Tom Nicholas offers news updates and analysis focusing on the UK and international events. The podcast covers a range of current affairs topics with insightful commentary. Listeners can expect regular episodes that break down complex stories. The show aims to provide a clear perspective on global news.
Episodes
Could the Democrats Kill the Electoral College?
Last week's midterm elections were an absolute disaster for the Republican Party. The Democrats managed to take control of both chambers of the US Congress: the House representatives and the Senate.Possibly more important though is that the Democrats now control enough state legislatures to possibly change how Americans vote forever.That's right! The Democrats now have the opportunity to
This Week's OTHER Election
This week, the global press has been somewhat obsessed with the midterm elections, which have been happening over in America, including us!But America isn't the only country going to the polls this week. Down in the South Pacific, Aotearoa, or New Zealand, is also turfing out all its politicians and electing new ones in a general election which is currently on a knife edge.In some ways, t
Trump’s Impending Electoral Car Crash
Tomorrow, the Americans go to the polls for the Midterms. And you’ve probably heard quite a bit about these elections already, either dripping through our media or via the internet in recent months. Such are the joys of living in the shadow of the global hegemon.We have all, regardless of where we are, spent 2026 watching fuel prices climb up and up because of Trump's war in Iran. We've a
Will Britain Tax the Rich?
Yesterday, I went to 11 Downing Street (the office and home of the Chancellor of the Exchequer) to find out the details about John Healey and Andy Burnham's first Budget.Will they end the 40 years of neoliberalism like Burnham promised or do they fall short?Come along with me to find out on Slow News Day!(We also met Larry the Cat!)The Slow NewsroomCreator and Host: Tom NicholasProducer:
The Online Right's Weirdest Conspiracy Yet
A new conspiracy theory is haunting the online right. They have found, in the clutches of this insidious group, an explanation for everything wrong with the world. This group controls every Labour Prime Minister ever elected, including Andy Burnham, and who knows how many other politicians, thinkers, business leaders, etc.This conspiracy has had an airing on Joe Rogan, as well as basicall
The Gen Z Protests are Spreading...
So it's (still) all kicking off in France. Youth protests hit boiling point this weekend, with over 2,000 people arrested across the country. And yet, it’s not just France. Back in Spring, we saw, in India, the emergence of the Cockroach Janta Party. Originally nothing more than an online meme, the Cockroach movement soon grew into a thriving youth movement, which caused the resignation o
Right Wing Jesus Is Coming To Britain
A right-wing vision of Jesus is coming to Britain, if a few well-heeled and well-funded activists here in the UK have their way.A battle for the heart and soul of the Church of England is taking place and is being heavily funded by Paul Marshall, the fund manager turned media empire owner. Since the Church of England is both a state religion, and heavily involved in British politics, I fe
Can Russian Oil Save Donald Trump?
Has Donald Trump just negotiated a Russia/Ukraine ceasefire? Maybe? Probably not, though.Trump declared that there was an "energy ceasefire" in the Russia Ukraine War last night, which came as a surprise to both Russia and Ukraine. A few days beforehand, Trump made a deal with Putin for more diesel. So what's going down here? Is there a ceasefire either in place or in progress? Is America
Who Will Win the Battle for Britain's Progressive Voters?
There's a big by-election in Britain today, and the outcome could decide the fate of Britain's duelling left-wing parties. So... can the Green Party keep its momentum, or will Labour strike back?The Slow NewsroomCreator and Host: Tom NicholasProducer: Jack CarterEdit & Thumbnail: Georgia BurrowsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://ar
Can Andy Burnham Save Britain? | The PM Interview
I sat down with Prime Minister Andy Burnham to chat about his plans to change Britain, including the abolition of the pension triple lock, electoral reform and whether he can win young, progressive voters back to Labour.The Slow NewsroomCreator and Host: Tom NicholasProducers: Rosie Stevenson and Jack CarterEdit: Georgia BurrowsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi
Are We Giving Up on Climate Change?
Are we giving up on action to combat climate change? The idea that we should at least slowing down our efforts to decarbonize energy production has been gaining a lot of traction in political discourse lately. On the international stage, there is, of course, the Trump of it all. But even here in the UK, where we've been far more climate-forward, something has shifted.The Slow NewsroomCrea
Mark Zuckerberg vs Online Safety Act
Meta is taking the UK government to court in the latest of several global legal challenges, which have seen the beleaguered social media company try to stave off efforts to place it under greater regulation and oversight. The legal action here in the UK focuses on the Online Safety Act, which primarily gave the UK government much greater powers to limit the types of content and services w
Could the United Kingdom Break Up?
Is the UK about to break up? The first ministers of Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland met today in Cardiff to sign a "memorandum of understanding" declaring each nation's desire to separate from both one another and England. This is just days after Donald Trump claimed over the weekend that a united Ireland would be “fantastic”, Not long after, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham had expl
The UK Just Sanctioned Israel
The UK government announced sanctions on Israel earlier this week in a move which was closely coordinated with allies in eleven other countries. On Monday, British foreign secretary Ed Miliband delivered a statement to Parliament in which he announced a significant change in the UK’s relationship with Israel. It is now the official position of the UK government that the Israeli occupation
How Germany Learned To Love The Far Right (Again)
The far right look to be on their way back to government in Germany. Sunday's election saw a thumping victory for Alternative for Deutschland, the country's populist far-right party which is led at the federal level by Alice Weidel. This represents the best result for a far-right party in Germany since the Second World War. All of which was supposed to be impossible. What does this mean f
Why Just Stop Oil Are Back | EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Just Stop Oil are back! Perhaps the world’s most controversial activist group, JSO were rarely out of the headlines a couple of years ago. From their throwing of soup over a Van Gogh painting to the smashing of the glass around the Magna Carta (which we just so happened to be in the room for), Just Stop Oil were masters at attracting controversy. That is, until they hanged up their bucket
The Plan to Make Democracy Impossible
The global right wants to stop you from voting. Right wingers in both the US and the UK are currently pushing forward with plans to heavily restrict the right to vote. Both claim they are trying to stamp out various forms of electoral fraud, despite independent experts saying there is little to no evidence of that fraud actually existing. So what exactly are their plans and will they succ
Mark Zuckerberg's Addiction Problem*
Mark Zuckerberg and Meta are currently in the legal battle of their lives, as a jury trial which started this week sees them facing-off against a coalition of 29 US states. Those states are seeking $200 billion in damages from the company as well as to enforce changes in the way their social media products, specifically Facebook and Instagram, work to keep children engaged. This case coul
Nigel Farage’s Empty Victory
Nigel Farage won a stonking by-election victory last Thursday, beating 33 rival candidates of varying degrees of oddness to take back his seat as Member of Parliament for Clacton. On the surface, Farage's decision to resign his own MP seat in order to distract from accusations of financial misconduct by proving people love him regardless, appears to have paid off. But, has it really?The S
Should Meta Glasses Be Banned?
Smart glasses are facing a backlash. Whilst the privacy-eroding spectacles had been on a good run, the sheer amount of weirdos using them to covertly film other people has resulted in the Meta Glasses receiving a nickname: "pervert glasses". Is there a chance that governments could ban them or regulate them out of existence or will Meta fight back?The Slow News Day TeamCreator and Host: T
Does Parliament Have a Drinking Problem?
A new report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies published this weekend has revealed the worrying extent to which parliament’s many on-site bars and frequent booze-soaked events fuels a culture in which MPs are spending excessive amounts of time getting sloshed. What does it say about the culture among parliamentarians that the people who hold the highest offices in the land are frequentl
Could Zohran Mamdani's Nationalised Stores Help the Cost of Living Crisis?
Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s democratic socialist mayor revealed more details about his plans for city-owned grocery stores earlier this week. The move is part of a plan to tackle rising food prices in New York; with those price rises having been felt across America and much of the rest of the world too. What’s really interesting to me, however, is the manner in which the particular pr
Where Has Zack Polanski Gone?
Where is Zack Polanski? Not too long ago, he was everywhere. He won the Green Party leadership against two sitting MPs, the Green Party membership exploded and then they won the Gorton and Denton by-election. It was all looking up for the Green Party. Now, it seems that that momentum has all but gone. Why has this happened? Has the Green Party taken a wrong turn somewhere? Have press atta
What is the Legacy of Ann Widdecombe?
