What’s it like running a city? In this episode, Aaron talks to Tris Brown (@trisbrown), the Mayor of Liverpool’s Chief of Staff. They discuss the tension between what Whitehall expects from mayors - decisive, all-powerful leadership - and the negligible amount of money it gives them. They also touch on the rough-sleeper crisis, and discuss whether Tris is Josh, Leo McGarry, or Toby? ‘Open Country’ is over halfway to our £1000 fundraising goal. If you’d like to help us get to a grand, click this link and donate: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/3882/podcast-for-progressives If you would like to get in touch, @ either @aaronhughellis or @opencountrypod - or email open@ulixes.co.uk Music: ‘Surprising Power’ by Art of Escapism

Open Country

'There's blindness in central government to what local government is doing'

John Bew (@JohnBew) is a celebrated biographer and historian. His recent book about Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee won several awards, including the Orwell Prize. He and Aaron (@aaronhughellis) discuss why Attlee is suddenly loved by everyone from Theresa May to Jeremy Corbyn and Andrew Adonis; whether he would have succeeded today; as well as talking about John’s penchant for post-apocalyptic fiction… You can buy ‘Citizen Clem’ here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Citizen-Clem-Biography-Attlee-Winner/dp/178087992X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520350692&sr=8-1&keywords=citizen+clem ‘Open Country’ is over halfway to our £1000 fundraising goal. If you’d like to help us get to a grand, click this link and donate: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/3882/podcast-for-progressives If you would like to get in touch, @ either @aaronhughellis or @opencountrypod - or email open@ulixes.co.uk Music: ‘Surprising Power’ by Art of Escapism

'Yearning for authenticity doesn't mean yearning for dumbing down'

Matthew O’Toole (@MatthewOToole2) worked in the centre of government during the biggest crisis in modern British politics. He was a senior press officer for both David Cameron and Theresa May, focusing especially on Europe. He is comfortable with his complicated Irish identity, and he tried to persuade both Prime Ministers to engage more with Ireland. Unfortunately, whereas Cameron wanted the Remain campaign to be all about facts and figures, May was more interested in internal Tory politics. As Matthew notes, Ireland has always frustrated the Conservatives’ vision of Britain as a peaceful and wholly sovereign state. This is why it’s the most difficult problem in the Brexit negotiations. Matthew and Aaron (@aaronhughellis) also discuss their favourite Coen brothers’ films... You can read about Matthew’s time in No. 10 here: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/ireland-an-afterthought-during-brexit-campaign-when-i-was-cameron-adviser-1.3242732?mode=amp ‘Open Country’ is over halfway to its £1000 fundraising goal. If you would like to help us reach it, just click this link and donate: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/3882/podcast-for-progressives If you would like to get in touch, email our new address open@ulixes.co.uk Music: ‘Surprising Power’ by Art of Escapism

'Our most important special relationship is with the island next door'

Clare Patey (@clarepatey) is an artist and the director of the Empathy Museum (@empathymuseum). In her work, she takes abstract ideas about our society and makes them tangible to ordinary people. This is especially true of her latest exhibition, A Mile in My Shoes, where visitors take a walk in the shoes of a migrant or refugee as they listen to the owner tell them a story about their life. Later this year, it will tour the Brexit heartlands. ‘You don’t have to share the same experience,’ says Clare, ‘but you can share the same humanity as someone.’ She and Aaron (@aaronhughellis) also discuss why she isn’t proud of the fact that she doesn’t know any Brexit supporters, as well as her fondness for Chekhov and ‘In Bruges’... You can check out the Empathy Museum’s site here: http://www.empathymuseum.com/ ‘Open Country’ is over halfway to its £1000 fundraising goal. If you would like to donate, please visit our Crowdpac page: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/3882/podcast-for-progressives Music: ‘Surprising Power’ by Art of Escapism

'It's about practicing the art of empathy'

Can businesses be profitable AND be good? Aaron (@aaronhughellis) tries to answer this question with Andrew Beattie (@AndrewBeattie), the co-founder of ‘Ethos’ (@ethos_mag), which celebrates companies and start-ups that behave ethically and responsibly. They discuss why philanthropic largesse doesn’t necessarily make a business ‘good’; why there are few, if any positive depictions of entrepreneurs on TV or in films; as well as Andrew giving people money to just do awesome things. You can buy issues of ‘Ethos’ here: https://shop.ethos-magazine.com/ ‘Open Country’ needs your support. We’re over halfway to our £1000 fundraising goal. If you’d like to donate, please visit here: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/3882/podcast-for-progressives If you’d like to get in touch, @ either @aaronhughellis or @opencountrypod - or email info@ulixes.co.uk. Music: ‘Surprising Power’ by Art of Escapism

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Open Country

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