Trendy

Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Labour Party have unveiled their first budget in 14 years. John and Rachel are joined by Merryn Somerset Webb to discuss the big takeaways and what this means for the country's economic future. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Merryn Somerset Webb, senior columnist at Bloomberg To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With only two weeks to go until the US election, Rachel and John are joined by Professor Chris Carmen to discuss the polls, the big campaign moments and what may happen next. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Professor Christopher Carman, Stevenson Professor of Citizenship at the University of Glasgow To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who belongs to a political party these days? John and Rachel discuss the changing nature of political party membership. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel and John are joined by Professor Tim Lang to discuss food trends. From cooked liver to takeaway meals, what are the forces influencing our diets? Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Professor Timothy Lang To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As universities face financial challenges, John and Rachel are joined by Professor Dame Alison Wolf to discuss higher education funding and how the system can be improved. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Professor Dame Alison Wolf DBE To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Conservative party had its worst election defeat in its history, both in terms of votes and seats. In this episode of Trendy John and Rachel discuss who votes Conservative and how has that changed over time. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of Labour’s party conference John and Rachel discuss who Labour’s voters are now and what policy challenges the government faces in the next few months. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Liberal Democrats party conference gets under way, John and Rachel take a look at liberal voting trends. Who are their voters and why do they vote liberal? Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last forty years trade union membership in Britain has halved. Critics of the new government have accused it of giving into union demands over public pay. John and Rachel discuss how important trade unions are in the modern workplace. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much energy do we use and where does it come from? To achieve net zero carbon emissions politicians will have to make some difficult decisions about how we power our lives and the economy. John and Rachel talk to Professor Dieter Helm, Britain’s leading energy economist, to get a sense of the scale of the challenge. Guest: Dieter Helm, professor of energy policy at New College, Oxford Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do new prime ministers change the machinery of government to help deliver their priorities? John and Rachel are joined by former civil servant Jill Rutter to discuss government transitions and what Keir Starmer has changed since taking the reins of the British state. Guest: Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former civil servant Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How have the two main parties interpreted the election result? John and Rachel look at how they’ve reacted to what they think voters were telling them and how this moment compares to 1997 when Labour last won a landslide. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Millions of us heading off on holiday across the UK and the rest of the world in the next few weeks. John and Rachel take a closer look at where we go on holiday, how this has changed and the impact it has on local residents and the environment. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Republican party convention in full swing, John and Rachel are joined by Professor Christopher Carman to discuss how political parties in the US have changed. Guest: Professor Christopher Carman, University of Glasgow Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Polls predicted a historic win for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France’s parliamentary election. But a new coalition on the left did better than expected. John and Rachel are joined by UCL professor Philippe Marliere to discuss what just happened in France and what might happen next. Guest: Philippe Marliere, professor of French and European Politics at University College London Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Curtice and Rachel Wolf discuss the election results and what they mean? Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the eve of the election John explains how the exit polls work. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does the online election campaign look like? Who are the parties trying to reach and how effective are they? John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by Kate Dommett, professor of digital politics at Sheffield University. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Kate Dommett, professor of digital politics at Sheffield University To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John and Rachel discuss the latest polls and policy dividing lines between the main parties. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What has changed since Rishi Sunak’s D-Day gaffe and Nigel Farage’s intervention? John and Rachel delve into the latest polls, the party manifestos and the latest British Social Attitudes survey, which shows trust in politics is at a record low. Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Labour’s poll lead over the Conservatives widening? What could Nigel Farage’s return to the political fray mean for the polls and the Tories? And John Curtice reveals the six tribes of voters that make up the UK electorate. Which one do you belong to? Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first week of the election campaign is over. What do the polls say and how have they changed? What policies have the parties announced? John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by two former campaign insiders to discuss. Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Dr Denise Baron, former head of insights for the Liberal Democrat Campaign and Dr Tom Hamilton formerly head of research for the Labour Party. To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gen Z - people born between 1997 and 2012 - are the post Brexit, post financial crisis, post austerity generation. They are better educated than their predecessors, but face higher levels of debt and higher housing costs. For many this will be the first time they get a chance to vote in a general election. So what do they think and what could that mean for policy makers? Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John and Rachel discuss how schooling has changed from the 1960s until now. Who goes to school? Who runs them? And are school-leavers better at maths now than their predecessors? Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Curtice and Rachel Wolf discuss the fallout from the local elections results and work out what this could mean for the major parties in a the general election. Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just over half of the British public now think the monarchy is ‘very’ or ‘quite’ important. That’s according to new data published by the British Social Attitudes survey which suggests that support for the monarchy has been in decline over the last decade. John and Rachel discuss why this is happening. Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly two-thirds of under 35s have used a dating app or online service to meet a partner. That’s according to an exclusive poll for Trendy. However, opinion is split about whether online dating is a positive or negative experience. How has how we find a partner changed and what does it mean for long term relationships? Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Rebecca Moore, Producer To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forty years ago London was in decline. Now it’s a global megacity with a growing population and a large economy, but it’s quite socially conservative. How does that shape the politics of the capital and who governs it? Click here to book your tickets for Trendy Live at 6.30pm on Wednesday 8th May: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/thinkin/trendy-live-show-local-election-special/ Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Guest: Professor Tony Travers, director of LSE London To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voters in England and Wales will elect councillors, mayors, London Assembly members and police and crime commissioners. What’s at stake? Is local democracy in Britain in good shape? And what can these elections tell us about the general election? Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new survey suggests the public’s satisfaction with the NHS is at a record low. What can the next government do to fix this? John and Rachel are joined by Julian le Grand, former senior policy advisor to Tony Blair specialising in health, who argues it’s time to bring back what he describes as "targets and terror" to the NHS. Guest: Julian le Grand, former senior policy advisor to Tony Blair specialising in health Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s feverish speculation about the timing of the next election, so in this episode Rachel and John look at how campaigns have changed with the help of Kate Dommett, professor of digital politics at Sheffield University. Guest: Kate Dommett, professor of digital politics at The University of Sheffield Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The state of public finances is dire: government debt is high and so too are taxes. How did we get into this mess and what choices does the next government have? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four years on from the start of the pandemic we’re still living with the consequences. In this episode, John Curtice and Rachel Wolf discuss Covid’s legacy. What has it done to the size of the state, public services and the world of work? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US presidential election is shaping up to be a repeat of 2020: Joe Biden vs Donald Trump. How does America choose its candidates and what’s likely to happen in November’s election? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you do all day? Data suggests the average time people spend on leisure has decreased since the 1980s. John and Rachel explain what’s going on and what they spend their time doing. Email: trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosts: Professor John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the biggest policy challenges Britain faces right now is its housing crisis. How did we get into such a mess and how do we get out of it? John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by Dr Tim Leunig who advised three secretaries of state on housing policy. If you want to hear more from Tortoise on housing, listen to Making sense of social housing. Email: trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The number of university graduates has never been higher, but what does that mean for social mobility? Has it stalled and if so, what does that reveal about inequality? Email: trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Executive producer: Jasper Corbett To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across Europe the radical right is making progress and winning elections. To understand why, Rachel and John speak to Professor Sara Hobolt from the London School of Economics. Email: trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Producer: Lewis Vickers Executive producer: Jasper Corbett To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across the western world birth rates are declining. Why aren’t we having as many children as we used to? Is there still a link between marriage and having children? And what can policy makers be doing about the falling birth rate? Email: trendy@tortoisemedia.com Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf Producer: Rebecca Moore Executive producer: Jasper Corbett To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A quarter of all government spending goes on welfare, including pensions, housing and incapacity benefit. What challenges does the next government face when it comes to welfare? Email: trendy@tortoisemedia.com Guest: Robert De Vries, senior lecturer in sociology and social policy at the University of Kent Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the opinion polls are right the Conservatives could face one of their worst electoral defeats in their history in the upcoming general election. Can anything change that? To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two thirds of us never go to a place of worship. Support for organised religion in the UK is in steep decline among most groups in the UK. Yet most of us will celebrate Christmas in a few weeks. So what’s going on? John Curtice and Rachel Wolf discuss whether the UK is now a secular country and the role that faith still plays when it comes to certain policies, for instance education. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Hunt announced £20bn in personal and business tax cuts in his recent Autumn Statement. But to pay for that schools, hospitals and other public services won’t be protected from the rising cost of inflation. On top of that, forecasters predict economic growth will be weak and inflation will remain high over the next few years. So what choices do taxpayers face and what might greet a new government next year when it comes to tax and spend? John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by Torsten Bell who runs the Resolution Foundation think tank. To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists. - Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content. - Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more. If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Polls suggest both US president Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak face an uphill battle to win votes in upcoming national elections. John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by US polling expert, Professor Christopher Carman to discuss whether Biden and Sunak could be defeated for the same reasons? For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain spends nearly £50 billion a year on defence. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there were renewed calls for an increase to defence spending. Would voters support this? Rachel Wolf and John Curtice discuss how voters view the armed forces and the changing nature of Remembrance in Britain. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.