• The Sum of All Tears
    Jul 3 2025
    Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, security expert Arthur Snell, discuss the first anniversary of Labour's election victory being marked by - probably - it most difficult week. Also, what is next for Ukraine, now that much of the West is fully distracted by the Middle East? Plus, who will actually pay for Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill.? And, of course, the latest instalments of 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “My sympathy for the gov’t is limited, because they have boxed themselves needlessly into a corner on so many issues. Whether it is red lines on spending, or taxation, red lines on Europe, or on the fiscal rules - they keep doing this. They keep putting up these artificial barriers that make it difficult to do anything.” “Who would do better in Reeves’ position and how? There seems to be both a lack of guidance coming from No.10 and a weird extra hand on the tiller coming from No.10. So, would a new Chancellor do any better in that environment?” “There has been friction between No.10 and No.11 before, but you could always see what the source of that friction was. What was the difference of opinion. Where it’s difficult to see it now, because it’s difficult to understand what Starmer’s real direction is.” CALL TO ACTION Help Ukraine by supporting the Smart Medical Aid charity here. Medecins Sans Frontier is still operatin in Gaza. Catch Arthur's latest Behind The Lines episode. GRIN AND SHARE IT Read about the Polish delivery driver who turned into an Irish national hero. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Sunday School: PIP of the iceberg
    Jun 29 2025
    ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou talk through the week's stories, including the government's climbdown on welfare reform and the launch of its trade and industrial policies. Finally, three weeks ago every other news story was about the "riots" in California. What happened? ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Our bookshop including many of the books we have featured can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • More Arms Than Good
    Jun 26 2025
    Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, Green Party MP (and co-leadership candidate) Ellie Chowns, discuss the Labour rebellion against welfare cuts and the future of the Green Party as a new home for those looking outside the establishment. And an update on the Iran ceasefire and the NATO Summit/Trump crèche, with security expert Arthur Snell. Plus 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** CALL TO ACTION Help MamaSuze here, in honour of Annabel Rook. Find out about Ellie and Adrian's leadership campaign here. GRIN AND SHARE IT Read about that extraordinary Alan Turing Attic Haul here. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Sunday School: Three's a crowd
    Jun 22 2025
    And so it came to pass that the US, in lockstep with Israel, bombed Iran, probably while you were sleeping. For this week's Sunday School, we knew it would be tough to keep up with developments in the Middle East and so we called in our tame geopolitics expert Arthur Snell, he of the wonderful Behind The Lines podcast, for a look at where things stood on the eve of Trump's decision to send in the B-2s. Who knew what and when? What’s it mean for Britain? Should we cancel holidays in Cyprus? And ... are we careering towards regime change here? Closer to home, your presenters Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell also look at the latest data on what Brits REALLY think about getting cozier with the EU, and don their mortar boards to examine a couple of big stories that have shaken the university sector this week. "That’s the thing you've got to remember about populists… as soon as the thing that they think is popular no longer is, then they move on to the next thing" Show notes That YouGov poll on Brits and the EU Our bookshop, featuring many of the books we have mentioned, can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    56 mins
  • Wales 2026: The Battle Begins
    Jun 20 2025
    With just over a year to go until the 2026 Senedd elections, Welsh politics is anything but quiet. Reform UK is making noise, Plaid is recalibrating, and Labour is battling to stay visible - all as new EU-UK agreements raise questions about the future of flagship Welsh initiatives like the Taith scheme. Award-winning journalist Will Hayward joins Naomi Smith for a deep dive into the political forces shaping the next chapter of Welsh democracy. From Wrexham terraces to Cardiff Bay, it's all in flux and it all matters, and not just for Wales. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠*** LINKS: Find Will Hayward's ⁠substack here⁠, his ⁠podcast here⁠, and his ⁠YouTube channel here⁠. Our bookshop including many of the books we have featured can be found at ⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠ ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at ⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠. Or visit our website ⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    28 mins
  • The Definition of Insanity
    Jun 19 2025
    Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, economist Vicky Pryce take a detailed look at the Spending Review. Does the ambition match the maths? And in Part II, we ask whether, before we have another inquiry, we need to question whether this slow, expensive model achieves change or actually impedes it. Plus 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “Infrastructure matters hugely. If you want to be competitive and have an economy with high productivity you have to put the infrastructure in place.” “What this new government really should have done is immediately reversed the National Insurance contribution cut that Jeremy Hunt gave just before the election. That twenty billion accounts for most of the black hole they found when they came into power.” “Public inquiries have become a tool for governments to put distance between themselves and the problem. Instead of being an instrument for change, they are a way to take energy out of a push for change.” “Often, the very people screaming about rape gangs are the same people saying, we shouldn't have age-appropriate sex education, the very people denying children agency over their own bodies, denying them education to give them the language to be able to talk to someone who can help.” “It seems utterly bizarre to end up in a situation where the Prime Minister says: ‘Well, I read the report and it convinced me," and everyone's reaction is: ‘What? This is outrageous!’” CALLS TO ACTION Buy Vicky's books - and support a local bookshop - at our online bookstore. Read about the work of Campaign for The Arts here. Find out more about the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) here. GRIN AND SHARE IT Discover more about nano-needle technology! ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    59 mins
  • Sunday School: Weapons-Grade Escalation
    Jun 15 2025
    Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou talk through the week's stories, including Israel's escalation towards Iran and where that leaves an already inflamed region. Plus, the Ahmedabad plane crash and the toxicity added to the trauma by social media. Finally, some personal reflections about the riots in Ballymena. CALL TO ACTION Support the charity Migrant Centre NI. http://migrantcentreni.org/ ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** "Netanyahu, Khamenei, Erdogan, Putin, Trump - they are on the same wavelength. A bunch of angry men whose only obssession is holding on to power . They may not agree on many things, they may not agree on anything, but - by God - they understand each other." "Putin playing peacemaker is like a pyromaniac volunteering for the fire brigade. He's spent the last three years trying to turn Ukraine into a giant car park and is now trying to position himself as a voice of reason in the Middle East. But who knows? Maybe he will be useful for once in his god damn life." “Social Media is a negative space. You don't exist unless you say something vaguely original or controversial. And controversial is easier. The majority of people lack the capacity to articulate something original. That leaves only one avenue to being noticed - to existing ." "What happened in Ballymena wasn’t panic or collective outrage. It was a crowd eager to act out. The girl at the centre of it was not mentioned once. Not her name. Not a sign. Not a chant. She was not the reason. She was the excuse." Our bookshop including many of the books we have featured can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell – in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    49 mins
  • O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave?
    Jun 12 2025
    Naomi Smith and Alex Andreou, with special guest, Liberal Democrat MP James McCleary, analyse the political landscape, the recent election results, what next for the LibDems, the rise of Reform UK, and react to the Spending Review. And in Part II, we look at the absolute madness in California and ask whether it is retrievable or whether America is heading for full-fat authoritarianism. Plus 'Wokey Dokey' and 'Grin And Share It'. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** “It’s one thing if you lose lots of councillors and they’re sitting there, demotivated, waiting for a new leader to reactivate them. The existential threat is that Conservatives are losing them to another party. Reform UK are hoovering up disillusioned Tories. When that starts to happen it’s very difficult to build back, because people who want to get involved in local politics are rare.” “We have to get better at doing the quid-pro-quo of providing infrastructure - roads, schools, GPs - together with building houses. We’re just saying to people: take the houses and magically this other stuff will appear. And it’s not appearing.” CALL TO ACTION Here is Jazz Turner's mission to sail around Britain and her fundraising page - as promoted by James. Here are some California and Los Angeles migrant charities you can support: California Immigrant Policy Centre https://caimmigrant.org/ Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project https://www.esperanza-la.org/ The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) https://www.chirla.org/who-we-are/about-us/mission-history/ GRIN AND SHARE IT Learn all about diamond battery technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgGVt4sUnnw&t=1s Our bookshop including many of the books we have featured can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uk.bookshop.org/shop/quietriot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** With Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. A Cooler Heads production, in cahoots with Sandstone Global. Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 3 mins