Episode 154 – Get Ready – Proroguing, What Next, Lee Cobaj on the Hong Kong protests

Released on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019.

Episode 154 – Get Ready – Proroguing, What Next, Lee Cobaj on the Hong Kong protests

Episode 154 – The podcast returns, just in time to likely be made irrelevant about ten minutes after it’s arrived. Proroguing, deselections, dogs, what could come next? An election? Tiernan (@tiernandouieb) explains where things are at or were, but have probably changed since this morning. Plus journalist and activist Lee Cobaj (@Lee_Cobaj) on the Hong Kong protests.

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THIS EPISODE IS TAGGED WITH: • NHS, No Deal, parpolbro, Partly Political Broadcast, Patreon, podcast, political, politics, prorogue, Sajid Javid, satire, The Queen, Tiernan Douieb

Transcript

Hello and welcome to the Partly Political Broadcast, the political comedy podcast that wonders maybe if I shout all my sarcastic tweets out loud, that’ll be what changes things.
This is episode 158, I’m Tiernan Douieb and yes, the podcast returns just as Prime Minister and buttock forced through a seaside face in hole board Boris Johnson promises that he doesn’t want a general election meaning by the time you hear this, he’ll have called for one and said its what he’s always wanted. This comes days after he suspended parliament, surprisingly not halfway down a zip wire with a crash helmet on. Instead MPs will now have even less time to do anything about Brexit and you have to wonder if maybe this is all Johnson’s clever plan to make sure that whatever happens, Northern Ireland will be entirely aligned with the rest of Britain, in that none of us will have a functioning parliament.

Get Ready for Brexit is the new government PR slogan in the way an act at a festival might shout out for ‘somebody make some noise’ even though we’re all aware that’s their job and what we’ve paid them to do. Get Ready is very much the sort of slogan you’d expect to hear in a film, seconds before battle starts, or to prepare you of the destruction caused by a massive radioactive floppy haired flesh brick that’s about trample your country. What were the discarded choices? ‘May the odds be ever in your favour?’, ‘You’ll never go in the water again’? How exactly to get ready for a No Deal Brexit? Skin stretched over a Dairylea lunchables pack and Chancellor of the Duchy Michael Gove has said that everyone will have the food they need, which is reassuring to me as I’m already working on forging a note from my doctor saying I need vast quantities of crisps and cake. What exactly does he mean though and how can we trust someone like Gove to understand what food people need when the Conservatives haven’t had a clue what wages, benefits or general living standards people have needed since they took power in 2010? Based on their other policies the food people need will likely amount to rations of an old shoe per person and a small plate of grubs. Which to be fair, is what Michael Gove feeds on every day anyway before he tunnels back under the shed to sleep for the night. Gormless bollard and Health Secretary Matt Hancock has asked that people don’t stockpile as it’ll ruin the government’s plans, which judging by that comment can only be to let so many people die of starvation that it’ll ease pressure on the NHS and food supplies. So if we can’t stockpile but we have to get ready, what are we meant to be doing? Developing our taste for human flesh by licking random strangers’ knees? Build up your immune systems by only washing your hands in the bin? Or maybe preparing to hunt for water by arming your kids with homemade shanks and a kettle and sending them into the woods to see what they come back with?

Of course, I’m only kidding. There’s no need to panic everyone. The new Prime Minister is only two months into his job so shutting down parliament, threatening to break the law and expel all his own MPs is probably just teething problems, of the kind you especially get when you’re a massive man baby. Johnson’s government wrote to the Queen asking that they prorogue parliament. Yes, there are many questions already, is prorogue when you are in favour of someone like Johnson? Or is it a common misspelling and involves making all MPs dine at a chain of French themed cafes? And more importantly, wouldn’t the Queen want to block any requests to reduce the time the people’s representatives can represent them when dealing with such an important issue as Brexit? Yeah Lizzie will stand up for the people right? I mean, who better than an unelected monarch from a long line of unelected monarchs. Also, I’m sure that giant leech will give back all that blood that was stolen. I’m certain of it. The Queen, of course, ok’d it, as she has no power and is essentially the recipient of the world’s most expensive gagging clause. As I record this its not clear just when parliament will be shutdown but it’s clear that with conference season planned as usual because nothing is more important than a brief period of everyone getting to preach to the converted rather than not answer questions they don’t like, that there will only be about 5 minutes to discuss Brexit before a No Deal swoops down from a great height and picks off all the fledging dreams of being able to buy courgettes or have insulin. Johnson has insisted that this proroguation, which I think is the term – Proroguation? Proroguatory happenings? Proroagogo? – He’s insisted its normal practice to prepare for a new Queen’s speech for a new parliament, that Boris says will invest in the NHS, deal with violent crime and cut the cost of living. The Queen’s speech will do all that? I doubt it, unless you’re planning to play it at frequencies that will deter burglars, repeatedly play it to use as an anesthetic in hospitals to save money on drugs and show it on TV everyday at dinner time so people are put off their food and eat less, saving money.

