership of the regime, is illegal under international law. Hence why they have not been queueing up to take part in the offensive operations. But so far, they have mostly been muted in their criticism. Step forward Pedro Sanchez, prime minister of Spain, who has been extremely forthright in his condemnation of the action, and robust in the face of threats from Trump about sanctions that may be brought to bear against Spain as a result. First there was Mark Carney, now Pedro Sanchez. Is this the start of a trend? Let's discuss.
President Donald Trump has muttered darkly about the need to take federal control of the mid-term elections. And now, the evidence suggests that his team has a plan for how to do it - how to take control, and you have to presume to seek to get the outcome that he desires. This is the key pivot point for American democracy - because this will either be the moment that shocks America awake to its democratic backsliding - or it chooses not to engage, and accepts the end destination of elective autocracy. Let's discuss. While we still can.
War is a serious business. You would hope. But since President Donald Trump announced the start of the war against Iran, the US conduct has been typified by constantly changing commentary on why the war was started, and what its objectives are, constant lying about various details, and nothing that suggests that the mortal danger created for American servicemen and Iranian civilians is being created with any sort of care and attention. Indeed, it could best be described as a clown show. If the US soldiers are lions, then they truly are being led by donkeys. Let's discuss.
There are seven ways that President Donald Trump has broken, or significantly altered, the US system, and the global political or economic system. Ways that mean that, when he has finally left office, the world will still remain a very different place to how it was when he most recently found it. Let's look at each of those seven ways, along with the two that either are not yet broken, or might yet still be retrievable. And we'll reflect on why none of this should be the end of focus and hope for the future. Let's discuss.
President Trump has declared war - not a special military operation, not an in-and-out abduction. A full-on offensive assault with the stated goal of regime change. The assault has targeted the country's senior leadership, has been accompanied by calls to the people to rise up and depose their government. And the argument has been that this is okay because the regime is genuinely deplorable and deserves to fall. And yet, Donald Trump and his bizarre collection of loyalists is the very definition of someone you would not entrust to such a venture. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up for the week of 27 February 2026: If 2025 was about corporate cowardice and capitulation to the Trump revolution, 2026 is seeing more and more standing up to the bullying. So the AI company Anthropic - threatened with massive sanction by the Pete Hegseth's Pentagon - has regardless refused to give it the right to use its models for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. Netflix publicly defied President Trump over a board member not to his liking because, and walked away from a major merger deal after meeting the White House. And Nearly two thousand companies are looking for payback from Trump for his illegal tariffs, suing the government for refunds that it doesn't want to give, following the Supreme Court reversal. But are Trump's new tariffs similarly doomed to failure in the courts?
Today saw Hillary Clinton being quizzed in Congress about the man she never met, while President Trump, who is all over the files, faces no such pressure. We have news that certain key files, including testimony about Trump's alleged wrongdoing, is being withheld by the Department of Justice. Meanwhile, across Europe, real people are feeling much more robust repercussions for their own part in one of the worst scandals in modern history. Why is it one way in the US, and another way elsewhere? And what happens next? Let's discuss.
Trump promised that the State of the Union address 2026 would be 'long, because there's lots to talk about'. Some of that talk is likely to be peevish, complaining, even angry. After all, having started the year on a high, it's been pretty much a massive slog ever since. And especially with the huge setback on tariffs, that we have to pretend wasn't a setback at all, and the uncomfortable fact that having marched the US navy to Iran, he doesn't quite know what he wants them to do while they're there. And all his party wants him to talk about is the economy and the cost of living. Good luck with that.
In (yet another) moment of the truly surreal, President Trump announced this weekend that he is sending a hospital ship to Greenland to help with all the people getting sick there who are being left untreated. Which is odd, since that's not happening. It seems, on its face, to be the world's clumsiest attempt to curry favour with a people who you've literally just united against you by threatening to take them over by force. So what's going on? Let's discuss.
In this news roundup of the week for Friday February 20th 2026. The Supreme Court strikes down President Trump's emergency tariffs in the single biggest setback since he started his second term. We discover exactly why Trump flip-flopped yet again on the UK transferring ownership of the Chagos islands. And Trump makes a dramatic new announcement - about aliens.
Trump's Board of Peace had its first meeting today, and it was pretty much what you would have expected. Lots of praise for Trump, lots of big promises for the great future ahead of Gaza with all the development that will be coming - and relatively little attention to the tricky obstacle that none of it can happen until Hamas agrees to disarm, which they show little inclination to do. And while Trump and the assembled mostly-autocrats wax lyrical on peace, Trump is pondering the options for launching a military strike against Iran. Because that's what 'Peace Presidents' do in 2026. Let's discuss.
It would be entirely possible for President Trump, or A.N.Other autocrat, to seek to dismantle the guardrails of democracy in their country and all the rest of it, while still keeping a firm grasp of what is, or isn't reality, and dealing with it as needed. But that is not the current way, because Trump is determined to believe only his own version of reality, even when that is massively and easily contradicted by facts and events. The trouble is that if you insist on flying in the face of reality, it will often not end well. Let's look at the three biggest areas where the Trump operation is struggling and / or will inevitably struggle in the future, because that pesky reality thing just isn't going to do his bidding.
Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke this weekend at the Munich Security Conference, and he made probably the most cogent and professional speech on behalf of the MAGA world view we've heard. Unfortunately, the sentiments it expressed stood in stark contrast to the words of his boss and the actions of the administration - a fact that was not lost on his audience. But the quality of the speech, and the way he handled the occasion, has some chattering with renewed vigour about the possibility of a Rubio presidential candidacy for 2028. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday February 13th 2026. As the Epstein Files revelations have continued to appear, the talk has turned to just how far-reaching the so-called Epstein Class has turned out to be - and it's feeding a real push for messaging around the midterm elections. The Trump administration abolishes the basis for most climate regulation in America. And Trump is staring Iran in the face, with his naval armada at his back, and yet it seems likely he will be the one to blink first.
As the Munich Security Conference kicks off this year - the same one that was made famous last year thank's to JD Vance's speech telling Europeans to shape up - NATO is conducting exercises in Greenland. The official story is that this is all about reassuring US President Trump that the country is defended against the nefarious Russians and Chinese. But it is obviously widely understood that it's not about REASSURING Trump, but more about deterring him. This comes as several scenario planning exercises suggest that NATO would crumble quickly in contact with a Russian incursion - thanks to Trump's unlikeliness to stand by America's Article 5 commitment. Let's discuss.
President Trump has attacked Canada again, and this time said that he will prevent the opening of a new bridge between the two countries. And this is ostensibly because of a long list of supposed grievances, up to and including something about China banning ice hockey. But the real story is more prosaic, and one that seems unlikely to go away any time soon. As much to do with the quiet but determined role prime minister Mark Carney has played in reflecting reality in his recent speeches, and the fact that Canada refused to bow down to Trump in order to get a supposed trade deal. Let's discuss.
Greenland was the pivotal moment. Before then, appeasement was the only game in town. But now, Europeans are increasingly joining Canadians in resisting Trump's America in the ways that are available to them, and governments are frantically seeking to reduce their exposure, and to "derisk" their integration, with the US economy. This is going to take time, but it's worth noting some of the ways that we can see this taking place. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday February 6th 2026, President Trump is getting very focused on the mid-term elections. We discuss what that’s likely to mean. And because he likes to share the love, the Trump state department Is allocating pots of cash for subverting European democracy - Or ‘spreading American values’ as they describe it. And bad news if you’re fed up of hearing about Trump, because If he has his way, just about every damn thing is going to be named after him. Or else. Also, I reply to a viewer question.
Out of all the names that have come out in the latest massive tranche of Epstein files, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Bill Gates, Steve Bannon, and all the others - not one of them are that of Britain's prime minister Keir Starmer. And yet, right now he is seriously at risk of the scandal sinking his premiership as many of his own MPs turn against him. And it all comes down to his appointment of Peter Mandelson - who is all over said Epstein files - to the position of US ambassador. But what's interesting about the story is as much what ISN'T being said right now as what is. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for January 30th 2026 - Trump's string of humiliating retreats in recent days continued with this week's abject U-turn on the subject of ICE operations in Minnesota, and the killings there of protestors. The Trump administration also is caught out having meetings with Albertan separatists, looking for support to break up Canada. And the UK risks enraging Trump by striking deals with China. But it's all happening as China's Xi Jinping has been purging the top ranks of his military - which seems significant.
From the start of his second term, President Trump has been 'flooding the zone' with large numbers of major norm-breaking initiatives. The strategy was intended to overwhelm the opposition, exhaust the watchdogs, to get as much done as possible in the shortest time. The problem with that strategy, especially when so many of the initiatives are frankly misconceived, is that the consequences will eventually outpace the intensity and quantity of the original actions. We're starting to see that happen now. So let's review just a few of the unintended consequences we noticed in the last few days.
European leaders have become clear post-Greenland crisis that Europe needs to disentangle itself from President Trump's America. But Mark Rutte, Secretary-General of NATO, and most famously the 'Trump-whisperer', has other ideas - arguing that purely on a practical basis, Europe is incapable of defending itself without the central participation of the United States. But does that really hold up - when the debate is no longer whether Trump will WALK AWAY from Europe, rather it is how many ways will Trump ACTIVELY ATTACK Europe? Let's discuss.
The yawning gulf between the claims made by the Trump administration after the shooting of Alex Pretti and the events shown by the video evidence widely seen since, has put the US into a major pivot point. Moreso than after the first event, which could have been dismissed as a one-off, an aberration, now all Americans, including GOP senators, including former presidents, and including an awful lot of people who have been taking to the streets, have to decide whether this is the point where the line gets drawn. Or does America follow the downward spiral further towards the unhappy place this obviously takes it. Well, let's discuss.
We already knew President Donald Trump was irritated that Canada's Mark Carney's speech got rave reviews at Davos. And that it plainly laid out - in words that other leaders have not been daring to voice out loud - how Trump has changed the world, and what medium powers should be doing collaboratively to deal with it. Now, Trump is venting big time by threatening 100% tariffs against Canada should it go ahead with its agreed trade deal with China. But, of course, that's not the real reason Trump's taking action. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday January 23rd, 2026 - Trump's America has a major armada of military force currently heading for Iran. Trump says it's "just in case", but then similar type messages were made about Venezuela. Mark Carney is disinvited from Trump's Board of Peace, which deprives him of the chance to sit down with autocrats and even war criminals from across the world. And Trump sparks yet more fury across the NATO allies by suggesting that their military - some of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice - were kept away from the action. Plus, I reply to a few comments.
So Trump did a complete U-Turn on Greenland, and everything is now all right again. Right? Well, not so fast. Why hasn't this detail been written down, and how can the Trump administration have any trust for the process when, just a week ago, they immediately tried to reframe their discussions with Greenland to their own benefit? The fact is that the process of negotiating an 'off-ramp' deal seems just as likely to go horribly wrong as ... well, the last deal. So Denmark and Greenland are not happy. But still - rejoice! The Board of Peace has been launched. It's a truly bizarre creation - but it has a purpose not many people are talking about yet. Let's discuss.
The Trump administration has stormed the World Economic Forum at Davos in force - and his senior lieutenants, such as Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent have been ruffling feathers and making waves. Today it was Trump's turn, and on the topic that everyone has been talking about, we saw the start of a climbdown from the reckless rhetoric of threatening the use of the military against Greenland. This followed Mark Carney's highly regarded speech the day before which set the standard for countries looking to stand with dignity in the face of Trump's America. A fact that did not escape Trump's notice. Let's discuss.
President Trump told Norway that because - in his mind - the country snubbed him for the Nobel Peace Prize, now he believes he no longer needs to only be about peace. Make of that what you will. Meanwhile, he has been announcing and gathering together his so-called Board of Peace, which already has some eye-catching invitees, and a rapidly expanding remit. Meanwhile, Trump is still refusing to rule out using military force on Greenland, while European leaders continue to try to get to grips with an obviously changed world reality. Let's discuss.
Yesterday, Trump made good on his threats and announced new tariffs to be levied against eight European countries for daring to defy his wish to annex Greenland against the wishes of its residents and of Denmark, whose territory it currently is. And FINALLY this move seems to have pushed the European leaders to the point where they are now ready to give up on the ever-lasting strategy of seeking to appease Trump, flatter him and woo him. Instead, they are threatening retaliation, on the principle that bullies only respect strength, and it might just be time to show some. Well, we'll see. But in the mean time, let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday January 16th, 2026: Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado hands her medal to President Trump - and it's as cringeworthy as you would expect. Trump threatens punitive action against the countries standing up for Greenland, even as US lawmakers are drawing a line. More consequences of Trump's policies become visible, as Canada's Mark Carney agrees a major deal with China's Xi Jinping. And President Trump is taking a major delegation to the World Economic Forum in Davos - which is odd, because they're supposed to be the anti-MAGA.
He was a highly influential Trump endorser in the election - but he has been critical several times since the Trump administration took office. And this week, in his most forthright commentary yet, even comparing ICE officers to the Nazi Gestapo. This is just a side-note, of course, to the massive chorus of concern that President Trump's souped up immigration police is morphing before our eyes into something more expansive, and something that feels it can act with impunity. Well, let's discuss.
Staring directly in the face of the End Of NATO, the European NATO countries, along with Denmark and Greenland, have come up with their best version of an off-ramp - a solution that would enable President Trump to claim a win, while still keeping Greenland's territorial integrity intact, and the NATO alliance, at least in name. But Trump dashed all hopes with new contributions that made it clear he was not interested in anything short of total ownership. Meanwhile, Danes and Greenlanders had a one-to-one summit with JD Vance and Marco Rubio today ... and it went about as well as you would expect. Let's discuss.
Over the weekend, we heard that Trump had instructed options to be drawn up for taking Greenland through military action. Also, the European NATO members discussed what could be done to fend this off. And the proposal was made that they should send their own military forces to Greenland as soon as possible. But the reason they said they were doing this is certainly not the actual reason. Let's discuss.
To mark the start of 2026, and also the milestone of 150k subscribers for this channel, a Q&A, where we cover Trump, Venezuela, Europe, Greenland, economic collapse, and a great deal more besides. Also, I recount the moment where I nearly died in Washington DC. Seriously.
Trump enjoyed his most dramatic "success" at the start of the year, with his military's flawless operation to grab Nicolas Maduro, and to extort Venezuela into giving the US exclusive access to its oil resources. He promised big as a result - American oil companies would now invest $100 billion into Venezuela's crumbling oil infrastructure to bring it back up to peak productivity. But in a major humiliation to arguably his biggest achievement so far, the oil companies are turning him down. It turns out that Trump's promises are not something they feel they can take to the bank. Even an industry used to managing risk finds President Trump plain too risky. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday January 9th, 2025. The US takes another step towards normalising political violence with the shooting of a woman by ICE in Minneapolis. President Trump declares that it might well be that he has to choose between taking Greenland and keeping NATO intact. Elon Musk’s Twitter is on the verge of being banned from the United Kingdom, and maybe the European Union. And the White House launches a new website with its own version of recent history - that is as bad as you might expect.
Since the operation against Nicolas Maduro, the Trump Administration has been in bullish mood about its ability to use military power to get anything it wants around the world. And one of the most commonly mentioned targets in the last few days has been Greenland. They assume that the US has such overwhelming force, nobody would try to stop an armed invasion. But Denmark is a member of NATO, and the pledge is that an attack on one is an attack on all. So will European NATO members actually fight for Greenland should it come to it? Let's discuss.
Two things we've learned in the last couple of days. One - the Trump administration officially could not care less about international law, at least - if it should ever prove to be a constraint on them doing exactly what they want to do. And two - for all that MAGA social media posts have been bigging up the initial celebration of Venezuelans at Maduro's downfall, Trump actually is just fine with an authoritarian regime staying in place, just with someone different at the head of it. So all those people who initially celebrated are now feeling crushing disappointment, and the ones actually living in Caracas are hiding from the armed militia crackdown. Let's discuss.
So the plan to oust Nicolas Madura resulted in an attack, during which the dictator and his wife were seized and transported to the United States. This is an undoubted breach of international law, but Trump and MAGA don't care about that. It also broke the rules of the United States, but nobody seems inclined to enforce those. Nevertheless, this isn't just another mad President Trump moment - this has pushed Trump, the bully who used tariffs to put extreme pressure on other countries - across the line into the use of military force to do likewise. This makes it highly likely more will follow. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for January 2nd 2026, President Trump threatens military action against Iran, as the regime there tries to cope with mass protests. Global warming is already hitting Southern Europe so hard that growers there are having to give up traditional crops such as citrus fruit. Elon Musk makes a shocking observation about the state of government that someone really ought to do something about. And the people that took Russian money to fund MAGA Influencers have been allowed back into the US - because foreign interference is just fine so long as it’s Vladimir Putin.
What are the three basic values and processes of democratic systems that we are most in danger of losing - both in Trump's United States and much of Europe, and elsewhere in the world? And - having identified what makes a healthy democracy work, how can we halt the process of democratic decline that we see all around us? In other words, how can we make 2026 the beginning of the fightback for democracy against autocracy? Well, let's discuss.
The New Year is upon us - a time for new beginnings! But for President Trump, the early days of 2026 could see the Supreme Court ruling on the legality of his tariffs - and to all appearances the merits of the case are overwhelmingly against him. Should the justices rule accordingly, the tariff Plan B will be invoked - and the administration will pretend it's all okay, but it will have defanged Trump by removing his most powerful and arbitrary weapon. Let's discuss.
In the first half of 2025, the massive investment in Artificial Intelligence data centres was by far the largest part of the economic growth that the US economy registered. This reflects a breathtaking scale of activity. But every action has an equal and opposite reaction - and communities across the United States, across the political divide, are starting to vigorously protest all these new energy-hungry data centres. And that presents a particular problem for Trump, allied as he is to the tech billionaires. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday December 26th 2025. Trump's America launches a bombing strike against ISIS targets in Nigeria - but with the support of the government there, contrary to its earlier approach. Five Europeans who are deemed to be beastly to American free speech are barred from being in the United States - and why this is a trend we'll be seeing more of. And Trump world is dismayed that the Administration's extraordinary incompetence in its messaging over the Epstein Files has made it far worse, and laster longing, than it ever needed to be.
President Trump has launched a new battleship concept for the US Navy, bigger, more advanced, faster - what else could it be called other than 'Trump Class'? But is this project just a misconceived fantasy - a vanity project that could divert major spending from the things the US military actually needs to do to keep pace with its rivals? Or is it the way of the future? And if the latter - why a battleship - given that these were abandoned after the second world war, and for good reason? Well, let's discuss.
President Trump had already told us that he wanted to take over Greenland. Then we got the sense that it was a live project when it was revealed that spies had been sent to the island on a 'covert influence' operation. Now, Trump has announced a "special envoy" for Greenland, placing it at the top of a priority list, and alarming Greenland and Denmark over what this means might be coming next. Meanwhile, Europe pretends that nothing much has changed with the US, and we're all still the best of allies. At what point does that change? Let's discuss.
In its recent National Security Strategy, the Trump Administration lay claim to Central and South America as being 'its neighbourhood', where it would exert more control and expect to be able to shape events to its satisfaction. And it specifically said it would seek to push out third party countries, and it was clear that this meant China. But China just released its own strategy, and it's making it clear that it has no intention of going anywhere. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday December 19th, 2025. President Trump addresses the nation, and it's fascinating for what it says about the pressure the administration is under. President Putin addresses the nation, and apart from the stark contrast, it's worth noting what it says about the end game for Ukraine. And the Epstein Files release day is today - and the administration will fail the requirement to release all of them, because they just haven't had time to censor them all. Let's jump in.
President Trump's trusted and loyal chief of staff, Susie Wiles, always known as the quiet person who got everything done, has hit the news big time with a series of interviews she did with Vanity Fair, where she gave strikingly honest assessments of her colleagues, some of Trump's recent actions and his motivations. It made a big impact - some of it wasn't news, or at least shouldn't have been. But some of it was important background to the administration's political strategy and the White House infighting and debate. Let's discuss.
By all accounts, the MAGA faithful are starting to despair at the disconnect between what candidate Donald Trump promised during his election campaign, and what President Trump is actually delivering. Whether it comes to affordability, the Epstein Files, Artificial Intelligence and more - Trump is seen as aligning with billionaires and tech oligarchs, not the ordinary people. And, according to a series of articles in the Washington Post today, he's simply not listening to the feedback, which could mean nothing is going to improve much from this point forward. Let's discuss.
In an interview a few days ago, Elon Musk - normally the purveyor of hubris and inflated promises - said that DOGE had been "a little bit" successful. This was clearly the closest to reality he could bring himself to admit in public, but the fact he went on to say that he wouldn't do it if he had his time again really tells the story. So that moment of self-reflection is worth noting. But then you have to note how he remains of the view that his vision for the world must be indulged by governments worldwide, and he will seek to attack or undermine those who disagree. Arguably, that's entirely the improvement we might have hoped for from Elon Musk 'spending more time on his businesses'. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday December 12th 2025: President Trump's Navy seizes an oil tanker carrying Venezuelan crude which highlights what may be the real reason why he won't stop until Maduro is gone; A leaked briefing paints in vivid colours the reality that if the US ends up in a shooting war with China, America itself expects to lose, in spite of all its expensive weapons; And while some are excited that the Epstein files are supposed to be released next week, there are two good reasons to presume it's going to be yet another dud.
One of the big stories of 2025 has been the plummeting rates of foreign tourists entering the United States. Whether because President Trump has insulted their countries, or because they just don't fancy visiting the country the US has become - people are staying away in droves. Now, as though that isn't nearly bad enough, the Trump administration seems determined to impose even more onerous and intrusive tests on the way in - with the possibility that if you have the "wrong opinions" about the Dear Leader, you might not be let in at all. Let's discuss.
European leaders and Ukraine's President Zelensky have been meeting yet again to agree a way forward in the face of Trump's pressure for Ukraine to sign a variation on its one-sided deal with Putin's Russia. And STILL, after Trump's dismissive insults towards them all has been codified as official US security policy - they are keeping up the pretence that the US is still Europe's biggest ally. Why? When do we re-enter a world where public figures talk in a relatively frank way about how they see the world, and what their objectives are? Let's discuss.
The new Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, established a great rapport with President Trump right from the start - or so it seemed. But when she immediately lined up with Trump to draw a hard line with Xi Jinping's China, she turned around and discovered he wasn't there. Trump's America is interested, according to it's recent National Security Strategy (and its observed behaviour) in money. Not geopolitics. Not values. Money. Japan, having attracted the fury of Beijing, is suddenly wondering if its best ally is no longer an ally at all. And even the uncertainty throws the stability of Southeast Asia into a doubt it hasn't seen for a very long time. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday December 5th 2025 - The US launches its new security strategy, and it doesn't mince words in laying out the real thinking behind Trump's bizarre foreign policy. The question is - will Europeans actually do anything about the admission that Trump aims to replace them all with far-right parties, that he aims to hand Ukraine to Russia, or any of the rest of it - or will they keep pretending it's business-as-usual? Also, the Ukraine Russia peace negotiations fizzle as they were always going to, and the EU rankles Trump's America by fining Elon Musk's Twitter. Also, I note a true unsung hero, and talk about a skunk and a raccoon.
President Trump assumed that waving a big stick in front of Venzuela's Nicolas Maduro would result in him agreeing to step down, since the US has all of its economic and military might to bring to bear. But Maduro has called his bluff, and suddenly Trump is finding that the ground is disappearing under his feet. The attacks against boats are attracting talk of war crimes. Congress is starting to get seriously unhappy. And the latest revelation about a second strike made just to kill survivors - a war crime in any similar context - has the administration changing its story daily as it slowly realises that consequences are coming. Let's discuss.
NATO is realising that the hybrid warfare being waged against it by Russia, via sabotage, airspace incursions, disinformation and hacking attacks, are too serious to continue to be shrugged off. So today one of NATO's top military leaders put it out there that NATO should be taking more aggressive and proactive action, and that such action would count as a defensive measure in the current situation. This matches the threat - but it suffers the one drawback that the lynchpin member of NATO is President Trump's United States. And Trump is very obviously a Putin ally. So could NATO adopt such a stance - or would it simply get vetoed?
According to the Washington Post, President Trump's defence secretary Pete Hegseth ordered specifically that there should be no survivors from the first of the US military strikes against boats in waters close to Venezuela. This meant that when two people survived the initial strike, the US navy carried out a second strike specifically just to eliminate those survivors - an act that would be considered by international law as murder, as a war crime, or both. The news has Republicans in Congress launching moves to hold the administration to account in another symbol of Trump's fading grip on his party. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday, November 28th 2025. President Trump faces a major legal backlash as analysis shows hundreds of judges have ruled his latest actions on deportations to be illegal - and now a class action is coming that may force a change in policy. Taiwan shows how it is coming to terms with the unreliability of its greatest ally. Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff shows the world he's really all-in on Russia's side. And I reply to a viewer comment.
This week, we saw the Trump Administration trying to blackmail the EU with steel and aluminium tariffs to get it to dismantle its regulations on big tech. We saw scandal in Switzerland over the donations to Trump of a Rolex clock and a gold bar to get tariffs reduced there. And we saw Trump declare that, as the host of the next G20 meeting in 2026, he is going to bar South Africa from attending because he has special opinions that must be accommodated. But in all of them, there are - to different degrees, and with caveats - signs of growing restiveness with the Trump bullying. A lot of Trump's power is gifted to him by the targets of his attacks - and more and more leaders are starting to show signs of concluding that enough is enough. Let's discuss.
A couple of weeks ago, Michelle Obama said that America wasn't ready to vote for a woman as President. Today, in the UK - which has had three women Prime Ministers and counting - another woman in a top position - Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, got to hold the centre of attention of the country for a couple of days having complained about misogyny and 'mansplaining' that she has to deal with. These statements have to deal with an inconvenient truth. Let's discuss.
We've talked before about the two sides of MAGA - the personality cult / ideological part, which is noisy and enthusiastic at times, and perpetually confused with Trump's frequent inconsistencies - and the tech billionaire part, with their views on the post-democracy AI future they think they should be left to bring about. Earlier predictions that these two might not be the best of room-mates are becoming a safer and safer bet every day. Let's discuss.
As expected, European and Ukrainian leaders have been locked in urgent talks with the US as they try to negotiate down the Trump Ukraine Surrender Plan to something more acceptable. As they do so, Trump is plumbing new depths in his public expression of contempt for Ukraine, saying that it's leaders have not been sufficiently appreciative of everything he has done for them. For some reason, he failed to list all those things. But needless to say, in spite of the stupidity, it all matters a great deal. So let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday, November 21st, 2025, we examine the text of Trump's Ukraine surrender plan and the attempt to force Ukraine to sign it, with the threat of letting Putin win the war if it doesn't. We also look at Japan's new Prime Minister facing a massive confrontation with China over Taiwan, and the UK's detailed COVID-19 inquiry report.
It's just been revealed that Putin's Russia has been working in secret with the Trump administration to agree what is described as a 28-point plan, based on the Gaza peace plan. One thing is clear - if such a plan is taking shape, it is doing so very much according to Putin's desires which, by definition, means an extremely rough deal for Ukraine. It seems that President Trump retains the belief that first led him to imagine he could end the Ukraine war 'very quickly' - that if he can agree a deal with Vladimir Putin, he will then be able to force it onto an unwilling Ukraine. Is that the basis of this new plan? Let's discuss.
With one abrupt and astonishing U-turn, President Trump has removed all doubt that he's prematurely entering the lame duck phase of his presidency. Faced with a massive revolt by Republican lawmakers to vote for the Epstein files to be released, he used the masterful arts of a confused toddler in seeking to persuade them that, contrary to everything said and done so far, he really wants them to vote YES to release the files. It's a breathtaking collapse, and the end of the period when he can push his party to do whatever he wants. An absolutely pivotal moment. Let's discuss.
Lots of questions for this video to celebrate my long-delayed YouTube silver button! Lots on the United States and democracy, what the Trump administration end game is, whether the US will be able to recover its democracy after Trump's term is over and more. Also, what did Putin hope to get out of threatening to give Venezuela weapons to use against the US? And then a few questions about me. Let's dive straight in.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday November 14th 2025 - An announcement by Trump's War Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to signal a completely new focus for how America uses its military power in the future, and it's not great news for Latin America. Trump is mired once again in the Epstein files - but what is at the heart of the weird contradiction we're seeing play out before our eyes? And the BBC respectfully tells Trump it will contest his desire to sue it for a billion dollars, even though he seems to think this would be a public duty.
Boycotts rarely work, and even the ones that do, rarely stick. But Canadians are making themselves the exception. Ten months in, they are still avoiding travelling to the US in significant numbers. They are still shunning American brands in the stores in significant numbers. And while they're doing that, they're looking with new eyes to many of the potential other partners - including Trump's biggest geopolitical rival, China. Let's discuss.
The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer has gone to great lengths to stay on the right side of President Trump since he was re-elected. All the usual flattery, plus an unprecedented second state visit, with all the pomp and pageantry. But it was always obvious that sooner or later, Donald Trump would cross a line too far, and push the 'special relationship' into crisis. We learned this week that the first fissure has appeared, thanks to America's blatantly illegal attacks on boats in the waters near to Venezuela - not to mention it's possibly attacking the country now its aircraft carrier has arrived in the area. This has prompted the UK to take the first step to distance itself from its ally - is it the beginning of the end? Let's discuss.
On one level, the BBC made some pretty evident mistakes on impartiality - and most damagingly on a documentary on Trump, the echoes of which quickly reverberated across the Atlantic. And as a result, Tim Davie, the Director General had to resign. But there's a lot more to the story than that - and the truth is that the institution has been under attack for the last few years as political polarisation has made its mission increasingly impossible. Let's discuss.
President Trump just unleashed a barrage on social media where he railed against the Supreme Court, against anyone and everyone who is against tariffs - and then he, apparently by-the-by, said that everyone would be getting a $2000 payment. It's not the first time such things have been suggested as a result of the income from tariffs - but it was a very specific promise at this very specific moment. And what it shows is that Trump is beginning to panic that the Supreme Court is going to rule against him, and he is shaken that the recent elections showed the American public irritated he is putting up prices when they can't afford to make ends meet. So is this a real promise? And what's the strategy behind it? Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week, Russia considers giving Maduro its latest hypersonic missiles to use to defend himself against Trump's America, even as China is protesting about his threats to its strategic partner Nigeria. The administration has begun a charm offensive to persuade its supposed allies that it really CAN be trusted when it comes to intelligence sharing. And Elon Musk is granted a theoretical $1 trillion payday - the big 'if' attached to it doesn't cancel the enormity of what that figure for one person really represents. Also, I answer a viewer comment and announce a Q&A. Add your questions below.
Political fortunes can turn on a dime. One second, a major figure can seem immovable, all powerful - then suddenly something shifts and they're left trying to hold it all together as it slips from their grasp. This week has seen a series of failures for Trump that has dented his projected image of power, and reminded Congressional Republicans that politics-as-usual probably still applies, and in that world Trump will never be on the ballot ever again. It's early days, but already we're seeing the signs that this could be the week a line was crossed. Let's discuss.
The lower courts have both ruled that the bulk of Trump's tariffs are plainly unconstitutional. Now it has come to the Supreme Court, and it's arguably the moment the Conservatives on the court have been dreading. The case seems legally very clear that Trump has no case. The hearing that took place today sounded very much like a majority of them were sceptical of the arguments put before them. But Trump REALLY wants this power the way he can have it under this measure. While he could rebuild a higher tariff base with other measures, he couldn't so arbitrarily use the power to bully the world on a day-to-day basis. So how will they jump? Let's discuss.
The Trump MAGA base - with its mix of personality cultists, conspiracy theorists and uneasy traditional Republicans - is in uproar right now as Tucker Carlson's recent interview with Nick Fuentes was seen by many to breach the line. The fight over what can, or cannot, be normalised is an early sign of the fight for the future soul of MAGA for the post-Trump era. Meanwhile, the other part of MAGA - that which is being planned and executed by the tech bros and other billionaires - is organising quietly, but not wholly unnoticed. New details of how they think, how they organise, and what they want to happen next, have just been revealed in the Washington Post today. Let's discuss.
Article referenced in this video:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/11/04/chris-buskirk-maga-vance-post-trump/ (paywall)
Two stories came out today. One - it's becoming clear just how aggressively the Trump administration threatened delegates to the International Maritime Organisation to push them not to vote for the net zero carbon tax on international shipping. Two - we have Trump threatening Nigeria with an armed incursion by American forces in the face of what Trump rather absurdly suggests is an 'existential' genocide for Christians in Nigeria. Very different issues - but with one inescapably common element. And it's notice that even now much of the trade stuff is dying down, Trump's modus operandi with the world is fixed in one mode only. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week, Trump orders a resumption to nuclear testing - a move that would have major global consequences, and apparently he did so on a complete misunderstanding of reality. The Netherlands election shows that far-right populism can be reversed where it is taking hold in Europe. A MAGA-friendly major German influencer is the first to take up Trump's invitation to seek asylum in the United States. And we pick up on stories on China, and Bill Gates covered earlier in the week. And I answer questions on Trump's ICE private militia and whether Russia is about to imminently collapse. Let's jump in.
President Trump's much-anticipated summit with China's Xi Jinping has confirmed what was already obvious to all but the most MAGA-faithful - Trump lost the trade war he picked with China. The threat of crippling restrictions on strategically essential rare earth minerals will be held over America's head to be reviewed every year. Donald Trump thought he held all the cards, but it turns out he badly miscalculated. As a result, we now live in a world where interdependence has been weaponised by the powerful. Let's discuss.
Headlines are on all the major news sites - Bill Gates just did a major u-turn on climate change. He now says it's NOT the end of the world. He says the United Nations needs to pivot. And he says all this just a week before the next COP climate conference is due to start in Brazil. What's going on? Well, the headlines - most of them - are not telling the accurate story. And few of them are tracing the causal factors back to the Trump administration - and how its dismantling of USAID has completely rocked the life mission that Gates has been following for the last two decades. Let's discuss.
We know that Trump would LOVE to run for a third term - not least because he keeps telling us so. And now some of his people, such as Steve Bannon, are saying that it's all possible, although they won't yet say how. It could well just be trolling, but let's say for a moment that they're right. It's possible. There's a pretty good rationale for why it would potentially wreck their movement, and destroy their momentum if they were to try to go for it. While staying within the bounds of what we know about Trump's support base, let's play the scenario.
President Trump has arrived in Malaysia for his tour of Southeast Asia. Pausing in Malaysia only to do some embarrassing dancing and signing supposed peace deals, he will be heading to Japan to give new Prime Minister Takaichi her first real test, and then to South Korea where the highlight will be an in-person summit meeting with Xi Jinping. Scott Bessent said that positive progress has been made with the Chinese in advance of the summit, but given Trump's preference for little preparation and maximum playing it by ear, is he really ready for the hardball play he can expect from China on Thursday? Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week - Trump declares sanctions against the two biggest Russian oil companies - will it finally push China and India away from Putin? The president also attacks Canada for - um - quoting Ronald Reagan entirely accurately when it comes to tariffs, and declares that the trade negotiations are OVER. But it seems likely the outrage over the ad is just a cover. And Trump shocks even conservative outlets such as Fox News with his most nakedly autocratic actions so far. Let's discuss.
Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, in service of President Trump, is on a mission to de-wokify the US armed forces. Well, okay. But what else? The top generals and other senior leaders expect their leader to focus on strategy and big-picture stuff. So imagine how underwhelmed they must have been when he gathered them all together for a big talking to - only to tell them to lose weight and get a haircut. Along with that, and some of the disastrous actions since, some of those top generals are starting to let their real feelings leach out into the public domain. Let's discuss.
President Trump's America is making a thing out of lecturing its allies about the importance of free speech. And yet while doing this, they spread toxic disinformation over and over again, and you quickly realise that America believes - uniquely of any country currently in the world - that 'free speech' means the 'right to lie'. But this definition is a relatively recent one. So let's discuss how it changed, and why this perversion of one of the most important democratic principles should be resisted.
