• Summer Book Club: Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders
    Jul 26 2026

    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.

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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Matters of Interest: Does Burnham actually have centralising instincts? & How novel will Number 10 North be?
    Jul 23 2026

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Summer Book Club: Vince Cable on how China and India are Eclipsing the West
    Jul 19 2026

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Matters of Interest: Will there be a Burnham Bounce? & A Supreme Court Oddity
    Jul 16 2026

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Summer Book Club: New Labour, New Britain?
    Jul 12 2026

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Matters of Interest: Clacton in Context & the Risks of Coronation
    Jul 9 2026

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • Summer Book Club: A Shellshocked Nation
    Jul 5 2026

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • The Declaration of Independence at 250: Myths, Monarchy & the American Revolution
    Jul 2 2026

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    45 mins