Reasons to be Cheerful with Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd

Hello! Ed’s been going on about it for years, but we’ve finally agreed to do an episode on his favourite topic: predistribution. It’s all about reducing inequality in the first place, rather than relying on tax and benefits later down the line. We talk to inventor of the term Professor Jacob Hacker to work out what it means. Brazilian academic and politician Roberto Unger argues for predistribution to tackle inequality in the knowledge economy. Then Madeleine Gabriel and Isaac Stanley from Nesta propose policies that we could adopt in the UK. AND We’re joined by comedian Carmen Lynch.

Hello! Why are people reluctant to talk about the nation of England? And does this really matter? This week we’re getting stuck into the debate around English identity. John Denham, director of the Centre for English Identity and Politics and former Labour cabinet minister, discusses the importance of embracing Englishness and proposals for new political institutions. Journalist Sunny Hundal explains how to forge a progressive national identity and reclaim the flag from the far right. Then Green MP Caroline Lucas talks about exploring the relationship between England and Brexit on her ‘Dear Leavers’ tour. AND  We’re joined by comedian Rachel Wheeley.

Hello! With all eyes on Br***t, a surprising and encouraging trend has slipped under the radar over the past few years: polls indicate that attitudes to immigration are getting significantly more positive. This week we’re joined by Sunder Katwala from British Future and Rosie Carter from Hope Not Hate to work out what’s been going on. Sunder and Rosie discuss their recent national conation on immigration and the directions it points to for our approach to policy and how we conduct the debate. AND  Comedian Athena Kugblenu wants stupidity to be painful, de-colonisation of art collections, fines for door hanging and a new way to vote on party manifestos. 

Hello! Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, Oh I do....BUT, 11 million people live in coastal communities across the UK but for too long they’ve been getting a bad deal. This week we’re exploring the New Economic Foundation’s plans for a major coastal industrial strategy: the ‘Blue New Deal’. We’re joined by Fernanda Balata from the NEF to explain the proposals. Then Nick Taylor from Scarborough and Sam Scriven from the Jurassic Coast talk about how investing in coastal economies and the natural environment can work in practice. AND Comedian and impressionist Jess Robinson brings us new rules for the Geoffocracy, all difficult topics are now sung, no more automated called, no more dill, no more seeds in raspberries, no more confusion about how many kisses during greetings

Hello! Facebook, Amazon, Ed and Geoff… some empires are in the public interest, some not so much.... In this episode we explore an idea gaining traction in the US: using competition laws to break up the tech giants. From the Open Markets Institute, we’re joined by the ‘Captain America of anti-trust’ Barry Lynn and former anti-trust enforcer Sally Hubbard who explain the proposals. Then LSE law expert Niamh Dunne talks us through how it could all work in the UK. AND Comedian Fin Taylor drops by to plug his upcoming wedding, and asked the Geoffocracy to consider national Service to work to save the environment, takeaway breakfasts, ban on chain stores in towns, #hashtagtattoo and quiet carriages in pubs