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The Daily Sceptic

Welcome to The Sceptic, the Daily Sceptic’s weekly podcast. Host Laurie Wastell interviews the authors of some of the website’s most talked about recent pieces. Please subscribe, and remember: question everything; stay sane; live free. Produced by Richard Eldred.

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#95
Friday · 1 hr
David Betz on Dover, Danny Tommo and the Coming Civil War | The Sceptic Ep.95
Prof David Betz on whether the Dover protests could be the start of something much bigger; is the West making the Ukraine war more dangerous and what do the numbers really tell us about Britain’s latest heatwaves? In Episode 95 of the Sceptic, guest host Ellie Hodges talks to Prof David Betz of King’s College London about the protests in Dover and Portsmouth and the growing fury over mass migration. They get into ‘system disruption’, the radical Left’s influence, the Government’s likely response, Reform’s fading momentum, parallels with Germany and the risk that Britain’s economic fragility could fuel serious civil unrest. Ellie then talks to former Conservative MP and defence tech entrepreneur Brooks Newmark about the war in Ukraine. They discuss NATO expansion, whether the West helped provoke the conflict, the danger of escalation, Russia’s hybrid warfare and whether Britain and Europe are actually ready for a wider war. And for premium subscribers, meteorologist William M. Briggs takes a gander at Britain’s heatwaves and the alarmist claims surrounding them, from temperature records and ‘excess deaths’ to climate models, dodgy statistics and the assumptions lurking underneath it all. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow David on X. Follow Brooks on X. Follow William M. Briggs on X. Read his Science Is Not The Answer Substack here. Watch his YouTube channel here. Visit his website here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:42 David Betz on the Dover Protests 04:12 Danny Tommo and Tommy Robinson 07:22 Leaderless Protest 10:51 System Disruption 12:58 Situationist Tactics 16:43 How Should the Government Respond? 21:39 Reform vs AfD 26:50 Economic Shock and Legitimacy 29:28 Russia, Ukraine and Britain 34:11 What’s Changed? 36:25 Brooks Newmark on the Ukraine War 36:49 NATO Expansion 39:00 Russia, Security and Ukraine 41:11 Long-Range Weapons and Escalation 44:24 Russia’s Hybrid War 46:39 European Defence 49:21 NATO and Britain’s Readiness 52:33 Negotiating With Russia 54:30 Risk of a Wider War 57:25 William Briggs on What the Heatwave Data Shows 59:40 Weather and Climate Claims 01:00:53 Climate Certainty 01:01:08 The Limits of Climate Models 01:02:24 Models, Homogenisation and Deaths 01:05:13 The Climate Research Industry 01:07:32 Climate Catastrophe
#94
September 4 · 51 min
“I Paid £1,400 to Cross the Channel on a Migrant Boat” | The Sceptic Ep.94
An undercover journalist’s extraordinary journey onboard a migrant dinghy, the risk of war with Russia and Canada’s energy standoff with America. In Episode 94 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges sits down with undercover reporter Christian Drogan to hear how he infiltrated migrant camps in northern France, paid €1,400 to cross the Channel and came face to face with smugglers, migrants and French authorities. Strategist and ex-Royal Navy Commodore Steve Jermy on the West’s incompetent approach to the war in Ukraine, the risks of escalation with Russia and whether a negotiated path to peace is still possible. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie speaks to the Daily Sceptic’s Energy Editor Dr Tilak Doshi about the growing trade and energy row between the US and Canada, and whether Mark Carney’s brinkmanship gamble will pay off. