Is criticism of the Online Safety Act actually right wing?
Pod Save the UK7 Aug 2025

Is criticism of the Online Safety Act actually right wing?

This week - we’re talking about the internet, Coco’s proclivities toward the disembodied voice of Pedro Pascal and Nish’s struggles to find any time to work on himself. Strap in - it’s a juicy one.


Nish and Coco are joined by technology journalist Chris Stokel-Walker to make sense of the UK’s new online safety laws - which restrict access to harmful and inappropriate content for young people - while simultaneously clamping down on free speech and digital privacy. The conversation is becoming a culture war topic - but are the political class actually having a sensible discussion about this seismic, world’s-first legislation?


And - guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission could see trans people excluded from public life. And now it might become law - with no debate, no scrutiny and no vote. We’ll be speaking to journalist Freddy McConnell about the risk to all of our rights and how we can fight back.


And later - we’re getting Jezzy with it - we dive into the mailbag to hear your thoughts on the party definitely not called “your party”.


CHECK OUT THIS DEAL FROM OUR SPONSOR

https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk


USEFUL LINKS

See us Live in London!

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/comedy/pod-save-the-uk/

Write to your MP

https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/

Trans Solidarity Alliance

https://www.transsolidarityalliance.com/ehrc-code

Freddy’s latest article

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/31/transgender-rights-ehrc-guidance-single-sex-spaces

Guardian article about Lord Dannet

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/05/lord-dannatt-urged-ministers-to-crack-down-on-palestine-action-at-request-of-us-firm


GUESTS

Chris Stokel-Walker

Freddy McConnell


AUDIO CREDITS

Sky News


Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.

Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.uk

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com

Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk

Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(161)

The Mandelson Files Are Out

The Mandelson Files Are Out

The first wave of Mandelson files have been published. We all wanted to know what Keir Starmer knew, and when he knew it. Now we can see it in black and white. And as it turns out - Starmer was warned...

12 Mar 56min

“No Winston Churchill”: is the special relationship over?

“No Winston Churchill”: is the special relationship over?

A world leader has been assassinated, schools and hospitals have been hit, and Donald Trump thinks that Keir Starmer is no Winston Churchill. It’s all kicking off as the US and Israel’s illegal war es...

5 Mar 53min

Are we stuck in never-ending political scandal? w/Ash Sarkar

Are we stuck in never-ending political scandal? w/Ash Sarkar

This week Nish and Coco are joined by friend of the pod, Ash Sarkar from Novara Media to talk about political scandal, trust and compromise. Ash’s book, Minority Rule, has a new afterword which talks ...

26 Feb 56min

Can she fix it? Hannah the plumber and politician on tackling Reform

Can she fix it? Hannah the plumber and politician on tackling Reform

This week Coco is joined by the comedian Cody Dahler while Nish takes a brief break and there’s so much to talk about!The Greens' Hannah Spencer has become the unexpected bookies favourite to win the ...

19 Feb 54min

McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson

McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet circles the wagons as he survives another hellish week in office. One that saw the loss of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and his director of communication...

12 Feb 55min

Will Mandelson be Starmer’s downfall?

Will Mandelson be Starmer’s downfall?

The release of the latest Epstein files triggered a deluge of revelations, spelling the end for one of UK’s biggest political characters. Nish and Coco chat about Lord Mandelson’s fall and the damage ...

5 Feb 53min

Will Starmer’s control freakery deliver victory to Reform?

Will Starmer’s control freakery deliver victory to Reform?

Keir Starmer jets off to Beijing, leaving Westminster - once again - bubbling with rumours about his future. The King of the North might be off the cards, but Angela Rayner and even Ed Miliband are ey...

29 Jan 52min

Starmer’s new Trump headache and making comedy under occupation

Starmer’s new Trump headache and making comedy under occupation

Donald Trump brings his particular brand of terrible speeches to the billionaires and bankers at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Nish and Coco try to work out how Keir Starmer can keep on track whe...

22 Jan 55min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
stopp-verden
popradet
fotballpodden-2
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
det-store-bildet
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
rss-ness
aftenbla-bla
grasoner-den-nye-kalde-krigen
rss-dannet-uten-piano
e24-podden
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk