Matt Goodwin has spent the last two decades inside the institutions he now believes are actively undermining the country. A political scientist by training and a public intellectual by choice, he rose to prominence writing about populism, Brexit and national identity. But it is only in recent years that his public profile has expanded beyond academia into something far more influential.
Whether through bestselling books, a Substack with tens of thousands of readers, or his growing presence on GB News, Matt has become a rare voice in British public life. He is unafraid to name the problem as he sees it: a radicalised elite class, captured institutions, and a political consensus that no longer reflects the values or concerns of the public.
Why did we invite him on?
Matt sits at the intersection of politics, media and academia. He understands how each institution works, and more importantly, why they are no longer working. From free speech in universities to mass migration, he connects cultural and policy failures to the deeper loss of trust between the people and their governing class.
We wanted to speak with someone who not only diagnoses Britain's cultural and political decline, but offers a plan for how to reverse it.
What did we talk about?
We began with universities. Matt believes British higher education has been hollowed out by ideology. Institutions that once stood for truth and open inquiry now reward conformity and punish dissent. He described how free speech has been replaced by orthodoxy, and how diversity of thought has become the one form of diversity no longer welcome. The passage of the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act was, in his view, a rare example of genuine reform. It showed what happens when conservatives stop retreating and start using power.
We then turned to the rise of new media. For Matt, platforms like Substack and GB News are not just alternatives to legacy media. They are a necessary correction. He spoke about how the mainstream conversation is tightly managed and how the new ecosystem gives a voice to those shut out by traditional outlets. In his view, most of the country does not see itself reflected in the BBC or the broadsheets, and these new platforms are stepping in to fill that gap.
The discussion moved to the deeper political crisis. Matt argues that mass migration, broken borders and ideological capture are not the root problem but symptoms. The real issue is a ruling class that no longer represents the people it governs. He called for a full reset of the political system, including the repeal of Blair-era legislation and withdrawal from international legal frameworks that constrain national sovereignty. He believes this is the only way to restore accountability and legitimacy.
Throughout, he returned to a central theme. The country is not just in decline, it is in danger. But the moment is not without promise. A political realignment is underway. If the right ideas, people and institutions come together, there is still time to change course.