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Christian on X. Follow Watchman on X. Support Watchman here. Watch the Undercover Migrant here. Read Steve’s Mor Gallos – Using Power Wisely in the 21st Century Substack here. Follow Tilak on X. Read his article here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:51 Christian Drogen on His Undercover Channel Crossing 03:32 Getting Into the Migrant Camps 04:36 Timeline of the Operation 05:30 Posing as a Criminal on the Run 07:14 Life Inside the Camps 08:38 Danger in the Dunkirk & Calais Jungles 09:17 Why Migrants Want Britain 11:28 Demographics of the Boats 13:13 What it Felt Like on the Dinghy 14:13 Who Was on the Boat 14:49 Border Force Reaction 17:22 Home Office Criticism 17:54 Could Anyone Repeat This 19:42 How Smugglers Sell the Dream 21:10 French Police Involvement 24:22 How to Stop the Crossings 28:29 Finding the Documentary 29:15 Steve Jermy on the Ukraine War 30:48 What the West is Getting Wrong 33:06 Europe Preparing For War With Russia 35:40 Why Supporting Ukraine And Nato is Flawed 38:53 A Negotiated Path to Peace 42:04 Does Negotiation Reward Aggression 44:13 What the British Public is Missing 48:16 Tilak Doshi on Carneys Gamble 51:31 Who Has the Upper Hand 56:00 Could the Dispute Backfire On Canada 58:34 Ottawa vs Alberta 01:00:38 A Larger Geopolitical Reshaping
#93
August 28 · 27 min
Is the Right Its Own Worst Enemy? | The Sceptic Ep.93
Does the Right need to compromise on its principles to win elections? And what’s really behind the shaky science of the 97% climate consensus? In Episode 93 of the Sceptic, guest host Ellie Hodges chats to writer and commentator Nick Rendell about why the Right needs to stop preaching to the choir, explain its policies more clearly and find a way for the parties on the Right to work together. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie talks to social scientist and author of the Valid Science Substack Dr José Duarte about the extraordinary flaws in the research behind the 97% climate consensus claim, why we should be wary of consensus claims and where genuine disagreement among climate scientists remains. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Read Nick’s article here. Follow Joe on X. Read his Valid Science Substack here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:26 Nick Rendell on the Right’s Electoral Strategy 01:31 Balancing Principles & Electoral Success 04:36 Winning Over Net Zero Voters 11:47 Making the Conservative Case More Convincingly 15:39 The Case For a Right-Wing Electoral Pact 19:48 What His Reader Backlash Reveals 22:13 Political Purity & Rational Compromise 25:22 Dr José Duarte on the 97% Climate Consensus 25:34 Why Climate Consensus Research is Flawed 26:22 Problems With Consensus Studies 30:45 How The 97% Figure Was Constructed 33:14 Measuring What Climate Scientists Actually Believe 35:02 The Limits of Scientific Consensus 37:17 Where Climate Scientists Still Disagree
#92
August 21 · 42 min
From Fleet Street To ‘Fake News’: The Decline of British Journalism | The Sceptic Ep.92
Why trust in the mainstream media has collapsed, the rise of the ‘lanyard class’ and why cleaner air may be behind Europe’s heatwaves. In Episode 92 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges is joined by veteran broadcaster and journalist Mike Graham to lift the lid on Britain’s increasingly cosy media establishment, the decline of Fleet Street and why so many journalists now seem cut from the same cloth. They also discuss his new book, Fake News: The Secret Deal Between Government and the Media, and the rise of independent journalism. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie talks to Prof Roger Pielke Jr, who challenges some of the simplistic claims surrounding Europe’s heatwaves and explains why cleaner air may actually be contributing to warming. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Mike on X. Watch Mike’s YouTube channel here. Buy his new book here. Follow Roger on X here. Read his Honest Broker Substack here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:18 Mike Graham on ‘Fake News’ 08:46 Why Trust in the Media Has Collapsed 10:55 How Journalism Changed 14:26 The Working-Class Media Divide 16:23 How Headlines Shape Public Opinion 23:40 The Wild West of Fleet Street 28:39 How Social Media Killed the Press 30:27 The Collapse of Journalism’s Pay & Ambition 32:09 The End of the 9-to-5 Journalist 34:47 Building an Independent News Channel 39:53 Roger Pielke on Europe’s Heatwaves 40:34 Beyond the ‘Climate Change’ Explanation 42:32 Why Europe is Warming 43:14 The Role of Cleaner Air & Dry Soils 44:12 Adapting to Extreme Heat 45:39 The Problem With RCP8.5 48:40 What Happens to the Research?
#91
August 14 · 34 min
Why Has Immigration Exploded Since Brexit? | The Sceptic Ep.91
The battle over Brexit’s broken immigration promises and the mystery of why a key piece of climate data has quietly disappeared from official reports. In Episode 91 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges sits down with Migration Watch UK Chairman Alp Mehmet to discuss the soaring levels of migration since Brexit and whether Britain’s political class ever intended to deliver the border control voters thought they were getting. And for our premium subscribers, Daily Sceptic Environment Editor Chris Morrison asks why decades of declining wind-speed data have disappeared from the Met Office’s latest climate report and explores what it means for public trust in Britain's climate institutions. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Alp on X. Read Migration Watch UK’s ‘Taking Back Control? Brexit and Migration Ten Years On’ report here. Follow Chris on X. Read his article here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:38 Alp Mehmet on Why Migration Soared After Brexit 03:54 The Decision That Opened the Floodgates 08:03 Bigger Boats, More Crossings, No Deterrent 11:58 Did Politicians Ever Intend to Cut Migration? 17:18 How Government Lost Control 22:19 The Student Visa Back Door 24:10 Why Nobody Wants to Cap Migration 26:15 The Warnings Nobody Listened to 28:00 Britain's Demographic Transformation 30:15 Chris Morrison on the Met’s Missing Climate Data 30:52 Why Hide Wind Data? 42:46 Climate Models Vs Reality 47:48 Net Zero’s Inconvenient Problem
#90
August 7 · 1 hr
Rupert Lowe on Uniting the Right | The Sceptic Ep.90
Rupert Lowe on uniting the Right, are thousands really dying from summer heatwaves and how one academic’s investigation ended in a DEI superstar’s Cambridge resignation. In Episode 90 of the Sceptic, the Daily Sceptic’s Editor-in-Chief Toby Young sits down with Restore leader Rupert Lowe to discuss his attempt to mend fences with Nigel Farage, whether Reform and Restore can still work together and what a united Right might look like ahead of the next election. Professor of Evidence Based Medicine Carl Heneghan examines the UK Health Security Agency’s claim that nearly 3,000 excess deaths were caused by this summer’s heatwaves and asks whether the evidence really supports such alarming headlines. And for our premium subscribers, Dr Nathan Cofnas, Postdoctoral Researcher in Philosophy at Ghent University, reflects on breaking the Jason Arday story, the extraordinary fallout that followed and whether he ever expected it to end with Arday’s resignation from Cambridge. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Toby on X. Follow Rupert on X. Follow Carl on X. Subscribe to his Trust the Evidence Substack here. Follow Nathan on X. Subscribe to the Nathan Cofnas’s Newsletter on Substack here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 02:03 Rupert Lowe’s Offer To Reform UK 08:20 Prospects For A Reform–Restore Deal 10:15 Restore Britain’s Election Plans 15:12 Continuing To Challenge Reform UK 17:07 Lowe’s Definition Of Corruption 18:42 Restore Britain’s Economic Policy 27:55 On Becoming Chancellor 31:39 Carl Heneghan and the Problems With Heat Death Estimates 35:16 Reliability Of Future Heat Death Data 37:34 The Problem With Statistical Certainty 39:27 Climate Alarmism And Media Headlines 42:43 Downfall Of Anthony Fauci 47:10 Lessons From The Covid Inquiry 49:21 Nathan Kaunas on Breaking The Jason Arday Story 56:00 The Response To Criticism Of Arday 57:09 Carter-Ruck And Legal Threats 58:03 Investigating Arday’s Academic Work 01:03:18 Claims Of Unequal Academic Standards 01:04:36 The Real Story Behind Arday 01:06:11 Fears Of Legal Action 01:06:38 Contacting Arday And Cambridge 01:07:56 Initial Reaction To The Story 01:08:39 Arday’s Extraordinary Biographical Claims 01:11:00 The Story Goes Viral 01:11:29 Concerns About Racial Motives 01:13:53 Arday’s Resignation 01:14:19 Attacks From Arday’s Defenders 01:15:51 Simon Baron-Cohen’s Defence Of Arday 01:17:31 The Story’s International Reach 01:19:25 Responding To Racism Accusations 01:21:08 Nathan's Controversial Blog Post 01:27:04 Case For Affirmative Action 01:28:11 Impact On University Hiring 01:29:09 Cambridge’s Handling Of The Plagiarism Allegations 01:30:14 Accountability For Arday’s Appointment 01:32:09 Double Standards In Academic Hiring 01:33:51 Vindication And Revenge
#89
July 31 · 58 min
