Politics On Fubar

Welcome to a new month and a new presenter! This week Mike Buonaiuto stepped up to the microphone to host a show centred on Disability in the Workplace. Mike is the Executive Director of a social change organisation called Shape History. Hit play for an engaging conversation about accessibility, stigma, unemployment and the UN. Featuring interviews with Sheffield Hallam MP, Jared O’Mara and Paralympian Helen Scott MBE.

It’s GCSE results week and so we are celebrating(!) with an episode of Politics on FUBAR about the British education system. The New Statesman’s Jonn Elledge chats to the Editor of Schools Week, Laura McInerney, about the change in GCSE grades. He welcomes a panel to the studio to discuss exam results, tuition fees and further education. Finally, Jonn learns more about sex and relationship education provisions with Justin Hancock from BishUK.

Today Jonn took on one of his favourite topics… the North/South divide. Do politicians really care about our cities in the north? Is there enough investment into art and culture outside of London? Should we be investing in better transport links in and around our northern hubs? And does any Londoner really want to leave the capital? Jonn puts these questions – and more – to Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, journalist Jennifer Williams and economist Paul Swinney (to name a few!)

It’s been 50 years since the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality. Politics on FUBAR is commemorating the anniversary by discussing LGBTQ+ rights. The New Statesman’s Jonn Elledge speaks to Sophie Cook, the Labour Parliamentary candidate for East Worthing & Shoreham in the 2017 General Election. If she had been successful, she would have been the first openly transgender MP in the UK. He also interviews Dr Christine McGinn, an ex-Navy surgeon who is offering free surgery for transgender military patients. The show includes appearances from George Montague, Jasmine Andersson, Josh Jackman and Ferhan Khan. It is rounded up with James Corden’s version of LGBT, as performed on The Late Late Show.

Our topic this week is the housing crisis and Jonn Elledge looks at social housing, private landlords, millennials buying houses and homelessness. He speaks to two London Assembly Members; Sian Berry and Tom Copley about the housing crisis. Jonn also speaks to Steve Akehurst from the Homeless Charity, Shelter.

Welcome to Asa's last episode of Politics on FUBAR! In honour of his new position at The Telegraph as Brexit Editor, Asa has decided to focus on all things Brexit this week! The weekly debate centres around the question; If you were given another referendum tomorrow, would you vote to leave or remain in the European Union? Asa looks at all facaets of Brexit, including 'hipster Tories', Russian foul play in the 2016 referendum and what on earth the Labuor party really stand for. This week's episode also features an extended interview with author Stanley Johnson, aka Boris Johnson's dad…

This week, Asa tackled cyber security, internet safety and government response to computer hacking. The so-called ‘dark web’ was discussed by our debate panel of Viv Groskop, Dr Ameer Al Nemrat and Josiah Mortimer. Asa also spoke to the former chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee, Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones, about password strength, Brexit and Theresa May.

Is immigration a problem in Britain? Flora Carr reviewed the biggest stories of the week. Nick Clegg’s former adviser Sean Kemp joined Asa on the show to discuss immigration, Theresa May and Brexit. Satirist and Middle East commentator, Karl Sharro; and Director of British Future, Sunder Katwala joined the panel discussion to talk about whether Britain is too soft, or not welcoming enough, of immigration. David Bannerman, Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the East of England, discussed Brexit negotiations, EU citizens and the Tory government.

How can we defeat extremism? This week, The Telegraph’s Asa Bennett discusses security and anti-extremism with an array of guests. He begins by reviewing the week’s news with Izzy Lyons and then speaks about recent events in Finsbury Park with Counter Terrorism Consultant, Simon Trundle. Our debate about security covers terrorism, the London bubble, community, Islam and women. Asa concludes the show by speaking to new MP Preet Gill who represents Labour in the constituency in Edgbaston.

How much did the youth vote really count in the election and to what extent will future policy be influenced by this younger electorate? This week Asa Bennett provided analysis on the General Election 2017. He was joined in the studio by Rob Double from TipTV to review the week’s news. He had an in-depth discussion with Shadow Defence Secretary and Llanelli MP, Nia Griffith. He also hosted a debate on the young electorate and their impact upon future policy with journalists Jonn Elledge, Rosie Spinks and Josh Jackman.

Will celeb culture & media hype influence young voters enough to affect the outcome of the election? Captain Ska’s Jake Painter stopped by the studios to chat about his song Liar Liar GE 2017. Matteo Bergamini from Shout Out UK discussed the importance of young voters. Fraser Myers, Spiked Online contributor; Lorna Greenwood, User Your Vote campaign manager and Richard Cooper, Senior Writer at Joe.co.uk discussed celeb culture and media hype around the general election. Mark Chapman from the Pirate Party and Tom Hall from Young People’s Party talked about their manifestos.

What needs to be done to improve the NHS? Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, discussed the Dementia Tax, tuition fees, 2010 coalition agreement and Tinchy Stryder. Dr Adam Dalby, a junior doctor in respiratory medicine at Hull Royal Infirmary talked about his experiences. Dr Youssef El-Gingihy, GP and author of How to dismantle the NHS in 10 easy steps; Kate Andrews, News Editor at the Institute of Economic Affairs and Charlie Smith, Mental Health Campaigner discussed what needs to be done to improve the NHS. Mark Dayan, Policy and Public Affairs Analyst from the Nuffield Trust, joined Asa to talk about the NHS being at a breaking point.

Who has the best manifesto for Britain? Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, discussed the General Election campaigns, 2nd referendum and polls. Eli Aldridge, Labour candidate for Westmorland and Lonsdale, discussed his campaign and Labour leadership. Leonie Cooper, Labour AM Member; Bright Blue’s Laura Roound and journalist Jacob Furedi joined the conversation to discuss the best and worst of the manifestos. Simon Woolley, Director of Operation Black Vote, talked about their campaign.

A year after Brexit, how do you think the government has handled negotiations? Political commentator Edward Hardy joined Asa to review the week with the most interesting stories. Labour MEP, Seb Dance reflected on the Brexit negotiations, the Remain camp and holding up a sign saying “He’s lying to you” behind Nigel Farage. Caroline Russell, Green AM Member; Get Britain Out’s Research Executive Joseph Hackett and journalist Izzy Lyons also joined the conversation to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Brexit.