In its first King's Speech, the Labour government said that "greater devolution of decision making is at the heart of a modern dynamic economy and is a key driver of economic growth." Historically, why has the UK been so insistent on hoarding power centrally? And what's the potential in Westminster giving away power? With Tony Travers (LSE), Sarah …

Ed has departed for government, and Geoff is left as custodian of the archive. As the Labour government makes its first raft of announcements and appointments, we delve into our back catalogue to find the ideas which might have influenced them. In this episode, we look at Rachel Reeves' announcement of the National Wealth Fund. What are public weal…

The day is upon us. Maybe. In the words of the late Teddy Kennedy (uncle of Robert F. Junior, and real-life inspiration for Kendall Roy): "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." Thank you for keeping us cheerful. Email our sporadically monitored inb…

From Highland Park, Illinois, we're joined by our cicada correspondent, who's keeping watch for the first dual emergence in 221 years. Plus, we find out more about this phenomenon with entomologist Professor Dave Bilton. Bigger than the beetles - more about Dave: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/staff/david-bilton Emerge in the Chatteroo inbox: chat@chee…

Lauren Child (former Children's Laureate/creator of Charlie & Lola, Clarice Bean and Ruby Redfort) joins the Chatteroo. Buy Lauren's new Clarice Bean book, 'Smile': https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/smile-lauren-child/7462273?ean=9780008285548 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Political economist and writer, Will Hutton joins the Chatteroo to talk about his new book, 'This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain', and its parallels with his mid-90s bestseller, 'The State We're In'. Buy Will's book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/this-time-no-mistakes-9781804549407/ Email us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See a…

Vegetarian escalope at the Paris Olympics, energy nerds, The Boring Phone, Mid TV and your correspondence. Join the Chatteroo! Email us with thoughts, questions and any fodder: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just in time for St George's Day, former Mili-gang members Marc Stears & Tom Baldwin join the Chatteroo to talk about their excellent new book 'England: Seven Myths That Changed a Country - And How To Set Them Straight' Treat yourself to a copy - you deserve it! https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/england-9781526646231/ Email us: [email protected]…

Climate litigation in the 26 Cantons, the sense of smell in a digital world, Ed turns quizmaster, and your email. Throw us a chatty bone! What would you like to hear in the Chatteroo? [email protected] PENGUINS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PwDFddpo4c CAN A WILD ANIMAL MAKE YOUR HOUSE FEEL LIKE A HOME? https://science.anu.edu.au/news-eve…

We lament the passing of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and delve into the Chatteroo postbag. We'd love to hear from you - it's your Chatteroo, too: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neuroscientist and author Tali Sharot has joined the Chatteroo to talk about her excellent new book, 'Look Again - The Power of Noticing What Was Always There' (co-written with Cass R Sunstein.) It's the habituation sensation that's sweeping the nation. Email us! [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Includes a Presidential belch, life lessons from toddlers, the grace of a giraffe, and the Village People. We need your email to fuel the Chatteroo! [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The calm before the swarm, your email, and Ed shares his music lesson trauma. Email us! [email protected] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/mar/14/theres-joy-i-havent-felt-for-years-how-i-got-hooked-on-the-piano-craze Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A flurry of email prompted by last week's episode, plus cheerful nuggets from John Kerry's New York Times exit interview, the age at which jeans become inappropriate, and an Oscars-themed quiz. Send us an email: [email protected] John Kerry: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/opinion/john-kerry-climate-change-china.html Hosted on Acast. See …

Voicenotes, lessons from the New England Patriots, your email, and our best quiz yet. Chat makes the world go round! We need your email - send us facts about hedgehogs, stories of sticking to your guns, rules for voice-note etiquette, ideas for quizzes, articles... anything you'd like to hear Ed turn his big ol' brain to: [email protected] H…

Sad owl news, happy hedgehog news, and an encounter in the Portcullis House cafeteria queue. Plus, your email - send us more, please! [email protected] Liebreich: Net Zero Will Be Harder Than You Think – And Easier PART 1: https://about.bnef.com/blog/liebreich-net-zero-will-be-harder-than-you-think-and-easier-part-i-harder/ PART 2: https://a…

Ed vs Mud, Geoff has the lung capacity of a slightly younger man, how to apologise, and a game of Know Your Station Apologise Like You Mean It: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/well/live/apology-tips.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare Where Did Our Strange Use of 'Like' Come From? https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/opinion/c…

