Hilary Salt and Sebastian Moore explore the current political landscape in the UK and ask whether social democracy is needed now more than ever. Each week, they will look at important stories, attempt to offer solutions to the many crises, and share their suggestions for books, films, and events that have impacted their lives.

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk

As America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, what does the Fourth of July actually mean, and what does it tell us about the state of the USA today?

In this episode of Take Me Home, Sebastian Moore and Hilary Salt are joined by Dr Cheryl Hudson, lecturer in US political history at the University of Liverpool, to explore the origins of the Declaration of Independence, the ideas that shaped the American republic, and how successive generations have interpreted the nation's founding.

Recommendations:

The Odyssey - Homer, Daniel Mendelsohn (Translator): https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/464703/the-odyssey-by-mendelsohn-homer-and-daniel/9780241733592

The Lost Continent - Bill Bryson: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/326423/the-lost-continent-by-bill-bryson/9781784161804

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk

Hilary Salt and Sebastian Moore explore the current political landscape in the UK and ask whether social democracy is needed now more than ever. Each week, they will look at important stories, attempt to offer solutions to the many crises, and share their suggestions for books, films, and events that have impacted their lives.

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk

Sebastian and Hilary are joined by sociologist and author Frank Furedi to discuss his book In Defence of Populism. They explore what populism actually means, why it is so often misunderstood, and how it relates to democracy, identity, and representation. The conversation also touches on elite culture, education, and the growing sense that many people feel politically unheard.

Recommendations:

In Defence of Populism

Frank's Substack

The Madison

The Count of Monte Cristo

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk

Hilary Salt and Sebastian Moore explore the current political landscape in the UK and ask whether social democracy is needed now more than ever. Each week, they will look at important stories, attempt to offer solutions to the many crises, and share their suggestions for books, films, and events that have impacted their lives.

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk

The World Cup is just days away, and this week, Sebastian asks whether the tournament is exposing some uncomfortable truths about modern America. From eye-watering ticket prices and transport costs to the controversy surrounding New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, he explores the online clash between European and American approaches to cities, transport, and public spaces.

Hilary turns her attention closer to home and discusses the decline of the British pub. With hundreds of pubs facing closure, rising costs, new regulations, and changing habits, are we in danger of losing one of the country's most important social institutions?

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk

HS2 was supposed to transform Britain's rail network. Instead, it has become a symbol of delay, spiralling costs, and a state that struggles to deliver major projects.

In this episode, Sebastian and Hilary examine what went wrong with HS2, from its original vision to its current reality. They discuss why infrastructure projects cost so much in Britain, whether the country can still build ambitious projects, and what a better long-term vision for rail might look like.

They also analyse Tony Blair's recent essay on the "radical centre", the reaction it provoked, and what the debate reveals about growth, democracy, expertise, and political leadership. Can Britain still think big, build big, and govern effectively? Or are our problems deeper than any single railway line?

Recommendations:

Joshi Hermann on Andy Burnham

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk

Hilary Salt and Sebastian Moore explore the current political landscape in the UK and ask whether social democracy is needed now more than ever. Each week, they will look at important stories, attempt to offer solutions to the many crises, and share their suggestions for books, films, and events that have impacted their lives.

Check out the SDP website or get in touch:

www.sdp.org.uk

hilary.salt@sdp.org.uk

sebastian.moore@sdp.org.uk