Society & CultureGovernment

The Merry Men

Robin Hood, Gary Glendale & Paul English

The Lore and Law of the land. Lawfare and redress of grievances.
therealmeofengland.com

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#22
October 30 · 1 hr 56 min
Solo in the Forest: Banking, Power and a Call-In on Scripture
I ended up flying solo for much of this week’s Merry Men after being unexpectedly stood up by the rest of the gang, so the show took on a very loose, fireside quality. While waiting to see whether anyone would appear, I filled the time by digging into Liz Truss’s short book Bank Job and using it as a springboard to talk about the grip of unelected power in Britain — particularly the Bank of England, the Treasury, central banking, inflation, Keynesian economics, and the wider machinery behind modern politics. I also reflected on Tony Benn’s five questions for anyone who holds power, the capture of institutions, and why I think money, media and law are so deeply intertwined. Happily, the programme found its footing when listener Lee called in and turned it into a proper conversation. Together we explored scripture, identity, race, the lost tribes of Israel, Edom, British Israelism, law, conscience, family, and the challenge of raising children in a corrupt age. It became a thoughtful, wide-ranging exchange about truth, obedience, civilisation, and the practical need to live rightly rather than merely argue. We wrapped by pointing listeners toward Charles Fernandez and Willoughby Surgery, along with the wider FFT Radio line-up. Food For Thought Radio (FFT Radio): https://www.fftradio.com/ The Merry Men on FFT Radio: https://www.fftradio.com/djs/robin-hood/ Paul English on FFT Radio: https://www.fftradio.com/djs/paul-english/ StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/ Bank Job by Liz Truss: https://www.hatchards.co.uk/book/bank-job/liz-truss/9781918396423 Bank of England: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/ Willoughby Trinity / Charles-edward Fernandez / Willoughby Genius: https://www.willoughbytrinity.com/ Rudyard Kipling’s “The Stranger” (The Kipling Society): https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_stranger.htm The Kipling Society: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/ Waitrose & Partners: https://www.waitrose.com/ WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/ Telegram: https://telegram.org/ Google Chrome: https://www.google.com/chrome/ Firefox: https://www.firefox.com/en-US/ The Gentlemen on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81437051 The British-Israel-World Federation: https://www.britishisrael.co.uk/ Strong’s Concordance (integrated web app): https://strongsintegrated.org/
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#21
October 23 · 1 hr 55 min
Storms, Statutes and Saying No
In this Friday-night episode, I weathered a slightly chaotic start before Robin joined me from the middle of a storm, and we ended up having a lively, wide-ranging conversation about bills, courts, Parliament, authority, consent, and the way ordinary people are intimidated by systems they do not fully understand. From my side of the microphone, the thread running through it all was simple: strip away the theatre, ask better questions, and stop being overawed by official language. Robin set out his view that much of modern legal and administrative practice relies on presumption, process, and fear, while I pushed on the practical question of how people can understand the difference between the appearance of authority and what they believe to be lawful authority in fact. We also touched on birth certificates, trusts, data, jurisdiction, magistrates, solicitors, the SRA, the FCA, and the broader idea that people need practical teaching rather than endless doom and gloom. There was a brief and welcome detour into Rudyard Kipling with “Cells”, plus a nod to Monty Python, before we came back to the bigger point: if people are ever going to challenge systems confidently, they need clear language, practical examples, and the courage to say no. We closed by talking about plans for hands-on training sessions designed to help people learn documents, process, and procedure in a much more grounded and usable way. WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/ The Kipling Society: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/ Rudyard Kipling, Cells: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_cells.htm Monty Python Official Site: https://www.montypython.com/ourwork Black's Law Dictionary: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary Halsbury’s Laws of England: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/products/halsburys-laws-of-england.html Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA): https://www.sra.org.uk/ Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): https://www.fca.org.uk/ Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/ European Convention on Human Rights (official text): https://www.echr.coe.int/european-convention-on-human-rights Universal Declaration of Human Rights: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/contents Data Protection Act 2018: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/contents Forgery Act 1913: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1913/27/pdfs/ukpga_19130027_en.pdf
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#20
October 16 · 1 hr 56 min
Take a Breath: Peace of Mind, Tea
Robin joined me just in time for one of those wonderfully freewheeling Friday-night conversations that begins with broken doors, candles, Christmas, apple pie and the need for a decent cup of tea, before opening out into something more reflective. We talked about the value of stepping back from the noise, taking a walk, sitting quietly, noticing the sea, the trees, the village church, and remembering that peace of mind is not a luxury but a necessity. A recurring theme all the way through was that many of us are overloaded, distracted and worn down, and that sometimes the most important thing we can do is pause, breathe, recharge and reconnect with the people and places that matter. From there, Robin dug into a long and passionate examination of courts, tribunals, councils, policing, data use and consent, arguing that many official processes rely on presumption, opacity and procedural confusion. We explored how difficult language and institutional complexity can leave ordinary people feeling powerless, and why calmness, clarity and steady questioning matter so much. We also finished on something close to the heart: community, neighbourliness, English character, small daily acts of decency, and the idea that recovery starts when people begin asking honest questions, helping one another and refusing to surrender their self-respect. Crown Prosecution Service: https://www.cps.gov.uk/ Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/ Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): https://www.fca.org.uk/ UK GDPR guidance and resources (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/ Subject access requests (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/subject-access-requests/ European Convention on Human Rights (official text): https://www.echr.coe.int/en/web/echr/european-convention-on-human-rights Digital Economy Act 2017: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/30/contents Fraud Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/contents Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43/contents Senior Courts Act 1981: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/54/contents Police Act 1996: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/16/contents/england Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/13/body Data Protection Act 2018: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12 Interpretation Act 1978: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30 Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/contents Perjury Act 1911: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/1-2/6/2005-12-05/data.html Black's Law Dictionary: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary Tesco: https://www.tesco.com/ Co-op: https://www.coop.co.uk/ Mallorca official tourism: https://fundaciomallorcaturisme.net/en/ A Clockwork Orange: https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/clockwork-orange Little House on the Prairie: https://littlehouseontheprairie.com/
