Peter York's Culture Wars House Party

Available Episodes

5 of 10

Carole Cadwalladr, former Guardian journalist on the tech-driven threat to global democracy
Last Friday, I was joined by Carole Cadwalladr—former Guardian journalist and, depending on who you ask, either a democratic heroine or the original “mad cat lady.” From exposing Cambridge Analytica and the Mercers to taking on Brexit, big tech, and Aaron Banks personally, Carole’s journalism has shaped how we think about power, influence, and the quiet dismantling of democracy through data.We discuss the Observer’s recent change in ownership—who now owns it, and has it drifted to the right? Is the line between editorial and commercial content now too blurred?Carole calls the government’s proposed changes to UK press ownership laws “shocking” and “baffling.” She questions whether the BBC and the political class are now in thrall to Silicon Valley’s influence, whose interests seem increasingly aligned with the authoritarian Trump agenda.And finally: what do you wear to a TED Talk when, after your last appearance, you were branded a conspiracy theorist, sued for libel, and trolled by Andrew Neil?Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book [email protected]: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productionshttps://goodeggproductions.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
46:06
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, journalist on the hidden machinery of media censorship and cultural warfare
Welcome to Peter York’s Culture Wars House Party. This episode, I’m joined by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown—journalist, author, and broadcaster. Her journey from Uganda to Oxford, and into journalism in her 30s, has shaped one of the most distinctive and provocative voices in British media.We explore why Yasmin says she’s moved further to the left over time, and how she sees the media playing a “double game”—deplatforming some voices while elevating others. She lifts the lid on what she calls “hive mind” journalism and explains why debate is narrowing, not widening.Yes, Yasmin once wrote weekly for Paul Dacre at the Daily Mail—really. Now she’s calling out the BBC for weaponising “so-called impartiality,” questioning its coverage of Gaza, and defending her tweet: “Israel is a terrorist state.”We dive into identity politics, and how the trans debate has become a moral litmus test: “If you’re on their side, you’re good and acceptable. If not, you’re dangerously woke—and apparently a threat to the nation.”She also takes aim at the modern Conservative Party—now run, she says, by “ideologues” and “thugs”—and their sudden embrace of Ugandan Asians: “You didn’t love us—now you do, because so many of us are rich, and they fund you.”And finally, does Yasmin’s wardrobe bring down the tone? Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book [email protected]: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productionshttps://goodeggproductions.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
1:01:10
Dylan Jones, former GQ and Evening Standard editor on culture, politics, and the art of staying slightly removed
Welcome to Peter York's Culture Wars House Party. In this episode, I’m joined by Dylan Jones—a defining figure in British media. He spent over two decades editing GQ and later ran the London Evening Standard, helping shape the national conversation around style, politics, and culture. From ‘literally no experience, and couldn’t actually write very well’, we trace Dylan’s journey from art school maverick to media powerhouse. Expect career advice—why “we’re not looking for people with great ideas”—and sharp anecdotes: why he hired Alastair Campbell and Piers Morgan, threw Russell Brand out of his own awards ceremony, and photographed Melania Trump “like an evil Bond girl, scantily clad with lots of hardware.” In a world of partisan noise, how does Dylan stay “slightly removed” from culture wars? And how is culture evolving now that “a lot of the big players in those worlds removed themselves”? What’s filled the vacuum? And is New York too parochial? Plus: is the suede loafer from Jermyn Street under threat from a chisel-toe slip-on creeping in from another part of the capital? “I went up to him afterwards, before I led him to the door, and said: ‘This is a pact. We're doing something for you. You do something for us. In what part of our agreement is it a good idea to slag off our sponsor?’”Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book [email protected]: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productionshttps://goodeggproductions.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
1:04:35
Iain Dale, LBC presenter on culture wars, conservatism, and why we can't all just get along
Welcome to Peter York's Culture Wars House Party. In this seventh episode, I'm joined by Iain Dale—the prolific broadcaster, author, and political commentator. A fixture of the British media landscape, he currently hosts LBC’s evening show and was briefly a possible Conservative Party candidate in 2024. We explore Iain's journey from party insider to media provocateur, his mission to rebuild the Conservative Party, the rise of social conservatism, and the decline of big tent politics. We also delve into the influence of American culture on British politics—what it means to be “five years downstream” from the US—the state of public discourse, and Iain’s reflections on the culture wars, from anti-Semitism to trans rights. Plus: what it’s like interviewing Donald Trump, working with Michael Ashcroft, and what Iain really thinks of Sir Paul Marshall. Does media ownership and regulation matter? And we'll discover whether Iain Dale ever has a mooch on his high street. “I'm really worried about the state of the so-called culture wars. I used to resist even using that term, because I thought the more you use it, the more you almost encourage them to continue, but you can't get away from it now. There are people on one side and people on another side, and never the twain shall meet.” Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book [email protected]: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productionshttps://goodeggproductions.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
50:42
Graydon Carter, ex-Vanity Fair editor: Inside the Trump Era - Unpacking America's Cultural Battlefield
Welcome to Peter York’s Culture Wars House Party. In this sixth episode, I’m joined by Graydon Carter—the legendary editor of Vanity Fair—a cultural powerhouse from 1992 to 2017—and now editor of the effortlessly chic digital magazine Airmail.Charting Graydon’s journey from sensible Ottawa to the glittering heights of New York media, we examine the seismic shifts in publishing and unravel the complex tapestry of America’s culture wars. Has the coup already happened? Did the left go too far—and is there now an overcorrection? And has the “wanton brutality” of Trump’s administration given billionaires a bad name?Graydon reflects on decades of tangling with Donald Trump—as a man ( are his fingers too short? does he have any friends?)—and as a businessman, as the “fourth tier of real estate families in New York”.And we now have the definitive answer… or do we… on where to buy the best suede loafers in London.“I’ve never seen Donald Trump in any living room ever in 50 years of being in New York, and nobody would invite him anywhere. I don’t think he has friends, I think he’s got associates, but I don’t think he has any true friends.”Please do check out my latest book, A Dead Cat On Your Table – available online and in all good book [email protected]: Peter York's Culture Wars House Party podcastGood Egg Productionshttps://goodeggproductions.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
--------
54:32

More News podcasts

Trending News podcasts

About Peter York's Culture Wars House Party

“PETER YORK’S CULTURE WARS HOUSE PARTY” podcast is all about Peter’s cultural preoccupations which range from how political Culture Wars are waged, to the reputational currency of clever celebrities, to the best sources of suede loafers in St James’s. He’ll be hosting people he admires and people he wants to argue with and people who like to natter about the correct placement of buttons.Peter York is the author of “Dead Cat – Culture Wars and how not to lose them.” However, his influence extends back to the 1970s, where he pioneered the role of ‘style editor’ at Harpers and Queen magazine, alongside co-author Ann Barr. Together, they penned the era-defining sensation, “The Official Sloane Ranger’s Handbook,” which became the bestselling trade book of the 1980s.Throughout the decades, Peter has continued to leave his mark on the cultural landscape. He’s authored numerous books and presented several TV programs, including the nostalgic gem “Peter York’s Eighties” in the 1990s.More recently, Peter has shifted towards more serious subjects, tackling issues such as “The War Against the BBC,” co-authored with Professor Patrick Barwise, and the thought-provoking “Authenticity is a Con.”Join us as we explore the multifaceted world of Peter York and his enduring contributions to cultural discourse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast website

News Society & Culture Government