Mark Paul

Jack Blanchard, POLITICO Playbook editor with US cabinet insights; Mark Paul, Irish Times correspondent who explains Ireland’s citizens’ assemblies; Lauren Edwards, Australia-born Labour MP who discusses compulsory voting. They explore compulsory voting and flexible voting, Italy’s 15-day polling blackout and quieter campaigns, how citizens’ assemblies work in Ireland, and US-style cabinet appointments versus frequent UK reshuffles.

Join political correspondent Harry McGee, journalist Ellen Coyne, and London correspondent Mark Paul as they delve into the explosive Grok app controversy. They discuss the legal loopholes surrounding non-consensual intimate images and the urgent need for updated regulations. The conversation also touches on the staggering energy consumption of a Dublin data center and the political fallout from Robert Jenrick's defection to Reform UK, analyzing its implications for the Conservative Party and the broader climate of UK politics.

Mark Paul, London correspondent for the Irish Times, dives into the chaos engulfing Labour under Keir Starmer. He discusses the fallout from Angela Rayner's resignation and its implications for the party's integrity. Mark analyzes the growing threat from Nigel Farage's Reform UK, highlighting regional divisions within Labour and the party's rightward shift on immigration and net zero policies. He also touches on broader anxieties around free speech and societal divides, painting a vivid picture of the UK's political landscape.