Geoff Lloyd Ed Miliband พอดคาสต์

Hello! This week we’re talking about dyslexia—how we need to improve its recognition in our society and understand the contribution people with dyslexia can make. At least 1 in 10 people in the UK are estimated to have dyslexia and are still facing barriers to inclusion in the classroom, the workplace and society more broadly. We speak to Andy Cook…

Hello! This week we’re looking at the government's proposal to sell off broadcaster Channel 4. Started in the 80s with a remit to commission unique and original programming from independent production companies, Channel 4 has been informing and entertaining us for decades. To find out why the government would want to privatise Channel 4 now, and ho…

Hello! This week we’re looking at the huge cost of childcare, an often ignored part of the cost of living crisis. New research has found that almost two thirds of families are paying more, or the same, for their childcare as they do their rent or mortgage, with one in four parents saying they had to cut down on food, heat and clothing to afford chi…

Hello! America has seen a wave of recent union victories by Amazon and Starbucks workers, and this week we’re looking at why they’ve succeeded where many others have failed, and what UK unions can learn. We’re joined by Starbucks organiser Casey Moore, Director of CLASS, Ellie Mae O’Hagan and General Secretary of Prospect Union, Mike Clancy. Plus, …

Happy Easter! To celebrate, we have a special episode on the magic of the wildlife on our doorstep. 83% of us live in urban areas and are surrounded by myriad known and not-so-well known wildlife wonders including birds, insects, hedgehogs and yes, foxes and rats. But our furry and flying city-dwellers are vital to our ecosystems, and there are unt…

Hello! This week we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of Newsround, and finding out how the way our children get their news has changed over the years. To celebrate the milestone, we’re joined by Newsround Editor Lewis James, and to hear more about other ways kids access current affairs, we’re joined by Anna Bassi, Editorial Director of The Week …

This week we’re going behind the headlines on the so-called Great Resignation - which has seen record numbers of job vacancies advertised as people leave and move roles. Has Covid really revolutionised the world of work? And who is benefiting from the changes? To find out, we’re joined by Joe Fuller from Harvard Business School, David Zentler-Munro…

This week we’re giving Ed another reason to talk about his swimming, and diving into our rivers. Rivers are such an important part of our landscape, ecosystems and communities. They provide two thirds of our water supplies and support a vast array of wildlife, but are in bad shape. Only 14% of our rivers pass the bar for ecological health, and farm…

Hello! This week Ed and Geoff are off to the pictures, as they find out how cinemas have survived covid, and why they’re still so important to our communities and culture. To usher them through the episode they’re joined by Phil Clapp, CEO of trade body the UK Cinema Association, Kevin Markwick, who runs 2 independent cinemas successfully, and star…

This week we’re looking at energy storage, and the technologies being developed to improve how we store and use renewable energy. Clean energy storage is vital to decarbonising the economy, so to get to grips with it we have Jillian Ambrose, energy correspondent at the Guardian, Simon Skillings from E3G, and Nina Skorupska from The Association for …

Hello! This week we’re joined by podcasting royalty, as David Runciman, host of Talking Politics, joins Ed and Geoff for his victory lap. After 6 years, David and co-host Helen Thompson are hanging up their headphones on one of the smartest political podcast of our time. Ed and Geoff find out why they’re stopping in the middle of arguably one of th…

Hello! This week we're looking at the legislation passing through parliament which would have British Sign Language recognised as an official language in the UK. Eighty-seven thousand people in the UK say BSL is their preferred language, but they are discriminated against in everyday life, from using essential services to speaking to doctors, their…

Hello! This week we’re talking about the crisis of fuel poverty as people are hit by rocketing energy bills. Torsten Bell from the Resolution Foundation sets the incoming energy bill rises in context, Adam Scorer from National Energy Action tells us how people are facing the crisis up and down the country, and Dr Elizabeth Blakelock shares some int…

Hello! This week we're discussing the impacts of the climate crisis on our mental health, and how we can support ourselves and each other in response. From the trauma of the effects of extreme weather events like floods and droughts, to worrying about climate change in our every day lives, there’s a growing body of evidence which shows more and mor…

Hello! This week we’re looking at the role of Magistrates in our justice system. Little is widely known about the volunteer system which presides over 90% of criminal cases, and as the government launches a campaign to get 4,000 new magistrates to apply, we find out how what more can be done to raise awareness and increase diversity. We’re joined b…

Hello! This week we're looking at the circular economy, a system that could transform our lives and contribute mightily towards reducing carbon emissions. In the UK, per person we produce the second highest amount of electronic waste by throwing away our unwanted phones and laptops. In a circular economy, we reduce usage of materials, reuse them an…

Hello! This week we’re joined by the wonderful Jon Ronson for a special episode. The acclaimed journalist, documentary maker and author, talks to Ed and Geoff about his new podcast series ‘Things Fell Apart’, which explores the extraordinary human stories behind the origins of what have become known as the culture wars. Ed gets into the kitchen, an…

