Political Takeaway Siobhan Benita & Oliver Hypolite-Bishop

In this episode, which Siobhan hosts alone, she chats to Richard Hewison the ReJoin EU candidate for London Mayor.  Find out why Richard is running (even he says he can't win!) and why he feels it is so important to keep fighting the Brexit madness.  Siobhan asks Richard how he has found the campaign experience and what a successful result on the 6 May would look like for him and the ReJoinEU Party.  It's a not-to-be missed episode for pro-European Londoners who feel they have been let down by other parties and who might be looking for somewhere to place their first vote.  

On 6 May, Londoners will elect their next Mayor.  In this episode, Oliver and Siobhan chat to Sian Berry who is the co-leader of the Green Party, a Camden councillor and the Green Party candidate for Mayor of London.  They talk about the past year, campaigning in a pandemic, Sian's views on Policing in London, the state of politics in general and some of the Green Party's central policies for the capital.  If you are want to know more about what Sian and the Green Party have to offer Londoners then this conversation will be right up your street. 

Siobhan and Oliver are joined by two amazing guests; Jermain Jackman and Athian Akec.  In a frank and honest discussion about the state of UK politics, these rising stars of British politics talk about their activism, the pros and cons of political parties, where they see their own political objectives leading them and some exciting projects they each have coming out later this year.  It's a not to be missed episode to start the New Year. 

Oliver and Siobhan are joined by two very special guests in this new episode  - Leroy Logan and Knowlton Crichlow.   Leroy was the subject of Steve McQueen's recent "Red, White and Blue" film and Knowlton's father Frank Crichlow was the lead character in "Mangrove".  They discuss the importance of the stories of black activism and demonstration in British history.  They ask whether institutions like the Met Police have really changed and how the tradition of activism and demonstration can be continued today.   They also talk about the importance of safe and supportive community spaces  in helping everyone to thrive and prosper without dependency on external norms or validation. 

Fans of the Small Axe series won't want to miss this one.

As a former civil servant, there's really only one thing Siobhan wanted to talk about this week - Priti Patel's bullying and the PM's shocking decision not to impose any sanctions despite her obvious breach of the ministerial code.  Oliver asks why the relationship between minsiters and officials is so important and what other things we should be concerned about in Whitehall, like the awarding of contracts to party supporters and public appointments for mates.  And we also learn that Oliver has been strutting his stuff for Gucci - sort of! 

It's been a good week in many ways.  Siobhan and Oliver talk about the cummings and goings in Number 10, Trump's inability to admit defeat, an unbelievable meeting they had with David Goodhart and the news of a Covid vaccine.  They also do a deeper dive into the announcement that Sadiq Khan has launched a new action plan to improve trust between the Met Police and black communities in London and why this is way, way too little and way, way too late.