Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards
283 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★ - 8 ratingsBased on his live one-man show Rock & Roll Politics, the broadcaster and author Steve Richards takes a twice-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.
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Episodes
Who is Winning The Battle of Ideas?
April 23, 2024 03:00 - 52 minutesNigel 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...
Harold Wilson’s affair and how we misread leaders
April 16, 2024 03:00 - 53 minutesIn his last term as Prime Minister, Harold Wilson was seen as old, paranoid and ineffective… yet now we discover he was lively enough to be having an affair. This suggests the caricature might be wrong. What if Wilson was livelier politically too? And what if we choose to see other leaders as stereotypes which do not present anything like the full picture? Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon for early episodes, exclusive merchandise and more. PLUS get free admission to Steve’s Local Ele...
This Time No Mistakes – In Conversation with Will Hutton
April 09, 2024 03:00 - 57 minutesThe journalist and author Will Hutton has written an important new book on the eve of what’s likely to be a Labour government. The title is stark: This Time No Mistakes. But what mistakes were made? What are the lessons of the past? What are his hopes and fears for a Keir Starmer government? This Time No Mistakes is published on April 11th. Buy it through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund Rock & Roll Politics by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help ...
Rock & Roll Politics Live – The Easter Special
March 31, 2024 03:00 - 1 hourA rare chance to hear a live show… this one recorded in the main concert hall at Kings Place, London. On the agenda: How do the dramas around the current government compare with other ‘fin de siecle’ administrations? How does Keir Starmer compare with Harold Wilson and Tony Blair when they were on the edge of power? Plus unreliable predictions… Question Time… and much more. Support the podcast Patreon for bonus editions, special merchandise and exclusive live events for subscribers. Our next ...
Can Rachel Reeves win the battle of ideas?
March 26, 2024 04:00 - 47 minutesNigel Lawson once said a party that wins the battle of ideas wins the election... Rachel Reeves has started to engage in this battle of ideas during her Mais Lecture. Labour are way ahead in the polls, so is this a battle they can win? Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon for bonus podcasts, special events and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is Sunak's time up?
March 19, 2024 04:00 - 54 minutesWith polls suggesting a slaughter at the election will Tory MPs seek to replace Sunak … and should they? Tickets for the next Rock n Roll Politics Live: Kings Place on 26th March 2024 Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandise only available to subscribers. Buy Steve’s book Turning Points: Crisis and Change in Modern Britain, from 1945 to Truss through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund the podcast by earnin...
From Johnson to Starmer – How much does character matter?
March 12, 2024 04:00 - 53 minutesWe are obsessed by the character of leaders, even if context, ideas and external circumstances can determine the fate of a government as much as character. Keir Starmer has been unusually hard to pin down, which is why I was keen to speak to Tom Baldwin. Although he has done many interviews to promote his new book on the Labour leader, I sensed there was more to explore – and we do. Plus, reflections on the challenge for Labour after the budget and major assembly notices for the co-operative....
Where’s the passionate anger over the crisis in UK?
March 05, 2024 10:46 - 44 minutesThe nightmare in Gaza triggers chaos in the Commons, a victory for George Galloway and apocalyptic warnings from Rishi Sunak… and yet there’s broad agreement in the UK about the need for a ceasefire. Meanwhile on most domestic issues where there should be an intense political battle, there seems to be a passive consensus. Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Ropetackle Arts Centre in Shoreham on Weds March 13. Steve is speaking at the York Literature Festival on Sat Mar 16. Tickets £10. Venue:...
Has Liz Truss got a point?
February 27, 2024 04:00 - 44 minutesAmidst the delusional craziness of Liz Truss’s interventions, she raises one valid question: Does too much power lie in unelected institutions? Since 1979 a huge amount of power has been handed over by elected politicians, and only Truss explores the implications as she sees them. Time for the Rock & Roll Politics co-operative to step in and save an important question from the fleeting Prime Minister. Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place London on March 26. Tickets here. Rock & Roll P...
Starmer and Rayner – What does she think of him?
February 20, 2024 04:00 - 55 minutesIn Tom Baldwin's new biography of Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner describes the Labour leader as “the least political person I know in politics”. What does she mean? Is she right about Starmer? And what are the implications? Rock & Roll Politics is live in March: The Ropetackle, Shoreham, Wed Mar 13th: https://ropetacklecentre.co.uk/events/steve-richards-rock-n-roll-politics-2/ Kings Place, London, March 26th: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politic...
Why are the Tories bolder when on the verge of power?
