I know NOTHING about politics. How can I start to learn?

[MeAgainAndAgain]

I read the headlines online. Sometimes I read the article but mostly I’m drawn to the ‘people’ story eg I probably wouldn’t read about education but I would read about how a specific law/whatever has affected these specific people (teachers/students) in this specific school/area, and the individual hardships that situation has created. But education in general? No idea. Same for eg health, any other random section of the government.

But I want to have more of a general knowledge of what is going on, I want to follow the Today programme and understand who is who, what the problems are and how they are proposing to sort them. I want to feel ‘in the loop’ and interested and to learn rather than go with the flow and enjoy it as background noise.

BUT where do I start? There’s too much politics! What shall I read? What shall I watch?

Edited - eg I have no idea who Grant Shapps is. I know he’s out. I think he’s Tory. But why do I know his name? It’s a very familiar name but why? And repeat this for literally every person and every topic to do with politics. Where do I begin?

I’m not specifically interested in education or Grant Shapps, they are just examples as to my level of knowledge.

I agree with a lot of suggestions above. Radio 4 is my constant companion.

I also highly recommend the YouTube channel TLDR (acronym of Too Long Didn't Read). It provides clear, incisive, intelligent information about politics, economics, social history etc, and is great for understanding why we are where we are.

All media, whether broadcast, podcast or paper-based does have biases, so it is well to recognise this and take it into account as you read, watch and listen.

I try to also consume content created by those whose opinions - as broadly agreed - sit in a different place on the political spectrum to mine.

I like having my own views reflected back to me (I can nod sagely along and feel vindicated!), but I also want to step outside of my personal echo chamber and understand other perspectives.

The Rest is Politics is great. I'd also recommend Electoral Dysfunction - it's all women and I find it a bit more relatable than TRIP.

TRIP is good though because they explain quite a lit about different political systems

I like Radio 5 too, a bit more easy going than R4 and the phone ins tend to have a wide range of opinions

I completely agree with this. In fact read up about Nazi propaganda and you will recognize their techniques still being used today. I suggest you find at least one news outlet that doesn't seem to reflect your values - if you are generally left wing don't just read the Guardian, for example. Don't assume the BBC is unbiased. You could follow political journalists from different media on Twitter. They will post links to their latest stories. You can get past paywalls using archive.ph.

Actually though I get a shed load of political knowledge from a long running series of MN threads:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5113309-thread-1-starmer-a-new-hope?page=12&reply=136611835

We have a lot of shared articles and discussions. May be a bit dominated by centre/left politics but it's my favourite thread on MN

I would pick one newspaper on the left and one on the right. The “truth” will be between those two.

This, exactly.

It’s been mentioned above, but ‘How Westminster Works - and Why It Doesn’t’ by Ian Dunt is a good, short and highly readable intro to structures around which politics operate: Parliament, the executive, the administration, the press, the legal system, etc. Unless you have a grasp of those, the commentary on podcasts and news broadcasts can be confusing.

I suggest you find at least one news outlet that doesn't seem to reflect your values - if you are generally left wing don't just read the Guardian, for example. Don't assume the BBC is unbiased. You could follow political journalists from different media on Twitter. They will post links to their latest stories. You can get past paywalls using archive.ph.

Great advice. Challenge your thinking constantly and try to understand what makes other people think differently. You don't have to agree, just don't fall into the trap of tribalistic knee jerk reactions.

Lots of great podcasts mentioned but I'd recommend BBC Newscast as the most accessible for the level you describe you are at. Useful explainers before they go into new issues.

I've been listening to the Newsagents and the Rest is Politics and I think they're great starting place for anyone, like myself, is a complete layman and wants to understand more about politics.

Listening to the rest is politics pod cast is a good shout.

To understand the system you could buy this op...

British Politics For Dummies, 2nd Edition amzn.eu/d/0fAinwy9

I'd have thought Google is your friend on this one. Find out (if you don't know) how the UK government is structured, how it's elected, what an MP is and how laws are passed. I'm imagining there are some straightforward, concise explanations of all this on the BBC or Wikipedia.
Then look up who's in the cabinet and who's in the shadow cabinet to get a sense of who people are and their roles.
Then you'll get a bit more out of listening to the Today programme (or PM at 5 p.m. R4 if you have time) and/or reading a broadsheet or news website.

Lol at "I’m not specifically interested in education or Grant Shapps" - since Grant Shapps (in all his many aliases) would be a rather niche interest. One for a posthumously written biography perhaps, as conmen-turned-rightwing-politicians tend to be rather litigious.