It might be normal practice in normal times but in a silly season that’s never ended or perhaps never begun, it’s not at all normal and it’s definitely more likely that it just helps Johnson make sure that the UK will leave the EU on October 31st do or die, very much the cake or death choice of 2019. And very few people are happy about it, with protests kicking off all over the country on the weekend in leave and remain voting areas demanding to stop the coup, a phrase that sounds like a rewording of catch the pigeon, an apt comparison to what’s happening as a dastardly & muttley man has ridiculous ideas to snatch at a flying rodent of an idea that is rapidly escaping from everyone. Its not just the public that Johnson has managed to unite, bringing the together in thinking he’s an arsehole. No, the PM’s decisions are so bad that they’ve managed to cause opposition parties to work together, which seemed impossible only weeks ago as Liberal Democrat Leader and someone who always looks like she’s posing for a best temp staff member of the week pic, Jo Swinson, was repeatedly warning of a caretaker government lead by Labour leader and AWOL scribble Jeremy Corbyn, even though he’s obviously the most qualified to be caretaker being that he often looks like he’d mop the loos and make sure everything was locked up at the end of the day. The Anti-No Deal coalition are here now though, ready to present a legal challenge to stop no deal, even though Michael Gove has suggested the government may not follow the rule of law if they don’t like how it sounds, a soundbite he probably thought up after submerging his head in a mountain of cocaine. But even Conservative MPs are on board with Easter Island head in a suit David Gauke joining in the plan, especially after it was announced that Conservatives who vote against the government will be deselected. Yes, there’s nothing like threatening calls for loyalty from a Prime Minister who’s only sense of allegiance was limiting the amount of backstabbing critical articles he wrote about colleagues in the Telegraph to just single figures.

As you hear this there will probably have been an emergency debate, which might possibly lead a legal block on no deal, or a vote of no confidence or both or none though no confidence definitely sums up the public mood in most things. It begs the question of why, if Boris really wants to end up with a no deal, he’s left just enough time for it to be blocked? Is it a genius plan to lead to an election where his strategy will be pointing out how the opposition blocked the tired, bored, diminished will of the people, as all the other parties think about saying how Boris blocked democracy but instead attack each other like confused frenzied rats at a spice party? Or is it because he’s actually an idiot and can’t count? Or is it actually all the plans of haunted withered Bunsen Honeydew and special advisor to the PM Dominic Cummings who is apparently controlling it all like a mad Doc Brown but who only wants certain aspects of society to go back in time. Questions have been raised about what is known as Cumming’s Reign of Terror, also the title of a very grim porno, after he sacked an advisor to Chancellor and gobstopper mascot Sajid Javid without his knowledge, then ordered an armed police officer to escort her off the premises. Though to be fair, Javid has no right to be angry that someone was kicked out against their will. Cummings is apparently the one who planned the suspension and the threat to deselect Conservative MPs, and it appears that he may be the one who’s really in charge at No.10, trying to run the party like the mafia but one who’s only idea of family is getting a postcard from them sent to your boarding school while they’re off skiing where they’ve spelled your name wrong and don’t quite remember who you are.

So, who knows where British politics will be this time next week. Or even tomorrow. Or probably as you listen to this, in 10 minutes. Boris made a really boring pointless speech outside number 10, so nice that he’s keeping up his predecessor’s tradition, and he was almost drowned out by booing crowds in a way that made me realise that is definitely the only way to listen to him. Like when you hear a rough edit of a track and its shit but then all the instruments are added later and it sounds right. In his speech Johnson said that he didn’t want an election, although in the other version of the speech he wrote he said he did but if the government lose the vote this week and a No deal is blocked then he said he’ll call one for six weeks time which would be around October 14th which ironically is world standards day, like a small joke from the gods of calendars.