The planned second summit between President Trump and Vladimir Putin is suddenly off - following the realisation that Russia has no intention of negotiating, it is only interested in surrender. This is a massive humiliation to Trump having come off all the hubris around the Middle East peace deal, to find that he isn't being given the time of day by the one dictator he truly admires. But at the same time as all that's happening, we are learning that European security forces are no longer sharing all the things with Trump's America that they used to. Let's discuss.
We knew that Trump had been somewhat swayed by Russia's Vladimir Putin in their phone call last Thursday, but it has just been revealed today just how much Trump threw Putin talking points verbatim at Ukraine's President Zelensky when they met at the Oval Office on Friday. All the progress of recent weeks, where Trump had become more positive towards Ukraine, seem to have been reversed. Instead, Trump was going further than ever in demanding Zelensky accept Russia's terms for ending the war - in other words, surrender. And this is the backdrop for the proposed Trump / Putin summit to take place in Budapest. Let's discuss.
President Trump is used to getting his way - with just about anyone (except possibly Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping). In particular, he's used to being able to threat tariffs or other measures and have most of the countries of the world falling in line, doing whatever he demands in order to avoid his wrath. But this week, the world is about to agree a measure that introduces a global tax - and even worse than that, a global tax relating to climate action. Trump's America has bellowed 'no', and is threatening all sorts of reprisals if countries vote for this measure. And right now, it seems that mostly they are ignoring him and intending to go ahead anyway. This is ... interesting. Let's discuss.
While Trump was being treated as an all-conquering hero in the Middle East, he had hanging over him the one fight he just realised he can't win - his renewed trade blow-up with Xi Jinping's China. Having threatened yet another bombastic massive tariff barrage in response to China's control of rare earth minerals, he quickly started to backpedal. Almost as though he remembered what happened the last time they went that route. The thing is that China's moves now are affecting the whole world - and China and the US are both pushing other countries to pick a side. This is a tricky situation - let's discuss.
Let's say that the 2028 Presidential Election goes ahead, and Trump has imploded over the course of his term, so that regardless of their various attempts to weight the scales in their favour, MAGA Republicans lose. The new incoming administration is going to face a remarkably transformed America. And they will have to have a very clear idea of the spirit, and the detail, of how they hope to move forward. They will need to do so knowing that tailwinds for Trump will turn into headwinds for them. And there will be powerful enemies, and difficult temptations. Do they need their own 'Project 2029'? And what will it need to cover, if so? Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week, China stuns the West and infuriates Trump by expanding its tight control over more of its rare earth minerals - with particular implications for Western militaries. Trump's many court cases are starting to get more and more pushback from judges exasperated with the administration's arrogance and incompetence, just as another vengeance indictment is brought against Letitia James. The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, which for some reason gets a lot more attention this year than usual. Also, I answer a Patreon question on Europe and Trump if Russia loses the war. Let's dive in.
It may only be the first part that will be implemented, but even so the Trump peace deal for Gaza represents - against all the odds - a real breakthrough. Both parties have swallowed a starting position that crosses their previous red lines. But while families are anxiously awaiting the release of hostages, and everyone is celebrating as though peace has finally been delivered, the truth is that there is a lot more hard work to be done. And there's nothing in the somewhat juvenile posturing right now that suggests that here is an administration equal to the task. Let's discuss.
The US / EU trade deal was always tricky - within hours of it being signed the two sides were giving radically different interpretations of what it covered. Well, now - unsurprisingly - President Trump is back and he has the EU's regulations in his sights. Specifically, any regulations that get applied to American companies, such as the tech giants. He has environmental rules in his sights, as well as privacy and anti-trust laws. He's doing it because the EU demonstrated weakness in negotiating the deal. The question is - will they now push back against the demands, at the risk of losing the deal they thought was already in the bag? Let's discuss.
French President Emmanuel Macron's fifth prime minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned after just a couple of weeks in post, as it became obvious that the task was simply impossible. This leaves France in a political mess, largely because of its ongoing economic mess. However, this goes way beyond France. Arguably, Macron's France is just the advance guard for the political upheavals that are coming to all Western democratic countries - and soon. Sounds like something we should discuss!
Judge Diane Goodstein ruled against the Trump administration recently, and got numerous death threats for her pains. Two days ago, her house burned down. At this point, there is no evidence whatsoever that this was a deliberately caused event, but it is obvious - at a time when the rhetoric against judges who impede President Trump has been vitriolic - that it could be the latest incident in the run of political violence incidents. Even if it's not, it's highly instructive just how America has been responding during the early hours when not much is known for sure. Let's discuss.
The Trump 20-point peace deal for Gaza has been welcomed by all the people worldwide who routinely flatter Trump at every opportunity - but also by others, such as the Arab states who have significant influence with Hamas. So should we be optimistic then, with everyone talking about how all the hostages will be freed within days, and this could finally be the big shift - Israel will withdraw, Gaza will be at peace, an oversight body will begin reconstruction leading a pathway to future Palestinian self-rule? Well, not so fast. Because amongst all that optimism, there seems to be rather a large pinch of wishful thinking going on. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week, while testing Europe with drones, Russia's President Putin gives a major speech where he makes a substantial pivot in how he treats Trump's United States in relation to Ukraine. The US government is shut down, and both sides are trying to blame the other for what follows. YouTube gives Trump lots of money to spend on his ballroom. And I answer a Patreon supporter's question about Keir Starmer's Digital ID proposal in the United Kingdom. Let's jump in.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had his email read by a cameraman with a zoom lens, and it exposed the fury going on behind the scenes over President Trump's $20 billion support for Argentina's populist leader Javier Milei. At a time when Trump's tariffs and trade war with China has resulted in American soybean farmers being thrown into crisis, they can't help but notice one thing that has really added insult to injury. Let's discuss.
Pete Hegseth insisted on bringing together the very top brass of all the US military into one room so he could ... lecture them on grooming. And the Warrior Ethos. And then President Trump took over, to give a rambling rant about - well, all the things he usually rants about. Plus a few pointers on using the military within the US against American protestors, and giving permission for the use of lethal force. But mostly it was about anti-woke, and insisting that if they didn't like it, they should resign. In exactly the way that authoritarians through time immemorial have done, but just a lot less competently. Let's discuss.
The Ryder Cup made headlines this weekend - because the MAGA crowd barracked the opposing team, hurled abuse at the players, offensive insults at their wives, even threw beer over Erika McIlroy, and tried to put the European team off their stroke by calling out as they were taking their swing. Ugly, despicable behaviour, just hours after Trump had visited to show his support. Maybe it's a one-off, but it feels more like the MAGA movement is making cruelty a feature of America's face to the world. And this event is therefore more symbolic of the change that's happening than it might appear at first glance. Well, let's discuss.
When President Trump and Stephen Miller argue that heated rhetoric encourages political violence, you might think it is a fair comment point of view. And yet, it's impossible not to note that both utilise more inflammatory language than almost anyone else. And their opponents frequently point this out ... to almost zero effect. This video is about why the blatant hypocrisy works as a device for preparing the population for authoritarian acts of impunity. It matters, because if the opposition is to be effective, they have to stop falling into the traps set for them. So let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week, we cover the Trump DOJ move at last to put into practice the boss's public instructions to get an indictment. Even if this case stands little chance of success, it is a new front and will be the first of numerous attempts to come. Also we discuss Tulsi Gabbard abandoning future-looking Intelligence reports because the facts don't fit the current ideology. RFK Jr's puzzling harangue of the United Nations on health. YouTube's admission that it was put under pressure by the Biden Administration to censor content, and Albania's new AI initiative that we might not want to follow. Oh, and I answer a couple of comments / questions.
After his big moment berating the United Nations, President Trump met with President Zelensky and had things to say on the Ukraine war that nobody was quite expecting. Not only was Zelensky astonished, the Europeans stunned, but Russia's administration reacted with a sharpness that we've not seen in reaction to Trump so far this year. Something has changed - but does it actually mean anything? And why has the US quietly paused selling weapons to NATO countries? Well, let's discuss.
Just when it looked like the Trump Administration could just demand whatever it wanted and all the institutions, all the corporations, all the politicians would ultimately just quietly fold - finally at least one corporation - for now - has stood back up again. And the result of that move by Disney / ABC is that the Jimmy Kimmel Show is back on air from tonight. But this is the beginning of the fight, not the victory. The local affiliates who pulled the show from their areas are still not distributing it. The FCC Chair is swearing he didn't intend to threaten anyone, but we will see if anyone takes that remotely seriously. But if the question asked a couple of days ago on this channel - has Trump overstepped the mark? - is perhaps being answered here, it could go into some very interesting places.
We all know about China's surveillance state - it's pretty terrifying, but it was built more or less from the ground up to suit the authoritarians. Every other autocrat - or would-be autocrat - will have to retrofit the technology onto existing internets that were built by private companies following demand, rather than any kind of state-sponsored plan. Russia is now leading the way - with a three-tier plan that is being executed right now. And when you look at what it's doing - well, there's some spooky parallels with things that Trump is doing in the very different environment of the US. Let's discuss.
The Charlie Kirk memorial today marked the inflection point that MAGA believes the event of his assassination represented. As a result, the administration has ramped up its move against President Trump's opponents. Yesterday, Trump accidentally told the world that he is pushing the Attorney General Pam Bondi towards bringing prosecutions against key political figures. It could not be more blatant - but blatant is suddenly becoming the standard operating practice. Is MAGA mistaking the moment - thinking that Kirk's death has given them permission to go further and faster than they really have? Which is why suddenly even some of Trump's biggest supporters are looking alarmed at the real face that they're seeing? Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week - In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, the Trump team has been acting quickly on its intended crackdown on opponents. Trump's FCC chairman got rid of another late night comedian, Jimmy Kimmel. Trump designated Antifa as a terrorist organisation. But this is just the start - various experienced politicians close to the action identify that the real target is much bigger. Also, it is confirmed that Alexei Navalny was poisoned in prison. Russia tests NATO again. And we learn that the AI robot revolution - well, it faces an apparent formidable obstacle.
As we already anticipated, the aftermath of the shooting of Charlie Kirk is seeing a wave of increasingly audacious action by the Trump Administration to crack down on political opponents and criticism of their operation. Now, following the previous shutting down of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, we have the next in line - with Jimmy Kimmel's show being cancelled for what seems, on inspection, to be a pretty safe commentary. But what was safe yesterday, is no longer safe. Not since the FCC is leveraging corporate cowardice to get its way. Let's discuss.
As the COP30 climate conference approaches, it's hard to ignore that a backlash against climate policy - and a scepticism in some quarters about climate change full stop - is growing in many parts of the world. Partly, this is down to the Trump effect, with Trump himself actively pushing countries to commit to fossil fuels, and with MAGA-style populists taking up the anti-net zero theme wherever they rise. Partly, it's also due to the moment - and the fact that the political pendulum swings back eventually. So what does that mean for our progress in actually getting on top of the problem? Some thoughts.
The Trump Administration is full of talk about the crackdown they will be bringing in the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. President Trump has said he wants George Soros to be in prison. Maybe Antifa could be designated a terrorist organisation. Maybe various trans groups. Stephen Miller has ideas of his own, as does JD Vance. Pam Bondi wants to go after 'hate speech'. All they need is some tenuous link between their target and what they're calling 'radical left lunacy'. And some of the links so far are pretty tenuous. So is this really going to happen? And if so, how far will it really go? Let's discuss.
The US and Xi Jinping's China have been conducting more trade talks - and today it was announcement that maybe they'd reached a deal ... on TikTok. Meanwhile, the consequences of President Trump's tariffs are really starting to make themselves felt, with American soybean farmers having no orders from China, with all farmers suffering from soaring input costs, and meanwhile China is buying more than it ever has from countries like Brazil, and selling more than it ever has to the continent of Africa. Those consequences are going to become more an more far-reaching, and they are likely to outlive Trump himself. Let's discuss.
In this Q&A video I cover Europe giving up on expecting Trump to play a part in Ukraine peace process, predictions for our polarised societies - is this here to stay? Why is the US stock market so strong despite the downsides of Trump's tariffs? Did we learn the lessons from Kamala's defeat? Trump's intentions on Alberta separatism. The impact of US poisoned politics on the UK. Teflon Trump. What should Brits do about racism? And then a couple of questions on my political past.
In this news round-up of the week for Friday September 12th 2025 - The fall-out from the assassination of Charlie Kirk continues, and the Trump team are talking about the shape of the retribution to come. The shooter himself is in custody, no thanks to Kash Patel's FBI, although he's keen to take the credit. One country just had a revolution, all because the government tried to ban social media. Donald Trump says the drone incursion sent into Poland by Russia could well have 'been a mistake' as Russia gears up for major war game exercises near the border. And I answer a Patreon supporter's question.
The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk has jolted America, but seems unlikely to provide the crisis moment that shocks the country awake to its catastrophic decline towards crisis. The rise of political violence is a reflection of the intense polarisation, as well as the influence of social media bubbles that help each side to dehumanise the other. The question will be what the Trump administration does next with this. That could go very dark, or could be passed up entirely. Either way, it's hard to see a circumstance where this situation improves quickly. Let's discuss.
Russia sent a number of drones into Poland - the first major incursion into NATO territory that Russia has made in recent times. This provoked NATO forces to shoot down those drones - but the outstanding question is - what's the play? Most likely, it is all about Vladimir Putin poking NATO trying to reveal to the world, and to itself, that President Trump's America will run away if it thinks that Article 5 might be close to being invoked. It's a dangerous game - and one that might well succeed. Let's discuss.
The concerns about the Trump Administration's summary execution of eleven people in a boat in international waters off Venezuela - alleged to be gang members involved in drug smuggling - have been growing louder. This burst into full view with an angry spat between vice president JD Vance and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul over Vance's statement of impunity over the action. Meanwhile, the US forces remain in place, Venezuela is poking them with near fly-pasts by its air fighters, and it could all escalate further at any moment. Let's discuss.
The stoics would tell you that you can't control what happens to you in the world, you can only control how you respond to it. Well, it turns out that having a post-truth populist in charge of the most powerful country in the world has ripple effects over the rest of the world. Other world leaders, the mainstream media, and indeed other autocrats - it could be that the majority of Trump's impact on the world will come not from the individual acts he takes, but how the rest of the world changes its own behaviours to cope with Trump. And the first visible sign of that - it's getting harder to identify the truth in the places where we used to most often find it. Let's discuss.
Trump is coming to the UK in ten days time. And not just for any old visit, but for a 'very special' and 'unprecedented' second state visit. All the pomp and pageantry ... and protest. In this video I answer the question, what SHOULD Brits do about the honoured guest Trump when he arrives for his state visit. Is there anything they could do that would make any sort of difference? Well, let's discuss.
We'd already picked up that Trump's America wanted to pull resources from Europe and the Middle East with a view to concentrating its full focus on its main rival and growing threat - China. Well, a leaked draft Defence Strategy seen by Politico, has revealed that the thinking has done a sharp pivot specifically in relation to China. It is hugely consequential, and might reflect the core of a strategy that survives Trump and defines America's future place in the world. So let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week, Trump sides with Putin in blaming European leaders for his frustrations about the lack of progress in ending the Ukraine war. The US blows a boat with eleven people out of the water because it has decided they are narco-terrorists. The world's smallest and newest petrostate just had a crucial election. And a good old-fashioned British tabloid feeding frenzy has brought the deputy Prime Minister down. Plus, I respond to a comment on a recent video.
The leader of Reform UK and best bud of Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, testified to Congress yesterday and told Americans that the UK has a free speech crisis and has become akin to North Korea. That is patently absurd, and some of the supporting evidence given for it is likewise. But some of it is not, and some of the most telling instances are not even being highlighted. So what's really going on? Let's discuss.
China has been hosting an economic summit that brought together Russia, Indian and numerous other countries from the global south. And then it topped that off with one of its spectacular military parades that put Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un in the spotlight, and rather showed up Trump's birthday parade as being a pale imitation. But the serious business underlying all this is the growing momentum the Trump administration is giving to the growth of a powerful and assertive group of non-Western nations, and the rise of China as the first and most powerful amongst them. Let's discuss.
Back in May, we saw the numbers of visitors to the United States plummeting in the wake of President Trump's attacks on most countries in the world with his tariffs and much else besides. Particularly with visitors from Canada, but also Europe and elsewhere. It was speculated that, if it continued, it would wipe billions of revenue off the US tourism industry and leave a lot of, particularly small, tourist businesses in significant trouble. So at the end of the holiday season, how much did those predictions bear up? As it turns out, pretty robustly. With one interesting exception. Let's discuss.
Lots of people have been speculating this weekend that maybe Trump has been out of sight because his health isn't good. That all seems overblown, but it did focus people's minds briefly on what would come next had it been the case. And the fact is that there are reasons to think it would be substantially different, and in many ways potentially much more difficult even than the erratic Trump 2.0 experience. It all focuses on the rise of artificial intelligence, and how the race to the bottom on AI-enabled authoritarianism, and the rise of tech companies as sovereign global players, is going to make life complicated. Let's discuss.
If anything has defined Donald Trump's second term as president, it is his use of tariffs to bully the world into giving the US highly unequal trade deals. He has used tariffs as an economic bludgeon, but also a political punishment weapon - targeting India and Brazil for political, not economic, reasons. Well, now it is all up in the air as the appeals court has confirmed that all of it was Trump exceeding his powers and authority. Now he is left dangling for months waiting for the Supreme Court to rule - and if it upholds the decision against him, all those tariffs will have to be paid back. And that will leave Trump looking ridiculous before the world, and his administration in total chaos. Let's discuss.
In this news round-up of the week, countries are forming common-interest groups across the world to find ways to reduce their exposure to Trump's America and to work on the old rules-based trade order. Also, the world postal services stop sending parcels to the US. Russia pummels Ukraine's capital - Europeans hope Trump will take note, and you can guess how that goes. The head of the CDC is fired for not being anti-vax enough. And more. Plus, I answer a couple of your questions.
You're not supposed to be able to use the Presidency of the United States in order to enrich yourself. Indeed, previous presidents provoked controversy even from commanding lucrative deals AFTER they'd been in the office. But all those rules are out of the window with President Trump. Between deals for Trump licensing, gifts, crypto initiatives, and more - Trump has been doing very well indeed over the last seven months. Indeed, once you step back you can't help but notice - his distinctive style of confrontational leadership couldn't be better calculated to encourage lots of wealthy people to see it as being in their interest to give him money. Let's discuss.
We knew that Trump's Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had directed spies to go into Greenland as part of a covert influence operation. Now, Denmark has identified three individuals doing exactly what she had directed - gathering names of potential supporters to try to seed a secessionist movement, to create conflict and division between Greenlanders and Denmark. This shows that, not only has Trump's ambition to take Greenland not gone away, but it's likely that lack of progress to date may prompt him to become impatient. Let's discuss.
We know all about some of the very public moves - gerrymandering in Texas, for instance. But across multiple measures - many of which are hidden in plain sight - Trump's MAGA Republican Party is step by step dismantling America's processes for ensuring free and fair elections. The details don't capture the public attention, but unless they're halted, it could be the start of an extended dark period for the US the like of which it hasn't seen for a very long time. Let's discuss.
The US used to lead the world in its innovation, including in energy and industry, and also in its medical advances. And that was because it invested in scientific knowledge, and turned that knowledge into useful services that were easily sold to the whole world. Now, the Trump administration is fixated on articles of faith, not actual scientific advance. It hates renewable energy, which the rest of the world sees as the technology of the future. It hates the mRNA vaccine technology that Trump originally championed during the Covid pandemic, but which has become mired in conspiracy theories. And it is now shaping public policy to match its superstitions and myths. It's hurting America - and may well be exported to some of the rest of us. Let's discuss.
It was just a couple of days ago that President Trump was telling us in no uncertain terms that Ukraine needed to be able to hit deep inside Russia to have a chance of defending itself - and that it had been a major failure of Biden to have not let them do this for so long. And yet, it was revealed today that Trump's Pentagon has been blocking Ukraine from doing just that - and it doesn't seem inclined to change that. On Ukraine's Independence day, let's discuss this latest evidence that the US is an adversary of Ukraine, not an ally.
For just a few days, there was an illusion of real momentum arising from the Trump Putin Summit in Alaska, and the Zelensky Europeans meeting with Trump in the Oval Office. But very quickly, reality is reasserting itself. All the concessions that Trump and his envoy Steve Witkoff believed they had gotten from Putin in Anchorage are dropping one after the other. No, Putin doesn't want to meet Zelensky. No, they haven't adapted their territory demands. No, they haven't agreed to robust security guarantees for Ukraine. And with their most recent statement on the latter, it is impossible to ignore that the Russians are just laughing at Trump's amateur-hour efforts at peace. Let's discuss.
Trump's administration has started getting directly involved with businesses in the United States, especially those considered strategic. Up to, and including, taking part-ownership of Intel. But it's the plan to get AI chips being sold to China, with a slice of the revenue going to the government, that has really stirred things up. Not least because China is now turning away from those chips completely after the Trump administration boasted they were selling them redundant tech and boasted they were doing so to trap them. Another genius day in Trump Land. Let's discuss.
Trump loves strong man leaders, and it used to be that he loved Narendra Modi as a result. They were great friends, the world was told, and so Modi thought. The world looks different now as President Trump's America is tariffing India more severely than almost any other country - and doing so allegedly because it buys Russian oil. But is that really the reason? And regardless of why - what will be the impact in a more volatile multi-polar world? Let's discuss.
There are two live issues being played out following the Alaska summit and the ensemble meeting at the White House. First, Trump's determination that there should be a trilateral meeting with Zelensky, Putin and himself. And Second, that there should be some commitment around a security guarantee that would aim to prevent war from simply restarting soon in the future. All the players are seeking to navigate these to best effect, while all the time having to deal with the unguided missile at the centre of everything - President Trump. But the three-way meeting is being resisted hard by Putin, while pretending to be open for it. And the security guarantee - well, everyone right now is pretending it's real. But really, it's just not. Let's discuss.
Following Trump's failure to hold the simple lines agreed with European leaders in advance of his summit with President Putin, the heads of the largest European countries, along with others with good relationships with Trump, are going with President Zelensky for meetings at the White House. Their fear is that Trump will seek to bully Ukraine into accepting Putin's terms for a peace deal. Their determination is to prevent another 'Oval Office' meltdown, and to undo some of the damage done by Putin's three hour stint with him in Alaska. The stakes are pretty high - let's discuss.
The big summit meeting in Alaska finally took place. After being talked about, written about and speculated about for the preceding week, it turned out to be ... exactly what we thought. For Trump, there was no escaping the fact this was a monstrous fail, as his amateur-hour combo went up against well-prepared, highly experienced opponents. Initially, even Trump didn't much want to speak to the press while he processed what had just happened, and tried to work out how to spin it into some face-saving formula. So now that that's out of the way - what's next? Let's discuss.
China continues to make the most of its near-monopoly on rare earth minerals and magnets - now it is telling businesses they are not allowed to build up a reserve or stockpile. If China suspects them of doing so, they will have their supplies slashed. This is an indicator that Xi Jinping has been emboldened by President Trump's attempts to extort the entire world, and is seeking short-term advantage by making the most of its current stranglehold. While all the drama is happening in Alaska, this is the quieter, but more steady, story about the current power play shaping our world. Let's discuss.
In this highly uncertain world, with wars raging and tensions rising - many countries have committed to boosting their defence spending - and that includes buying new fighter jets. Many countries in NATO and elsewhere, had committed to buying American F-35 jets. President Trump loves the F-35, and encourages everyone to buy them. But suddenly people are dropping those commitments like hot stones, as it sinks in just what a strategic risk it would be for any country to buy such technology from America. Because plain and simple, they trust it no more. And this is just the first substantial sign of how Trump's bullying is coming back to bite America hard. Let's discuss.
A week ago, we were noting that President Trump fired the head of the statistics bureau that gave the world the bad news about US jobs growth. And we speculated over whether he was really going to push a compliant partisan into that post, given that just about everybody said that if he did, it would completely undermine America's credibility when it came to information about its economy. Well, that's exactly what he did. So let's discuss.
The more that President Trump does his trademark freewheeling in the run-up to his summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, the more it becomes apparent that this is an illegitimate process. Trump's America has no valid cause to be inserting itself into a conflict from which it is walking away, and on behalf of a side that has not granted it power to represent it at the negotiating table. The trouble is - nobody is prepared to cross Trump by telling him such a thing, and so the slow-motion car crash continues to its inevitable conclusion. Let's discuss.
A growing number of rather vocal people, some with large platforms to amplify their message, are utterly convinced that Britain is in deep decline, on the verge of a massive uprising and even civil war, thanks to widespread perceptions of crisis. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK is one of the most prominent, with his 'lawless Britain' campaign. And yet when you look at some of the statistics where you would expect to see evidence of such a crisis - they seem not to justify the rhetoric. So is this purely an online perception? How could such a thing happen, and what are the chances it becomes reality in the near future? Let's discuss.
The Trump Putin summit has been confirmed to take place in the state of Alaska next Friday. But as more has come to light, it seems possible that the whole event, and the optimism that Trump expressed for what might come out of it - might just have hinged on a mistake made by Trump's hapless special envoy Steve Witkoff when he met Vladimir Putin a few days ago. Even before that possibility came out, it seemed somewhat unlikely it would do anything but provide yet another chapter in the long ongoing saga. Let's discuss.
The comforting line is that it's all just temporary. Sacking the scientists. Removing the research studies. Publishing anti-scientific conspiracy nonsense as if it were fact. But there are some very good reasons to think we simply cannot be so complacent - that forces are coming together to make this a moment in history where we could - with all our technology and hubris - be about to take a step back away from an evidence-based enlightenment to a faith / superstition based period in history. Let's discuss.
Suddenly, President Trump and Russia's President Putin are on course to have a face-to-face meeting, possibly as soon as next week. What changed? Was it the threat of secondary tariffs against countries like India and China for buying Russian oil? Was it the three hour meeting between Putin and Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, which apparently saw great progress, but no major breakthroughs? Whatever it was, the meeting is supposed to be on, and it's worth considering whether it represents any kind of move forward, even a potential step change - or just another chapter in more-of-the-same? Let's discuss.
As he campaigned for re-election, Trump made it quite clear that part of his agenda was one of vengeance against all those he felt had wronged him - especially his political opponents. He appointed slavishly loyal figures to head up all the key agencies - and now that plan is starting to kick into high gear. Pursuing Obama and members of his administration on what appear to be flimsy accusations of 'treason' over Russian interference in the 2016 election. And also, most conveniently for him, finding a way to deflect the focus of attention for the Epstein files onto people like Bill Clinton, rather than Donald Trump. Let's discuss.
In his first time, President Trump was partly constrained by the so-called 'adults in the room' - people who could explain to him why some particularly mad idea would not work. We already knew that this time was different, but we had been lead to hope that there might be at least one or two adults in the room - keeping their heads down and choosing their moments. Marco Rubio or Scott Bessent perhaps. Some constraints. The evidence is piling up that that's really not the case. Let's discuss.
Elon Musk just got the first piece of good news he's had for a long time - a massive $30 billion bonus from the Tesla board if he stays with Tesla as CEO and, you know, actually focuses on doing that job rather than running around playing politics and alienating all of Tesla's customers. While no announcement has been made about Musk's promised new political party, The America Party, the implication is surely that the project is now dead. But will that alone be enough to revive Tesla's fortunes? Let's discuss.
President Trump claims he ordered two nuclear submarines to change their position in relation to Russia, in response to some inflated rhetoric from Dmitry Medvedev. This was portrayed as projecting strength in the face of Russian intransigence in Ukraine. But it actually conveys two things that Trump certainly didn't intend. One is weakness, as opposed to strength. And the other is the fact that Trump is beginning to realise that he needs another way to try to dominate Russia on the world stage, because Plan A has failure built in. Let's discuss.
Having previously boasted about how good the US jobs numbers were, and taken credit for that, it was obviously an unpleasant surprise for President Trump to find they had been over-stated, and actually there is a slump in jobs growth - clearly tied to some of his policies. So he did what anyone would do - he, um, fired the head of the agency that collects the statistics. In so doing, he crossed another line in the undermining of America's reputation as a place to do business - by casting down on the future reliability of its economic data. Let's discuss.
Rather a lot of people believe that once all the countries have either negotiated 'deals' with the United States, or have resigned themselves to higher tariff rates, everything will settle down. The US will have higher tariffs, and that will just become the new normal. They are completely missing the point. President Trump fully intends to remain at the centre of world events for the full length of his term, and he is developing a pretty sharp appetite for interfering in the affairs of others right across the world. What will that look like? And who are the people, like Exxon Mobil, lining up to get a piece of the action? Let's discuss.
In the last few days, President Macron of France, Keir Starmer of the UK, and Mark Carney of Canada have all announced that they will recognise the state of Palestine. President Trump rather shrugged at the first two, while acknowledging that they had the right to their position even if he didn't agree with it. But that wasn't remotely his reaction to Canada doing the same thing. This, he declared, would be the end of the trade talks with Carney's team. This came at the same time as he was applying pressure on Brazil over their prosecution of former president Bolsonaro. It seems Trump is very much in the business of pushing other countries on how they should behave - exactly what he once said he would not do. Let's discuss.
President Trump had threatened Russia's President Putin - agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine within 50 days, or I'll hit you with secondary sanctions against everyone who buys your oil. Putin shrugged, and accelerated his campaign. Now Trump has cut the deadline to ten days, without provoking any noticeable increase in urgency on the other side. But even as he did so, he was beginning to do something he had never done before. To express his own doubt to impose his will on others. Having sailed through a bunch of tariff deals designed to humiliate other countries, suddenly he is finding that the real power brokers are not so compliant. And in this one move, he should logically be threatening all of them - Putin's Russia, Xi's China, and Modi's India. Likely, he won't go after any of them. Let's discuss.
The European 'deal' is rather falling apart within a day of being announced, with various provisions being presented wildly differently by both sides. What must Mark Carney and Canada be making of the sight, as they note the looming August 1 deadline for their own trade deal with Trump? Carney said that Canada wouldn't accept a bad deal, but it seems that bad deals is all Trump has to offer. So will Canada be the one to actually stand up to Trump, in spite of the consequences of a vindictive trade war? Or will Trump just kick the can a little further down the road? Let's discuss.
The EU and US announced a "trade deal" that was declared by Trump to be "the biggest ever". Ursula von der Leyen was less bombastic, but still expressed satisfaction. Europe had been said to be negotiating tough in talks with Trump's trade team. It is a major trading bloc, representing a huge slice of US commerce. So it should have been able to get a reasonably equal deal - or at least somewhat better than those much smaller than them. Right? Well, not exactly. Let's discuss - and explore what this means in terms of changing global power.
Nothing screams 'banana republic' more than what is going on right now with Ghislaine Maxwell. Trump's former lawyer and assistant attorney general goes for two days of secret talks with the partner of Jeffrey Epstein. No independent observers. No transcript or record. The nature of the exercise is transparent and shockingly corrupt. And yet merely saying so doesn't deflect it from being carried out in the slightest. Now influencers are lining up behind the idea that this is the way to get to the bottom of the Epstein files - at least in a way that guarantees only the opposition get people named and shamed. Can it really be true? Let's discuss.
I asked for questions, and you delivered! A far-ranging Q&A covering the future for the Democratic Party, and why the US system is particularly brutal towards the non-incumbent party. Why no Trump top officials have resigned in spite of his assault on American democracy. The future of Trump's plan for Gaza. Whether Reform UK will win the next UK election, and whether there will be election reform under Keir Starmer. Oh, and - who's this Mallen fella anyway?
This week, President Trump continued the trend he has established so many times, he pulled the United States out of UNESCO. And as he did so, China was embedded itself more deeply in the institution he had vacated. Between America's retreat from every international body on the grounds that it's not 'America First' enough (how could it ever be?), and its pursuit of allies and enemies alike with punitive tariffs, China is taking full advantage to speed up the transition to what it believes is its inevitable rise. It's a major shift in world power dynamics, so let's discuss.
The mainstream media are downplaying Trump and Tulsi Gabbard's rhetoric on former President Obama and 'treason' over Russian influence on the 2016 election. But in the other news bubble, the MAGA crowd are absolutely convinced that Obama was criminal, they are demanding his arrest, and we seem a step closer to the executive pursuing political opponents and jailing them on trumped-up charges. Once that line is crossed, politics becomes a much more existential struggle, and an extremely dangerous line may well have been crossed. Let's discuss.
Trump still can't get rid of the Epstein files obsession. Even though he is doing his best to distract the attention of his base with empty promises that former President Obama could be prosecuted for 'treason'. So now his Department of Justice has announced that it will carry out an interview with Epstein's partner Ghislaine Maxwell. And, in considering just what they might be seeking to achieve by that move, one obviously Trumpian answer springs into view. Is THIS Trump's secret plan to get out of his Epstein dilemma? Let's discuss.
Zelensky's war-torn Ukraine is being accused by many, including the European Union, of authoritarian slide. This has come to a head recently with the vote to remove independence from key anti-corruption watchdogs, and to pursue prosecutions against a number of well known anti-corruption activists. But Ukraine is in the middle of an existential war, the like of which no democracy has endured since World War 2. Just how do we EXPECT that a modern democracy can fight such a war? Let's discuss.
It was always predicted that Trump 2.0 would include a certain amount of payback - and that was particularly the case when he brought in unqualified loyalists to take up key positions in the intelligence services, the DOJ, and the FBI. Well, now it seems that the Trump Administration is looking to go after former President Obama, with an incoherent charge that he had the intelligence services make up reports on Russian election interference in order to undermine Trump's first term. This is where stuff potentially gets real, so let's discuss.
We had gotten used to the idea that nothing stuck to Donald Trump. Previous politicians could be brought down by the slightest indiscretion, or fumble in the campaign. But Trump spoke offensively, had been shown to have behaved outrageously, and none of it stuck to him in the slightest. And none of it dented his confidence. But now he's on the back foot, playing serious defence. This time it's different, and it's worth looking at why that is. So let's discuss.
According to CBS, it was a purely financial decision. But then, that was always going to be the line because if it was actually what everybody thinks it looks like, it would hardly admit it. Just like they didn't admit that the $16 million court settlement to Trump was a bribe, and yet Trump himself tacitly acknowledged exactly that during one of his ramblings. So was it Trump that got one of his most effective critics silenced? Is it a one-off, or is he going to be targeting the others next. And how far does this go towards chilling effective criticism of the type that most gets under Trump's skin? Let's discuss.
Remember all that stuff about how Trump was sure the only way he could lose an election would be if there was fraud? Well, it seems he's coming round to rigging the elections - so long as it's done by his side. It's not that gerrymandering is new - but the idea that a US president would be co-ordinating the practice by his side across the country, keeping count of the extra House seats that might be won - that is a different level altogether. Let's discuss.
When President Trump's second term started, the notable thing was just how far-reaching his actions were, just how norm-breaking and transgressive they were, and how little his supporters seemed to care. Suddenly, the story has changed. Now there have been three occasions where his MAGA base was divided because Trump did things that run counter to the emerging orthodoxy. What had seemed previously to be a pure cult of personality has turned into something with a much more ideological wing. And that completely transforms the practicalities of the succession race to come. Let's discuss.
Trump came to power on the back of multiple disinformation campaigns and conspiracy theories. While there's some satisfying karma to see his administration being bitten back by one such conspiracy that MAGA promoted, the truth is that we now have a government that disparages expertise of all types, insists on dealing with other countries in profound ignorance of their outlook and position, and continues to weaponise disinformation. Is there any way back from this? Let's discuss.
President Trump had trailed a 'big announcement' on Ukraine and Russia coming today - and we even had Mark Rutte, the head of NATO in the White House for the occasion. And ... well, while it wasn't nothing, there are good reasons to think that Trump's threat of secondary tariffs (unspecified, but set at 100%) with a 50 day deadline - may not get the job done. But at least it means that America won't be actively undermining the defence of Ukraine any more, and that actually matters. So that's something. Let's discuss.
