Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

The Tory papers and their online equivalents are used to setting the agenda, having played their part in successive election victories for the Conservatives. The BBC has tended to be heavily influenced by these newspapers. So how will they respond to a transformed political landscape and how should a Labour government deal with the media? Plus brilliant questions on Farage, the implications of a big majority for Labour and much more.Rock & Roll Politics: The Bonus Election Special is live at Kings Place on June 24th - Tickets here.Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival in a new political landscape from Aug11th. Tickets here.Written and presented by Steve RichardsBack us on Patreon for bonus podcasts on all the recent strange election campaigns and much more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Look at the government's own figures and it's obvious that taxes and borrowing will have to rise or else there will be further cuts to the UK's decaying public services. Why can't the parties be more honest? Has it always been like this in elections? What are the consequences? Plus brilliant questions and a key notice for the Rock N Roll Politics co-operative. Rock N Roll Politics – The Election Bonus is live at Kings Place on June 24th and there are only a few tickets left!Rock & Roll Politics: The Bonus Election Special is live at Kings Place on June 24thRock & Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival in a new political landscape from Aug 11th. Tickets hereBack us on Patreon for bonus podcasts on all the recent strange election campaigns and much more.Written and presented by Steve Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Behind the surface frenzy of the Diane Abbott saga are two overlooked questions. Does a leader have a right to have a say who is selected as candidates? What is the role of an MP? The ambition of all candidates is to be an MP, but is there any clear sense of what's expected of an MP? In this case also there are questions about how Keir Starmer and his unelected allies manage or mismanage their party. Rock & Roll Politics: The Bonus Election Special is live at Kings Place on June 24th. Tickets here. Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival in a new political landscape from Aug 11th. Tickets here. Back us on Patreon for bonus podcasts on all the recent strange election campaigns and much more. Written and presented by Steve Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So far the Conservative campaign makes Labour’s in 1983 and Theresa May’s in 2017 seem slick and confident. Why does it seem so indisciplined and ill thought-through? The answer lies in the mind of Rishi Sunak.Rock & Roll Politics: The Bonus Election Special is live at Kings Place, London on June 24th. Tickets here. Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival in a new political landscape from Aug 11th. Tickets here. Back us on Patreon for bonus podcasts on all the recent strange election campaigns and much more. Written and presented by Steve Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rishi Sunak surprised most of us by calling an election for July 4th. Why has he done it when he's 20 points behind? What will happen in the campaign and how will the parties handle the new levels of intense scrutiny? It’s time for the Rock N Roll Politics co-operative to gather more often than usual to make sense of the suddenly changed political context… The election is only six weeks away!Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on July 10thI'm also live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sun Aug 11th with a new show every day. Get tickets here. Written and presented by Steve Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A familiar pattern forms again: scandals, cover up, victims struggling to prove the truth and an inquiry that reveals a dysfunctional state. Where does power lie in the UK? And what happens next?Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on July 10th I'm also live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sun Aug 11th with a new show every day. Get tickets here. Written and presented by Steve Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a silly question. We all know the answer to that one. And yet that was what was asked of Starmer at a point of unusual distinctiveness. He reiterated his unqualified opposition to the Rwanda populism, but did so at that moment of ambiguity. Plus, the defection of Natalie Elphicke: there are many lessons, not least for the media asking the silly question.Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on July 10th. Tickets here. I’m live at the Edinburgh Festival with a different show each day. Tickets here.Back Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get early, ad-free episodes, live Zooms, merchandise and much more.Image: Keir Starmer takes a boat trip on the River Tees during a visit to PD Ports on April 18, 2024 in Teesside, England. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the elections, Sunak’s right wing dissenters called off their planned coup even though the results were disastrous for the Tories, while outlining their agenda for the future… which is similar to the one Sunak is pursuing. Do they know what they are doing?Plus, the dangers of Keir Starmer walking into traps in his attempt to avoid others, and brilliant questions from the Rock & Roll Politics Co-operative. Rock & Roll Politics – The Pre-Election Special is live at Kings Place on July 10th. Tickets here. Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sat Aug 11th. A different show every day. Tickets here.Support the podcast on Patreon for early, ad-free episodes, merchandise, special events and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A First Minister and SNP leader falls after a short tenure. Like the Tory party’s problems in Westminster, does the SNP leadership crisis raise thorny questions well beyond the flaws of one leader? And with what implications?Rock & Roll Politics: The Pre-Election Special is live at Kings Place on July 10th. Tickets hereBack Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon here to get exclusive live events, bonus podcasts, free entry to Steve’s local elections post-mortem, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nigel Lawson once noted that the party that wins the battle of ideas wins elections. He was right. Ideas matter and yet play little part in the contest between Sunak and Starmer. But the Right remain ideologically confident. Will a Labour government be able to counter the anti-state onslaught that is bound to happen? Plus exciting notices and brilliant questions from the Rock & Roll Politics co-operative.Rock & Roll Politics is live at King’s Place, London, on Wed 10 July for a pre-election special. Get tickets here. Back Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get FREE access to Steve’s 2024 Local Elections Post-Mortem live on Zoom, 5pm on Friday 3 May. Analysis, projections and your questions – all free to Patreon people. Written and presented by Steve Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices