Episodes

  • Who would win a war in Europe?

    Who would win a war in Europe?
    Oct 7 2025
    Nobody wants to imagine a large-scale war in Europe. But after Putin invaded Ukraine and Trump tore up Europe’s security guarantee, it’s horribly plausible. Is Russia as powerful as Putin wants us to think? Is there more to military power than tanks and guns? Why do strategists keep making the wrong predictions? And what does Pete Hegseth’s unhinged locker-rom pep talk/incitement to the US military to commit war crimes mean for any American role in the world? In a fascinating, surprise-packed conversation Phillips Payson O’Brien, Professor of Strategic Studies at St Andrews University and author of new book War and Power: Who Wins Wars and Why gives Andrew Harrison and Jacob Jarvis an urgent update on the realities of military power. • Buy War and Power through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund OGWN by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. ESCAPE ROUTES • Phillips recommends Better Call Saul on Netflix. • Jarv recommends horror movies Weapons and Bring Her Back. • Andrew went to see Roland Gift of Fine Young Cannibals. Buy any book through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund OGWN by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • Head to nakedwines.co.uk/ohgodwhatnow to get 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more • Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Jacob Jarvis. Audio/video production by Chris Jones. Theme music by Cornershop. Art direction: James Parrett. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Starmer vs. Farage – Keir finally picks his enemy

    Starmer vs. Farage – Keir finally picks his enemy
    Oct 3 2025
    Keir Starmer’s conference speech is getting heaps of praise after he finally went hard against Farage. But has he done enough to show he’s in control, or is the Labour messaging still all over the place? Plus, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, isn’t going away. He says he wants the UK to rejoin the EU, but do they want us? And does Labour even want him!? And in the Extra Bit for Patreon backers, the panel takes a look at the politicians who are the most popular with the UK’s young people right now, according to the polls, anyway. ESCAPE ROUTES • Jonn is watching House of Guinness on Netflix. • Hannah watched the 1961 documentary Barbara Hepworth on iPlayer. • Seth watched the documentary Hollywood by Kevin Brownlow. • Head to nakedwines.co.uk/ohgodwhatnow to get 6 top-rated wines from our sponsor Naked Wines for £39.99, delivery included. • Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here: nordvpn.com/ohgodwhatnow. It’s risk- free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Seth Thévoz with Hannah Fearn, Jonn Elledge and Jason Hazeley. Audio Production by: Tom Taylor and Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    57 mins
  • Build, baby, build – Is Labour losing the Regeneration Game?

    Build, baby, build – Is Labour losing the Regeneration Game?
    Sep 30 2025
    Labour has staked its future on building hundreds of thousand of homes and fixing up crumbling communities. But does “regeneration” actually work? Housing expert and author of Big Capital: Who Is London For? Anna Minton joins OGWN regular and development wonk Hannah Fearn to look at the nightmare of trying to build houses in a system designed to inhibit it. Includes regeneration horror stories from Baltimore to Canary Wharf to Liverpool’s Albert Dock. ESCAPE ROUTES • Anna recommends The Hostage with Suranne Jones on Netflix. • Hannah has been reading The Vast Extent by Lavinia Greenlaw. • Andrew was blindsided by the 2019 movie A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood with Tom Hanks. Buy any book through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund OGWN by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more • Back us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. Written and presented by Andrew Harrison with Hannah Fearn. Audio/Video production by Chris Jones. Theme music by Cornershop. Art direction: James Parrett. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Enoch, Enoch, Who’s There? – Reform’s deranged repatriation plans

    Enoch, Enoch, Who’s There? – Reform’s deranged repatriation plans
    Sep 26 2025
    The ghost of Enoch Powell punches the air as Farage announces jaw-dropping plans for mass deportations and tearing up Indefinite Leave to Remain, claiming it will save Britain over £230bn (it won’t). Is Reform succumbing to the gravitational pull of the far-far-far right or just showing its true, cruel face? And does Labour’s feeble response that “this plan won’t work” just accept the premise of a hateful piece of self-harm? Plus, Trump’s Tariffs: how they started and how they’re going, with international trade expert and friend of the pod Dmitry Grozoubinski. And in the Extra Bit, what was the exciting new tech innovation that made you say “OK that’s enough exciting new tech innovations, thanks”? • See Matt Green on his Legitimate Concerns tour, beginning on 17 October. • Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! ESCAPE ROUTES • Matt recommends The Girlfriend on Amazon Prime. • Marie watched the whole of Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon and seems to want a medal for it. And Modern Family too. • Dmitry has been rewatching the Australian political satire Utopia which you can see on Apple TV+. • Ros (mostly) recommends The Hack on ITV. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more • Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Marie le Conte and Matt Green. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Robin Leeburn. Theme music by Cornershop. Art direction: James Parrett. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • So wrong, it’s right wing – Could Project 2025 happen in Britain?

