Breaking the Blob | The Sceptic Ep.83 episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 19, 2026 · 33 MIN

Breaking the Blob | The Sceptic Ep.83

from The Sceptic · host The Daily Sceptic

Charles Talbot on how the Blob is stifling democracy in Britain and turning the state against itself. In Episode 83 of the Sceptic, guest host Michael Murphy speaks to Charles Talbot, author of the new Cambridge Circus Research report ‘Breaking the Blob’, about how a sprawling ecosystem of activist charities, quangos and captured institutions exerts a powerful chokehold on British political life, undermines government policy and leaves Britain feeling increasingly like a state at war with itself. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Michael on X. Follow Charles on X. Read ‘Breaking the Blob’ here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.   00:00 Intro 00:00:47 Charles Talbot on the Blob 00:03:35 The Blob's Left-Wing Bias 00:05:16 A State at War with Itself 00:07:41 Why Government Funds Its Own Opponents 00:10:17 How the Blob Kills Policies it Doesn't Like 00:14:15 The Rwanda Scheme 00:16:17 Can Any Policy Survive the Blob? 00:18:19 Laws That Must Change 00:20:20 The Funnel Model & Weak Regulation 00:24:37 Charity vs Political Activism 00:27:12 Should Government Track Undermining Spending? 00:29:11 The Media’s Role in Aiding the Blob 00:36:08 What a Serious Government Must Do 00:39:05 Radical Reforms 00:42:29 Conspiracy or Ideological Alignment? 00:45:52 Future Work from Cambridge Circus Research 00:52:15 Where to Find the Report

Charles Talbot on how the Blob is stifling democracy in Britain and turning the state against itself. In Episode 83 of the Sceptic, guest host Michael Murphy speaks to Charles Talbot, author of the new Cambridge Circus Research report ‘Breaking the Blob’, about how a sprawling ecosystem of activist charities, quangos and captured institutions exerts a powerful chokehold on British political life, undermines government policy and leaves Britain feeling increasingly like a state at war with itself. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Michael on X. Follow Charles on X. Read ‘Breaking the Blob’ here. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.   00:00 Intro 00:00:47 Charles Talbot on the Blob 00:03:35 The Blob's Left-Wing Bias 00:05:16 A State at War with Itself 00:07:41 Why Government Funds Its Own Opponents 00:10:17 How the Blob Kills Policies it Doesn't Like 00:14:15 The Rwanda Scheme 00:16:17 Can Any Policy Survive the Blob? 00:18:19 Laws That Must Change 00:20:20 The Funnel Model & Weak Regulation 00:24:37 Charity vs Political Activism 00:27:12 Should Government Track Undermining Spending? 00:29:11 The Media’s Role in Aiding the Blob 00:36:08 What a Serious Government Must Do 00:39:05 Radical Reforms 00:42:29 Conspiracy or Ideological Alignment? 00:45:52 Future Work from Cambridge Circus Research 00:52:15 Where to Find the Report

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Breaking the Blob | The Sceptic Ep.83

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Charles Talbot on how the Blob is stifling democracy in Britain and turning the state against itself. In Episode 83 of the Sceptic, guest host Michael Murphy speaks to Charles Talbot, author of the new Cambridge Circus Research report ‘Breaking the...

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