Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

Steve Richards reflects on the gaping gap between the Tory leadership battle and the parliamentary reality the winner will face- and why an early election may not solve the hell of leading in a hung parliament..plus Labour latest and the lessons of the BBC's leadership debate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The importance of a leader's character is often overplayed but not at the moment. Theresa May presses on with her version of Brexit with a ruthless determination that defies her fragile position. So far she has continued to prevail because she is more wilful than the weakest House of Commons in modern times.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I explain why T May still holds most of the Brexit cards even if MPs get an extension to Article 50..most likely outcome of this very early Brexit phase is that a version of her deal passes and UK is out by June..then the nightmarish trade talks begin.. BUT I'm more excited by citizens' juries leading to an informed referendum. An informed referendum in the UK is a contradiction in terms but these juries can work as a way of engaging voters before the mendacious political battle gets formally underway.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At an epic point in the Brexit saga I reflect on the still pivotal role of T May, the less pivotal but vital stance of J Corbyn, J Bercow and all MPs: Parliament might want to take us back from the cliff's edge but will the weak but obstinate May be willing to be an instrument of parliament? Can you hear her utter the words " I will negotiate Norway Plus" or "I'll call a referendum". If not-what will happen? As a bonus I watched Fiona Bruce present Question Time.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest podcast I try and struggle to make sense of crazy Brexit events- T May goes on to Today programme for a silly interview, the Attorney General spends explaining why he wont publish predictable legal advice before the government publishes the advice, and the government is first in history to propose a policy that makes the economy poorer. We haven't even had the vote on May's deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why the transformation of the Conservative parliamentary party over recent decades means T May will lose the vote on her deal...plus the reason why she could not have posed a simple question: What Brexit deal could have won a majority in this parliament? After the election the answer would have brought her down. By then she was trapped and on a course towards the vote on Dec 11th...and why a TV debate between her and J Corbyn is the reddest of red herrings.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Brexit drama reaches a nerve shredding and unpredictable climactic I reflect on the roles of T May, J Corbyn and G Brown's recent Brexit speech....and pledge to update regularly while UK at cliff's edge...get ready for bonus podcasts, the only upside to a national emergency.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this latest episode I reflect on wider implications of the Newsnight interview with George Osborne and the subsequent glorious response of Polly Toynbee- when it was suggested that she and the former Chancellor were now relatively 'close' politically...and related to this: Who's winning the battle of ideas? The winner of this battle also wins elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's podcast I explore the most destructive and potent theme in UK politics -'betrayal'. If T May insists on the false Brexit choice of 'her deal v no deal' those feeling 'betrayed' will be Hardline Brexiteers, Soft Brexiteers and Remainers. Even May wins the Commons' vote on her deal the story of 'betrayal' will trigger a thousand more political explosions...and also the Liberal Democrats struggling to become significant and more on my unscripted TV Talks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's episode I explore the Prime Ministers we never had. All the factors that blocked them apply to Boris Johnson making it much less likely that he will be the next PM. In connection with Boris' fate I also reflect on my next BBC series of unscripted TV talks on the theme of 'PMs We Never Had' and why ad libbing to camera in a single take is a good way-in my view- of conveying the drama and epic significance of politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices