This week Chris Wright CBE is joined by Green Party Peer and former leader Natalie Bennett. The topics they discuss are:-        What’s all this fuss about ULEZ?-        Is the Green Party coming out of the shadows?-        Why the argument that Britain shouldn’t bother tackling climate change when we are so much smaller than China doesn’t hold up.-        How Britain’s environmental and food standards will likely drop as we move to Pacific trade rather than EU. -        The pressing issue of food security. -        Natalie Bennett’s upbringing to a life in politics.-        Reforming the House of Lords.-        The interlinked Green social, economic, and environmental philosophy.-        The consensus about the privatisation of water, and other public utilities and services in the UK.-        Natalie explains why to abandon tactical voting and just vote Green.-        Green’s original social policies.Natalie’s new book, Change Everything: https://unbound.com/books/change-everything/?utm_campaign=change-everything&utm_medium=AuthorSocial&utm_source=AuthorActivity'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.co This episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

In this week’s news roundtable episode, Chris Wright CBE is joined by two bright young political minds with opposing standpoints: political commentator, and Communications Officer at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Reem Ibrahim, and Labour Party National Executive Committee Member, Jess Barnard. The conversation kicks off with Labour’s recent political crisis over ULEZ in the backdrop to their by-election defeat in Uxbridge. They ask why green policies seem to be hurting working-class families. Chris and the panel talk about pay and taxation. Is the system fair? How do we solve the housing crisis? Is it just building more houses - or even, more affordable housing - or do we need the government to make laws that bring prices down in the housing and rental markets? Whilst discussing whether we should build on green belt land, Reem tells us what ‘nimbies’ are…    They turn to Nigel Farage and discuss how he manages to get away with portraying himself as a man of the people in this week’s media sprawl regarding his Coutts bank account closure. Finally, Chris turns the discussion to Elon Musk and why he seems to have bought Twitter to destroy it. Since his takeover, Twitter’s stock value reduced drastically and the recent logo rebrand from the iconic blue bird to an ‘X’ has caused outrage. The panel discuss the importance of Twitter in politics and political debate and the implications of Musk’s actions.“It’s hard to hear how the Tories approached the ULEZ debate from some kind of moral standpoint as if they cared about working-class people.” - Jess Barnard“The solution to tackling poverty is not taxing the rich more it is incentivising growth.” – Reem Ibrahim  'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

In this episode, Chris Wright is joined by James Schneider, co-founder of Momentum - the movement that seeks to bring a more socialist agenda to the Labour Party. He was an advisor to former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and the discussion is built around his fascinating book Our Bloc: How We Win - written in the backdrop to Corbyn’s defeat to Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election.The conversation starts with the mess that Keir Starmer will likely inherit from over 14 years of Conservative rule in Britain. James and Chris dissect the taxation system to explain how Britain can provide ‘for the many, not the few.’  They analyse why Corbyn didn’t become prime minister, and Chris asks James whether young people are engaged enough in politics.  How significant is the right-wing media establishment in keeping down progressive forces?  Was Brexit a vote against the broader system rather than simply against the EU?  They discuss why the Tories will terrifyingly keep moving even further towards the populist right.  Finally, James gives a damning verdict on Keir Starmer, and takes us through his own plan, quite frankly, to save the world through uniting progressive forces; expanded upon in his 2022 book Our Bloc: How We Win.Get your copy of the book here 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Tom Platts.This podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

This week Chris Wright, co-founder of Chrysalis Records in 1968, is joined by Carl Leighton-Pope who began his career in the music industry at almost the same time as the WOTN host. Carl has been a manager, promoter, and agent for some of the biggest names in music over the years, including Van Morrison, Bryan Adams, Billy Ocean, and Michael Bublé.Chris and Carl reminisce about their formative years in the music industry in 1960s London, with venues such as the Marquee Club playing a significant part. They discuss the music industry’s roles of managers, agents, running record labels, and which is more enjoyable. They review contemporary artists and why we need stars like Harry Styles. The episode is full of wonderful anecdotes and stories of the personal bonds Carl has built with stars like Billy Ocean and Michael Bublé. Carl came from a Welsh mining family, and this episode shows the mindset, as well as the knowledge and talent, required to get to where he is today. Inspiring is the word this week, as Chris also answers questions from Carl about his extraordinary music career.We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did recording it! If you like the episode, we would really appreciate it if you could give the podcast a review, rating, and a follow on your chosen streaming platform. It makes an unimaginable difference.'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright CBE is joined by UK & US political commentator and journalist, Edward Hardy, political commentator and Communications Officer at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Reem Ibrahim, and Conservative Political Commentator, Lee Harris.The discussion starts with the week’s big news on the government’s Illegal Immigration Bill and the ruling against it by the Court of Appeal, the highest court within the Senior Courts of England and Wales that deals only with appeals from other courts or tribunals. The panel discuss whether the policy proposal is fundamentally flawed, and further about what broader approach to immigration the government should take. The conversation opens up to the funding of public services and the Conservatives’ recent historic record of trying to pass unlawful bills.  Chris then asks the panel whether Rishi Sunak’s wealth makes him unfit to tackle the cost-of-living crisis in which public servants are selling their homes in order to survive. They turn to the Thames Water crisis and the question of whether to nationalise water to avoid the government having to further bail out profiteering private companies. Reem Ibrahim explains why the privatisation of public services and utilities isn’t working in the UK and why many don’t have the same problems as the UK abroad. Despite their political differences, the panel agree on the question of whether the Conservative government seem to have downed tools, and if a general election should be called right now.  The final topic is the newly released Equity in Cricket report. It shows that 87% of people with Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage, 82% of people with Indian heritage and 75% of all Black people in cricket report to have been discriminated against in the last five years. The panel discuss the wider issue of racism in our society and the ways it can be tackled. With the issue of elitism also involved in the report, Chris asks the panellists whether they went to a private school, and their answers may not be what you expected…   'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright CBE is joined by John O’Brennan the Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration at the National University of Ireland Maynooth. John is a leading spokesman, columnist and academic on European Politics. In particular, he works on the process and politics of the EU's Enlargement policy and on Ireland's relationship with the European Union.Chris and John kick-off with economics. With UK inflation at 8.7% and inflation in the Eurozone at around 6%, John and Chris discuss the discrepancy. Can we just blame Covid and Ukraine or are other effects such as Britain’s backwards housing market at play? They rain down judgment on the economic management of the UK over the last two decades and then compare its performance to the rest of Europe. John explains Ireland’s peculiar measure of economic success. It isn’t long before the B-word (Brexit) is mentioned. John explains why Britain’s plunge into independence from the EU has been so unsuccessful. What are the UK’s prospects outside of the EU? What was the true cause behind the 52% vote to leave? How significant was the press? How much should we blame David Cameron and the Remain Campaign? This opens up a conversation about the significance of AI in the battle against misinformation in the future.They talk about the role of leadership in the crisis that Brexit has created for the UK including Rishi Sunak and previous Conservative Prime Ministers’ crippling political ties to Brexiteers in their party. They discuss the macro politics of Europe and how Britain is still very much united with the Continent. John explains the origins of the concept of ‘cakeism’ in relation to Britain’s relationship with the EU, and the imminent threat in Europe of the far-right through the likes of Marine Le Pen. Chris asks John how the international community’s view of the UK has changed since 2016. How has Brexit really changed immigration into and out of the EU? Has the UK gone from having the best of both worlds to the worst of both worlds?Is there hope for the UK to progress in the future under a Labour government after what will be over 14 years of Conservative rule?   'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis episode was produced by Tom PlattsThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

In this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright CBE is joined by journalist and author Christina Patterson, political commentator Edward Hardy, and author and journalist Otto English. Where else to start other than Boris Johnson? With the damning Privileges Committee report into his Lockdown breaches released this morning, one can only describe the podcast's opening as a post-mortem of the political career of the man who lied to Parliament. Will his allies in the media bring him back to life? The panel discuss Johnson’s behaviour during the lockdowns, the cronyism surrounding his honours list, Rishi Sunak, the damage Johnson and Truss have done to the country, and where this bombshell of a report leaves British politics going forward. Has Britain’s global reputation reached an all-time low? The panellists powerfully debate the role of the House of Lords and whether it’s got too big. They discuss the role of the media and what needs to change about it and the way we consume it to save our democracy.  'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

On this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright CBE is joined by political commentator & co-host of The Trawl podcast Marina Purkiss, Conservative broadcaster, commentator and columnist Emily Carver, Labour Councillor for Preston Freddie Bailey, and Conservative commentator and columnist Samantha Smith.The conversation kicks off with Sunak’s immigration speech in Dover on Monday, and whether Brexit impacts inflation. Then the panel debate what state the country will be in at the end of this Conservative government and whether Labour will be the change we need. Is the country repairable?Freddie Bailey analyses Labour’s political position, and that given the struggling economy the Tories would hand them upon being elected.They discuss the covid inquiry and whether the pandemic has acted as a convenient smokescreen for Tory economic mismanagement and the underfunding of the NHS.Finally, Chris turns the discussion to the global threat of AI - will it take all our jobs, will we create new jobs? Samantha Smith unveils some frightening AI tales. 'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

In this week’s episode, Chris Wright CBE is joined by Otto English who has recently released the book Fake Heroes: Ten False Icons and How they Altered the Course of History.Chris and Otto discuss a number of the historical figures that feature in the book’s chapters, draw parallels between them and reflect on how the most singular events can skew our view of history.Topics Otto and Chris discuss:Writing the Queen’s obituaryJFK and getting to the bottom of his assassinationThe populist myth of Che Guevara - “Would Che Guevara have been so iconic if he hadn’t been so damn good-looking?”Andy Warhol - how was he so prolific? Was Henry V and how no monarch beats the late Queen.The ghastly George VJohn Wayne: Otto’s childhood hero who let him down. Chris’s extraordinary Robin Hood story.Otto’s Fake Heroes message.Buy Fake Heroes  www.waterstones.com/book/fake-heroes/otto-english/9781802795899'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts

On this week’s News Roundtable episode, Chris Wright CBE is joined by journalist, Writer, and Broadcaster, Christina Patterson, political Commentator, Lee Harris, and news presenter, Rosie Wright.The conversation starts with the panel discussing Suella Braverman’s recent speech at the National Conservatism conference. They debate whether she was undermining Rishi Sunak and making a bid for leadership. Together, they look at the current landscape of the Conservative Party – how could they win over the public when the party is so clearly divided? Do they need to refind their political identity?The panel discusses the net migration figures, which are at a record high, and debates whether the post-Brexit points system is working as the country has wide shortages in the workforce. New sky-high immigration figures suggest that Brexit’s motive to reduce net immigration has been undermined. How much is that due to global forces, and how much is it a Brexit betrayal by the government?They discuss the new revelations on visits to Chequers during Boris Johnson’s premiership and the covid-19 lockdowns. Whilst ethical procedure must be followed to fully investigate the former government’s conduct, will any new findings change anyone’s view of Boris Johnson?'I Hit The Nail Right On The Head' by Billy Bremner. © Fridens liljor/Micke Finell.Rock around the clock productions AB.www.rockaroundtheclock.coThis podcast is published by New Thinking: www.newthinking.com Explore New Thinking podcasts via our website: www.newthinking.com/podcasts