Tracy Chapman, the age of a Prime Minister, how Marx and Engels communicated, plus more aggressive birds. Seen anything you'd like us to talk about? Got a question? Someone you'd like to hear us talk to? Want to set us a quiz? [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Donald Trump vs Taylor Swift, Ed vs wildfowl and your email. Join the Chatteroo: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Où est le chatteroo? Voici le chatteroo! Send us hamster facts, or anything else that's on your mind: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life is a Chatteroo, old chum! Come to the Chatteroo. Hello, and welcome to this week's catch-up, during which we discuss afternoon tea, including young voices in the climate conversation, a hat made of mushrooms, and workplace wellbeing and urban rewilding. Send us an email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more …

Brilliant climate scientist Emily Shuckburgh joins the Chatteroo to talk through the climate data for 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed's new TV obsession leads to a chatteroo about therapy, including a mention of this twenty year-old essay by Nicholas Spice: https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v26/n01/nicholas-spice/i-must-be-mad Plus! Meet our famous new sidekick... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hap-py New Year! We welcome our first guest of the Chatteroo-era, and what a guest: This year's BBC Reith Lecturer, Professor Ben Ansell - political scientist and former teaching assistant to Ed Miliband (as Ed mentions 5,000 time during the conversation.) Listen to/read Ben's Reith Lectures: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00729d9 Buy Ben's book…

A chatty accompaniment as your potatoes roast and your sprouts boil. We wish you a cheerful Christmas! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chatteroo, roo, roo! Push pineapple, shake the tree! More Cop reflections, plus encouragment for Ed's paleontology ambition Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey you, the Chatteroo crew! Show what you do, make a break, make a move. Ed's back from COP28 and is bursting to talk about a phasedown of unabated fossil fuels, paleontology, and Taylor Swift. Plus Geoff pitches a policy idea for the next Labour Party manifesto. Suggest things for us to chatteroo about: [email protected] Hosted on Acast…

We're live from COP28. Well, Ed is - Geoff wasn't invited. He's asked for a souvenir from the COP shop. Dive in for Ed's news from Dubai, he's *very* excited about the ENAP Emissions Report. Plus, saying 'hi' to strangers, and a mysterious high energy particle is heading for Earth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

In the Chatteroo stew this week: Ed reflects on the Autumn Statement and budgets he has known and (sometimes) loved, and Geoff gets the wrong end of the stick - or drumstick - about an American tradition. Email us: [email protected] Music: Ed Seed Artwork: A child with a potato and some paint Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor…

All aboard the Chatterooga Choo-Choo for: * The return of David Cameron * Fika and Swedish Work Culture: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/nov/08/fika-four-week-holidays-and-zero-overtime-swedens-stunningly-healthy-work-culture * The Book Club that took 28 years to read one novel: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/12/california…

For our last episode of Reasons to be Cheerful in its current form, Hannah Ritchie from Our World In Data tells us why things are more cheerful than we might think when it comes to the long-term trends and talks about her forthcoming book on what we do to make a sustainable world. Then Ed's podcast crush David Runciman reflects on our 6 years, what…

As this chapter of Reasons to be Cheerful almost draws to a close we wanted to leave you feeling motivated and inspired to take action on the things you care most about, from climate change to inequality. Feeling disempowered and frustrated with the state of the world? Our three guests are here to tell you why doing your bit can be joyful, fun and …

The last decade or so has witnessed the seemingly unstoppable rise of populism across Europe and the world. The ruling Law and Justice party in Poland were one example of the trend and there were no signs they were going anywhere. But a couple of weekends ago, Poland voted for a change. We explore the shock result, how we got here and what drove th…

Long-time listeners to the pod will know that Ed never ever talks about his swimming hobby, but the RTBC team have decided to indulge him - just this once, mind - and dedicate a *whole episode* to the boom in outdoor swimming. Whether you’re a seasoned wild swimmer, a winter dipper or a lido goer, there’s a huge number of reasons why you might like…

Would you like to work less, feel happier and maybe even do something good for the planet, all with no loss in pay? It’s a dream that could soon become a reality for many, after the world's biggest four day week trial wrapped up last year. We explore the results and dig back through our audio archives to revisit the history of a shorter working wee…

