In this episode of Take Me Home, Hilary and Sebastian speak with international relations lecturer Tara McCormack about Britain’s foreign policy since 1945. They explore how the “special relationship” with the United States has shaped Britain’s global role, why foreign policy has remained outside democratic control, and what a more independent approach might look like.Get in touch:sdp.org.ukhilary.salt@sdp.org.uksebastian.moore@sdp.org.ukRecommendations:
Buffy - https://www.itv.com/watch/buffy-the-vampire-slayer/10a5896
Bluey - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000vbrk/bluey
Moulin Rouge - https://moulinrougemusical.co.uk/world-tour/
Hilary and Sebastian are joined by veteran Labour MP Graham Stringer. Graham has represented the Blackley area in North Manchester since 1997, and before that led Manchester city council. He has a reputation for being straight-talking and independent, especially on issues such as Brexit and climate change.Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Sebastian gives an update on the new towns proposed by the Labour government. Will they be nice places where people want to live? Hilary questions the current way of assessing the amount of council tax people pay and explains what the government is doing to fix it.Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Sebastian looks at what's going on in Texas. Hilary asks if Brits still want to be outside of the EU?
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Hilary and Sebastian are joined by Tom Slater, editor at spiked-online. We ask Tom what Spiked is all about and whether it has lost its left-wing roots. We explore how old ideas of left and right might be redundant but principles like free speech, democracy and a better life for ordinary working people are still important. We move on to the Online Safety Act and its effect on journalism and on discussion more widely. And we ask are we one hot summer evening away from civil revolt? In Culture Club, Sebastian is enthusiastic about his ParkRun at The Eden Project. And Tom has recommended reading.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Recommendations:https://www.spiked-online.comKurt Vonnegut: Cat's Cradlehttps://www.edenproject.com/
Dr Alka Sehgal Cuthbert is an educator, academic, author and campaigner who heads up the advocacy group Don't Divide Us. She makes the case that the Equality Act is doing more harm than good.Get in touch: sdp.org.ukhilary.salt@sdp.org.uksebastian.moore@sdp.org.ukRecommendations:The Equality Act Isn't Working (Don't Divide Us Report)
Hilary and Sebastian are joined by Philip Cunliffe to discuss his new book, The National Interest: Politics After Globalization. The conversation explored his central argument that applying the test of national interest to every political issue could reshape the country’s future. Should we intervene in wars and famines abroad? What defines our nation in the first place?
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Recommendations: The National Interest: Politics After Globalization - Philip Cunliffe https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=the-national-interest-politics-after-globalization--9781509561100
Sebastian shares his recent experience at the Living Freedom conference which helps him to understand the issue surrounding Bob Vylan's comments on the stage at Glastonbury. Hilary looks at the recent vote on the Government's attempts to reform the welfare system.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Sebastian and Hilary both share their recent experience of a conference which suggested that the left can make a success of Brexit. Hilary also talks about the struggles at the heart of the British economy.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Hilary and Sebastian are joined by Adam Williams, the SDP's new Campaigns Organiser. They discuss the requirement for employers to produce an action plan on their gender pay gap. Sebastian asks whether we really want Boris Johnson back. Adam looks at the cuts to the funding for medical courses.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Jan Macvarish, Events Director at the Free Speech Union, joins Hilary and Sebastian to discuss the work she's involved and why it's more important than ever to defend the right to freedom of speech.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Recommendations:
Bearded Theory Festival: https://beardedtheory.co.uk/
Democrafest: https://www.democrafest.co.uk/
The Fifth Step - https://sohoplace.org/shows/the-fifth-step/
Hilary looks at the ever growing problem of students using large laguage models to help them with assignments. Sebastian shares his recent experience of Norway's Constitution Day and gets a little help from a special guest, Stine Nygaard.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Sebastian explains what's in the UK-EU pact and is particularly interested in the e-gates. Hilary has been looking at David Gauke's prison review.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Author Ben Cobley joins Hilary and Sebastian to discuss his book The Progress Trap. He explains why so many progressives think the rest of the world needs to catch up with them.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Recommendations:
The Progress Trap - Ben Cobley: https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=9781509567621
SDP members can get 40% off by using the discount code in the newsletter.
The Tribe - Ben Cobley
The Flashman Series - George MacDonald Fraser
The Power Broker - Robert Caro
Following on from a period of elections in the UK, Australia, and Canada, Sebastian looks at different voting systems and asks if there is a better way. Hilary shares feedback from viewers.Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Hilary and Sebastian are joined by Tanya de Grunwald, HR commentator and host of the This Isn't Working podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@This-Isnt-Working. They discuss where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion went wrong and why it's not as clear cut as you might think.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Sebastian looks at the recent debate between Douglas Murray and Dave Smith about the Isreal-Gaza war and asks if podcasts are starting to deteriorate. Hilary explains how the labour force numbers are measured.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
In a special St George’s Day edition, Hilary and Sebastian are joined by Professor Peter Ramsay, Professor of Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science.We discuss the meaning of the nation. Why have our political classes embraced a global approach to everything, preferring Davos to Westminster? Do ordinary citizens by contrast still value the concept of a sovereign nation state? Is the debate on a Great Repeal Act useful? Can we reclaim the nation in a way that revives a true democratic spirit?In Culture Club, lest anyone think the episode is too England-centric, Peter talks about new folk music including Scotland’s Ryan Young.Get in touch:sdp.org.ukhilary.salt@sdp.org.uksebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk
Hilary and Sebastian are joined by Dr Philip Kiszely, a cultural historian and political commentator. They discuss the recent supreme court ruling on the definition of a woman as well as what led us to this point. Philip struggles with the idea of separating art from the artist. In Culture Club, Sebastian summarises the Christian holiday of Easter and Philip shares his love of detective novels.Get in touch:sdp.org.ukhilary.salt@sdp.org.uksebastian.moore@sdp.org.ukRecommendations:https://www.newcultureforum.org.uk/
With so many of the world's ships being made in Asia, what can we do to catch up? After the Supreme Court's ruling that the definition of a woman should be based on biological sex, Hilary suggests what impact this may have on single sex spaces.
Get in touch: sdp.org.uk, hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk, sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk