Open Agenda: Recent Episodes
Will Luker
A conversational and topical podcast covering current and public affairs, politics, our interest in journalism and conversations that matter to people. Hosted by Will Luker (@CallmeWill97) and Nat Schaefer (@natjsch_), Open Agenda discusses topics that are and should be on the news agenda with an aim to invite guests as frequently as possible. There will be some opinion, some analysis but overall our aim is fairness. You can also expect numerous guests from our part of the world - South West England and the West Midlands. We hope you enjoy the episodes we release.
This is not the first episode we have published on student journalism and freelancing. Our big aim for the Open Agenda podcast is to invite journalists to talk journalism but also to give them a platform to share some advice for current students or graduates hoping to make it in the media industry.
Our guest for this episode is just the right person to talk about student publications, freelancing and tips on pitching. A warm welcome to Adam England, a freelance journalist who has quite a few bylines across multiple platforms. We talk pitching, freelancing, his interest in music journalism and a certain Twitter thread currently pinned!
Thank you Adam for being our guest!
You can follow Adam on Twitter @garageflowrr and do check out his website
You can follow Open Agenda, Will and Nat on Twitter too @OpenAgendaPod @CallmeWill97 and @natjsch_
Open Agenda can be found on all your major podcast providers. We recommend Spotify and Apple Podcasts!
NOTE: THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED BEFORE POLLING DAY
Welcome back to another episode of the Open Agenda Podcast.
With the local elections now over, we have a result where the Conservatives lost heavily despite making a few gains. Labour took control of three London boroughs, won the newly created Cumberland Council but elsewhere they made losses too. It's with the Liberal Democrats and the Greens where they made significant gains including Ed Davey's party ejecting Conservative control of a newly reshaped Somerset County Council.
To discuss local issues we're joined by North Somerset Councillor Ash Cartman, who stood for the constituency at the 2019 General Election. Elections are due to take place in North Somerset next year but for now we spoke to Ash about protests against new proposals on Clevedon's seafront, local politics and everything Lib Dem.
Our thanks to Ash for joining us on the podcast. You can follow Ash on Twitter @Ashley_Cartman
You can also connect with Will and Nat on Twitter @CallmeWill97 and @natjsch_
After taking some time out we are back to discuss the recent fines given out to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor because of Partygate. Lots to discuss including whether it's right that those who make the law should break them, whether the voters have made up their minds or don't care and what the ramifications are for the Conservative Party.
We also have time to talk about the news of a whole-life sentence for the murder of Sir David Amess. How safe are our MPs indeed politics as a whole after we've come to mourn the murder of two MPs in the space of five years.
You can follow Will and Nat on Twitter @CallMeWill97 and @natjsch_
Do follow us on Twitter @OpenAgendaPod
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is free after years of detention in Iran. Among awful images in Ukraine, it has been a delightful week to see heart-warming pictures of a family reunited. Credit where it is due to the government, Richard Ratcliffe and Labour MP for Nazanin's Hampstead and Kilburn constituency Tulip Siddiq for getting Nazanin back to the UK safe and well.
But there is a big talking point here. Boris Johnson. A failure to master his brief when Foreign Secretary by saying she was "simply teaching people journalism" did not help Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's cause. Careless and sloppy - it's hard to argue otherwise.
Elsewhere, Will and Nat continue their discussion on the crisis in Ukraine, where again this links quite rightly to Johnsonism. Why did Boris Johnson give Evgeny Lebedev a peerage despite our intelligence services having "serious reservations" in giving him a seat in the House of Lords? Lord Lebedev, who owns the Evening Standard newspaper, has denied posing a "security risk" to the UK.
Is Boris Johnson, as our Prime Minister, putting the security of the British people at risk? We talk the hypocrisy of this all!
And finally, Russian State TV. Marina Ovsyannikova did an incredibly brave thing on Channel One to stage an anti-war protest. We talk journalism in Russia and why our quest for facts, the truth and responsible journalism in a democracy matters.
You can follow Will and Nat on Twitter @CallmeWill97 and @natjsch_
Do follow Open Agenda on Twitter @OpenAgendaPod
For episode ten, we are delighted to welcome Troy Harrison, journalism student at the University of Gloucestershire where we both studied journalism too! University, the course, newsdays and writing, we have much to talk to Troy about including his current role as assistant manager of Tone Radio, the university's student radio station.
Our thanks to Troy for being our guest!
