Robert Saunders, a UK elections expert, dives into the pitfalls of allowing party members to choose their leaders. He discusses how this shift has warped British democracy, spotlighting figures like Jeremy Corbyn and Liz Truss. The conversation highlights the historical evolution of leadership selection in Labour and Conservative parties, revealing the tension between grassroots members and parliamentary representation. Saunders also proposes alternatives like open primaries, questioning the legitimacy of the current system and its impact on political stability.

On 21 May 1838 an estimated 150,000 people assembled on Glasgow Green for a mass demonstration. There they witnessed the launch of the People’s Charter, a list of demands for political reform. The changes they called for included voting by secret ballot, equal-sized constituencies and, most importantly, that all men should have the vote. The Chartists, as they came to be known, were the first national mass working-class movement. In the decade that followed, they collected six million signatures for their Petitions to Parliament: all were rejected, but their campaign had a significant and lasting impact. With Joan Allen Visiting Fellow in History at Newcastle University and Chair of the Society for the Study of Labour HistoryEmma Griffin Professor of Modern British History at the University of East Anglia and President of the Royal Historical Society and Robert Saunders Reader in Modern British History at Queen Mary, University of London.The image above shows a Chartist mass meeting on Kennington Common in London in April 1848.

Historian Robert Saunders discusses the 1997 UK General Elections, exploring why Tories didn't get credit for a strong economy, New Labour's impact on campaigning, and the election's effect on proportional representation. They also ponder the significance of the Millennium Dome.

Historian Robert Saunders discusses the pivotal 1979 UK election that brought Margaret Thatcher to power. They explore what might have happened if the election was called earlier, the concept of Thatcherism, and the Labour party's struggles post-Thatcher. Bonus episode on the 1924 election available on PPF+

Historian Robert Saunders discusses the 1945 UK General Election, Churchill's post-war fate, Labour's radical program, and Attlee's leadership. The podcast explores wartime influences, economic policies, Labour party factions, election strategies, and post-election challenges.