Arguably, the world has been going through the five stages of grief since Trump came back to the Presidency six months ago. And with the latest actions to cut right across difficult negotiations to hand out more egregious tariff rates, it seems likely we've finally achieved at the final stage - acceptance. But not acceptance of Trump's terms. Not acceptance of Trump's view of the world order. More acceptance that now all the other countries have to rebuild the trade and security system specifically to exclude Trump's America. The world is turning on Trump - and it started here. Let's discuss.
Yesterday, it emerged that the Trump team has been asking its (former) allies Japan and Australia a very strange question - demanding clarity from them on a subject for which the US has a policy not to provide any such clarity. It is, of course, the question of what would they do should China invade Taiwan. But is it really asking? Or is it creating the impression of preparation as part of an operation to dissuade Xi Jinping from even considering doing such a thing ... at least until President Trump is no longer in office? Let's discuss.
Canada thought it was making good progress in negotiations with the Trump team - then he announced even higher tariffs against it. Vietnam thought it had agreed a deal with a much lower tariff figure, but then Trump simply announced a higher one. The first countries through the gate are finding - and the rest of the world is noting - that nothing Trump or his team say can be trusted, that any deal can simply be changed at a whim, and this is not a serious process. So what does the world do about it? Let's discuss.
The US President just announced a massive 50% tariff on Brazil. Nothing to do with the usual excuses - trade deficits - the US has a trade surplus with Brazil. No, instead he is punishing the country for the fact that it is prosecuting former strong man authoritarian president Bolsonaro - one of the leaders Trump saw as 'one of us'. Why is it prosecuting him? Well, he denied the election result that he lost in 2022, and tried to instigate a coup. No idea why Trump might relate to such deeds. But let's discuss anyway.
Trump has muttered, he has grumbled, he has occasionally threatened, but never has there been the slightest sign that he would actually take action of any sort against Vladimir Putin's Russia over its war against Ukraine. But now it suddenly seems as though that might be about to change. Not only did Trump ensure the weapons flow to Ukraine restarted, but he has strongly hinted his interest in endorsing the radical sanctions bill that has been drawn up for just this moment in Congress. If passed, it would have a huge impact on Russia's economy, not to mention on China, India and Turkey if they keep buying Russia's oil. Let's discuss.
Another day, another round of tariff dramas. Trump revealed the new tariff rates he was 'granting' to various countries via letter, along with a new deadline for those countries to come to a deal with him before the rates come into force. It's just another way of seeking to bully the world into agreeing to give one-sided deals to the most powerful country in the world, and to string out the process and the uncertainty, making the whole thing about one man. But while countries are jumping through hoops to get the least worst outcome, the extortion and the drama are starting to backfire. Let's discuss.
So Elon Musk is launching a new political party in the US. And former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is doing something similar in the UK, albeit with a very different political bent. And you're adding those to the existing UK 'upstart' party Reform UK, which is already doing extremely well in the polls. But wait ... aren't both of these countries famously and rigidly two party systems? Aren't third parties always doomed to obscurity, by dint of the brutal logic of the electoral system? Yes, that's the conventional wisdom. But a great deal is changing in politics right now, thanks to our populist moment. And maybe this is going to turn out to be a sea change that shakes those big two party establishments to their core. Let's discuss.
China has had a public line on Ukraine for the last three years - studied neutrality that didn't entirely fool anybody. Well, yesterday it blew that up with a frank admission to a top level delegation from the EU that left them astonished. Not for the reality of it, but for the fact that they would even admit it. Because they said yes - China will not allow Russia to be beaten in the Ukraine war. And the reason why not? Mostly, it has to do with Donald Trump. Let's discuss.
For an administration that talks a lot about free speech, President Trump sure seems to sue a lot of news media companies for reporting on things he wishes they wouldn't. He also is suing a lot of social media companies. To all appearances, these are about chilling free speech, while also extorting significant sums of money for Trump's 'presidential library'. It's not even subtle, but we're getting to the stage now where it's starting to become normalised and accepted as a cost of doing business under the new regime. This would be a big mistake. Let's discuss.
It came out of the blue, with all the NATO allies of Ukraine having thought they'd done a great job of keeping Trump on side at last week's NATO summit. Suddenly, they were learning that Trump had paused weapons already agreed to be sent to Ukraine. Not only that, but Trump was suddenly taking a direct call with Vladimir Putin to discuss all the possibilities of how they could work together. This in contrast with how he is ratcheting up the pressure on China, and increasingly demanding of the same allies that they distance themselves from Xi Jinping. Just another day in Trump world. Let's discuss.
The controversial Trump Budget Mega-Bill squeaked its way through the Senate, thanks to the casting vote of JD Vance. And now it has come back to the House somewhat changed from how it was when it left. Specifically, with more debt loaded into it. And more severe cuts to Medicaid. Democrats are convinced this bill is going to come back to haunt the Republicans, and by all accounts Republicans fear that will be the case as well. How far might that go? And could it be the act of self-sabotage that destroys MAGA's project before it can get fully embedded? Let's discuss.
We know that big changes are happening in the world. Some of them are well known as cycles in history, and affect the current geopolitical order. But there are also four aspects where what we face is unique to our time - things the human race has never dealt with before. And the most important of those four is the one the effects of which are coming whether we like it or not - and sooner than the UN is projecting. Global population decline, and then collapse. Let's discuss.
Musk has largely gone back to focusing on his own businesses - but he couldn't help making a last public stab at President Trump's big budget bill which will eviscerate support for EVs and clean technology, while boosting it instead for fossil fuels. He must be reflecting how badly served his original missions for Tesla and SpaceX have been by his biggest single mistake surely in his life - getting involved in MAGA politics and helping bring into being an administration that has really been the end of what he wanted to achieve in the world. Let's discuss.
Lots of people have gotten excited about an upset win for an old-fashioned socialist candidate in the New York Mayoral race. Notwithstanding the implications or otherwise of the politics of it, the real lesson that Democrats and everyone else involved in politics should be paying attention to is the fact that someone finally showed up the dismal level of what passes for political campaigning right now. Let's discuss.
Suddenly, Trump had a moment and called off the ongoing trade talks with Canada. The reason - or, at least, the excuse - was the incoming Digital Services Tax about to be implemented (and running as a forerunner to the same device in the EU). Now the trade war is back on. Trump will be announcing the new tariff rate for Canada in the coming week, and it's unlikely to be a minor affair - because it looks very much like whatever it will be will simply be calculated to force Ottawa to back down on their tax, even as it's being put into practice. How bad does this get, and what really prompted it? Let's discuss.
We heard all the promises during the confirmation hearing for Robert F Kennedy Jr. He was not anti-vax. He was not promoting conspiracy theories. He was not going to be messing around with immunisations schedules for children. Well, that didn't last long. Right now, fundamental changes are being made that remove actual vaccine expertise and replace it with pseudoscience and quackery. It's early days, but the first steps could not be less clear about the direction of travel. Let's discuss.
Trump's use of military force in Iran has made his enemies and rivals sit up and take notice - especially those in China who have been evaluating the likelihood of the US intervening should they finally decide to make a move on Taiwan. How much has really changed because of what just happened over Iran's nuclear programme? And what are the huge mistakes President Trump is making that is giving Xi Jinping the opportunity to step more quickly into the role of rising, pre-eminent world superpower? Let's discuss.
The NATO Summit came to a relatively successful conclusion, given the rather limited ambition it had set for itself. But throughout the event, Trump insisted on a version of reality of the recent US military strike against Iran's nuclear sites, that is not supported by evidence, and demanded that everyone else should actively agree. And this in spite of the fact that a preliminary assessment by his own defence department contradicted him. However the facts of the case eventually unfold, this habit of Trump's of turning his own wishful thinking into a loyalty test for all those around him - that is going to result in some crashingly bad consequences. Let's discuss.
All of Trump's team were on message - the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites was a one-off strike, not a declaration of war, and certainly not directed towards regime change in Iran. Then Trump floated exactly that, and it seemed that he was piling pressure onto Iran to capitulate. Did this mean he didn't think he'd completely destroyed Iran's nuclear capabilities? Did it mean that he was trying to prevent the US from being dragged further into a war? And, with the latest news that Iran has made a first retaliation against US military in the Middle East, does that mean his gamble is failing - or that it paid off? Let's discuss.
So the President Trump's United States just dropped a bunch of its 'bunker buster' bombs on the nuclear enrichment sites in Iran. Technically, that means it has joined the war between Iran and Israel. But it all depends on what happens next - because neither Trump nor Iran has an interest in taking each other on in a long drawn-out conflict. That said, even if it ends quickly (no guarantee), Trump has crossed a line that has a bunch of consequences built in. Let's discuss.
The Trump Administration's trademark abrupt bullying has just led to key regional ally Japan cancelling an annual security summit. Between America's sudden unreliable ally status, and its assault on Japan's economy via tariffs, it is now quickly re-evaluating its options. Just as all that is happening, the US has woken up with a start to not one, but two ways they might be directly threatened by China that they hadn't seen coming. Not exactly the best time to be losing allies left, right and centre you might think.
You read that right - The Fordow nuclear enrichment site in Iran, located as it is beneath a mountain, is considered by some in the Pentagon to be so hard to reach, that even America's famed 'bunker-buster' might not get the job done. In which case, the only conceivable alternative - well, it would cross a red line that the world has been observing without fail for eighty years. And yet we know that President Trump loves nothing more than ignoring other people's red lines. But would he seriously consider this one? According to the White House, nothing is off the table. Let's discuss.
New research by the Pew Research Centre has looked at worldwide attitudes to President Trump, and as a consequence Trump's America. Some of it won't be hugely surprising - yes, with the exception of five countries in the sample, Trump is viewed negatively. But some of the results are less intuitive, some are downright bizarre. And many of them tell a story about how we see the world, and what we're looking for in a time of conflict. Let's discuss.
The G7 Summit of 2025 may come to represent the last gasp of the old rules-based world order, condemned to impotence and irrelevance as President Trump pondered whether to enter the war with Iran, and showed the shift symbolically be leaving the summit half way through. But there's a lot at stake in just how Trump's new 'might-makes-right' world order gets shaped - and an early taste of the glory of military victory might be extremely bad for what comes next. Let's discuss.
The most frequent setbacks to the Trump Administration have been in the courts, up to and including the Supreme Court with its Trump-appointed judges - as things it seeks to do are found to be illegal. Of course, this has been met with Trump bluster - lots of name calling and probably empty threats to do with impeachment. But the authoritarian playbook has plenty of history for how such issues get dealt with - and now Trump is making a move that firmly follows exactly that guide. And if this line gets crossed, America should know that the floodgates are truly open towards a different sort of society. Let's discuss.
The G7 summit is under way in Canada, and the biggest agenda item by far is the war between Israel and Iran. Almost certainly, nothing said or done there will make the slightest difference. Since Russia's war on Ukraine showed up the brutal logic of nuclear-armed power, the entire world has shifted in ways that weren't first apparent. And that means that Israel will stop at nothing to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons - and this conflict likely will just be the first of its kind. Let's discuss.
This weekend, we saw the tragic eruption once again of political violence in America. Unfortunately, this is just the extreme end of a growing wave of threats, intimidation and occasionally worse that is hitting public officials at all levels. While America has gone through waves of more and less violent periods in its recent past, this wave is distinctive, and it is very much coming as part and parcel of a new authoritarian moment. Such times call for clear heads and careful analysis, so let's make a start.
Something happened almost, but not quite, unnoticed. Trump admitted that his administration's approach to its mass deportation project was having a major consequence - and the policy on illegal immigration has been quietly changed as a result. That in itself is quite interesting - but it actually reflects a solid reason why Trump's authoritarian experiment can only ever go so far before it hits similar roadblocks. And while his populist playbook is highly effective, it gives hints as to how it can perhaps be countered in the future. Worth discussing anyway.
Israel has transformed the world geopolitical stage again by launching a direct and sustained assault on Iran. It wrongfooted President Trump by doing so in open defiance of his wishes, and it has presented him with a massive dilemma. Because the president who is both Israel's staunch ally AND the president who promised not to get involved in foreign wars, is now caught on the edge of events he can't control. The day before he's due to strut in front of the largest and most powerful army in the world, the question really is what does that even mean in an era when 'big history' has returned with a vengeance? Let's discuss.
A period of extreme stress has begun for many of the leaders of the free world. Beginning with the announcement from the US that it is throwing the Aukus partnership into the air to see if it lands 'America First' side up, and then going from there to the G7, and then the NATO summit. Everyone is asking one question - what will President Trump do? Seriously - agendas are being shaped not around the world's greatest problems but how can we avoid a meltdown? But the real question that won't be tabled should be this - is the US still fit to be called an ally of any of the countries around any of the tables? If so - why is it continually acting more like an adversary? Let's discuss.
China and the US just wrapped up two days of trade talks in London. But the fascinating thing is what they are NOT saying about what was agreed. There's more to it than meets the eye, and there's a reason why Trump isn't admitting what he gave the Chinese - because he's not keen to confess that he made a massive miscalculation when he launched his original unprovoked attack on them. Let's discuss.
The crisis in LA has deepened since we discussed it two days ago. President Trump doubled the number of National Guard, and added 700 US marines for good measure. He speculated about the merit of arresting state governor Gavin Newsom, and his team have been spreading through social media that the Democrats are basically supporting an insurrection against the duly elected Trump administration. The rhetoric sounds wild and unhinged, but it isn't accidental, and it very much points to the playbook this entire event was created for. Let's discuss.
It's a great idea in theory - an impregnable missile defence shield to protect the country from any attack from its numerous enemies around the world. But for a variety of reasons, numerous experts, agencies and countries believe President Trump's Golden Dome project will have the overall effect of making the world less safe - and that includes the United States as well. That's even before you get to those with rather powerful arguments as to why it won't even work anyway. It could completely upend current assumptions about war, deterrence and the exercise of power in the world - we should probably discuss.
The use of the National Guard to quell violent protests / riots in LA obviously crosses a line, but it's only the start of a journey that was mapped out by the authors of Project 2025 before Trump was re-elected. The administration was given the perfect excuse they've been waiting for, and they have done exactly what they've been planning to do. But it's what comes next that matters. Because the authoritarian playbook takes this in a specific direction, and it will be easy to pretend it's sort-of business-as-usual right up until the point you realise you crossed the point of no return without noticing some way back. Let's discuss.
A leaked FSB briefing document has been revealed - and it is fascinating for what it shows about Russia's REAL attitude to its supposed close ally China. These are two authoritarians side by side in opposition to the hegemony of the United States, but they are also deeply suspicious of each other and know full well that the alliance is only skin deep. And even with all that being said, President Trump's plan to pull them apart is doomed to abject failure. Let's discuss.
Yes, Elon Musk vs Donald Trump - it's very entertaining. The memes are flowing in industrial quantities. But a lot of people are missing just how important a pivot point this is. In classic authoritarian regimes, the betrayal by the insider is the moment that provokes the most powerful reaction - and the terms in which Musk has attacked are not light, they are serious and existential. However they play the first few days in the aftermath, there will now be a longer game cranking into gear. And the shape of that will determine just how deep this authoritarian moment in America's history is going to get. Let's discuss.
We got a surprise today, when it was suddenly announced that China's President Xi Jinping and President Trump had spoken directly on the phone. And then it was the turn of Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz to play the game of 'spin the Oval Office wheel'. Would he get ambushed, or treated with respect? And what difference would it make that both men had been playing hardball in recent weeks and months with the US administration? Well, the other world leaders have been playing close attention, so let's discuss what they've been seeing.
Everyone - even me - was saying that sooner or later a huge falling out between President Trump and Elon Musk would have to happen. Just when we thought that had been avoided, suddenly it's all kicking off. The fact of the falling out, then, is as expected - but the fact that it's over a point of real substance that matters - actually, that's more surprising. It may just focus an important part of America on the issue of the national debt. And given who's involved, it will probably do so in ... colourful ways. Let's discuss.
Trump's Canada ambassador Pete Hoekstra already got noticed by scolding Canadians for boycotting American products in their stores. Now, he's back to tell the country that Trump just tariffed at 50% (steel and aluminium) to get over themselves. That should work. Meanwhile, Canada is fast-tracking projects to boost growth, build alternative trade routes and generally leave the United States behind like a bad dream. At least, that's the plan. Let's discuss.
Ukraine sat down for more direct talks with Russia today - and that managed not to remotely be the story. More important was Ukraine's dramatic strike on air bases deep into Russian territory, where they demonstrated their ability to take the fight to the enemy. All this throws into sharp contrast President Trump's attempts to remain relevant to the conflict, and the futility of the so-called peace process when Russia clearly right now does not want peace. And yet Ukraine, and its European allies, continue to give Trump power in the process by pretending he's crucial to it. Let's discuss.
We've heard about how tourists are either boycotting holiday travel to the US, or are just scared by stories of people being detained for days or weeks on the border. But now it seems that even business travellers, who you would expect to be resistant to such issues, are also worried about, and increasingly avoiding, travel to Trump's America. And when they do go, they are taking the sort of precautions they previously only worried about if they were travelling to Communist China or Putin's Russia. Let's have a look.
Poland goes to the polls to elect its next president this weekend. And Trump's MAGA movement has been actively campaigning for the candidate it sees as most aligned with the Trumpian populist wave they want to sweep across Europe. Their manifesto is hostile to the European Union and similarly so to basic democratic institutions. Hostile as well to Donald Tusk's government, which is finding much of what it wants to do blocked by the Trump-friendly incumbent. And the opinion polling shows the vote is on a knife-edge. So how is MAGA getting involved, and what is really at stake in this election? Let's discuss.
Everything seems to have settled down with President Trump's America and China now that they'd climbed down from their maximalist tariff barrage. But Trump doesn't do quiet and settled, and so he exploded the peace with a range of new measures targeting China, along with an explosive tweet where he accused them of breaking the 'agreement' they had previously reached. What caused it - and does this mean we're back into the spiralling world of consequences? Let's discuss.
President Trump has been having SO much fun, slapping tariffs on the EU, hitting China, randomly spraying charges on everybody including the penguins. But now it has been pointed out, not unreasonably, that maybe one person shouldn't have the power to single-handedly reduce global economic growth on the basis of fringe ideas about how trade and the economy work. Will this be the start of the slide for Trump's presidency - or the inciting incident for his administration finally crossing the Rubicon into full-on authoritarian mode? Let's discuss.
We all know that President Trump has taken the decision to end climate action previously being taken by the United States - that is very much his prerogative, albeit that it makes sense only if you can pretend that climate change doesn't exist. But it doesn't stop there. Because the administration is taking an active, blocking campaign out to the wider world to see to punish those who remain committed to climate action, and to remove any barriers to a new patently suicidal age of fossil fuels. What is Trump doing - and will it work? Let's discuss.
Having told the Middle East, that America wouldn't be telling the world 'how to live their lives', the Trump Administration is launching a very active campaign against democratic guardrails in Europe. It is doing so under the name of 'free speech'. On this channel, I am a great champion of free speech, but the Trump version is not all that it seems. Let's discuss.
Fiona Hill was President Trump's Russia advisor in his first term - back when he had advisors who actually knew their subject. In an interview today with the Telegraph, she talked about the moment where she saw how Trump was literally terrified by Putin, and understood how this affected the way that he dealt with him then, and likely still does in how he deals with him today. We could consider this against the backdrop of Putin's casting aside Trump's hopes for a ceasefire, his pummelling of Ukraine with a fierce attack over the weekend, and Ukraine's President Zelensky's prod for a reaction. Let's discuss.
A remarkable feature of the 2024 presidential election was just how much Gen Z voters swung towards Trump, particularly young men. There's a popular narrative as to why that happened, which right now is the one that best fits the facts - and which becomes all the more intriguing because recent polls have suggested that this is a process that is now starting to reverse itself. It's early days, perhaps, but having won Gen Z, Trump is now losing them. Whether the Democrats can actively win them while the opportunity is there is another thing altogether. Let's discuss.
Just when it seemed that things might be stabilising just a bit, Trump posted onto social media and suddenly we're right back into the throes of new trade chaos. A 50% tariff against the European Union. A 25% tariff against Apple iphones that are manufactured in India. The reasoning behind the moves is as fantastical as all the tariff stuff has been so far - so now it's the EU's turn to decide whether to fight or concede, and Apple has to work out what it does with the impossible dilemma it's been presented with. And in the mean time, it is yet more self-harm from the US which continues to send out the message that you expose yourself to high risk if you engage with it. Let's discuss.
Books have been landing in recent weeks opening up windows into the behind-the-scenes action around the cognitive decline of US president Joe Biden, and how the messy events of his nomination, and then withdrawal, in the 2024 campaign played out. We're left with a disturbing outcome. We could all see that Biden was not in great shape all the way back to the start of his 2020 election campaign. And yet experts, informed as they were by insiders talking his condition up, failed to believe it. And we're left looking at a process that - in multiple ways - contributed to America's democratic decline, and opened the door to Trump 2.0. Let's discuss.
So we had another White House Struggle Session this week, this time with Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa. President Trump's ambush, watched silently by Elon Musk, unloaded a stream of accusations based on social media disinformation that made the United States look, once again, utterly foolish in the direct view of the world. By doing this a second time, and given which country he chose to do it to, Trump has harmed himself and the interests of his country a lot more than he could ever realise. Let's discuss.
We've known Elon Musk was on his way out for several weeks, but yesterday he added the final straw - he said he was going to cut any political spending right down. This is the final end of his political adventure, because it was only his potentially unlimited amounts of cash that gave him leverage over the GOP, and that kept him useful to the Trump team regardless of his personal unpopularity with the public. If that's being ruled out for the future, it gives you some idea of how wounded he is with the experience, and how much he realises it has damaged his business interests. So what does it mean - and what are the implications for Trump and the GOP? Let's discuss.
US President Trump and Russian President Putin held their direct call - the one that was supposed to see Trump pushing Putin into embracing a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine war. The outcome seemed not to be much in doubt - it was pretty well known that Putin was not planning to cede to such demands. The only question was whether he could play Trump so well as not to lose his support and have him come out of the call in a rage. On that grounds, the victory seems hands-down one for President Putin. Indeed - when the European leaders heard Trump's account of the call, insiders have leaked that they were stunned with shock. Let's discuss what it means, and what happens next.
The UK and the EU announced a big post-Brexit trade deal today. For some, it was a common sense shift from the original terms of the Brexit deal to make trade a little easier, and to facilitate much needed defence co-operation in the face of Trump's disruption of European defence realities. For others, it was a total betrayal of Brexit, and the reason why Trump-lite Reform UK's Nigel Farage could end up becoming the next prime minister - albeit not until 2029. So what's the truth? Let's discuss.
Bridget Brink was the US Ambassador to Ukraine during the three years post-invasion where the United States was standing relatively firm alongside its allies. Supporting the invaded party, opposing the aggressor. A month ago, she stepped down - and now she has come out with a blistering attack on the Trump Administration's policies towards Ukraine. Siding with Russia. Putting all the pressure on Ukraine. She had served under five presidents, she said, Republican and Democrat, but this now wasn't the America her grandparents would have recognised as the ideal they fought for. This attack comes as Trump prepares to make a direct call to Putin - so what happens next? Let's discuss.
So Trump's attempted interference in Canada backfired, and the Liberals' Mark Carney won the recent election. The question is - now what? Can Canada negotiate down those tariffs and establish a relationship with the US that puts Trump's annexing ambitions out of contention? And can it do that while doing what Carney said it must - diversifying its trading base to become less vulnerable to the future whims of the US? Because the Trump team have noticed that ambition, and they're pushing back against it hard. Let's discuss.
Every relevant senior member of the Trump cabinet has come out with an attack on former FBI Director James Comey - a truly astonishing exercise in gaslighting to swear that something nobody had previously suggested was the case, is self-evidently the case and it means that a pretty innocent social media post Comey put onto his Instagram feed was really a serious threat against the life of the President. It seems so ridiculous, it must be a prank. But the administration says it is launching an investigation, and numerous senior figures are saying they think Comey should be in jail. Is this the beginning of something - or just the worst example of trolling you could think of? Let's discuss.
President Trump has had perhaps his best week so far of his second term, being hosted by some of the richest countries of the world. He has also been making jaws drop with bold moves, particularly in meeting the new leader of Syria Ahmed al-Sharaa, regardless of his recent status as a jihadist, and also announcing that he would be lifting sanctions against Syria, crediting as he did so the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia for the initiative. Even some of Trump's fiercest critics have welcomed the move. Others have expressed confusion that he did so without even asking for any concessions from the Syrians. They are missing the point of what is going on. Let's discuss.
It used to be that the United States, as the dominant world power, was the most powerful driving force behind world events, for better or for worse. It made mistakes sometimes, but it was a player. Now, with Trump in charge, the world has been learning that it has to manipulate him in order to get what it wants. Through flattery, or offering a deal, or refusing to budge until he inevitably backs down. This has changed the whole dynamic in ways you don't spot immediately. Although all the noise and bluster makes you think that the US is pushing everyone else to respond, actually, it has made itself into a piece on the board, rather than a player in its own right. Let's discuss.
We've been taking it as read that Trump's MAGA base would stay unquestioningly loyal to him no matter what. But that support is starting to splinter. One half are noticing the blatant corruption, and they aren't happy because they believed in 'draining the swamp'. The other half are caught in a purity spiral that nobody can survive, and they are most furious this week with RFK Jr's pick of Casey Means for Surgeon General. It's early days, but it gives us a preview of how it may all start to disintegrate later in Trump's term. Let's discuss.
Yes, yes, we all know Trump lies - so what? Well, the point is that since the US is now bullying the entire world on trade, as well as using its leverage over various countries in other ways - this has changed the entire dynamic. World leaders are starting to repeat Trump's lies back to him. They are starting to attest in public that his (highly unlikely) telling of major events is in fact accurate. In other words, his fantasy reality is starting to seriously infect what leading players tell us about the world, and hence how we understand it. Let's discuss.
Trump only just completed his first hundred days, so it's a bit early to be thinking about it all ending, right? Except, by all reports, Trump is already obsessed about the looming midterm elections. Why? Because if he really HAS accepted that he can't run for a third term, which is what he says, then he sure wants to be able to make the most of his remaining full four years. The idea of reaching the half way point and then losing the House and / or the Senate, and having all the inquiries and impeachments - avoiding that is now his biggest goal. Let's discuss.
Having created a major impasse between the US and China with mutual tariff obliteration, Trump has been trying to work out how the US can extract itself from at least some of the self-inflicted harm. Since neither leader will call the other, second level executives from each side are meeting in Switzerland this weekend to conduct exploratory pre-negotiations. But Trump has already signalled he would be inclined to reduce tariffs to half the current amount - a visible sign of wavering that will surely only add strength and confidence to the other side, which currently insists he should remove all the tariffs. So what happens next? Let's discuss.
Trump may have (reluctantly) accepted that Canada is not going to fall into his embrace, but he is going full speed ahead in his quest to get Greenland. This was evident when he sent JD Vance to visit there, and it was evident this week when the Wall Street Journal revealed that US spies have been tasked with covert surveillance on the island. Their mission - to sniff out the independence movement and how easy it would be to influence / win over, and to find any and all individuals whose views align with those of the United States. It all seems like preparation for a concerted operation to influence the population. But has it been scuppered now that it's been uncovered? Let's discuss.
On Trump's so-called 'Liberation Day', a number of countries suddenly discovered that they were to be whacked with massive tariffs from the United States - including some of the poorest countries in the world. They quickly set about trying to win favour with the Trump regime, to get to negotiate their way out of a hole they'd been thrust into for no fault of their own. Curiously, for a number of them this started with granting Elon Musk's business SpaceX with a licence to run its Starlink satellite internet service in the country. Now, a new report from internal memos in the State Department, shows how the Trump administration has been pushing and promoting Starlink across the world. 'Conflict of interest' doesn't come close. Let's discuss.
Whether in his stated terms, the policy changes he aims to make, or in the Project 2025 actions he's taking to bring in an autocratic system to the US, there are a number of reasons why President Trump is almost sure to fail. Yes, he can do damage in the mean time, but he won't succeed. The real challenge will be what comes afterwards - either the next president or the one after that if Republicans lose the subsequent election. Because there is now a proven playbook for how those guardrails can be dismantled, that in the hands of a more competent would-be authoritarian, could be the last shove needed to turn it all upside down. Let's discuss.
In elections in Canada and Australia, we saw figures who had been even lightly associated with Donald Trump's MAGA movement losing, whereas before Trump had returned to office, they had been leading. But in the UK, Nigel Farage's Reform UK did the exact opposite - dominating the local elections and Parliamentary by-election. His aim is to break the two-party system, and to get himself installed as prime minister. Where his party has taken over councils, their very first statements have all been culture-war MAGA-style moves, even when the nature of the bodies is more about making sure the bins get emptied. The main parties are in clear disarray - could Farage's Project 2029 actually come true? Let's discuss.
How do we know if the economy is doing well? There are reliable statistics for that. How do we know what's happening with the climate? There is reliable data for that. How do we know what are the worldwide energy trends? That are analytical reports for that. What if all of those statistics, the data, the analyses, get wiped out and replaced by the "alternative facts" that Donald Trump, and others such as RFK Jr, would wish to be the case? Well, buckle up, because that's exactly what's happening. Oh, and just because you don't live in the US, don't get complacent. Because Trump's America is starting to aggressively reach out and demand that international bodies start to fall into line. Let's discuss.
Russia's President Putin is gearing up for the annual grand military parade in Moscow. This year is a big one because it's the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 2, and bigger names from the subset of the geopolitical world prepared to be seen in Russia are going to be attending. But Ukraine has rejected Putin's offer of a 3-day ceasefire during the period of the parade, and has said that it cannot guarantee the safety of dignitaries who attend the Moscow event. Are they planning an attack? Is it a big bluff? And just how much has it rattled Putin as he contemplates being humiliated by Ukraine in front of Xi Jinping?
On day one, he declared several emergencies. Later, he backed this up by invoking the Alien Enemies Act. This has been an ongoing and deliberate push by President Trump to extend the powers of the executive, to overcome the resistance of the courts, and hence to set up what is referred to as a legal abyss. A situation existing alongside the legal system as usual where some people can find themselves no longer subject to the usual rules, only to the whim of the government. It's a textbook approach for creeping authoritarianism, and it means that such a state arrives for some citizens earlier than others. Let's discuss.
In some places, such as Canada and maybe this weekend Australia, populist-right politicians, although they clearly show the signs of being influenced by Trump's MAGA movement, have been disavowing the link as their populations turn against it. In other places, more established figures on the populist and far-right, are less mired by the association, even as MAGA influencers, and often even the top politicians, endorse them and promote them on social media. If democracy is in decline in the US - how much of this new wave is going to be posing serious challenges to democracy in other countries? And since support for many of these parties is growing - how many could realistically take control of their countries? Let's discuss.
So Ukraine has finally signed the Minerals Deal with the Trump Administration. And news commentators are full of speculation about how much this deal now has changed Trump's orientation with the Ukraine war, how much it will translate into security guarantees for Ukraine in the future, and whether it means Trump is finally ready to get tough with Russia's President Putin. It's remarkable how much is being projected onto a text that doesn't merit any of it. Let's discuss.
The news arrived today that the US economy has dramatically cratered - shrinking in the first quarter of the year, whereas it had been strongly growing before. It is fairly clear with the breakdown that this is due to the short-term impact of tariffs, and that it's just the first sign of the scale of the disruption being caused, which will turn into yet more problems down the line. And yet President Trump says tariffs are wonderful and blames Joe Biden for the crash, even though his own advisors say otherwise. What's going on? Let's discuss.
Mark Carney's Liberal Party has won the Canadian election. It was close, but still extraordinary that he was able to turn around the massive deficit the party originally had with Pierre Poilièvre's Conservatives. And he did so facing a barrage of social media disinformation as we've seen in other MAGA-involved elections. Now, he faces a Trump who remains fixated on Canada becoming the 51st State. He will, as a first step, be seeking allies amongst the other democracies worldwide. But Trump may just have a spoiler he will be trying to play to frustrate that attempt. Let's discuss.
The big story about the Pope's funeral - bigger than the event itself on some measures - was a 15 minute one-on-one conversation between Presidents Trump and Zelensky - captured in a photo that is already on its way to becoming one of those iconic images. Commentators have been speculating that maybe in that 15 minutes, Zelensky was able to turn Trump's perspective around, to persuade him that Putin really didn't want peace. That's not what was going on here at all, and the people indulging in that speculation are engaging in wishful thinking. But simply by drawing on what we know about Trump's character, we can get some insights. Let's discuss.
We're used to the idea that Trump lies a lot - I mean, even his supporters know this, although they will use euphemisms to make it sound ok. But WHY has Trump suddenly started telling people that Xi Jinping has called him to discuss a deal on tariffs? It's clearly not true. It's clearly infuriating the Chinese and making it less likely they give him the deal he actually does want. So is he just making it up as he goes along (often the case), or is this laying the groundwork for the next move. No, we're not talking '4D chess' here. But I do think there's a purpose to what he's currently doing. Let's discuss.
Musk's time with DOGE is coming to an end - or at least will be massively dialled back. But the fact is that the exercise, which promised so much, seems to have ended up a failure on every measure. It failed to save the government money - indeed, it may have cost more than it saved. It failed to make government more efficient. It may have made government systems vulnerable to data theft, not least from Elon himself. And it has been a personal disaster for Musk and for the businesses he's associated with. For one last time - let's take stock of how a formerly inspirational role model turned into a car-crash cautionary tale for the future.
It's official. Trump's tariffs on the world, but especially on China, are making the whole world poorer. Trump wants China to make a deal - but he set the terms of the negotiation in such a way as to make it certain they won't respond. Meanwhile, the punitive tariffs Trump has imposed on China, and the corresponding equal tariffs placed by Beijing on the US, is starting to make itself felt. Major retailers are warning about imminent empty shelves. Tech firms are unable to continue with products requiring certain materials, such as rare earth magnets. And Trump is under more and more pressure to respond to China on its terms - in other words, to drop the additional tariffs before talks can start. But that would require a major u-turn. Will Trump do it? And how much damage will be done before it's settled?
At the start of the day, Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff were on their way to a top-level meeting in London to discuss President Trump's seven-point "peace" plan. But when the details of the plan were revealed, Ukraine immediately said that it was not acceptable - that it was not a peace plan, but a surrender plan. Cue meltdown. Trump pulled Rubio and Witkoff from the meeting, JD Vance took time out in India to rail on the subject, and Trump then added his own narrative on social media. Once again the US is threatening to walk about - but just like everything else they say right now, it seems likely this is more bluff than substance. Let's discuss.
President Trump came out of the gates quickly in his second term, testing the limits of his power in all directions at once, and assaulting numerous institutions to show them that he could bully them into compliance with a radical change agenda. Initially, it looked like most of them would just cave in to his demands. But increasingly, from Harvard to numerous law firms and now even the Supreme Court, lines are being drawn in the sand. How important is this moment in terms of constraining the actions of an increasingly authoritarian regime? Let's discuss.
Reports are coming into view about complete disarray at the Pentagon under Trump's controversial pick for secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth. He has fired all his senior advisors, he is isolated, unqualified and unexperienced. And this is damaging one of the most important departments of state, even as Trump defends him against any suggestion of media witch hunts. But if the chaos is real, how long can Trump actually hold out before he bows to what seems to be the increasingly inevitable? And how much difference does it make that he has also been found to have engaged in a SECOND Signal group chat, that shared secret information with people unauthorised to receive it? Let's discuss.
Answering a question from a Patreon supporter - Should Greenland kick the US out of its one remaining Greenland base, since - if Trump were to make good on his threat to take the island by force - it could be used as an entrance point? The sentiments are understandable, but the realpolitik of the situation really comes down to how Denmark and Greenland are most likely to be able to retrieve the optimal outcome from this episode of Trump posturing. A full-frontal attack of this sort might be temporarily satisfying, but the consequences would likely be worse. But it's certainly an open question, so let's discuss.