So if an election happens is one question and then whether or not party lines would be drawn as usual for an election isn’t another uncertain possibility, as perhaps the Conservatives will make a pact with the Brexit Party and reform as the Conxit Party, and maybe the Alliance of No Deal will stick together possibly only after an intense battle between themselves ending in them both making the same poorly written exposition reference like their mothers all being called Martha, and then working together. What will their taglines be? Will the Conservatives move on their ‘Get Ready’ slogan and just have ‘ah missed the boat sorry’. Labour something along the lines of ‘better late than never I suppose’ and Lib Dems ‘but we’ve been having such a nice time.’ Or maybe the government won’t lose the no confidence vote as it’s very hard to say how many Conservative MPs will stand up to this threat, as already 6 members of the cabinet have completely u-turned on being against proroguing, something that they said was undemocratic but now seems to all be ok. I mean it just goes to show its hard to trust their party on anything as similarly over the years they’ve said they’d keep the NHS safe, that they were good with the economy and definitely aren’t lizard people. Or maybe aliens will land, demand to see our leader and then when we point at the Prime Minister, they’ll all piss themselves laughing so hard they accidentally wipe us out.

Who knows. Well you will probably before you even hear this. But as for me, right now, what I do know is that according to Boris Johnson, the options are either him, or as he puts it, Corbyn chaos. How do you make that call? Should it be a man who is known for rugby tackling children, having rows with his partner that cause neighbours to call the police & constantly making racist comments, or a Raymond Briggs drawing holding a big courgette? Hmmmm. Tricky.

In other news Scottish Kim Jong Un tribute act Ruth Davidson has resigned as leader of the Scottish Conservatives, meaning that its possible we could be seeing the pandas at Edinburgh zoo once again gaining a majority over them in the next election.

Ghost of himself and former Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned Labour against having an election saying it would be an elephant trap. Odd choice of words to use a chess term when in this instance the Queen is completely useless. Jeremy Corbyn has of course ignored this warning and is calling for a general election saying that it is the people, not an unelected prime minister who should determine the country’s future, although based on previous elections and politics so far supposedly based on the people’s decisions, it might be better if we just got robots to do it.

The government has promised schools in England a massive cash boost because they want to win an election. Johnson has said that we should not accept the idea that there can be winners or losers when it comes to children, but that’s only because none of the former exist when it comes to his Brexit plans. Or when he plays rugby against them.

And as if things weren’t barking enough at Number 10, the Prime Minister has brought a new rescue puppy to Downing Street. It seems very much that his idea of rescuing when it comes to animals or the country is somewhat flawed. We have no idea of the dog’s name yet, but you can be certain it responds to dog whistles.

ADMIN

Yeah schools back from the summer. That’s the song right? Of course it is, don’t look it up, ever. It was totally sung by some really focused on education types. Anyway, hey kids, nice to be here once again. How was your summer break? Rain filled and generally stressful? Great to hear. Well you look really well. I guess. I have no idea. I can’t see your faces but I am assuming they are filled with joy listening to the return of my voice telling you that everything is still shit, potentially more so. You’re welcome and I’m proud to be that annoying flickering light that you just fix in your life. I’m very excited about the podcast being back, as my summer consisted of moments such as on Saturday, thinking that I should go on the anti-proroguing demonstrations. Or pirouging as Minister for being an idiot Nadine Dorries tweeted as though the PM is just pissing about on a small boat. Something I’d fully back if it happened during very stormy weather. Anyway, I meant to go on that but instead spent nearly three hours attacking my freezer with a breadknife, as you do. Was I trying to destroy the frozen heart of the Conservative party? No sadly I just couldn’t even get to any peas as it was a bit like Elsa had had a hissy fit or something. Still, nothing more cathartic than shouting ‘take that you fucking icy bastard’ while lopping off a chunk of the arctic away from some very old mini milks. No I can’t defrost it, our rented flat is designed so that the plug for the fitted freezer is somehow behind the fitted freezer, which is fitted. It’s very much the brand-new pair of scissors in a packet you need scissors to open style design. Sigh. I bet with that sort of classic summer larks chat, you’re very pleased this podcast is back eh?

