Withstanding the Farage Barrage – Can we Reform-proof the UK?

Oh God, What Now?

Podmasters

News, Society & Culture, Politics

4.6 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 20 February 2026

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Could Reform really carry out a Trump-style, Project 2025-inspired shock-and-awe assault on Britain’s institutions and politics if they get into government? America’s much-vaunted system of checks and balances turned out to be made of tissue paper. Is Britain’s hand-me-down constitution any more robust? We look at the firewalls in our politics with special guest James Ball of The New World paper. Plus, what did we make of Channel 4’s epic Tony Blair documentary? Did it let Tonty off too lightly? And in the Extra Bit for Patreon people: Barack Obama thinks aliens are real. Why do UFOs hold such a weird grip on the political imagination? ESCAPE ROUTES • Jonn recommends Hijack with Idris Elba on Apple TV+ • Jason recommends Ghost Signs: Poverty and the Pandemic by Stu Hennigan. You can hear our vintage 2023 Bunker with Stu Hennigan on Apple, Spotify and everywhere else. • James loved White House murder comedy The Residence on Netflix. • Seth recommends the Panorama documentary Our Man in Moscow. www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Seth Thévoz with Jonn Elledge and Jason Hazeley. Audio Production by Simon Williams and Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Theme tune by Cornershop. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:52.1	Apply with £100,000 annual income or £100,000 savings or investments with HSBC UK or Premier Status Abroad, covered provided by Aviva Insurance Limited, aid restrictions and limitations apply. Poppy's come to the end of her work visa. She partied most nights and now can't afford her flight back to the UK. Her parents are annoyed, but not too worried. With their HSBC Premier bank account, they can transfer money to her account abroad
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1:26.4	or £100,000 savings or investments with HSBC UK or Premier Status Broad.
1:30.3	Welcome to Oh Godwad now, the podcast without a shadow cabinet of rogues.
1:44.9	On today's edition, Reform UK still enjoy a ten-point lead over Labour,
1:49.5	and while their lead has fallen, they're behaving as if they're certain to form the next government.
1:54.1	Nigel Farage has even named his Shadow Cabinet this week.
	...

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