The Two Matts

The Matts fall out spectacularly and unexpectedly over NASA’s moon shot, Artemis 2. How is this even possible, you ask? They’re not even sure… but the topic quickly descends into a brutal space war of words. In part two, common ground is regained as they analyse the latest Trump position on Iran and ask whether this war is going to push the UK back into the arms of the EU faster than anyone could have hoped.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer your questions in their regular Sunday Q&A show, including whether their mission to see Reform fail is blinding them to the full picture, how the war in Iran is going for Donald Trump, whether Scotland’s MSPs can hack it, whether we have a problem in discussing Muslim culture in the UK and if The Repair Shop was right to cancel Bob Monkhouse. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts open with a war update - the signals from Washington point to an escalation which will be devastating for the world, yet the off-ramp (as it apparently must be called) is difficult to divine. In part two they discuss what seems to be an inevitable movement towards rejoining the EU. Labour are headed towards the position already fully asserted by the Greens and Lib Dems - that Brexit was a catastrophe and needs to be undone. The Matts argue it’s not a case of Rejoin - but Join. Joining what, though? That’s the interesting, most challenging question in European politics today. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts explore how French philosopher Jean Baudrillard was right about the nature of warfare in the 21st century - especially when applied to the unprecedented chaos unfolding in the Middle East. It is, we hope, a thought-provoking conversation which tries to make some sense of what seems utterly senseless. Also - the Matts react to the bombing of Jewish ambulances in North London and ask: why is nobody stating categorically that this is terrorism? Finally, they ask you, dear listener, to do something you almost certainly hadn’t been planning on doing - watch GB News. Why? Tune in and find out! Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer listeners' questions including whether or not Donald Trump has lost control of the war in Iran, why the BBC isn't covering The New World’s GB News investigation, how Tony Blair can still believe war in Iraq was right, whether we have learned nothing from Covid, if Angela Rayner is the next PM and how to keep sane in a world of dreadful news. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Rusbridger joins the Matts to discuss The New World’s investigation into GB News’s persistent breaches of Ofcom’s code on impartiality and accuracy. Get the inside track on the story from an editor who has led some of the most consequential newspaper investigations of our age. They discuss what happens next and what Ofcom should do to fix the reality of a TV channel out of control and basically operating as Nigel Farage’s Reform TV. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer listener questions including on Isabel Oakeshott’s hypocrisy, China’s century, the death of centrism, the rule of law, the future of the Telegraph and their tips for tonight’s big Oscar night in Hollywood. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts tackle a number of intersecting topics: can the Peter Mandelson affair damage Keir Starmer more than it already has? What did his stance on Iran do for Labour in the polls? How is Westminster geared for an election where four - maybe five - parties are nip and tuck? And does Shabana Mahmood’s banning of a pro-Palestine march signal a split at the top of government? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Matts ad hoc pod episode takes stock of the first days of Operation Epic Fury and wonders if this is the war when it’s going well (as Donald Trump insists) what does it look like when it’s going badly? Oil through the roof, stock market crashes, service personnel coming home in coffins, regional allies being drone-attacked and now a new Supreme Leader who hates America even more than his dad did. Also - can Keir Starmer take Tony Blair’s rebuke and turn it into electoral advantage? And are we seeing the emergence of a Trump dynasty that will influence global politics for decades to come? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts again respond to your queries. They discuss whether we are on the verge of World War III, why Mark Carney endorsed Donald Trump’s actions and why Dubai-based expats don’t pay their own way home. Plus they talk about whether political defectors should trigger a by-election, why they are so harsh on Keir Starmer and how he can save himself and and which artists they love and hate.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts unpick the events of the past week and are intrigued by the internal Labour Party politics that created a sense of chaos around the UK’s response to the war. They are also staggered - and not a little bit ashamed - of the UK’s humiliating lack of preparedness for events that were wholly foreseeable. Has this all just confirmed what many suspected - that these isles are wholly ill-equipped to defend themselves? And what role will China play as what was billed as a four- or five-day conflict now looks to be a much longer-term affair? Lots of moving parts this week - the dynamic is as fascinating as it is terrifying.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts do their level best to make sense of the last three days - events which make little sense in isolation, but once a wider spectrum of factors comes into play, does a sinister strategy emerge? Donald Trump is defying the US electorate just at a time when he needs to be rebuilding support. Why doesn’t he care? Was the suspected aspiration for a short four- or five-day conflict, followed by a swift return to the negotiating table, as insane as it seems? And how does this affect the UK economy and Keir Starmer’s government? We are in the foothills of this crisis - so no better time to get the map out and try to work out which way we’re headed. Join The Two Matts as they pore over the contour lines of a very rocky landscape. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer questions from listeners, including whether or not the age of deference is dead; is Trump going flat; is Farage just like Thatcher; why doesn’t NATO repel Russia; what does a deepfake of Piers Morgan say about the future; and is Tracey Emin right about museum and gallery funding? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maybe it’s sinking in now? The Matts agree that whatever mitigation there is, Keir Starmer’s Labour government does not have the cut-through with voters to win the next general election. The clock is ticking - just 175 weeks at most until the next election. Does Labour have enough time and the right person to see off the dual threat of a resurgent socialist message from the Greens or the ethno-nationalism of Reform? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before the Matts start kicking lumps out of each other, they enjoy the relative calm of a brief discussion on the smokescreen around the arrest of Peter Mandelson. Then it all kicks off as they explore the ramifications of the N-word Bafta Tourette’s row. It would take about 1,000 words to explain the points of difference, so just click play and enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer listeners' questions, including whether Nigel Farage really is a man of the people, if Manchester United deserve an owner as odious as Jim Ratcliffe, how to deal with friends who turn bad, whether we just wait out Donald Trump… and what is our favourite Robert Duvall role? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts sweep up an extraordinary 24 hours in British history. But first, they marvel at the power of a single photographic frame - currently splashed on every newspaper front page in the country. Is this the most extraordinary back seat photo since Thatcher? Then they discuss if the media has an innate deference to the Royal Family and whether Jonathan Dimbleby in particular needs to rethink his designation as an actual journalist. It’s a special podcast extra as events unfold… enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The King’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested this morning by Thames Valley Police officers investigating allegations of misconduct in public office. It is an historic moment in British history. While he remains innocent until proven guilty, the consequences of the arrest of the former Duke Of York will have a profound impact around the world. The Matts get their heads around just how enormous this breaking news is… join them as they work through the implications. ALSO: Is Reform wobbling? Can Nigel Farage's party successfully transition from high-energy anti-establishment mavericks to a more orthodox party fit to govern? The Matts explore the tensions within the party the bookmakers believe will form the next government. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer listeners' questions. This week: is Keir Starmer the new Joe Biden; why isn’t Sadiq Khan in the frame for next PM; how does Boris Johnson get off so lightly; should we keep calling Prince Andrew Prince Andrew; why are the Brits sucking up to Noel Gallagher; and do TV bosses make too many repeats of telly classics? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts reflect on the last week, and address their own fallibilities (and thank you, dear listeners, for pointing them out!). But the argument around Keir Starmer’s premiership remains solid. Also - is the Royal Family doing enough to bring the wrong ‘un formerly known as Prince Andrew to justice? Enjoy.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts digest the events of the past 24 hours. Will Morgan McSweeney’s departure delay or hasten the existential crisis facing Keir Starmer? Does Starmer’s plea bargain over Peter Mandelson’s appointment wash? How could he take a bold personal decision and salvage his legacy? And of all the problematic contenders circling overhead, who could achieve mission barely-possible: to keep Nigel Farage out of Downing Street? It’s a special bonus edition of the podcast today. Enjoy.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer listeners' questions including: why has this Peter Mandelson scandal provoked such enormous fury, why is not-Prince Andrew still at large, can Zack Polanski be trusted, is the House of Lords really a threat to democracy and what is the best protest song ever? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts assess the last 24 hours and reach an inescapable conclusion: Keir Starmer will not survive the Mandelson affair. He may limp on for weeks, even months. But the damage of this specific event has ignited such a rage within and without the Labour Party that his departure as prime minister feels more than likely - it feels both inevitable and necessary. If Starmer and his government were strong and making headway in the nation, this scandal would be entirely survivable. But they’re not.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Mandelson’s disgrace, writ large in the latest dump of Jeffrey Epstein files, is the gravest challenge to the credibility of the British establishment in decades. And how Keir Starmer reacts to it in the next 24 hours may well come to determine his future as PM. The degree of Mandelson’s betrayal of both his colleagues and country exposes just how open to abuse our society is by a network of immoral actors. Who is pulling the strings? And to what aim? Today, the Matts attempt to understand the scope of what is increasingly looking like the single biggest political scandal of our lifetimes.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts respond to listeners’ reaction to their debate on the future of Shamima Begum - and, if anything, their respective positions have hardened. Get set for some fireworks. Also - was Keir Starmer weak in blocking Andy Burnham, is the UK falling apart, did the Tories cross a line in slurring Suella Braverman… and who will pick up the biggest Oscar prizes? It’s a rumbustious episode! Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The situation in Minnesota has brought extraordinary political turmoil to the Oval Office. As Donald Trump continues his manic month of January - from Venezuela to Davos, Greenland to Iran - what does this domestic crisis mean for his personal position as president and the MAGA movement in general? The Matts analyse what is an unprecedented situation in US politics. Also - a good week for Keir Starmer? The Matts look forward to visa-free travel in China and put the PM’s trip in a broader global and domestic context. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We thought you might enjoy relistening to an in-depth conversation we had last year with the man of the moment, Andy Burnham - mayor of Greater Manchester, former cabinet minister and, of course, a man who's had his ambition to run as an MP squashed by the Labour NEC under the direction of Keir Starmer because, many believe, Burnham is seen as a challenger to the leadership.So we looked back at the interview we did with Andy last year and so much of what he talks about - about power beyond Westminster, about Labour's current and future trajectory and what politics is like outside of the bubble have not only not gone away, they have become even more painfully relevant. So, if you missed this first time, it's well worth a listen. Enjoy!OFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer your questions, including on Trump and Greenland, Blair and the Board of Peace, whether the Home Office is right to keep Shamima Begun out of the UK and, of course, the really big question of the week: who is Team Brooklyn and who is Team Posh and Becks? All of human life is here! Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts pick apart the most astonishing events of the past 48 hours and take an objective look at what it means. They are appalled at the complacency of many in the media in reporting what is a shakedown happening in real time. And they delight in the clear-eyed articulation of this new world order as framed by Mark Carney. Other leaders? Not so much. Enjoy.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The last 72 hours have been extraordinary and historic. And we still don’t have a clue what it all adds up to. But there are things we now know. Trump is on a collision course with European nations over the future of Greenland and Keir Starmer is stuck in the middle of an angry EU and a desire to placate the giant orange man baby. Joining the Matts this evening to argue through the meaning of these fast-moving events is New World contributing editor Paul Mason. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer your questions, including what would happen if Nato collapsed, is there hope for Iran, how can we fix Britain’s sh*tty water companies, was 2016 a year to feel nostalgic about and did the Matts get it right with their comments about votes for the old? Enjoy!OFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saul Klein is one of the UK’s top venture capitalists - he’s helped build some extraordinary businesses and he understands, as few do, just how our capitalist society really functions... or doesn’t. He describes himself as a professional optimist and has a fascinating, wide-ranging narrative entwining European history, the negative consequences of Silicon Valley’s dominance in tech, Britain’s real place in the world based on the actual data and not media negativity… and where a new embrace of British values can lead to the growth our economy so desperately needs. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts answer your questions. including Trump’s kleptocracy, Laila Cunningham’s chances of becoming mayor of London, why The New World is still on X, an upper limit on the voting age, how good Timothée Chalamet’s blockbuster ping pong movie Marty Supreme is and what chance there is of a special edition of The New World commemorating the forthcoming 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum. Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts pick apart the extraordinary events of this week and make sense* of what they mean for life on planet Earth in the second quarter of the 21st century. What is Trump up to? How can Europe react to a threat from a NATO member state? What is the future of Greenland? How is it connected to a future territorial dispute in Siberia? And what straight line can be drawn from the horrific murder of a 37-year-old woman on the streets of Minnesota and the abduction of the Venezuelan president? 2026 has started off in remarkable fashion … and it looks like continuing this way for the foreseeable. Enjoy.     *Sense isn’t really the right word. It’s more like making a (possibly futile) effort to divine some sort of logic in a wild pattern of behaviour from the most powerful man on the planet. You’ll just have to bear with us.Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025 may have been an absolute skip fire for political progress but it was a cracker for culture. The Matts round off the year with their highlights - but what will be their joint top moment of 2025? Thank you for listening this year - the Matts return early January and wish all listeners a fabulous festive season and happy New Year!Head to nakedwines.co.uk/matts to get a £30 voucher and 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included.OFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts explore the issues thrown up by the dreadful massacre of Jews at Bondi Beach this week. When is a protest actually an act of violence? Why do we rush to talk of securing synagogues from attack rather than address the root problem of those attacks? How will our politicians get ahead of what is obviously a cycle of anti-Semitic violence against Jewish communities around the world that will be repeated over and over until something fundamental shifts? Also this week - what does Trump’s reaction to the murder of Rob and Michelle Reiner tell us about the state of US politics … and does it, ultimately, open up a possible escape from the madness? Enjoy!Head to nakedwines.co.uk/matts to get a £30 voucher and 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included.OFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss the Trump administration’s demand for visitors to hand over five years’ worth of social media history, why political manifestos have got so long and whether Piers Morgan was right to give such lengthy exposure to Nick Fuertes.Plus they talk about whether the UK should be able to exert conditions on a sovereign state like Argentina when it comes to defence procurement, what’s going on with the price of beef and which magazines they subscribe to. Enjoy!Head to nakedwines.co.uk/matts to get a £30 voucher and 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included.OFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Matts wonder what we’ve learned since Covid … and if the reaction to the current flu outbreak is anything to go by, the answer is not much. The conversation segways into Zack Polanski and political energy. Then in part two, both Matts are united - for once - in praise for Keir Starmer’s attempt to reinterpret the European Convention on Human Rights to deliver swift action on asylum seekers who break our laws. Enjoy!Head to nakedwines.co.uk/matts to get a £30 voucher and 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included.OFFER: Get The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.