Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

Boris Johnson is making life hellish for Rishi Sunak..causing trouble in relation to the Covid Inquiry, making the front pages most days of the week, making clear he blames Sunak for his fall. Former PMs make leadership difficult for their successors...does a politically active Johnson make it almost impossible to lead the troubled Conservative party?Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For a few decades the Conservative Party has changed from an expedient political force with MPs and members loyal to the leadership to a more factional and insurrectionary movement. Tim Bale, the author of The Conservative Party After Brexit-Turmoil and Transformation, has followed the changes at every level from the membership to the leadership. To make sense of the current turmoil in the UK's governing party we look back and follow the wild patterns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suella Braverman and many others contemplating their leadership ambitions, take note. From Rab Butler to Jeremy Corbyn there are reasons why those seen by some as potential Prime Ministers never make it. Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival with a different show every day from Sunday August 13th. Tickets here:https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book ‘Politics-A Survivor’s Guide’ the columnist Rafael Behr hails the centre ground in contrast to the populist politics that has flourished in the UK and elsewhere…but the term is imprecise and often applied to justify policies that are far away from the ‘centre’. Also..Can we get angry about the state of politics without nearly killing ourselves??Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the silliest and most dangerous debate of the lot. "Too many are coming here…" "The wrong people are coming here..." "The right people can come here…" "We need vacancies filled, but they can’t come here…"Will the debate on immigration rise above the vitriol, for a solution that benefits everyone?Plus brilliant questions, and much more. Remember to send in your questions to steveric14@icloud.com!Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from August 13th, with a different show every day! Tickets here:https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politicsSubscribe to Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive Zooms and other goodies: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The author of a new book on Boris Johnson reflects on the many reasons why the former prime minister should never have got close to Number 10...and the lessons that need to be learnt when a figure wholly unsuited for leadership acquires near presidential powers.Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are echoes with the build up to the 1997 election in the insurrectionary stirrings of prominent Tories...Why did they act with reckless disloyalty then... and why are they doing do now? Subscribe to RockN Roll Politics:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the release of his new book "Why is this Lying Bastard Lying to Me?," I speak to Rob Burley, former editor of Marr, The Andrew Neil Show and Newsnight, about the art of the political interview. We reflect on the current state of the BBC, and look back at some of the legendary interviews, including Brian Walden's exchanges with Margaret Thatcher and Tony Benn.Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place this Monday. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-8/Subscribe to Patreon for bonus podcasts, live zooms and much more here: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much will happen between now and the next general election, making it risky to extrapolate too much from last week's local polls.For Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, the road ahead will be challenging in different ways... and both are new to the task of leadership in the buildup to an election.Rock & Roll Politics - A New Political Landscape? is live at Kings Place next Monday. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-8/ Subscribe to Patreon for bonus podcast series, live Zoom events, and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Queen died, many commentators predicted the country would be traumatised by the loss for a long time. Instead, it was Liz Truss that caused the trauma immediately after the Queen's passing, Charles's accession to the throne causing no fuss at all.What does it tell us about the monarchy, and its capacity to generate feverish commentary now that the "Elizabethan Age" is over?Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place in London on May 15th. There's a lot going on that we need to discuss, and you can get tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-8/Don't forget to send your questions to steveric14@icloud.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.