Speaking of which, thank you for coming back to what will probably be several weeks, if not months, of podcasts where everything I record goes out of date before it even gets to your ears. I’m aware this will arrive on the first day back at Parliament where everything could change, or not at all, so if you’re new to the show, please enjoy listening as either a memory of when things were less shit than they now are, or hopefully, hearing how it was all a big panic over nothing as everything was saved in the nick of time by The Rock fighting the prorogugator while hanging out of a helicopter or something. I dunno. As these are turbulent times, I have decided that it would be ripe for a live podcast to happen, and so on October 29th at 2Northdown in Kings Cross, I’ll be hosting a live one of these shows as potentially something is happening that week. Or not. Again, no idea. But I’ll have some guest speakers and comedians and do some of the stuff you hear on this show, but unfortunately for you, you’ll be able to see me as well as hear me. Tickets should be up at 2Northdown.com by the end of the week, number 2, not spelled out, and there are only 76 seats I’ve been told so grab them quick if you’d like to come along. Yes I know its in London, sorry non-London types, but this is an experiment and if it works and there’s demand, I’ll definitely try to do some live podcasts in other places around the UK if the roads aren’t just solid stranded lorries and we have to travel by escaped alpaca leaping across the top of them all. If you can’t make the show but do enjoy this weekly shouting, please do consider sponsoring it by donating to the ko-fi.com/parpolbro or patreon.com/parpolbro sites, especially as I need the money to start stockpiling crisps with. Thank you. If you can’t do that, and let’s face it, Patreon is in dollars so it’ll soon be £12 per dollar the way things are going, then please just review the show, especially on iTunes if you can, even if you don’t use it. I’ve been told yet again that iTunes only really decide what to promote by nice reviews and subscriptions so even if you just hit 5 stars and type ‘get ready’ that’ll be handy. And if you don’t want to do any of that, please do just tell other people you know and like, or even like just a bit but not loads, like wouldn’t hang out with them on a weekend but you’re ok with passing conversation without cringing, even them. Tell them to listen.

Before we crack on with this week’s show some brief admin. The kids politics show I do with Tatton from Simple Politics got some Arts Council funding, which is very exciting, and we have shows coming up at Jackson’s Lane theatre in Highgate on Sunday 8th September, Arts Depot in Finchley on the 22nd, Hertford Theatre on the 28th and 29th, Birmingham Rep on Oct 26th, Dorchester Arts on 2nd November, Chew Valley Arts on the 8th November and Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol on the 9th. Its suitable for kids aged 7+, and no, I have no idea how we explain what’s currently going on so bring your children to come and see two grown man having a breakdown. Also, I have got loads of gigs going on at the mo, so if you want to come to any, then do check out my website at tiernandouieb.co.uk/gigs and sign up the mailing list too.

Right, this week’s show. So, I did actually do some stuff with my summer, one bit of which being going to Hong Kong for a week to do kids comedy in schools, with the sort of timing that I’d fire my agent for if I currently had one. Luckily, but also a bit frustratingly, I arrived sort of between protests and didn’t witness any and wasn’t able to show my support, which I guess might’ve well been for the best with the violence that’s happened since I left. But what I did get to do was interview protestor and journalist Lee Cobaj in an interview that is now two weeks old, and sadly things have now escalated a lot there, but its still a fascinating listen as Lee tells what the protests have been like and why its all kicking off. Also, Brexit Fallout returns as I try my best to tell you what might have already happened by the time you listen to this. Dear god, what am I doing? Why didn’t I take a summer break until January? Again feel free to use this week’s show as a lesson in how to make an immediate history archive and next week I’ll do an hour where I may as well try to guess what will happen by using a divining rod and the position of the stars. Here’s this:

INTERVIEW WITH LEE

If you’ve never been to Hong Kong before, it’s a wonderful and also baffling place. While there’s big towering bank buildings, expensive restaurants, terrible inequality, tax evasion and an, at times unbearable humidity that made me sweat like a Roman fountain. There was one day I was walking along eating an apple, so sweaty I was scared someone would think I was a suckling pig. But while there’s that bit of Hong Kong, there’s also the markets, the mix of cultures that make it feel like a little hub of humanity, beautiful sights and some of the best grub ever. It’s not easy to explain but it’s sort of like a lot of places without really being like any of them. This is partly because the Sino-British joint declaration that was put in place when British rule ended in 1997 meant that Hong Kong sort of had some of the best of both parents and not all of the worst, but with a recent extradition bill proposed by the government it suddenly meant that Hong Kong citizens that were arrested could be sent to mainland China and to a justice system that, well, isn’t much of a system and more of a justice havoc involving people that are detained never being heard from again, a lack of trials and capital punishment. Which is a tad different to the more British based justice system Hong Kong currently has, and needless to say, citizens weren’t happy and started to protest in quite large numbers. This lead to unnecessarily violent police retaliation, which has lead to more protests, including shutting down the airport, blocking the main roads, peacefully filling Victoria Park and protests from all people including teachers and medical staff, and more violence and tear gassing and school children being searched and people vanishing from the subway, and fires and more. Yet the people keep turning up to protest, defiant against the police and depressingly the not really elected governor and Maz Kanata from Star Wars Carrie Lam has only suspended the extradition bill and declared it dead, but not actually withdrawn it. I’ve seen a lot of zombie films and if somethings dead but they’re keeping it around, they’re just waiting for it to return in an even more terrifying manner. No one knows what will happen, how this will resolve, how long protests will continue, if Lam will back down, if China will step in, or if the UK will step in or with Boris as PM, tumble in and say racially insensitive remarks making it all worse.

I was in Hong Kong in August, for just under a week in what can only be known as, incredible timing. I arrived as the Victoria Park protests were happening in what can only be described as monsoon like rain, but they were over an hour away from where I was, I was jetlagged to crap and couldn’t make it. Then the Hong Kong Way protest happened as I was leaving. However, I’m not quite as shit as political journalism as you might think, I mean I am, but thankfully I did get to speak to Lee Cobaj, formerly a travel writer and now, because of the protests, a political journalist and most importantly, an active protestor. She kindly let me visit her flat in Hong Kong and told me all about why this is happening, what might happen next, just how awesome the protestors are and a pretty scary story about the first time she was tear gassed. Now before we crack on, firstly Lee wanted me to mention that she has lived all over the place so has an unusual accent, that I think is excellent. But also this interview took place on August 22nd and since then things have got worse in terms of police violence, protestors being arrested and political artist Alexander Wong aka Grandma Wong who Lee mentions, has now worryingly been missing for several weeks. But I think everything Lee talks about is still very valid and worth listening to. Oh and a quick:

EXCUSES EXCUSES

Because I recorded this on my little mic that fit in my suitcase, its on one track so I can’t edit out all my stupid interruptions that I normally delete so you don’t get annoyed with me. My questions are a tad messy because jetlag and I’d partly melted from the heat and every now and then there is background noise because people outside sounded like they were attacking an air con unit. Who knows? Maybe it was a freezer with a breadknife. Anyway, Lee was brilliant, and it was a pleasure talking to her. Have a listen:

And we’ll be back with Lee in a minute, but first:

BREXIT FALLOUT

So much has changed about Brexit over the summer that you wouldn’t believe. For example, while you might think the fact that the backstop is still an issue that the EU won’t budge on and the government want to remove but don’t have any alternatives for, its all progressed because before a woman who constantly looked like she’d just witnessed a pig being churned through a combine harvester was saying it, but now it’s a man who’s much more like the pig that’s somehow survived that combine harvester ordeal that’s saying it. You might think that because that same pig man promised there’d be a new better deal but hasn’t actually done anything or contacted anyone in the EU with any new ideas that maybe things haven’t happened or moved on, but they have because now a no deal looks more likely and if you pronounce that in a weird voice it sounds like new deal. Noooouu Deal. See? Everything is basically ok.

