The Two Matts

A special episode of the podcast today with real depth of thinking on where Keir Starmer has gone wrong… and why right now is NOT the right time to replace him

Hot from the two-and-a-half hours of select committee evidence, the Matts digest the evidence of Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and his role in the Peter Mandelson affair

The Matts answer listeners’ questions including when Starmer should go; why we don’t vet our politicians and how to fund the NHS

Indecision’s bugging the Two Matts… should Keir Starmer stay or should he go? If he stays there will be trouble. But if he goes it will be double

Journalist and author John Kampfner joins the Matts to discuss his stunning new book Braver New World – a global travelogue of bold solutions to some of the world’s thorniest problems

The Matts tackle listeners’ questions, including how positive should we be about the fall of Orbán and why is Corbyn polling zero percent?

The Matts assess Péter Magyar’s spectacular ousting of Victor Orbán in Hungary and what it means for the fight against right-wing populism worldwide

The Matts answer listeners’ Easter Sunday questions, including on whether or not the King should be visiting the States and whether the debate around joining the EU will be as divisive as 2016

The Matts fall out spectacularly and unexpectedly over NASA’s moon shot, Artemis 2

The Matts answer your questions in their regular Sunday Q&A show, including whether their mission to see Reform fail is blinding them to the full picture and how the war in Iran is going for Donald Trump

The Matts argue it’s not a case of Rejoin – but Join. Joining what, though? That’s the interesting, most challenging question in European politics today

The Matts explore how French philosopher Jean Baudrillard was right about the nature of warfare in the 21st century – especially when applied to the unprecedented chaos unfolding in the Middle East

The Matts answer listeners’ questions including whether or not Donald Trump has lost control of the war in Iran and why the BBC isn’t covering The New World’s GB News investigation

Alan Rusbridger joins the Matts to discuss The New World’s investigation into GB News’s persistent breaches of Ofcom’s code on impartiality and accuracy

The Matts answer listener questions including on Isabel Oakeshott’s hypocrisy, China’s century, the death of centrism, the rule of law, the future of the Telegraph and their tips for tonight’s big Oscar night in Hollywood.

The Matts tackle a number of intersecting topics: can the Peter Mandelson affair damage Keir Starmer more than it already has?

This Matts ad hoc pod episode takes stock of the first days of Operation Epic Fury and wonders if this is the war when it’s going well (as Donald Trump insists) what does it look like when it’s going badly?

The Matts again respond to your queries: World War III, Carney backing Trump, and Dubai-based expats not paying their own way home.

The Matts unpick the events of the past week and are intrigued by the internal Labour Party politics that created a sense of chaos around the UK’s response to the war

The Matts do their level best to make sense of the last three days – events which make little sense in isolation, but once a wider spectrum of factors comes into play, does a sinister strategy emerge?

The Matts answer questions from listeners, including whether or not the age of deference is dead; is Trump going flat and is Farage just like Thatcher; why doesn’t NATO repel Russia?

Maybe it’s sinking in now? The Matts agree that whatever mitigation there is, Keir Starmer’s Labour government does not have the cut-through with voters to win the next general election

Before the Matts start kicking lumps out of each other, they enjoy the relative calm of a brief discussion on the smokescreen around the arrest of Peter Mandelson

The Matts answer listeners’ questions, including whether Nigel Farage really is a man of the people and if Manchester United deserve an owner as odious as Jim Ratcliffe?

The Matts sweep up an extraordinary 24 hours in British history. But first, they marvel at the power of a single photographic frame – currently splashed on every newspaper front page in the country. Is this the most extraordinary back seat photo since Thatcher? Then they discuss if the media has an innate deference to […]

The King’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested this morning by Thames Valley Police officers investigating allegations of misconduct in public office

This week: is Keir Starmer the new Joe Biden, why isn’t Sadiq Khan in the frame for next PM and should we keep calling Prince Andrew Prince Andrew?

The Matts reflect on the last week, and address their own fallibilities (and thank you, dear listeners, for pointing them out!).