We've been witnessing something really strange over the last three weeks. Trump has been ... silent. OK, only about one thing, but even so. He's been wholly quiet on the subject of Canada, and his previous expressed desire that it should become the 51st state of the USA. The silence can mean only one thing - he actually really does understand how much he blew it with Canada - turning an entire nation against him and making it highly unlikely he will ever achieve his goals. The Canadian federal election is in full swing - and Trump's effect is everywhere, even if his voice is absent. But the big question is - will his silence kick in before election day to undo the impact he has had so far on voting intentions? Pierre Poilièvre is certainly hoping so. Let's discuss.
The Supreme Court ruled decisively 9-0 that the man incorrectly removed from the USA to one of the most notorious prisons in El Salvador, Abrego Garcia, that he should be returned to be afforded the due process any human being should expect. The Trump Administration has, instead claimed the ruling vindicated their position, and in a set-piece in front of the media with the El Salvador President made it clear that it will be making no efforts to return him. What's more, Trump said that they would happily send American citizens also to such places. If the courts have no sway, and people can be taken off the streets and exported without consequence, what is the end point for the slide to authoritarian rule?
The Trump / China Trade War enters its third week, and the stakes are only getting higher and the measures more intense. While Trump is busy pulling various other countries into the White House to beat them down in negotiations in the face of their tariffs, Xi Jinping is conducting a charm offensive to the countries he trades the most with, and with America's former allies who are now desperately looking for options. Will he outlast Trump in the trade war? Will he win the trust and support - at least to a larger degree than before - of the countries Trump has spurned? Let's discuss.
If the Trump administration is taking the United States in the direction of autocracy, there are certain steps that you would commonly expect to see being taken, in common with other countries that have taken this journey over the last couple of decades. So what steps HAVE we been seeing that are compatible with the idea that future elections, though they are likely still to happen, may no longer be quite as free and fair as Americans have come to expect? Let's have a look.
Trump reversed course, and the stock market flowered in response, and everything's now OK, right? Well, except that a lot of damage has been done, most of the tariffs actually still remain, and there's no sign that the administration really has learnt the lessons of what just happened. As a result of that sinking in, the stock markets have been sliding again today. And the world is getting to grips with what it really means to have the two biggest trading nations locked in a fierce trade war. While we're doing that, MAGA leaders are celebrating Trump's genius and saying how this was the plan all along. As a result of the stupidity, this episode carries an 'enhanced snark' warning!
The news is just in - after all the bluster and the boasting, Trump finally noticed that not all was going swimmingly with his tariffs on the entire world, and he has hit the pause button. For everyone save China, because he can't abide the idea of backing down. But this comes just a day after the full ugliness of this extortion attempt was on show for all to see - and the damage to the idea that the United States treasuries might be the world's safe haven has already been done. So is the backtrack - even if it should become permanent - too late? Let's discuss.
When President Trump announced his tariffs to the world, China was right at the top of the list, and it was hit with one of the largest tariffs of the day. This was supposed to get Beijing to the negotiating table to beg for tariff relief, but instead Xi Jinping declared a trade war, and said that China would win this, and any other sort of war Trump wanted to fight with them. Why did it escalate so quickly? Because Trump's power play is about trying to hold on to American hegemony and China is determined to oust it from the top slot. So this one is in deadly earnest. Let's discuss.
Trump is at the centre of things - throwing the global economy into turmoil in the aim of reshaping everyone's relations with the US, as well as reshaping geopolitical alliances and introducing autocratic measures into the federal government. While all that is going on, the signs are being picked up of how GOP senators and others are preparing the ground for the moment Trump's grasp on power begins to slip. At that point, there will begin a likely bitter fight for the soul of the party between the traditionalists and the would-be MAGA standard-bearers for the next generation. Let's discuss.
President Trump wanted to invoke the Insurrection Act back in 2020, but he was prevented by the opposition of his then-defence secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But now those people have been replaced with loyalists, and there's nobody around him who is going to tell him it's a bad idea. On his first day, he inserted a ticking time bomb into one of his initial Executive Orders - a deadline for when he should receive a report recommending whether or not he should cross that line. The deadline expires very soon ... Let's discuss.
I've been talking about the likelihood of the US heading towards a second civil war for some time on this channel. Patreon supporter Peter asked me if I still felt that to be the case, with everything that's been happening recently with the Trump 2.0 administration. It's a good question, and certainly bears some further exploration - so let's discuss.
The recent Signalgate text messages leak gave us a real insight into just how much JD Vance really actually hates and despises Europe - much more than had previously been stated in public. We'd seen him argue that Europeans should care more about free speech, and we'd seen him wish for more of the far-right populist parties on the Continent to be elected. So what is it about his own personal and political journey that has left him with such an antipathy for the 'old world'? This guy is a heartbeat away from the Presidency, so we should probably discuss!
President Trump called it 'Liberation Day' - but that's not what many others were calling it. Instead, the wide-ranging raft of tariffs levied on imports to the US, which seemed based on wholly fictitious claims of how much other countries levied against the US, has thrown the stock markets, the leaders of all other nations, and even some Republicans (quietly) into turmoil. Most believe that Trump's faith in tariffs as the way to 'make America wealthy again' is unfounded, and that instead he is imposing a global recession on the population of the world - and the US itself will suffer not benefit. This could be the most consequential act by one man in our lifetimes. We'd probably better discuss.
Health researchers, climate scientists, and more - they are finding significant projects being axed for what appear to be purely ideological grounds. This can include projects you would think would be immune to such factors, such as cancer research. The US has had the benefit of cutting edge research and technology for many decades - it has been one of the assets that has made it so successful. But now scientists are being sacked, and even the ones that haven't been yet are nevertheless looking to abroad to be able to work again in an environment where the basics of science are understood and valued. Let's discuss.
Elon Musk has been all over the Federal Government for the last ten weeks. But his original term of office is coming to an end, and both Trump and Musk himself are now talking as though that will be it. He has to get back to his businesses, they say, which have been suffering. But he does not want to stop playing this fun political game - and so he is throwing his money into today's State Supreme Court election in Wisconsin, and threatens to do the same for a lot of other races in the future. But has he become such damaged goods that even him money will be toxic for Republicans in the future? Let's discuss.
The front-runner for the next French Presidential elections, according to current polls, Marine Le Pen has been sensationally barred from standing by a judge who was sentencing her in an embezzlement case. The verdict had expected to be less severe, and to be no block to her challenging the political establishment as the potential first far-right candidate to cross the finish line. But the State Prosecutor had requested the banning, and the judge went for it. Now, voices of condemnation are loudly raised - as you would expect - but the truth is nobody knows just how this shocking outcome will affect the result of the next election, and the tone of French politics in the mean time. And, of course, the edgy discourse between MAGA America and Europe, come to that.
In their book 'How Democracies Die', Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt identify the four tells for a despot-in-waiting, the democratic guardrails that all dictators-in-progress seek to dismantle, and how they go about it - and the two other essential ingredients that protect a system that people often underestimate, or even miss entirely. And it won't astonish you to learn that all of this is really rather relevant to Donald Trump's America (and a number of other places besides). Let's discuss.
So the visit to Greenland of the Vice President JD Vance finally happened. Originally intended to be a 'charm offensive' to the population, eventually the Americans could find no Greenlanders who wanted to talk to them or who wanted them there at all, so they flew into the US base and stayed there. And slated Denmark for being a bad ally. And said that the wonderful people of Greenland would be much better off as part of America. But we all know that Trump won't take 'no' for an answer, so for all that the official line is that America respects Greenlander's right of self-determination - what happens now?
In the immediate aftermath of the debacle in the Oval Office, it was reported that Trump wanted the minerals deal toughened up to 'punish' Ukraine. This week we got first news that this is exactly what has been done - the Ukrainians were presented with a full proposal that reportedly gives America 100% control of all of its resources in perpetuity! It is a ridiculous deal, one that Ukraine could surely never sign up to. But then that raises the questions of what will be consequences of turning it down? Let's discuss.
After various members of the senior Trump administration stated flatly that no classified information was revealed in the group chat on the bombing of Yemen, The Atlantic went ahead and published the entire chat thread, showing clearly the detail of attack plans, precise timings, weapons and systems to be used, that were added to the thread by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Various voices have been raised to say that - obviously in these circumstances, Hegseth and probably others should resign. But the administration just doesn't seem to think it's that big a deal.
Convention would have you believe that the most classified American secrets - such as live military operations to strike at targets abroad - are handled with total security and professionalism. There are strict protocols and any security professional is thoroughly briefed and trained in them from the beginning. And yet in the Trump 2.0 administration, such discussions happen on third party apps on phones that may, or may not, have been compromised by adversaries. Oh, and then they are also sent to whoever might have been absent-mindedly added to the group chat - including national journalists. Let's discuss.
If the people of Greenland thought they would get a respite while they engage in the slow negotiations to form the next government following their recent election - they were wrong. The surprise announcement that top US officials, along with the wife of the Vice President, would be visiting the country this week sent shockwaves to every level. Condemned by the Greenlanders. Condemned by the political leadership of Denmark. But apparently none of that is much of interest or concern to the administration. Let's discuss.
Over the last few years, the rise of populist and far right parties in a number of key European countries has been a feature of the changing political landscape. With the emergence of Giorgia Meloni into the mainstream, and others like Farage and Le Pen similarly seeking to 'detoxify' their parties to make it as potential parties of government, it seemed that some major change was on the cards. But then Trump came along, and that excited the true radicals, who wanted to upend the institutions not inhabit them. And it then created a toxic association all of its own, that now those parties are desperately trying to distance themselves from. It's all up in the air. Let's discuss.
One of the key guarantees against authoritarian rule in the United States is the independence of a number of key institutions, especially the judiciary, but also academia, the press, and legislators. We know that President Trump is keen to maximise executive power - but is it simply a case of testing the boundaries and pushing them as far as they will go - or is it a process of silencing and co-opting all those institutions by the raw exercise of power? And how far can the latter go before you don't have a democracy worth the name any more? Let's discuss.
A new report about the state of democracy in the world makes for sobering reading. But the most striking thing about it is that it adds additional content to note that, since the date of the report deadline, the first weeks of the Trump Administration have seen the US autocratising - becoming more autocratic and less democratic - is happening at a faster rate than they have ever seen anywhere else in the world. That sounds like something we should probably talk about.
A link to the report discussed in this episode:
https://www.v-dem.net/documents/60/V-dem-dr__2025_lowres.pdf
So President Trump finally held his call with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. And for all his advance pronouncements that they would be carving up the assets of Ukraine in this call, it seems as though they got nowhere close. Instead, as the read-outs show, Putin agreed to nothing that Trump wanted him to do - at least with regard to Ukraine - and yet they still came out of it saying it had been a great call, and with Trump clinging to the barest figleaf he could call a win. So what now? Let's discuss.
The Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has announced an end to her party's support for the previously consensus climate change policy target of net zero by 2050. In a speech that has created shockwaves through the UK parliamentary system, she said that the target was impossible to achieve, and policy debate would be better served by being realistic about the facts. In this video, we look at what has been said - and I talk about why, regardless of your political affiliation, or personal position on speed of climate action - this is probably a good thing. Let's discuss.
President Trump and President Putin have a direct call scheduled to take place tomorrow (Tuesday 18th Mar). In talking about it, Trump said that part of the discussion would cover the division of assets, including land and energy infrastructure. This, along with several other indicators that have emerged today, suggest that Trump remains of a mind to give Putin most of what he would ever want in order to get to a ceasefire. And since a lot of it won't be acceptable to Ukraine, we can expect some serious pressure to be applied in the wake of whatever agreement emerges, if indeed it does. Let's discuss.
The awkward pause continues, with Russia's President Putin keeping the world, and specifically President Trump, waiting and guessing about his ultimate response to the Ukraine ceasefire proposal. But while Trump continues to talk the process up, almost unnoticed signs are emerging that Putin is preparing his population for the contingency that it's all about to get a lot more hostile. It doesn't mean he's planning it that way, but he's certainly minded that what he's about to do is likely to provoke a reaction. Let's discuss.
Nobody has been so embedded with the Trump operation as Elon Musk has been over the last couple of months. And it's fair to say he's been everywhere - every government department, all over social media, in the faces of various world leaders and other figures. Energetic, rude, abrasive, headline grabbing. But his popularity has plunged. His businesses are suffering. And there's every sign that he is now beginning the final act of what was always going to be the inevitable fall after the ascent. Let's discuss.
Putin has said he accepts Trump's unconditional ceasefire agreement ... with some conditions. In this video, we look at the game of chess that's being played out, the complementary objectives Putin is trying to achieve, while seeking to manage the unpredictability and thin skin of the US president. And why Ukraine is worried, and probably should be. Let's discuss.
Trump had a dream of the Gaza Riviera, where the Palestinians had been cleared from their own country and resettled in neighbouring Egypt and Jordan, leaving a redeveloped paradise for the beautiful people to enjoy. Unsurprisingly, the Arab states were not on board with this vision, and so Egypt has delivered its very own plan. The Arab states have endorsed it. European leaders have smiled warmly upon it. There's just one problem - Trump and Israel reject its failure to deal with the role of Hamas. And meanwhile, the existing ceasefire could break down at any point. Let's discuss.
So the US - Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia conclude with a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. A full ceasefire, not the partial one the Ukrainians had initially wanted. Why is the distinction between the partial and total ceasefire important - and how did the Ukrainians manage to get a clause inserted that potentially side-steps the trap that Russia and the US had laid for them in their previous summit? Let's discuss.
Various people have been asking if the radical new type of government the US has found itself with - undoubtedly more authoritarian by instinct than previous incumbents - should be labelled with one of the big ugly words of history - fascism. Various people do - but in this video we highlight exactly what that label describes, why it shouldn't be demeaned by mis-use, but also why we SHOULD be concerned about the direction of travel. Let's discuss.
The US-Ukraine talks begin tomorrow in Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine at least will find out then just how ruthless the US intends to be in threatening to let Putin overrun their country unless they agree to cede territory to him in the negotiations. Ukraine is going still with an agenda that assumes there will be a process where someone meets them halfway - but the evidence to date is that that's not the process they're walking into. At that point, what will they have to lose if they simply tell the US to get lost? Let's discuss.
I've had a couple of YouTube comments recently asking if the slightly different tone of videos in the last few weeks means that the non-partisan position of the channel has been put aside. In other words, am I now 'off the fence' - at least when it comes to Donald Trump? This doesn't quite catch the whole point of non-partisanship as practiced on this channel, so I thought it was worth discussing. It's a change of pace, if nothing else!
When he first said it, everyone thought he was joking. It was a joke that Canadians found insulting, but even so. But then in subsequent discussions, Canadian prime minister Trudeau and his officials found that Trump was getting very specifically detailed in the treaties and historical agreements that defined Canada's border - documents he feels can be disregarded. Quickly they came to the conclusion that Trump is out to destroy Canada's economy, which he feels will make it easier to annex it. Let's discuss.
The current European leaders, along with the NATO Secretary General, are all agreed that NATO remains solid, the United States partnership likewise, the mutual defence promise at the heart of the Treaty has the full commitment of President Trump. And we all know that they don't believe that at all. They say it because they hope that they can buy time to backfill the NATO joint effect of deterrence and stability before Trump finally calls time. But it's fooling nobody, least of all Vladimir Putin. Let's discuss.
Today it was revealed that senior members of the Trump administration have been talking to the political opposition in Ukraine, seeking to find who would be the alternative leader to Zelensky who would be more palatable to Vladimir Putin, and who would embrace America's help to get them elected? This is all in line with the plan we know the US and Russia discussed - to bring in a ceasefire, and then use that as an excuse to push Ukraine into an election - an election that Russia and the US will be doing their best to see Zelensky lose. Let's discuss.
Zelensky has sent the letter to president Trump that was demanded - agreeing to sign the one-sided minerals deal, to put himself 'under Trump's strong leadership' and to agree to an early ceasefire. This is what Ukraine's European allies, such as Keir Starmer from Britain, and Emmanuel Macron from France, have urged him to do. But it's a trap. He knows it's a trap. They may or may not know, but if they do - they think it's worth the risk of stepping into it anyway. Let's discuss.
In spite of Europe's hopes that somehow there would be a path to keeping Trump onside with supporting Ukraine, the inevitability of the dashing of those hopes is now plain to see. Trump has pulled military support for Ukraine - including weapons that were agreed before he came to office that were literally in the process of being delivered. The intent is clearly to put maximum pressure on for Kyiv to have to accept his terms for 'peace'. Let's discuss.
Europe and Ukraine's desperate plan is to win back Trump to the cause of supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. But while they work on the details of that, the US is relaxing more of its measures against Russia and signalling a ramping up of the normalisation of relations. The Kremlin is delighted - and a Putin Trump summit is now being fast-tracked. And MAGA voices, including those within the administration, are starting to mutter about how Zelensky should be replaced as leader of Ukraine. Let's discuss.
Europe has been regrouping with president Zelensky and trying to come to terms with the fallout from the massive meltdown in the Oval Office on Friday. And British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is primed to act as a key facilitator to bring Ukraine and the US together - putting together an alternative peace plan that Trump can support, which will have concrete security guarantees. The only problem - it won't work. They probably know it won't work, but they have to try - because the alternative will be a lot worse. Let's discuss.
Macron and Starmer had had visits to the White House that had been described as triumphs, simply because they avoided humiliation. In other words, they avoided exactly what then happened with President Zelensky at the end of the week. But he had a much harder job than they did - they had been able to fail on Ukraine gracefully, but he did not have that option. Most of the commentary on this is ignoring the context, and focusing instead on who was to blame. We can do better - let's discuss.
We are being told that UK prime minister Keir Starmer's visit to Trump in the White House was a 'triumph'. On one level - that of managing a potential unpredictable encounter that could have spiralled off into embarrassment at any point - I suppose it was. But in terms of the real meat of the discussion - the clash between the new Trump 'might-makes-right' world order, and the old one that is rallied behind Ukraine's survival - not so much. Let's discuss.
For the last couple of years, it has looked a foregone conclusion that Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party was going to go down in flames at the next election, and Trump-aligned Pierre Poilievre would rise in his place, bringing the MAGA revolution north of the border. But Trump's jibes, his threats of 25% tariffs and his desire that Canada should become the 51st state, have thrown all the normal political logic in the air. This week, the Liberals topped the poll again. Has Trump, inadvertently, buried his would-be torchbearer just when it most counts?
Ukraine has negotiated a form of Trump's critical minerals deal that it is prepared to sign. We haven't seen it yet, but it's clear that it has been nudged just over the line with the removal of the most egregious demands, rather than sailing triumphantly over the line as a well-crafted vehicle for mutual benefit. The truth is that the mere fact of this deal taking place has now changed the dynamics of the world order, and we're already starting to see the first signs of this in practice. Let's discuss.
For the last few weeks, all we've been hearing about has been Doge! According to some, it's slashing through government bureaucracy spectacularly laying waste to fraud and mismanagement. According to others, it's thrashing about randomly causing immense damage to everything it touches. But there are signs growing that maybe it has over-reached, and the pushback isn't coming from the political opposition, but within the home team. Let's discuss.
Germany elected a new government yesterday, and the new chancellor led off with his ambition to make Europe and Germany independent of America. As if to highlight this, the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine was marked by various European leaders (and Canada) travelling to Kyiv. The US was not present. And also at the same time, a fight is raging at the UN over different versions of Ukraine resolutions to be voted on. But the question is - can Europe actually go it alone? It's a huge ask. Let's discuss.
February 24th is the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and - as with the previous years, Ukraine and co-sponsors has put a motion to be voted on by the UN general assembly condemning Russia's actions and abuses of human rights, and calling for Ukraine's territorial sovereignty to be upheld. This year, underlining again the complete change in stance, the US administration, under president Trump, has called on Ukraine to withdraw its motion in favour of a shorter one from the US that avoids any mention of Russia's responsibility. This is the new might-makes-right world confronting its victim in the very institution set up to support the old rules-based order. Also, there's an update on the US Ukraine Starlink story, which we'll also discuss.
Zelensky's refusal to sign an apparently absurdly one-sided deal where Ukraine hands over half of the value of its resources for nothing in return from the USA, has led to pressure being applied. Previously, it was pressure in the form of Trump apparently gearing up to give Putin everything he wants, and at the same time labelling Zelensky "a dictator". Now, it has moved on to the direct threat that Elon Musk's Starlink internet service, on which Ukraine has depended since the start of the war, will be withdrawn unless Zelensky signs the deal. It may be a revised deal that Ukraine could sign. It may still be a one-sided detail that they would not sign ... unless they were put in a position where they had no choice. This is another step into a new world order that is showing a very ugly face. Let's discuss.
Trump's demand for total loyalty while also making statements such as 'Ukraine started the war' and 'Zelensky is a dictator' is dividing his natural support base. Some are dancing one hundred percent to his tune. Others are, to varying degrees, either pushing back or finding other ways to try to keep some semblance of integrity. Figures such as Ben Shapiro, Konstantin Kisin, Niall Ferguson are all finding ways to make a stand - and some of them are drawing heat from the centre of the administration for doing so. Let's discuss.
The mere word 'disinformation' has become controversial in the modern culture wars - which is great news for the hostile states who actually use disinformation as a tool of 'war by other means'. In this video, we talk about how the KGB perfected the craft of disinformation, how modern Russian usage differs from the Soviet form, and how the end goal that was always identified for these 'active measures' looks a lot like our modern polarised society. Is it too late to do anything about it? Let's discuss.
This week, Putin and Russian commentators were delighted, and Ukraine and Western ones were distraught, when Trump announced that he had a long call with Vladimir Putin, and they would be meeting soon to begin negotiating for peace in Ukraine. As he did so, he seemed to be making numerous concessions to Putin, even before the talks had begun. How could this make sense, various media commentators have asked? Well, there might just be something they're missing about the dynamic here. Let's discuss.
China has its sights on reunification with China - what people don't realise is how much progress it has been making over the last year in the direction of satisfying that goal. How has their thinking been affected by the advent of the second Trump term at the White House? Not necessarily in the way you might think. Let's discuss.
When Trump announced his extraordinary vision for the future of the Gaza Strip, many dismissed it as just a madcap idea. But while the enormity of what it would represent has been sinking in, a number of people have started to see how this fits into a negotiating model for the current state of play, based on some of the presumptions that made the Abraham Accords successful. That said, it's a big stretch, and you have to swallow a big change in the world order that many will not be prepared to consider. Let's discuss.
President Trump has bashed America's close allies Canada and Mexico in return for stuff they were already doing anyway. He has threatened the EU with likewise, and pummelled Colombia into instant submission. And that's before he decides whether he wants to invade Greenland for real. What we're seeing is the abandonment of any valuing of what was termed 'American soft power' in exchange for the harsh realities of hard power. America is certainly in a position where it can do that - but there are consequences. Let's discuss.
At Reagan National Airport in Washington DC, we have seen a major tragedy with the mid-air collision of a passenger airliner and a military helicopter. Almost immediately, the public space has been awash with a blame game. Trump kicked it off, but the mainstream media chose to make his DEI comments the main story. Others hit back, saying the crash was Trump's fault for actions taken in his first week. In the mean time, we're left asking what actually happened, and what will be the grown-up lessons to be learned from it, so that the personal tragedy of all those whose lives were lost, and all those who now mourn them, at least may not have been in vain? Let's discuss.
The Chinese company DeepThink has just released its latest AI large language model - and it has caused a massive reaction. It runs rings around the American AI models for how cheaply and efficiently it is produced and trained, while matching those models for performance. The implications have seen tech stocks plunging today, with Nvidia, the main AI chipmaker, leading the fall. While it sounds like just a tech story, it's actually a profound shift in the balance of technological power of the world. Let's discuss.
In his first week back as president of the United States, Donald Trump started making significant noises on the Ukraine war, and his opening pitch could certainly not be described as good news for Vladimir Putin. But does it even matter? Putin has waited out Biden, has endured everything Europe could throw at him - what does Trump even have left at his disposal? Well, it turns out a lot more than you. might think, should he choose to use it. Let's discuss.
You hear it often - the mainstream media lies. You can't trust them. But the fact is that - in volume terms - they do so only very occasionally. It's just that in tends to be in dealing with the most important and consequential content when they do. Maybe 5% of the volume, but 50% of the impact. What are the different ways that the media tends to lie, either by intent or simply as a consequence of the biases they have and the incentives they follow? Let's discuss.
Reports came out on Sunday that the former advisor to the prime minister and Brexit campaign supremo Dominic Cummings has been in discussion with Elon Musk about how to get rid of Keir Starmer before the next scheduled election. But, knowing what we know, it's likely this isn't the sole, possibly even the main, point. More likely, it's Dominic Cummings' plan for a new populist party of technocrats. Yes, sounds like a contradiction in terms, but that's what he wants - and it could be a plan custom built to appeal to Musk's sense of self and his mission in the world. Let's discuss.
In a press conference this week, president-elect Trump said that he wanted to take control of Greenland and the Panama Canal - not ruling out the use of military force to do so. Oh, and Canada, but limiting himself to economic force for that job. All of it matters, but Greenland is probably the point of geopolitical tension and change that matters the most. Trump has been clearer and bolder than his predecessors in getting its importance, but his approach to tackling it could just have passed by what would have been the easiest win of his presidency. And in the process, handing the win to Putin and Xi in granting them their favoured new world order. Let's discuss.
Elon Musk has been ... busy. Attacking Keir Starmer and his government in the UK, whilst praising Tommy Robinson and calling for him to be released from jail. And attacking Olaf Scholz, and calling for Germany's controversial AfD party to be elected instead. And attacking various MAGA figures over immigration, provoking an attack from Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer and support ... for now ... from Donald Trump. What are we to make of the world's richest man - a man strongly associated with the next US administration - going so hard after other countries, campaigning so nakedly for political outliers and generally making a lot of noise. Is this the rise of oligarchy - part of global democratic decline? Or just an aberration - a moment of over-excitement - soon to be reined in by a President Trump who won't be overshadowed. Let's discuss.
This channel has always had a perspective, but it has been something of a blank page - always looking at whatever seems important that has come into view. But it's time for that to change - for the channel to become more focused on the biggest themes that come through these videos time and time again. Let's discuss.
Looking forward to 2025 - there's no doubt it is going to be the year of Trump. But not only that, it's going to be the year of peak Trump. With every year that follows, his power to achieve his domestic agenda starts to erode. He will still be operating big on the world stage, although the other players will be developing strategies to deal with him. So the question is - will he hit the ground running? Will 2025 be the year when Trump's ambitious plan to reshape the US succeeds beyond all hope? Let's discuss.
In the last week, there has been much comment on the astonishing internet response to the murderer of CEO Brian Thompson. Large numbers of people have expressed support and admiration for the action, have heralded Mangioni as a folk hero, and used the incident to air their grievances about American health insurance companies.
In this video, I talk about how this is another step in the ongoing normalisation of political violence in the US, why it will come to be seen as a model to follow by extremists for other causes, and why this is a line that your society crosses at its peril.
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The ‘Dangerously Reasonable’ channel by Mallen Baker covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, looking for how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
Prefer it on podcast? Audio versions are available wherever you get your podcasts, or see https://the-mallen-baker-podcast.simplecast.com/
Quotes reported in this video should not be taken as an implication of their author’s endorsement or involvement in this video.
This week, Keir Starmer made a keynote speech laying out his six milestones for how the Labour government should, in his view, be judged at the next election. It's not the first time since taking office he has launched a set of campaign promises, but it's the most significant time for doing so as talk is rife about how Elon Musk and Nigel Farage could be in line to completely upend British politics as we know it. Is big money about the change the face of the British scene? Can decent but slightly boring technocrat Starmer fend off the vigorous populist challenge? Or is everything up in the air from this point onwards? Let's discuss.
Lots of groups in these polarised times get accused by their opponents of 'being in a cult'. And sometimes, actually quite often, they have a point. But beware, because half the time while you're pointing to someone else's cultish behaviour, you might be ignoring the self-same telltale signs in your own. So what are the aspects of actual real-life cults that many people have now embraced for themselves? What are the smaller number of differences? And if you find yourself in that position, how do you get out of it? Let's discuss.
The UK Parliament today debated a groundbreaking assisted death bill that could reshape how we approach end-of-life care. The Labour Party has brought forward legislation that would introduce new palliative care options for terminally ill adults, while ensuring strict safeguards around euthanasia and human rights protections. It's one of those huge moral questions. Let's discuss.
We know the story - China is dominating the EV industry with its remarkable and cheap cars which the Western bloated manufacturers simply can't compete with. But of course, there's a lot more going on than that. In China, most of those companies are losing money hand over fist, trying to get enough market share so they can be one of the handful left still standing at the end. In the West, setbacks abound. Northvolt, the EU battery maker went bust. The UK is rowing back on its targets for mandated EV takeover. It's all looking a bit lively - let's discuss.
In the UK, farmers are protesting in a way they haven't in recent times. They are furious about proposed inheritance tax changes to be brought in by the Labour government. The government claims the changes will only affect a tiny minority. The national farmers union claim they have got their numbers wildly wrong. Who's right - and is there a better answer already put forward that, so far, both sides are stubbornly ignoring? And will this represent a critical moment in uk politics as rural communities begin to push back on the newly elected government? Let's discuss.
One of the regular topics of discussion in the media in the US recently has been how polarised and divided the country has become, even to the extent where there is regularly speculation about what a new civil war would actually look like, if things continued to worsen. How did America get here? How did it end up with two parties of extremes circling a hollowed-out centre? How did it end up with weakened political institutions, and politicised non-political institutions? And what, if anything, can be done about it?
This week sees the COP29 conference on climate change, where the expectation is that the next US president will walk away from the issue, leaving China a golden opportunity to step into the role of global leadership it covets. And the landmark we learned this week has been reached - that China's cumulative emissions are now greater than those of the EU - that reflects changes in China's profile and role in this area whether it chooses them or not. Let's discuss.
Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr are amongst the recent names released by President-Elect Trump as his nominations for his cabinet. To say the least, they have caused something of a stir - a lot more so than his earlier picks. Why are they controversial? Will they get through the confirmation process? And will Trump try to sidestep that process to get his picks through, regardless what the founders intended when they framed the constitution? Let's discuss.
After years of our lives being taken up by the campaign for the US presidency, we finally have a result. And against the apparent polling, it is a clear and unambiguous result. Donald Trump has performed the most remarkable political comeback, has cemented his role as a transformational president in the politics of the United States, and at a stroke has removed his legal woes and avoided any likelihood of going to prison. How did the Democrats lose this, when they felt they had fought a "nearly flawless" campaign and outspent Trump three to one? How did Trump win this, when he had the most disastrous debate performance since ... um, well, Joe Biden's debate performance in the immediately preceding debate? And what can we say about the next four years that isn't just idle speculation? Let's discuss.
The US election has ... finally ... arrived. It's all over, bar the shouting. Except that the shouting has gotten pretty loud, and it's likely to continue for quite some time after the election has taken place. This possibly counts as one of the dumbest elections in American history - and if possible it got even dumber over the last week. Let's recount the ways, and make some fervent hopes for an outcome that manages not to wreck the US system of democracy - whichever candidate wins.
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The ‘Dangerously Reasonable’ channel by Mallen Baker covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, looking for how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
Quotes reported in this video should not be taken as an implication of their author’s endorsement or involvement in this video.
It has been the sort of week that will be referred to in decades, even centuries, hence as being one that was a turning point in history. There is a lot to come, but let's see if we can make sense of where we have gotten to in just the last few days.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The ‘Dangerously Reasonable’ channel by Mallen Baker covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, looking for how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
Quotes reported in this video should not be taken as an implication of their author’s endorsement or involvement in this video.
In the US, in the UK and the EU - the proposed shift from internal combustion cars to electric vehicles is starting to become a major factor in a big political shift that's going on. What's driving it (pun not intended!), and just how far is it going to go in rocking our old political assumptions? Let's have a look.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The ‘Dangerously Reasonable’ channel by Mallen Baker covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, looking for how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
Quotes reported in this video should not be taken as an implication of their author’s endorsement or involvement in this video.
This week, Rishi Sunak just announced pushing back of a few net zero targets - but much more significantly signalled a shift in campaign positioning that has thrust the issue to the centre of the conflict between the two main parties in advance of the general election. Labour leader Keir Starmer now has to work out if this is a great opportunity, or a poison-laden trap. It's a more subtle question than the ideologues on either side think it is.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The ‘Dangerously Reasonable’ channel by Mallen Baker covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, looking for how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
Quotes reported in this video should not be taken as an implication of their author’s endorsement or involvement in this video.
More mainstream voices are starting to be raised highlighting the likely outcome for where America is currently headed. One of them is Ray Dalio, the billionaire investor whose book 'Principles for dealing with a changing world order' identified the cycles that inevitably define the rise and fall of empires. Let's have a look at what he has to say.
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The ‘Dangerously Reasonable’ channel by Mallen Baker covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, looking for how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
Quotes reported in this video should not be taken as an implication of their author’s endorsement or involvement in this video.
Elon Musk is so often at the centre of every important issue or controversy - he is a techno-optimist, he is pro-free speech, he is desperate for man to colonise Mars - you name it. He is also powerful on the world stage. And somewhat unaccountable. Is that a problem? Let's discuss.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The ‘Dangerously Reasonable’ channel by Mallen Baker covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, looking for how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
Quotes reported in this video should not be taken as an implication of their author’s endorsement or involvement in this video.
Two months in to Ukraine's counter-offensive, and so far - while there have been gains - they are well short of what people had hoped for. The implication is that this war is going to last years not months, notwithstanding the unexpected. How does that realisation begin to change the landscape - for Russia, for Ukraine, for the West?
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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Over time, how we understand an ongoing issue, and aim to act on it, will evolve and change. We've been in the same phase on climate change for several decades - but right now it seems as though we may be entering the transition to the next phase. In this podcast, we look at why that may be, but why it will reach America later than many other places.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Maybe companies should have values. But should they have the sort of values that are about holding powerful corporations to account, or the ones that turn powerful corporations into policeman over how we live our lives? There's nuance to be had, but a crucially important distinction not many commentators are making right now.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
It wasn't a coup, but it looked like a coup. Putin wasn't bothered, but he certainly looked bothered. Really, it was just a protest. The sort of protest where you destroy military planes on the way. So just what HAS been going on in Russia this week, and what does it mean?
Boris Johnson has left the building - before launching a broadside against the Parliamentary Privileges Committee process just before it delivered its damning verdict. It found that he had lied repeatedly - which isn't much of a shock. The question is this. Was this the system upholding its commitment to integrity in public life? Or was it a politically biased hatchet job carrying out an act of sabotage against Johnson's hopes of a return? Indeed - could it be both at the same time? Let's discuss.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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This week, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the US President Joe Biden and amongst the various topics they discussed was Britain’s desire to carve out a role for itself on the discussion around Artificial Intelligence. In recent weeks, we’ve seen voices raised – including those of some of the pioneers in AI – warning about the potential existential danger to humanity posed by the technology, alongside the appreciation of the benefits it offers as well.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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And my website
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There has been a lot of talk this week about how the world may nose its way across the 1.5ºC line soon. It's been held up as a major landmark for so long - and generally with menaces attached. So is it truly on the cards? And how significant a line is it anyway?
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Trump's Town Hall on CNN gave him his very best day of his 2024 election campaign, by far. How did it happen at all? And how much does it really change the equation for the next election, and indeed the next period of American political history?
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
A drone attack hits the Kremlin building. Once again, the world is left wondering "who dunnit?". Was it a false flag attack by a Russian leadership determined to drive a wedge between Ukraine and its allies? Or an attack by Kyiv, or even the United States - or a Russian partisan group? Let's look at the theories that are flying around - and at least discount the one that seems on its face to be a non-starter.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
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And my website
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He's spoken to Vladimir Putin five times since the war started - but this was the first time he picked up the phone to Ukraine's Volodymir Zelensky. What does the call say about China's intended role in the Ukraine war - why might it signal hope for an end to the conflict - or, depending on your perspective - provoke fear in how China might use that end to its own advantage?
