

Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards
Steve Richards
Based on his live one-man show Rock & Roll Politics, the broadcaster and author Steve Richards takes a weekly behind-the-scenes tour of UK politics and the media that shapes the way we view the epic political dramas. The future is ridiculously unpredictable and the past is so easy to misread. Subscribe to your weekly guide through seismic times.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 15, 2023 • 1h 7min
Summer Special: The 1992 Election
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

Aug 8, 2023 • 55min
Summer Special! Troublemakers: Enoch Powell
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

Aug 1, 2023 • 35min
Question Time Special
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

Jul 25, 2023 • 40min
A Revealing Twist in the Mad ’Tax and Spend’ Debate
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

Jul 21, 2023 • 23min
The three by-elections and the consequences
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

Jul 18, 2023 • 51min
Keir Starmer: Is he right to copy Tony Blair's language and ideas?
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

Jul 13, 2023 • 32min
The BBC and The Sun – A dark dance
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

Jul 11, 2023 • 44min
'Tax Burden' and 'Reform' part 2 - Where is the economic growth going to come from?
One of Keir Starmer's key missions is to achieve the highest levels of growth in the G7. Steve Richards asks how? The answer is far from clear, as Starmer and Rachel Reeves highlight their commitment to stick more or less to Tory tax and spend plans, although in the style of New Labour circa 1997.Plus today there’s more brilliant questions and life changing notices.Rock 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-politicsSubscribe to Patreon for exclusive benefits including the July live event:https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPoliticsThe 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

Jul 7, 2023 • 35min
My Extinction: Climate Change Special
Steve Richards is in conversation with the director, Josh Appignanessi, about his new film ‘My Extinction’.The film is both funny and urgently reflective as Josh explores the dilemmas facing each of us in the face of climate change. What does it take for us to act on the climate crisis and is the issue too overwhelming as we contemplate our extinction? Steve asks what is the best way to protest and is there hope amidst the alarm? What has Josh learnt from his own comically erratic climate change journey?https://www.dartmouthfilms.com/myextinctionSupport 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 Hitchin Festival on Tuesday July 11. Tickets here:https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/hitchin/the-market-theatre/rock-n-roll-politics-with-steve-richards/e-kgvveaeaRock 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-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 4, 2023 • 45min
'Tax Burden' and 'Reform' - What Do These Ubiquitous Terms Really Mean?
We are now in the pre-election phase, so inevitably tax is a 'burden' that should be cut and 'reforms' will magically improve public services. Steve Richards assesses the consequences for the state that we are in.Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Hitchin Festival on Tuesday July 11. Tickets here:https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/hitchin/the-market-theatre/rock-n-roll-politics-with-steve-richards/e-kgvveaeaRock 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-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


