Midfield Politics

Where do we even start? 

Liz Truss is out, Boris Johnson might be back in, but Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt are more likely to become 10 Downing Street's latest guest. 

Also: Jeremy Hunt's political resurgence, Michael Gove as Francis Underwood, and Sir Kier Starmer's plucky Labour Party.

It's been a long week. Enjoy the pod!

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In this week's edition of Midfield Politics, hosts Luke James and Zak Green discuss the fallout from the Conservative Party Conference, asking whether anything positive happened. Yeh...

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In this week's edition of Midfield Politics, hosts Luke James and Zak Green discuss the mini-budget and party conference season in Labour-land. Enjoy.

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We're back with a perfect Midfield Politics mix of political analysis and spotty internet connections (sorry!). Today's episode focusses on the outcome of the Conservative leadership election, with a touch of Laura Kuenssberg sprinkled in at the end.

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We're back with a perfect Midfield Politics mix of serious, silly, and sport. And politics, obviously. Today's episode is an hour-long special on the Conservative leadership contest. Enjoy! 

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Before you listen to today's episode, we have two apologies for you.

Firstly, we're sorry for leaving such a big gap between uploads: we're terrible.

Secondly, we were beset with technical issues today, forcing us to record the podcast twice. Zak's audio isn't perfect, but it improves after the five minute mark (and is much better than the tape we've left on the cutting room floor!). 

Enjoy the episode: it's a perfect Midfield Politics mix of serious, silly, and sport. And politics, obviously.

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Episode 64 of Midfield Politics features an hour-long discussion covering the cost of living crisis, Partygate, and the Conservative's culture war.

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Episode 63 of Midfield Politics features an hour-long discussion of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, taking in the geopolitical, social, military, and economic ramifications of the crisis. In the second half of the show, Luke and Zak focus on the war's impact on sport.

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Happy New Year! Episode 62 of Midfield Politics features an (almost) hour-long discussion of the latest allegations levelled at Downing Street, allegations the Prime Minister has - sort of - owned up to. Plus - very brief analysis - of France's upcoming presidential election and the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe.

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In Episode 61 of Midfield Politics, Joe Spagnoli - a North Shropshire constituent (and journalist/presenter) - joined Luke James to discuss a historic by-election win for the Liberal Democrats. Topics include:

· Constituency Lowdown: what makes/made North Shropshire a century-long Tory stronghold?

· Local Picture: was the Liberal Democrats ground game the key factor in Helen Mogran's victory?

· National Picture: was this just a referendum on Boris Johnson... and where does Labour stand after this?

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Joe Spagnoli:

Thank you to Joe for agreeing to appear on this week's episode of the podcast. He's a Warwick graduate with a background in broadcast journalism who has been known to talk/tweet about: Italian/English/European football, F1, music, and politics.

It's been a big week in Westminster... which is why Luke and Zak are back with another podcast. 

Episode 60 features in-depth analysis of the multitude of crises facing the government, including the Downing Street Christmas parties.

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[Re-Uploaded] Stay Safe, Keep Voting 

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Midfield Politics is back to break down the week's leading headlines, including:

· German Election: Rachel Herring, a History and German student from the University of Oxford, joins the show to breakdown Germany's election and its aftermath

· What Caught Out Attention: Austria's chancellor resigns, President Biden's polling crashes, PM Johnson plots snap vote

· High Wage Economy: Analysis of the Conservative Party Conference.

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We're back - sorry for the delay. Episode 56 features analysis of the UK's leading headlines, including the murder of Sarah Everard, party conference season, and the fuel crisis.

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We're back... with a bonus episode covering the reshuffle and AUKUS (plus a little bit on international travel. Enjoy! 

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Midfield Politics is back to break down the week's leading headlines, including:

· Starmer's Policy Dissertation: Is the Labour Party leader communicating with the public well?

· COVID: How will the UK government respond to the pandemic in the winter?

· Universal Credit: Does the Tories' decision to axe the uplift make sense?

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Midfield Politics is back to break down the week's leading headlines, including:

· Attention Catchers: Andrew Neil set to quit GB News

· US Politics: Analysing Texas' regressive anti-abortion law

· Social Care: Why is the Tory government going to increase national insurance?

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After a week-long pause, Midfield Politics is back to break down the week's leading headlines.

· Attention Catchers: Bundestag Polling and Party Conference Season

· Brexit: Why have McDonald's run out of milkshakes?

· Afghanistan: Luke's policy and electoral analysis of the situation as it unfolds.

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Join Luke James and Zak Green for a bite-sized episode of the Midfield Politics podcast as they discuss:

· Grade Inflation: Who is to blame for the situation facing students, teachers, and unis?

· Afghanistan: Why the U.S. and UK have made a huge mistake

· Cam Hall Interview: How are universities responding to the Covid-19 pandemic? (15:00 - 39:00)

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· EURO 2020 Fallout: Tyrone Mings accuses Priti Patel of “stoking the fire” of racism

· Manifesto U-Turn: UK Government wins vote to cut international aid budget

· COVID-19: Is ‘unlocking’ on 19 July going to be a mistake?

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the Liberal Democrats' shock victory in the Chesham and Amersham by-election.

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· GB News: Tech issues plague Andrew Neil's alternative news channel

· COVID-19: 'Freedom Day' pushed back amid concern over Delta Variant

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Classic Dom: Dominic Cummings offers blistering testimony regarding time in Downing Street

· COVID-19: Debate intensifies as England inches towards next phase of pandemic

· Downing Street Romance: Carrie Symonds and Boris Johnson tie the knot

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Dominic Cummings: Is the PM's former top aide a reliable source?

· Super League: Plot to seize control of European football fails amid pan-European political intervention 

· Local Elections: Which party has the most to lose next month?