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#19
October 9 · 1 hr 56 min
No Victim, No Claim? Gary’s Legal Primer Under the Microscope
With Robin temporarily knocked off air by a power cut, Gary and I kept the Friday night show rolling by working through Gary’s draft legal primer and asking how to make a sprawling subject feel practical and usable for ordinary people. We talked about the need to boil complicated arguments down into something people can actually hold onto under pressure, and spent most of the episode unpacking Gary’s key themes around jurisdiction, contracts, claimants, witnesses, disclosure, documents, signatures, joinder, trespass, post, data use, and the difference he sees between civil and criminal process. We also touched on Bitcoin, CBDCs, public trust, and why clarity and credibility matter if you want people to pay attention before the rules of the game tighten any further. Robin eventually rejoined us from the dark after his enforced candlelit retreat, and closed the show with a rapid-fire burst on mortgages, banks, legal personas, Parliament, sovereignty, courts, and the wider financial and administrative machinery he believes sits behind modern life. So this one became a proper Merry Men workshop session: part catch-up, part live document review, and part long-form conversation about how language, law, finance and authority are being interpreted, challenged and argued over. Food For Thought Radio (FFT): https://www.fftradio.com/ Charles Fernandez on FFT: https://www.fftradio.com/djs/charles-fernandez/ Bitcoin: https://bitcoin.org/en/ Casa: https://casa.io/ Halsbury’s Laws of England (LexisNexis): https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/products/halsburys-laws-of-england.html Thoburn v Sunderland City Council [2002] EWHC 195 (Admin) / “Metric Martyrs” (BAILII): https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2002/195.html Bill of Rights [1688] (legislation.gov.uk): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMarSess2/1/2?view=plain Modern Slavery Act 2015 (legislation.gov.uk): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/30/contents?lang=en Act of Settlement (1700) (legislation.gov.uk): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Will3/12-13/2/contents Magna Carta (1297) (legislation.gov.uk): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Edw1cc1929/25/9?view=plain Fraud Act 2006 (legislation.gov.uk PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/pdfs/ukpga_20060035_en.pdf Local Government Act 1888 (legislation.gov.uk): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/cy/ukpga/Vict/51-52/41/enacted Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/driver-and-vehicle-licensing-agency/about Royal Mail: https://www.royalmail.com/ UK data protection legislation / UK GDPR overview: https://www.gov.uk/data-protection Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/information-commissioner-s-office/about Bank of England: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): https://www.fca.org.uk/ U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): https://www.sec.gov/about U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC): https://www.cftc.gov/ QI (Quite Interesting): https://www.qi.com/qi Clearfield Trust Co. v. United States, 318 U.S. 363 (1943) (GovInfo): https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USREPORTS-318/USREPORTS-318-363
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#18
October 2 · 1 hr 55 min
Return to Sender: Robin on Process and Pushing Back
Robin and I kicked off in a properly Friday-night mood, with a bit of chaos in the studio and a lot of banter, before getting into a deep discussion about fear, bureaucracy and the importance of staying calm when official-looking letters land on the mat. Robin laid out his approach to challenging institutional overreach, arguing that people need to understand process, jurisdiction, data protection and the language used against them rather than panic. We talked through why so many people feel overwhelmed by councils, courts and enforcement threats, and why having a clear framework matters if you want to push back effectively. We also ranged across wider themes: the difference between law and administration, the role of the individual behind the corporate veil, and Robin’s view that most people are worn down by complexity before they even begin. Along the way we touched on Elvis Presley’s “Return to Sender”, Frédéric Bastiat’s essay The Law, the Bank of England, King Charles, Scientology, Parliament, utility bills and the wider cost-of-living squeeze. It was a lively mix of humour, old turns of phrase, legal theory and practical resistance, with Robin hinting at further teaching, templates and classes for listeners who want to study the material in more detail. Food For Thought Radio: https://www.fftradio.com/ Robin Hood (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/robin-hood/ FFT weekly schedule (includes The Mel and Mick Show, The Merry Men and Willoughby Surgery): https://www.fftradio.com/schedule/ Paul English (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/paul-english/ Elvis Presley – Return to Sender (official artist upload): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFEkEsch5wM Frédéric Bastiat – The Law: https://bastiat.org/en/the_law.html Bank of England: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/ Financial Conduct Authority: https://www.fca.org.uk/ HM Courts & Tribunals Service: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service/about Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk/ UK data protection guidance (UK GDPR and Data Protection Act): https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/the-data-protection-act Data Protection Act 2018: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/contents Fraud Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/contents/enacted Human Rights Act 1998: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/contents Bill of Rights 1689 background (UK Parliament): https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/revolution/overview/billofrights/ UN Charter: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/ The Royal Family – King Charles III: https://www.royal.uk/king-charles-iii Church of Scientology: https://www.scientology.org/
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#17
September 25 · 1 hr 56 min
The King in the Yoke: Reclaiming Law, Rights and Redress
In this episode, I dug into why I believe public frustration in England is reaching a tipping point, from immigration and constitutional arguments to deep distrust in Parliament, the courts and the wider machinery of the state. With Paul and Gary, I explored the idea that more people are now waking up to what they see as administrative overreach, and we discussed how ordinary people might respond by learning the language of law, questioning jurisdiction, and refusing to accept authority at face value. We also got into Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, common law, tribunals, the role of the Crown, and the difference between what is lawful and what is merely procedural. Along the way, we touched on bodies such as HMCTS, the CPS, the ICO and the CMS, reflected on historical figures like Cromwell and Bonhoeffer, and took a music break with “The King in the Yoke”. I closed by arguing that restoring accountability starts with understanding the system, standing together, and teaching the next generation the constitutional inheritance many feel has been forgotten. Magna Carta - UK Parliament: https://www.parliament.uk/magnacarta/ Magna Carta - The National Archives: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/explore-by-time-period/medieval/magna-carta/ Bill of Rights 1689 - UK Parliament: https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/revolution/collections1/collections-glorious-revolution/billofrights/ Halsbury’s Laws of England - LexisNexis UK: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/products/halsburys-laws-of-england.html Black’s Law Dictionary - Thomson Reuters: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary HM Courts & Tribunals Service: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service/about Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk/ Child Maintenance Service - GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service Crown Prosecution Service: https://www.cps.gov.uk/ Solicitors Regulation Authority: https://www.sra.org.uk/ The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn: https://www.lincolnsinn.org.uk/ The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn: https://www.graysinn.org.uk/ Dietrich Bonhoeffer - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/dietrich-bonhoeffer Oliver Cromwell and the Protectorate - UK Parliament: https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/civilwar/overview/end-of-the-protectorate/ National Insurance - GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance United Nations: https://www.un.org/en/ Bank of England: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about Pfizer: https://www.pfizer.com/ AstraZeneca: https://www.astrazeneca.com/ Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry: https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/
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#16
September 18 · 1 hr 30 min
GDPR, Consent and the Legal Person: Pulling the System Apart
In this episode of FFT Radio, I dug into the wave of correspondence people have been receiving around GDPR, data protection and consent, and I argued that these issues can be used to challenge how public bodies, courts, councils, police forces and licensed organisations handle personal data. I walked through the questions I believe listeners should be asking — where the contract is, what lawful authority is being relied upon, what jurisdiction is in play, and what disclosure ought to be produced — while tying that into wider arguments about the legal person, statutory process, common law, court procedure and public accountability. I also broadened the conversation into what I see as a much bigger picture: the relationship between Parliament, the Crown, the courts, administrative systems, taxation, licensing, public assets and individual rights. Along the way I referenced a wide range of legislation, constitutional texts and legal materials — from the Data Protection Act and Civil Procedure Rules to Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, Blackstone and the UN Charter — and urged listeners to do the reading for themselves, compare the documents directly, and keep pressing institutions for clear answers and full disclosure. Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/ UK GDPR Guidance and Resources (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/ Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): https://www.fca.org.uk/ Data Protection Act 2018: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/notes/division/5/index.htm Civil Procedure Rules: https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules Civil Procedure Rules Part 31 – Disclosure and Inspection of Documents: https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/part31 Digital Economy Act 2017: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/30/pdfs/ukpga_20170030_en.pdf Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/pdfs/ukpga_19840060_en.pdf Police Act 1996: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/16/pdfs/ukpga_19960016_en.pdf Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/13/pdfs/ukpga_20110013_en.pdf Interpretation Act 1978: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30/pdfs/ukpga_19780030_en.pdf Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43/pdfs/ukpga_19800043_en.pdf Fraud Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/pdfs/ukpga_20060035_en.pdf Theft Act 1968: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/pdfs/ukpga_19680060_en.pdf Local Government Finance Act 1992: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/14/pdfs/ukpga_19920014_en.pdf Bill of Rights 1689 (UK Parliament): https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/revolution/collections1/collections-glorious-revolution/billofrights/ Magna Carta (British Library collection overview): https://www.bl.uk/collection/explore-the-collection European Convention on Human Rights: https://www.echr.coe.int/en/european-convention-on-human-rights United Nations Charter (full text): https://www.un.org/en/node/125814 Commentaries on the Laws of England, Vol. 1 by William Blackstone: https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/sharswood-commentaries-on-the-laws-of-england-in-four-books-vol-1 Andy Burnham / Greater Manchester Combined Authority news reference: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/greater-manchester-to-vote-for-new-mayor/
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#15
September 11 · 1 hr 55 min
Juries, Liability Orders and the Friday-Night Legal Maze
Tonight’s episode began in wonderfully chaotic fashion, with me wondering whether there was going to be a show at all before Robin finally joined us and we settled into a wide-ranging discussion. Once we got going, we spent most of the programme exploring Robin’s ongoing research into the legal and administrative machinery around council tax, liability orders, court procedure, trial by jury, and what he sees as the steady drift from common-law principles towards tribunals, delegated powers and opaque state process. We also touched on the Bill of Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, child maintenance enforcement, and the broader question of whether people have simply lost sight of how the system is supposed to work. Along the way, we had the usual Friday-night interruptions, technical gremlins and a late appearance from Gary, but the central thread remained the same: if people do not understand the structure they are living under, they cannot meaningfully challenge it. We talked about public ignorance of jury rights, the behaviour of police and courts, the role of Parliament, the pressure placed on families, and the growing sense that more people are beginning to question the official story on a whole range of issues. Messy at times, yes — but a lively and thought-provoking conversation all the same. Food For Thought Radio (FFT) – including The Merry Men, The Mel and Mick Show, The Victoria Rixon Show, and Willoughby Surgery with Charles Fernandez: https://www.fftradio.com/ Jason Christoff: https://www.jchristoff.com/ HM Courts & Tribunals Service: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service/about Child Maintenance Service: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service Auto Trader UK: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/ JD Sports UK: https://www.jdsports.co.uk/ Rumble: https://rumble.com/ The Mike Graham Show: https://www.themikegrahamshow.com/ Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg – UK Parliament profile: https://members.parliament.uk/member/4099/career Liz Truss: https://www.elizabethtruss.com/ European Convention on Human Rights: https://www.echr.coe.int/en/european-convention-on-human-rights Universal Declaration of Human Rights: https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf Bill of Rights / Declaration of Rights (National Archives): https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/declaration-of-rights/ Local Government Act 1888: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1888/41/pdfs/ukpga_18880041_en.pdf Interpretation Act 1978: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30/pdfs/ukpga_19780030_en.pdf Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/pdfs/ukpga_19840060_en.pdf Human Rights Act 1998: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/pdfs/ukpga_19980042_en.pdf Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf
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#14
September 4 · 1 hr 42 min
From Gyroscopes to Jurisdiction: Laughter, Law and the State of England
Despite a gloriously scruffy start caused by live-radio gremlins, Robin and I quickly turned the chaos into one of those shows that feels more like a proper Friday night natter than a formal broadcast. We wandered through memories of Woolworths, gyroscopes, old buses, nights out, dodgy transport home, BMX-era childhood freedom, disco rows, early mobile phones, and the way modern life has traded spontaneity for screens, schedules and endless low-level anxiety. Beneath the laughter, the thread running through it all was simple: family, friendship, community, good women, strong homes, and the need to reclaim a bit of joy and humanity before the world’s nonsense swallows it whole. From there, Robin shifted gears and laid out a forceful and wide-ranging legal and constitutional argument about delegated authority, statutory overreach, data control, courts, tribunals, consent, and the way public bodies present power. He spoke about the importance of learning the system’s own language, challenging assumptions of jurisdiction, and equipping listeners through documents and study inside The Realme of England. We also paused for more Kipling, with an AI-generated take on The Female of the Species, before closing on a reminder that whatever comes next, strong families and stronger local bonds still matter most. Food For Thought Radio (FFT): https://www.fftradio.com/ Paul English (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/paul-english/ Robin Hood (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/robin-hood/ The Realme of England: https://www.therealmeofengland.com/ Gary Glendale (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/gary-glendale/ Charles Fernandez (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/charles-fernandez/ David Adelman (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/david-adelman/ Willoughby Trinity: https://www.willoughbytrinity.com/ Kali's Breakfast Spell (FFT show page): https://www.fftradio.com/shows/kali-s-breakfast-spell Telegram: https://telegram.org/ Black's Law Dictionary: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary Halsbury’s Laws of England: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/products/halsburys-laws-of-england.html Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice: https://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/en-gb/products/archbold Financial Conduct Authority: https://www.fca.org.uk/ Information Commissioner's Office: https://ico.org.uk/?lang=en-GB UK GDPR and Data Protection guidance: https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/the-data-protection-act D-U-N-S Number lookup (Dun & Bradstreet): https://www.dnb.com/en-us/smb/duns/duns-lookup.html The Kipling Society: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/ The Female of the Species by Rudyard Kipling: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/readers-guide/rg_female1.htm Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/326651/just-so-stories-by-rudyard-kipling/ Minecraft: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us ITV: https://www.itv.com/ Pink Floyd – The Wall: https://www.pinkfloyd.com/albums/the-wall/
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#13
August 28 · 1 hr 56 min
Colonial Courts, Crown Questions and the Language Trap
This week on The Merry Men, we began in suitably chaotic fashion with the usual Friday-night gremlins as Robin fought his way back into the studio and Gary talked us through the StreamYard settings. Once we were up and running, we got into a long-form discussion around the Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890 and the language used in old and modern legal instruments. Robin set out his view of how courts, jurisdiction, registration, sovereignty and constitutional authority have been reframed over time, while I pushed the conversation along by reading key passages, questioning definitions, and exploring how wording shapes public understanding. We also widened the lens to look at family, culture, religion, authority and the steady manipulation of language itself, with plenty of side roads into parliament, monarchy, policing, the CMS, the DWP and the pressures ordinary people are feeling. To break things up, we played a striking AI-rendered musical version of Rudyard Kipling’s The Stranger, which fitted the tone of the conversation perfectly and gave us a moment of atmosphere before we dived back into the documents. All in all, it was one of those episodes where technical banter, legal deep-dives and bigger civilisational questions all met in the same clearing of the forest. Food For Thought Radio (FFT): https://www.fftradio.com/ The Merry Men (show page): https://www.fftradio.com/shows/the-merry-men/ Paul English (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/paul-english/ Paul English Live: https://paulenglishlive.com/ Robin Hood (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/robin-hood/ The Realme of England: https://www.therealmeofengland.com/ Gary Glendale (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/gary-glendale/ Charles Fernandez (FFT host page): https://www.fftradio.com/djs/charles-fernandez/ Willoughby Surgery (FFT show page): https://www.fftradio.com/shows/willoughby-surgery/ StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/ WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/download YouTube: https://about.youtube/ Telegram: https://telegram.org/ Treechat: https://treechat.ai/ Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1890/27/pdfs/ukpga_18900027_en.pdf Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/pdfs/ukpga_19840060_en.pdf Police Act 1996: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/16/pdfs/ukpga_19960016_en.pdf Interpretation Act 1978: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30/pdfs/ukpga_19780030_en.pdf Child Maintenance Service: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service?lang=en Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about College of Policing: https://www.college.police.uk/about Rudyard Kipling – The Stranger: https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/readers-guide/rg_stranger1.htm Rudyard Kipling – If—: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46473/if--- Black’s Law Dictionary: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England: https://oll-resources.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/oll3/store/titles/2140/Blackstone_1387-01_EBk_v6.0.pdf Magna Carta: https://www.parliament.uk/magnacarta/ Magna Carta 1297: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/magna-carta/magna-carta-1297/ Bill of Rights: https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/revolution/overview/billofrights/ Coronation Oath Act 1689: https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentwork/offices-and-ceremonies/collections/parliament-and-the-queen/coronation-oath-act/
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#12
August 21 · 1 hr 56 min
Magna Carta, Money Creation and the Myth of British Authority