Hello! This week we continue our foray into all things Web 3.0 by taking on NFTs, or Non-Fungible-Tokens. If you’re lost already then don’t worry, so were we, until we spoke to our enlightened guests Anthony Cuthbertson from the Independent, Holly Jean Buck from Buffalo University, and Andrea Baronchelli, from City University and the Turing Institu…

Hello! This week we head for the peatlands, get in the sea, and go in search of UK's lost rainforests to explore ecosystems beyond the trees. Could restoring these habitats play a significant part in achieving net-zero? And what else needs to be done to tackle the UK's nature crisis? Joining us are Kate Jennings (with a canine cameo), Guy Shrubsole…

Happy New Year! To start 2022, Ed and Geoff talk to one of the UK’s most acclaimed and prolific scriptwriters, Jack Thorne (Help, Kiri, His Dark Materials, The End of History, This Is England.) Jack is a co-founder of Underlying Health Condition - a pressure group campaigning for proper inclusion and representation of disabled people in the enterta…

Hello! Well, what a year 2021 has been... thank you for being with us throughout. Here are some of 2021's very best bits for your delectation. Best wishes from your friends at Reasons to be Cheerful HQ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As last year's Christmas AMA was such a huge success *there were no major repercussions*, we thought we'd do it again. Ed and Geoff answer (and avoid) your questions, from sandwiches of choice in the make-your-own-sandwich shop to which cabinet member Ed would prefer to take on in a royal rumble. (Guess which of those Ed answered, and which he avoi…

In the fourth and final episode about how progressive victories were won, we're taking a look at the introduction of the national minimum wage. It feels unthinkable now that there shouldn't be a minimum rate that workers are paid, but it wasn't too long ago that hourly rates of £1 or £1.50 were commonplace. The road to a national minimum wage was l…

In the latest episode of our series about progressive advances, we're taking a look at the history of the fight for race equality in the UK. It is one that goes back centuries but we want to explore what progress has really been made in modern times and what have been the drivers--the combination of activism, movements, law and cultural change both…

In the second of our episodes about how progressive victories were won, we're looking at gender equality and why the Nordic nations seem to be so far ahead of most of the world. What is it about the culture, society, and politics of the region? What role did women's movements play? And is there something in the water/snow, or can it inspire us to d…

We're doing a little shimmy, into the past. In the first part of our mini-history series on how progressive victories were won, we're looking at the NHS. How did this complex institution, that's beloved in the UK and revered around the world, manage to even get off the ground? Who were the key players? How did they win over opposition (and why was …

Ed's been in Glasgow again this week as COP26 comes to a close. He digs in to get the verdict. He speaks to young Kenyan activist Elizabth Wathuti, then friends of the pod, Pete Betts, multi-hatted climate wonk, and Farhana Yamin, adviser to vulnerable countries, for their takes on the outcome. Plus the revelation that RTBC has hit the big time, fe…

Ed’s spent the week in Glasgow at COP26. He brings you the voices of young activists demanding change, including Anna, a young Glasgow climate striker. Then he talks to Simon Stiel, Minister for Climate Resilience in Grenada and Pete Betts, former top UK civil servant on climate negotiations, now a leading voice on the state of the play. Plus Geoff…

Hello! As COP26 kicks off, we’re exploring how cities and towns are leading the way on tackling the climate crisis. Mark Watts from C40 Cities talks us through how some of the world’s largest cities — from Milan to Seoul — are taking urgent action to reduce emissions. Polly Billington from UK100 tells us what local leaders are up to in the UK. And …

Hello! Libraries are about far more than borrowing books. We’re exploring how libraries around the world serve their communities and are adapting to changing needs. Sociologist Eric Klinenberg explains why libraries help build social solidarity and should be a priority for government investment. Marie Østergård tells us about libraries in the Danis…

Hello! We know the UK’s population is getting older, but what should that mean for our towns, villages and cities? We’re talking about ‘age-friendly communities’ — places where people of all ages can live healthy and active lives. Natalie Turner from the Centre for Ageing Better explains the idea. Paul McGarry from Greater Manchester Ageing Hub tel…

Hello! Millions of homes across Britain need retrofitting with insulation and low carbon heating to meet our climate goals. We chat to Josh Emden from IPPR about the many benefits of a national retrofit programme and how government can make it happen. Then Aneaka Kellay from Carbon Coop explains how they’re piloting a people-powered approach to ret…

Hello! Sociologist Sam Friedman has spent years exploring how class shapes our society. He argues Britain faces a powerful ‘class ceiling’ that affects who can access certain jobs and then progress in them. We chat to Sam about why that is and what we can do about it. Then Isabel Farchy from the Creative Mentor Network tells us how her charity is w…

