PODCAST · news
That Option No Longer Exists
by Jon Bounds
In the red corner Jon, a socialist. In the other his old comrade Adam, a new Labourite who is now back in the big tent. They attempt to talk about Labour and politics nicely together. The nicely bit is hard.Email us: [email protected]
Episodes
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Incompetent business
A long awaited return, as the Labour leadership have now finally said something we can talk about. Although they're very keen we don't talk about that. We do talk about us not being able to talk, and also: Whether Sir Keith's response to the Tory handling of Covid is the right way. Why Jon...
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Stay alert, Constructive opposition, Save Lives
We rock down to forensic PMQs, where Keir Starmer got a letter from the government the other day, opened it and read it… is he a sucker? Adam thinks Sir Haircut’s playing a long game, can Jon agree constructively where he’s right and challenge where there are gaps. Is the NHS the wedge issue for...
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Re-Arranging the Shadow Furniture
Recorded as part of a mega-session a few days ago, while the Prime Minister's health was still deterioating rather than merely his personality and competence (so we couldn't be as rude about him as he likely deserves), we instead kept on topic (Labour) and tackled the meaning of the new Shadow...
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Left v. right on the Corbyn legacy
Locked down, no-one can leave. Oh, how we wish that was the membership of the Labour party as the inevitable post-leadership election exodus takes place. Or does it? Jon is placing the leadership election as an event worse than coronavirus, but not as bad as 12 December 2019. Adam thinks thr…
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Not cock-up nor conspiracy, some people had just gone down the pub
And why, with all the toilet roll panic buying we're glad we had those posters of Sir Keir through the post. Jon and Adam clash, comradely, on the leadership election (again…well, it does go on), and on open selection. We speculate about just who is funding Keir Starmer, and how you're meant to...
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Leadership in 160 characters or less
It's a trickly time in the Labour Leadership. It really seems to have the potential to drag on, but all the candidates have been 'personally' texting Adam, even getting their buddies to give him a call. They don't give a flying SMS about Jon though. Has his choice of Twitter icon spared him from…
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Meet cute, with the fake Keir Starmer
It's AGM season, and Adam went off to his first branch meeting since re-joining. Did he stay awake, or end up Chair? Do the nominations for leaderhip coming out of the CLPs have anything to say about the likely final result? Is the fake Keir Starmer running for leader? Is Liam Byrne really the...
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Feeling Safe at The Bell End
To be clear, we're not only worried about the Hammers; the real question is can labour ever win back the men (and it is mostly men) from the all-seater terraces? We also don't manage to completely ignore the leadership debate, with Jon having made his choice and having a lot of thoughts on a...
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Bo selectorate
It's always darkest before the dawn: a statement that is both factually untrue and unrepresentative of a January which seems to be dark inside and outside of the Labour party. Our tellys have gone dark too as there's no point watching. With Adam back in the tent pissing everywhere, and both being...
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Election Flu (it comes right after election fever)
Just how "I told you so" will Adam get, given that he was predicting a Tory majority and blaming Jeremy Corbyn? Just how well did Adam's Renew party do? Adam and Jon are united in defeat. Who or what will they blame? And what now for centre left and Corbynite left?
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Special episode: Boris Johnson's Christmas Carol
*A short story, after the melt Charles Dickens, by Jon. * Thatcher was dead: to begin with. There could be no doubt about that. Johnson had been to the funeral himself, sat near Osborne who was failing to hold back the tears. She was as dead as a doornail. Or less metaphorically, the 96 football...
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Exclusive: Boris Johnson agrees to interview with Sooty
There's an election going on. Our thoughts on the campaign, the polls, and predictions and some stuff from the behind the curtain as Jon kills himself canvassing and Adam thinks he might go for the Labour leadership. We learn that when you knock doors: there are people who seem angry about voting...
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We make our own damson jam, thank you very much
There was not a mass debate, but merely a head to head. We go over the back and forth of the cut and thrust. Crucially no-one laughs at anything, no matter how many jokes we attempt. What's the deal with the Green New Deal Why Boris Johnson is not popular. The dementia tax, have we forgotten…
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Education, Education, Education.
With the election run up now thoroughly underway, Jon and Adam take a look at last week in what passes for politics without a parliament, and look at which MPs we'll never see again. Since everyone is stupid in election season, we've decided to add a new featuer in which Jon tells Adam why...
