Presidents, Prime Ministers, Monarchs & Dictators
Season One of ‘The Presidents & Prime Ministers brought to life all 55 of Britain's Prime Ministers through interviews with the authors of all 55 essays in Iain Dale’s book The Prime Ministers: Three Hundred Years of History. From the obscure 18th-century figures like the Earl of Shelburne and Henry Pelham to 20th-century titans like Churchill and Thatcher, these podcasts provide a much-needed reminder about their motivations, failures and achievements. Season Two, gives the same treatment to the 45 US Presidents from George Washington through to Joe Biden, with each episode featuring an interview with the author of the essay about a President in Iain Dale’s book ‘The Presidents’. Season Three contained interviews about the various and varied Irish Taoisigh, whilst the new Season 4 takes you through England and the UK's many Kings and Queens, as featured in Iain's book Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs. Season 5 looks at the life of 64 Dictators. Buy signed copies of ‘The Prime Ministers’, ‘The Presidents’ and 'Kings and Queens' & 'Dictators' at http://www.politicos.co.uk.
Latest episodes
Mar 30, 2025 • 28min
196. Julius Caesar – Rome (64-44BC)
Iain Dale talks to Mark Fox about the life of possibly the most famous man in ancient history apart from Jesus Christ!Buy a signed copy of the book THE DICTATORShttps://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024
Mar 23, 2025 • 40min
195. Ferdinand Marcos – The Philippines, (1965-86)
Iain Dale talks to American journalist Lewis M Simons about the extraordinary life of the Marcos familyBuy a signed copy of the book THE DICTATORShttps://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024
Mar 16, 2025 • 27min
194. Simón Bolívar– Greater Columbia (1819-30)
Iain Dale talks to David Walsh about the life and times of one of the few dictators to give his name to an actual country
Mar 9, 2025 • 28min
193. Pisistratus – Athens (561 BC, 559–556 BC, 546–527 BC)
Iain Dale talks to Rene Levanchy about the life of the Athenian tyrant PisistratusSigned copies of THE DICTATORS can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024
Mar 2, 2025 • 51min
192. Xi Jinping – China, (2012-)
Iain Dale talks to Cindy Yu, the host of the Chinese Whispers podcast about the life and rule of President Xi Jinping of China. Signed copies of THE DICTATORS can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024
Feb 23, 2025 • 39min
191. Antonio de Oliveira Salazar – Portugal, (1932-68)
Iain Dale talks to Salazar’s biographer, Thomas Gallagher about the man who ruled Portugal for 36 years
Feb 16, 2025 • 37min
190. Francisco Franco – Spain (1936-75)
Iain Dale talks to historian Simon Heffer about the Spanish dictator, General Franco, who, after prevailing in the Spanish civil war, ruled Spain for the best part of 40 years.
Feb 9, 2025 • 32min
189. Idi Amin – Uganda, 1971-79
Iain Dale talks to Yasmin Alibhai-Brown about the man who ruled her homeland, Uganda, and whom she also met.
Feb 2, 2025 • 43min
188. Elizabeth II (1952-2022)
In the final episode in the Kings & Queens series, Iain talks to journalist Julia Langdon about the life and reign of Britain’s longest serving monarch. Buy a signed copy of KINGS & QUEENS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/kings-queens-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-in-novemer-2023
Jan 26, 2025 • 27min
187. Anne (1702-14)
Iain Dale talks to the Royal Editor of The Times, Kate Mansey, about the life and reign of the last of the Stuart monarchs, Queen Anne.
