On the Couch

On the Couch

Welcome to On the Couch, a new political podcast from Reaction and broadcaster and psychotherapist Lucy Beresford. In each episode, Lucy is joined by a special guest to take a deep dive into the relationships making the headlines in politics today and explore the psychology of so much in political life. read less
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On the Couch: Steve Baker
02-05-2024
On the Couch: Steve Baker
On this episode, Lucy Beresford speaks to Steve Baker MP about his mental health, the current dangers facing MPs in their constituencies and what the government can do to improve the nation's mental health.

Episodes

On the Couch: Steve Baker
02-05-2024
On the Couch: Steve Baker
On this episode, Lucy Beresford speaks to Steve Baker MP about his mental health, the current dangers facing MPs in their constituencies and what the government can do to improve the nation's mental health.
On the Couch: Ali Miraj
21-12-2023
On the Couch: Ali Miraj
Lucy speaks to Ali Miraj, financier and political commentator, about 2023, what went wrong for Rishi Sunak and why he needs to stand up to the right of the party.
On the Couch: Dawn Neesom
07-12-2023
On the Couch: Dawn Neesom
On this episode, Lucy speaks to Dawn Neesom, GB News presenter and former editor of the Daily Star, about the Covid inquiry and the stories we tell ourselves about what happened during the pandemic.
On the Couch: Jill Rutter
23-11-2023
On the Couch: Jill Rutter
Lucy speaks to Jill Rutter about the psychology of economics, the competing narratives around the Autumn Statement and whether Jeremy Hunt is listening to voters or Tory MPs.
On the Couch: Lord Darroch
09-11-2023
On the Couch: Lord Darroch
Lucy speaks to Kim, Lord Darroch about how Sunak and Starmer are seen to be handling the Israel-Hamas conflict.
On the Couch: Rachel Johnson
26-10-2023
On the Couch: Rachel Johnson
On this episode, Lucy speaks to broadcaster and journalist Rachel Johnson about sexual harassment in Westminster and how to change the culture.
On the Couch: Robbie Griffiths
13-10-2023
On the Couch: Robbie Griffiths
Lucy speaks to Londoners' Diary columnist Robbie Griffiths about the role gossip plays in politics, and especially at Party Conferences.
On the Couch: Baroness Ros Altmann
05-10-2023
On the Couch: Baroness Ros Altmann
This week, Lucy speaks to Baroness Altmann CBE, leading UK pensions expert and former pensions minister, about why it's so hard to get people to focus on pensions, and why nudge theory has been proven to help.
On the Couch: James Kirkup
28-09-2023
On the Couch: James Kirkup
Lucy speaks to James Kirkup, partner of Apella Advisors (and conference addict of 20+ years) who interprets the mood music of party conferences, whether Conference Lurghie is psychosomatic, and the strange cognitive dissonance of the attendees.
On the Couch: Lord Bethell of Romford
21-09-2023
On the Couch: Lord Bethell of Romford
Lucy speaks to James, Lord Bethell of Romford, about stopping children accessing porn and how more hours in the UK are spent watching PornHub than the BBC.
On the Couch: Stuart Andrew
07-09-2023
On the Couch: Stuart Andrew
Lucy speaks to Stuart Andrew MP, parliamentary under secretary at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and minister for loneliness, on whether the government is well-placed to address the mental health crisis.
On the Couch: Laura Dodsworth and Patrick Fagan
27-07-2023
On the Couch: Laura Dodsworth and Patrick Fagan
Lucy speaks to journalist and photographer Laura Dodsworth and behavioural scientist Patrick Fagan, authors of Free Your Mind – the new World of manipulation and how to avoid it about how our politicians are manipulating us and how we can resist.
On the Couch: Kulveer Ranger
05-07-2023
On the Couch: Kulveer Ranger
Lucy speaks to Kulveer Ranger, former advisor to Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London, about what it takes (and takes out of you) to work inside politics.
On the Couch: Henry Hill
23-06-2023
On the Couch: Henry Hill
Lucy speaks to Henry Hill, deputy Editor of ConservativeHome, about how to get better people into politics.
On the Couch: Robert Hutton
15-06-2023
On the Couch: Robert Hutton
Lucy talks to Author and journalist Robert Hutton about why Boris is playing The Victim card, and whether we all colluded to create the cartoon figure of Boris.
On the Couch: Neil Mullarkey
31-05-2023
On the Couch: Neil Mullarkey
Lucy speaks to comedian Neil Mullarkey, about how to make politicians communicate better with voters.
On the Couch: Ed West
18-05-2023
On the Couch: Ed West
Lucy Beresford speaks to writer Ed West about the future of Conservatism.
On the Couch: Dr Tessa Dunlop
04-05-2023
On the Couch: Dr Tessa Dunlop
Lucy speaks to royal historian and author Dr Tessa Dunlop, about the coronation, whether it is happening at the wrong time, and whether it will boost UK influence abroad.
S4 Ep2: On the couch: Peter Caldwell
27-04-2023
S4 Ep2: On the couch: Peter Caldwell
Lucy speaks to TalkTV Political Editor Peter Cardwell about the psychology of the latest bullying allegations within Westminster.
S4 Ep1: On the couch: Tim Marshall
19-04-2023
S4 Ep1: On the couch: Tim Marshall
Lucy speaks to Tim Marshall, British journalist and leading authority on world affairs, about the psychology of China, what might solve the Arab-Israeli conflict, and how space will be the new political battleground.