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
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And my website
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During the last week, a major summit that was supposed to advance climate onto the World Bank agenda hit an impasse. Meanwhile, China is rapidly gaining as the alternative lender to developing countries. The stakes are pretty big - it could just be the biggest problem that no-one's talking about.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
A hugely significant leak of US intelligence has dominated the week ... and it's one unlike any that came before it. But what's really interesting, is what it says about the rapidly changing place of America in the world. And it's not good news.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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And my website
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Some reflections on the week that saw former president Donald Trump appearing in criminal court for the first - but surely not the last - time. Is this a shrewd political game? Or crass stupidity pushing the country closer to civil war?
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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And my website
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China’s Xi Jinping to visit Putin in Moscow as China outflanks the US on the world stage. Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse – is the world economic system teetering on the edge of major meltdown? And Dutch farmers hit back against green policies with a major election win from nowhere.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Suggestions come from US intelligence that a pro-Ukraine group was responsible for the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. We learn that the UK government had an undisclosed position to reject the lab leak hypothesis to keep good relations with China. Massive farmers protests in Brussels underline how the EU’s. Farm to Fork sustainability policy is falling in the face of the Ukraine war. And in this week’s short thought, the horrifying realisation just how badly served today’s youngster have been by the teaching of history.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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It’s retro news week, apparently. A massive leak of whatsapp text messages from the heart of government shows the unedifying reality of the UK’s response to Covid. The US energy department declares that it now believes a lab leak is the most likely cause of the Covid-19 pandemic. And, in this week’s short thought – do we believe in science or in magical thinking? I wish you’d make your mind up.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Last week, the former UK Labour prime minister Tony Blair, and the former would-be Conservative prime minister William Hague produced a joint report calling for a British technology revolution. Some of the response to this – particularly on the populist right – was that this was the face of technocracy. Partly that’s true – and partly it’s not. But the push towards technocracy is inbuilt to our current situation. Let's discuss.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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The world marks the one year anniversary of the start of the Ukraine war with big speeches on all sides saying nothing new. China puts itself forward as a neutral peace broker in ways that may please neither Russia nor America. The US supreme court is offered the chance to break the internet with a single decision, but looks like declining the offer. And in this week’s short thought – the so-called scientists arguing for climate-focused rationing illustrate an important lesson.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
As the anniversary of the start of the Ukraine war approaches both sides burn through their resources at a rapid rate. The EU’s corruption crisis continues to deepen as more MEPs are named in the Qatargate scandal. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is brought down after being damaged by the trans prisoners row. And in this week’s short thought, how to step back from the modern trend to attacking the opponent, not the argument.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
A Chinese sky balloon is blown out of the sky along with recent hopes of easing tension between the two countries. Russia apparently begins to ramp up for a major offensive as President Zelensky visits the UK and Europe. Did we just get the real story about the exploding Nord Stream pipelines – or was it just a pipe dream? And, in this week’s short thought – the creative tension between change and stability we all have to navigate.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Corruption continues to be the focus as more are raided in Ukraine and the EU and the UK have problems of their own. The UK’s armed forces recruitment comes under scrutiny with allegations that competence is no longer a key criteria for air force pilots. The trans rapist prisoner row in Scotland has reached the point where Nicola Sturgeon’s political end seems to be in sight. And in this week’s short thought – we consider two articles that point to the ongoing demise of the mainstream media.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Putin’s latest moves suggest he’s fighting a political war at home as much as a military one in Ukraine. China urges its people not to travel for the Chinese New Year as Covid starts to hit the rural areas hard. President Biden is deeply embarrassed by the discovery of top secret documents in his garage. And in this week’s short thought, why responding to crises is a healthy part of a normal system
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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https://mallenbaker.net
Russia suffers a major blow on the battlefield the strategic implications of which highlight its biggest challenge. Republicans in the US celebrate their election gains by demonstrating an inability to agree on electing a House Speaker. Campaign group Extinction Rebellion gives up breaking the law but faces an upward struggle regardless, and in this week’s short thought, the power of taking responsibility – versus casting blame.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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In this news round-up of the week for 30th December 2022, as Covid rages across China, some countries bring in restrictions on travellers blaming the fear of new variants. Russian oligarchs continue to die by sudden falling out of hotel windows syndrome. A controversial leading light of the manosphere Andrew Tate picks a fight with Greta Thunberg and ends up sad. And in this week’s short thought, one more thing about those new year resolutions.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Vladimir Putin makes a startling statement after Ukraine’s Zelensky makes an appearance in the US. Scottish lawmakers pass a controversial trans self-ID bill, creating a likely constitutional crisis with the UK government. The summit on biodiversity reaches a final agreement and needless to say not everybody’s happy. And in this week’s short thought, I reflect on how we should rediscover the value of old ceremonies.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The EU is rocked to its core by a massive corruption scandal that its enemies believe could become a rout of the bureaucrats. China is seeing its hospitals rapidly overwhelmed as the Covid takes off, but they’re not reporting how many are dying. And Vladimir Putin cancels all of his most important engagements fuelling speculation as to whether the end is in sight.
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[https://patreon.com/mallenbaker](https://patreon.com/mallenbaker)
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
[https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker](https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker)
Follow the show page on Facebook
[https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow](https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow)
And my website
[https://mallenbaker.net](https://mallenbaker.net)
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The EU and the US have a huge falling out over Biden’s big subsidies for climate change action. China looks to be crossing the tipping point on its zero covid policy as cases surge upwards. Does the virtue signalling around the World Cup prove Vladimir Putin right about the West’s growing intolerance? And in this week’s short thought, why good quality thought benefits from the simple habit of being specific.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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China dominates the world stage at the G20 summit and Western countries start dialling back their hostility to it. Ukraine’s power grid is seriously knocked out by Russian attack as the UN criticises it for human rights abuses. Donald Trump announces that he is candidate for President but his strategy is already a defensive one. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about why you should expect and welcome chaos.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The US mid-term elections deliver a surprising result that arguably makes US civil war just a bit less likely. Ukraine takes back control of Kherson city as senior figures in the US administration urge them to negotiate with Putin. Social media giants Twitter and Meta are in meltdown as the online landscape seems vulnerable to change. And in this week’s short thought, why the blame game at COP27 and everywhere else is so unproductive.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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America prepares itself for the mid-term elections as late polls suggest Republicans may soon control both houses, Brazil’s president Bolsonaro narrowly loses his election but does that actually mean the Amazon rainforest is safe? Rishi Sunak changes his mind about going to COP27 – we review the issues up for debate at the climate conference. And in this week’s short thought, how almost unnoticed we’re now at the point where you can be jailed for private speech.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
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US political support for Ukraine shows first signs of fracturing as Vladimir Putin predicts the most dangerous decade. The UK has a new prime minister in Rishi Sunak who promises a return to competence in government. And the global climate summit COP27 is looming, which means a rash of updates on how we’re not on target. And in this week’s short thought, I reflect on how far adrift from reality some American views on the UK have become.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Ukraine continues to make advances as the world is newly alarmed about potential nuclear war. The UK’s brand new government sees more consequences from its self-sabotage. And EU members push back against the bloc’s plans to reduce pesticides in the middle of a world food crisis.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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Putin draws his red line and dares the West to cross it by formally annexing four regions of Ukraine. The UK Truss government’s mini-budget explodes in their faces and gives Labour real hope of regaining power. And controversial and Eurosceptic right winger Georgia Meloni wins Italy’s election, the latest populist wave that seems possibly to be sweeping Europe.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Russia announces a major mobilisation of its citizens while repeating its threats of nuclear war. The UK’s new government announces the unbanning of fracking and the most radical tax cutting day in fifty years. And in this week’s short though, we look at the latest tech giant, PayPal, to exercise unaccountable power against its customers apparently to the detriment of free speech.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
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https://mallenbaker.net
Putin has a bad week in the war, and not a great time with China’s Xi Jinping who has ‘concerns’ about Ukraine. Sweden sees an election upheaval as concern about gun crime and immigration creates a populist backlash. And the second largest cryptocurrency ethereum slashes its massive energy use at a stroke, but will others follow? And in this week’s short thought, how our values are changing and we didn’t much notice.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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https://mallenbaker.net
Liz Truss is poised to become the next UK prime minister - I look at what she’s said so far she will actually do. A critic of Vladimir Putin mysteriously falls from a window and his history making predecessor, Mikhail Gorbachev, dies. A genuine climate catastrophe has a third of Pakistan under water and is likely to be followed by famine. And in this week’s short thought, I look at a small example of real elite technocratic thinking that we should be quick to push back against.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
As energy prices across Europe are soaring, Russia is burning off its excess gas highlighting Putin’s high stakes gamble. UK prime minister candidate Rishi Sunak blows up the secrecy behind the UK’s covid lockdowns. China, the would-be great emerging superpower is assailed on all sides by problems of its own. And in this week’s short thought, I discuss the mindset change to best equip you to tackle these challenging times.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The UK government identifies causes for the surge in excess deaths which, for 2022, could be killing more people than covid, Liz Cheney loses her election, and Sam Harris goes viral in a bad way – all in the name of keeping Trump out of the white house, Russia begins to process of wiping out national cultural identity in the areas it occupies in Ukraine. And in this week’s short thought I reflect on the free speech questions hanging in the air after the attack on Salman Rushdie.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
China responds with fury to the visit by US House speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. The referendum in Kansas pushes back on banning abortion and changes the landscape for the midterm elections. Europe and elsewhere continue to see real consequences to continuing heatwaves and drought. And in this week’s short thought, I reflect on the phenomenon of audience capture and how it push creators down a slippery slope indeed.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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A major climate change bill suddenly appears in the US when everyone was least expecting it. More signs of the health impact of lockdowns are emerging but people are instead focusing on monkeypox. The UK NHS shuts down the Tavistock gender clinic whose rush to prescribe puberty blockers was labelled a danger to children. And in this week’s short thought, is body positivity something to be embraced or roundly rejected?
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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Joe Biden nearly declares a climate emergency – would it be a move too far for America’s fragile situation? The final two candidates for UK prime minister are settled but whether they like net zero or not, their options are limited. The European Commission instructs EU members states to cut gas use, and most of them fight back. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about the value of admitting when you were wrong.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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Russia turns off the gas supply, and Europe’s fear it won’t be turned back on has far reaching impacts. President Biden goes to deal with people he labelled as pariahs even as America’s own bad behaviour is brought to attention. The UK conservative party fights like ferrets in a sack over who will be the next Prime Minister. And in this week’s short thought, I dream of an end to safetyism in a country braced in terror over a coming heat wave.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Boris Johnson is finally felled as a long downward spiral comes to an end China brings in and then abandons vaccine mandates as the UK and some other countries are showing an unexplained increase in non-covid deaths. The EU sees turmoil as it classifies nuclear and gas as green and Dutch farmers protest draconian laws on nitrogen. And in this week’s short thought, I reflect on what makes for effective leadership, even as we wonder when we might again see it in political life.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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The US Supreme Court rips up a key measure on climate change and makes America a bit less governable even than it already was. Meanwhile Democrats try to put Roe v Wade on the ballot for 2022 elections while taking Donald Trump OFF the ballot for 2024. Russia hits a major civilian target with significant loss of life but the G7 responds with juvenile drivel. And in this week’s short thought, we talk about how your biggest critic might just be your best ally.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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In this news round-up of the week for 24th June 2022, Boris Johnson teeters on the brink once again after the worst by-election results in living memory. The US Supreme Court delivers a huge decision (and that's BEFORE today's one, which came too late for this video)! The EU confirms Ukraine as a candidate for membership even as the EU’s unity falls apart. China extends its grip on internet censorship, and it’s not the only one. And, in this week’s short thought, I draw lessons from an example of unintended consequences from worthy actions.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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In this news round-up of the week for 10th June 2022 In the US, the Jan 6th hearings begin but it’s really all about future elections not past ones. The European Parliament goes into full meltdown as its signature climate policies suffer major setbacks. President Putin talks about his war aims as three foreign soldiers are sentenced to death. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about why it’s an advantage in your life to take the initiative.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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Shanghai emerged from lockdown but the zero Covid policy is putting doubt over Xi Jinping’s status as dictator for life. President Biden u-turns with dizzying speed on sending long-range missiles to Ukraine American Republicans signal a shift to being more positive on climate change. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about the choice we make about whether or not to use polarising language.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Russia starts making ground in the Ukraine war as the parts of its military machine finally start working together. America endures another school mass shooting and descends into the usual internal warfare. A hacker releases documents from Chinese police stations in Xinjiang showing just what’s happening to the Uighers. The UK introduces a post-Brexit bill to deregulate gene editing. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about the what it means to think for yourself.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
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The growing global food crisis starts to see unrest spreading in the countries that are being worst hit. Russia finally crushes resistance at Mariupol, but is mostly focused on the blame game for its failures. In the US means the left has jumped onto a terrible shooting as a tool to associate their opponents with actual neo-nazism. Australia is imminently to head to the polls – in an election that has been avoiding the topic the voters say they most care about. And in this week’s short thought, I talk about avoiding the victim role people may try to put you into thinking they’re doing you a favour.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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As Russia’s campaign in Ukraine does badly on the ground it is raising alarm bells thanks to its manoeuvres in space. China and now North Korea battle with Covid as the WHO upends a lot of cherished misconceptions about the pandemic. The democrats put a radical abortion bill to the senate so that its glorious defeat can motivate the base. And the BBC gets caught mistaking campaigning for journalism when it comes to climate change. And in this week’s short thought, I focus on the big moves to ratchet up online censorship.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
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A split in the EU over oil sanctions over Ukraine and a panic at the White House over being blamed for dead Russian generals. Elections in the UK, and primaries in the US give clues on the fate of Boris Johnson and Donald Trump. The aftermath of the draft Roe v Wade judgement continue to send shockwaves through the US. We look at how much India is following China’s lead on digital censorship and autocracy. And in this weeks short thought, how rational discussion has been squashed once again by ideology and wishful thinking.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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Russia begins cutting the flow of gas to EU countries that refuse to pay the bill in Roubles. Russia also bombs Kyiv while the UN secretary general is there as everyone digs in for a long war. Polls show that EU citizens want an elected president but the bloc is struggling to hold together. Also, we look at whether China’s failed Zero Covid policy is just the beginning for a failure to take world dominance, and this week’s short thought on why you should be clear about how you measure the success of the things you try to do.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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President Biden caused another stir by labelling Russia’s war in Ukraine as genocide. Boris Johnson survived a week where he went from glory to disgrace to controversy. Elon Musk offered to by twitter, and the French election gets to the pointy end.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The war in Ukraine shifts to the South East as atrocities against civilians are being revealed. The UK government launches its bold and ambitious energy security policy – at least that’s what they say. And France suddenly faces the possibility of being the site of the next big populism political upset as Marine Le Pen surges at the last minute.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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The Ukraine war shifts into another gear as Russia moves its forces and the West tries to psyche Putin out, and Ukraine's perfect PR war suffers a first setback when its troops commit a serious war crime. And the US splits over whether the parental rights bill in Florida really does mean teachers should not say gay.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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The massive consequences of the Ukraine war on the world’s energy supplies continue to emerge, and one of them is to blow up the promises made at the COP26 climate conference. New claims are made that Vladimir Putin is in danger of a coup the longer the war drags on. And America indulges in the usual political showboating over the latest supreme court nomination.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The Russian military tightens the noose around Kyiv while Moscow takes claims of bioweapons to the UN security council. Despite Putin’s new laws, the truth about the war is exposed on State television in Russia. And the UK SAGE committee winds up in a symbolic end to the pandemic in Britain, while in Hong Kong things have never been so bad.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The invasion of Ukraine has continued, with a significant shift towards indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets, not to mention a nuclear power plant. Putin has declared his settled will to take the whole of Ukraine regardless of the backlash against him. Also, it's being suggested that the Kremlin is on the verge of declaring martial law in Russia – a move which would have far-reaching consequences for Russians and for the world. Also we learned today that Ukrainian president Zelensky has survived three assassination attempts this week – and with hundreds of operatives active in the country with the same mission, there will likely be more to come.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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Russia invades Ukraine. We talk about why it happened, why the response by the West will make zero difference to what happens next, and whether this is the first concrete shift towards a new world order, as some people believe.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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UK prime minister Boris Johnson says he’ll end all Covid restrictions in two weeks, and the inevitable backlash is in full swing. Justin Trudeau’s strong stand against Canadian truckers begins to crumble as voices on his own side begin to attack a divisive approach to Covid policy. And Democrats retreat on their own Covid policies while Republicans begin to fight in earnest for the soul of their own party.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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As Boris Johnson falters, momentum is growing for a new populist campaign to bring down net zero with him - and Nigel Farage thinks he might be just the man for the job. President Biden’s administration is under fire for allegedly trying to push its ideology into institutions it doesn’t belong. And from Canada truckers to Austria protestors, the fallout from attempted vaccine mandates continues.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The Tory civil war to take out Boris Johnson goes up a gear, but he plans to fight to the end. Joe Biden’s voting reform bill fails as predicted and he suggests the next election will be stolen as a result, and Joe Biden also alarms Ukraine by suggesting that a minor invasion by Russia might be sort-of OK.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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In this news roundup of the week, President Biden talked about Trump’s threat to democracy while his supporters care more about whether their kids are in school, another UK jury acquits campaigners in spite of the facts of their guilt not being in dispute, and the standoff between tennis number one Novak Djokovic and the Australian government continues.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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In this news round-up of the week, continuing good news on omicron fails to stem the tide of policy chaos and disarray, Germany shuts down three of its nuclear power plants making it more dependent on fossil fuels, and America counts the cost of defunding the police in 2021.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The threat of new restrictions in England recede in the face of the latest scientific studies into Omicron, the scientific advisors on both sides of the channel come under unprecedented attack for breach of trust, and the Christmas spirit of peace and unity unexpectedly descends upon Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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In this week’s round-up of the news, Boris Johnson gets battered from all signs as people demand a return to competent government, the Omicron variant continues to be labelled as a major health emergency but the public are not convinced, the cost of lockdown policies continue to be felt as inflation surges on both sides of the Atlantic, and the EU is riven by internal divisions over nuclear power.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The UK government continues to suffer the death of a thousand self-inflicted wounds, the evidence seems to be growing that the Omicron variant causes mostly mild disease but the government is still panicking and talking about masses of deaths, and Jussie Smollett is found guilty of stoking up racial tension in the name of his career
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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Germany locks down the unvaccinated and signals a vote on mandatory vaccination. The Womens Tennis Association cancels all events in China over missing Peng Shuai. And the US Supreme Court starts the process of the overthrow of Roe v Wade.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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In this week’s news roundup, a new Covid-19 variant in Africa is causing enough concern that the UK is banning flights from affected countries. Germany forms a new coalition government and it’s remarkably woke, but can it last? And UK prime minister Boris Johnson has problems of his own as internal dissatisfaction with his leadership spills into the open.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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Europe joins Biden’s America in using the power of the law against the unvaccinated. The world of women’s tennis refuses to bend to China’s will in defence of missing tennis champion Peng Shuai. And the Biden relationship with Kamala Harris becomes the source of intense speculation.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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COP26 is almost finished – what did it actually achieve? The UK and the US have declining covid cases but are contemplating vaccine mandates anyway. And Chinese premier Xi Jinping takes another step towards becoming ruler for life.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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The Boris Johnson government grapples with the consequences of its apparent incompetence in the fall-out over sleaze. The Biden administration grapples with the consequences of Democrats political radicalism in the wake of this week’s elections. And the COP26 conference actually surprises all of us by achieving more – on paper at least – than we expected.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
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In this news roundup of the week, the UK government is fighting calls to bring back Covid restrictions as cases increase. Boris Johnson launched the long-awaited net zero strategy creating a heated debate about cost. And the EU’s constitutional bust-up with Poland threatens to bring the whole structure tumbling down.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
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The former chief software officer of the US Defence Department declares that China has won the race for AI supremacy and is assured of future world domination. The world continues to grapple with the energy crisis confronting leaders with the choices they’d hoped to avoid. And Google announces a crackdown on YouTube content that denies the reality of climate change.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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The UK faces a winter of discontent as everything seemingly falls apart at once. Some significant new promises are made in advance of the COP26 climate conference. And the US and China promise not to go into a cold war while continuing to behave like they’re in a cold war.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
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A new defence pact against the growing influence of China receives a furious response. America ponders whether a top general committed treason in an attempt to save it from Trump. And there are big political changes in the UK, but will they deliver the bit that really matters?
Support this channel!
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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President Biden announces it’s time to blame the unvaccinated and mandate them into compliance. China says ‘no’ to pressure on climate change. And the Taliban are rebuked by the EU for being insufficiently inclusive.
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
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Europe and the US are all focused on booster shots for the vaccine, in the face of significant criticism. Joe Biden announces America will focus on its interests first and foremost, and it immediately descends into another bitterly fought battle over abortion.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
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The retreat from Afghanistan takes an extremely grim turn, with consequences being felt across the world. Excess deaths and supply chain chaos are evident as the consequences of Covid lockdowns continue to emerge. And Joe Biden’s 3 month inquiry into the origins of Covid is reportedly over.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
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President Biden’s withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan has been condemned across the world as catastrophic and incompetent, horrifying America’s allies and delighting its enemies. The UK has launched its hydrogen strategy, and the SNP in Scotland say they want to make their emergency Covid powers permanent.
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
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Hard questions are finally starting to be asked about what will be the real cost of net zero carbon by 2050. President Biden infuriates his environmentalist base by asking Opec for more oil. And there are new developments on both the Covid origins question, and on the fights over Ivermectin.
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Governments are upping the pressure on the unvaccinated. The true costs of net zero carbon policies begin to emerge. And a lot of people who should know better talk nonsense about climate change.
Support this channel on Patreon
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
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In the UK, the pingdemic is bringing the country to its knees in ways that Covid-19 never managed. China is taking a battering from both world opinion and the weather. And the scale of technological capability in spying on people has been dramatically exposed.
Support this podcast
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
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Dramatic evidence of medical fraud seems to undermine the case for Ivermectin as a Covid-19 treatment. The EU launches its massive Green Deal plan and braces itself for what it expects to be a massive backlash. And Britons are being forced into quarantine by an out of control app while being told to eat algae.
Support this podcast!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
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In the UK, the promised freedom day is on the horizon and yet nobody’s happy. An attribution study shows just how extraordinary was the recent heatwave in the US and Canada. And a leaked draft of the IPCC 2022 report has many convinced it’s the end of the world.
Support this channel!
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The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
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And my website
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intrusive rules that have just become dumb. Northwestern America has been hit by a truly intense heatwave feeding into the debate around Joe Biden’s huge spending climate bills. And former President Trump’s new social media platform is launched – for real this time. But will he even join it himself?
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Joe Biden’s losses on climate change and voting rights show just how weak the administration’s position currently is. Rumours swirl of a top-level Chinese defector with news of the truth about the origin of Covid-19. And early sequences of the virus are discovered after they were attempted to be deleted by Chinese researchers.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Joe Biden goes out to tell the world and Vladimir Putin particularly that he’s not Donald Trump. The UK pushes back the opening from lockdown by a month creating significant backlash. And the world tests out my theory that green politicians can’t sell radical policies to the electorate.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show covers news, current affairs, science and politics. It aims to be independent, fact-focused and non-ideological. A rational and reasoned approach to some of the difficult issues of our time, including climate change, the Covid pandemic, and how we can best survive and thrive in the modern world.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The US delivers a formal rebuke to the UK normally reserved for enemies not allies, falling vaccination rates mean the US is unlikely to meet its target for independence day. And is the UK betraying the poor by cutting back on its foreign aid?
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The UK government wreaks havoc with yet more sudden changes on Covid policy. Dr Anthony Fauci’s emails become the latest topic of furious partisan battles in the US. And China’s Ji Xinping decides the country needs to be more loveable
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The mainstream focus has turned to seriously consider the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis. The UK prime ministers’s former number one aide Dominic Cummings unleashes a massive attack on the government’s competence in the face of the pandemic. And oil company Shell is told by a court that it has to cut its emissions nearly in half within ten years.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The BBC faces its biggest scandal, over its own deceit that may have led to the death of Princess Diana, The latest Israel Palestine conflict may be at an end and few are really talking about why it happened. And the German Greens are in with a shot in the government elections, if they can win support for their shock radical proposal.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
A major American gas pipeline is taken out by hackers giving a taste of how the coming cold war is going to work. The CDC says that actually the vaccinated don’t have to wear masks after all, while Britons are worried about the new Indian variant. And Elon Musk pulls support from bitcoin based on its environmental footprint.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
Facebook grapples with the realisation that what it does next may affect whether Donald Trump stands for election in 2024. Britain engages in a wet fish fight with the French in the bay of Jersey. And President Biden attacks the companies that delivered him vaccines by calling for the waiving of patent rights.
Support this channel!
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
President Biden makes big promises to lead the world on climate change, but not everyone’s convinced. Europe tries to tackle the downsides of artificial intelligence while China enthusiastically embraces its dark side. And Covid-19 vaccines are proving highly effective in some places – and rather less so elsewhere.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The UK regulator confirms a likely link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and extremely rare blood clots. The prosecution in the George Floyd trail runs into all sorts of problems raising the possibility of an explosive ending. And backlash sinks the early plans of the people who plan to dim the sun in order to cool the planet.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The George Floyd murder trial gets underway in America as a row breaks out in the UK about the idea that Britain might NOT be institutionally racist. The WHO produces a report saying Covid probably didn’t leak from a lab, but nobody believes it. And the EU says it will definitely snatch vaccines from a lab in which the UK invested 20 million pounds and the EU invested zero.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The West hardens its lines against China, while Joe Biden struggles with the border crisis the EU steps back, for now, from the brink of vaccine nationalism and Donald Trump signals his intention to run his own social media platform.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Europe’s vaccine madness puts off its citizens from getting vaccinated even as it threatens to seize other people’s vaccines. Joe Biden’s puzzled as to why he has a border crisis. And the UK is gripped by a wave of angst over violence to women.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Heavyweight figures call for action against online harm in the UK. US democrats cite exactly that principle to call for conservative channels to be removed from video platforms. Europe and the US fight over the influence of Russia and the EU shoots itself in the foot over vaccines.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Vaccine passports seem inevitably on the horizon whether we like them or not. The US continues to fail in achieving unity. And companies push ahead on net zero carbon moves while governments struggle.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
The UK defence minister gives a stark warning that the current world order is crumbling and it’s becoming more likely that use of biological and chemical weapons is in the future. We look at some of the factors shaping the more dangerous world of the coming decades. Moderate Republicans ponder splitting from the party of Donald Trump as impeachment hearings continue. And another of the big oil companies puts out its plan to convert from fossil fuels by 2050.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Whether it’s the UK and French governments or climate czar John Kerry, everybody gets hammered for saying one thing and doing another this week. China is attacked by some for latest reports alleging systematic rape and torture of Uighers and the fall out in the EU from the vaccine wars continues.
https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
A vicious vaccine war breaks out as the EU threatens to divert doses from the UK, Joe Biden launches a barrage of first week measures on climate change and much else besides. And we note how the pandemic has changed the world in ways that will echo for decades.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
Joe Biden is inaugurated as Captain Unity, with a mission to unite America. The EU and Australia open new fronts in the war against the tech giants. And the UK ponders a vaccine-led future of long-term closed borders.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
The tech giants demonstrate their power in obliterating any online presence for Donald Trump and taking down the independent Parler platform. In the UK conservatives threaten Boris Johnson’s leadership unless he maps out the terms on which lockdown will be ended. And America looks nervously ahead to an inauguration where multiple protests and violence are reportedly imminent.
Support this channel: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
You can also find videos at:
https://odysee.com/@mallenbaker
Follow the show page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/mallenbakershow
And my website
https://mallenbaker.net
After the week that rocked America and the world, we look at what really happened in Washington DC and, more importantly, what happens next.
Support this podcast: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
A mutant virus cancelled Christmas – was it just another example of over-reaction by the government? A Brexit trade deal limps over the line at the very last minute. And President Trump is urged to sabotage Joe Biden’s intent to rejoin the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
While Europe locks down, Britain resists for now the pressure to abandon its plans to let people use their own judgement on how they spend Christmas. The UK government reveals its plans for an online harms bill and its plans for energy. And more people get cancelled, including Abraham Lincoln himself.
Support this podcast! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
Sweden’s totally different approach to the pandemic has failed, and it’s now caved in and followed the rest of us into lockdown. That’s what some are saying, but has it really? Also, did Britain go into lockdown based on dodgy figures? The US media suddenly notice that Hunter Biden is in trouble. And a leading figure who called for the punishment of Covid lockdown breakers gets caught breaking lockdown.
Support this podcast! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
A huge judgement as the High Court rules that children cannot consent to body-changing trans treatments such as puberty blockers. Britain picks playground fights with Dr Fauci and everyone else about how much better it is than them. Joe Biden’s emerging new team signals a final end to the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. And cancel culture hits English Master Will Knowland at Eton School.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
It seems as though it’s unending covid lockdowns until the vaccines arrive. But will people take them when they get here? Joe Biden pleases some and upsets others and he gears up for action on climate change. And for once, attempts to cancel both the living and the dead fail miserably.
Support this podcast: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
Boris Johnson launches his ten-point plan for the green industrial revolution. Question marks get raised over whether Covid-19 actually started in China, even as protests against lockdowns continue. And we ask the question whether there’s any answer now to our deeply polarised society.
Support the Mallen Baker Show https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Prime Minister releases ten point plan
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-outlines-his-ten-point-plan-for-a-green-industrial-revolution-for-250000-jobs
Carbon Brief analysis of government’s 10 point plan
https://www.carbonbrief.org/media-reaction-boris-johnsons-10-point-net-zero-plan-for-climate-change
Poland and Hungary create EU crisis
https://www.politico.eu/article/polish-premier-points-finger-at-eu-in-budget-fight/
Tucker Carlson - time to present the evidence
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/tucker-carlson-rudy-giuliani-sidney-powell-election-fraud
Lebanon modelling
https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/beirut-port-explosion
Joe Biden promises that he can heal America, but there are good reasons to think that he’s wrong. A vaccine is on the way that has a 90% effectiveness against Covid-19. And climate scientists stand up against end-of-the-world doomerism even as President Trump gives them a final kick on his way out of the door.
Support this podcast! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
England goes into full lockdown and within days the data that put it there is being ripped apart. The US presidential standoff gets uglier as President Trump alleges widespread fraud and Europe faces serious conflict over political Islam in the wake of recent terrorist attacks.
Support this podcast! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Why have No 10’s Covid forecasts changed so much?
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-have-no-10s-covid-forecasts-changed-so-much
OSR Statement on transparency of data related to Covid-19
https://osr.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/news/osr-statement-regarding-transparency-of-data-related-to-covid-19/
Toby Young post about ‘what are they up to?’
https://lockdownsceptics.org/2020/11/04/#the-government-is-terrified
As European countries are locking down again in the face of the pandemic, we discover the previously secret UK government advice directing its actions as we go into the predicted second wave. Plus, we review the week’s news and discuss the downsides of campaigns to feed hungry children.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
SAGE worst case scenario (paywall, but limited free sample articles) https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/classified-covid-in-winter-2020-a-worst-case-scenario
NHS service reduction during the pandemic https://drfoster.com/2020/10/14/quantifying-nhs-activity-reduction-during-the-peak-of-the-covid-19-crisis/
First do no harm, letter from health professionals and scientists https://usforthem.co.uk/open-letter-from-health-professionals-and-scientists-to-the-prime-minister
In this round-up of the week, the final presidential debate takes place against the backdrop of highly partisan media reporting. The UK throws more areas into Covid lockdown and the data shows that the coronavirus doesn’t after all care about the colour of your skin.
Support the Mallen Baker Show on Patreon! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Office for National Statistics data on Covid deaths versus influenza
Ethnic minority Covid risk 'not explained by racism'
NY Covid mortality study
SAGE rejects the Great Barrington Declaration (paywall)
Kemi Badenoch, speech on critical race theory
In this round-up of the week, the UK government says ‘no’ to the scientists over covid lockdowns, Supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett outrages many with her comments on climate change, and both social media giants and the police are ramping up the policing of speech.
Support this podcast: https:patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
In this round-up of the week, following the vice presidents debate we ask what we learned from the two candidates who are actually able to speak in complete sentences, and why the debate format is so bad. We ask whether President Trump is really as recovered and healthy as he says he is, And Britain and Europe prepare for yet more Covid-19 lockdowns in spite of the growing chorus of criticism.
In this round-up of the week, the UK tightens and Belgium relaxes their lockdowns even though their covid-19 figures are the same, America descends further into turmoil, and China surprises the world by announcing it will commit to net zero carbon by 2060.
Support this podcast: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
References
Comres poll results
https://twitter.com/SavantaComRes/status/1308788938463678471
Belgian Doctors open letter
https://docs4opendebate.be/en/open-letter/
Examination of the Spain Covid experience
https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/does-the-resurgence-of-covid-19-in-spain-exhibit-exponential-growth/
Countries with commitments to ban gasoline vehicles and by when
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_fossil_fuel_vehicles
In this round-up of the week, another shooting in America unleashes another round of riots, but are the protesters President Trump’s best hope of re-election? The UK gets hot under the collar over the BBC’s plan to cancel the song Land of Hope and Glory, and the UK’s disastrous wheat harvest has eco-doomers predicting the beginning of the end.
Support this podcast: https: //patreon.com/mallenbaker
References
Detailed account of shootings by Kyle Rittenhouse
https://heavy.com/news/2020/08/kyle-rittenhouse/
Don Lemon CNN says riots are helping trump
https://hannity.com/media-room/this-is-cnn-don-lemon-says-riots-have-to-stop-because-its-showing-up-in-the-polling/
Wikileaks document on Hezbollah and Ammonium Nitrate
https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/13/1336443_hezbollah-searches-for-an-alternative-explosive-.html
World grain harvest
https://www.agriculture.com/news/business/record-high-world-grain-production-for-second-year-in-a-row
China’s grain harvest fears
https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3098590/chinas-grain-scarcity-fears-say-more-about-uncertain-relations-us-food
In this round-up of the week, panic provokes lockdowns and quarantines in Europe even though almost nobody’s dying, panic leads to a U-turn in the UK’s position on fantasy exam results so now there are prizes for everyone, and panic underpins the start of the US presidential elections.
Support this podcast: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
Mallen interviewed on the Ross Trevena Project
http://www.rosstrevena.com/trtp.html
References
Melbourne debates switch to covid-19 elimination plan
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/australia-debates-switch-to-covid-19-elimination-plan-as-melbourne-cases-surge
Release for ‘women make the best covid leaders’ paper
https://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR846481.aspx
Leading the Fight Against the Pandemic: Does Gender ‘Really’ Matter? https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3617953
Denver doctors may have found the answer to a pandemic mystery: What happened to all the heart attacks?
https://coloradosun.com/2020/08/17/denver-coronavirus-deaths-heart-attack/
In this round-up of the week, anger is rising in the shell-shocked city of Beirut, leaked video evidence throws a new light on the murder of George Floyd and President Trump and Joe Biden are in a tightly fought contest to see which can do the most self-harm to their own campaigns.
Support this channel at: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
What really happened at the Port of Beirut? By Dr Mordechai Kedar https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/beirut-port-explosion/
In this round-up of the week, European governments are terrified of what seems to be an emerging second wave of covid-19. Americans fight partisan wars over masks and hydroxychloroquine, and the tech companies take another step in the censorship of bad thoughts.
Includes the mask debate, the Frontline Doctors of America video, Trump's comments on election fraud, hydroxychoriquin and more.
Support this channel: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Covid-19 Opinion Tracker https://www.kekstcnc.com/media/2793/k...