You can follow Will, Nat and Troy on Twitter: @CallmeWill97 @natjsch_ @Troy_harrison1
Do check out Open Apenda on Twitter: @OpenAgendaPod
Also check out Troy's own podcast called Safe Space
Vladimir Putin has invaded Ukraine. President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people are fighting back.
We don't claim to be experts in foreign affairs and warfare but for this episode we tried our best to make sense of what is happening in Ukraine. Democracy - that's what is under threat by the propaganda machine in Moscow. This isn't a "special military operation", it's an invasion. Kyiv is resisting, men are prepared to fight, journalists are reporting the facts as best they can and sadly the consequence of war means a refugee crisis.
The West has responded with sanctions and weapons, but is it enough?
We also reflect on attitudes to what Putin has done plus what the UK's response has been.
NOTE: THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED ON SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY AT 11AM UK TIME.
For Open Agenda, we are still going to record and release episodes on topics we take a great interest in. The dreadful situation in Ukraine will be covered and you'll forgive us if we do continue to discuss politics, current affairs, journalism, climate change and conversations that matter to people. This is after all, a very connected world where the topics we talk about are linked closely together.
As ever, thank you for listening to our podcast.
You can follow Will, Nat and David on Twitter: @CallmeWill97 @natjsch_
Do check out Open Apenda on Twitter: @OpenAgendaPod
After winning North Shropshire as well as Chesham and Amersham from the Conversatives in by-elections last year, what did it mean for the Liberal Democrats? To discuss, we are joined by David Chadwick, who was Lib Dem candidate for North Dorset at the 2019 election. David has also canvassed for the party in North Shropshire, so what was said on the doorstep, why was the by-election significant and could there be a progressive pact at the next general election?
We also have time to talk Liberal Democrat policies, upcoming local elections and does David plan to stand for parliament again?
You can follow Will, Nat and David on Twitter: @CallmeWill97 @natjsch_ @LibDemDavid
Don't forget to check out Open Agenda on Twitter @OpenAgendaPod
For the Open Agenda podcast we care about giving a platform to people who have personal hobbies. We want our guests to talk about the things that matter to them. We'd like to introduce you to Steve Waldron from London, who has a hobby in nature photography. We talk to Steve about capturing nature in the garden especially with the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch coming up soon on the 28th and 30th January.
We also discuss why everyone should have a passion to help beat plastic pollution in our rivers, seas and oceans. On the back of a recent Environmental Audit Committee report which states that "raw sewage, microplastics and slurry are coursing through all of England's rivers, putting health and nature at risk", we ask Steve about the problems, the solutions and also the problem of litter within his own community.
Plastic in our oceans is another issue we discuss plus the importance of green spaces for London amid rising air pollution levels.
Our thanks to Steve for his time as guest on the Open Agenda podcast.
You can follow Will, Nat and Steven on Twitter: @WLuker97 @natjsch_ @Stevewal63
Don't forget to check out Open Agenda on Twitter too: @OpenAgendaPod
Happy New Year to you! Welcome to our first episode of 2022. To get us going we're delighted to be joined by Beathriz Souza, who has studied journalism at the same university as us. We talk about her role as president for Universal News, the University of Gloucestershire's student news website, aspirations for the future plus the best bits from the BA Journalism course.
We also have plenty of time to discuss more 'work meetings' at Downing Street, Novak Djokovic and Molly Mae's recent comments on the Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett.
You can find Will, Nat and Bea on social media @WLuker97 @natjsch_ @ItsBeathriz
Do check out Universal News too!
A stunning victory for the Liberal Democrats in North Shropshire, a constituency that has been Conservative since 1832. The Owen Paterson scandal triggered the vote, Downing Street parties have diminished the Prime Minister's authority and now he's facing serious pressure from his own backbenchers.
We talk about what this by-election result means for Boris Johnson, what is means for the Lib Dems under leader Ed Davey and there's time to say a Merry Christmas to our listeners and a Happy New Year! We have big ambitions for 2022, so we hope you enjoy what we both produce for this podcast in the future.
Don't forget to check out Open Agenda on Twitter @OpenAgenda
You can also follow Will and Nat on Twitter too @WLuker97 and @natjsch_
NOTE: This episode was recorded before Lord Frost's resignation as Cabinet Minister, the man who negotiated Britain's exit from the EU.
