Bristol-based activist Ben Trowell has just returned home after being detained by the Israel Defence Forces in international waters near Crete. In this episode, Ben speaks to Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins about the training he underwent before joining the Global Sumud Flotilla, daily life on board, and what happened when the IDF boarded the boat 600 nautical miles from Gaza. From dealing with land sickness to going on hunger strike while detained, Ben shares his firsthand account of the flotilla’s attempt to break the maritime blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

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The team from Life of the Party join us for a live recording in conjunction with our friends at Bristol Transformed. In this episode, Jonas and Joe tell us what really went wrong with Your Party, reflect on the historical moment of Momentum, and explain why the Green Party might be a limited project. We also discuss the differences between Zack Polanski and Jeremy Corbyn, and how no party can keep everyone happy. Plus, Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins and Priyanka Raval reflect on how the team fared in their election predictions.

The Bristol Cable is one of the UK’s only independent, investigative local papers. Become a co-owner of the cooperative.

Journalist and author Sarah Jaffe joins us for a live recording at Jikoni East Africa where we chat about commodified connection, manufactured isolation, and how we create true relational care under capitalism’s intimacy-crushing yoke. In this episode, Sarah Jaffe answers our live audience’s questions on everything from how can we make straight men better, how to tell your partner they’re bad at sex, and the art of declining rather than rejection.

The Bristol Cable is one of the UK’s only independent, investigative local papers. Become a co-owner of the cooperative.

Activist scholar and lecturer at the University of Essex, Nicholas Buret joins us for a live podcast recording at the Cube. With a focus on justice labour rights and ecological politics, Nicholas tells us why the green transition was doomed from the start and how unions have a contradictory relationship with it. Nicholas tells us how there’s been a shift away from the power of disruptive action, what really goes on at climate camps, and how policy documents are often just a substitute for politics.

The Bristol Cable is one of the UK’s only independent, investigative local papers. Become a co-owner of the cooperative.

Special guest Mathilda Mallinson discusses her time on board the historic Global Sumud Flotilla where she was reporting for Middle East Eye. The 42-strong pro-Palestinian flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces between October 1-3 while attempting to break Israel’s siege on Gaza. We hear about the psychology training Mathilda underwent ahead of departure, how the boat dealt with everything from drone attacks to bed bugs, and how her journey was cut short when the boat was sabotaged in an attack. But most of all, Mathilda shares how a fleet of people from all over the world were united by a shared sense of justice for Gaza.

The Bristol Cable is one of the UK’s only independent, investigative local papers. Become a co-owner of the cooperative.

As co-director of Adfree cities, Veronica Wignall and her team campaign to reclaim public spaces from corporate advertising. During a live podcast recording at the Cube, Veronica tells us how our brains subconsciously register advertising, why billboards are often placed in the poorest parts of the city, and how the companies which can afford to advertise are often the ones that only widen issues like health inequalities. Veronica argues how corporate advertising is entangled in so many parts of life and that it’s time to stop promoting overconsumption.

The Bristol Cable is one of the UK’s only independent, investigative local papers. Become a co-owner of the cooperative.

Award‑winning playwright, poet, and artist Ros Martin shares stories from a lifetime of resistance. From her London childhood, to her work as a social worker and how she ended up taking on one of the world’s largest toymakers, LEGO! Since moving to Bristol, Ros tells us how she draws on her Quaker roots to speak out on injustice, from anti-racism work, to responding to the Colston statue toppling and recently launching Raising the Red, a public art project highlighting violence against women and girls.

The Bristol Cable is one of the UK’s only independent, investigative local papers. Become a co-owner of the cooperative.

Isaac finds himself at the Green Party conference in Brighton. The main interview is with the co-founder of Greens Organise, Steve Jackson. GO are organising the left within the Greens at a moment when the party is surging in the polls under the left populist leadership of Zack Polanski, whose leadership campaign Steve was part of.

The interview discusses the dangers of being a jaded ex-Corbynista and the unsettling quality of organising within a party that actually wants you to be there. Our hosts discuss the good, the bad and the cringe of Green politics and whether they actually stand any chance of becoming a mass force in British politics.

The Bristol Cable is one of the UK’s only independent, investigative local papers. Become a co-owner of the cooperative.