I Was Invited to Testify on Energy Policy. Then Democrats Didn’t Let Me Speak https://quillette.com/2020/07/29/why-...
Destroyer Mariko https://www.youtube.com/user/DestroyerMariko
Mariko's Patreon https://www.patreon.com/destroyermariko
In this round-up of the week, the US media shows shocking partisan bias as America sinks deeper into conflict, the UK is faced with the evidence of Russia’s attempts to do it harm and Britain’s climate campaigners turn against each other.
Support this channel: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
This episode talks about The Russia Report, looking at Russian interference in the UK elections, Brexit and Scottish Independence referendum. It looks at President Trump, blaming the Black Lives Matter protests for spreading Covid-19. It looks at Isaiah Jackson, who knelt on the neck of a two-year-old toddler to promote Black Lives Matter, and we talk about the Beyond Politics Party, offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, brainchild of Roger Hallam, which this week covered the buildings of environmental NGOs such as Greenpeace with paint in protest at their failure to rebel against the government.
References
Paper on Black Lives Matter protests and social distancing
https://www.nber.org/papers/w27408.pdf
Paper on Black Lives Matter protests and social distancing
https://www.nber.org/papers/w27408.pdf
In this round-up of the week, we learned that Data and research are obliterated if they tell us things we don’t want to hear. The world wakes up to how vulnerable it’s made itself to communist China. And leading figures on the left get cancelled for signing a letter calling for the end of cancel culture.
Support this channel. https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
Mallen interviewed on The Amish Inquisition podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HntVHaq5bdE
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Trump rally ‘likely source’ of surge
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-07-08/health-official-trump-rally-likely-source-of-virus-surge
Demonstrations may have caused surge, Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cities-protests-coronavirus-cases-black-lives-matter
Fauci comments on Covid-19
https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-coronavirus-spreads-striking-efficiency-creates-perfect-storm-2020-7
Retraction Notice
https://retractionwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PNAS_STATEMENT.pdf
Heather MacDonald on the retraction
https://apkmetro.com/i-cited-their-study-so-they-disavowed-it/
Harpers letter
https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/
Response letter to the Harpers original
https://theobjective.substack.com/p/a-more-specific-letter-on-justice
In this round-up of the week, the surge in the south puts the coronavirus back on the US agenda. A backlash grows against Black Lives Matter the organisation, and Facebook refuses to censor political speech while censoring political speech.
Support this podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
In this round-up of the week, anti-racism campaigners choose increasingly bizarre targets, battles are won against cancel-culture but mostly the war is being lost, and France’s citizens assembly on climate change comes up with its list of demands.
Support this channel! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Photos: So who was Hans Christian Heg? Here's why the Civil War hero had a statue
https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/photos-so-who-was-hans-christian-heg-heres-why-the-civil-war-hero-had-a/collection_31313606-691a-52d2-a4fa-cbe4eca84f73.html#anchor_item_5
BLM leader says they will ‘burn down the system’
https://disrn.com/news/blm-president-says-movement-prepared-to-burn-down-the-system
Trump responds to ‘treason’
https://disrn.com/news/president-trump-calls-blm-leaders-remarks-treason-sedition-insurrection
Jake Hepple defends his case
https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/24/burnley-fan-behind-white-lives-matter-banner-insists-not-racist-12897432/
Hepple was fired
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11708/12014029/burnley-fan-jake-hepple-sacked-for-part-in-white-lives-matter-banner
Hepple’s girlfriend rejected ‘sensitivity training’ and was fired
https://summit.news/2020/06/24/girlfriend-of-man-who-flew-white-lives-matter-banner-fired-from-her-job/
Stu Peters reinstated at Manx Radio
https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/stu-peters-is-back-but-live-calls-axed/
Free Speech Union
https://freespeechunion.org/
Cambridge University rescinds Jordan Peterson invitation
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/mar/20/cambridge-university-rescinds-jordan-peterson-invitation
Frances’ Citizen Assembly on Climate Change
https://www.conventioncitoyennepourleclimat.fr/
Residents sue Seattle over CHAZ
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/25/us/seattle-protest-zone-chop-lawsuit/index.html
In this round-up of the week, we begin to reap what we sowed over the last month as trust in institutions goes through the floor. And people begin to kick back against the narrative that everything is awful and everyone is racist.
Please support this content at https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
Additional Reading / References
Douglas Murray Daily Mail piece
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8418209/DOUGLAS-MURRAY-Anarchy-breaking-brakes-thing-Does-know.html
More police than usual resigning from Minneapolis police
https://disrn.com/news/minneapolis-police-resigning-in-unusually-large-numbers
Austin, Texas, protests 11 days in a row by June 7
https://patch.com/texas/downtownaustin/black-lives-matter-rally-draws-thousands-austin
Fear of surge in cases in Jacksonville after demonstrations
https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/fear-of-surge-in-coronavirus-cases-among-african-american-communities-as-mass-protests-continue/77-d4bcce44-8955-428b-b90b-c927901bb35f
Will protests increase the spread of covid-19?
https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/ethics/will-protests-increase-spread-covid19-coronavirus
Interview with Professor Clifford Stott
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000k2l3
Racist police violence reconsidered
https://quillette.com/2020/06/11/racist-police-violence-reconsidered/
In this round-up of the week, campaigners aim to cancel the police for brutality. Others want to cancel long-dead people for slavery. Mostly they end up cancelling each other for having wrong opinions. Let's discuss.
A star-spangled cast, with the likes of Winston Churchill, Gandhi and Gladstone rubbing shoulder to shoulder with JK Rowling, Nigel Farage, and more.
Join the lovely people who support this channel by becoming a patron. https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Black Lives Matter website – ‘defund the police’
https://blacklivesmatter.com/defundthepolice/
Mayor Garcetti disagrees with protesters' calls for defunding LAPD https://abc7.com/george-floyd-defund-lapd-the-police-use-of-force/6242698/
Forbes: Why The ACLU, Black Lives Matter And Others Want To ‘Defund The Police’ While This Weapons Supplier Disagrees
https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamelton/2020/06/08/why-the-aclu-black-lives-matter-and-others-want-to-defund-the-police-while-this-weapons-supplier-disagrees/#5e6c4222f929
Democratic leaders clash with Black Lives Matter activists over 'defund the police'
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/democratic-leaders-clash-black-lives-matter-activists-over-defund-police-n1227671
In this round-up of the week, America sees a week of protests and riots and police brutality and political manoeuvring and almost no social distancing. The result of the terrible events that led to the death of George Floyd.
What's the unfortunate truth why the protests are possibly going to result in the opposite to what they want? What are President Trump and Joe Biden doing to try to ensure events benefit their campaign for election? And what just happened that means we might get even worse violence further down the road?
If you want to solve the problem, you have to know what the problem is. And that’s what we’re getting wrong. Let’s discuss.
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Story about Breonna Taylor
https://www.vox.com/2020/5/13/21257457/breonna-taylor-louisville-shooting-ahmaud-arbery-justiceforbre
Statistics on people shot by police in the US
https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/
Fatal shootings by police in England and Wales
https://www.statista.com/statistics/319246/police-fatal-shootings-england-wales/
Officer characteristics and racial disparities in fatal officer-involved shootings, Johnson et al
https://www.pnas.org/content/116/32/15877
Channel 4 Fact check – Do more black Americans commit crimes?
https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-black-americans-commit-crime
Definitions 2nd / 3rd degree murder, Minneapolis
https://www.voanews.com/usa/nation-turmoil-george-floyd-protests/what-do-2nd-degree-murder-3rd-degree-murder-manslaughter
The Myth of Systemic Police Racism, Heather MacDonald, WSJ
http://archive.is/OXbjA
In this round-up of the week, the media tries to take down Brexit architect Dominic Cummings, President Trump declares war on social media companies, and YouTube removes another video for contradicting the covid-19 approved line.
References
Spiked article on Dominic Cummings’ press event
https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/05/26/how-the-media-lost-the-plot/
Toby Young’s deleted video
https://www.bitchute.com/video/P7qJBIVOPoBs/
French social media law
https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonchandler/2020/05/14/french-social-media-law-is-another-coronavirus-blow-to-freedom-of-speech/#60071611703c
In this round-up of the week, the second wave of infections is notable by its absence, the WHO comes under attack, furious debates break out over how quickly to get back to normal and we see disturbing signs of the silencing of voices critical of then virus lockdown.
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
Want to see independent, fact-focused non-ideological commentary? Support this channel on Patreon! https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
References
Video with Dr Karol Sikora https://unherd.com/thepost/professor-karol-sikora-fear-is-more-dangerous-than-the-virus/
Denmark SSI doesn’t understand why there aren’t more cases https://nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund/2020-05-20-ssi-vi-forstaar-ikke-hvorfor-der-ikke-er-flere-smittede
Earlier UK lockdown could have saved lives
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/uk-lockdown-coronavirus-deaths-avoided_uk_5ec76ad1c5b66686597a8129
Climate modeller James Annan’s original post
https://bskiesresearch.wordpress.com/2020/05/12/the-human-cost-of-delaying-lockdown/
We’re all in the big numbers now – counting the cost of the damage
https://thecritic.co.uk/were-all-in-the-big-numbers-now/
Education leaders don’t want schools to reopen
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/coronavirus-uk-schools-boris-johnson-lockdown-june-a4436626.html
British people scared of coming out of lockdown
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/02/fearful-britons-oppose-lifting-lockdown-schools-pubs-restaurants-opinium-poll
Journalist cancelled for suggesting petition to reopen schools
https://lockdownsceptics.org/the-reaction-to-a-petition-to-reopen-schools/
In this round-up of the week, the World Health Organisation, savages Sweden for believing in herd immunity. But is it actually the only strategy that works? The world begins to relax lockdown but sees early signs of a second spike of covid-19 cases. And Extinction Rebellion is full of rage that governments may not simply allow the air industry to die in a ditch like a dog.
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
Support me on Patreon at: https://patreon.com/mallenbaker
References
Please see the YouTube video notes for references.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO-tpVKu-Qg
In this round-up of the week, as 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson falls from grace the computer model that kept people off the streets comes under fierce attack. The global covid-19 blame game goes up ten notches. And new research challenges our theories of why insects may be in decline.
References
How ‘Professor Lockdown’ brought covid-19 into Downing Street
https://www.businessinsider.com/neil-ferguson-transformed-uk-covid-response-oxford-challenge-imperial-model-2020-4?r=US&IR=T
Nature Special Report: The simulations driving the world’s response to covid-19
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01003-6
Code review of Neil Ferguson’s model
https://lockdownsceptics.org/code-review-of-fergusons-model/
Study on grasshoppers in Texas
https://www.pnas.org/content/117/13/7271
In this round-up of the week, the world gets confused about whether Sweden’s relaxed no-lockdown approach to coronavirus is a good example, or a bad example. Track and trace apps for your phone pose the question how much you’re willing to trade your privacy for safety. And governments and climate change campaigners are determined not to let a good crisis go to waste.
Chris Rose is a hugely experienced environmental campaigner, and was a leading figure in the iconic Shell Brent Spar campaign with Greenpeace. He now runs his own business helping campaigns to be more effective, and he recently produced a detailed report assessing the new environmentalist movements around Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion.
The Mallen Baker Podcast is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, and shares wisdom from some of the most successful and influential change makers in all areas - whether it be in sustainable business, government, campaigning, charities and academia. Interviews range from top CEOs, to hugely experienced campaigners, to authors and more. Guests have included Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever, Claire Fox author and broadcaster, Lord Paul Boateng, former government minister, and Roger Hallam, Extinction Rebellion co-founder.
Chris Rose links
Chris' website
http://threeworlds.campaignstrategy.org/
'Tragedy or Scandal? Strategies of Extinction Rebellion and Greta Thunberg' http://threeworlds.campaignstrategy.org/?p=2442
Chris' twitter account
https://twitter.com/campaignstrat
In this round-up of the week, the BBC plays host to a climate change scrap between Matt Ridley, Kevin Anderson and Greta Thunberg. And the second in line to the throne Prince William launches an ‘earthshot prize’ to tackle climate change. But is it the right initiative? And finally Amazon’s employees declare war against their own company in the name of climate change.
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
Charles Moore Today episode (Ridley interview starts at 1:35:00) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000cpwb
Greta Thunberg Today episode (Kevin Anderson interview starts at 0:49:45, Greta Thunberg interview starts at 2:47:15)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000cn3h
In this round-up of the week, one of the most pessimistic self-described 'alarmists' David Wallace-Wells, concludes that the worst case scenario that fuelled his famous 'the uninhabitable earth' arguments is now unlikely to happen.
Nike is sued by transgender engineer Jazz Lyles for failing to use the right pronouns.
And Timothy Litzenburg, the man who helped sue Monsanto, is allegedly caught trying to blackmail other companies for 200 million dollars.
00:32 David Wallace-Wells and the growing rejection of RCP8.5
06:58 Nike sued for failing to ensure employees use the right pronouns
11:07 Lawyer who won suit against Monsanto arrested for extortion
14:10 Things that I like
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References and links
David Wallace-Wells article http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/1...
‘A 3C world is now ‘business as usual’ https://thebreakthrough.org/issues/en... https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerpie...
New York Times article based on RCP 8.5
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/cl...
'Things that I like'
The French Brexit Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPLe9...
@potholer54 latest video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QCBD...
According to reports, we’re facing the beepocalypse. Pollinators are dying out, and the result will be much of our food will disappear with bee extinction. If true, it’s seriously worrying. But is it true? Let’s have a look.
The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.
References
00:56 https://www.greatoldbroads.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/44/Winfree-2010.pdf 01:14 https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8414
02:35 https://abcnews.go.com/US/40-decline-honey-bee-population-winter-unsustainable-experts/story?id=64191609 03:08 https://beeinformed.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2018_2019-Abstract.pdf
04:27 https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2018/october/despite-elevated-loss-rate-since-2006-us-honey-bee-colony-numbers-are-stable/
04:47 http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QA/visualize
05:07 https://beeinformed.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2018_2019-Abstract.pdf
05:20 https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2018/october/despite-elevated-loss-rate-since-2006-us-honey-bee-colony-numbers-are-stable/
06:20 https://adventuresinbeeland.com/2019/01/14/how-many-honey-bees-are-there-a-2019-update/
06:39 https://www.greatoldbroads.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/44/Winfree-2010.pdf 06:54 https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8414
08:52 https://www.pnas.org/content/110/12/4656.full
9:50 https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/sustainable-agriculture/save-the-bees/
10:38 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-07290-w
11:45 http://pesticideblog.lawbc.com/entry/epa-releases-final-policy-to-address-acute-risks-to-bees-from-pesticides-an
12:21 https://risk-monger.blogactiv.eu/2014/09/30/the-save-the-bees-ban-failed-crops-and-another-precautionary-fail-who-is-to-blame/#.VDt5hufq37L
13:09 https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/07/30/the-world-faces-pollinator-collapse-how-and-why-the-media-get-the-science-wrong-time-and-again/
13:58 https://ipbes.net/assessment-reports/pollinators
14:22 https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/12/pollinator-myth-bees-responsible-one-third-global-food-heightening-crisis-like-7/
14:44 https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/07/30/the-world-faces-pollinator-collapse-how-and-why-the-media-get-the-science-wrong-time-and-again/
In this episode, I talk to Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland Foods. Richard has become one of the most recognisable faces of sustainable business in the UK, leading campaigns on palm oil, plastics and even debating Brexit on BBC Question Time.
In this interview, we talk about how he got to where he is, and what he’s learned along the way. We dive into some of the issues – why ban palm oil from Iceland own products rather than going for sustainable palm oil? How to remove plastics from food products when there are such difficult trade-offs? And what is the future of sustainable business, where we successfully balance the business bottom line with its wider impact.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Richard Walker when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:46)
Richard’s early time living the dream travelling the world (3:30)
Surf culture, and Richard’s involvement in the Surfers Against Sewage campaign group (5:54)
Iceland’s early involvement with sustainable issues on GM food and organic food – Richard’s perspective on those early experiments (8:19)
Richard’s unconventional entrance path into Iceland (11:36)
What was it that changed Richard’s mind about joining the family firm? (12:58)
The freedom of running a private business rather than a public listed company (14:34)
The commitment to remove palm oil and the orangutan video (15:48)
Isn’t palm oil actually one of the most efficient sources of vegetable oil, so why zero palm oil? (18:30)
Lessons from having been at the rough edge of public debate (21:33)
Eliminating single-use plastic packaging – easier to say than to do? (25:00)
How does a committed sustainability business leader get the balance right between impact and the bottom line (31:57)
The role of plain speaking in a country that has become totally polarised? (34:00)
The future for sustainable business (36:40)
Richard’s personal purpose (38:11)
One practical change Richard would like to make in the world before hanging up his gloves (39:22)
An impressive change maker Richard has been inspired by (40:27)
Advice Richard would give to his younger self (41:00)
A habit Richard would like to change (41:43)
A book or books that have changed Richard’s thinking or life (43:46)
Advice Richard would give to young would-be change makers (44:20)
Links
Richard on twitter https://twitter.com/icelandrichard
Richard’s blog https://about.iceland.co.uk/the-walker-blog/
Books
Let my people go surfing, Yvon Chouinard https://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-People-Surfing-Education-Businessman-Including/dp/0143109677/
In this episode, I talk to Amy Clarke, co-founder and chief impact officer at Tribe Impact Capital, the award-winning wealth management firm and BCorp.
Before her current role, Amy has been senior vice president for international CSR at Bank of America, and head of CSR UK for Microsoft.
In this interview, we talk about how she got to where she is and what she learned along the way. We talk about the sustainability challenges for the finance system, and who makes up the growing body of successful people who want their money to have an impact in line with their values.
Amy is a thoughtful and highly experienced observer of the current trends and we had a great conversation.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Amy? (1:45)
At what point did Amy get set on getting into the business sector? (6:06)
Early experiences of environmental consultancy (7:52)
The first involvement with the financial sector being seconded to Barclays Bank (9:35)
How do you change an engrained culture as a change maker? (14:36)
What made Amy pivot from consultancy in the financial sector and end up going to Microsoft? (16:22)
Amy’s experience of Microsoft at a time when it was feeling the heat over its ‘monopolistic practices’ (18:36)
How are the current crop of tech giants handling their own challenges? (22:31)
The view of the financial crash from the Bank of America (25:26)
Tribe Impact Capital – what it does, and why people should invest for impact (33:10)
What sort of people tend to want this approach? (37:39)
Amy’s personal purpose (39:07)
One change Amy would like to make before hanging up her gloves (39:25)
One piece of advice Amy would give to her younger self (39:43)
Impressive change makers Amy has been inspired by (44:04)
One habit Amy would like to change (45:58)
Books that changed Amy’s thinking or her life (46:42)
Advice Amy would give to young would-be change makers looking to make the first step (48:59)
Links
Amy on Twitter
Tribe Impact Capital website
Tribe Impact Capital on twitter
Books
The Chronicles of Narnia, CS Lewis
Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela
In this episode, I talk to Anna Cain, chief executive of the Boxing Academy, a unique and groundbreaking school for the most hard-to-reach young people, realised through the discipline and ethos of boxing.
Anna is also an advisory board member for Feltham Young Offenders institution, a trustee of the campus educational trust and a trustee of chefs in schools.
In this interview, we talk about her remarkable story of how she got to where she is and what she learned along the way. We talk about successful educational approaches to young people who, for whatever reason, are failed by the mainstream system, and why the Boxing Academy has been so successful in making a difference to that particularly vulnerable group.
Anna is an inspiring figure, and we just had a fantastic conversation. I think you’ll get a huge amount from it
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Anna when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:45)
How life changed when she adopted her son after his brush with death (5:11)
How Anna ended up diverting from a potential career in the sciences to the Boxing Academy (10:52)
How to maintain confidence in the face of knock-backs, and how Anna became CEO (15:40)
How the Boxing Academy works (20:48)
Why does it so successfully reach the individuals that are so much failed by the mainstream system? (23:36)
The journey of a young person through the Boxing Academy experience (29:07)
What lessons can be drawn from Anna’s experience for wider government education policy? (33:17)
Is it too late to help a young person once they’ve ended up at a young offenders institution? (35:55)
The additional challenges of gang culture and knife crime (37:42)
Ambitions for the next decade (41:26)
Links
The Boxing Academy website http://www.theboxingacademy.co.uk
Boxing Academy on twitter https://twitter.com/boxing_academy?lang=en
Boxing Academy on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theboxingacademy/
In this episode, I talk to Giles Gibbons, founder and chief executive of Good Business, as well as founder of the sustainable restaurant association.
Giles has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable business for well over two decades, and has a wealth of experience in what really needs to happen on the ground to make a difference.
In this interview, we talk about how he got to where he is and what he learned along the way. We talk about the future of sustainable business, how Giles got hands on experience running an ethical restaurant, and what we think about the role that government does or doesn’t have to play in encouraging healthier lifestyles. Plus I ask him one question I have never asked anyone else, which might give you a very direct action point you want to try out. So without further ado, let’s jump straight in.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Giles Gibbons when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:50)
What Giles learned from working with major brands at Saatchi and Saatchi (5:58)
How Giles met Steve Hilton and why they decided to create Good Business (7:40)
How they defined what Good Business was there to achieve (10:35)
What do the successful sustainable businesses do that the rest don’t? (13:45)
Giles’ reflections on running an agency (16:55)
Will the majority of businesses follow the net zero carbon trend? (20:35)
Why Giles and Steve launched a restaurant at the same time as running Good Business (23:35)
The rationale behind the Sustainable Restaurant Association (26:00)
The challenges of discussion about sustainability and food (31:02)
The role of government in promoting healthier diets – effective choice editing or nanny state? (36:40)
An important piece of advice you can use (40:07)
What is Giles’ personal purpose? (41:06)
What’s one practical change Giles would like to bring about before hanging up his gloves (42:10)
Advice Giles would give to his younger self (42:35)
An impressive change maker Giles has been inspired by (43:08)
A habit Giles would like to change (43:36)
A book that influenced Giles’ thinking (44:43)
Advice Giles would give to young would-be change makers starting out ()
Links
Good Business website http://www.good.business
Good Business on twitter https://twitter.com/gbminds
Giles on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/giles-gibbons-b576134/
Sustainable Restaurant Association https://thesra.org
Paraorchestra http://paraorchestra.com
Shift https://shiftdesign.org
Books
What I talk about when I talk about running - Haruki Murakami https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Talk-About-When-Running/dp/0099526158/
In this episode, I talk to Brendan May, chairman and founder of Robertsbridge, the sustainability strategy agency.
Brendan was formerly chief executive of the Marine Stewardship Council, and then managing director of Planet 2050, Weber Shandwick’s global sustainability practice.
In this interview, we talk about how he got to where he is and what he learned along the way. We talk about effective campaigning in an era of polarised politics, sustainability and climate change and a range of other very current issues.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Brendan May when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:42)
Brendan’s early exposure to politics and how it led him into the environment as an issue (3:26)
The value of political pragmatism (7:43)
Brendan’s move to the Marine Stewardship Council, and the earliest priorities to make it a powerful organisation for marine sustainability (9:15)
What did Brendan learn about what worked in promoting the MSC mission? (12:50)
Is Brendan optimistic or pessimistic about the future of sustainability in the oceans? (14:29)
The move to Weber Shandwick for an early version of sustainability consultancy (16:40)
What was the state of practice at that point? (18:09)
The specific features of the Rainforest Alliance, and the tension between different NGOs? (20:20)
Are the pragmatists really winning? Can we be united again in the social media age? (22:49)
How could you rebuild consensus on climate change by reframing the policy choices to be more attractive (27:07)
Are we having to fight back because of decades of flawed environmental campaigning? (30:00)
Is there a distinction between companies doing the right thing and the rise of so-called “woke corporations” (35:58)
The creation of Robertsbridge, and why it’s not a standard consultancy (42:40)
The rise of ‘flash-mob style’ activism and the challenge to the old model of NGO campaigning (47:37)
The downside of leaderless campaign movements and why they can perform a service in spite of it (51:02)
What is Brendan’s personal purpose? (52:15)
What’s one practical change Brendan would like to bring about before hanging up his gloves (52:36)
Advice Brendan would give to his younger self (53:13)
An impressive change maker Brendan has been inspired by (53:27)
A mistake Brendan made that led to a better outcome or personal growth (54:11)
A habit Brendan would like to change (54:43)
A book that influenced Brendan’s thinking (57:07)
Advice Brendan would give to young would-be change makers starting out (57:45)
Links
Brendan on twitter https://twitter.com/bmay
Brendan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-may-82174919/
Robertsbridge website https://www.robertsbridgegroup.com
Books
Everything is Connected: The Power of Music, Daniel Barenboim https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-Connected-Power-Daniel-Barenboim/dp/0753825945/
This episode is a rather different type of discussion to the usual ones I have on this podcast. Many of you will know that I do commentary videos on YouTube, and on some of those I have been strongly critical of the Extinction Rebellion group, and particularly its core organisers.
We debate these issues with vigour because they are important. However, my preference is always that we can do so as a respectful discussion rather than standing at opposite extremes and shouting at each other, which sadly seems to have become the norm for political discourse at the moment.
So I reached out to Roger Hallam, one of the co-founders of the group and the man most responsible for their early overall strategy, to see if he would be willing to discuss the group, its objectives, and some of our points of disagreement for this podcast.
Lots of people in his position would have told someone who had been so critical to get on their bike, so I think it is enormously positive that we were able to come together and make it happen.
We talk about where Extinction Rebellion came from, and what are its objectives. We cover a range of tough questions in a pretty frank and open way. We weren’t aiming to win the argument, but to explore the challenges. I think it ended up as an important and engaging conversation.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Roger Hallam when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (3:32)
First steps into activism, and then the move to organic farming and back into activism again (4:11)
Arguing for climate change to be the issue of focus amongst activist groups on the left (10:12)
What were the factors behind Extinction Rebellion’s success in mobilising large numbers of people to take part, up to the point of getting arrested? (11:18)
The initial strategy objective of Extinction Rebellion to overthrow the regime (17:07)
Is it still the objective to overthrow the regime, and is that a legitimate aim for an environmental campaign? (21:27)
Does the Extinction Rebellion approach lead us towards an authoritarian outcome? (28:19)
What are the prospects that XR’s preferred device, Citizen’s Assemblies, would actually deliver the change it wants? (34:14)
If a Citizen’s Assembly came up with radical proposals, would it be any better in persuading the population to accept unpopular measures? (37:59)
Why Extinction Rebellion doesn’t accept the government’s recently launched net zero by 2050 target (41:20)
The Committee on Climate Change report gives a detailed ambitious programme – what alternative does Extinction Rebellion have to produce the results it wants by 2025? (45:26)
Some of the claims of XR are not supported by the mainstream science, but its approach has been a motivating call to action (52:45)
Does the logic of how XR recruits people laying the groundwork for the emergence of groups in the future that use violence using the same justifications the current group uses for lesser interventions? (54.00)
The dynamics of leaderless (or semi-leaderless) campaign movements and the difficulty of following a focused strategy (57:30)
What happens next? (1:03:29)
Why did XR shut down its XR Business initiative before it had even gotten started, and its attitude to business more generally (1:06:37)
The role of government and the need for innovation (1:13:40)
Environmental campaigners need to understand better how to build support amongst the wider population (1:16:45)
Roger’s question to me – how can we engage the ‘intellectual dark web’ characters? (1:24:22)
Links
Roger Hallam’s website https://www.rogerhallam.com
Extinction Rebellion https://rebellion.earth
My critiques of the group
Why Extinction Rebellion is hurting not working https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJAVduIIYcI
Extinction Rebellion – the bit almost nobody knows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2WNssoDJ2E
In this episode, I talk to Anna Dixon, chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, the charity working to create a society where everyone enjoys a good later life.
Anna has spent her life working at the interface of research, policy and practice. She has been director of strategy at the department of health, as well as a number of health policy related roles at the Kings Fund, the London School of Economics and more.
In this interview, we talk about how she got to where she is and what she learned along the way, and we talk about the challenges facing us with an ageing population. What are the factors that might affect whether we have a high quality of older life, and what are the things businesses need to do to adapt to a changing demographic.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Anna Dixon when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:42)
What were the early influences that gave Anna a focus on making a difference (3:09)
How did she find the WHO as a first place to work in health policy? (6:50)
Anna’s time at the Department of Health during the Blair government (10:25)
A lesson learned early on that had relevance later on (12:41)
Examples where policy has had impact (14:15)
Processes for making good policy (16:35)
What made Anna decide to take on the challenge of our ageing society (18:49)
How did the Centre for Ageing Better get set up? (20:34)
What were Anna’s earliest priorities on taking on leadership for the Centre? (22:53)
What are some of the findings from the Centre’s latest report on how we’re ageing? (25:00)
How many of the outcomes for older people come from choices they make rather than factors outside their control? (27:20)
The issues around an ageing workforce (30:04)
How much are lifestyle issues going to affect our longevity in future? (36:14)
The challenge of an existing housing stock that is not fit for an ageing population (39:04)
What will success look like for the Centre? (41:29)
Anna’s hope for her own life when she hits eighty (43:00)
What is Anna’s personal purpose? (44:39)
What’s one practical change Anna would like to change before hanging up her gloves (45:01)
Advice Anna would give to her younger self (45:21)
An impressive change maker Anna has been inspired by (45:45)
A habit Anna would like to change (46:42)
A book that influenced Anna’s thinking (47:12)
Advice Anna would give to young would-be change makers starting out (48:27)
Links
Anna Dixon on twitter https://twitter.com/drannadixon
The Centre for Ageing Better website https://www.ageing-better.org.uk
The Centre on twitter https://twitter.com/ageing_better
Books
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, Barack Obama
Obama audacity of hope https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audacity-Hope-Thoughts-Reclaiming-American/dp/1847670830/
Becoming, Michelle Obama https://www.amazon.co.uk/Becoming-Michelle-Obama/dp/0241334144/
In this episode, I talk to Dr Peter Grant, director of charities MSC programme at Cass business school and author of various books on the theory and history of philanthropy.
Peter is one of the UK’s leading practitioners in public and charitable funding. He was the director of an inner-city youth charity for eight years before moving to Sport England where he devised the first Lottery programme to favour areas of deprivation.
In this interview, we talk about how Peter got to where he is today and what he learned along the way about what works in the charity sector. We explore some of the interesting questions about charity, including the recent criticisms of the high profile business-linked charities such as the Gates Foundation.
I found this a really engaging discussion where we go deep into some of the issues. I think you’ll get a huge amount from it.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Peter Grant when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:47)
Peter’s early experience of a dysfunctional organisation, and internal politics (4:34)
The move into an inner-city charity to encourage participation in sport (6:09)
The focus on improving the process of applying for funding for charitable causes (8:34)
The lessons Peter learned about what works and what doesn’t in making effective charity organisations (11:32)
Peter’s move into academia (19:24)
Some of the historical roots of philanthropy (22:53)
How is the sector shaping up today? (29:19)
The role of charities vs the role of the state (31:00)
The blurring of the gap between charities and businesses (37:30)
How social media has helped drive ethical corrections to the charity sector as it has with business (39:57)
Are the criticisms of entrepreneur-led foundations like the Gates Foundation valid, and are these relatively new types of charity? (41:20)
What inspired Peter’s latest book on the myth of the first world war in popular music? (46:00)
What’s one practical change Peter would like to change before hanging up his gloves (49:39)
Advice Peter would give to his younger self (50:10)
An impressive change maker Peter has been inspired by (52:07)
Mistakes Peter has made that led to a better outcome or personal growth (52:58)
A habit Peter would like to change (53:29)
A book that influenced Peter thinking (53:40)
Advice Peter would give to young would-be change makers starting out (54:05)
Links
Peter at Cass Business School https://www.cass.city.ac.uk/faculties-and-research/experts/peter-grant
Books
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ragged-Trousered-Philanthropists-Wordsworth-Classics/dp/184022682X/
In this episode, I talk to Becky Willan, managing director and co-founder of Given London, the brand agency with a focus on purpose and positive impact.
Becky was formerly an environmental manager with the Body Shop, and since then has become a widely experienced consultant with some of the top forward-thinking brands committed to doing well by doing good.
In this interview, we talk about how she got to where she is, and what she learned along the way. We talk about trends in sustainable business and how much businesses need to change to be fit for the net zero impact world we’re heading towards. Becky is an energetic and thoughtful leader in the space and I think you’ll get a huge amount from this interview, in spite of the rather noisy environment the conversation took place in, while Old Street was being rebuilt around us.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Becky Willan when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:47)
What were the earliest influences that led Becky to become a change maker? (4:29)
Becky’s first sustainability job at the company that had inspired her at an early age (8:02)
How she decided to move on and go into consultancy (13:03)
The moment that prompted the initial drive to leave and form a new company (16:55)
What led to the name of the agency, Given London (17:38)
Becky’s take on how big a game changer is the corporate purpose movement (19:34)
How to bridge the historic gulf between the marketing and sustainability community and drive difficult changes within businesses (24:24)
Why short-termism is the enemy of purpose, and how can leaders resist the short-term pressures (26:37)
What has Becky learned about what works in running her own business? (28:50)
What are the trends Becky is seeing in the sustainability marketplace? (34:05)
How much are businesses influenced by the current high profile of discussions about an environmental endgame? (37:10)
Tackling cynicism around the role of brands in helping create a more sustainable world (40:18)
Ambitions for the future of Given London (42:12)
Becky’s personal purpose (43:46)
What’s one practical change Becky would like to change before hanging up her gloves (44:32)
Advice Becky would give to her younger self (45:15)
An impressive change maker Becky has been inspired by (46:19)
Mistakes Becky has made that led to a better outcome or personal growth (47:47)
A habit Becky would like to change (49:11)
A book that influenced Becky’s thinking (49:57)
Advice Becky would give to young would-be change makers starting out (51:24)
Links
Given London http://www.givenlondon.com
Given London on twitter https://twitter.com/givenlondon
Books
What works - design thinking to tackle gender inequality, Iris Bohnet
https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Works-Gender-Equality-Design/dp/0674089030/
In this episode, I talk to Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project and executive chairman of Eden Project International. The Eden Project transformed a sterile pit into a fabulous enclosed garden with rainforest and Mediterranean environments.
Tim is also known for having, along with John Nelson, restored the Lost Gardens of Heligan where he remains a director. In 2002 he was awarded a CBE and in 2012 a KBE.
In this interview, we talk about how he got to where he is, and some of the lessons he learned along the way. Tim is a thoughtful commentator on the current state of our society, and we touch on some real solid gold insights. I think you’ll get a huge amount from this interview, so let’s jump straight in.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Tim Smit when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:44)
How Tim got into the music industry, and learned about business in the process (3:45)
The factors that lead to success that don’t depend on talent (7:15)
The unromantic version of why the music business wasn’t all Tim had imagined it to be (8:50)
How Tim ended up moving to Cornwall and how this reflected a settled decision to embrace the accidental (12:14)
Why a lot of the advice you get is rubbish, and what is some of the better advice that Tim has received (13:40)
How Tim ended up taking on the Lost Gardens of Heligan (16:57)
Where the Eden Project came from, and why we shouldn’t let people get away with mediocrity (24:05)
How have we ended up with the era of mediocre leadership? And what role did the media play in this process? (29:03)
Do we spend too much time blaming the nameless other rather than taking responsibility? (35:00)
What lessons has Tim learned by running a business where he was aiming to find ways to run businesses better? (39:20)
Now Eden is focused on multiple projects across the world – what’s driving that? (43:06)
The often-missed opportunity to mobilise the most powerful people on the planet (46:17)
What book or books have inspired Tim and changed his life? (47:48)
Links
The Eden Project https://www.edenproject.com
Books
If this is a man, Primo Levi – https://www.amazon.co.uk/If-This-Man-Primo-Levi/dp/B001126VL8/
Pandaemonium, Humphrey Jennings https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pandaemonium-1660-1886-Contemporary-Observers-Oct-04-2012/dp/B00BOOZ5A6/
The Songs of Trees, David George Haskell https://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Trees-George-David-Haskell/dp/0143111302/
Sum, David Eagleman https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sum-Tales-Afterlives-David-Eagleman/dp/1847674275/
Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino https://www.amazon.co.uk/Invisible-Cities-Vintage-Classics-Calvino/dp/0099429837/
Ishmael, Daniel Quinn https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ishmael-Daniel-Quinn/dp/0553375407/
In this episode, I welcome back David Grayson, author, speaker and Emeritus Professor of Corporate Responsibility at the Cranfield School of Management. You’ll remember that when he appeared previously, in episode 2 of the podcast, we talked about his thoughts on business and sustainability.