In this episode, I’m joined by Robin for a wide-ranging Friday-night conversation that starts with rain, rainbows and electrically charged water, then quickly moves into copper pipes, distilled water and the work of Viktor Schauberger. We also wander through old architecture, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Great Fire of London, reflecting on why older buildings seem to carry a beauty, permanence and even a kind of healing quality that modern construction so often lacks. From there, the discussion turns into a deep dive on law, history, language and power. Robin lays out his view of how constitutional documents such as Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights have been overridden in practice, why words like “British” and “English” matter, how courts and prisons function as systems of control, and why juries remain so important. We also get into banking, bonds, money creation, mortgages and the way financial systems are sustained by public belief and administrative complexity. Whether listeners agree with every conclusion or not, this one is a full-throttle exploration of law, identity, institutions and the stories that keep power in place. Viktor Schauberger: https://pks.or.at/en/viktorschauberger/ Nikola Tesla: https://teslasciencecenter.org/about-nikola-tesla/ St Paul’s Cathedral: https://www.stpauls.co.uk/ Magna Carta (UK Parliament): https://www.parliament.uk/magnacarta/ Bill of Rights 1689 (UK Parliament): https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/revolution/collections1/collections-glorious-revolution/billofrights/ Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/53-54/27/pdfs/ukpga_18900027_en.pdf Human Rights Act 1998: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/pdfs/ukpga_19980042_en.pdf European Convention on Human Rights: https://www.echr.coe.int/en/web/echr/european-convention-on-human-rights Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43/pdfs/ukpga_19800043_en.pdf Bank of England: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/ How is money created? (Bank of England explainer): https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/explainers/how-is-money-created Money creation in the modern economy (Bank of England): https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/quarterly-bulletin/2014/q1/money-creation-in-the-modern-economy Santander UK: https://www.santander.co.uk/ Santander UK history, including Abbey National acquisition: https://www.santander.co.uk/about-santander/our-history SEC v. W.J. Howey Co. (U.S. Supreme Court case text): https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/328/293/ The Great Fire of London (London Museum): https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/great-fire-of-london/ The Great Fire of London trail and Monument information: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/walks-and-itineraries/self-guided-walks-and-trails/the-great-fire-of-london Rupert Lowe MP: https://www.rupertlowe.co.uk/ The King (Royal Family official site): https://www.royal.uk/the-king
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#11
August 14 · 1 hr 56 min
Jurisdiction, Data and the State
In this episode, I open by reflecting on what I see as a growing public demand for accountability across government, the courts and public bodies, before the conversation turns to a long and passionate discussion about the Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890 and other historic statutes that the panel believe still shape modern governance and legal process. We also touch on Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, Companies Act 2006, the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights as part of a wider argument about jurisdiction, state power and the language of law. In the second half, Andy joins me for an urgent discussion about schools, children’s data and biometrics. We talk through concerns around school data-sharing, safeguarding systems, cloud platforms, behaviour monitoring, subject access requests, and what parents can do if they want to challenge consent, data retention or processing. The show closes with a call for listeners to share information widely, organise locally and keep pressing for answers on issues affecting families, schools and civil liberties. Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act 1890: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1890/27/pdfs/ukpga_18900027_en.pdf Naval Prize Act 1864: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/27-28/25/pdfs/ukpga_18640025_en.pdf Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1953/20/pdfs/ukpga_19530020_en.pdf Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Modern Slavery Act 2015: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/30/pdfs/ukpga_20150030_en.pdf Data Protection Act 2018: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/pdfs/ukpga_20180012_en.pdf Consumer Rights Act 2015: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/pdfs/ukpga_20150015_en.pdf Children Act 1989: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/pdfs/ukpga_19890041_en.pdf European Convention on Human Rights: https://www.echr.coe.int/en/web/echr/european-convention-on-human-rights Human Rights Act 1998 overview (House of Commons Library): https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9958/ Magna Carta (UK Parliament): https://www.parliament.uk/magnacarta/ Bill of Rights 1689 briefing (House of Commons Library): https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn00293/ National Police Chiefs’ Council: https://www.npcc.police.uk/about-Us/about-us/ Department for Education: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education/about Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk/ UK GDPR guidance and resources (ICO): https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/ Wonde: https://www.wonde.com/uk Roblox: https://about.roblox.com/corp-home Lloyd’s: https://www.lloyds.com/ The Mark Attwood Show: https://themarkattwoodshow.com/ The Mel K Show: https://themelkshow.com/links/ Tony Blair profile (GOV.UK): https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tony-blair
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#10
August 7 · 1 hr 56 min
Jurisdiction, Juries and the Legal Fiction Debate
In this episode, Robin and I ranged from old-school radio banter and memories of growing up free-range in Britain into a wide-ranging discussion about law, jurisdiction and the way ordinary people experience the courts, police and state administration today. Robin set out his view that many modern legal and administrative processes rely on confusion over status, consent and jurisdiction, and argued that people need to understand the difference between statute, procedure and what he sees as the deeper principles of common law, equity and constitutional custom. We also touched on jury trials, judicial conduct, public trust, property, taxation, child maintenance, and the way legal and financial systems can feel impenetrable by design. I also mentioned my previous programme with Michelle and Maribel, whose accounts of property loss and systemic abuse fed directly into this conversation about institutional power, delay and accountability. Along the way, we took a detour through schooling, masculinity, growing up in the seventies and eighties, and the value of lived experience over bureaucratic conditioning. We also played “Remember Who You Are” from Crown Jewelz Music Group, which felt entirely in keeping with the show’s recurring message: know yourself, question the script, and do not hand over your agency lightly. Black's Law Dictionary: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England: https://oll.libertyfund.org/people/sir-william-blackstone/titles Magna Carta overview (UK Parliament): https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/originsofparliament/birthofparliament/overview/magnacarta/ Road Traffic Act 1988 (official legislation PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/53/pdfs/ukpga_19880053_en.pdf Interpretation Act 1978 (official legislation PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30/pdfs/ukpga_19780030_en.pdf Companies Act 2006 (official legislation PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (official legislation PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/pdfs/ukpga_19840060_en.pdf Juries Act 1974 (official legislation PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/23/pdfs/ukpga_19740023_en.pdf Law of Property Act 1925 (official legislation PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1925/20/pdfs/ukpga_19250020_en.pdf Land Registration Act 2002 (official legislation PDF): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/9/pdfs/ukpga_20020009_en.pdf Thoburn v Sunderland City Council [2002] EWHC 195 (Admin) (BAILII): https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2002/195.html HM Land Registry: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry/about Companies House: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house/about Find and update company information (Companies House service): https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/ Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about Child Maintenance Service: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service Bank of England - Money creation in the modern economy: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/quarterly-bulletin/2014/q1/money-creation-in-the-modern-economy%C2%A0 Crown Jewelz Music Group (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/c/CrownJewelzMusicGroup Crown Jewelz Music Group (Bandcamp): https://crownjewelz.bandcamp.com/
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#9
July 31 · 1 hr 56 min
The CMS, the DWP and the Crisis of Accountability
In this week’s FFT Radio segment, I was joined once again by Robin Hood for a wide-ranging and highly charged conversation about the Child Maintenance Service, the DWP, the courts and what he sees as a much deeper crisis of state power and public accountability. Robin argued that families are being squeezed by administrative systems with too little scrutiny, and he laid out his broader view that modern governance has drifted away from constitutional protections, due process and the public interest. We also got into questions around property, debt, licensing, judicial power, taxation, policing and whether public institutions are serving the people they were created to protect. As the discussion unfolded, we moved from child maintenance and benefits into bigger themes: the NHS, data collection, biometrics in schools, the Post Office scandal, corporate influence, immigration, and the problem of public passivity in the face of corruption claims. Paul English later joined us to reflect on how people can communicate these concerns more effectively and how ordinary listeners might begin thinking in terms of restoration rather than resignation. As ever, this was a passionate, provocative and unapologetically full-on conversation. Food For Thought Radio (FFT Radio): https://www.fftradio.com/ Child Maintenance Service: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about HM Land Registry: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry/about NHS England: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): https://www.fca.org.uk/ Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA): https://www.sra.org.uk/ Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC): https://www.nmc.org.uk/about/ European Court of Human Rights (ECHR): https://www.echr.coe.int/en/ European Convention on Human Rights: https://www.echr.coe.int/en/web/echr/european-convention-on-human-rights International Criminal Court (ICC): https://www.icc-cpi.int/decisions Magna Carta (1297): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Edw1cc1929/25/9 Constitutional Reform Act 2005: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/4/pdfs/ukpga_20050004_en.pdf Interpretation Act 1978: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30/pdfs/ukpga_19780030_en.pdf Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Land Registration Act 2002: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/9/pdfs/ukpga_20020009_en.pdf Local Government Act 1972: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/70/pdfs/ukpga_19720070_en.pdf Modern Slavery Act 2015: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/30/pdfs/ukpga_20150030_en.pdf Online Safety Act 2023: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/pdfs/ukpga_20230050_en.pdf Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry: https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/ Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/14/pdfs/ukpga_20240014_en.pdf The Gazette: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/ Andy Burnham: https://www.gov.uk/government/people/andy-burnham Octopus Energy Group: https://octopusenergy.group/ BlackRock: https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/about-us Vanguard UK: https://www.vanguard.co.uk/uk-fund-directory State Street Investment Management: https://www.ssga.com/us/en/about-us Fabian Society: https://fabians.org.uk/about-us/ Rupert Lowe MP: https://members.parliament.uk/member/5158/contact Dale Vince: https://dalevince.com/the-dale-vince-story/ Dr Aseem Malhotra: https://doctoraseem.com/ Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/anthony-s-fauci-md-bio
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#8
July 10 · 1 hr 56 min
Inside the CMS Scandal: Claims of Fake Debt, Court Abuse and Family Harm
In this episode, we welcomed our “Lady of the Lake” for a deep and often shocking discussion about the Child Maintenance Service, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the wider enforcement machinery around child maintenance. From my side of the mic, this was one of those conversations that leaves you reeling: we heard detailed allegations about fictitious debts, bulk liability orders, court process concerns, enforcement action by private firms, and the human cost these cases are having on families. We also touched on the legal arguments being used to challenge jurisdiction, due process and enforcement, with listeners hearing references to court procedure, legislation and case law that the guest says are central to her ongoing research. We then moved into the broader picture: IT contracts, procurement concerns, data-sharing, links between public bodies and private contractors, and the role of charities, ministers and lobby groups in shaping the child maintenance system over many years. Whatever view listeners take on the legal arguments, the heart of the show was clear: families are being pushed to breaking point, men and women alike are suffering, and too many children are caught in the middle. Above all, this was a call to keep digging, keep documenting and keep bringing these stories into the open. Food For Thought Radio: https://fftradio.