It was a year of political turmoil. There is a British election. A US approaches. And with wars all over the world, the current climate is increasingly unstable.
So how do we make sense of the current political climate? That’s where political podcasts come in. Launched weekly, they distill and break down the biggest news stories of the day into digestible chunks.
Here are some of the best from the UK and US.
The podcast that spawned a thousand spinoffs. Rory Stewart and Alistair Campbell are from opposite sides of the political aisle – Stewart is a Conservative MP, while Campbell is famous as a spin doctor for Labor Prime Minister Tony Blair – but the podcast is less tempestuous than you might expect. However, the pair’s banter offers an accessible insight into the thorny business of British politics, while also broadening their lens to tackle news around the world. A must-listen.
George Osborne and Ed Balls host Political Currency
Persephonica
Another pod to unite two different political parts of England. This time, former Tory chancellor George Osborne and Labor frontbencher Ed Balls, who has left politics to host Good Morning Britain. With that in mind, his work focuses more on the economy, dealing with complex issues like the budget, HS2 and analyzing political party conferences.
Politico Westminster Insider
One for the true political nerds. The Politico Podcast goes through the doors of the House of Commons to explore what life is really like for the people who work there. Along the way, it seeks to answer questions you may not have thought about before: what would life be like in Parliament if you didn’t drink? Or, is Westminster ‘doing God’? It’s always thought provoking, and a proper gem.
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a spin-off of the hugely successful Pod Save America show – only launched to appeal to UK audiences. Each week, hosts Nish Kumar and Coco Khan are joined by famous politicians, experts and friends to break down the news and offer solutions in an era of political woes. There was a lot of laughter, and the guests (some of whom were journalists for Jeremy Corbyn) were insightful.
PA cable
Former BBC stalwarts Emily Maitlis, Lewis Goodall and Jon Sopel come together to discuss all things political and newsworthy. With decades of experience between them, the topics range from the US election (or why Elon Musk works for Donald Trump) to subjects from across the UK political spectrum. Expect some astute political analysis – just something to listen to every week to catch up with what you need to know.
If you’ve been refreshing your news for updates on the American election, come here. Every week, Michael Wolff (journalist and author of the book Trump Fire and Fury) talks to James Truman, former editorial director at Conde Nast, about the latest scoop. Offer amazing stories from the Trump campaign before anyone else — and stay one step ahead of the headlines.
Matt Writtle
Another podcast for Westminster who knows best. Led by former Labor special adviser (and Londoner’s Diary editor) Ayesha Hazarika, The Power Test brings together years of experience in government with Sam Freeman, former Conservative adviser, and Rachael Cunliffe of the New Statesman.
The Power Test was originally set to examine the path to power for a future Labor government. Now that Labor is actually in power, it still makes for interesting listening: if only to hear their opinions on how the country can change for the better.
Beth Rigby (aka, Sky News’ political editor) and Jess Phillips (a straight-talking Labor MP) sit down each week with former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson to look at the week’s news, her political parties and her policies. According to Rigby, the purpose of the podcast is to “try and attract people who don’t necessarily live and breathe politics.”
According to an interview with Press Gazette, it was also an opportunity to show the “less formal” side of political journalism. “Honestly, that’s rude too.”