The Matts digest the events of the past 24 hours. Will Morgan McSweeney’s departure delay or hasten the existential crisis facing Keir Starmer? Does Starmer’s plea bargain over Peter Mandelson’s appointment wash? How could he take a bold personal decision and salvage his legacy? And of all the problematic contenders circling overhead, who could achieve […]

The Matts answer listeners’ questions including: why has this Peter Mandelson scandal provoked such enormous fury, why is not-Prince Andrew still at large, can Zack Polanski be trusted, is the House of Lords really a threat to democracy and what is the best protest song ever? Enjoy! Produced by Matt Withers OFFER: Get The New […]

The Matts assess the last 24 hours and reach an inescapable conclusion: Keir Starmer will not survive the Mandelson affair

Peter Mandelson’s disgrace, writ large in the latest dump of Jeffrey Epstein files, is the gravest challenge to the credibility of the British establishment in decades.

The Matts respond to listeners’ reaction to their debate on the future of Shamima Begum – and, if anything, their respective positions have hardened. Get set for some fireworks. Also – was Keir Starmer weak in blocking Andy Burnham, is the UK falling apart, did the Tories cross a line in slurring Suella Braverman… and […]

The situation in Minnesota has brought extraordinary political turmoil to the Oval Office. As Donald Trump continues his manic month of January – from Venezuela to Davos, Greenland to Iran – what does this domestic crisis mean for his personal position as president and the MAGA movement in general? The Matts analyse what is an […]

We thought you might enjoy relistening to an in-depth conversation we had last year with the man of the moment, Andy Burnham – mayor of Greater Manchester, former cabinet minister and, of course, a man who’s had his ambition to run as an MP squashed by the Labour NEC under the direction of Keir Starmer […]

The Matts answer your questions, including on Trump and Greenland, Blair and the Board of Peace, whether the Home Office is right to keep Shamima Begun out of the UK and, of course, the really big question of the week: who is Team Brooklyn and who is Team Posh and Becks? All of human life […]

The Matts pick apart the most astonishing events of the past 48 hours and take an objective look at what it means. They are appalled at the complacency of many in the media in reporting what is a shakedown happening in real time. And they delight in the clear-eyed articulation of this new world order […]

The last 72 hours have been extraordinary and historic. And we still don’t have a clue what it all adds up to. But there are things we now know. Trump is on a collision course with European nations over the future of Greenland and Keir Starmer is stuck in the middle of an angry EU […]

The Matts answer your questions, including what would happen if Nato collapsed, is there hope for Iran, how can we fix Britain’s sh*tty water companies, was 2016 a year to feel nostalgic about and did the Matts get it right with their comments about votes for the old? Enjoy! OFFER: Get The New World for […]

Saul Klein is one of the UK’s top venture capitalists – he’s helped build some extraordinary businesses and he understands, as few do, just how our capitalist society really functions… or doesn’t. He describes himself as a professional optimist and has a fascinating, wide-ranging narrative entwining European history, the negative consequences of Silicon Valley’s dominance […]

The Matts answer your questions. including Trump’s kleptocracy, Laila Cunningham’s chances of becoming mayor of London, why The New World is still on X, an upper limit on the voting age, how good Timothée Chalamet’s blockbuster ping pong movie Marty Supreme is and what chance there is of a special edition of The New World […]

The Matts pick apart the extraordinary events of this week and make sense* of what they mean for life on planet Earth in the second quarter of the 21st century. What is Trump up to? How can Europe react to a threat from a NATO member state? What is the future of Greenland? How is […]

2025 may have been an absolute skip fire for political progress but it was a cracker for culture. The Matts round off the year with their highlights – but what will be their joint top moment of 2025? Thank you for listening this year – the Matts return early January and wish all listeners a […]

The Matts explore the issues thrown up by the dreadful massacre of Jews at Bondi Beach this week. When is a protest actually an act of violence? Why do we rush to talk of securing synagogues from attack rather than address the root problem of those attacks? How will our politicians get ahead of what […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss the Trump administration’s demand for visitors to hand over five years’ worth of social media history, why political manifestos have got so long and whether Piers Morgan was right to give such lengthy exposure to Nick Fuertes. Plus they talk about whether the […]

The Matts wonder what we’ve learned since Covid … and if the reaction to the current flu outbreak is anything to go by, the answer is not much. The conversation segways into Zack Polanski and political energy. Then in part two, both Matts are united – for once – in praise for Keir Starmer’s attempt […]

The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy document released this week is an astonishing affront to what many of us believe to be the liberal world order. The Matts are joined by New World contributing editor and columnist Paul Mason to understand just how far reaching its consequences are – and how Europe must find new […]

Today on The Two Matts podcast, Matt Kelly and Matt d’Ancona again respond to your queries. They discuss whether Richard Tice is as nasty as he appears to be, and if there is a world where Labour and the Conservatives form a German-style grand coalition to keep Reform from forming the next government. They also […]

The Matts examine the conclusion of the Independent Office for Police Conduct 14 YEAR (!) investigation into the Hillsborough disaster and reflect on the ghastly sequence of events that has consumed so many lives, literally and otherwise. And to add insult to the closure of a process that has taken 36 years to produce zero […]

The Matts discuss the central role journalism has played in fostering racism in Britain over the decades, and which now looks like it is entering a new, more dangerous phase. The chat is based on an article Matt Kelly wrote for The New World – the link is below. But before that – why did […]

Today on The Two Matts podcast, Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether Nigel Farage’s schoolboy racism should count against him 45 years later and, after The New World’s Kent council cover story, how the media can continue to hold the Reform party to account. They also talk about […]

Did Rachel Reeves turn a corner this week with her Budget … and drive this Labour government straight off a cliff? The Matts reflect on her performance yesterday and how she fared in the media round this morning. It’s not great news for those of us clinging to the hope that Starmer can reinvigorate his […]

The Matts are joined by Labour insider and New World contributing editor Tom Baldwin – fresh from his in depth interview with the woman of the hour, Chancellor Rachel Reeves.  Tom explains what’s going on in Reeves’ head (lots) and how she faces an unprecedented challenge – calming a febrile electorate while delivering enough visible […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether we need a public inquiry into the BBC’s remit in British life, if we would all be better informed if we listened to experts and – in the light of allegations about Nigel Farage’s school years – whether leopards ever change their […]

The Matts dig into the unfolding drama in Washington as Trump performs the reversal of his career and signs off on the release of the Epstein files. How much trouble is he in? Also – what should we make of Labour’s new crackdown on immigration? The Matts may disagree about the messaging but are fairly […]

Maybe the best podcast we’ve done to date? You be the judge – but the Matts explore an extraordinary study into how 16 and 17-year-olds are thinking about a wide range of issues, both political and social. It’s important and timely; they will have the vote at the next election and will play a big […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether it is time for the US to repeal its natural-born citizen clause and let talent like Zohran Mamdani run for president and if reducing regulations would allow the Michelle Mones of this world to prosper, and revisit their chat with Jo Bartosch […]

The Matts kick off the show discussing The New World’s exclusive by political editor James Ball that Michael Prescott – author of the dossier into the BBC – himself doctored Trump quotes in the report, making his evidence seem more damning. It’s an extraordinary revelation that calls into question Prescott’s journalistic judgement. To read the […]

The Matts join the fray on chaos at the BBC … what does it mean for the future of the corporation and why we should all be glad to pay for it. Then they are joined by Jo Bartosch, co-author of Pornocracy, an argument about the evils of pornography in today’s world. How has porn […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether the enthusiasm for the new New York mayor Zohran Mamdani shows charisma is now a political party in its own right, if a Reform government would open the racist floodgates and whether a 2p income tax rise is enough to fix Britain’s […]

The Matts weigh up the success of New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and ask how much we should read into a good set of results for Democrats in the US. And will winning the election prove the easy part now Mamdani has to govern a city notoriously impatient with its mayors? Also – as Mamdani […]

The Matts are bewildered at the chancellor’s performance this morning – who was she talking to? What was she trying to achieve? Why can’t anyone in government seem to speak plain English? Also this week – as The New World launches a long-term campaign Read Against Racism, the Matts analyse how it is that the […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether the Caerphilly by-election shows it’s time for Keir Starmer finally to smell the roses on the EU, if opinion polls truly matter and whether Andy Burnham should support Lucy Powell for the Labour leadership. Plus they talk about how the media landscape […]

Donald Trump meets President Xi of China and saves face in his latest about-turn in policy. Is there method in the madness or is this yet more evidence of the capricious randomness at the heart of Trump’s foreign policy? Also … Matt D watches the latest production to emerge from the writing genius that is […]

As Keir Starmer becomes the MPs unpopular PM in history, the Matts ask what on earth he can do to turn his premiership around. Has he got it within him to become the radical agent of change he promised, especially now there seems nothing much to lose in terms of winning an election that seems […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether the pod is giving Nigel Farage too much airtime, why nobody is talking about the fundamental realities of the UK economy and the government’s twin responses to Prince Andrew and the grooming gangs scandal. Plus they talk about whether Piers Morgan is […]

