About this episode
Special guest Sam Freedman, discusses the week's big stories with Alex, Naomi, and Kenny.
Is there a future for the Conservative Party? Is there a future IN the Conservative Party. Should they stick with Badenoch, or twist and risk the - incredibly - LESS likeable, Jenrick?
AND - Is France basically ungovernable now? Our favourite Chevalier, Olivier Morel, talks us through the latest drama.
PLUS - with a deal on Gaza close, the repercussions for Jews globally may take much longer to heal.
INCLUDING - a very funny (and surprisingly angry) 'Wokey Dokey'.
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“For a long time the Tories have depended on ‘the party in the media’, as it is often called, to maintain their relationship with their base - the Mail and Telegraph in particular, because organisations like the BBC often take their cue from them. Losing those papers to Reform is very dangerous.”
“The party is already where [Jenrick] wants it, because basically he’s been shadow-leading the Tories, and it hasn’t helped their poll ratings. Also, he focus-groups really badly. Even voters who agree with him dislike him. So, I don’t think he is the answer to the party’s problems.”
“We are roughly the same distance from Labour having to call a General Election, as we are from the last pandemic lockdown. Try to conceive of that amount of stuff still to happen. For me, it’s far too soon to predict how the next election will shape up.”
“When challenged about the consequences of leaving the ECHR for the wider EU trade agreement Badenoch said that she could give notice to leave it all behind. Best for Britain polling shows that this plays very badly with voters who have not abandoned the Tories for Reform - and who tend to be more moderate.”
“All political parties in France are behaving as if they have a majority and deserve to implement their programme. I have heard several leaders adopting a very grave tone and saying now is the time to compromise, but they mean everyone else must compromise. This is making France ungovernable.”
“Will Macron resign? I think it’s not in his DNA to do that at all. And on the international stage, he still believes he has a big role to play. Against that, Macron is facing criticism and even calls to resign from loyalists within his own camp and this is new.”
“Whether this plan succeeds depends directly on how much pressure Trump puts on Netanyahu. the Israelis will be at the negotiation with the objective of changing the terms in a way that forces Hamas to say ‘no’.”
“I have never known the Jewish community to be so divided over Israel. The sheer violence of what’s happ
