Podcasts · News · Government
The Two Matts
The New World
300 episodes
Join The New World's Matt Kelly and Matt d'Ancona plus occasional guests for weekly chat on politics and media with a side of cultural stuff. A podcast in the spirit of the award-winning New World newspaper - irreverent, witty, surprising, argumentative ... and annoying all the right people.
More about the show
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Episodes page 3 of 6
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The Matts’ cultural highlights of the year
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…
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When are we going to take anti-semitism seriously (and actually do something about it?)
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…
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The Two Matts Q&A: Should we hand US authorities our social media history?
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…
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Fludemic, Zack Polanski, and a (rare) big-up to Keir
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…
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In defence of a new Europe - with Paul Mason
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…
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Is Richard Tice as nasty as he seems?
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…
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Hillsborough justice delayed is no justice at all
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,…
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Journalism’s race to the bottom
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…
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The Two Matts Q&A: Should Farage’s schoolboy racism count against him?
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…
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Has the Budget sealed Starmer’s fate?
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…
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PRE-BUDGET SPECIAL - with Tom Baldwin
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’…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: Do we need a public inquiry into the BBC?
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…
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BRACE! BRACE! Trump goes into emergency mode as Epstein crisis gets real
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…
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Inside the mind of a 16-year-old - with Peter Hyman and Shuab Gamote
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…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: Is it time to let talent like Mamdani run for president?
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…
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EXCLUSIVE: How the BBC dossier author HIMSELF doctored Trump’s quotes
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…
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A deep dive into the world of porn with Jo Bartosch
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…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: Is charisma now a political party in its own right?
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…
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Is the Mamdani moment as big as it seems?
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…
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Reeves flunks it
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…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: Is it time for Keir Starmer to finally smell the roses?
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…
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The Autocrats … Trump and Xi kiss and make up (for now)
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…
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Rock bottom (maybe?) for Labour - where next?
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…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: Are we giving Nigel Farage too much airtime?
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…
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Cops have no business policing the offensive
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…
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National disgrace: Where Andrew and the grooming gangs meet
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…
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Q&A: Israel and Palestine… the gloves come off
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…
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The Power Broker: Inside Paul Marshall’s extraordinary network of right-wing influence
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…
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Trump’s day of days in the Middle East: It’s a win… take it
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…
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Q&A: Is Donald Trump actually the right man at the right time?
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…
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Why we are addicted to everything everywhere - with Joe Woof
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…
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How do we deal with Islamism in the UK?
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…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: The case for Keir Starmer
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…
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Michelle Mones and moans and moans - but she got her just deserts
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…
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LIVE… from Liverpool! Did Keir pull it off?
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…
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Q&A: Is Andy Burnham being unrealistic?
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…
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“Donald Trump is an idiot” … discuss
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…
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Exploring the world of far-right misogyny - with Cynthia Miller-Idriss
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…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: What does it mean to be British today?
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…
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From Trump to Charlie Kirk to Tommy Robinson - making sense of a whirlwind
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…
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The Traitor’s Circle: the price of standing up against evil
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…
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This week's Two Matts Q&A: Do we support Palestine Action?
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…
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The killing of Charlie Kirk and the fall of Peter Mandelson
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…
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If Labour don’t rescind Palestine Action ban, here’s their nightmare scenario
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…
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Q&A: Why didn’t Nigel Farage go back to school with the rest of class?
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…
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Angela Rayner, Take 2. She should go.
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…
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How much does the Daily Mail hate Angela Rayner?
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…
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Q&A: Should Tony Blair be getting involved in Gaza?
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…
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Did Artificial Intelligence kill Adam Raine?
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…
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Farage, migrants and racism … it’s complicated
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…
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