The death of a British politician is now being investigated as a potential act of terrorism. The former Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Maidstone and, more recently, spokesperson for the Reform Party, was found dead in her home in Haytor in Devon last Friday. But, with so much still unknown, as much of today’s story is going to be about Widdecombe’s political life, and about t
Marine Le Pen’s Legal Troubles, Explained
Nigel Farage isn't the only scandal-ridden far-right political leader right now. His former MEP colleague, and French Presidential hopeful, Marine Le Pen, has just been found guilty (yet again) of the misappropriation of public funds. Yesterday afternoon, the leading figure in France’s far-right National Rally party headed to court to hear the verdict in her appeal against her conviction,
Why Nigel Farage Might Lose His Seat
Two alleged instances of dodgy dealings with dodgy funders, including fresh allegations revealed this weekend of undeclared support from a convicted fraudster have opened up a path to Nigel Farage, the Reform Party leader, being removed from office. In today’s episode of SND, we’re going to take a look at those allegations, as well as explain what the potential consequences of these are.
Tom's Hottest Takes: The SND Q&A Episode
In this special episode of Slow News Day, you ask the questions and Tom answers! Last week, we asked you to message in on what topics you would like Tom to cover and we've got a selection of Tom's hottest takes on everything from voting reform to Doctor Who's cancellation.If you would like to see another Q&A SND, please email your questions over to snd@tomnicholas.comThe Slow News Day
Can Andy Burnham De-London-ify the UK?
The presumed next Prime Minister of the UK, Andy Burnham, has said that he plans to move at least part of 10 Downing Street to the north of England. Not physically. The door and Larry the Cat are staying where they are. But, in a speech this Monday, he said he was looking at establishing an additional office for his Prime Ministerial activities in Manchester, where he had been mayor for n
Al Carns: The Next Possible Prime Minister (That No-One's Heard Of)
Can anyone stop Andy Burnham from becoming Leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister of the UK? No, is almost certainly the answer to that. And yet that’s not going to stop politicians on the right wing of the Labour Party (who aren’t super keen on Burnham) from trying. If there is to be a challenge to Andy Burnham taking over as Prime Minister, rather than him simply becoming leader
What Does Andy Burnham Believe?
Keir Starmer has officially announced that he will be standing down as Prime Minister, and Leader of the Labour Party, leaving the door wide open for Andy Burnham to replace him. Having just found his way back to Parliament, as the winner of the Makerfield by-election, the “King in the North” is all but certainly our next Prime Minister.But what does Andy Burnham actually believe? What ki
Makerfield: Keir Starmer's Judgement Day
Keir Starmer’s future as Prime Minister will be decided today, in the most unusual of ways: a by-election in the North West of England. Usually, Prime Minister's fates are decided in General Elections, and by-elections are somewhat inconsequential, outside of the constituency. Makerfield, however, is different because Andy Burnham is standing for Labour. If he is elected to Parliament, he
Donald Trump's UFC Fight Night Birthday Party
Donald Trump will be celebrating his 80th birthday this Sunday, and he will be celebrating with style. If by style we mean gaudy excess. Donald Trump’s big birthday bash will consist of a specially-arranged, double title fight night of UFC matches being held on the South Lawn of the White House. The meeting of the American Presidency and the UFC might seem a little odd. So, today, I want
The (Somehow) Surprisingly Corrupt Politics of the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins this week, and even before kick off, the tournament has been caught under a mountain of scandal. We can put the blame for the situation at the feet of just one man: FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He may have been the man elected to save FIFA after a wave of arrests and rampant corruption, but has he saved or doomed the beautiful game?The Slow NewsroomCreat
Is Space X’s IPO a Massive Scam?
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is due to go public next week. In effect, this means it will go from being a privately-held company owned by Musk and a number of friends and colleagues to being a publicly-tradable company which you, yes you, can buy stocks in too. There’s a real risk that SpaceX might be massively, massively over valued, meaning retail investors (and retirement funds) might end up bei
Hasan’s Ban from the UK, Explained
Hasan Piker, the American Twitch streamer has been banned from entering the UK, along with The Young Turks host (and Piker’s uncle) Cenk Uygur. I’ve seen a few attempts to explain what’s going on here online, often by Americans and so I wanted to try and provide an explainer grounded a bit more in UK politics and law. So here we go.The Slow NewsroomCreator and Host: Tom NicholasEditor: G
Elon Musk is Sabotaging Reform UK
Elon Musk might be in the process of sabotaging the British far-right and inadvertently handing the Labour Party a massive win. Better still, I don’t think he knows he’s doing it or particularly cares. All of this relates to the by-election which is currently taking place in the constituency of Makerfield, where Andy Burnham’s biggest challenge to winning that seat should be Nigel Farage’
Britain's New Transphobic Laws, Explained
New rules around single-sex spaces, such as changing rooms and bathrooms, were published towards the end of last week. These govern how businesses and organisations in the UK are (and crucially are not) allowed to provide for trans people. It's another win for British transphobes, I'm afraid.The Slow NewsroomCreator and Host: Tom NicholasEditor: Georgia BurrowsProducer: Jack CarterSee Pri
The 'Steroid Olympics' Are Here and They're Much Weirder Than You Think
The so-called “steroid olympics” (officially called the "Enhanced Games") are taking place this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. Happening in a purpose-built stadium (for some reason) just off the Las Vegas strip, it will feature more than 40 athletes souped up on personalised regimens of performance-enhancing drugs to see just how far the human body can go (you know, if you add a bunch of p
Will Britain Undo Brexit?