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about Child Maintenance Service: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service Child Maintenance Service complaints and appeals: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/complaints-and-appeals HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service/about Find a court or tribunal: https://www.gov.uk/find-court-tribunal Royal Courts of Justice / Judiciary contacts: https://www.judiciary.uk/contacts/ HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/about Government Legal Department (GLD): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-legal-department/about/publication-scheme National Audit Office – Child maintenance: https://www.nao.org.uk/topics/child-maintenance/ Marston Holdings: https://marstonholdings.co.uk/high-court-enforcement/customer/ Equita: https://equita.co.uk/ Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): https://www.tcs.com/ TCS BaNCS: https://www.tcs.com/what-we-do/products-platforms/tcs-bancs Serco: https://www.serco.com/about G4S: https://www.g4s.com/who-we-are Gingerbread: https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/about-us/ Baroness Sherlock – UK Parliament profile: https://members.parliament.uk/member/4147/career Ann Widdecombe official website: https://www.annwiddecombe.com/ Action Fraud / Report Fraud: https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/ National Crime Agency: https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/our-mission Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): https://www.fca.org.uk/ Companies House: https://resources.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/miscellaneous/URI.shtml Child Support Act 1991: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/48/pdfs/ukpga_19910048_301114_en.pdf Child Support (Enforcement) Act 2023: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/35/notes/division/1/index.htm Digital Economy Act 2017: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/30/pdfs/ukpga_20170030_en.pdf Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43/pdfs/ukpga_19800043_en.pdf Senior Courts Act 1981: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/54/contents Fraud Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/pdfs/ukpga_20060035_en.pdf Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Bill of Rights 1689 – House of Commons Library briefing: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn00293/ Archbold: Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice 2026: https://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/en-gb/products/archbold-criminal-pleading-evidence-and-practice-2026-30807335
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#7
July 3 · 1 hr 56 min
Robin’s 58-Page Constitutional Challenge
I opened this episode by giving Robin his flowers for a cracking recent broadcast and for finally sounding crystal clear on air after a full technical overhaul. From there, we settled into a wide-ranging conversation about presentation, building audience participation, and the atmosphere around the Merry Men shows before turning to the main event: Robin’s 58-page constitutional document, which he says sets out the historical and legal foundations for challenging the modern British state. We talked through the themes in that paper, including Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Coronation Oath, Parliament, jurisdiction, common law, administrative courts, royal assent, and the separation of powers. Much of the show focused on Robin’s argument that the present system has drifted far from its constitutional roots, and that people need to understand the documents, language and legal mechanisms being used against them if they want any meaningful remedy. We also touched on the transfer of power to institutions, the role of the judiciary, data requests, GDPR, the House of Lords, the monarchy, and the practical question listeners kept raising: what can ordinary people actually do? We closed by urging listeners to read the document for themselves, share it widely, and keep thinking seriously about lawful, peaceful redress and constitutional accountability. Document posted to Telegram FFT Radio: https://t.me/fftradio Bitcoin: https://bitcoin.org/en/ Magna Carta (UK Parliament overview): https://www.parliament.uk/magnacarta/ Magna Carta (1297 text): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Edw1cc1929/25/9 Bill of Rights [1688]: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMarSess2/1/2/contents Coronation Oath Act / Coronation Oath background (UK Parliament): https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentwork/offices-and-ceremonies/collections/parliament-and-the-queen/coronation-oath-act/ House of Lords Act 1999: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/34/contents Local Government Act 1972: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/70/contents Senior Courts Act 1981: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/54/contents Los Lobos: https://www.loslobos.org/
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#5
June 19 · 1 hr 56 min
Makerfield and the Gremlins
In this week’s gloriously chaotic Merry Men show, we battled gremlins, echo and Robin’s repeatedly vanishing connection, then got straight into a wide-ranging discussion on the Makerfield by-election, public trust, political theatre and whether people are finally starting to question the systems governing them. From my side of the desk, it felt like one of those raw live broadcasts where the technical hiccups almost became part of the story: the more we tried to talk plainly, the more the night seemed determined to test us. Beyond the by-election fallout, we spent most of the episode digging into constitutional questions, the courts, policing, consent, the difference between statute and long-standing rights, and the way language is used to obscure power. We also touched on Rupert Lowe, Brandy Vaughan, Mark Attwood, GB News, Black’s Law Dictionary, Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights and the Fraud Act, before ending with a plug for the Weekend Truth Festival and a lighter detour through Yorkshire, fish and chips, cream teas, Doctor Who, The Wizard of Oz and Ian Dury’s “Clever Trevor”. Messy, lively and full of big claims, big questions and bigger interruptions. Food For Thought Radio: https://fftradio.com/ Weekend Truth Festival: https://www.weekendtruthfestival.co.uk/ Rupert Lowe MP: https://www.rupertlowe.co.uk/ Andy Burnham for Makerfield – Official By-Election Campaign Site: https://andyformakerfield.co.uk/ Keir Starmer: https://www.keirstarmer.com/ Learn the Risk (Brandy Vaughan’s organisation): https://learntherisk.org/ Merck: https://www.merck.com/ GB News: https://www.gbnews.com/ The Mark Attwood Show: https://themarkattwoodshow.com/ Magna Carta – UK Parliament: https://www.parliament.uk/magnacarta/ Bill of Rights 1689 – UK Parliament: https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/revolution/collections1/collections-glorious-revolution/billofrights/image-1/ Fraud Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/pdfs/ukpga_20060035_en.pdf Companies Act 2006: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/pdfs/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Black’s Law Dictionary: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary Crown Prosecution Service: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/crown-prosecution-service Doctor Who: https://www.doctorwho.tv/?lang=en
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#4
June 12 · 1 hr 56 min
Law, Dragons and Wi-Fi
A lively, slightly chaotic Friday-night broadcast from “the Merry Men” that begins with a burst of DJ banter before settling into a forthright conversation about law, power and community. From the host’s chair, I frame a discussion on legal language, personhood and the state—touching on statutes, policing, and claims of systemic fraud—while reflecting on how our four nations can stand together. We also spotlight pressures on frontline staff and courts, and share new community resources we’ll post for listeners. Guest Andy then dives into bio‑electromagnetics and the school rollout of newer Wi‑Fi standards, raising health-and-safety questions, insurance implications, and practical letter‑writing routes for parents, teachers and governors. We pivot from critique to constructive action: parish‑level organising, clear plain‑English explainer packs, and keeping spirits high with poetry, humour and a surprising detour into the healing power of proper puddings. It’s part rallying cry, part campfire—with next steps for listeners to take back into their own communities.