The Terror Plot That Never Was | The Sceptic Ep.89
Why a major anti-Muslim terror scare appears to have been built on almost nothing, who’s really pulling the strings in Britain’s public debate and is the Government finally rowing back on Net Zero? In Episode 89 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges sits down with journalist Charlotte Gill to discuss the growing influence of taxpayer-funded activist groups, the blurred line between activism and journalism and why critics of mass migration are so often smeared as “far-Right”. Author Steven Tucker dissects the anti-Muslim terror plot in Suffolk that collapsed on contact with the facts and applies “eventism” – the theory that fear of an event is equivalent to the event itself – to explain why almost nobody involved has walked it back. And for our premium subscribers, the Daily Sceptic’s Environment Editor Chris Morrison asks whether the new Government’s backing for more North Sea oil and gas is a genuine change of direction or just a change in rhetoric. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Charlotte on X. Read her articles here and here. Follow her on Substack here. Read Steven’s articles here and here. Follow Chris on X. Read his article here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:55 Charlotte Gill and the Tarbell Fellowship 04:06 Transparency Concerns Around Funded Journalism 05:43 Bureau Of Investigative Journalism 07:56 The Far Right Label 08:46 Power of Migration Charities 10:14 Valentine's Day Cards Controversy 13:00 Scrutiny of the Charity Sector 14:44 Reforming Charity Funding Rules 16:18 Changing Landscape of Journalism 17:47 State of the MSM 19:32 Burnham's First Weeks in Office 20:52 Is Labour Turning Left? 21:57 Can the Tories Bounce Back? 23:00 The Greens' Uneasy Coalition 24:36 Steven Tucker on the Terror Plot That Wasn't 30:07 Why No One Has Retracted the Claims 38:10 What is Eventism? 42:19 Anticipatory Violence 49:25 Connecting The Dots Between The Two Stories 53:50 Chris Morrison on Burnham's U-Turn on Oil And Gas 01:00:44 Why the CAN Bill Matters 01:06:35 Who is Funding Net Zero? 01:09:43 Britain's Sky High Electricity Prices
#88
July 24 · 53 min
The Absolute State of British Politics | The Sceptic Ep.88
The absolute state of British politics, how a vicar fell foul of the Church of England over Christian beliefs and why Net Zero is now a national security risk. In Episode 88 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges sits down with PopCon’s Mark Littlewood to make sense of Andy Burnham’s chaotic first days in No 10, the sharp Left turn in his Cabinet and whether Farage's Clacton by-election battle is really the joke the media's making it out to be. Dr Rev Bernard Randall tells his extraordinary story: suspended, reported to Prevent as a terror suspect and put through a seven-year church safeguarding battle – all for a sermon that was in keeping with Christian doctrine. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie talks to former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove about why he believes Britain’s Net Zero policy has become a national security liability. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Mark on X. Read his articles here and here Read Sir Richard’s article here. Listen to Sir Richard on the One Decision Podcast here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 02:23 Mark Littlewood On Burnham's Coronation 02:50 Radical Left-Wing Policy Or Just "Vibes"? 04:28 Does Changing Labour's Leader Change Anything? 07:43 "No 10 Of The North" Devolution 09:14 Burnham's Cabinet Reshuffle 16:19 How Serious Is The Clacton By-Election Really? 18:59 Count Binface - Establishment Stooge? 22:27 Farage - Establishment Hit Job? 24:11 Is Farage "Part Of The Establishment"? 26:16 Can Kemi's Tories Stage A Comeback? 30:54 Predictions For The Next General Election 33:48 Bernard Randall And His CofE Ordeal 37:24 What Was It Like Being Reported To Prevent? 39:24 The Toll On Him And His Family 42:15 Why The Controversy? 44:50 Was 2019 "Peak Woke" — Has It Improved? 46:32 What's Next And Advice For Other Chaplains 49:48 Sir Richard Dearlove On Net Zero's Security Risk 53:19 Top Energy-Security Priorities For Burnham 55:38 How Real Is The China/EV/Grid Threat? 59:33 Where Does Energy Rank Among National Security Threats? 1:01:02 Will Britain Be Forced Into A German-Style Rethink? 1:04:11 Doesn't Cutting Fossil Fuels Make Britain Safer? 1:05:11 Is It Too Late?