The Matts rail against the weaponisation of the law against people who are merely grossly offensive. Where is the line? Who decides what is illegal and what is not? And have we all drifted into a society that can’t shrug off an insult? Also – Michael Wolff takes on Melania Trump; the best horror movies […]

The Matts see a parallel between two outrages; the disgusting conduct of Prince Andrew; a man shielded from consequences of his depravity by power and wealth – and the national grooming gang scandals; men shielded from consequences of their depravity by a failure of the liberal establishment to confront reality. Both cases touch on what […]

In one of the best Q&A’s the Matts have recorded, a question about media coverage of the Middle East ceasefire provokes a heated argument – as each Matt fights his corner with the kind of honesty and conviction you may not always get on other political podcasts! As the dust settles, they answer more questions […]

The Matts are joined by political editor James Ball whose cover story this week is an exhaustive investigation into the full extent of Paul Marshall’s bid to influence British society. The man who owns GBNews and The Spectator is also finding a broad array of influential think tanks, policy units and conferences – making him […]

The Matts marvel at the extraordinary day that has just passed – first in the Knesset in Jerusalem, then in Sharm Al-Sheik in Egypt – as Donald Trump’s whirlwind victory parade signals the start of what we should all pray is a lasting peace. How do we square the undoubted leap out of the catastrophe […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether the Gaza peace deal shows that Donald Trump, despite all his manifest failings, is actually the right man at the right time, if you now need a brown paper bag for your New World cover and who Conservative MPs could coalesce around […]

The Matts begin with peace in the Middle East. Is it time to give Trump the Nobel? Then they turn to the outrage over a man being arrested in London for holding up his copy of The New World. Then after the break, a fascinating and troubling conversation with Joe Woof, author of this week’s […]

Britain has a problem. The presence within what we call our multi-cultural society of abhorrent groups with views that threaten not only our values, but our citizens. Islamists, anti-semites, fascists. What is stopping the government from isolating them and dealing with them? The Matts do what they do best – engage each other in a […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries.  They discuss what the case is for Keir Starmer leading Labour into the next general election, whether we should be preparing for authoritarianism in the UK and if the sight of a Metropolitan police officer makes them feel safe or not. Plus they talk about […]

The Matts digest the disgusting tale of greed and corruption surrounding the Medpro scandal. Matt K reveals what happened when (soon to be ex) Baroness Mone of Mayfair threatened to sue him and Matt D hopes this is just stage one of a justice process that ends in criminal charges. Also – remember the Climate […]

New World political editor James Ball joins the podcast live from Labour Party conference in the great city of Liverpool with his verdict on Keir Starmer’s make or break speech. He had his moments, but did Starmer do enough to turn around horrific personal and party polling and set up a genuine challenge to rising […]

Today on The Two Matts podcast, Matt d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether Andy Burnham has unrealistic standards for politics and whether he is the right person to run the country. Plus, is it alarming or alarmist to fear about Tommy Robinson’s potential path to power? The Matts talk […]

The Matts consider an alternative view on what is going on the President’s head. Based on an anecdote from Michael Wolff, could the answer to the chaos be much simpler than we thought? Also – as Keir Starmer prepares for his big conference week in Liverpool, is his leadership now in its sunset phase? Will […]

The Matts are joined by author and expert in extremism Cynthia Miller-Idriss to try and understand how so many young men are turning to hard-core misogyny and violence. Cynthia’s new book – Man Up – is an extraordinary insight into a world that has surged since the advent of social media and shows no signs […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss what it means to be British today, whether it’s time for patriots to be more explicit about their patriotism and why Donald Trump is so fixated on TV.  Plus they talk about what Andy Burnham should do about the Labour leadership, what Nigel […]

The Matts take a deep breath and work their way through a tumultuous few days … starting with the visit of Donald Trump – is the UK becoming a vassal state? – through the unfolding aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and finally to reflections on the Tommy Robinson March in London. In the […]

The Matts are joined by author and journalist Jonathan Freedland to discuss his remarkable new book, The Traitor’s Circle. It’s a forensically-researched historical story of resistance against the Nazis from inside Germany. Written in the style of a classic whodunnit, Freedland has created a thriller that not only sheds new light on the actions of […]

