Darren Paffey Acronyms, Ai and Arguing for Languages

In this episode, I’m joined by Darren Paffey Mp - newly elected MP for Southampton Itchen and one of the very few members of Parliament with a serious background in language education. Before his move into politics, Darren was an Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics at the University of Southampton, a city councillor, and a longstanding advocate for inclusive, multilingual education.

We discuss:

• The current state of language learning in UK schools

• What real policy change could look like

• How accountability systems shape (or strangle) curriculum

• The potential of AI in the classroom

• What Darren misses about academia—and what he’s learning on the green benches

This is a conversation about education, policy, identity, and why languages are far more than just a school subject. Darren brings both lived experience and political insight to the table - and doesn’t shy away from tough questions.

🔗 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

🎶 Theme: Jump and Jive by All Good Folks via Uppbeat – copyright-free music for creators.
💬 Keep the conversation going at languagelabpodcast.co.uk or support us on Patreon at patreon.com/TheLanguageLabPodcast