#87
July 17 · 52 min
The Social Media Ban Trojan Horse | The Sceptic Ep.87
How the Government’s social media ban for kids is a Trojan horse for digital ID, why Britain’s free speech laws are broken and the eye-watering cost of Net Zero. In Episode 87 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges is joined by Alan Miller, co-founder of the Together Declaration, to discuss the Government’s plans for an under-16s social media ban, the push for digital ID checks, VPN restrictions and what they could mean for free speech and privacy. Barrister John Holbrook explains why he thinks Britain’s hate speech laws are failing, how they have helped fuel cancel culture and why he believes free speech protections need a major rethink. And for premium subscribers, energy analyst and author Richard Lyon digs into the eye-watering cost of renewable subsidies – now topping £227 billion! – the growing pressures on the UK grid and why he believes Net Zero could leave Britain facing a serious energy trap. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Alan on X. Join the together Declaration here. Follow Jon on X. Read his report here. Follow Richard here. Buy his book The Energy Trap here. Check out his Subsidy Clock here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 02:29 Alan Miller on the Incoming Social Media Ban 09:13 Response to Katherine Birbalsingh on Child Safety 12:47 Has Australia’s Under-16 Ban Worked? 14:45 Expectations Under a Burnham Government 17:39 What Will Britain’s Internet Look Like in 5 Years? 23:57 Jon Holbrook on Being Cancelled 28:29 What Language Should Be Criminalised? 31:42 Repeal All Hate Speech Laws? 34:12 Protected Beliefs vs Cancel Culture 37:48 Reforming Online Speech Laws 41:08 Can These Reforms Roll Back Cancel Culture? 45:19 Richard Lyon on the True Cost of Net Zero 48:07 The Subsidy Clock 51:16 What Is the Energy Trap? 55:27 Being a Climate Sceptic is Irrelevant 1:04:15 A Sensible UK Energy Policy
#86
July 10 · 31 min
The State's Sinister Plan to Control Social Media | The Sceptic Ep.86
How the Government plans to control the UK’s online media landscape, and is Britain’s electricity grid being pushed towards breaking point? In Episode 86 of the Sceptic, host Ellie Hodges talks to journalist, lawyer and UsForThem founder Molly Kingsley about the Government’s little-noticed plans to reshape Britain’s online media landscape, why she believes they could sideline independent voices in favour of establishment broadcasters and what they could mean for free speech online. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie sits down with independent energy consultant Kathryn Porter to discuss whether Britain’s electricity grid is being pushed to breaking point. They dig into recent low-frequency events, claims that NESO is downplaying serious risks, explosive whistleblower allegations and whether this winter could bring a real risk of blackouts. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Molly on X. Read Molly’s article here. Have your say on the ’Watch this space’ open consultation here. Follow Kathryn on X. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:25 Molly Kingsley on the Government's Sinister New Green Paper 04:02 Why "Trusted News" Is a Dangerous Framing 05:11 What This Means for Your Social Media Feeds 07:43 Is the Government Picking Winners & Losers 09:23 Protecting BBC Influence 14:06 Is There Still Time to Stop It? 19:08 The Shift Toward State Control Online 24:53 Kathryn Porter on the Grid's Near Miss 32:06 Whistleblower Allegations 35:47 Why NESO Stayed Quiet 42:51 Real Time Grid Risk 47:48 How Worried Should We Be This Winter? 51:03 What Needs to Happen Next
#85
July 3 · 30 min
How the Equality Act Broke Britain | The Sceptic Ep.85