The two Matts again respond to your queries. The pair discuss whether they support Palestine Action, declining fertility and if there’s a way back for Keir Starmer. Plus they talk about Nigel Farage’s pension, whether the Greens are a serious political party and if things are better or worse than during the Cold War. OFFER: […]

Two inevitable topics dominate the Matts discussion today – first up, the murder of US conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. It’s a simply atrocious event but the reaction from many has been shameful. The Matts explain why Kirk was unusual in the MAGA organisation … and why his assassination matters so much. In the second half, […]

The Matts get to grips with the turmoil of the last few days and use their meticulous political calculus to work out whether Keir Starmer is weaker or stronger than he was a week ago. Spoiler alert: they haven’t got a clue. But they certainly enjoy themselves finding that out. One thing they know – […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss why Nigel Farage didn’t go back to school with the rest of the class this week, whether government ministers should be held to a higher standard than ordinary citizens and why the debate in the UK is always hyped up to the max. […]

On Tuesday the Matts were staunch in their defence of Angela Rayner. Then she came out and admitted she had paid too little tax on her new flat. The Matts work through the various scenarios available to her and conclude she should resign – but not for the obvious reason. Also – Nigel Farage was […]

Labour’s Deputy PM Angela Rayner has been the brunt of a propaganda campaign waged relentlessly by the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph. What is it about her authentic working class credentials that these two newspapers find so threatening? The Matts have some thoughts. But first, will Keir Starmer’s government reshuffle change the trajectory his premiership […]

Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss why Tony Blair is getting involved in Donald Trump’s meetings on Gaza, whether it was a mistake for the US president to give Vladimir Putin the impression that the West is ready to welcome him back, and the case of Labour councillor Ricky […]

The Matts are shaken by the story of a 16-year-old who took his own life after pouring his heart out to ChatGPT which, his parents claim, encouraged him to act. It’s a desperate case and raises profound questions about the technology and how it will change society. The conversation focuses on the need for governments […]

The pod is back after its summer break! The Matts analyse Reform’s anti-immigrant policies and ask themselves how might Labour counter them? Which leads them into a discussion about what is, and what isn’t racist, and how helpful is it for centrists to sneer at every St George’s flag they come across. But first, Matt […]

The Matts are taking a well-deserved break, so while they recharge their batteries here’s an interview from the archive to enjoy. 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 […]

The Matts are taking a well-deserved break, so while they recharge their batteries here’s an interview from the archive to enjoy. The Matts are joined by Dutch popular historian and author Rutger Bregman to discuss his new book, Moral Ambition. How does the world change for the better? Why do so many talented people do […]

The Matts are taking a well-deserved break, so while they recharge their batteries here’s an interview from the archive to enjoy. The Matts are joined by Bloomberg’s Parmy Olson – author of Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the race that will change the world. Parmy leads us through the development of Artificial Intelligence, the extraordinary story […]

Today on The Two Matts podcast, Matthew d’Ancona and I again respond to your queries. After this week’s exclusive interview with Gary Lineker on Gaza, the BBC and podcasting we discuss whether sport – and sports personalities – can ever be truly apolitical. Also, has political podcasting now become more influential than newspapers? Plus, we […]

The Matts are joined by New World contributing editor Sonia Sodha to understand the bitter and consequential tribunal taking place in Fife – as nurse Sandie Peggie takes on the NHS over her treatment in the aftermath of a dispute over women’s rights in the workplace. Before that, the Matts discuss Starmer’s handling of the […]

Gary Lineker has given his first interview since leaving the BBC to The New World. The Two Matts reflect on the wide range of issues he touches on – not least his sacking from the BBC and accusations of antisemitism he faced. “I’m not antisemitic,” he says. “I’m anti the killing of children.” Also this […]

Today on The Two Matts podcast Matthew d’Ancona and Matt Kelly again respond to your queries. They discuss whether the government and BBC are getting bolder over Israeli actions in Gaza, why Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to establish an enquiry to look into the mistakes he made over October 7 and if the 50-year privatisation […]

Events in Epping are spreading. The Matts take a long hard look at the influence of a new strain of far right activist and how they are emboldened by the words and posts of Nigel Farage. After that – what does the new political party led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana mean for the […]