Since Attlee & Churchill

John Freeman was one of the brightest stars of the Labour Party’s post-war generation. Elected in the 1945 Labour landslide, he rapidly rose through Clement Attlee’s government and became a hero of the Labour left. Some even thought he could one day become Prime Minister. But after resigning from the government alongside Nye Bevan and Harold Wilson, he walked away from Parliament aged just 40. For the remainder of his life, Freeman never settled - he became a pioneering television interviewer, editor of the New Statesman, British High Commissioner to India, Ambassador to the United States, television executive and university professor. In this episode of 'Since Attlee & Churchill', Richard and Lee explore the extraordinary nine lives of one of the most fascinating, enigmatic and easily overlooked figures in modern British political history. In this episode, the following books are mentioned: 'Bonar Law' by R.J.Q. Adams 'A Very Private Celebrity: The Nine Lives of John Freeman' by Hugh Purcell Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Matters of Interest, Lee and Richard discuss Starmer’s decision to resign as an MP – and look at how his departure is part of a much bigger change in the relationship between former prime ministers and Parliament. Will any future PM do as Arthur Balfour and Edward Heath did and stay in the Commons long after their time in Number 10 is over? Then, Richard turns to the recent debate on the trade-offs between sovereignty and free trade between Canada and the United States. Richard argues that some of the same commentators who diagnosed a 'sovereignty syndrome' in Britain during the Brexit negotiations seem to have done a 180 when it comes to Canada insisting on its right to set its own policies. Is that right? And what would a more consistent reasoned and consistent approach to sovereignty look like? Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Lee and Richard are joined by Nigel Fletcher, author of 'Churchill's Queen: The Remarkable Friendship That Shaped Our Age', to explore the fascinating relationship between Winston Churchill and Elizabeth II. In his new book, Nigel explores how their relationship developed even before Elizabeth's accession in 1952, with Churchill playing an influential role in her early life. This episode also explores the personal relationship between the two as Prime Minister and Sovereign, their very different ways of understanding the decline of the British Empire and the emergence of the Commonwealth, and the disagreements that punctuated their relationship – including about the Royal Family's name and their London home. The episode ends by reflecting on how different the beginning of Elizabeth II's reign might have been if Clement Attlee had remained Prime Minister instead. 'Churchill’s Queen: The Remarkable Friendship That Shaped Our Age' by Nigel Fletcher is available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781529977257 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Lee and Richard debate whether Andy Burnham should call an early general election – and what, if anything, could justify him doing so. Is the conventional wisdom that a Prime Minister is never as popular as they are in their first few months actually true? And what can Burnham learn from the experiences of Theresa May, Gordon Brown, John Major – and even Stanley Baldwin?! Next, Richard looks at the extraordinary GCSE results achieved by Michaela Community School and asks what its success reveals about the principles of a good education. He then reveals some correspondence involving his socialist grandfather from the 1970s, reflecting on whether comprehensive education in practice was living up to the principles of its advocates. Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Since Attlee & Churchill Summer Book Club, Lee and Richard are joined by Nan Sloane, author of 'Margaret Bondfield: The Life and Times of Britain’s First Female Cabinet Minister', to discuss the extraordinary life and career of one of the pioneers of the Labour movement. Bondfield was the first woman to speak from the despatch box in the House of Commons, the first woman Privy Counsellor and the first woman Cabinet Minister. But her life is much more than a series of remarkable firsts. In this episode, Lee, Richard and Nan look at Bondfield's difficult childhood and early working life through to her rise through the trade union movement, as well as her Christian faith and likely lesbianism. Finally, they explore her controversial time as Minister of Labour during the economic crisis of 1929–31, her relationship with Ramsay MacDonald, and the reasons why her reputation subsequently faded from view. 'Margaret Bondfield: The Life and Times of Britain’s First Female Cabinet Minister' by Nan Sloane is available here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781350513655 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham has been Prime Minister for a month, but how good a start has he made? Lee and Richard debate Burnham’s first weeks in Downing Street, with Lee arguing that the new Prime Minister has so far offered little more than Martin Lewis-style tinkering to save people a few quid instead of the genuinely bold programme the country needs (and he promised). Meanwhile, Richard argues that Burnham has already delivered a surprisingly substantive programme of policies. Next, Richard turns to the United States to discuss the fascinating history of the American states that were once, at least in some sense, independent countries – from the Republic of Texas and the Kingdom of Hawaii to the short-lived California Republic and independent Vermont. What does the history of these former independent states tell us about how and why the United States has generally been more muscular in maintaining its union than other states? Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Benjamin Disraeli remains one of the most influential figures in Conservative history – but how much of the Disraeli we think we know was created after his death? In this episode, Lee and Richard are joined by Emily Jones, author of 'The Disraeli Myth: The Making of a Conservative Tradition'. They discuss how successive generations were inspired by Disraeli and reinvented him to suit their own political purposes, from Tory Socialists and Edwardian tariff reformers to One Nation Conservatives. What made Disraeli such a compelling figure in Tory history? How important was his Jewish identity to the mythmaking? And does 'political bodysnatching' – the appropriation of historical figures by later generations – help or hinder the way we think about politics? 'The Disraeli Myth: The Making of a Conservative Tradition' by Emily Jones is available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780691246314 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Lee and Richard consider the argument that supporting North Sea oil and gas extraction is an “extremist” position. How useful is it to label political opponents in this way? And has it been a mistake to reduce Britain's environmental policy to what is essentially a spreadsheet exercise in calculating carbon emissions? They then turn to a new article exploring the relationship between politicians and their constituents through the letters and emails that MPs receive. Drawing on the correspondence of politicians including Tony Benn and Enoch Powell, Richard and Lee consider what politicians can really learn from their postbags – and whether the rise of email, social media and now AI is changing the relationship between voters and their representatives. Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Lee and Richard discuss the remarkable life of James Douglas-Hamilton, the Scottish Tory politician who had the rare distinction of serving in three legislative chambers: the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Scottish Parliament, earning a reputation in each for courtesy and quiet effectiveness. Born the grandson of two Dukes and educated at Eton and Oxford, Douglas-Hamilton spent most of his life in politics. What motivated him? What did he achieve during his long career in public service? And why did he become the last MP to disclaim a hereditary peerage? These questions, and more, are explored in the episode. In this episode, the following books are mentioned: 'After you, Prime Minister' by James Douglas-Hamilton 'Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress' by Maya Kornberg. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781421454580 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Lee and Richard discuss the controversy over whether the Conservative Party is still the home of One Nation Conservatism. Drawing on the long history of One Nation ideas, stretching back to Benjamin Disraeli in the Victorian era, Lee argues that the tradition has become confused in recent decades with liberal conservatism - and makes the case for reclaiming its original emphasis on national cohesion, social responsibility and patriotism. Next, Richard examines what Prime Minister Andy Burnham meant when he suggested that his devolution reforms could lead to a written constitution. Does Britain actually lack one? What would be different about a codified constitution? And would it strengthen, or weaken, British democracy? Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ann Clwyd spent her political career on the Labour left. She marched with the miners, opposed nuclear weapons, rebelled against her own party, and was sacked from Labour's front bench more than once. Yet she also became one of the strongest supporters of the Iraq War. How? In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard and Lee explore the life of one of Labour's most independent-minded MPs. They discuss Clwyd's Welsh upbringing, her route into Parliament, the battles she fought with her own party on everything from welfare to devolution, and the convictions that led her to champion military intervention in Iraq. In this episode, the following books are mentioned: 'Rebel With a Cause' by Ann Clwyd. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781785901140 And also the upcoming books for our Summer Book Club: 'The Disraeli Myth: The Making of a Conservative Tradition' by Emily Jones. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780691246314 'Churchill’s Queen: The Remarkable Friendship That Shaped Our Age' by Nigel Fletcher. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781529977257 'Margaret Bondfield: The Life and Times of Britain’s First Female Cabinet Minister' by Nan Sloane. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781350513655 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Matters of Interest, Richard asks whether England's university funding system has reached breaking point after Sir Nick Clegg - one of the men who implemented it - described it as "indefensible". Rather than focusing on tuition fees, Richard argues that the coalition government's removal of student number caps was the real turning point. Lee then turns to one of the biggest political changes that has received remarkably little national attention: the sweeping reorganisation of local government across much of England. Why are historic council boundaries being redrawn? Is the process for doing so a sound one? And will it lead to better local government? Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Summer Book Club episode, Richard turns interviewer as he puts Lee in the hot seat to discuss his new book, 'Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders'. Together they explore how the Conservative Party has picked – and ditched – its leaders from the age of Disraeli to the present day. Was the old system of "emergence" really as undemocratic as it's often portrayed? Why did Harold Macmillan's handling of the 1963 succession bring that system to an end? And did William Hague's 1998 reforms create the instability that has seen Conservative leaders come and go with increasing speed? In this podcast, Lee and Richard discuss these questions and much more. 