How the Equality Act has morphed from anti-discrimination law into a vast tool of social engineering, and whether the Met Office’s recent temperature records really are the ‘hottest evah’. In Episode 85 of the Sceptic, host Ellie Hodges speaks to Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, Director of Don’t Divide Us and co-author of the new report Some More Equal Than Others: The Case Against the Equality Act, on how the 2010 Act has morphed from anti-discrimination law into a vast tool of social engineering, its corrosive effects on workplaces and free speech and why it should be repealed. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie speaks to Chris Morrison, the Daily Sceptic’s Environment Editor, on the latest so-called record-breaking heatwave, whether the Met Office’s temperature records are really the ‘hottest evah’ and why the data is nowhere near robust enough to justify the madness of Net Zero. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Alka on X. Read Alka’s report here. Follow Chris on X. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 01:21 Alka Sehgal Cuthbert on the Equality Act 03:44 Should the Equality Act Be Repealed? 06:15 Existing Laws Before the Act 08:28 Public Sector Equality Duty & Positive Action 13:27 Protected Characteristics 15:44 The Granger Test & Protecting Beliefs 18:28 Appetite to Reform the Act? 19:48 Chris Morrison on the Hottest Summer Evah? 29:34 How Does It Compare to 1976? 35:51 Is the Data Robust?
#84
June 26 · 28 min
Labour’s Backdoor EU Reset | The Sceptic Ep.84
Sir Bill Cash on the 10th anniversary of Brexit, his 40-year fight to restore British sovereignty and why we must resist Labour’s EU reset. In Episode 84 of the Sceptic, guest host Jack Hadfield speaks to Sir Bill Cash, lifelong Eurosceptic, former MP and chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, on the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote, his 40-year battle to restore British sovereignty and why Labour’s “EU reset” is a dangerous path back into subjugation. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Jack on X. Follow Bill on X. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 00:56 Bill Cash on the EU Problem 08:08 The Maastricht Rebellion 10:35 When Brexit Became Possible 12:46 Brexit Night 2016 16:06 Has Brexit Been Delivered? 19:31 Brexit's Biggest Missed Opportunity 22:02 Labour's EU Reset and Andy Burnham 26:48 Warning Signs of Backdoor Rejoin 34:32 Immigration and Taking Back Control 40:01 Brexit 2.0 and International Law 45:18 Optimism for Britain's Future
#83
June 19 · 33 min
Breaking the Blob | The Sceptic Ep.83
Charles Talbot on how the Blob is stifling democracy in Britain and turning the state against itself. In Episode 83 of the Sceptic, guest host Michael Murphy speaks to Charles Talbot, author of the new Cambridge Circus Research report ‘Breaking the Blob’, about how a sprawling ecosystem of activist charities, quangos and captured institutions exerts a powerful chokehold on British political life, undermines government policy and leaves Britain feeling increasingly like a state at war with itself. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Michael on X. Follow Charles on X. Read ‘Breaking the Blob’ here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 00:00:47 Charles Talbot on the Blob 00:03:35 The Blob's Left-Wing Bias 00:05:16 A State at War with Itself 00:07:41 Why Government Funds Its Own Opponents 00:10:17 How the Blob Kills Policies it Doesn't Like 00:14:15 The Rwanda Scheme 00:16:17 Can Any Policy Survive the Blob? 00:18:19 Laws That Must Change 00:20:20 The Funnel Model & Weak Regulation 00:24:37 Charity vs Political Activism 00:27:12 Should Government Track Undermining Spending? 00:29:11 The Media’s Role in Aiding the Blob 00:36:08 What a Serious Government Must Do 00:39:05 Radical Reforms 00:42:29 Conspiracy or Ideological Alignment? 00:45:52 Future Work from Cambridge Circus Research 00:52:15 Where to Find the Report
#82
June 12 · 50 min
Britain: Island of Strangers | The Sceptic Ep.82
