Steve is back, but as a guest, and joined by Ian Dunt to reflect on what makes a liberal, how to win the culture war, and whether we remember anything from our undergraduate days. Swearing. Buy Ian Dunt's new book, How To Be A Liberal, from Canbury Press. (https://www.canburypress.com/products/how-to-be-a-liberal-by-ian-dunt-hardback-isbn9781912454419) Audio clips from Patrick Tull's reading of Treason's Harbour by Patrick O'Brian Special Guests: Ian Dunt and Steve Bullock.

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Episode 72: The Four-Letter Guest

Chris and Garvan Walshe catch up on how they handled lockdown, what to expect next, and what has changed since they last recorded the podcast together, in November 2018. Just as it did two years ago, the Northern Ireland backstop features heavily in Lie of the Week. Also, will the Conservative Party have the good sense to ditch its current leader? Special Guest: Garvan Walshe.

Episode 71: Specific and Limited Return

Alviina Alametsä (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/204335/ALVIINA_ALAMETSA/home#detailedcardmep) is a Green Party MEP from Finland. She took up her seat only in February 2020, after it was vacated by a departing UK MEP. Cakewatch likes to think that she took one previously occupied by a Faragist. Alviina's particular policy interests are public mental health and conflict resolution, so who better to talk about tackling the Brexit aftermath? Alviina draws on her own experience as a survivor of a school shooting to inform her campaigning work to improve access to mental healthcare for young people in particular. In a world facing climate emergency and coronavirus, not to mention Brexit and populism, we look at how policy generally fails to factor in the mental health impact, and what can be done at EU level to address this. Mind, the mental health charity (https://www.mind.org.uk), offering help and advice to you if you are suffering from depression or if you are looking for advice on how to help someone who you think might be depressed. Special Guest: Alviina Alametsä.

Episode 70: Our Friends In The North

Trade expert David Henig joins the podcast again for our first survey of the post B-day wreckage. With the EU and the UK apparently offering different visions of their future relationship, which one is the more realistic? Hahaha no seriously, which? Special Guest: David Henig.

Episode 69: Back to the Future

For our final podcast before Brexit, we're joined again by Tanja Bueltmann to talk about coping strategies, Steve's album of ambient prozac, and the ongoing work to support EU citizens in the UK as they face mounting hostility and an unforgiving bureaucracy. You can get Steve's album here, and become an EU Citizens' Champion (https://eucitizenschampion.allwelcome.org/en/donations/supporter/27/one-thousand-days/). We're dedicating this episode to the memory of our friend and colleague Andy Barnard.

Episode 68: One Thousand Days

The aftermath. Rather than wallow in despair we look back on a fight well fought, and the friends that have joined us on the podcast. We also reflect a little bit on what the future will bring. It's not pretty, so we need to find strategies to help us through the dark times ahead. Thank you to all our guests who have helped us out on the podcast over the last 67 episodes: Alyn Smith Andy of Remainer Now Axel Antoni David Henig Dmitry Grozoubinski Garvan Walshe Ian Bond Jason Knoll Jim Cornelius Jon Worth Julie Girling Katie Low Laura Shields Molly Scott Cato Nick Crosby Nicky James Peter Wilding Seb Dance Steve Analyst Tanja Bueltmann Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_go_gentle_into_that_good_night) by Dylan Thomas Download Steve's new album One Thousand Days (https://1000days.eucitizenschampion.co.uk) and please give generously to EU Citizens Champion (http://eucitizenschampion.co.uk)!

Episode 67: We Raged Against the Lying of the Right

We cut to the chase. Nothing is more important than this. On Thursday, vote for the candidate most likely to beat Boris Johnson. Because if you don't, if he wins, our country will become unrecognisable. This will be the defining battle of our culture war.

Episode 66: Goodnight and Good Luck

Brexit flowchart hero and EU Twitter legend Jon Worth joins Chris this week to take a deeper dive into tactical voting in the UK's general election - where is a tactical vote needed, how to work out where a tactical vote should go, and what might happen? All in the service of depriving Boris Johnson of a working majority and so keeping our hopes of remaining in the EU alive. Jon and Chris also reflect on their experiences of living and working in the EU and observing the way other EU countries do politics differently, and ask how the UK might do things better, why its EU membership seems to have had so little impact, and yes the 'f' word crops up. Federalism, that is. If you want to take Jon up on his offer of a personalised tactical voting recommendation, please get in touch with him via his blog jonworth.eu (https://jonworth.eu) or on Twitter where he is @jonworth (https://twitter.com/jonworth). Jon's tactical voting guide can be found here. (https://jonworth.eu/2019-uk-general-election-tactical-voting-guide/) Special Guest: Jon Worth.