He is also the author of the book ‘Take Care: How to be a great employer for working carers’, and it’s that topic we’ll be focusing on mostly in this episode. If you are someone who has had to juggle work responsibilities with caring for a partner, a child or a parent, you’ll know how tough that can be. And if you’re an employer, you will have people in that situation in your workforce. So how do you support them?
In this interview, we talk David’s own experience of becoming a caregiver, and then mine some of the deep wisdom from his book about how large employers, small businesses and even solo operators, can go about squaring the circle of working effectively while supporting a loved one. Even if you’re not currently a carer, you may know people that are – even if they’re not telling you – and you may be facing the prospect that it will apply to you one day.
Show Notes
What has been happening for David in the six months since he was last on the podcast? (2:11)
The difference between socially responsible and ethical behaviour in business (3:54)
The example of Enron (7:11)
What is company culture, and how it shapes day to day decisions (9:48)
The continuing impact of David’s book ‘All In’ (11:25)
David’s mother, whose life inspired his book ‘Take Care’, and provided his first experience of being taken care of (12:20)
The impact that becoming a carer had one David’s own lifestyle (18:32)
How David ended up becoming chairman of Carers UK, and how he sees the task ahead (23:00)
What has David discovered about the issue since getting involved in Carers UK? (26:48)
Some statistics about the impact of becoming a carer on working people (29:27)
What are the implications of our ageing society for how such carers can be supported? (33:15)
What distinguishes the companies that do really well at this? (42:30)
The challenges of actually finding out how much of a problem you have in your workplace (45:50)
What about examples of small businesses and how they respond to the agenda (49:21)
What about those that become self-employed in order to become a carer? (52:00)
How does a global business approach this area? (54:00)
Links
Take Care, How to be a great employer for working carers, David Grayson https://www.amazon.co.uk/Take-Care-Employer-Working-Carers/dp/1787142930/
Carers UK website: https://www.carersuk.org
David’s website: https://davidgrayson.net
David on twitter: https://twitter.com/davidgrayson_
In this episode, I talk to Alison Ward. Alison is the chief executive of Cotton Connect, a social enterprise with a mission to transform the cotton industry for good, and former head of sustainability with Cadbury.
In this interview, we talk how she got to where she is and some of the issues that she dealt with along the way. We talk about how industries face up to the fundamental challenges to their sector that increasingly emerge in the modern age, and how companies practically get into their supply chains to make things better on the ground.
Alison has a huge amount of hands-on experience in tackling difficult issues with some inspiring companies, and I think you’ll get a huge amount from this interview.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Alison when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:35)
The first steps after graduating (4:26)
The move to a small PR agency, starting at the bottom (6:57)
The value of a no-blame culture (8:40)
The move to Hill & Knowlton, and first starting to deal with food sector issues (10:20)
Getting deeper into issues like child labour in food production (15:05)
Joining Cadbury as the company was poised to focus more on CSR and supply chains (19:30)
How the work in Cadbury’s cocoa supply chain unfolded (22:32)
Cadbury’s push of Fairtrade across its mainstream products (26:42)
The change that came when Kraft launched its takeover bid for Cadbury (29:37)
The mission of Cotton Connect (33:08)
Alison’s personal purpose (37:08)
What’s one practical change Alison would like to change before hanging up her gloves (37:50)
Advice Alison would give to her younger self (38:50)
An impressive change maker Alison has been inspired by (39:15)
Mistakes Alison has made that led to a better outcome or personal growth (39:42)
A habit Alison would like to change (40:02)
A book that influenced Alison’s thinking (40:33)
Advice Alison would give to young would-be change makers starting out (41:15)
Links
Alison on twitter
Cotton Connect on twitter
Cotton Connect website
The Icarus Deception, Seth Godin
Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek
This episode is a little different to what we’ve done so far. We’re at episode number 29, and bearing in mind we launched the first three episodes all at once, that brings us just about to the half year point since the podcast was launched.
It seemed like the perfect time to look back on the great insights we’ve heard so far from some of the world-leading change makers I’ve had the privilege to talk to.
And it also is about the right time to talk about where this podcast goes next, and what you can do to help.
In this episode, I talk to Mike Clasper. Mike is the chairman of Coats Group plc. He was formerly chief executive of the airports company BAA, and was chairman of HMRC. He was awarded a CBE in 1995 for services to the environment arising from his time at Procter and Gamble.
In this interview, we talk how he got to where he is and some of the issues that he dealt with along the way. We talk about the current landscape for socially responsible business, including whether or not mainstream investors are now waking up to the issue as a factor for decision making.
Mike is a highly capable and inspirational leader with a wealth of insight and experience, and I think you’ll get a huge amount from this interview.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Mike when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:31)
How did Mike find his first job at the nationalised British Rail? (3:34)
Mike’s move to Procter & Gamble and into the world of brand management (6:42)
What accounted for Mike’s rapid rise within the ranks of P&G? (9:16)
How did Mike emerge triumphant in “the soap wars” with Unilever? A case study in managing reputation (10:33)
Mike’s initiative on packaging waste that projected him into environmental leadership within business (16:23)
What prompted Mike’s move from P&G to run British airports? (19:32)
The hornet’s nest Mike stirred up when he became chief executive (22:54)
Mike’s insistence that the airline industry should be included in emissions trading (24:40)
The challenge of the construction of Terminal 5 (27:46)
Good quality management in solving problems is sometimes what delivers the socially responsible outcome (31:30)
What has changed in the attitudes of mainstream investors? (33:55)
Can you plan for the long-term when there are raiders who want to buy companies purely for short-term returns? (37:40)
The move to the public sector as chairman of HMRC (39:30)
Why it’s so difficult to experiment with new approaches before going to scale (47:00)
How Mike’s current company, Coats, is facing up to sustainability challenges (49:00)
What’s one practical change Mike would like to change before hanging up his gloves (54:00)
Advice Mike would give to his younger self (54:36)
An impressive change maker Mike has been inspired by (55:18)
Mistakes Mike has made that led to a better outcome or personal growth (56:10)
A habit Mike would like to change (59:00)
A book that influenced Mike’s thinking (59:45)
Advice Mike would give to young would-be change makers starting out (1:00:35)
Links
Mike on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-clasper-56b365164/
The Mind of the Strategist, Kenichi Ohmae https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Strategist-Art-Japanese-Business/dp/0070479046/
Coats plc https://www.coats.com/en/Responsibility/Responsibility-Overview
In this episode, I talk to Stephanie Davies-Arai.
Stephanie is the founder of Transgender Trend, a parent effectiveness trainer and the author of the book ‘communicating with kids’. She was shortlisted for the John Maddox prize, which recognises individuals who have promoted sound science and evidence on a matter of public interest, with an emphasis on those who have faced difficulty or hostility in doing so.
In this interview, we talk how she got to where she is, and the journey she took from being a sculptor who wanted to change the world through art, to someone who now achieves that goal through words. We talk about the delicate balance of raising kids, and the complete imbalance of the debates around transgender children specifically.
In a world where we’re committed to change, we have to be able to treat everybody with compassion and respect, whilst at the same time looking dispassionately at facts and basing our actions on what those facts tell us.
As you’ll be aware, there are some highly fraught issues here that many would simply prefer to duck for fear of saying the wrong thing, being labelled as a bigot or worse, and having a twitter mob calling for retribution. Stephanie Davies-Arai has faced all of those and worse, and has had the courage to stand up anyway. And that’s sometimes the choice that a committed change maker has to make.
This is an important interview, I think you’ll find it fascinating.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Stephanie when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (2:12)
What were the early influences that pushed Stephanie towards sculpture? (3:59)
At what point did Stephanie’s path deviate from the traditional path of a sculptor? (8:33)
The chain of action that led her to parent effectiveness training (10:44)
The tricky balance of raising children (13:01)
Writing the book and the feedback that came as a result (18:02)
How Stephanie came to found Transgender Trend (18:45)
The current situation with regard to advice to parents regarding transgender kids (22:00)
Why Transgender Trend produced a school pack (25:20)
When did the transgender issue become so controversial that it’s become so hard to discuss? (27:18)
What was the recent story relating to the Tavistock Clinic, which is the only one in the country to deal with transgender children? (34:08)
Are the recent high profile cases of conflict part of a trend or just us trying to work out what we think about the issue? (37:56)
What advice would Stephanie give to companies grappling with the issue within their own commitment to diversity in the workplace? (44:13)
Stephanie’s personal purpose (46:46)
One single change Stephanie would like to bring about before hanging up her gloves (47:22)
Advice she would give to her younger self (48:14)
An impressive change maker that has inspired Stephanie (48:55)
A habit Stephanie would like to change (49:50)
A book that changed Stephanie’s life or thinking (50:00)
Advice to young would-be change makers (50:30)
Links
Stephanie on Twitter
Stephanie’s book, Communicating with Kids
Transgender Trend
Beyond Human Nature, Jesse Prinz
In this episode, I talk to Caroline Casey.
Caroline is a social entrepreneur, international speaker and leading authority on diversity and inclusion. She is the founder of the Valuable 500 campaign, and is committed to building a global movement to create an equal society for the 1.3 billion people in the world with a disability.
In this interview, we talk about her extraordinary journey, the highs and the lows and what she learned from them both. We talk about why businesses are scared of the issue of disability, and how there’s a huge opportunity for those that step up to the plate to deal with it.
Caroline says she doesn’t believe herself to be inspirational. I, and a lot of other people I know, respectfully disagree with that assessment. She is a real force of nature and it was a huge privilege to have this frank and illuminating conversation together. I think you’re going to love this one
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Caroline as she left school and prepared for adult life? (2:02)
How did Caroline navigate through the world in her early years without realising how different she was? (4:54)
What was the factor that led Caroline to break through her early situation to become confident and successful? (7:38)
How did Caroline feel towards her parents when she discovered the truth? (11:46)
Why did she start off with a degree in Archaeology? (15:05)
How did she end up starting her career at Accenture? (16:25)
The moment when Caroline had to admit to the world what she’d been hiding (19:25)
The rock bottom moment that Caroline experienced, and the remarkable adventure it led to (21:00)
How Caroline ended up making her trip into something that would make a difference, and how it led to her very first breakthrough (23:34)
What are the obstacles that businesses have to overcome before they can embrace disability inclusion? (30:27)
What do the leading companies do successfully? (33:30)
What is the Valuable 500 and what is its call to action? (35:16)
What was the characteristic that pulled Caroline through the dark moments to get to here? (40:00)
If Caroline was to have another elephant-riding moment, what form would it take? (43:25)
What is Caroline’s personal purpose? (46:12)
One practical change Caroline would like to single-handedly bring about before hanging up her gloves (46:27)
Advice Caroline would give to her younger self (47:06)
Impressive change makers that Caroline has been inspired by (47:38)
What mistake has Caroline made that led to some better outcome or personal growth? (48:53)
What habit would Caroline most like to change? (49:59)
What book or books has had a powerful impact on her thinking or her life? (50:35)
What advice would she give to young people interested in making a difference to the world? (51:48)
Links
Caroline on Twitter
The Valuable 500 Website
Video of the Business Case for Disability Inclusion panel at Davos
Caroline's TED talk
Books
The Jungle Book
Rising Strong, Brené Brown
The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown
In this episode, I talk to Jonathon Porritt, co-founder of Forum for the Future.
Jonathon has been one of the most respected faces of the environmental movement for nearly forty years. He was formerly chairman of the government’s Sustainable Development Commission, director of Friends of the Earth and co-chair of the Green Party.
In this interview, we talk about what he learned through his decades in the environmental movement about what works and what doesn’t. We talk about the hopeful signs we have in front of us to balance against the immense size of the task ahead.
For me, it was a huge privilege to have this conversation with Jonathon, whose sage words I would often watch on BBC Question Time as a youngster, passionately concerned for the future of the world, nodding my head as he found the perfect words time and time again. He still has a huge amount to say, and I think you’ll get a lot from this conversation
What did the world look like to the young Jonathon when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:38)
What was it that first influenced Jonathon in the direction of environmental issues? (2:44)
Early experiences as a teacher of English and Drama (3:31)
What took Jonathon to the political route in those early stages of becoming an activist? (5:08)
The challenges when Jonathon arrived at Friends of the Earth (6:46)
What Jonathon learned about what works and what doesn’t during his time at Friends of the Earth (9:10)
The importance of using science properly (13:40)
The founding of Forum for the Future – what was the driver and the original vision? (15:48)
How Forum has evolved over the years (18:20)
Which are the proudest achievements of the environmental movement that we could learn from? (22:16)
The challenges that lie ahead – the focus on climate change, why it’s the hardest problem we’ve faced, but there are shafts of light to feed hope (25:38)
What are the current trends in terms of population growth? (30:45)
What chances to reverse the way climate change is being held hostage in the US by political polarisation? (34:04)
Is there any scope to change incentives for businesses to favour the long-term rather than the obsessively short-term? (38:33)
Jonathon’s personal purpose (42:21)
Advice Jonathon would give to his younger self (43:01)
Impressive change makers Jonathon has been inspired by (44:23)
A habit Jonathon would like to change (45:37)
Books that had an impact on Jonathon’s thinking (46:29)
Advice to young people that want to make a difference to the world (47:22)
Links
Jonathon on twitter https://twitter.com/jonathonporritt
Jonathon’s website http://www.jonathonporritt.com
The World We Made, Jonathon Porritt https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-We-Made-McKays-Story/dp/0714863610/
Wangari Maathai – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangari_Maathai
Petra Kelly - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra_Kelly
Blueprint for Survival, Edward Goldsmith https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blueprint-Survival-Penguin-Specials/dp/0140522956/
Small is Beautiful, EF Schumacher https://www.amazon.co.uk/Small-Beautiful-Economics-People-Mattered/dp/0099225611/
Prosperity without Growth, Tim Jackson https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosperity-without-Growth-Foundations-Tomorrow/dp/1138935417/
In this episode, I talk to Katie Buchanan, the head of sustainability for Virgin Media.
Katie is responsible for Virgin Media's growing reputation for creative and innovative approaches to sustainability. She has also created a powerful partnership with the charity Scope focused on getting people with disabilities into the workplace.
In this interview, we talk about how she got here, and what she learned along the way. Why she has become immersed in inclusive employment issues, and why reducing its areas of focus has been so powerful for Virgin Media's overall approach to sustainability.
Katie is a dynamic change maker who was shortlisted this year for the edie Sustainability Leader of the Year. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, and I think you'll get a huge amount from it.
Show Notes
Why Katie's sustainability journey actively began right when she was back at high school (1:35)
Katie’s "lightbulb moment" when she saw corporate social responsibility as the focus for her creative energy (3:31)
First job in football hospitality (5:55)
Katie's initial move into the CSR world as a result of a NESTA award (6:42)
Why joining a CSR / sustainability agency was a great first step (10:30)
Katie's immediate draw towards the Virgin brand and how she first arrived at Virgin Media with a specific focus on the environment (12:30)
How Virgin Media's initial approach to CSR reporting involved posting hard copy reports to MPs (14:05)
The spirit of the changes Katie introduced to how the company approached its communications (15:55)
What propelled Katie within a very short period into becoming head of sustainability for the company (17:50)
Adapting to new realities when the company was bought by Liberty Global (19:40)
How Virgin Media came to focus on disability inclusion as its issue of focus (22:02)
Narrowing from 23 sustainability goals to just five on the principle of "do a few things really well" (23:48)
Identifying Scope as the one charity partner to take over from the many, and moving the focus to inclusive employment (26:00)
The huge impact the launch of the new campaign made on employees, many of whom had their own disability story (28:16)
Why the issue of disability in the workplace retains a taboo status (29:30)
What the programme does, and what obstacles are needed to be overcome (30:15)
What lessons have been learned about how to make an effective partnership? (34:41)
The areas of focus for Virgin Media's approach to sustainability, and why 'big hairy goals’ can help push a long-term view (37:00)
How to persuade upwards to get decision-makers on board (40:56)
What is Katie’s personal purpose? (45:00)
What one practical change would Katie like to bring about in the world before hanging up her gloves? (46:23)
What advice would Kate give to her younger self? (46:58)
Impressive change makers Katie has been influenced by? (48:45)
What mistake did Katie make that led to some better outcome or personal growth? (50:00)
What one habit would Katie like to change? (51:25)
What book, or books, has changed Katie's attitudes or life? (52:45)
Advice Katie would give to young change makers (55:45)
Links
Katie on twitter
Katie on Linked In
Virgin Media Sustainability
Caroline Casey's TED talk
The Big Five for Live, John P. Strelecky
Finding Your Element, Ken Robinson
What did the world look like to the young John O’Brien as he left school and embarked upon adult life? (1:29)
The startlingly different direction that John took after his first job, and why it was both the natural place to be but also slightly uncomfortable (4:54)
What was the enduring impact that came out of John’s years with the armed forces? (9:20)
Have we, as a society, become soft as a result of our recent success as a society in avoiding major challenges such as wars etc? (11:13)
The circumstances that saw John leaving the military life he loved and getting a job at a local charity (15:48)
John’s move that finally led him to join Business in the Community, and his involvement with programmes arising from the direct interests of the Prince of Wales (20:26)
What were the enduring elements from John’s time with BITC that stayed with him? (25:49)
What perspective does his history with Mosaic give John in relation to some of our national challenges in relation to national identity? (28:51)
John’s creation of the Jubilee Hour, and how it became so hugely successful (31:24)
Was it a one-time opportunity, or was it something that could be replicated in the future? (35:30)
What’s the value of companies adopting a corporate purpose? (37:37)
What’s driving the interest in purpose in those businesses that are responding to the agenda? (40:55)
What is John’s personal purpose? (50:10)
What one practical change would John like to bring about in the world before hanging up his gloves? (50:56)
What advice would John give to his younger self? (52:00)
Impressive change makers John has been influenced by? (52:27)
What mistake did John make that led to some better outcome or personal growth? (54:45)
What one habit would John like to change? (55:41)
What book, or books, has changed John’s attitudes or John’s life? (56:11)
Advice John would give to young change makers (59:24)
Links
John on twitter
One Hundred Agency
Anita Roddick
Sir Tim Smit
Caroline Casey’s TED talk
The Gift, Lewis Hyde
The Social Animal, David Brooks
Bad Blood, John Carreyrou
In this episode, I talk to Ron Bailey. This is a special one for me. Ron is a campaigning genius who has been possibly the most effective parliamentary campaigner of our time.
In his early years, Ron was one of the founding forces of the family squatting movement in response to truly awful slum landlords that blighted the lives of thousands of people at the time.
He went on to focus his attention on getting bills through Parliament – including getting a freedom of information bill through a hostile Thatcher government that had a massive majority.
In this interview, we talk about the factors that makes his approach successful, and why he has so often been able to succeed in the face of much more powerful opponents. However you approach change making in your own life, I think you’ll get a huge amount from it.
Show Notes
Ron’s recent brush with a London bus (1:49)
How did the world look to the young Ron Bailey when he left school and looked ahead to adult life? (2:53)
How Ron came to be focused on the issue of homelessness and the housing crisis (4:30)
Having won the first campaign at King Hill, how Ron moved onto the next to support families, supported by the reputation of the earlier success (7:40)
How these beginnings led to the family squatting movement, and how it was supported by a medieval law (9:21)
How the campaign survived as the resistance against them got increasingly ugly and eventually won through (13:20)
The success of the campaigns to date lead to pragmatic and mutually beneficial deals struck in Lewisham (19:10)
How that deal established a common theme for Ron’s campaigns in that he finds allies in parts of the political spectrum you might find surprising (21:10)
The Community Rights Project that kickstarted Ron’s approach to Parliamentary campaigning and won his first big victory (22:33)
Ron’s process for Parliamentary campaigning (25:29)
Some of the additional campaigning details that made the difference in piling on the pressure (28:38)
Ron’s eight tactics to reliably beat an opponent (generally the Government) that is stronger than you (30:49)
Lessons from the Home Energy Conservation Act, and the crucial factor that swayed the then Secretary of State for the Environment (33:28)
The Road Traffic Reduction Acts, one successful and one of which was lost, even though a bill went through Parliament (34:12)
Why the Sustainable Communities Act is referred to by Ron as ‘the Pluto Act’, and why it’s his proudest achievement out of all the bills. (34:49)
How public meetings made the difference in winning support for the Sustainable Communities Act (37:36)
The public way that a number of MPs chose to recognise Ron’s achievements, and what he’s working on now (39:33)
How Eric Forth MP became Ron’s nemesis by using Parliamentary tactics to block his bills, and how Ron overcame his opposition (41:45)
How does Ron think about the current state of polarised politics, and what needs to be done to help us move forward (44:57)
Ron’s personal purpose (47:19)
One practical change Ron would bring about before hanging up his gloves (47:40)
Advice he would give to his younger self (48:16)
Impressive change makers Ron has been inspired by (48:38)
Books that have influenced Ron’s thinking and his life (51:02)
Links
Some more background on the early homelessness campaigns
People mentioned
A.S Neill
Rosa May Billinghurst
Daniel Isaac Eaton
Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
The Dispossessed, Ursula Le Guin
In this episode, I talk to Jennie Galbraith who is the group head of sustainability for British American Tobacco.
Jennie is also Vice Chair and one of the founding forces behind the Institute for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, the recently formed professional body.
In this interview we talk about how she got to where she is, and what she’s learned along the way. As you can imagine, we also talk about the social responsibility implications of working at a tobacco company, which brings unique and important issues that many others would happily leave alone, and some of the changes that have happened over the last decade.
Jenny is a practical, and determined change maker who hasn’t shirked from tackling some of the most difficult challenges a company can face. I think you’ll get a lot out of this interview.
Show Notes
How did the world look to the young Jennie when she left school and looked ahead to adult life? (1:34)
How a chance conversation led to a change in direction that set Jennie onto the new path that eventually shaped her life (4:05)
How Sustainability North West steered Jennie into a corporate sustainability career (7:00)
Jennie’s first experience in corporate social responsibility at ethical trailblazer Co-operative Insurance Services (8:22)
How did the work change as the Co-operative became the larger Co-operative Group, with the bank and the retail arm? (10:02)
How did the company’s position as leader of an ethical niche affect the sort of work that Jennie did? (12:25)
The impact on friends and colleagues when Jennie decided to move from ethical co-op to a major tobacco corporation (14:30)
What did Jennie find at BAT when she joined, and what sort of issues were on her plate for early attention? (16:02)
How you should deal with stakeholders who are completely distrustful and suspicious of the company (20:30)
So how does Jennie respond to people who challenge her over products that kill people? (22:10)
Are the vaping products of today the answer in the quest for significantly reduced harm products? (24:40)
Other areas of focus on corporate behaviour and agricultural supply chains worldwide -particularly on human rights (26:33)
How progress has been made on supporting farmer livelihoods, as well as other areas such as marketing (30:08)
Why Jennie took a role as one of the leading instigators of the Institute for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS) (34:27)
How does Jennie think the profession will continue to evolve over the coming decades? (37:40)
Jennie’ personal purpose (39:59)
What one practical change would Jennie want to bring about before hanging up her gloves? (41:25)
What advice would she give to the younger Jennie? (41:50)
An impressive change maker that Jennie has been inspired by (42:06)
A mistake Jennie has made that led to some better outcome or personal growth (43:20)
A habit that Jennie would like to change (44:44)
Two books that influenced Jennie’s thinking and life (45:17)
Advice to young people that are starting on their own journeys (46:03)
Links
The Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS)
Walter Menzies
Cannibals with Forks, John Elkington
What got you here won’t get you there, Marshall Goldsmith
In this episode, I talk to Lord Boateng who, as Paul Boateng, was a cabinet minister in the Blair Government as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Paul also served as the British High Commissioner to South Africa from 2005 to 2009 and entered the House of Lords in 2010. He is chairman of the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund.
In this interview we talk about how he got to where he is, and what he’s learned along the way. We talk about what needs to happen to make the process of government more effective, as well as some of the challenges around the future of both Britain and Africa.
Paul is hugely impressive, a politician with experience at the highest level and a pragmatic eye to what works and what doesn’t. This was a valuable and entertaining interview.
Show Notes
The early events the shaped the life and perspective of the young Paul Boateng (1:36)
How Paul ended up going into law (7:00)
Early exposure to politics (10:22)
Paul’s involvement in the Scrap Sus campaign and why he decided to seek elected office (13:28)
When Parliamentary ambitions rose to the fore, and why the ongoing legal practice was an early benefit (19:52)
The experience of government and the great challenge that needs to be overcome (27:10)
The single piece of legislation that Paul is most proud of from his time as Secretary to the Treasury (32:38)
The importance of identity and the consequence of forgetting it (34:56)
Why companies and government need to see their customers as citizens, not just as customers (39:22)
The work of the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund, which came out of the Africa Commission (42:37)
The advantage of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the reason why Africa represents a market opportunity (48:14)
If there was one practical change Paul could make before hanging up his gloves (55:07)
What advice would Paul give to young changemakers who are just starting out? (57:25)
Links
Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund Website
In this episode, I talk to Paul Polman who, until just a few weeks ago, was the chief executive of Unilever.
Paul needs very little introduction to many of the listeners of this podcast. For the last decade, he has been one of the highest profile champions for sustainable business worldwide. He’s shown that leading a business with purpose can help create new models of sustainable wealth creation whilst also delivering a fair return to shareholders.
In this interview we talk about how he got to where he is, and what he’s learned along the way. We talk about some of the obstacles to sustainable business, and what we need to do to take the next steps forward.
Paul is hugely experienced on the global stage, both in terms of what it means to tackle real poverty on the ground, and also how to build systems for top level change at scale. I learned a huge amount in our discussion and I think you will too.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Paul Polman as he left school and prepared for adult life, and what were his first steps? (1:45)
What was the influence that first started Paul on the path towards caring about social impact and sustainability? (8:04)
What were Paul’s top priorities when he took over the leadership of Unilever? (11:22)
What have been the main learnings on how to make impact in difficult markets whilst being successful? (15:04)
Some of the challenges of having a global company that is also hyper-local in its approach (22:20)
Can businesses really deliver for the long-term when the business orthodoxy rewards the short-term? (24:25)
What sort of system can deliver sustainable value in the long-term? (30:36)
How can businesses successfully create sustainable value when there are so many corporate raiders waiting to dive in on a short-term opportunity? (36:42)
The importance of including impact on society as a key feature of leadership (41:54)
Looking back having stepped down as CEO, what stands out from the last ten years at Unilever? (43:36)
Paul’s personal purpose (46:04)
One practical change Paul would make before hanging up his gloves (46:44)
Advice Paul would give to his younger self (48:09)
Impressive change makers that Paul finds inspiring (48:24)
Mistakes Paul has made that led to a positive outcome (49:34)
One habit Paul would like to change (50:13)
A book that has had a powerful impact on Paul’s thinking (50:51)
Paul’s advice to young people who want to be successful and make an impact on the world as well (52:45)
Links
Paul on Twitter
Kilimanjaro Blind Trust
The Elephant Whisperer, Lawrence Anthony
7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey
Discover Your True North, Bill George
In this episode, I talk to Beccy Speight, the chief executive of the Woodland Trust.
Beccy is an energetic champion for practical environmental change. She is an articulate campaigner and an inspiring leader, drawing from her years of business experience and her management of key parts of the National Trust estates.
In this interview we talk about how she got to where she is, and the lessons she learned along the way. And we get into some detail as to why the preservation of ancient woodlands is so important, and why we need to up the ambition on the country’s planned tree-planting.
Beccy is an inspiring example of what can be achieved when people with leadership skills and solid business nous turn towards tackling a key social or environmental issue. I learned a huge amount in our discussion and I think you will too, so let’s jump straight in.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Beccy as she left school and faced the world as a young adult? (1:34)
How Beccy ended up moving to London to work for a management consultant led by a “mad genius” (4:00)
Were there any foreshadows in those early times of the values that would become such a feature of Beccy’s work later on? (5:28)
Did she see her potential future as being solidly in the private sector at that point? (6:37)
Why Beccy ended up trying again in joining the National Trust for a challenging job that stretched her from the start (7:50)
The early challenges of running a major National Trust property (9:51)
How Beccy pushed for more of a campaigning edge at the National Trust and why cause-driven people are often frustrated in their early career (11:03)
Beccy’s arrival at the Woodland Trust, and what she found when she got there (14:55)
The purpose and the origin of the Woodland Trust (16:35)
Why the interest in holding onto ancient woodland isn’t just about sentimentality (19:45)
What are the main causes of destruction of ancient woodland? (23:00)
The impacts on woodland from climate change (24:43)
How resilient will our national species be in the face of the changes? (26:13)
The best ways to go about increasing forest cover in a way to maximise the benefits (29:03)
What are the chances of upping the ambition on tree-planting? (31:29)
The role that the private sector can play (33:00)
Beccy’s message to the aspiring sustainability leaders in business (33:51)
The opportunities and dangers for the agenda from the forthcoming Brexit conclusion (35:33)
The other work the Woodland Trust does with people, in schools and woodland users – and generally pushing the issues up the political agenda (37:36)
Beccy’s personal purpose (39:10)
One practical change Beccy would want to bring about before hanging up her gloves (39:55)
Advice Beccy would give to her younger self (40:35)
Two impressive change-makers Beccy has been inspired by (41:01)
A mistake that led to some better outcome or personal growth (43:10)
A habit Beccy would like to change (44:11)
A book that has had a powerful impact on Beccy’s life (44:30)
Advice Beccy would give young people who are starting out and what to be successful whilst also making a positive impact in the world (46:00)
Links
Beccy on twitter
The Woodland Trust website
Edie Sustainable Leadership conference (Use the coupon code MALLEN10 for 10% off)
What has nature ever done for us? Tony Juniper
In this episode, I talk to Claire Fox, Director of the Academy of Ideas and author of the book ‘I find that offensive’.
Claire is a panellist on Radio 4’s The Moral Maze, and is regularly on a variety of news programmes commenting on culture, education, media and free speech issues.
In this interview we talk about how Claire came to be championing the view that ideas should be able to be freely contested without constraint, and why that basic free speech principle has come under threat in recent years.
Claire is an inspiring example of someone who believes that truth should be spoken, even in the face of difficult consequences. There are some valuable insights in our discussion and I think you'll get a lot from it.
Show Notes
How did the world look to the young Claire as she left school and looked forward to adult life (1.30)
The earliest influences that made Claire interested in ideas and politics (2.30)
The contentious act of going to university to study English (5.21)
How Claire ended up falling into an early career in social work (6.40)
The power of active experience of people in poverty to inform a political perspective (7.51)
How the interest in politics came to become Claire’s main focus (9.20)
The journey that resulted in writing and ultimately becoming a publisher of LM magazine (12.02)
How LM magazine became the focus of fresh thinking, dealing with issues of free speech and the emergence of environmental politics etc. (16.15)
The emergence of a focus on organising live events for free debate (19.17)
What’s the driving force now of the Battle of Ideas? (23.17)
The two visits to schools that prompted Claire to write her book ‘I find that offensive’ (26:55)
When did we cross the line into the world where political correctness presents career-destroying risks to people? (31.39)
Institutional cowardice is feeding the power of unreasonable demands (34.57)
The reaction against political correctness that has become labelled as ‘the intellectual dark web’ (36.24)
The fact that people are ready for long-form content, challenging the notion that people’s attention spans had shrunk (38.27)
One practical change Claire would seek to bring about before hanging up her gloves (40.08)
Advice she would give to her younger self (40.30)
An impressive changemaker (41.15)
A mistake that led to a better outcome or personal growth (42.20)
A habit Claire would like to change (43.02)
Books that have had a powerful impact on Claire’s life (43.48)
Advice to young people taking the first few steps into the world (45.10)
Links
Claire on twitter
Academy of Ideas on twitter
Academy of Ideas website
People / Books Mentioned
Hannah Arendt
On Liberty, John Stewart Mill
Brighton Rock, Graham Greene
In this, the first episode of 2019, I talk to Mike Kelly, chairman of the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and former head of CSR for KPMG.
Mike is a seasoned campaigner from the pioneering years of corporate responsibility. He was instrumental in the creation of the UN Global Compact, and has been a consistent supporter of some of the more difficult causes, from a corporate perspective, such as homelessness and the living wage.
In this interview we talk about how he got to where he is, how he ended up creating hugely influential frameworks at the UN that have shaped the business approach to sustainability world-wide, and some of the approaches he took that successfully put KPMG into pole position in the CSR community.
Mike is a brilliant example of how you can change the world from wherever you find yourself – and how part of the task is to build the system that will embed the right values into an organisation from day to day. He’s a fascinating, thoughtful and inspiring character, and I think you'll find some real value in this interview.
Show notes
How did the world look to Mike when he first started on his adult life? (1:48)
How the family felt about dropping out of University, as the first family member to go there (3:20)
What happened on the first day, why Mike had to be called aside by the manager, and why he progressed rapidly (4:11)
How the old-style banks evaluated risk (6:20)
How Mike came to have the environment first included in his risk portfolio (8:45)
How Mike ended up becoming one of only six business representatives at the original Earth Summit in Rio (10:30)
The huge impact of the Shell Brent Spar campaign on how businesses saw the risks ahead of them (12:06)
The moment Mike began to see that the environment presented business opportunities, not just risks (14:43)
How Mike’s sense of mission shifted as he became exposed to the UN negotiation process on climate change (17:08)
Mike’s primary project at the UN – the UN Sustainable Finance Initiative (18:19)
How the environmental management agenda rolled out through Nat West (20:24)
How the UN finance initiatives developed, and where the finance sector is now, and how the financial crash played out (22:15)
The creation and early progress of the UN Global Compact (23:52)
The critics of the Global Compact, and the need to take the long view (27:08)
How the Greenwich Principles became the Equator Principles (28:40)
Why Mike decided to leave the UN and take up the job with KPMG (30:34)
What Mike found at KPMG when he first arrived, and how his entrepreneurial flair created opportunities (32:35)
Why KPMG took a leadership role in some tricky issues such as homelessness and the living wage (34:00)
Where did the commitment to the Living Wage come from, and how did it get through the Board at a time when it was laying people off? (37:14)
How Mike had an active process to ensure that incoming leaders saw the social responsibility agenda as part of what was involved in leadership (41:40)
KPMG’s support for the UK hospices in a way that would double up as carbon offsetting the company’s energy use (44:35)
Mike’s work to continue making a difference post-KPMG, including the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust (46:38)
Does Mike have a personal purpose? (50:47)
What single change would Mike most like to make before hanging up his gloves? (51:23)
What one nugget of advice would he give to the younger Mike Kelly? (52:03)
What impressive change makers have inspired Mike? (52:32)
What mistake led to some better outcome or personal growth? (53:19)
What habit would Mike most want to change? (54:17)
What book, or books had a powerful impact on your thinking or your life? (54:48)
What advice does Mike give to young would-be change-makers? (55:45)
Books mentions
The Silent Spring, Rachel Carson
Factor Four, L. Hunter Lovins, Amory B. Lovins, Ernst von Weizsacker
Links
Mike on Twitter
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust
The Passage.
This is a different kind of episode, as we finish off 2018 with a quick look back to some things that changed my thinking over the last year, and then we’re going to talk about how you can approach planning the impact you’re going to make in 2019. So if you want to really get your life in order next year, and you want to make a difference to the world as a change maker, this is the episode for you!
