The Two Matts

The Matts get philosophical about smoking and what a ban means for Britain. Whisper it… but has Rishi Sunak done something not completely crap for once? Or is his proposed age-related ban on smoking the start of slippery slope towards big government invading the rights of its citizens? Also … the magnificence of Salman Rushdie’s response to 27 seconds of madness which saw him lose and eye and almost die less than two years ago. This week he is back with a Knife of his own - the title of his book centred on that awful attack. It’s not just a triumph of the will to live, says Matt D’Ancona; it’s a remarkable love story. Plus a terrific offer to subscribe to the UK’s fastest growing newspaper title The New European. Exclusive listener offer >> https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Q&A episode, Matt and Matt take on questions from you on poverty in the media, Trumps stance on abortion and Harold Wilson's love life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did we get to the point where troubled children have been damaged by a health system that should have protected them? How did the dogma of trans activists subsume standard medical practices? And how do those who cynically cheered them on from the sidelines sleep at night? The Two Matts discuss the Cass Report, released this week, and what it says about media, activism and the right to have an open discourse without fear of censure. Also - how movie portrayals of Amy Winehouse and Emily Maitlis both fell short. Get a FREE signed copy of James O’Briens hardback book – How they broke Britain worth £20 when you subscribe today from just £1 a week - go here 👉 https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How time flies when the world is on fire… a quarter of 2024 has already passed and the Matts check global progress against their expectations at New Year. It’s a grind reality check as Gaza and Ukraine go from bad to worse and Trump appears to be gaining ground on the White House. On the upside, there’ve been a bunch of cultural highlights to provide welcome distraction - not least the publication this week of Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan. “It’s like Bonfire Of the Vanities… but better” says Matt d’Ancona. Enjoy! Subscribe to the New European and get a free signed copy of James O'Brien's hardback book, How They Broke Britain (worth £20!) when you use this link >> https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have the Tories hit rock bottom.. or could things get even worse? The Matts gameplay their options with outcomes ranging from disastrous to cataclysmic. In the second half, they examine the role of satire in society and ask the question: Have we all lost our sense of humour? Subscribe to the New European and get a free signed copy of James O'Brien's hardback book, How They Broke Britain (worth £20!) when you use this link >> https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts discuss Owen Jones resigning from the Labour Party, ponder the need for an upper chamber in the UK parliament, debate the influence of unions, Donald Trump's latest rhetoric and briefly touch on the identity of the next James Bond. Happy Sunday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Reeves speech on the future of the economy is dense with ideas that will affect all our futures under a Labour government. What did she mean and why does it matter? The Two Matts do the deep dive into one of the most interesting and important speeches from Labour since they lost power. Also - the time Steve Harley gave Matt K the death stare … and George Lucas sent Matt D into a world of journalistic anxiety. Subscribe to the New European and get a free signed copy of James O'Brien's hardback book, How They Broke Britain (worth £20!) when you use this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Deggsy do well for Liverpool? Why is no one intervening in Gaza? Can you ban “extremism”? And is Fargo better than the Big Lebowski? The Two Matts take the big questions of our times head on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The inside track on how Princess Kate and the Royal press offices messed up so badly … and how some of the most famous photographs ever were faked. But first … another week of shambolic governance courtesy of the Conservative Party. Racism, misogyny, dodgy contract relationships and abject failure of leadership. In other words, just another week in Tory land. The Two Matts offer their inimitable perspective on Sunak’s house of chaos. Further Reading: Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva How To Tell Someone They Sound Racist by Jay Smooth Subscribe to the New European and get a free signed copy of James O'Brien's hardback book, How They Broke Britain (worth £20!) when you use this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are ultra-processed foods the new cigarettes? Is there a solution to rough-sleeping? And should the fact GBNews lost £75m last year cheer us up .. or scare us even more? All this and more on the Two Matts regular Q&A episode. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for our first transatlantic podcast as Matt D’Ancona in Manhattan and Matt Kelly in London dissect the extraordinary events of this week’s Super Tuesday and what it all means for the seemingly inevitable Presidential showdown between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. And we get Matt D’Ancona’s verdict on the big Broadway production An Enemy Of The People. Subscribe to The New European: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beer with Tucker Carlson or George Galloway? Mob rule; Lee Anderson and Liz Truss v Rishi Sunak; and is Ofcom doing a great job regulating GBNews … (take a wild guess). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In conversation with the Two Matts, the man who knows Keir Starmer better than most - his biographer Tom Baldwin sheds light on a complex politician and what we might expect from him as PM - including the truth about his attitude to Europe and Brexit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Garbage “food”, Liz Truss and the deep state; anti-semitism; and “legitimate concerns about racism” - all explored Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember the war in Ukraine? The one that used to be front page news every day for a while? It’s TWO years since Putin launched his full scale invasion and after a brief period of delusional confidence that Ukraine was going to see him off… it appears, for the moment at least, he is winning. What needs to change, and how great is the threat to European democracy? How can we prevail against an enemy when we ourselves are so disunited over giving Kyiv the tools it needs to win? Also - is television drama the new conscience of the nation? The Matts consider the impact of Breathtaking - the latest ITV drama to shock the nation over the reality of our political failures. Subscribe to The New European: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are politicians terrified of the Daily Mail? Should Labour pin their colours to the proportional representation mast? Is Jez Butterworth a genius? And what’s the secret to effective communications…? Find out ASAP… Subscribe to The New European: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unravelling and deciphering the chaos within Labour’s response to anti-semitism - the eternal conflict simmering, and now once more raging, within the party’s ranks. What does it mean for Starmer’s momentum towards Number 10 … and does his response to this give a clue to the kind of Prime Minister he will be? The Matts find themselves thick in the thorns of an issue that will run and run for years to come. On a brighter note - a treat for cinema lovers: Matt d’Ancona raves about the new Bob Marley biopic and both Matts take a magical mystery tour through their favourite rock and pop movies. Subscribe to The New European: https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Were we too hard on Laurence Fox? Why does the US back Israel? And is it segue or segway? All these and more on our soaraway Sunday Q&A episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is it about Keir Starmer and pledges … his latest u-turn is a big one: the central plank of his economic reboot of Britain’s economy into a global green leader. Where does it leave him in terms of political credibility and, more importantly perhaps, in terms of his vision for taking a moribund national economy and supercharging it? Also - just how much do the Republicans hate American Football? Is Taylor Swift really so much of a threat. And the Matts give Rishi Sunak a decent dose of opprobrium after another week of crass political dimwittery. Grab a FREE 'Bollocks To Brexit' passport when you subscribe to The New European: theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The brass neck of The New European; why are tens of thousands of people dying before their time in the UK; shouldn’t we stop Instagram harming our children; and what superpower would the Two Matts like Elon Musk to implant into their brains? All this and more in the liveliest podcast Q&A in town… Subscribe to The New European Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.