    So wrong, it’s right wing – Could Project 2025 happen in Britain?
    Sep 23 2025
    Project 2025 gave Trump a roadmap for his authoritarian presidency. As the UK turns to the right, Reform UK is on the rise and fears over a Farage general election victory loom, we ask whether such a project could be undertaken here? Peter Geoghegan of the Democracy for Sale blog joins Alison and Jonn to discuss. Escape Routes: • Jonn is watching The Paper • Peter is awaiting Slow Horses and is reading When the Clock Broke by John Ganz • Alison watched The Ballad of Wallis Island www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Claim the Naked Wines offer here: ⁠nakedwines.co.uk/ohgodwhatnow⁠ Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ https://nordvpn.com/ohgodwhatnow It’s risk- free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! Presented by Alison Phillips with Jonn Elledge. Audio/ Video Production by: Chris Jones. Art direction: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Inside the new ‘Battle for Britain’

    Inside the new ‘Battle for Britain’
    Sep 19 2025
    British politics is increasingly divided – but where are voters really going as they shift between parties? And how should Labour recalibrate their tactics? The Economist’s Matthew Holehouse joins us to discuss the new ‘Battle for Britain’. Plus, the panel discusses the reaction to Charlie Kirk’s death worldwide and how it might change politics. And in the extra bit for subscribers – political pets! Because we all need something fun to listen to don’t we? Escape Routes Rachel has been reading Terry Pratchett books: Jingo, Thud & The Truth Zoe is watching The Real Housewives of London on Hayu Matthew is reading When The Clock Broke by John Ganz Seth recommends the drama series Crown Court Claim the Naked Wines offer here: ⁠nakedwines.co.uk/ohgodwhatnow⁠ • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more • Back us on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. Written and presented by Seth Thevoz with Zoe Grunewald and Rachel Cunliffe. Audio production by Robin Leeburn and Tom Taylor. Theme music by Cornershop. Art direction: James Parrett. Produced by Chris Jones. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Starmer drama – Who's in control of the Labour Party?

    Starmer drama – Who's in control of the Labour Party?
    Sep 16 2025
    Starmer is Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party – but does he feel totally in charge of things? Plus, the race to be Deputy Leader of the Labour Party is down to the final two. Who’s the most likely to take the role? And Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is being increasingly tipped to swoop back to Westminster. Could he be the answer Labour has been searching for, realistically? Join Ros Taylor, Jonn Elledge, and Rafael Behr for all of that and a deep dive into the reality of party democracy. Escape Routes: • Jonn: Buy Clown Town through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund Oh God, What Now? by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • Ros: Buy Waterland through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund Oh God, What Now? by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. She also watched Hostage on Netflix. • Raf recommends a band called This Is The Kit - specifically a song called Our Socks Forever More www.patreon.com/ohgodwhatnow Presented by Ros Taylor with Rafael Behr and Jonn Elledge. Audio/ Video Production by: Chris Jones. Art direction: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Britain’s Got Tyrants – Can any party out perform Reform?

    Britain’s Got Tyrants – Can any party out perform Reform?
    Sep 12 2025
    Reform UK kicked off party season in the weirdest way possible – will any of the other parties be able to overshadow them in the coming weeks? Perhaps not for singing and conspiracy theories, but hopefully in policy. The panel previews party conference season. Plus, we discuss who should be the next Labour deputy leader and in the extra bit dive into some dodgy Boris Johnson accusations. • Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more • Back us on Patreon or ad-free listening, bonus materials and more. Presented by Alison Phillips with Zoë Grünewald, Jason Hazeley and Hannah Fearn. Audio Production by: Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 3 mins