Of course, I jest like a rascally jest man, but in reality, well, no one knows. Will there be a general election? Boris Johnson has said that he doesn’t want one but if they lose the vote in parliament this week there’ll be one in 6 weeks time because its not as if they’ll need that time for anything else. But he’s also said a chance of a deal is increasing so maybe all the heading towards no deal is all a bluff so that everyone ends up voting for the deal that is essentially the deal Theresa May pushed for and Boris Johnson voted for and resigned over and then criticized and backed. Or it’s a genuine surge towards a no deal because Boris’s American twin, the Tweedlecunt to his tweedletwat, US President Donald Trump would like to buy the UK to add to his ideal collection alongside Greenland and Legoland which he thinks is a major brick exporter. What happens over this next week will very much determine that with many other possibilities too, that we’ll only ever understand when a super collider accesses all the parallel universes and we discover a Brexit that is in film noir style, one in a manga style and one that’s a young African-American teenager in a wonderfully stylized animated format. Ahem. So here’s a quick rundown of what might go on or depending on when you hear this, has already happened, or hasn’t happened and in which case please do never email in.

It’s likely there’ll be an emergency debate on Tuesday, which might involve an amendment to take over the parliamentary happenings meaning Johnson would have to except an EU extension if offered one so that it wouldn’t be Oct 31st do or die, just more don’t and same as before please and Boris will probably say that he never said do or die anyway and he’ll have to replace yet another pair of underwear due to all the scorch marks. If this passes then it could be made illegal to go forward with a no deal with parliament’s consent but if the government loses that vote, then it might be that Boris calls a general election for six weeks time as he knows he won’t be able to pass anything and why is life so unfair and everyone so mean to him when all he wants to do is execute criminals and insult Muslims. Either parliament will accept an election because if Corbyn doesn’t then he looks like a big cowardly lion face with a very weak mane going on, but there is a chance they’ll say hang on, there’s a fixed term parliament act so you can’t, and then there won’t be a general election until after the Brexit extension is pushed through and I don’t really understand how that will all work, when I’m sure that as soon as MPs try, Dominic Cummings will appear riding on a chariot pulled by three sad bulldogs, wearing a waste paper bin crown and trying to punch any MP who disagrees with him in the face.

The vote on Tuesday though, might end up in a vote of no confidence. If that’s what happens, there’ll be 90 minutes of debate which will basically involve the government going ‘can you imagine how much worse it’d be if almost anyone else ever was in charge even a child or some roadkill?’ and everyone else saying ‘no, we’d much prefer those things thanks’. If a majority don’t vote no confidence in the government, then the government win, things stay as they are, ticking towards a no deal, with a minority government propped up by the DUP who are too busy scowling at kittens to do much else. If they lose, then the Prime Minister is expected to resign. Thing is, the prime minister is also expected not to tell more porkies than a 1981 sex comedy, and to maybe, occasionally, actually believe in something other than his own self-importance. So I guess he’ll probably stay while insisting that you don’t need a house majority to govern. If the opposition, aka Jez Corbs has a clear majority to govern, which he probably won’t because everyone’s convinced that if he does he’ll turn parliament into a gulag or something and PMQs will be replaced with a basket weaving hour, I dunno, then he ask the Queen for permission to form a new government which she’ll probably do as it’s obvious she doesn’t give a fuck anymore and just wants to sit on a big chair and eat cake watching her husband drive cars into butlers, while everyone leaves her alone. If Corbyn doesn’t have a majority then both him and Boris or maybe not Boris will get 14 days to seek a majority by promising favours and handies round the back of the Lords or something. This bit has never happened before but then neither has Brexit or a government who doesn’t want to listen to the rule of law, so it could be a nice exciting bundle of firsties all round. After the 14 days, or during, whoever gets the most friends wins and if they can’t then its big time general election and Brenda from Bristol can have a lovely time as a prime time BBC political commentator just exclaiming that its all a bit silly.