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It's on...
Like Donkey Kong: the election. Corbyn chose it (kinda) presumably because it was bad politics to lose the vote to Johnson for an election that was gonig to happen anyway. Possible election outcomes in order of Adam's fantasy: Conservative overall majority ( = fairly hard deal-based brexit and…
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Did we move midnight? Election time?
Will there be an election? When? On Europe (because that's a thing people do still seem to talk about) we discuss the likliehood of the 31st of January extension and how much longer even the Europeans will let this carry on. Jon also tells us the most efficient way to cancel your membership of…
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One minute to midnight
First talk about whatever the heck is going on with Brexit right now. Right here, right now. Who's going to vote for this deal that isn't a deal yet as it hasn't been voted for yet. And… Alastair Campbell has still got it (it being causing trouble for Labour). The CBI lied about the costs of...
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The "uncut" episode: Fat borders and a Labour Queen's Speech
This week we hear just how (physically) close Adam has got to Jeremy Corbyn, what he thinks of the architecture in Brussels, and listen to some appalling audio quality. We also find out what Jon gets delivered mid recording session. From the substance, this week is all about Labour’s alternative...
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Tory Rally Hell: Can Boris survive and is Priti pretty?
We all know the Tories don't have conference, they have a rally. You know, like certain well known European leaders of the late 30s. Since it's been dominating the airwaves what did we learn from this year's? Do Tories trust Boris? Naturally we look as briefly as possible at taste in political...
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Conference special: your Watson guide
Neither of us are in Brighton, but that doesn't stop us being alight with conference gossip. We talk about the big heavyweight (or not so, now) battle between John Lansman and Tom Watson, about Tony Blair's toilet habits and about just how wonderful John McDonnell is. We debate if the option of...
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Bloody students
What's going on with Labour Students and Labour students? Does the option of boring politics still exist? Clever or Stupid: Jo Swinson and her pro-austerity pronouncements. And here's that photo of Adam at conference in the 2000's pretending to be Tony Blair.
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A legal matter
Just what's going on in court? We guess that all the legal stuff will be ignored until supreme court appeal next week. The Lib Dems & Greens standing down for Rory Stewart et al - this seems mad. Does the option of improving the stock of Labour MPs without the press screaming blue murder still...
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Prowling the corridors of power… pissed
Can we stop the coup - Jon's been organising a demo. It made the telly. "Is the solution to this mess to remove the checks and scrutiny and give more power to the privileged Tory elite? The solution is more scrutiny, more democracy, and fewer Tories." Is a General Election coming, and - what's...
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Making your mind up
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; so it’s time that we admitted there are scuffles in the aisle of the broad church. It's fantasy 'save us from the coup' time. "The Queen/Lords/Rory Stewart/John Major/Ken Clarke/The Courts will save us" - but is there any reason one could suspect the…
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Robert Peston's RANDOM intonAtion
An episode in which WE ARRRSK, why IS Robert PESton's intonation all OVER the place and is he clever or is he stupid. And more on the ongoing shithousery from the Lib Dems on Brexit. Just what is the Lib Dem strategy? What's it meant to be seen as by the public? But what the heck is it really?…
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A podcast of National Unity
Our first proper episode of That Option No Longer Exists - the pod that is a scuffle in the aisle of Labour's broad church. Jez wrote a letter to those not in government the other day, they opened it and read it. They turned out to be suckers. That Option No Longer Exists takes on the big…
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Pilot
Pilot episode, with Adam feeling quite fraill in mind and body.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
In the red corner Jon, a socialist. In the other his old comrade Adam, a new Labourite who is now back in the big tent. They attempt to talk about Labour and politics nicely together. The nicely bit is hard.Email us: [email protected]
HOSTED BY
Jon Bounds
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does That Option No Longer Exists have?
That Option No Longer Exists currently has 27 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is That Option No Longer Exists about?
In the red corner Jon, a socialist. In the other his old comrade Adam, a new Labourite who is now back in the big tent. They attempt to talk about Labour and politics nicely together. The nicely bit is hard.Email us: [email protected]
How often does That Option No Longer Exists release new episodes?
That Option No Longer Exists has 27 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to That Option No Longer Exists?
You can listen to That Option No Longer Exists on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts That Option No Longer Exists?
That Option No Longer Exists is created and hosted by Jon Bounds.
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