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It's Bloody Complicated - A Compass Podcast - Podcast

It's Bloody Complicated - A Compass Podcast

Hear from the widest range of voices in the progressive movement. Every week, host Neal Lawson, speaks with progressive thinkers, writers and politicians from the UK and beyond about current affairs and how to build the Good Society. Visit compassonline.org.uk to learn more about Compass.

Progressive Politics Society & Culture
Update frequency
every 13 days
Average duration
59 minutes
Episodes
152
Years Active
2020 - 2025
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US Election Special | ep. 115

US Election Special | ep. 115

Last week, Donald Trump won a historic second term as US president. This victory in the face of the chaos, the lies and the courts should be a wake up call for progressives across the world.  So what…

01:04:11  |   Mon 18 Nov 2024
The impact of wealth inequality | ep 114

The impact of wealth inequality | ep 114

The UK is remarkably unequal.

The richest 1% of Britons hold more wealth than 70 % of us combined.

Wealth inequality is gendered, racialised, and extremely regional. Men have an average private pension…

00:59:31  |   Sat 26 Oct 2024
In Conversation with Sam Freedman | ep. 113

In Conversation with Sam Freedman | ep. 113

In his recent book, Failed State: Why Nothing Works and How We Fix It, Sam Freedman lays out why people matter, but systems matter more. Having a run of incompetent, corrupt leaders is a problem. But…

00:40:40  |   Mon 14 Oct 2024
Live from Labour Conference | ep. 112

Live from Labour Conference | ep. 112

The 2024 general election result brought a welcome relief to British politics after 14 wasted years of Tory misrule. At last, some better people and ideas are at the helm.

But, just a few months in, t…

01:02:08  |   Sun 29 Sep 2024
A New Settlement for a Better Society | ep. 111

A New Settlement for a Better Society | ep. 111

The 2024 general election result brings a welcome relief to UK politics. But now, we find ourselves at a crossroads: things are either going to get very much worse or very much better. There is no mi…

01:11:36  |   Mon 16 Sep 2024
Power to the People w/ Danny Sriskandarajah | ep. 110

Power to the People w/ Danny Sriskandarajah | ep. 110

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Enjoyed the podcast and want to be a live audience member at our next episode? Want to have the chance in raising questions to the panelist?

Support our work and be a part of the Compa…

00:58:45  |   Thu 25 Jul 2024
Election Results Special w/ John Harris and Laura Parker | ep. 109

Election Results Special w/ John Harris and Laura Parker | ep. 109

On the 4th July people across the country went to the polls for a long overdue, and bloody complicated, General Election. Labour ended up with a mammoth majority and the Tories were left with just 12…

01:03:38  |   Thu 11 Jul 2024
How will populism shape the next parliament w/ Jon Bloomfield | ep. 108

How will populism shape the next parliament w/ Jon Bloomfield | ep. 108

With Labour far ahead in the polls our attention turns to where the opposition from the Left will come from.

We need to look no further than Nigel Farage and Reform UK – who could use the parliamentar…

01:02:32  |   Wed 26 Jun 2024
General Election Special | ep. 107

General Election Special | ep. 107

On this special general Election issue of Its Bloody Complicated we are delighted to
be joined by Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty. 

We’ve admired Aditya’s writing and reporting for years and hav…

00:57:37  |   Wed 12 Jun 2024
Local Elections w/ Ben Walker and Alison Lowe | ep. 106

Local Elections w/ Ben Walker and Alison Lowe | ep. 106

On Tuesday, 14th May we were joined by Ben Walker and Alison Lowe to analyse the campaigns and the results of the 2024 local elections, and reflect where we are coming up to a general election.

Ben Wa…

01:02:23  |   Mon 20 May 2024
AI and Democracy | ep 105

AI and Democracy | ep 105

Over the last few years, the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to transform our society has become increasingly apparent. This comes with incredible opportunities – AI could help deepen our d…

00:59:34  |   Mon 29 Apr 2024
The Trade Union campaign for PR w/ Lynn Henderson and Nancy Platts | ep. 104

The Trade Union campaign for PR w/ Lynn Henderson and Nancy Platts | ep. 104

It was a watershed moment in October 2022 when the Labour Party conference overwhelmingly voted to include in its manifesto a commitment to change the voting system to proportional representation aft…

01:00:46  |   Mon 15 Apr 2024
The role and opportunities for a democratic movement in Scotland | ep. 103

The role and opportunities for a democratic movement in Scotland | ep. 103

Support for Scottish independence is still strong but the SNP are clearly in a weaker position, institutionally, reputationally, and ideologically. They have become mired in scandal, their hegemonic …

01:02:25  |   Tue 02 Apr 2024
Citizens' Assemblies | ep. 102

Citizens' Assemblies | ep. 102

Citizens’ assemblies represent an alternative way of doing politics: a randomly selected group of citizens are convened to reason collectively, to consider evidence and to have discussions which shou…

01:04:28  |   Mon 18 Mar 2024
Small Parties, Big Ideas | ep. 101

Small Parties, Big Ideas | ep. 101

First Past the Post might block smaller parties from gaining representation at Westminster, but on this episode of It’s Bloody Complicated, we discussed how in spite of this they can still wield subs…

01:02:08  |   Mon 04 Mar 2024
Radical Pragmatism | ep. 100

Radical Pragmatism | ep. 100

Progressives face a dilemma; we want a change of government but know the country needs a big change of direction. In an essay published for the journal Renewal, Neal has set out the case for what he …

01:02:51  |   Mon 19 Feb 2024
Fighting fracking, factionalism, and Jeremy Hunt | ep. 99

Fighting fracking, factionalism, and Jeremy Hunt | ep. 99

In 2017, South West Surrey Compass organised and slashed Jeremy Hunt’s majority taking it from the 7th safest Tory-held seat to the 121st. In 2019, they took control of a local council. In 2023, they…

01:01:41  |   Mon 29 Jan 2024
New Media | ep.98

New Media | ep.98

The mainstream press in Britain has been in a state of managed decline for much of the 21st century. Once massive news outlets have suffered massive staff reductions as they have struggled to adapt t…

01:01:36  |   Mon 15 Jan 2024
The Big Fat Podcast of the Year 2023 with Ayesha Hazarika and Andrew Grice | ep. 97

The Big Fat Podcast of the Year 2023 with Ayesha Hazarika and Andrew Grice | ep. 97

As another year comes to a close, we were excited to welcome Ayesha Hazarika and Andrew Grice to It’s Bloody Complicated to round up another year in politics.

  • Ayesha Hazarika is a broadcaster, journal…
01:03:05  |   Mon 18 Dec 2023
Land Ownership and the Commons | ep. 96

Land Ownership and the Commons | ep. 96

According to the Right to Roam campaign, 92% of the UK’s countryside and 97% of its rivers are not available to the vast majority of the public. For Episode 96 of It’s Bloody Complicated, we’ll be di…

01:01:48  |   Mon 04 Dec 2023
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