In this latest Lowdown podcast Nick Cohen talks in-depth to with Financial Times journalist Victor Mallet, a former F.T Paris correspondent about his book "Far-Right France: Le Pen, Bardella, and the Future of Europe." Mallett explores how the French far-right, led by Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella, has become a mainstream political force after decades of gradual growth since the 1950s. Nick and Victor discuss how the far-right has capitalised on immigration concerns, economic grievances, and media influence to gain power, while the traditional left and centre-right parties have struggled to maintain relevance.

Victor Mallet explains how the far-right's seemingly more pragmatic approach and media support have helped them transform from a fringe party to a dominant force in French politics, with significant implications for the European Union's future and the broader European project, and possibly the hard-won peace of Europe.

Nick and Victor discuss how the far right is across the march across Europe, aided and supported by Trump's White House and Putin's Kremlin.

They discuss the rise of far-right and nationalist populist parties across Europe and the United States, noting that countries with histories of fascist rule, like Germany and Italy, are now seeing significant support for these parties. They attribute this phenomenon to factors such as immigration, economic challenges, and the "Fox Newsification" of media, which fuels a culture war. Nick suggests that governments' currently tough stances on immigration, mirrored by leaders like Sir Keir Starmer in Britain and Friedrich Mertz in Germany, fail to resonate positively with voters, highlighting the stubborn complexity of addressing anti-immigrant sentiment at the ballot box.

Victor Mallet FT @VJMallet is a journalist, and was formerly the paper's Paris correspondent in the last of three stints in France for the FT. He is also an author, most recently of Far-right France: Le Pen, Bardella and the Future of Europe (Published by Hurst, and available now.) Victor is currently still based in Europe.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

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Nick Cohen talks with Lowdown regular, author and historian James Hawes, about the on-going damage wrought on the UK by English nationalists and their failed Brexit project. Now current polls indicate that the same nationalist charlatans look likely to take power at the next general election. James said a Whitehall mandarin's prediction of the future break-up of the UK after the next election is looking increasingly likely: Labour has failed to solve the insoluble shitshow of Brexit - making it ever more likely that a radical right party reform UK led by Nigel Farage - will take power at the next election. This new resurgence of extreme English nationalism along with its loony unworkable policies will be rejected by the people of Northern Ireland and Scotland - and possibly even Wales - and calls for secession from the UK by constituent nations could soon become deafening.

Both Nick and James agree - Brexit has become like the mad relative squirrelled away in the attic by the embarrassed Victorian family. James predicts Northern Ireland/Ulster will want soon want to unite with the now much richer Republic of Ireland rather than face an increasingly impoverished and culture war-wracked future at the hands of incompetent English and divisive nationalists. Scotland will likely follow suit- dumping Labour for the Scottish nationalists. The future of the United Kingdom has never looked so bleak.

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James Hawes @jameshawes2 Renaissance man, historian, writer and novelist. James, the author of The Shortest History of England and The Shortest History of Germany. His latest in the series, The Shortest History of Ireland, is out next month.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Cohen talks to John McTernan about the Labour Party's deep political crisis in the wake of the struggles, leadership challenges, and ideological direction. They explore athe implications of the Peter Mandelson scandal, the factionalism within the Labour Party, and the broader context of the collapse of Christian democracy, which has created opportunities and challenges for the centre-left. John McTernan emphasise the need for Labour to reconnect with its ideological roots and address key issues like housing and AI, while Nick highlights the importance of strong leadership and communication. They also discuss potential leadership candidates like Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham, and the broader political landscape, including the rise of Reform and the Greens. They discuss the urgency for Labour to define a clear purpose and coherent political economy to address the challenges of the modern era.

Labour's struggles under Starmer

John McTernan and Nick discuss the current dire state of the Labour Party under Keir Starmer's leadership, now plunged into dee crisis over the Peter Mandelson crisis. They criticise Starmer's administration for being overly factional and ostracising lmore eft-wing members like Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband. John suggest that the Labour Party needs to engage with more left of centre ideas to create a more balanced and effective political strategy. They emphasise the importance of owning the future and fairness in politics, which the Labour Party currently lacks. Nick and John agree that Starmer's government lacks a clear purpose and direction, leading to internal conflicts and ineffective governance.

John McTernan @Johnmcternan is a political strategist and commentator, and a former senior advisor to the Labour Party. John was Tony Blair's Director of Political Operations from 2005-2007 before acting as special advisor to two cabinet ministers under Blair's Number 10 successor - Gordon Brown. Other roles since then has been as a columnist at The Scotsman and as Director of Communications for Australia's Labor party prime minister Julia Gillard.

Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.