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Vaccines: Confusion as under-30s are advised not to take AstraZeneca vaccine

· COVID Passports: Should coronavirus passports be introduced in domestic settings?

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week.

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week.

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· David Purdue: The fallout continues following GA Senate run-off vote

· COVID-19: Where are the Liberal Democrats, and how is the vaccine rollout progressing?

· Trump Impeachment Trial: Is it all a waste of time?

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Jackie Weaver: Is local government important?

· Kemi Badenoch: How should the relationship between government ministers and journalists function?

· Local Elections: Sadiq Kahn aims for first round victory in wild London election

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Senate Filibuster: Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema help Mitch McConnell to block Congressional reform

· COVID-19: What's the latest on the UK's vaccine rollout?

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Free School Meals: Boris Johnson hurtles from one disaster to the next as government blunders meal packs

· Biden Administration: Former Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland lined-up as Attorney General

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On Monday evening, Boris Johnson announced that England would enter a third national lockdown - following Nicola Sturgeon's decision in Scotland. On Tuesday evening - as the PM held another Downing Street press conference - Luke James and Zak Green sat down to discuss the impact a third lockdown will have on the UK. 

• Assessing Boris Johnson's performance
• What is going on with Sir Keir Starmer?
• Rishi Sunak is back...
• Will the vaccine roll-out be smooth?
• Won't anybody think of the students!?

If you need help, the Samaritans are there to help on 116 123.

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Happy New Year! 

Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Brexit: The deal, it's ramifications, and the future of the EU-UK relationship

· GA Senate: The candidates, the polling, and what it all means for President-elect Biden

· Coronavirus: Vaccines, lockdowns and government incompetence

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At last, the United Kingdom and European Union have agreed the terms of their divorce. Join Luke James and Zak Green as they unpack what it means for both sides.

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At short notice, the British government announced that its Christmas plans were off. In a Sunday afternoon bonus episode, Luke James and Zak Green discuss the latest Covid-19 updates from the UK - assessing the performance of policy-makers on both sides of the dispatch box. This is a raw account of the government's management of the crisis, subscribe to our feed for more updates in the future.

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Boris Johnson has confirmed that his government is not changing its festive plans. Luke James and Zak Green discussed the decision at length, before touching on climate change and gridlock on Capitol Hill.

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Fish: Why is the fishing industry so important to the government?

· Level Playing Field: Breaking down the latest updates regarding the Brexit negotiations

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Look, it's been a minute... but we're back! To kick-off our December content, Luke James and Zak Green sat down to discuss a range of topics picked by you! On the agenda: the Brexit negotiations, coronavirus versus the Exchequer, and Boris Johnson's job security. 

Also in the show: why a Namibian election result caught Zak's attention, and why we SHOULD watch the polling figures in Georgia ahead of the run-off. It's fantastic to be back, thank you so much for tuning into the show. 

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Luke James and Zak Green return to discuss the leading political headlines of the week, including:

· Dominic Cummings: How will the PM's top aide be remembered? 

· Home Office: Is Priti Patel fit to remain in the cabinet?

· Sir Kier Starmer: Where is the Leader of the Opposition?

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Throughout #ElectionNight, Zak Green and Luke James broadcasted their analysis live on Twitter. This podcast is all of that discussion, repackaged as an extended episode of the podcast. If you would like to skip to post-election analysis, refer to the time stamps below.

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00 - 25: Exit Poll (23:00 GMT - 3/11)

25 - 43: Does Biden face a tough night in Florida? (00:45 GMT - 4/11)

43 - 63: All eyes on Georgia, is Trump heading for re-election? (01:50 GMT - 4/11) 

63 - 100: Were the polls wrong? (03:00 GMT - 4/11)

100 - 156: Post-election analysis; Midfield Politics projects Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States of America (16:35 GMT - 6/11)

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With three days until Americans head to the polls, Luke James and Zak Green were joined by political betting analyst William Kedjanyi to discuss the U.S. elections and Boris Johnson's decision to place England into lockdown (again). 

The first half of the show is dedicated to British politics, focusing on the government's handling of Covid-19 and the factors that led to Saturday's announcement. The second half focuses on America: which states are still in play, can Tnrump still win, and how might Congress look from January?

Manny thanks to William!

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Today's mini episode is dedicated to discussing US foreign policy; namely, how it would be impacted by a Biden or Trump victory next week.

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As we close in on November 3, Luke James and Zak Green discussed the contrasting styles of the Trump and Biden campaigns. Have the Republicans started to move away from the President? Will celebrity endorsements help the Democrats? 

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With six days until Americans head to the polls, Luke James and Zak Green discuss the state of play in Georgia. 

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are in for an exceptionally tight race in Peach State - despite it not backing a Democrat since 1992. The race for Georgia's seats in the U.S. Senate is equally intense....

Will the blue wave finally arrive in GA?

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With seven days until Americans head to the polls, Luke James and Zak Green discuss how Covid-19 has impacted the race, taking note of the candidates' contrasting policies on tackling the pandemic.

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NB: This episode marks the start of a US Election mini-series, which will feature daily uploads about key issues in American politics.

With eight days until Americans head to the polls, Luke James and Zak Green joined forces to explain the inner-workings of American politics.

• What is a 'battleground state'?
• How does the Electoral College work? 
• Why does the EC work differently in Maine and Nebraska?
• Why are Americans voting in numerous elections on the same day?
• Why does each state have different rules and laws - marijuana, for example? 

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As election day approaches, Luke James and Zak Green appraise the state of the U.S. presidential election.

• Early voting has reached record levels in Texas and North Carolina, but what impact will that have on the end result? 
• Did Donald Trump perform well in the final debate? 
• Was Joe Biden's oil admission a gaffe, or simply an expression of Democratic policy? 

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