Dr Ben Jones on how 30 years of mass migration have created the conditions for rising unrest, and Dr Gwythian Prins on why green zealotry weakens Britain in a dangerous world. In Episode 82 of the Sceptic, host David Shipley speaks to Dr Ben Jones, Director of Cases at the Free Speech Union and author of Island of Strangers, on how 30 years of mass migration and hyper-diversity have transformed Britain into a fragmented “society of societies”, eroded free speech, fuelled cancel culture and created the conditions for two-tier policing and rising unrest. And for our premium subscribers, David speaks to Dr Gwythian Prins, Emeritus Professor at the London School of Economics and convenor of the Hartwell Group, on the fatal technical, economic and security flaws of Net Zero, why climate models are fundamentally broken, the impossibility of a renewables transition and how this green madness weakens Britain in a dangerous world. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow David on X. Follow Ben on X. Read Gwythian’s article on the Daily Sceptic here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 00:01:36 Ben Jones on His New Book 'Island of Strangers' 00:03:23 The Link Between Multiculturalism and Free Speech Restrictions 00:06:41 How US Woke Ideology Invaded UK 00:09:02 Why Are the Elite So Wedded to These Worldviews? 00:12:36 What Is the Solution to UK’s Free Speech Crisis? 00:15:44 Two-Tier Policing and Division 00:19:56 Prof Gwydion Prins on the Problems With Climate Modelling 00:24:32 Why Renewables Cannot Power a Stable Grid 00:28:27 The Security Implications of Net Zero 00:32:33 Can Sanity Return?
#81
June 5 · 1 hr
Britain’s Anti-White Police | The Sceptic Ep.81
Ex-cop Paul Birch on the gross failures of the Nowak arrest and Jack Hadfield on the protests. Plus: Blair’s shameless green U-turn. In Episode 81 of the Sceptic, host Laurie Wastell speaks to Paul Birch, former Metropolitan Police officer and commentator, on the police’s gross failures over the arrest of Henry Nowak after he was stabbed – and exactly how anti-racist ideology warps day-to-day policing. Jack Hadfield, independent journalist, on the fierce protests and political fallout over the Nowak outrage and whether there’s more to come. And for our premium subscribers, Laurie speaks to Ben Pile, journalist and Daily Sceptic regular, on Tony Blair’s latest intervention criticising Net Zero, his baleful legacy and why our dimwitted political class, incredibly, still takes him seriously. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Laurie on X. Read Paul’s article on the Daily Sceptic here. Follow Jack on X. Follow Ben on X. Read his article on the Daily Sceptic here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 00:02:24 Paul Birch on Henry Nowak Arrest 00:05:03 Why Was Henry Nowak Handcuffed? 00:09:20 Did Anti-Racism Training Shape the Response? 00:14:46 Individual Failures or Institutional Culture? 00:20:58 Poor Training and Woke Ideology 00:23:51 Will the IOPC Deliver Real Accountability? 00:28:59 What Real Police Reform Looks Like 00:34:00 Jack Hadfield on Southampton Protests 00:39:35 Disorder and Crowd Sentiment 00:43:54 Wider Protests This Summer? 00:46:53 Should Henry Nowak’s Murder Be Politicised? 00:51:24 Ben Pile on Blair’s Net Zero Intervention 00:55:44 Why Blair is Shameless 00:59:42 Ideological Roots of Failures
May 29 · 39 min
Will Trump Destroy NATO? | The Sceptic Archive
Doug Stokes on whether peace is possible in Ukraine, America’s fading global dominance, the future of NATO and why Britain’s rush to rearm could spell trouble for Net Zero. The Sceptic is away this week, so we’re bringing you an episode from the archive. In May 2025, host Laurie Wastell caught up with Doug Stokes, Professor of International Security and Strategy at Exeter University, Senior Advisor at the Prosperity Institute and author of books including Against Decolonisation: Campus Culture Wars and the Decline of the West. Professor Stokes’s insight into the undercurrents to America’s changing global position remain as relevant as ever. Doug and Laurie discuss whether peace is on the cards in Ukraine, the effect of the war on Russia’s geopolitical position, whether MAGA is right to lament America’s position as global superintendent, the future of NATO and what the war means for Europe and Trump’s trade war and whether it will spell the end of dollar hegemony. They also consider the long-term possibility of detente with Russia, whether the need to re-arm will mean the end of the Net Zero here in Britain and the roots of the free-speech crisis in Britain's universities. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Laurie on X. Follow Doug on X. 00:00 Intro 00:40 Ukraine Ceasefire 07:03 Russia and China 07:25 NATO’s Future 11:04 Europe and Dependency 18:57 Trump’s Trade War 23:14 Europe’s Role 27:19 Rearming Europe 27:31 Nord Stream Fallout 38:26 Defence and Net Zero 40:58 Britain’s Industrial Decline 41:13 Free Speech Crisis 46:54 Kathleen Stock Case 47:19 Universities and Trans Ideology