Hello! We’re chatting to incredibly prolific historian Adam Tooze about his new book ‘Shutdown: How Covid Shook the World’s Economy’. We talk to Adam about the response to Covid around the world and what it means for everything from the rise of China to the future of the Green New Deal. PLUS Fiona McIntyre on her mission to open up the wonders of d…

Hello! Advances in technology are enabling new ways to monitor and manage people at work. How can we ensure workers don’t lose out from the rise of ‘algorithmic management’? Future of work expert Beth Gutelius tells us about a Californian law cracking down on issues in the warehouse industry. Then Anna Thomas from the Institute for the Future of Wo…

Hello! This week we’re getting our heads around the mind-boggling world of digital currencies. The Guardian’s UK tech editor Alex Hern answers our questions about Bitcoin — from how it actually works to its extraordinarily high energy use. Josh Ryan-Collins from UCL tells us why the Bank of England is exploring introducing its own digital currency.…

Hello! We’re celebrating the start of September with an episode on rewilding — the idea of restoring eco-systems so nature can take care of itself. Alastair Driver from Rewilding Britain talks us through what it is and how to make it happen. Steve Micklewright explains how Trees for Life is rewilding parts of the Scottish Highlands. And Jan Stannar…

Hello! For the final part of our special series on this year’s COP 26 climate summit, we’re exploring how the climate movement is pushing world leaders to act. Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate tells us about her journey into activism and what she is calling for now. Then Tommy Vickerstaff from 350.org explains how we can all get involved in …

Hello! For the latest stage of our journey through the world of COP 26, we’re exploring the politics of the climate summit. Experts Pete Betts, Farhana Yamin and Saleemul Huq are back to talk us through the outcomes we need from COP 26 and the challenges in making them happen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.…

Hello! In the second episode of our series on the COP 26 climate summit, we’re exploring what’s at stake in tackling the climate crisis. Scientist Emily Shuckburgh explains the need for urgent action. Then Saleemul Huq from the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh and former president of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed…

Hello! For the next few weeks we’re treating you to some special episodes about COP 26, the crucial climate summit taking place in Glasgow this November. First, we're talking through the basics and asking how on earth we got to where we are today. Author Alice Bell gives a whistle-stop history of our understanding of the climate crisis and the poli…

Hello! We spend lots of time exploring great ideas around the world but this week we’re looking closer to home. It’s Reasons to be Welsh! First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford tells us about where the Welsh Government is leading the way on innovative ideas from tackling the climate crisis to inequality, the importance of devolution in making it ha…

Hello! Lee-doh or ly-doh? We’re asking the big questions about the lido revival taking place across the UK. Many towns and cities saw their outdoor pools close during the twentieth century but lidos are back on the up. Journalist Chris Beanland talks us through the history here and around the world. Emma Pusill tells us about the amazing community …

Hello! It’s our 200th episode! We’re talking about the groundbreaking Environmental Justice Commission, which has just published an ambitious plan for putting fairness at the heart of tackling the climate crisis. Caroline Lucas and Hilary Benn, two of the co-chairs of the commission, talk us through some of the key ideas. Then Paul Nowak from the T…

Hello! How can we properly switch off from work in an era of phones, email and remote working? We’re exploring the ‘right to disconnect’ — the idea that people should have a right to disengage from messages and calls outside of their working hours. Professor Anna Cox explains the importance of work-life boundaries. Andrew Pakes from the Prospect Un…

Hello! How can we ensure everyone has access to the essentials for a decent life? A coalition of campaigners argue we need a new ‘Social Guarantee’ based on three pillars: living wage jobs, universal public services, and fixing our safety net with a living income. We talk through the idea and how to make it happen with Social Guarantee expert Maeve…

Hello! For the final week of our Go Big podcast book tour, we’re talking to incredible people successfully campaigning for change around the world. Ali Abdi and Elbashir Idris talk about the campaign for the first Halal Nando’s in Cardiff and the amazing community activism fighting for social justice that it inspired. Fast food worker and union act…

Hello! It’s the third episode of our podcast book tour, exploring ideas from Ed’s new book ‘Go Big’. We're revisiting citizens’ assemblies and the role they could play in repairing our democracy. Experts Graham Smith, Archon Fung and Becky Willis talk us through what citizens’ assemblies are, where they’re being used, and how they fit into the wide…

Hello! From New Zealand to Finland, countries are experimenting with alternatives to using gross domestic product (GDP) as the primary measure of national success. For our second special episode on ideas from Ed’s book Go Big, we’re asking: could changing what we measure help to transform the economy? Katherine Trebeck from the Wellbeing Economy Al…

Hello! For the next few episodes we’re going big with some of the ideas from Ed’s new book, Go Big. This week: could better parental leave for dads help promote gender equality? Icelandic Prime Minister and friend of the pod Katrín Jakobsdóttir explains Iceland’s world-leading approach. Then Molly Mayer from the Fawcett Society and Jeremy Davies fr…