Story hound Michael Lewis is back with a new book that charts the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, once the world's youngest billionaire. A journalist once said that they would read a history of the stapler if Michael Lewis wrote it, and he delivers his most compelling story yet (office stationery absent). Well versed in the world of finance, th…

The winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics was announced earlier this week. Claudia Goldin’s research showed that at the point of having a child women's wages start to lag behind men's. But why is parenthood a penalty for mothers? Could a more generous parental leave offer - including a ‘use it or lose it’ policy for fathers - be the key to achievi…

In 2019 Gina Martin - a self-confessed ‘political novice’ - led a successful campaign that resulted in a law change to make upskirting illegal. Since then her activism on gender equality has continued apace but changing legislation is no longer her aim. Why? We find out as we speak to her and activist Ben Hurst, head facilitator at Beyond Equality,…

The national living wage is going up to at least £11 an hour from next April. Although it's claimed the rise will help two million of the lowest paid workers, many campaigners are saying it's still not enough for a decent standard of living in the current economic climate. The Real Living Wage is one alternative. It's a voluntary commitment from em…

Is the climate crisis a children’s rights crisis? It’s a great injustice that children and young people are the most affected but least responsible for the climate and nature crises. Is there a way to give them more power to shape future decision making? Scotland and Ireland have tried to do just that, and we speak to Katie Reid and Diarmuid Torney…

All aboard! Last weekend, Greater Manchester made history as the first place outside London to bring its bus system into public control. Since 1986 - when buses were deregulated - fares have almost doubled, routes have been cut and fewer people are taking the bus. The Bee Network is Mayor Andy Burnham's answer to the problem. We spoke to him in 202…

Happy 6th birthday to us! And just like a young child who hasn’t learned a sense of self-restraint we’re reaching for the Ferrero Rocher with restaurant critic Grace Dent. Join us for a conversation about comfort eating, the title of her podcast and new book. What do we eat when nobody else is watching? And why are some foods so steeped in nostalgi…

How do we tackle the housing crisis? It’s a question we’ve looked at several times over the years, but it hasn’t become any less pressing. This week, new statistics showed that rents are rising at their fastest rate in almost a decade. We delve into some of the potential solutions, from rent control to long-term tenancy agreements. We hop into our …

Depending on who you speak to, AI is either going to plunge us into the abyss or improve every aspect of our lives immeasurably. The hype around AI can be disorientating, so let the RTBC team steer you away from the grim end-of-humanity inevitability, as we explore a more nuanced version of the AI story. Our guests Mustafa Suleyman, Dr Mhairi Aitke…

Stop the press! We're bringing you an extra dose of RTBC each week, as we dig back into our audio archives and brief you on a big idea that's having a moment. This week the UK's GDP estimates showed the economy shrunk in July, sparking fears of a recession. But what if there was a different way to measure a country's economic success? We spoke to K…

We’re back! Over the summer the Youth Hostel Association announced it was selling off some of its properties in a bid to stay afloat. It seems like a cruel irony at a time when many of us had reconnected with nature over the lockdowns. The charity has long been committed to opening up the outdoors to more people, especially children and young peopl…

Ben Goldsmith’s daughter Iris was killed in a tragic accident when she was only 15 years old. Hopeless in grief and searching for answers, he turned to nature in his darkest moments to find a way through. Ben speaks movingly about his grief for Iris, how he sought connection to her in the year after her death, and why he's hopeful that nature resto…

Crispy duck, chow mein, and sweet & sour pork. Many of us have a narrow understanding of Chinese food, its rich history, and the sophisticated culinary culture surrounding it. Chef and author Fuchsia Dunlop is on a quest to show us that there's so much more to Chinese food than our usual Friday night takeaway, and that there's immense joy (and heal…

The global food system is one of the most destructive industries on earth. Of course, we all need to eat. But is there a way of doing so that doesn’t come at a cost to our health and to our planet? If that's all sounding a bit heavy, then step forward: Henry Dimbleby. Formerly the government’s food tsar, he’s been exploring the secrets of the globa…

Is the patriarchy also screwing over men too? Caitlin Moran thinks so. Twelve years on from the publication of her hit book ‘How to Be a Woman,’ the journalist and author turns her attention to men, and why she thinks the lack of an equivalent movement to feminism has left many young men and boys struggling. Ed and Geoff dig deep on the topic of mo…