Oh God, What Now?

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Fast analysis with don of political commentators Steve Richards of Rock & Roll Politics talking to Andrew Harrison. Labour’s performance in the English Locals was terrible… but was it really as bad as Starmer feared? Does Farage’s bluster about “truly historic” results for Reform stand up to the data? Are the Greens becoming the party of “student England”? And the big one: Can Starmer hang on? 

• See Steve’s Rock & Roll Politics show live in London at King’s Place, Monday 11 May – last few tickets available!

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at [email protected]. 

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio Production by Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

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The Greens are on fire and Zack Polanski’s travails don’t seem to be hurting them much. How did they get here? Is Polanski-mania just Corbyn-mania without all the Labour baggage? And can you be a vehicle for popular rage and a credible party of government at the same time?

Plus, is everything just online betting now? Or is it the new insider trading? With platforms like Polymarket enabling insiders to clean up on everything from the timing of bombings in Iran to the removal of Maduro, we talk to the Guardian’s Aisha Down about how betting is warping – and corrupting – politics. 

Plus: Should we ban 6am pints in the airport? Why has the right-wing press upped its sneering against Angela Rayner? And in the Extra Bit, the panel reveal their hidden talents.

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at [email protected]. 

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Jonn recommends Blue Lights on BBC iPlayer ⁠

• Marie went to see Spanish pop sensation Rosalía in London and her album Lux is Marie’s favourite of the year.

• Aisha has been brushing up on commodities trading and is reading The World For Sale by Jack Farchy and Javier Blas

• Seth has been watching Liberace camp-fest Sincerely Yours from 1955.

Listen to Hit That Perfect Beat – The London Records Story on your favourite platforms. 

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Seth Thévoz withJonn Elledge and Marie Le Conte. Produced by James Liddell. Audio Production by Tom Taylor. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk 
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Filler-faced, gilded mansions and utterly unhinged. Today’s mega-rich don't even pretend to be normal anymore. So what happened to the understated billionaire and is there any going back? 

Plus, are voters getting more fickle? Zoe picks the brain of the Economist's political data journalist Owen Winter on whether political promiscuity is the new normal.

And Zack Polanski’s approval ratings plunged after a sharing post about the Golders Green attack – should politicians be anywhere near social media anyway?

Finally… the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer has sparked a rift with fellow MPs after deriding parliament’s apparent booze problem. Are our lawmakers really propping up the bar? 

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at [email protected]. 

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Zoë braved the psychological horror thriller Speak No Evil, available on NOW. 

• Jason has been devouring Natalie Whittle’s ode to the nation’s favourite snack, Crunch: The History of Crisps

• Matt has delved into David Grann’s catalogue, including The Devil and Sherlock Holmes

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Matt Green with Zoë Grünewald and Jason Hazeley. Producer: James Liddell. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Simon Williams & Tom Taylor. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk 
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• Podmasters is 10 years old! Get an extra 10% off a year’s Patreon backing.

Applauded by Congress, lauded by Trump and working his way through a spring-herbed ravioli on a golden plate? It was a tough gig for Charles. The King may have charmed the President but will his visit rescue US/UK relations from the geopolitical toilet? 

Plus, Starmer evades a Commons investigation into the Mandelson affair but is it really all over bar the shouting for the PM? Why a social media ban for under-16s might be based on dodgy science. And in the Extra Bit: If they can get away with a Michael Jackson movie in 2026, which political figures ought to get their own biopic? 

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at [email protected]. 

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Rachel has been bingeing Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock on Amazon Prime.  

• Jonn recommends Radio 4’s How To Invent A Country on BBC Sounds. 

• James recommends the relaxing game Nodes – play it here.

• Andrew recommends Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, inevitably 

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Andrew Harrison with Rachel Cunliffe, Jonn Elledge and James Ball. Audio Production by Tom Taylor. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

• Podmasters is 10 years old! Get an extra 10% off a year’s Patreon support – that’s 20% in total. 

Another week, another assassination attempt… Will the latest attack on Trump change anything apart from making the crazy people crazier? And will he get his ballroom out of it? Plus, Reform announce plans to make the teaching of history more patriotic. On the curriculum: more Winston Churchill and Battle of Britain, less slave trade, even less Ireland and no Britain being anything other than brilliant. Are you kids ready for the Old Man In A Pub version of Our Island Story?

• Questions for But Your Emails? Thoughts? Comments? Email us at [email protected]. 

ESCAPE ROUTES

• Gavin went to see music inspired by the Bridget Riley: Learning To See exhibition at Turner Contemporary… but you’ve missed it. Sorry. 

• Matt is the latest panelist to recommend medical drama The Pitt on HBO Max. 

• Raf recommends drum’n’bass artist Nia Archives’ new single Danger

• Ros recommends French-language murder mystery Une Unique Lueur by Fred Vargas. Not out in English yet though. 

www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow

Presented by Ros Taylor with Matt Green, Gavin Esler and Rafael Behr. Audio Production by Tom Taylor and Chris Jones. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Tom Taylor and Simon Williams. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production.

www.podmasters.co.uk 
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