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#3
June 5 · 1 hr 55 min
Policing, Power and the People
We battled a mischievous studio echo to kick off a lively round‑table, then dived into what’s gripping listeners across the country: policing and public trust, courts and constitutional basics, and how recent scandals have shaken confidence in official narratives. We roamed from the Post Office Horizon story and the culture inside forces, to the tangled history of crowns, oaths and Parliament, asking how ordinary people can navigate law, language and power without being silenced or sidelined. Along the way we debated “Janet and John”‑style primers for legal literacy, the role of independent media, and why archiving uncomfortable documents on open networks matters. We closed on practical next steps, including better tech discipline for live shows, using Bitcoin‑powered publishing to preserve records, and teeing up next week’s guest to dig into data, infrastructure and the welfare of families at the heart of a healthy nation. 'GB News': https://www.gbnews.com/ 'Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)': https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/ 'The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry': https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/ 'Bank of England': https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/ 'The London Gazette (official public record)': https://www.thegazette.co.uk/ 'Coronation Oath Act 1688 (legislation.gov.uk)': https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMar/1/6/contents 'Local Government Finance Act 1992 (legislation.gov.uk)': https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/14/contents 'Halsbury’s Laws of England (LexisNexis)': https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/products/halsburys-laws-of-england.html 'Black’s Law Dictionary (Thomson Reuters)': https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/law-books/blacks-law-dictionary 'League of Cambrai (Britannica overview)': https://www.britannica.com/topic/League-of-Cambrai 'Great Fire of London (London Museum overview)': https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/great-fire-of-london/ 'LBC – Leading Britain’s Conversation': https://www.lbc.co.uk/ 'Mattias Desmet – The Psychology of Totalitarianism (Penguin Random House)': https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/800934/the-psychology-of-totalitarianism-by-mattias-desmet/9781645022756/ 'William Cobbett – A History of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland (Open Library entry)': https://openlibrary.org/books/OL22617269M/A_history_of_the_Protestant_reformation_in_England_and_Ireland 'Bitcoin.org (learn the basics)': https://bitcoin.org/
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#2
May 29 · 1 hr 56 min
Signals, Systems and the State
In this wide‑ranging live show, I’m joined by Robin Hood for a frank, sometimes fiery conversation that weaves from studio gremlins and late‑night post‑production into deeply serious ground. We discuss the widely shared case of an 18‑year‑old who died after being handcuffed, public trust in policing, and claims of systemic failings across courts and government. From constitutional principles, common law and oaths, to immigration, monetary policy, and the role of the City and the Bank of England, we examine how power, policy and perception collide. Along the way we touch on AI data centres, water stress, sewage discharges, and why campaigners like Feargal Sharkey have struck a chord. We also preview the Weekend Truth Festival near Wrexham, reflect on political theatre from Westminster to Washington, and make the case for practical, community‑level action and informed dissent. Plus, a punchy new punk track, a dash of gallows humour, and a call to learn, organise and hold authority to account. 'FFTRadio': https://fftradio.com 'University of Southampton': https://www.southampton.ac.uk 'City of London Corporation (official site)': https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk 'Bank of England': https://www.bankofengland.co.uk 'The London Gazette (official public record)': https://www.thegazette.co.uk 'Church of England (official site)': https://www.churchofengland.org 'Bill of Rights 1689 (legislation.gov.uk)': https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMarSess2/1/2 'Magna Carta (1297 version on legislation.gov.uk)': https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Edw1cc1929/25/9 'Coronation Oath Act 1688 (legislation.gov.uk)': https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/WillandMar/1/6 'Oaths Act 1978 (legislation.gov.uk)': https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/19 'Gavin Newsom (Office of the Governor, California)': https://www.gov.ca.gov 'BP (British multinational energy company)': https://www.bp.com 'Feargal Sharkey (campaigning on UK rivers)': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feargal_Sharkey 'TikTok (platform referenced)': https://www.tiktok.com 'WhatsApp (used for comms during the show)': https://www.whatsapp.com
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