The Sceptic

Why trust in the mainstream media has collapsed, the rise of the ‘lanyard class’ and why cleaner air may be behind Europe’s heatwaves. In Episode 92 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges is joined by veteran broadcaster and journalist Mike Graham to lift the lid on Britain’s increasingly cosy media establishment, the decline of Fleet Street and why so many journalists now seem cut from the same cloth. They also discuss his new book, Fake News: The Secret Deal Between Government and the Media, and the rise of independent journalism. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie talks to Prof Roger Pielke Jr, who challenges some of the simplistic claims surrounding Europe’s heatwaves and explains why cleaner air may actually be contributing to warming. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Mike on X. Watch Mike’s YouTube channel here. Buy his new book here. Follow Roger on X here. Read his Honest Broker Substack here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro01:18 Mike Graham on ‘Fake News’08:46 Why Trust in the Media Has Collapsed10:55 How Journalism Changed14:26 The Working-Class Media Divide16:23 How Headlines Shape Public Opinion23:40 The Wild West of Fleet Street28:39 How Social Media Killed the Press30:27 The Collapse of Journalism’s Pay & Ambition32:09 The End of the 9-to-5 Journalist34:47 Building an Independent News Channel39:53 Roger Pielke on Europe’s Heatwaves40:34 Beyond the ‘Climate Change’ Explanation42:32 Why Europe is Warming43:14 The Role of Cleaner Air & Dry Soils44:12 Adapting to Extreme Heat45:39 The Problem With RCP8.548:40 What Happens to the Research?

Rupert Lowe on uniting the Right, are thousands really dying from summer heatwaves and how one academic’s investigation ended in a DEI superstar’s Cambridge resignation. In Episode 90 of the Sceptic, the Daily Sceptic’s Editor-in-Chief Toby Young sits down with Restore leader Rupert Lowe to discuss his attempt to mend fences with Nigel Farage, whether Reform and Restore can still work together and what a united Right might look like ahead of the next election. Professor of Evidence Based Medicine Carl Heneghan examines the UK Health Security Agency’s claim that nearly 3,000 excess deaths were caused by this summer’s heatwaves and asks whether the evidence really supports such alarming headlines. And for our premium subscribers, Dr Nathan Cofnas, Postdoctoral Researcher in Philosophy at Ghent University, reflects on breaking the Jason Arday story, the extraordinary fallout that followed and whether he ever expected it to end with Arday’s resignation from Cambridge. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Toby on X. Follow Rupert on X. Follow Carl on X. Subscribe to his Trust the Evidence Substack here. Follow Nathan on X. Subscribe to the Nathan Cofnas’s Newsletter on Substack here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro02:03 Rupert Lowe’s Offer To Reform UK08:20 Prospects For A Reform–Restore Deal10:15 Restore Britain’s Election Plans15:12 Continuing To Challenge Reform UK17:07 Lowe’s Definition Of Corruption18:42 Restore Britain’s Economic Policy27:55 On Becoming Chancellor31:39 Carl Heneghan and the Problems With Heat Death Estimates35:16 Reliability Of Future Heat Death Data37:34 The Problem With Statistical Certainty39:27 Climate Alarmism And Media Headlines42:43 Downfall Of Anthony Fauci47:10 Lessons From The Covid Inquiry49:21 Nathan Kaunas on Breaking The Jason Arday Story56:00 The Response To Criticism Of Arday57:09 Carter-Ruck And Legal Threats58:03 Investigating Arday’s Academic Work01:03:18 Claims Of Unequal Academic Standards01:04:36 The Real Story Behind Arday01:06:11 Fears Of Legal Action01:06:38 Contacting Arday And Cambridge01:07:56 Initial Reaction To The Story01:08:39 Arday’s Extraordinary Biographical Claims01:11:00 The Story Goes Viral01:11:29 Concerns About Racial Motives01:13:53 Arday’s Resignation01:14:19 Attacks From Arday’s Defenders01:15:51 Simon Baron-Cohen’s Defence Of Arday01:17:31 The Story’s International Reach01:19:25 Responding To Racism Accusations01:21:08 Nathan's Controversial Blog Post01:27:04 Case For Affirmative Action01:28:11 Impact On University Hiring01:29:09 Cambridge’s Handling Of The Plagiarism Allegations01:30:14 Accountability For Arday’s Appointment01:32:09 Double Standards In Academic Hiring01:33:51 Vindication And Revenge

The absolute state of British politics, how a vicar fell foul of the Church of England over Christian beliefs and why Net Zero is now a national security risk. In Episode 88 of the Sceptic, Ellie Hodges sits down with PopCon’s Mark Littlewood to make sense of Andy Burnham’s chaotic first days in No 10, the sharp Left turn in his Cabinet and whether Farage's Clacton by-election battle is really the joke the media's making it out to be. Dr Rev Bernard Randall tells his extraordinary story: suspended, reported to Prevent as a terror suspect and put through a seven-year church safeguarding battle – all for a sermon that was in keeping with Christian doctrine. And for our premium subscribers, Ellie talks to former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove about why he believes Britain’s Net Zero policy has become a national security liability. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Ellie on X. Follow Mark on X. Read his articles here and hereRead Sir Richard’s article here. Listen to Sir Richard on the One Decision Podcast here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio. 00:00 Intro 02:23 Mark Littlewood On Burnham's Coronation 02:50 Radical Left-Wing Policy Or Just "Vibes"? 04:28 Does Changing Labour's Leader Change Anything? 07:43 "No 10 Of The North" Devolution 09:14 Burnham's Cabinet Reshuffle 16:19 How Serious Is The Clacton By-Election Really? 18:59 Count Binface - Establishment Stooge? 22:27 Farage - Establishment Hit Job? 24:11 Is Farage "Part Of The Establishment"? 26:16 Can Kemi's Tories Stage A Comeback? 30:54 Predictions For The Next General Election 33:48 Bernard Randall And His CofE Ordeal 37:24 What Was It Like Being Reported To Prevent? 39:24 The Toll On Him And His Family 42:15 Why The Controversy? 44:50 Was 2019 "Peak Woke" — Has It Improved? 46:32 What's Next And Advice For Other Chaplains 49:48 Sir Richard Dearlove On Net Zero's Security Risk 53:19 Top Energy-Security Priorities For Burnham 55:38 How Real Is The China/EV/Grid Threat? 59:33 Where Does Energy Rank Among National Security Threats? 1:01:02 Will Britain Be Forced Into A German-Style Rethink? 1:04:11 Doesn't Cutting Fossil Fuels Make Britain Safer? 1:05:11 Is It Too Late?