'Coronations & Defenestrations' is available with 30% off (with the code AGENDA30) on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Matters of Interest, Richard argues that Andy Burnham's first policy announcements reveal an unexpected reliance on central government power and a willingness to exploit the policy freedoms created by Brexit. Does the reality of governing mean Burnham is abandoning his former enthusiasm for devolution and closer European alignment? Next, Lee challenges claims that taking foreign leaders outside London to 'Number 10 North', as brief by allies of the Prime Minister, would be a radical innovation, highlighting the long history of PMs showing off every corner of the UK to visiting world leaders. Is this, Lee wonders, just another example of Burnham's 'low-impact gimmickry'? Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Lee and Richard are joined by former Business Secretary and Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable to discuss his new book, 'Eclipsing the West: China, India and the Forging of a New World.' Drawing upon his experience as an economist, Cabinet minister and long-time observer of Asia, Cable argues that the world's economic centre of gravity is shifting decisively away from the West. He is asked about Britain's relationships with both India and China during the Coalition Government and whether the UK's much-vaunted "golden era" of relations with China was actually naïve. The conversation also explores Donald Trump's transformation of economic orthodoxy, the future of globalisation, the positives and negatives of foreign investment, human rights, and how Britain should position itself in an increasingly uncertain world. 'Eclipsing the West: China, India and the Forging of a New World' by Vince Cable is available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781526179821 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Matters of Interest, Lee looks back at mid-term changes of Prime Minister and asks: do new leaders tend to transform their party's fortunes? Or will Labour MPs hoping for a boost under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham be left disappointed? Next, Richard explores one of the most extraordinary Supreme Court cases in American history, concerning an axe murder at RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire. Deciding who had jurisdiction over the case led the US Supreme Court to overturn one of its own decisions, an almost unheard-of event. What does the case reveal about the relationship between politics, the courts, and constitutional power? Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost twenty years after Tony Blair left Downing Street, how should we judge the record of New Labour? In this Summer Book Club episode, Lee and Richard are joined by historian Glen O'Hara to discuss his new book, 'New Labour, New Britain?' Together they assess the Blair governments of 1997-2007, exploring whether their domestic record has been overshadowed by Iraq and asking what New Labour actually achieved. The discussion ranges from the transformation of the NHS and public services to education reform, welfare, crime, housing and globalisation, as well as Blair's political style, his relationship with Gordon Brown, and whether his governments have a legacy that can still be felt in Britain today. 'New Labour, New Britain?' by Glen O'Hara is available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781526146328 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Richard and Lee place two of the biggest stories in British politics into their historical context. Richard explores the curious history of MPs who have voluntarily triggered by-elections – upon accepting ministerial appointment, changing parties, or as a form of policy protest – and asks where Nigel Farage's decision to force a contest in Clacton fits within that tradition. Lee then examines Andy Burnham's unopposed march to the Labour leadership and premiership. Looking back at Conservative leaders who reached the top by 'emergence' rather than leadership elections, he considers whether the smoothest transitions have always produced the strongest Prime Ministers and what Burnham's effortless ascent might mean for Labour's future. Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout the summer, we'll be interviewing authors of recent books that chime with the themes of the podcast. This week, we're joined by historian and author Alwyn Turner to discuss his latest book, 'A Shellshocked Nation'. In this sweeping portrait of Britain between the wars, Alwyn reveals far more than the political history of the period, uncovering remarkable cultural, technological and social change as well. As we discuss how Britain recovered from the First World War while beginning to confront the approaching horrors of the Second, a recurring theme of our conversation is the country's remarkable political stability. At a time when much of Europe was convulsed by revolution, dictatorship and economic crisis, Britain weathered extraordinary challenges without its constitutional system being fundamentally overturned. Why? A Shellshocked Nation by Alwyn Turner is available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781805221876 Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Richard presents a special edition of the podcast exploring one of the world's most famous documents. As he argues, most people know the Declaration of Independence’s opening words about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But what about the rest of it? Richard makes the case that far from being an attack on the principle of monarchy, the Declaration reflected the American colonists' belief that George III had failed to protect them from Britain’s Parliament. And as listeners will discover, the Declaration was as much a piece of political theatre as it was an earnest statement of principle. Lee’s new book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available! Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340 Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! *** Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.