Can Britain Undo Brexit? We're just shy of a decade since the UK voted to leave the EU, but could we be bracing for another big debate about EU membership? Recently, Wes Streeting announced that it would be part of his platform for Britain to rejoin the EU, should he became a candidate to replace Keir Starmer. Could this actually happen, or is there something else going on?The Slow Newsro
Eurovision's Israel Crisis, Explained
The Eurovision Song Contest is in crisis this year, with five countries: Spain, Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, and Slovenia having pulled out of the competition, with some refusing to broadcast, due to Israel's participation. Critics have accused Israel of using the show to distract from the genocide and human rights abuses in Gaza and the West Bank. There have also been investigation
Will Wes Streeting Be Britain's Next Prime Minister?
Keir Starmer is (almost) gone. Nearly 100 Labour MPs have publicly called for him to resign. But, when he goes, there will be a leadership contest for Leader of the Labour Party and, by extension, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So I want to dedicate some time in the coming week or so to lifting the lid on some of the key contenders for that
Is Keir Starmer the British Joe Biden?
It's election day in Britain and Keir Starmer is in trouble. Will he resign? Apparently not! Argh! In his steadfast refusal to resign despite election losses, scandal, and terrible polling fast turning him into Britain's Joe Biden?The Slow NewsroomCreator and Host: Tom NicholasEditor: Georgia BurrowsProducer: Jack CarterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac
The Stock Market is Broken
The stock market might be broken. Really broken. The massive AI bubbles has shown everyone that. But can we really just blame over-enthusiastic investors, or might there be another trend which is keeping the bubble from bursting too?The Slow NewsroomCreator and Host: Tom NicholasEditor: Georgia BurrowsProducer: Jack CarterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv
What the Renters' Rights Act Means for You
It’s a bad week to be a dodgy landlord in the UK, as a new piece of legislation comes into force bringing much-needed security for tenants, and reducing the power landlords have to turf out residents at short notice. The BBC earlier this week were billing it as “one of the biggest changes to housing law in history”. But I’m here to tell you that that’s not quite true. In fact it’s really
King Charles's Trip to America is Embarrassing
The King's Going on Holiday! Sorry, I mean an official "state visit" to America in order to salvage some from of working relationship with Donald Trump. This trip puts the Monarchy in an awkward position, as having the King merely stand with Trump implies that he endorses the President's views. It's also incredibly unpopular with the British people.The Slow NewsroomHost and Creator: Tom N
Can Labour Survive Keir Starmer?
Keir Starmer is on his way out. Whether it takes a month or a year, he is going to be a Prime Minister whose tenure is shrouded in failure. But could he be about to take down the entire Labour Party with him? A new poll by YouGov was released recently that showed that the Labour Party could be facing an existential crisis in the local elections on the 7th May. The Labour Party could lose
Trump's Iran Ceasefire is Almost Over
The US-Iran ceasefire expires tomorrow, and all eyes are on Pakistan as it looks like peace talks may, possibly, fingers crossed go ahead, and we might avoid a recommencement of strikes. Donald Trump has accused Iran of violating the ceasefire and continued his streak of threats and brinkmanship, however, whilst Iran has threatened that it is preparing 'new cards on the battlefield'. Tens
Slow News Day Announcement
This feed is changing... Join me, Tom Nicholas, for discussion and updates about the ups and downs of UK global politics twice a week.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Best (and Worst) Climate Intervention w/ Simon Clark
In recent decades, more and more energy has been put into developing interventions to either reduce fossil fuel emissions or, in some cases, remove them from the atmosphere entirely. But, which of those interventions actually have the potential to turn the tide in our fight against global heating and which are all talk and no substance?In today's episode of Induction, Tom chats with Dr Si
AI Hype vs AI Reality w/ Jordan Harrod
Artificial Intelligence is everywhere now. Over the past year, tools like ChatGPT, Dall-E and Stable Diffusion have turned what was previously a fairly marginal technology into headline news. Industry leaders make great predictions about the future of AI, predicting an end to work (and, perhaps even an end to humanity). But how much of that is likely and how much is pure hype?In this fort
How Video Essays Took Over YouTube w/ Neil from The Leftist Cooks
Over the past half decade or so, video essays have taken over YouTube. As things stand, a significant portion of the site's largest creators and most popular videos are at least video essay adjacent.In this fortnight's episode of Induction, Tom takes stock of where the genre has come from, where it is now and where it might be going next with a little help from Neil Farrell from The Lefti
We're Still Obsessed with Shakespeare w/ Abigail Thorn
Since his death in 1616, William Shakespeare has often been held up as one of the greatest (if not the greatest) English-language writers. Nevertheless, the world in which Shakespeare was writing was clearly a very different on to that which we live in today. So, what is it that keeps audiences, creatives and other thinkers coming back to his work?In today's episode of Induction, Tom chat
How to Survive Your Twenties (in a World on Fire) w/ Leena Norms
For a long time, one's 20s were viewed as the defining decade of a person's life. The cultural norm was that this was the decade in which one would find a partner, get married, settle down and buy a house. But, even for those who want to pursue such a life plan, the economic shifts of the past twenty years mean that such a route now looks all-but impossible.In this fortnight's episode of
Why 2023 is Making You Poorer w/ Unlearning Economics [Audio Exclusive]
In this audio-exclusive episode of Induction, Tom is joined by Unlearning Economics to chat a little bit about inflation: what it is, why it's currently so high, and what can be done to bring it down again. (Also contains a lot of talk about Freddo Frogs.)Watch or listen to every episode of Induction two weeks early at http://go.nebula.tv/inductionCheck out UE's videos at https://www.yout
Utopian Thinking in Dystopian Times w/ Andrewism
It can be difficult to be optimistic about politics. With a climate crisis in full swing and inequality getting worse, it can be easy to slip into a distanced doomerism. But, what if that's bad, actually?In this fortnight's episode of Induction, Tom chats with Andrewism about the importance of utopias and utopian thinking even in the darkest of times.Watch or listen to every episode of In
How the Internet Changed Healthcare w/ Medlife Crisis
In this fortnight’s episode of Induction, Tom chats to Dr. Rohin Francis about how the internet has changed our relationship with our own health.*The Induction Team*Hosted by Tom NicholasEdited by Georgia BurrowsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Uber-ification of University Professors w/ Zoe Bee
In this fortnight’s episode of Induction, Tom chats to Zoe Bee about why university professors in both the UK and the US have been striking so much lately, and the broader crisis in higher education that has brought academics to breaking point.Watch or listen to every episode of Induction two weeks early at http://go.nebula.tv/inductionCheck out Zoe’s videos at http://youtube.com/@zoe_bee
The Unstoppable Rise of Urban Planning Content w/ Not Just Bikes
In this fortnight's episode of Induction, Tom chats to Jason Slaughter from the YouTube channel Not Just Bikes about the recent boom in urban planning content. How has this once-niche subject area come to take over the internet and become... dare I say it... cool?Watch or listen to every episode of Induction two weeks early at http://go.nebula.tv/inductionCheck out Jason’s channel at http
TikTok's Weirdly Powerful Algorithm w/ Mia Mulder
In this episode of Induction, Tom is joined by Mia Mulder to talk about Twitter's weirdly powerful algorithm and how its intensity pushes creators to make some fairly odd content.Get access to episodes of Induction a full two weeks early on Nebula at https://go.nebula.tv/inductionThe Induction TeamHosted by Tom NicholasEdited by Georgia BurrowsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva
The Bizarre Backlash to 15-Minute Cities w/ Münecat
The very first episode of Induction, in which Tom is joined by Münecat to talk about the bizarre backlash to 15-minute cities and the protest against them she attended in Oxford.Get access to episodes of Induction a full two weeks early on Nebula at https://go.nebula.tv/inductionThe Induction TeamHosted by Tom NicholasEdited by Georgia BurrowsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac
Induction: Hosted by Tom Nicholas (Trailer)
Induction is a new podcast hosted by Tom Nicholas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