Episode 65: Vote Early Vote Often Vote Tactically

Steve studied moral philosophy. (So did Chris but he doesn't get a word in edgeways.) We look at the ethics of tactical voting in the 2019 general election, and why you should hold your nose and vote for a candidate from a party you might not endorse as a party of government. Not just because you want to Remain in the EU, but also because you want to avert a catastrophic Johnson majority and engineer a situation where your first and second order goals might, just might, see the light of day. Network Vote (https://www.network.vote/) want your help to get the "unheard third" of the vote out. Today we launch our website https://t.co/MghOAJAWaE - a tool to help our communtities across the UK boost voter turnout. Ours is a simple, unique idea: we don&#39;t want you to sign up to a mailing list or get your details. The materials are free, open-source and for everybody /1— network.vote (@NetworkVote) November 10, 2019 Jon Worth's blog is your one-stop-shop to help you decide how to use your precious vote. You can find out where you are voting, whether you should vote tactically, and what the key tactical voting sites are recommending you should do with your vote. Jon Worth's practical guide to tactical voting https://techpolitics.eu/downloads/tacticalvotediagram/TacticalVoting-1-0-3.png

Episode 64: Centrist Unicorn Hunt

Laura's kitchen table is once again the scene of a cosy chat about our favourite things: Brexit, Boris Johnson, his so-called new deal, and the wholesale attack on citizens' rights. For light relief we join four Remainers Now standing in the rain outside the European Commission's headquarters and hear from them why they've made the journey to Brussels and what they want to achieve here. This podcast was brought to you by a large gin and tonic. Jamie Susskind, author of Future Politics (https://www.jamiesusskind.com) On The House podcast with guest Alastair Campbell (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-moment-of-truth-with-guest-alastair-campbell/id1474010876?i=1000453971430) Special Guest: Laura Shields.

Episode 63: Honey Badger

Nicky James, aka Bloke from Barnsley, joins us to talk about the Rally For Our Rights taking place in London this coming weekend. Plus some further reflection on how it is that the Westminster bubble still can't read the other side, despite them being an open book. Brexit is a necessary crisis (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/09/brexit-crisis-global-capitalism-britain-place-world?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium=&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1570599167) - opinion piece by David Edgerton in the Guardian (PS Sorry for the audio quality in this one, we had to record the skype stream directly.) Special Guest: Nicky James.

Episode 62: Rally For Our Rights

Chris is back from Tashkent with a head full of musings. How badly does the EU want the UK to leave? Quite badly, he thinks. Steve sort of agrees. But this week's unicorn chaser is the imminent collapse of the Bannonite populist project on both sides of the Atlantic. Steve sort of disagrees. Rafael Behr's excellent analysis piece in the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/01/boris-johnson-eu-prime-minister-brexit?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other) Rally 4 Our Rights (https://www.r4or.co.uk)

Episode 61: Brexit is a Legacy Issue

Johnson says he has a deal that might fly but he won't show it to anyone yet, because it's too soon isn't it? [turns head, stares at camera] Is the EU losing patience? Xavier Bettel looks as if he has. What are the implications for Remainers? Plus we have a half-hearted go at a making verbal Jon Worth flowchart (https://jonworth.eu/brexit-what-next/) on the fly - what are the scenarios from here on out? And - we can dream - what happens the morning after revocation? Don't forget the Rally 4 Our Rights (https://www.r4or.co.uk) on 12 October!

Episode 60: Bettel The Devil You Know

After a long absence, Steve is back co-hosting the podcast and here we all are again: parliament versus executive. Does Cummings have a grand strategy? Or is Johnson flying by the seat of his pants and about to crash? After a long evening watching Parliament TV, we catch up with each other and wonder where this shaggy dog story will go next. Our rights are under immediate and serious threat from Brexit and Boris Johnson: join us on 12 October and Rally 4 Our Rights (https://www.r4or.co.uk)! Also, please consider donating (https://gogetfunding.com/r4or-rally-4-our-rights/) to cover costs.

Episode 59: Rentrée

Chris is joined by Jason Knoll who teaches high school students in Verona, Wisconsin. His particular interest is the European Union, and he brings his particular point of view to the podcast in a discussion about Trump, Johnson, populism, and grassroots politics. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EA4nCIZWwAETmR0?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 Cakewatch will be back in September. Special Guest: Jason Knoll.

Episode 58: Transatlantic Perspective

Steve - @guitarmoog - and Chris - @ottocrat - investigate cakeism: the philosophy of having your cake and eating it, as preached and practised by the British government in its approach to Brexit. Each week, we explore the latest developments as we head towards Brexit and spend time wading through the weeds from the perspective of two long-standing Brussels and UK government insiders. Our aim: to inform you, our listeners, about EU realities and so, hopefully, to equip you to spot lies and to thwart attempts to manipulate you. There may be swearing. We are regularly joined by guests and occasionally by special guest co-hosts.

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