Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

Today; the closure of schools because of unsafe buildings is emblematic of a country where nothing seems to work. Nothing happens by chance and Rishi Sunak's fiscal conservatism – echoing the early austerity years – has consequences. Plus Steve Richards considers Keir Starmer's reshuffle. Believe it or not the policies will matter more than the personalities.Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are close to the start of a new political year and the Conservatives appear to be as disturbed as ever. Nadine Dorries is stirring, so who is Rishi Sunak turning to for support in this troubled time?Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this latest episode Steve Richards reflects on the lessons so far from a vibrant Edinburgh Festival and introduces an episode previously released for Patreon backers on the significance of Prime Ministers appointing allies who they have known and admired for many years. Their chosen confidants tell us much about the character of a PM. In this case we look at the instincts of David Cameron as he turned to his close friend Steve Hilton.Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th to Saturday August 26th with a different show every day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1992 election haunts Keir Starmer and his team. It was an election when Labour was at some points well ahead in the polls and still lost. In this summer special Steve Richards looks at what really happened. Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th with a different show every day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of a series of Summer Specials Steve Richards reflects on the role of troublemakers in British politics. This is the chance for the whole Rock N Roll Politics co-operative to hear an episode from the Patreon series on troublemakers. Today Steve focuses on Enoch Powell who made one speech that rightly led to him being sacked from the front bench, never to return. He still managed to torment Prime Ministers from the backbenches and influenced the outcome of at least one general election. Other episodes in the series are available on Patreon and look at Tony Benn, Robin Cook and Nigel Farage. Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th with a different show every day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the height of summer and a chance to explore the many mysteries of British politics via brilliant questions from the Rock N Roll Politics Cooperative. Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th with a different show every day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th.Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the UK's bonkers pre-election 'tax and spend' debate continues the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has discovered he has more money to spend than he had expected.Steve Richards considers all this plus the need to avoid being perceived as punitive at the start of the UK's tentative green revolution.Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th with a different show every day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour's gain in Selby was a triumph as was the Liberal Democrat’s victory in Somerset and Frome. In a by-election special Steve Richards considers the fall out from the results, including the Conservatives' win in Uxbridge that will have immediate consequences.Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits, including a LIVE gathering on Zoom on Monday 24th July for more on the by-election fall out: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th with a different show every day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsAt the start of a new political year Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on September 13th. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-9/The New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a recent article for the Observer, Keir Starmer deployed many phrases that were part of Tony Blair's armoury twenty years ago – or even further back than that. After several Labour defeats is that the smart strategic move, to follow the language and ideas of an election winner? Or is such an unusual act of imitation a sign of weakness?Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits, including a LIVE gathering on Monday 24th July for immediate by-election fall out: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsThe New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the same time that we discovered the police were not investigating allegations surrounding Huw Edwards we also learned that the presenter was in hospital. Unsurprisingly given the media frenzy surrounding him. In this episode Steve Richards asks how big can a story get when involving a presenter's private life?Support Rock N Roll Politics and get episodes early and ad-free on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsRock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th.Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsThe New European sponsors Rock & Roll Politics - to get full access to the site for just £1 per week PLUS a £25 voucher to spend in their online store, visit www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.