#80
May 22 · 47 min
The Truth About Palantir | Andrew Orlowski The Sceptic Ep.80
Andrew Orlowski on Palantir, AI and the truth about UK phone signal. Plus: vaccine injuries in Canada. In Episode 80 of the Sceptic, host Laurie Wastell speaks to Andrew Orlowski, business and technology columnist at the Telegraph, on the truth about Palantir and the NHS, the latest AI stumbling blocks and the real problem with Britain’s phone signal. And for our premium subscribers, Laurie catches up with Canadian filmmaker Dean Rainey, on his latest documentary outlining the overlooked effects of vaccine injuries. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Laurie on X. Follow Andrew on X. Visit Dean’s website here. Donate to Mike’s GoFundMe here. Watch Why Can’t We Talk About This? Parts 1 & 2 here. Donate to Mike’s GoFundMe here. Support Sean here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.
#79
May 15 · 37 min
Boys Are Not Misogynists | Joanna Gray The Sceptic Ep.79
Are British schools waging a quiet war on boys? Plus: the UAE's dramatic departure from OPEC. In Episode 79 of the Sceptic, host Laurie Wastell speaks to Joanna Gray – writer, confidence mentor and Daily Sceptic regular – on what the modern world gets wrong about gender. They discuss Jess Phillips’ proposed “anti-misogyny” lessons for schoolboys, the female domination of teaching, the lack of male role models and why pathologising normal boyhood is damaging a generation of young men. And Tilak Doshi, the Daily Sceptic’s Energy Editor, on the UAE’s shock departure from OPEC – what it means for the cartel, global oil markets and geopolitics in the Middle East. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Laurie on X. Read Joanna’s articles on the Daily Sceptic here, here and here. Follow Tilak on X. Read Tilak’s article on the Daily Sceptic here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.
#78
May 8 · 40 min
Climate Alarmism “Implausible”, UN Admits | Chris Morrison The Sceptic Ep.78
UN scientists admit that central assumptions of the climate alarmist agenda are “implausible”. Plus: the woke madness of “trans time”. In Episode 77 of the Sceptic, host Laurie Wastell speaks to Chris Morrison, the Daily Sceptic’s environment editor, on the sensational admission by UN scientists that widely reported climate alarmist forecasts are “implausible” – and how it blows apart decades of green fearmongering. And Steven Tucker, author and Daily Sceptic columnist, on the wacky woke world of “trans time”, and the curious case of the “garrulous” non-verbal author. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Laurie on X. Follow Chris on X. Read Chris’s article on the Daily Sceptic here. Read Steven’s articles on the Daily Sceptic here and here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.
#77
May 1 · 47 min
Terror in Golders Green | David Shipley The Sceptic Ep.77
J. Sorel on Keir Starmer’s reign of sleaze. Plus: the Golders Green attack and the climate activist lawsuit against Shell. In Episode 77 of the Sceptic, host Laurie Wastell speaks to J. Sorel, commentator and historian, on the Peter Mandelson scandal, the myth of Keir Starmer the “technocrat” and the truth about his reign of sleaze. David Shipley, journalist and commentator, on the shocking Golders Green knife attack and the grim wave of migrant crime hitting Britain. And for our premium subscribers, Laurie speaks to James Graham, Senior Researcher on Financial Freedoms at the Prosperity Institute, on the Filipino disaster survivors suing Shell Oil about the weather – and why London has become the global capital of vexatious green litigation. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Laurie on X. Follow J Sorel on X. Follow David on X. Follow James on X. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.

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