Show Notes
Why change makers need to stay curious and challenge their assumptions (01:40)
The research that demonstrated how we fool ourselves all the time (02:33)
Why we’re worse than chimpanzees at understanding the world (05:30)
The factors that make up our negative mindset (07:40)
Why good people are divided over politics and religion (11:27)
How progressives and conservatives differ in how they see morality (14:54)
How those lessons can help us to more effectively change society (17:26)
How to plan for 2019 – and why you need to prioritise (20:00)
Setting goals, but then creating systems to take you towards them (22:56)
Books referenced in this episode
The Believing Brain, Michael Shermer
Factfulness, Hans Rosling
The Righteous Mind, Jonathan Haidt
In this episode, I talk to Dame Julia Cleverdon, a passionate and practical campaigner, listed by the Times as one of the 50 most influential women in Britain.
Dame Julia is co-founder of Step Up To Serve, also known as the #iwill campaign, as well as a number of other important campaigning and charitable roles. But she was probably most prominent as the longstanding chief executive of Business in the Community between 1992 and 2008. She was appointed a CBE in 1996 and DCVO in 2008.
In this interview we talk about how Julia got to where she is, what have been the mechanics behind her incredible track record of cajoling the powerful into serving the greater good, and what she has learned from decades of working with top business leaders and even Royalty.
Anyone who knows Julia will attest that she is a real force of nature – one of life’s incredible characters and an indefatigable campaigner. If you want some inspiration that you too can make an important difference to the world, you’ll want to listen to this interview.
Show notes
What did the world look like to the young Julia when she left school? (1:53)
Why Julia’s campaigning zeal took her to British Leyland and why her energy was greeted with less than enthusiasm (5:04)
Julia’s move to the Industrial Society and the seminal experience she had in South Africa with the company working to help apartheid to fail (9:13)
How the latter years at the Industrial Society eventually led to the move to Business in the Community – an organisation that seemed only to speak to CEOs and prime ministers (13:03)
How does an organisation like BITC attract and sustain a high level of engagement from the top chief executives of the biggest corporations? (19:54)
The power of challenging leaders to see things for themselves – and how anyone can become a catalyst under the right circumstances (25:40)
Why Julia became focused on what’s happening in Blackpool in recent years (30:20)
Who were the businesses that impressed Julia most? (33:37)
What did Julia see as being the effective examples of programmes that made a difference? (37:40)
Julia’s focus on young people taking social action since she stepped down from BITC (42:00)
Julia’s take on the generation of young people that’s coming up now (46:10)
Julia’s pithy and well-defined personal purpose (49:05)
One practical change Julia would want to bring about before hanging up her gloves (50:16)
Advice Julia would give to her younger self (51:31)
Who’s an impressive change maker Julia has known and what made them impressive? (52:52)
A mistake Julia made that led to some better outcome or personal growth (53:43)
One habit Julia would like to change (55:13)
What books had a powerful impact on Julia’s life (55:55)
What advice Julia would give to young people who want to make a difference to the world (56:48)
Julia online
Julia on twitter
Julia’s website
People mentioned in this episode
Julia Middleton
Stephen O’Brien
Tom Shebbeare
Robert Davies
David Grayson
Lord Hector Laing
The Prince of Wales
David Varney
Derek Higgs
John Studzinski
Mike Darrington
Allan Leighton
Richard Lambert
In this episode, I talk to Vicky Pryce, economist and commentator and previously Director General for Economics at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Vicky is a prolific author, whose books include Greekonomics: The Euro Crisis and Why Politicians Don’t Get it”, “Prisonomics” and “Why Women Need Quotas”. She has also held a variety of positions – Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service, Partner at KPMG, Co-Founder and Chair of Good Corporation, as well as numerous academic and advisory posts.
In this interview we talk about how she began her journey when she left Greece at the age of 17 and began a rapid rise into the world of economics, and when she began to see how the field could make a positive impact on society. What she learned along the way, with some solid gold advice on how young people can progress quickly in their own chosen field. We talk about how she took opportunity from her high-profile adversity when she was imprisoned for taking speeding points for her then-government minister husband, and why she believes now that there should be quotas for women in business.
Vicky is thoughtful, sharply intelligent and articulate, and passionately committed to making a difference. This was one of my favourite interviews to date, and I’m sure you’ll get a lot of value from it.
Show notes
What did the world look like to the young Vicky as she left Greece at the age of 17 to move to London? (2:03)
What was it like growing up in the dictatorship in Greece? (5:24)
The challenges of studying economics at the LSE and making early protests (7:43)
Vicky’s early adventures in misleading Canadian tourists (10:40)
The first step into the world of work, why rapid advancement followed, and why smaller organisations can be a great place to start a career (11:40)
Vicky’s role as corporate economist for Exxon (16:34)
The move to KPMG as Chief Economist, and why it pushed Vicky towards practical real-world applications not just forecasts (21:34)
Why working for the public sector gave more opportunities for making a real impact on society (25:30)
Co-founding and chairing Good Corporation (27:56)
The path that led to publishing Vicky’s first book Greekonomics, and the astonishing reality of what has been happening in Greece in recent years (30:53)
What Vicky discovered was wrong with the womens’ prison system during her time inside that led to her book ‘Prisonomics’ (36:14)
How did the adversity of that time change Vicky’s character? (41:35)
Why does Vicky believe there should be quotas for women in business? (44:21)
Vicky’s personal purpose (50:21)
One single practical change Vicky would bring about before she hung up her gloves (50:32)
One piece of advice she would give to her younger self (50:42)
Who is an impressive change-maker Vicky has been inspired by? (50:55)
What mistake has Vicky made that led to some learning or personal growth? (51:55)
What habit would Vicky most want to change? (52:15)
What book, or books, have inspired Vicky’s thinking or her life? (52:51)
What advice would Vicky give to young people looking to be successful and also make an impact on the world? (53:21)
Links
Vicky on twitter
Vicky’s website
Dr Fisher of Geneva or the Bomb Party, by Graham Greene
In this episode, I talk to Andy Wales, the Chief Digital Impact & Sustainability Officer for BT, and formerly the Corporate Affairs Director for SABMiller Europe.
Andy is a smart and skilful change-maker with a great track record in some of the most dynamic corporate sustainability programmes we’ve seen in the last two decades.
In this interview we talk about how his upbringing and family background set him almost immediately on the search for effective social impact, how he went on to learn how to make a real difference in a number of important companies in recent years, and what he’s learned along the way about how to make change that sticks.
Andy is a thoughtful and articulate advocate. We get into some detail about the issues he’s tackled and how others can go about making an impact in their own situation.
Show notes
What did the world look like to the young Andy Wales? (1:38)
At what point did Andy see that making an impact could be part of his day job? (4:02)
When Andy joined Interface, early as it was on its sustainability journey, what did he find there and what were the priorities? (5:58)
What happened with Interface’s two ahead-of-their-time experiments – the one that worked and the one that didn’t? (8:16)
What Andy worked on that took him to Severn Trent, and what was learned that led to the company being split up (10:37)
One of the general challenges for the water industry around sustainability (12:31)
What were some of the highlight issues from Andy’s time at SABmiller, and what was its distinctive culture that made such a big difference to how it worked? (13:52)
When companies talk about how much water it takes to make a product, is it really as clear-cut as that sounds? (16:13)
What special issues apply to companies like alcohol companies, where they want to sell lots of product, but not too much so that it becomes a social problem? (18:20)
What sort of interventions can an alcohol company make to tackle problem drinking whilst remaining successful? (21:14)
What has Andy learned over his career about how a change-maker can work with a large company to drive sustainability? (22:49)
When leadership and ownership of businesses change so often, what can corporate responsibility teams do to ensure commitment to sustainability survives the change? (24:37)
What are the three areas Andy’s now focusing on at BT? (26:25)
How is successful, lasting impact achieved? (29:29)
Where are the areas where we need to do better to achieve sustainability? (31:35)
Does Andy have a personal purpose, and what is it? (33:30)
If there was one practical change Andy could bring about before hanging up his gloves, what would it be? (33:52)
What advice would Andy give to his younger self? (34:35)
Who’s an impressive change maker that Andy has been inspired by? (36:11)
What mistake has Andy made that led to some personal growth or learning? (37:14)
What one habit would Andy like to change? (38:04)
What book or books has made an impact on Andy’s thinking or his life? (38:30)
What advice would Andy give to young would-be change-makers just setting out? (39:15)
Links
Andy Wales on twitter
BT
In this episode, I talk to Ravinol Chambers, the founder of Be Inspired Films - a multi award-winning video production company that helps individuals and organisations working as a force for good across business and society to bring their stories to life.
Only last year, Be Inspired Films added to its haul of industry awards as ‘Production Company of the Year’ at the Recommended Agency Awards.
Rav is a regular speaker on ‘harnessing the power of storytelling’ and ‘using video to raise funds for positive change’
In this interview we talk about how Rav got here, including his journey from would-be stockbroker to buddhist monk and back again, how he set up his socially-minded small business and some of the challenges he faced – and why criticisms of his current passion project led him to push even harder to make it an effective documentary in the cause of promoting the education of girls in India.
Rav has a great positive energy and is a real blend of creativity, entrepreneurship and social conscience. We have a great, and sometimes spirited, conversation I’m sure you’ll get a huge amount from – so let’s jump straight in.
Show notes
What did the world look like to the young Ravinol Chambers as he left school? (2:00)
How Rav went from conventional goals to a complete change in perspective (4:09)
The sequence of events that exposed him to a very different type of community (5:37)
What happened when Rav decided it was time to rejoin the conventional world (11:52)
The challenge of entering a new career from a standing start with an unusual CV (15:24)
How film making and video became the focus (17:57)
How did the social mission move centre stage? (20:10)
Some of the lessons from the early years of Be Inspired Films (24:08)
The power of pursuing only work that fits your values and sparks your interest (29:19)
Why you shouldn’t be afraid to learn from your critics (31:08)
Ravinol’s current passion project that has been a big focus over the last couple of years (32:49)
Where there’s a social issue, all citizens should be concerned and should have a voice – regardless of what boxes people might want to put them in (38:31)
Story-telling has become hugely important – but what makes a good story? (48:35)
Some of the main lessons Ravinol has learnt about business and life over the last decade (50:53)
Ravinol’s personal purpose (58:40)
If there was one change you could bring about in the world before you retire, what would it be? (59:01)
What advice would Ravinol give to his younger self? (59:19)
Who are some impressive change makers you’ve appreciated? (1:00:31)
What mistake have you made that led to some important lesson or personal growth? (1:02:48)
What habit would Ravinol most like to change? (1:03:59)
What book, or books, have made a big impact on Ravinol’s life? (1:05:02)
What advice would Ravinol give to young would-be change-makers about taking the first steps? (1:06:52)
Ravinol on twitter
Be Inspired Films website
Bhagavad Gita
Famous Five
In this episode, I talk about the value of having a personal purpose – what it is, and how you can go about creating one.
Lots of the most successful sports people, business executives and other leaders have been successful precisely because they have defined for themselves what they’re trying to achieve in life, and what success would look like. If you don’t frame your own direction, then you will drift on ‘default’ mode, at the mercy of pure fluke as to what opportunities come along to shape your career and ultimately your life.
The main reason we don’t create personal purpose is that – when staring across the blank space we have to play with – it can feel incredibly hard to pin down what it is we’re really about. This episode aims to give you a starting point so you can also discover the benefits of a deliberate life, lived on your terms.
Show notes
What Rob Cameron said about searching for his personal purpose last time (00:58)
The seminal management book that first highlighted the value of a purpose-beyond-profit for corporations (02:00)
What is a personal purpose? (4:51)
Examples of the stated purpose of well-known people (6:40)
All the executives who work hard to make money and only then realise that they’re missing meaning (8:52)
People living their life in the default setting, not making deliberate choices (10:40)
Why have a personal purpose? (12:08)
Use purpose as a tool, not something that becomes oppressive (17:14)
How should you go about creating a personal purpose? (17:43)
Using the successes you had to date as a starting point, along with your values (19:32)
Identifying the scope of your intended impact (20:25)
How to go about writing down a first draft purpose (22:50)
Why I’m doing this exercise again, and what I came up with last time (23:57)
Moving from the purpose to the “and therefore …” three steps (24:52)
Why having personal purpose helps you not to get sucked into negative frames (26:50)
Links
Download the Personal Purpose Framework
Built to Last
In this episode, I talk to Rob Cameron, the chief executive of the consultancy and think tank Sustainability.
Rob has been the CEO of a sustainability-focused communications company, Flag – he has been CEO of Fairtrade International and now, in his current role, deals with some of the major global businesses that see themselves on the journey for a sustainable future.
In this interview we talk about how he came to be where he is today and how he had to find his direction along the way. We talk about some of the campaigning issues he’s dealt with, particularly on areas such as fair trade and the impact it has on growers across the world, and latterly the emerging area of antimicrobial resistance.
Rob has been a personal friend of mine for many years, and he’s consistently been one of the more thoughtful and eloquent leaders in the area of sustainability. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, and I think you’ll find it a great listen.
Show Notes
What did the world look like to the young Rob Cameron? (1:37)
Why starting in sales makes sense when you don’t know your direction or purpose (2:27)
How Rob ended up at a relatively early age in charge of the company that came to be known as Flag (3:27)
Changing the name to Flag, and why generic descriptive names are not good names for a business (4:27)
The early signs in Rob that he would come to focus on responsibility (5:31)
How Rob came to focus on corporate sustainability as a key focus for the company (7:48)
The major employee communications project that had a significant impact on accident rates in a large company (9:12)
Some of the starting points in getting to grips with corporate responsibility (11:59)
The challenge of doing sustainability communications with large corporates (15:19)
How Rob invested time and energy into getting into the network of sustainable business (16:26)
How Rob came to the point where it made sense to sell Flag (18:33)
The experience of becoming an employee in the company you formerly owned (20:38)
Rob’s move from Flag to become CEO of Fairtrade International (22:27)
The importance of the Fairtrade mission and the challenges it faced as the agenda became mainstream (27:10)
What role do schemes like Fairtrade have in continuing our progress in reducing absolute poverty worldwide? (29:44)
How important is it that some significant companies have moved away from Fairtrade in recent months? (31:34)
Rob’s move to Sustainability – a consultancy but not a standard consultancy (33:33)
How Sustainability works, both as a consultancy and as a think tank (35:21)
Why you can’t predict the future by simply extrapolating existing trends, and why ‘standing in the future’ can give a different route to insights (37:14)
The issues we need to be aware of that are coming into prominence (39:00)
One practical change Rob would like to make before hanging up his gloves (40:33)
Advice Rob would give to his younger self (41:16)
Who are some impressive change makers that have inspired Rob, and why? (42:41)
What mistake has Rob made that led to a better outcome or personal growth? (44:59)
What habit would Rob like to change? (45:28)
What books have had a powerful impact on Rob’s life? (46:11)
Advice to people just starting out who want to make a difference to the world (47:52)
Rob on Twitter
Sustainability website
Sustainability on Twitter
Books in this episode
Aesops Fables
Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
Zen in English Literature, RH Blyth
In this episode, I talk to Joost Oorthuizen, the chief executive of IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative.
Joost has led IDH for the ten years since its founding, and in that role has helped to broker projects on the ground in a number of sectors such as cocoa, palm oil, tea and many more, which have made real concrete progress in boosting sustainability and livelihoods for many thousands of people.
In this interview we talk about how he got to IDH, the five focuses they use to make the biggest impact on people’s lives and on the environment, and what are the priorities for action in the future.
Joost is a fantastic example of someone who took the opportunities in front of him to make a real difference to the world, and if that’s your aim as well, you should get a lot from this interview.
Show notes
How famine and the threat of war shaped Joost’s early outlook (1:45)
How come Joost became exposed at an early stage to the problems of poverty in developing country environments (2:55)
Why Joost moved from academia to become a change consultant, and what it taught him about the process of change (4:25)
Why public private partnerships were an early focus (7:01)
How and why IDH was created (8:35)
The vision for IDH at its creation, and the early first steps (11:25)
What drove the early engagement of the private sector in IDH (13:27)
What IDH has become now that it is ten years old (14:34)
The actions taken in cotton production that has made Better Cotton 20% of the world market (16:17)
The development of conditions in production of tea (19:13)
The obstacles to progress in getting decent wages for tea workers (21:47)
The five ‘externalities’ that IDH focuses on (25:28)
Inclusive business models for smallholders across the world (26:05)
Working to reduce and reverse deforestation (28:18)
Wages and labour conditions to continue progress on reducing poverty (32:55)
Responsible agrochemical management (33:58)
Gender equality and female empowerment (35:05)
What are the more important changes we need to achieve for the future? (37:02)
What has Joost learned over the decade about what makes a partnership successful? (39:45)
What are Joost’s ambitions for the next ten years at IDH? (42:02)
One change Joost would most want to achieve before hanging up his gloves (44:23)
Advice Joost would give to his younger self (45:03)
Change makers Joost has been inspired by (45:48)
Mistakes that Joost has made that turned out all right anyway (47:07)
A habit Joost would like to change (47:47)
Books that have had an impact on Joost’s life (49:10)
Advice that Joost would give to young change makers just starting out (50:30)
Links
IDH website
Joost on twitter
In this episode, I talk to Trewin Restorick, the founder of environmental communications charity Hubbub UK, which aims to create real practical change with positive messages and creative ideas.
He was the founder and CEO for 20 years of Global Action Plan, a UNEP-endorsed environmental organisation that ran award-winning behaviour-change programmes with businesses, schools and communities. Trewin was chair of the Environmental IT leadership team, co-chaired Defra’s Compact Group, and was trained as one of Al Gore’s UK Climate Change ambassadors. He is a frequent commentator on Channel 4, Sky, the BBC and CNN.
We talk about how he ended up getting into environmental issues, and why he moved away from a typical campaign model looking for positive vehicles to make lasting change. We talk about what he’s learned over the years about what works and what doesn’t, particularly in relation to some difficult areas such as food waste and even street littering.
Trewin is one of those people that has spent a lot of time trying to work out what actually makes a difference as opposed to simply making gestures, and this interview goes into some really useful detail.
Show notes
How did the world look to the young Trewin Restorick? (2:04)
What reaction was there from family and friends when he opted to go to Friends of the Earth? (4:28)
The experience of being at the heart of the environment campaign at a pivotal point in its history, and the gap between the anti-corporate campaigners and those that wanted business to be collaborators (5:23)
When Trewin realised it was time to take a different approach that would be more effective than campaigning (7:40)
Global Action Plan – what defined its purpose and why it was effective (8:46)
What were some of the highlights of what was achieved by Global Action Plan through it’s first twenty years? (11:03)
The concept and purpose of Hubbub UK, Trewin’s current company (14:39)
One of the examples of behaviour change in practice – the ballot bins (17:48)
What works and what doesn’t when it comes to getting people to reduce food waste? (21:15)
The habitual behaviours that work on reducing food waste (26:32)
Are we inherently unsuited to reducing waste because of our basic psychology? (28:10)
The catalyst for change that came from Blue Planet – and the value / action gap that needs to be challenged (29:39)
Social media is not the same as campaigning – the dangers of unengaging ‘clicktivism’ versus using social media to amplify and spread what works (31:15)
Hostility to environmental messaging and the polarised debate in current society (33:20)
Is Trewin an optimist or a pessimist after three decades dealing with environmental issues? (35:22)
One practical change Trewin would like to see before hanging up his campaigning gloves (37:17)
What advice would Trewin give to his younger self? (39:20)
Who are some of the most impressive change makers Trewin has met and been inspired by? (40:22)
What mistake has Trewin made that led to learning or a better future outcome? (41:09)
One habit Trewin would like to change (42:35)
Books that have influenced or changed Trewin’s life (43:06)
Advice that Trewin would give to younger would-be change makers who are just setting out on the journey (44:12)
Hubbub’s vlogging channel (45:35)
Links
Trewin on twitter
Hubbub UK
In this episode, I talk to David Goodhart, author of the hugely influential book ‘The Road to Somewhere – The new tribes shaping British politics’, praised as a ‘book of the year’ by the Sunday Times, Guardian, Telegraph and The Economist in 2017. It is described by many as the book that explains the new post-Brexit and Trump world, and challenges us to think afresh about the nature of the job at hand.
He was the founding editor of Prospect magazine, and was the director of think tank Demos. He is currently part of the Policy Exchange think tank, where he specialises in demography and immigration issues.
We talk about how his thinking developed as his journalistic starting point put him in the viewing gallery for some of the pivotal historical events of the last few decades of the 20thcentury. We talk about the controversial essay that thrust him into the spotlight, and we talk about his thesis – that separately to old left versus right divisions we now have a powerful dynamic between what he labels as somewheres and anywheres.
How did the world look to the young David Goodhart fresh out of university? (2:07)
How David got into journalism (3:34)
The stroke of luck that propelled him into the Financial Times to cover the last great strikes of the Thatcher era (5:32)
The job nobody else wanted that became the right place at the right time (10:22)
How David decided to found Prospect magazine, and what made it distinctive (12:34)
What did Prospect contribute through its early years? (16:28)
The most important thing David wrote in his life, and the impact it had on his direction (18:08)
Social media and the phenomenon of less civil political discourse that has resulted (22:02)
The evolution of David’s thinking that let him to the Road to Somewhere (24:25)
The value divide between Anywheres and Somewheres (25:40)
The spectrum between achieved identities and ascribed identities and gulf of how they’re impacted by social change (28:02)
The backlash from Somewheres that has led to Brexit and Trump (30:26)
The potential to create empathy and common ground between Somewheres and Anywheres (34:12)
The hidden majority whose ranks David feels he has now joined (36:58)
The rise of populist politics and the values stalemate we now find ourselves in (38:30)
What is one practical change David would like to make before hanging up his gloves? (44:16)
What advice would he have for the younger David? (44:53)
Who are some change makers that David has found impressive and why? (45:09)
What books have made an impact or changed David’s life? (46:55)
Links
David Goodhart on Twitter
Policy Exchange Institute
The Road to Somewhere
British Attitudes Survey
Other books mentioned
The British Dream - David Goodhart
The Future of Socialism - Anthony Crosland
Contemporary Capitalism – Hollingsworth/Boyer
Minorities in the Open Society - Geoff Dench
Transforming Men – Geoff Dench
In this episode, I talk to John May, the secretary general of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. He describes himself as a campaigner, storyteller, teacher, youth worker, independent diplomat, writer, broadcaster, urban cyclist, avid parkrunner, habitual chocolate cake eater and mischief-maker.
He has spent his career working with, and for, young people in the UK and across the world. He was formerly the chief executive of Young Enterprise, and the founding CEO of Career Academies UK, which became Career Ready. He worked to get businesses involved with supporting education through Business in the Community. And he was set up for all of this by his earlier stint as head teacher for Manor Farm School in High Wycombe.
In this interview we talk about what he learned by cutting his teeth as a teacher in one of the most challenging and deprived areas in the country. We talk about the experiences that can help young people to become active citizens, and whether those have changed with the rise of the post-millennial generation. And the one imperative that keeps John – and rather a lot of other leaders – awake at night.
Show Notes
What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award? (02:09)
What is John May’s personal purpose? (4:33)
What the world looked like to the young John May (5:10)
What early indication was there of the values that would define John in later life? And how did these develop through his early life? (6:50)
How did the experience of working in a disadvantaged school make John reflect on his upbringing? (12:28)
The time when John provoked complaints at a Scouting conference with a surprising outcome (15:33)
How did John advance so quickly to the status of head teacher? (18:40)
What were the most challenging aspects of being a head teacher? (20:05)
Why did John leave teaching to work with businesses through Business in the Community? (21:00)
What did John do with businesses to engage them effectively with the education agenda? (24:27)
From John’s travels across the world with the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, what has he picked up about the current state of young people around the world? (29:05)
What are the hard-to-measure aspects of development we’re missing in how we measure our progress in development? (32:01)
How different is the current generation of young people, and what distinguishes it from what came before? (34:53)
How much is generational conflict now a fact of our reality? (38:52)
What has been learned in recent years about how to motivate young people to become active citizens? (40:30)
What are the concerns that keep John awake at night? (42:05)
One practical change John would like to make before retiring (46:15)
What advice would John give to his younger self? (46:52)
What change-makers have inspired John and why? (47:36)
What mistake has John made that led to some better outcome or personal growth? (49:01)
What book has influenced John or made a difference to his life? (49:57)
What advice does John give to young people seeking to make their mark on the world? (51:18)
Links
John May on twitter
John May's blog
Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
The Silver Sword, by Ian Serraillier
In this episode, I talk to Chris Harrop, the group marketing director and the head of sustainability for Marshalls plc.
In addition to those roles, Chris is chairman of Made in Britain, and was formerly chairman of the UN Global Compact UK network. He’s a non-executive director of the Ethical Trading Initiative. He was named as a Hero of Sustainability by Ethical Corporation in 2007, and a Business Game Changer by Business in the Community in 2012.
We talk about the dramatic pivotal moment when he knew he had to take a lead in tackling child labour in Indian sandstone – and the mistakes that he feels they made at the start in attempting to tackle that most difficult of issues. We discuss the incredible and creative ways Marshalls is now building sustainability into its products, and share some reflections on how to be influential and make a difference in your career.
I have counted Chris as a friend for many years, and I regard him as one of my personal heroes for the commitment he’s brought to tackling some of the most difficult issues a company can deal with. In the early days, he was leading the fight on child labour and it was by no means obvious that Marshalls would be able to survive in the marketplace with a product that was necessarily going to be a third more expensive than that of its competitors. It was a commercial risk, with no guarantees of success.
SHOW NOTES
Chris’s personal sense of purpose (2:18)
What did the world look like to the young Chris Harrop? (4:14)
Early influences – successful marketing based on truth (7:14)
What Chris learned from his time at Shell (8:32)
How things began to change when Chris joined Marshalls (10:40)
How the use of Indian sandstone raised questions about child labour (13:55)
Marshalls early attempts to fix the problems, and what was learned (17:15)
When the consequences of fixing the problem is increased costs to the business (20:28)
Where are they now, after the lessons have been learned? (22:03)
Do measures to improve supply chain integrity also help improve quality? (23:50)
How Fairstone was introduced to communicate the value of ethical stone to the customer (25:14)
How Marshalls built environmental and social concerns into its future-facing products (28:52)
Developing for customer needs that they don’t necessarily see yet (34:12)
The unusual position of being both head of marketing and sustainability (36:42)
How is the broader base of business changing in the face of sustainability and ethical challenges? (39:51)
Is Chris optimistic about the progress we’re making towards sustainability? (42:24)
There is always space for people to step in and make a difference, rather than waiting for government to do it for you (44:26)
The advice Chris would give to his younger self (46:47)
Who are some impressive change-makers, and why? (47:06)
Mistakes that have given lessons and led to positive outcomes (48:33)
Chris’s favourite book of all time (49:19)
What advice would you give to young would-be change-makers who are just starting out on the journey? (50:14)
Links
Chris on Twitter https://twitter.com/marshalls_chris
Marshalls Sustainability https://www.marshalls.co.uk/sustainability
The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy https://amzn.to/2xPOIpJ
The UN Global Compact UK Network https://www.unglobalcompact.org.uk
Solitaire Townsend is an entrepreneur, sustainability expert and author of ‘The Happy Hero - How to change your life by changing the world’. She co-founded the change agency Futerra in 2001, one of the first sustainability agencies in the UK, through which she has advised governments, charities and major corporations like Danone and Nike. From humble beginnings, Futerra now has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Mexico City and Stockholm.
She has been a TEDx speaker, and has written for the Guardian and the Huffington Post. She was named ‘Ethical Entrepreneur of the Year’ in 2008, is a member of the UN Sustainable Lifestyles Taskforce, and a London Leader for Sustainability.
Soli’s book could almost be seen as a manifesto for this podcast, all about the powerful evidence that becoming a change maker is something that makes life better and more fulfilling, as well as making a difference to society. In this interview, we get into the detail of how Soli’s own life was changed dramatically by one catalytic moment, and how positivity in the face of big problems is the most powerful element you can have at your disposal.
Show notes
How the world was a very different place for the 11-year-old Solitaire, and how a humble flyer transformed it completely (2:10)
Having been inspired by success, how the support of some good people helped Soli to take the next steps (6:58)
How Futerra went from an idea for a one-off project through to becoming a thriving business (9:22)
Lessons learnt leading a company when you’ve not gone the traditional route to getting there (11:17)
Solitaire’s personal purpose, and the fact that people find it difficult to hear (16:40)
Having worked with some of the best companies, how far have we really come in our journey to sustainability? (18:06)
What are the emerging trends in business and sustainability? (20:15)
Why the UN Sustainability Development Goals have become so helpful, even though they’re far from perfect (22:30)
What inspired Soli to write the Happy Hero? (26:48)
Coping with the process of writing a book when it’s not something you naturally enjoy doing (30:15)
The core focus of positivity was obvious from the beginning, but the research gave it a huge added dimension (31:12)
Dealing with the reality that many of the campaigning community are anything but optimistic (33:18)
Why the vegan movement is an example of the difference between negative and positive energy, and the powerful symbol that came through Martin
Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech (35:51)
The damage done when the change movement is dismissive of the small steps that people take (39:42)
The crisis curve and its role in creating the conditions for change (41:00)
The three things that can happen once you reach the crisis point (43:21)
How close are we to making the wrong choice, fuelled by polarisation and negativity? (46:58)
“It’s all going to be okay” can be the most powerful message (50:25)
One practical change Soli would aim to bring about before hanging up her campaigning gloves (52:26)
What advice would she give to the younger Solitaire? (52:40)
The impressive change maker that has inspired Soli the most (54:05)
What mistake has Soli made that led to a positive outcome or personal growth? (55:33)
The thing that Soli believes that others thing is wrong (57:33)
One of Soli’s favourite books (59:18)
What advice would Soli give to young would-be change-makers who are just beginning the journey? (1:00:36)
Soli on twitter https://twitter.com/greensolitaire
Futerra - https://www.wearefuterra.com
The Happy Hero https://amzn.to/2NWyzID
A town like Alice – Neville Shute https://amzn.to/2zpmfbB
David Grayson is Emeritus Professor of Corporate Responsibility at the Cranfield School of Management. For over ten years, he was the director of the Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility. He recently co-authored the influential book ‘All In – The Future of Business Leadership’. He has authored a number of other books, including most recently ‘Take Care: How to be a great employer for working carers’.
He has had a long history of working on enterprise, social impact and sustainability. Amongst many other roles, he was an early director of Business in the Community, chairman of the UK Small Business Consortium, and Managing Director of the Prince’s Youth Business Trust.
He was awarded an OBE for services to industry in 1994, and a CBE for services to disability in 1999.
David is an immensely thoughtful commentator on the state of socially responsible business, amongst other things. We have a great deep dive into the current state of business leadership, and work our way through some of the key insights that came out of the most recent book. It’s undoubtedly an interview deserving of your careful attention!
Show notes
The pivotal change to David’s life that came from a near-death experience at the age of 11 (2:28)
How David had a vision of getting into politics at the age of 10 (3:50)
David ran his first successful community campaign at the age of 15 (5:03)
How David entered the corporate world – and how the willingness to speak truth to power made it happen (6:07)
How David then moved to the NGO world, via the European Commission, as he was searching for his purpose (9:30)
The early influences of the corporate responsibility movement (13:08)
You can change the world if you don’t mind who gets the credit (18:00)
How well was business leadership engaged with the issues at the start? (20:45)
What prompted the writing of the new book ‘All In – The future of business leadership’? (23:15)
Who are the leader companies that have gone ‘All In’? (26:34)
What are the five attributes for companies that have gone ‘All In’? (28:21)
How mainstream can this approach become? Is it always just going to be a small group of leaders? (31:46)
Can society achieve sustainability in the face of mediocre leadership? (36:13)
Why aren’t the tech companies in the leading rank of sustainable businesses? (39:00)
What advice would David give to his younger self? (42:54)
Who has been an impressive change maker that has inspired David? (43:45)
What mistakes has David made that he’s learned from? (44:45)
Books that have inspired David (47:05)
Advice David would give to young people looking to take their first steps into a future where they can make a different to the world (48:25)
Links
All In – The future of business leadership https://amzn.to/2DoZlFs
Globescan survey https://globescan.com/2018-sustainability-leaders-report/
The Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/research-centres/doughty-centre-for-corporate-responsibility
Business in the Community https://www.bitc.org.uk
Interface Carpets http://www.interface.com/EU/en-GB/campaign/climate-take-back/Climate-Take-Back-en_GB
Unilever Sustainable Living Plan https://www.unilever.co.uk/sustainable-living/
Books
Small is Beautiful, EF Schumacher https://amzn.to/2DosnoA
Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell https://amzn.to/2PWDoPc
New Power, Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms https://amzn.to/2OJcZV7
Blessed Unrest, Paul Hawken https://amzn.to/2OGOxU7
Contact
David on twitter https://twitter.com/davidgrayson_
David’s personal website http://www.davidgrayson.net
Mike Barry is the Director of Plan A and Sustainable Business for Marks and Spencer. He is known throughout the responsible business community as a key figure who has helped Marks and Spencer become world-renowned for its root-and-branch approach to sustainable retail. He helped to develop and deliver Plan A from its inception in 2007, and is responsible for delivering the company's ambitious plan to suport 1,000 communities, help 10 million people live happier and healtheir lives, and to convert M&S into a zero-waste business.
Mike was named the Guardian's inaugural Sustainable Business Innovator of the Year in 2011. He is Co-Chair of the Consumer Goods Forum's Sustainability Steering Group, Chair of the World Environment Centre, a Visiting Fellow at the Smith Centre for Enterprise and the Environment at Oxford University, a Senior Associate at the Cambridge Programme for Sustainable Leadership and he sits on Business in the Community's Environment Leadership Team.
Not only is he effective at creating change, Mike is one of the most genuine and thoughtful people I know. We had a fascinating and far-ranging conversation about how to create change, and what needs to happen to make businesses more sustainable over the coming decades.
Enjoy the interview! I think you'll get a lot out of it.
Show notes
How the world looked to the young Mike Barry when he started his journey (2:25)
Why Mike took a degree on subjects he wasn’t good at, and ignored the ones he was great at (3:45)
Why the teenage Mike was ‘an angry young man’ (6:04)
What sort of early jobs did Mike get as an environmental consultant? (7:25)
How Mike ended up getting into Marks & Spencer to lead its environment work (9:07)
Why joining Marks & Spencer was not a culture shock, even though it was a big change (12:00)
The first steps that needed to be taken to get Marks & Spencer on the journey (13:15)
How Plan A was different to what had come before (16:00)
The importance of leadership – particularly in a tough retail environment (17:58)
The dangers of a change at the top, and how you can minimise them (20:48)
Why Plan A has been successful from the start and over the long term (23:56)
Sustainability challenges of a retail business model (28:20)
The biggest obstacles that have had to be overcome to make Plan A successful (31:42)
The most important workstreams that lie ahead (32:42)
The difficulties of changing people’s behaviours (34:39)
Working with the campaigners and the critics (35:48)
Why Mike is an optimist about the role of business as part of the solution (38:50)
The challenge of political polarisation in a pragmatic approach to the issues (41:50)
What one practical change would Mike want to bring about before he finally retires? (47:34)
What advice would he give to his younger self? (48:19)
Impressive change makers who have inspired Mike (48:43)
Mike’s greatest mistakes (49:36)
Inspirational books (50:19)
Advice Mike would give to young people wanting to get into the industry (51:00)
Links mentioned
Marks and Spencer’s Plan A https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/plan-a
Lewis Pugh – swimmer raising awareness of plastic pollution http://lewispugh.com
David Attenborough https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Attenborough
Andy Wales https://twitter.com/AndyCWales
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller https://amzn.to/2OLfRAI
Contacts
Mike on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-barry-9b6ab722/
Mike on Twitter https://twitter.com/planamikebarry?lang=en
A short introduction to the change maker podcast, how it's going to work and what you can expect in the first three episodes.