State visits and diplomatic u-turns

We’re back with another Issue Scan — and somehow, the world got messier again.

This week, we covered everything from Trump’s sudden about-face on Ukraine, to Keir Starmer’s high-stakes state visit with the same man, to Ed Davey’s surprisingly jazzy Lib Dem conference. And yes, we finally got Andrew back — fresh from California and full of strong beer opinions.

We also welcomed some new (and critical!) listeners. One thinks our intro banter is interminable. So we kept the useless banter running on longer than usual. 

Here’s what’s inside:

Trump’s Big Pivot on Ukraine: “He gave Putin the red carpet—and got played. That’s personal for Trump.”

• After months of hedging, Donald Trump now says Ukraine can win back all its territory
• Is this a genuine shift or just Trump being Trump?
• The team debates whether U.S. aid policy is really changing — or just being rebranded
• Why NATO should be paying close attention to the timing, tone, and implications

Trump’s UK State Visit: “Success these days is: no Epstein questions and no one got deported.”

• Red carpets, royal banquets, and a tech prosperity pact
• Starmer survives the visit unscathed—just barely
• Trump praises Britain by day, blasts Europe at the UN by night
• Did any of it actually matter? Or was the goal simply to avoid disaster?

Lib Dems vs Reform UK: “If you’re trying to win back Tory moderates… they may not exist anymore.”

• Ed Davey leads a marching band into conference season (literally)
• 40+ references to Nigel Farage in one speech — is this strategy or desperation?
• The crew dissects whether the Lib Dems are targeting the wrong voters in their anti-Reform push

💄 Lipstick on a Gerbil “When you’re picking up your bag before the interview ends… it’s not a great sign.” This week’s entry: Liz Kendall dodges every hard question on immigration with a smile

• Did she defend an unworkable “one-in-one-out” policy? Not really.
• Did she charm the press and survive the interview? Absolutely.

00:00 Welcome and interminable chat about birthdays and Blockbuster
07:11 Trump's Ukraine U-turn — From peace deal to full victory rhetoric
11:21 Putin's provocation and the limits of Western support
17:05 Trump's state visit to the UK — Pageantry meets substance
19:39 Has populism made Trump respectable? The shift since 2019
26:36 Conference season explained — Booze, scandal, and the Lib Dem marching band
31:40 Ed Davey's anti-Reform crusade — 40 Farage references and the wrong target
33:22 The Lib Dem electoral math problem — 72 seats on split votes
38:52 What to watch at Labour and Tory conferences — Survival mode for both leaders
45:32 Lipstick on a Gerbil — Liz Kendall defends the one-in-one-out migration deal