February 13, 2024 04:00 - 47 minutesLabour is way ahead in the polls and has dropped its most radical policy, the £28 billion green recovery plan. But in opposition, in the build up to the 1979 and 2010 elections, the Conservatives put forward radical right wing programmes – and won from opposition. They did not retreat. Why is Labour more cautious and less confident? Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on March 26th with a brand new show. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/steve-richards-present...
Labour’s £28 billion saga – Has an exciting policy become a threat?
February 06, 2024 04:00 - 48 minutesStarmer and Reeves have got in a mess over their pledge to borrow £28 billion for a green recovery programme. The proposal has been marked by defensive ‘retreats’ when it would enable UK to compete with the US and EU and bring good news to every voter. Why has this happened, and what can be done about it? Plus, points from the Rock N Roll Co-operative on the return of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Lord Frosty Frost and more Back the podcast on Patreon for bonus editions and much more too. Ro...
Will Tory MPs dump Sunak?
January 30, 2024 04:00 - 47 minutesAttempted coups against PMs and leaders are becoming increasingly familiar. Will the current plot against Sunak succeed? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon to get bonus editions, merchandise and more. Rock N Roll Politics is live with a brand new show at Kings Place on March 26th. Get in-person or streaming tickets here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The myths of Blair’s ‘97 campaign – and why Starmer is being judged unfairly.
January 23, 2024 04:00 - 48 minutesIt’s become a cliché that Keir Starmer's pitch lacks the clarity and sense of purpose that marked New Labour's victory in 1997. But Blair’s over-mythologised win was a lot lighter on specifics than we tend to remember, says Steve Richards. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandise only available to subscribers: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Buy Steve’s book Turning Points: Crisis and Change in Modern Brit...
How can Britain start working again?
January 16, 2024 04:00 - 55 minutesLast week Steve Richards asked what the deeper lessons were from the Post Office scandal. The responses from the Rock N Roll Politics Co-operative suggests it merely reflects a much wider problem. How do we even begin to fix Britain? Or to be more precise; how does a future Labour government fix it? Plus important notices on exclusive new content for Patreons, live events and brilliant questions. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including a bonus series on L...
The Post Office scandal-What are the deeper lessons?
January 09, 2024 04:00 - 52 minutesThe indifference of ministers in the coalition government to the Post Office scandal is becoming a big story. But the indifference was not accidental, it was a deliberate act and part of a wider culture that is still pervasive: The state should step back and give 'operational independence' to non-elected figures. Steve Richards assesses how when things go wrong, as they often do in this culture, ministers become responsible, and whether these vague lines of accountability are part of the reas...
How can Rishi Sunak cut Labour's lead?
January 03, 2024 15:49 - 24 minutesA bonus New Year episode for all in the Rock N Roll Politics Co-operative: With Keir Starmer following a Blairite pre-election strategy, Steve Richards thinks Rishi Sunak has only one route to reduce Labour's lead. But will he fail to take it? Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandise only available to subscribers: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Buy Steve’s book Turning Points: Crisis and Change in Modern ...
Christmas Special: Rock N Roll Politics Live At Kings Place
December 27, 2023 04:00 - 1 hourIt was a packed house at Kings Place this December for a live Rock N Roll Politics: The Festive Special. As a special Christmas gift from Steve Richards we have the live recording for those in the Rock N Roll Politics Co-operative who couldn't be there, and for those who could. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandise only available to subscribers: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Buy Steve’s book Turning Po...
Are you driving home this Xmas (because the trains are useless)?
December 19, 2023 04:00 - 42 minutesA small but emblematic announcement highlights why public services are so poor in the UK; the government has scrapped plans for an app to make booking train tickets easier. Steve Richards explores why public services are not structured for the benefit of the public. All this plus brilliant listener questions and notices for the Rock & Roll Politics co-operative and a Happy Christmas to you all! Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and e...
Why is the Rwanda plan sucking up all political energy?
December 12, 2023 04:00 - 50 minutesNHS waiting lists spiralling out of control. A crisis in social care. Station boards full of cancelled trains. Creaking schools. But somehow, Rishi Sunak's future depends on flying a single plane full of migrants to Rwanda. How do we get a more grown-up politics in the UK? Plus your brilliant questions, notices from the Rock & Roll Politics co-operative, and much more. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandise only av...
Are we heading for an early election?
