“A hung Parliament” - it’s not quite admitting defeat, but the new media lines from Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party suggest that even the Government knows its days are numbered. Nish and Coco unpack Sunak’s shock admission and some of the highlights from the local elections. Comedian, actor and activist (and old colleague of Nish) Aisling Bea drops in to talk about campaigning against food insecurity. The “Essentials Guarantee” campaign championed by the Trussell Trust asks that political parties prioritise all citizens having basic essentials as part of their election manifestos. Aisling also talks about the fight for abortion rights in her homeland of Ireland, while Coco reminds us that the abortion laws in England, Scotland and Wales are incredibly archaic. Abortion buffer zones, 150m no-protest areas around clinics have just hit their one-year anniversary of receiving royal ascent for England & Wales, however, the Home Office has yet to roll out the change to the law - leaving protestors free to approach women outside. Finally, the gang mix together a metaphorical soufflé of villains, stirring in a healthy dose of uncapped banker bonuses, adding a dash of Susan Hall, and a pinch of the Labour Party’s surprise new MP. Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media. Contact us via email: [email protected] WhatsApp: 07494 933 444 (UK) or + 44 7494 933 444 (internationally) Insta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk Twitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/podsavetheworld Guest: Aisling Bea Audio credits: BBC The Guardian GB News Useful links: Come to see Pod Save the UK live at Edinburgh Fringe! Essentials Guarantee Campaign - Trussell Trust Could there really be a hung parliament at the next UK general election? - The Guardian Anti-abortion activists ramping up protests outside clinics after failure to introduce buffer zones - The Independent Goldman Sachs’s UK gender pay gap widest in six years - Financial Times On abortion culture wars, Britain takes a different path - Politico What a sad little life Jane - Come Dine With Me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.