I'd start with the Guardian, in particular the Society section - that's "society" as in the effects of policies on the likes of you and me, not "society" in the sense of dukes and duchesses. I like the Guardian because it's free to read and has a social conscience. Unfortunately there's a dearth of reliable news sources that aren't paywalled.

I wouldn't bother with the Today Programme, which is predominantly dull Westminster gossip delivered in an annoyingly supercilious manner. TV news is usually rubbish too, with a focus on the sensational (yay, bombings! People with gory injuries!) and a disinclination to explain anything ever, so it's like reading some novel with a really complicated plot where someone has ripped out the first few chapters.

Google isn’t much use if you don’t know what you’re looking for. You have to know that the machinery of government is accessible via various websites before you can search for them.

Can’t recall if any have been mentioned, but a completely up to date textbook on Constitutional Law would be a good investment of time / money.

Today Programme, which is predominantly dull Westminster gossip delivered in an annoyingly supercilious manner

I find this unrecognisable and frankly a bit silly. It’s a daily three hour program that gives a heads up on some of what’s currently of interest in national and international politics, religion, science, the arts, nature, wildlife, travel, agriculture, cookery and the culture of eating out, health, wealth, poverty, gardening … The list of topics is inexhaustible - and it’s good to hear them discussed in the context of whatever the day’s lying politician is lying about.

Of course no one source can provide everything - it’s important to try to access as wide a range of authoritative information as possible.

I would also follow Stephen Swinford on Twitter - as political editor of The Times, the threads he does summarising his big stories can be very helpful.

And follow Ian Dunt, for amusement and education.

@MayIDestroyYou I think Today is very superficial with an annoyingly cleverdick tone. They have also fallen into the trap of programmes which rely on interviews, namely reducing politics to personalites (such as they are) and thus to soundbites and intrigues, rather than engaging properly with the issues. R4 is also rather right-leaning generally, other than its comedy shows (which are generally of woeful quality).

I like TLDR News on YouTube for clear explanations. As it's aimed at young people (I assume it is anyway based on the age of the presenters) it doesn't assume too much prior knowledge or interest. https://www.youtube.com/@TLDRnews

I don’t disagree that superficiality is the bane of modern political discourse.

This is happening at 12pm today - I’m hoping it won’t be superficial, though judging from the comments already posted I will struggle to follow the arguments.

https://www.ft.com/content/164c45de-0cb9-4a27-ad84-916b2edc319f

@MeAgainAndAgain if you have been able to watch the House of Commons live today on the BBC it should have proved informative and entertaining.

Being retired, I have been able to watch just this. It is still on, with the swearing in. I almost came on here to tell OP to watch or record a little bit of BBC Parliament (Channel 232) every day and have an eye to the everyday work, NOT just PM's Questions.
Some are happy to swear on a bible and they say 'so help me God' at the end of the oath. I hear what the man is asking them. He asks if they would like to swear or affirm. If they choose to swear they can choose which version of the bible they use. Now, would a Jewish person swear on what I would call the Old Testament? Do Muslim MPs swear on the Q'ran? Ah, Sir Julian Lewis has just chosen the Old Testament.

Why do you want to find out more about it? If it’s because you think you’ll find it interesting and enjoyable, great. If it’s mainly because you think you should, don’t bother, unless you’re hoping to become politically active in some way.

How is this:

But I want to have more of a general knowledge of what is going on, I want to follow the Today programme and understand who is who, what the problems are and how they are proposing to sort them. I want to feel ‘in the loop’ and interested and to learn rather than go with the flow and enjoy it as background noise.

hard to understand, @Loopytiles?

Politics is really three things coming together: ideas, process, people. If you want to learn about politics, don't focus on the people. They come and go, even the big names. Wikipedia has excellent summaries of the ideas (conservativism, liberalism, socialism, environmentalism, communism, the rule of law, separation of powers etc). Process in this country is understanding our institutions. Parliament, how it is elected, makes laws and also how cabinet government works. A-Level text books probably provide a good start. You need a dash of historical understanding as well as our constitution sits on 1000 years of developments, but you can fast forward to the mid 19th century for something that looks like our modern system.

Rude, @MayIDestroyYou!

Am suggesting that OP reflects on the motivation underpinning what she wishes to find out about.

heard and agree with an argument on a US politics podcast that ‘following’ current affairs, politics, news etc is essentially a hobby, unless it includes action of some kind, eg on a local or specific issue or service. Not inherently ‘better’, worthier or more useful than any other hobby. Since no one benefits and most of us in the UK get only one vote every few years that, depending on where we live, counts for nothing.

As such much depends what one wants from a hobby.