After the Daily Mirror's political editor Pippa Crerar broke the story two weeks ago, we had a full week of denial about whether Boris Johnson broke COVID lockdown rules during Christmas 2020, a time when we were all facing lockdown with devastating consequences for families across the country.
Now with 'that' video reported by Paul Brand at ITV News showing Downing Street staff joking about holding a party and the Prime Minister's former COP26 spokesperson Allegra Stratton laughing at the lectern, we have seen consequences but not for the PM. Allegra Stratton has resigned and we now know that the Metropolitan Police won't be investigating (for now).
With parties being held at Number 10, rumours of loud music are the reason for our episode 4 title! But Secret Santa's? Cheese and Wine? It all seems that the government have done their very best to bury the story beneath the ground. A reference to Samuel Pepys aside, Boris Johnson is now under intense pressure from not just the opposition but within his own Conservative ranks.
We react to the bombshell political week, the announcement of new 'Plan B' COVID restrictions, whether the PM can be trusted and how the national newspapers reacted to everything going on in Westminster.
Beyond the Westminster bubble, how will the public see all this? Angry bereaved families losing loved ones to COVID while Downing Street partied, the jokes doesn't seem funny anymore.
Don't forget to check out Open Agenda on Twitter @OpenAgenda
You can also follow Will and Nat on Twitter too @WLuker97 and @natjsch_
NOTE: THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED BEFORE A NEW SUNDAY MIRROR STORY WAS REPORTED ABOUT A DOWNING STREET XMAS QUIZ
We're building back this podcast better! Sorry for nicking a Conversative Party slogan there! One topic we care about and love to discuss is politics so we're delighted to be joined by Callum Greenhough. If you managed to hear our episodes before the relaunch, then you'll have heard Callum's voice before. Based in Yorkshire, while Will and Nat are down south, Callum has canvassed for Batley and Spen's current MP Kim Leadbeater and we really value his contributions when talking about politics and current affairs.
The Labour Party has reshuffled its shadow cabinet. Sir Keir Starmer has chopped and changed his team but what does this tell us with our parliament almost halfway between the 2019 election and a general election to come?
New rules on mask wearing is back to remind us that COVID-19 is nowhere near gone.
You can follow Will, Nat and Callum on Twitter @WLuker97 @natjsch_ and @crg121
Don't forget to check out Open Agenda on Twitter @OpenAgendaPod and on Instagram
A reminder that our main podcast providers are on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
For episode two of our new relaunch, we're joined by Lauren McGaun, head of news at Impact, the University of Nottingham's student magazine. A recent investigation by the magazine and a subsequent report on BBC Politics East Midlands has highlighted the worrying increase in spiking at nightclubs. We speak to Lauren about Impact's work on this important issue, plus her experiences as the former Editor in Chief of Empoword Journalism, a publication led by women that aims to unite and empower journalists across the globe.
There is also time to talk freelancing, why journalism and who inspires Lauren in the industry.
Thank you for joining us Lauren and best of luck for the future!
You can follow Lauren, Will and Nat on Twitter: @lauren_mcgaun @WLuker97 @natjsch_
Do check out Impact magazine and Empoword Journalism on Twitter
NOTE: Apologies to Lauren and our listeners for some of the sound issues in this episode.
Welcome to our first episode as Open Agenda relaunches, we are back on the agenda! To begin we're delighted to be joined by Bex Mountford, Cheltenham's first bicycle mayor. We talk cycling around the town, what is a cargo bike and how we encourage more people to take up two wheels. Post-COP26 we also touch on collaboration between people and organisations to help deliver the vital action we need to combat climate change. As the publicity co-coordinator for Clean Air Cheltenham, Will was also really keen to know how we work together to get people on board.
You can take a look at Bex's website called We've Got Wheels, where she gives family cycling advice. Bex is also on Twitter @wevegotwheels
Don't forget to check out Open Agenda on Twitter @OpenAgendaPod and on Instagram
Both Will and Nat are on Twitter to @WLuker97 and @natjsch_
Hello and welcome to the Open Agenda podcast with Will Luker and Nat Schaefer. To introduce ourselves we began to think about this podcast as an idea and now it's live and ready to go. Because we are journalism graduates from the University of Gloucestershire, Open Agenda is a podcast that discusses current affairs, politics, the media and conversations about everyday life.
We hope you enjoy the episodes we release.
You can follow Will and Nat on Twitter @WLuker97 @natjsch_