And, if none of that happens? Then maybe Boris will wait till the very last minute and push the old deal again but with a new name and the backstop now called a rear halt. Or we’ll have a no deal that if you’ve been on the gov.uk/Brexit site you’ll know exactly how to prepare for. I filled in the form and as a British citizen it seems I mostly have to not want to travel anywhere after October ever again. But if you’re an EU citizen or from elsewhere its all a tad vague about what will happen. On the plus side the government have rowed back from their announcement that free movement would end on Oct 31st, mainly because the Home Secretary and woman best known for sitting by Jabba The Hut and cackling a lot Priti Patel announced it and hadn’t actually checked if that could happen without legal challenges. It can’t, it’s now been retracted. And the rest of everything? Well Operation Yellowhammer was a document that was leaked in August, and also sounds like a retro todger disease, and it detailed some of the concerns about a no deal and what the government has actually prepared. Spoiler, its lots and they haven’t.
But as this bit is probably already out of date and it’s turned out that Jeremy Corbyn unexpectedly challenged Boris to a danceathon and whoever collapses after 3 weeks of solid Doing the Hustle loses, maybe don’t worry just yet, or if you’re a big fan of taking a wheelbarrow of money to buy some bread then don’t get too excited. Because at the moment, anything could happen, or as the last three years has shown, not happen at all for ages. Its impossible to know whether the government’s new slogan of get ready is advice to prepare for something or merely an observation that we’re forever in the starter position, nowhere near getting set or going anywhere.

And now back to Lee.

INTERVIEW WITH LEE PART 2

Oh and in case you were worried about Lee getting tear gassed, or maybe just wanted to hear a first hand example of the heroism and give a fuck attitude of the protestors, as I finished the interview Lee said something that I had to record.

INTERVIEW WITH LEE PART 3

Thanks so much to Lee for having time to chat to me and letting me visit her in her flat in Hong Kong to record it. You can find Lee on Twitter @Lee_Cobaj where she is regularly posting about what’s happening there right now, and things really have got worse since we spoke, with so many protestors going missing, including, very sadly, Grandma Wong who Lee mentions, and there has been a much larger escalation of violence from police against protestors too. It’s really uncertain just how this will end. Do follow Lee and check out her website at leecobaj.com, and also check out the others she recommends for English language updates on the Hong Kong protests, particularly the Hong Kong Free Press @HongKongFP, Hong Kong Hermit @HongKongHermit and Louisa Lim @limlouisa. All the others Lee mentions are great for updates and factual reporting and links to them all will be up at the website partlypoliticalbroadcast.co.uk asap.

I have got some interesting guests lined up for the next few weeks but as always, I’d like to hear from you, who you want to hear from and what about in these ever turbulent times, and tibulant tumes. Do you want more hopeful positive chats? More talks to people in the thick of it all? More facts and in depth? Or just more lovely accents for general ear soothing? Tell me such recommendations, requests and re, er, recitials? No, no that one. But you can tell me who you’d like me to chat to at the contact page at partlypoliticalbroadcast.co.uk, the @parpolbro Twitter, the partly political broadcast page on Facebook or email me at partlypoliticalbroadcast@gmail.com with the subject line GET READY just so I know to take it seriously. Ahem.

END

And that’s all for this week’s Partly Political Broadcast. Thanks for returning to the show despite the summer break. There’ll be no pauses now until I’m carted off by Dominic Cumming’s moon soldiers for my traitorous talk and even then, I’ll at least try to record some stuff in etchings on my solitary confinement cell wall that can then be read out by Scarlett Johansson in the film of my life, where she also plays every other character, regardless of gender or ethnicity. Sorry, what I mean is, if you enjoy the show make sure you subscribe but also, that you tell other people to pop their ear holes towards these sound blasts, review the show on whichever pod app you use that does review things or one that you don’t that does and donate to the ko-fi or patreon sites if you so care, to allow me to stockpile tomato ketchup flavoured crisps ready for October.

Big time thanks to Acast, where this pod does reside, to my brother The Last Skeptik for the tunes and he has new music out on all the music sites that you should go listen to right this second and to Kat Day for all the linear liner notes every goddamn week.

This will be back next week when concern over Dominic Cummings health grows after he has himself forcibly removed from number 10 by armed police after accidentally calling himself and then hanging up halfway through the answer phone message instead of just texting.

BYEEEEEEEEEEE

This week’s show was brought to you by Michael Gove’s guide to Eating What You Need, a collection of recipes to provide you with exactly the food you need and don’t necessarily want. Including: one small tin of baked beans, cold, mealworms, just mealworms and drawing a picture of a cake on some paper and then eating it, but not all of it, you’ll want to save some for next week. Michael Gove’s guide to Eating What You Need, with a perfect hardcover for cutting lines on. Out now with rations allowing one copy per 5 people.