Episodes
13. 'Yes Minister' - Crossover with the British Sitcom History Podcast
" In stage one, we say nothing is going to happen. Stage two, we say something may be about to happen, but we should do nothing about it. In stage three, we say that maybe we should do something about …
14. Northern Ireland Roundtable Discussion
What are the common myths about the conflict in Northern Ireland? Is understanding history a barrier to peace building in the country, or a vital part of it? And finally, what are the prospects for Irish unification in future...
12. John Major: An Unsuccessful Prime Minister? - with Dr Ben Williams
John Major was prime minister for longer than the last five we've had in the UK. What were his politics? Were they little more than Thatcherism with some of the hard edges taken off; or did he represent a more …
11. The Legacy of Hugh Gaitskell and John Smith - with Dr Martin Farr
Both Smith and Gaitskell died suddenly and never gained political office. What do they tell us about how the Labour party remembers its lost leaders? What might have happened if they had both lived? And finally, where are the...
10. The EU's Role in Northern Ireland Peacebuilding - with Dr Giada L…
What is the often overlooked role that the EU played in Northern Ireland peacebuilding? What were the challenges of the EU getting buy-in from the Northern Irish community and how were these tackled? What lessons can be learn...
9. By-Elections - with Dr Marc Collinson
Why are by-elections called; what myths and misconceptions surround them; and how much do they shed light on the national political picture? I was grateful to be joined by Marc Collinson for this episode - lecturer in contemp...
8. Rock Against Racism - with Dr Ieuan Franklin
I'm very grateful to Ieuan Franklin - lecturer in History and Politics at Bournemouth University - for joining me on this one. In this episode, we talk about the Rock Against Racism movement of the late 1970s. What was the …
7. The Falklands War - Crossover Episode with The Aspects of History …
I'm delighted to be joined on this one by Ollie Webb-Carter, host of The Aspects of History Podcast . In this crossover episode, we take on the hefty topic of The Falklands War. How did Britain get drawn into a …
6. Labour in the 80s: the Rocky Road to Recovery - with Associate Pro…
Why did the Labour Party lose the 1983 election and what changes did the party make to put itself back on the path to recovery? We're joined by another real expert on the period for this episode - associate professor …
5. The Evolution of Political Campaigning - with Professor Darren Lil…
Ever wonder how political campaigns have transformed over the years? Discover how political marketing has embraced corporate strategies, as we analyse the image management and PR tactics of iconic leaders like Margaret Thatch...
4. Party Finance - with Professor Justin Fisher
What if we told you that the often overlooked aspect of party finance plays a critical role in shaping British politics? As we dive into the historical landscape of political funding, our guest Justin Fisher from Brunel Unive...
3. Economics and Culture in the 80s - with Alwyn Turner
“Economics are the method, the object is to change the soul” - Margaret Thatcher (1981) What were the various tensions and contradictions between free markets and social conservatism in the 1980s? How did these manifest in th...
2. Special advisors - with Dr Athanassios Gouglas
In this episode we hear from Dr Athanassios Gouglas on the subject of special advisors. Dr Gouglas is a politics lecturer at the university of Exeter and you can find out more about his research here: https://politics.exeter....
1. Crises in the 1970s - with Dr Chris Kirkland
This episode has Dr Chris Kirkland joining the podcast to speak on crises in the 1970s, with a particular focus on their link to the Labour Party. Chris is a lecturer in politics at York St John University and has …
3. John Major's Government - The Economy and Public Services
In this episode, we take a deep dive into John Major the man, Major's overall vision for the country and his approach to the economy and public services. Time stamps: 0-18:20 - John Major the man, his vision for the …
2. The New Labour Government Part 2 - Gordon Brown's Premiership
This episode discusses Gordon Brown's time in office through two main questions: Was Gordon Brown's premiership a step change from Tony Blair's, or more of the same? (First 20 minutes) From the perspective of hindsight, how m...
1. The New Labour Government Part 1 - Blair's Early Years
In this episode, we look at Tony Blair’s New Labour Government. We mainly focus on his first few years of government, drawing on Andrew Rawnsley’s great book about this period: ‘Servants of the People: The Inside Story of New...