December 07, 2023 12:55 - 29 minutesAfter the resignation of Robert Jenrick, plus Suella Braverman's opposition to his new Rwanda legislation, can Rishi Sunak govern any more? If not, will he call an early election next year? Steve Richards assesses another Westminster drama with a special bonus podcast. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandise only available to subscribers: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Tickets for Rock & Roll Politics Liv...
Boris Johnson Vs. The Covid-19 Inquiry
December 05, 2023 04:00 - 55 minutesIt’s a new week and Boris Johnson will finally be held to account for his leadership during the pandemic at the Covid-19 Inquiry this week. Steve Richards imagines how different and more effective the response would have been if Gordon Brown and Alastair Darling were in charge. Would they have handled it as well as they did the financial crash? All this plus reflections on Glenys Kinnock, Keir Starmer and Margaret Thatcher, the demise of Newsnight and the BBC and brilliant questions from the ...
Why Are Right Wing Populists Winning Again?
November 28, 2023 04:00 - 47 minutesNow even Holland is under the rule of a right wing populist, it might be time to admit that they are winning again. Argentina has elected another. Trump might win next year. And Farage is in the jungle watched by millions. Steve Richards asks what's happening and why? Plus Steve answers brilliant listener questions and important notices for the Rock N Roll Politics co-operative. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandi...
Why Tax Cuts Now?
November 21, 2023 04:00 - 45 minutesThe UK government is presiding over a crumbling, broken country and investment is required urgently. Steve Richards asks why are Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt focussing instead on tax cuts? Plus Steve answers brilliant listener questions and important notices for the Rock N Roll Politics co-operative. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and an exclusive Live Zoom Q+A only available to subscribers: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics ...
Get Ready For Another Tory Psychodrama
November 17, 2023 04:00 - 46 minutesRishi Sunak's desperate attempt to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda will be the dominant political theme for months, sucking up all energy as Brexit did. Steve Richards considers how this is political madness at the best of times, but what is prompting this lunacy now when so much in the UK doesn't work? Plus Steve answers brilliant listener questions and important notices for the Rock N Roll Politics co-operative. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bo...
Will Sunak's reshuffle improve the party's prospects?
November 14, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutesRishi Sunak has sacked Suella Braverman and brought back David Cameron. But in terms of party management and the direction of policy, do these seemingly dramatic changes make much difference? Steve Richards considers all this plus news of an upcoming special Patreon-only Zoom event coming soon. Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and an exclusive live Zoom Q+A only available to subscribers: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Tick...
Where does power lie in the UK?
November 07, 2023 04:00 - 58 minutesSteve Richards considers how Rishi Sunak pays homage to Elon Musk, and discusses the confirmation from the Covid inquiry that no one and no agency was in control during a national emergency. A King's Speech is unveiled, most of which will not be implemented plus Sunak and Starmer follow the United States in their attitude to the Israel/Hamas conflict. All this begs the question who actually wields power in the UK? Tickets for Rock & Roll Politics Live: Ropetackle Arts Centre in Shoreham on ...
The Covid Inquiry and The Fatal Chaos in Johnson's Number 10
October 31, 2023 04:00 - 1 hourCovid struck the UK at the worst possible time. Johnson was governing amidst casual chaos and yet he was popular and this popularity made him dangerously powerful. Neither his subservient cabinet nor a parliament with a big Tory Majority dared to challenge him. Now we are discovering quite how bad things were. Plus brilliant questions on Keir Starmer and the Israel Gaza conflict, Brexit, the leadership of Heath compared with Sunak and whether I want to be an MP. Rock & Roll Politics -the Xm...
Does Northern Ireland offer any lessons for the Middle East?
October 27, 2023 03:00 - 37 minutesIn this Question Time Special, Rock & Roll Politics explores the Israel/Gaza nightmare, the origins of Brexit and the crises facing the Conservative party. Plus, will Labour win an overall majority? Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Ropetackle, Shoreham this Wednesday 1 November. Tickets here: https://ropetacklecentre.co.uk/events/steve-richards-rock-n-roll-politics/ Back us on Patreon for bonus podcasts and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Steve Richards' book 'Turning ...
Will the Tories be wiped out?
October 24, 2023 03:00 - 46 minutesThe Conservative Party has a reputation for adapting ruthlessly to changing times, but is it deserved? After the two historic by-election defeats last week, the United Kingdom's governing party of choice faces the possibility of a calamitous defeat at the next general election. Steve Richards asks; did the Tories ever learn the full lessons from the election slaughter in 1997 and what have they done for voters since 2010 that can give them hope of a fifth term next year? Plus brilliant ques...
