The powerful rise of the Scottish independence movement once struck fear into the British ruling class, threatening to break the United Kingdom and raise the rebellious spirit of the working class.
Nearly ten years since the referendum that unleashed opposition to Tory Britain, and raised the Scottish National Party to unprecedented support, the movement i ... Show More
Sep 2024
187. The Birth of Britain
With the accession of James I and VI in 1603, Scotland was assimilated into the composite monarchy of the United Kingdom. James, an eccentric, insecure and rambling figure, preoccupied with witches, was himself an alien in his new English court. Even at this stage though, it seem ... Show More
55m 12s
Mar 2025
239. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Rise of The IRA (Ep 2)
The Irish republicans who led the Easter Rising of 1916 are tried for treason by the British government, and sentenced to death. Some are so unwell they have to be tied to a chair to be killed, and the brutality of these executions turns the tide of public opinion in Ireland, inc ... Show More
1h 2m
Jul 2024
Why the far right is winning in Europe, with Yanis Varoufakis
In the recent European elections, the far right won unprecedented gains. From the success of the AfD in Germany, to Le Pen’s National Rally in France, the elections saw nationalist and eurosceptic parties sweep up nearly a quarter of the seats in the European parliament. In the U ... Show More
42m 42s
May 2024
Do we need to fight for the right to protest?
In February, the prime minister warned that “mob rule is replacing democratic rule” in the UK. He encouraged police to take action on pro-Palestine protests which, he said, had descended into “intimidation, threats, and planned acts of violence”. Over 50 organisations responded b ... Show More
39m 55s