The Two Matts

Donald Trump’s whirlwind Middle East tour leaves the Matts open-mouthed at the sheer audacity of his grift … and helps them form a picture about how he may be planning to rule beyond a second term. Also this week; Matt K recalls his very first week in journalism - covering the trial of Peter Sullivan 38 years ago as he was found guilty of the savage murder of Diane Sindall. Now he’s been proved to be innocent, what can we learn about our justice system? The questions are both profound and troubling.

Join Matt Kelly and Matthew d’Ancona as they try to make sense of Labour’s latest plans for immigration. Are they trying to outflank Farage? What will their core voters think? And does this make their chances of a second term more or less likely? Also - are the Tories finished as a political force? Matt D lays out a compelling case for their terminal condition. What does this mean for UK politics? Enjoy!

The Matts get their heads around the cost of travelling in the UK by train, wonder if the death of Weightwatchers signifies a stage of human evolution, lament the disgraceful comments of Reform’s Andrea Jenkyns and offer their guiding hand to Downing Street… enjoy!

The Matts are joined by New European political editor James Ball to step back and reflect on why Keir Starmer’s government is conspicuously failing to excite and unite a British public desperate for change after so many years of Tory rule. They have their theories. Is there an easy(-ish) answer? And who should they really be worried about if it’s not Reform? In the second half, the Matts take a look at the new documentary into the life of Leni Riefenstahl, filmmaker to the Nazis, and ask what her post-war rehabilitation tells us about the intersection of culture and politics.

The Matts are joined by acclaimed author and FT journalist Edward Luce to talk about his new book Zbig— the definitive biography of Zbigniew Brzezinski, Cold War strategist and key architect of U.S. foreign policy. More than just a biography, Zbig offers sharp insights into the nature of power and America’s role in the world. If you want to understand how global strategy is shaped, this episode is essential listening.