Israel & Gaza: Is there space for nuance?
October 17, 2023 04:00 - 41 minutesTensions are high in the UK and yet virtually everyone condemns the brutal atrocities in Israel while warning about the horrors in Gaza. Steve Richards asks; amidst a consensus over the horror, why is there such angry disagreement? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on October 23rd. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/w...
The Labour Party conference part 2: Keir Starmer makes his pitch
October 11, 2023 11:30 - 36 minutesKeir Starmer framed a powerful and coherent argument in his conference speech, but what about the gaps? Steve Richards asks; What have we learnt from the conference season so far? The SNP is coming up next. All this plus brilliant listener questions and notices for the Rock n Roll Politics Co-operative. Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Pl...
The Labour Party conference part 1: Labour moves closer to power
October 09, 2023 15:29 - 44 minutesSteve Richards is at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. The mood is disciplined and yet ebullient and businesses have flocked to the conference assuming Keir Starmer will be prime minister next year. Are Labour ready for the challenges of power? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on October 23rd. Tickets here: https://www.kingsp...
Sunak and the Tory Conference: Can Rishi Sunak be the candidate for change?
October 04, 2023 14:30 - 29 minutesIn his party conference speech, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claimed to be the “change-maker” who was moving Britain on from “the last thirty years”. Steve Richards asks, did he pull his speech off? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on October 23rd. Tickets here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-10/ Stev...
Sunak and the Tory Conference: Why has Rishi Sunak failed to learn the art of leadership?
October 03, 2023 03:00 - 42 minutesThe pre-election Conservative Party conference manages to be both noisy and subdued. The autumnal gloom has set in, there's a pervasive sense that defeat looms and that sense makes defeat more likely. It is true that Sunak inherited a nightmare, but why has he failed to rise to the challenge? All this from Steve Richards, plus more brilliant questions and notices for the Rock N Roll Politics co-operative. Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus epis...
Nick Thomas Symonds on Clem Attlee, Keir Starmer and Brexit
September 26, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourSteve Richards speaks to the Labour shadow cabinet member and historian Nick Thomas Symonds. Nick has revised his biography of the former Prime Minister Clement Attlee and included an introduction from Keir Starmer, but can Starmer emulate Attlee? Nick also has responsibility for negotiating a 'better Brexit', Steve asks him how can this be achieved? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPo...
Is the UK On The Edge of An Historic Turning Point?
September 19, 2023 03:00 - 55 minutesThe tidal waves move away from Thatcherite orthodoxies as the next election moves into view and the consequences of austerity economics and privatised monopolies are playing out. Steve Richards asks; will the UK turn if Labour wins? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on October 23rd. Expect high political drama: https://www.kingspla...
Has The UK got a foreign policy? If so, what is it?
September 12, 2023 03:00 - 42 minutesAs the UK is excluded from the latest US/EU initiative, Steve Richards asks what is its role in the world? The same question was asked during the Suez crisis in 1956 and during the rows over Brexit. When the UK reaches crucial turning points does it turn, or do the key questions remain unresolved? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics At the start of a new political year Rock N Ro...
When governments fall - plus Starmer's pre-election reshuffle
September 05, 2023 03:00 - 49 minutesToday; the closure of schools because of unsafe buildings is emblematic of a country where nothing seems to work. Nothing happens by chance and Rishi Sunak's fiscal conservatism – echoing the early austerity years – has consequences. Plus Steve Richards considers Keir Starmer's reshuffle. Believe it or not the policies will matter more than the personalities. Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/R...
Who Does Rishi Sunak Rely On Most?
August 29, 2023 14:02 - 31 minutesWe are close to the start of a new political year and the Conservatives appear to be as disturbed as ever. Nadine Dorries is stirring, so who is Rishi Sunak turning to for support in this troubled time? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and much more: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics At 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/...
Summer Special - Prime Ministers and Their Special Confidants: David Cameron
August 22, 2023 03:00 - 49 minutesIn this latest episode Steve Richards reflects on the lessons so far from a vibrant Edinburgh Festival and introduces an episode previously released for Patreon backers on the significance of Prime Ministers appointing allies who they have known and admired for many years. Their chosen confidants tell us much about the character of a PM. In this case we look at the instincts of David Cameron as he turned to his close friend Steve Hilton. Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclus...
Summer Special: The 1992 Election
August 15, 2023 03:00 - 1 hourThe 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/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th with a different show every day. Tickets here: https://...
Summer Special! Troublemakers: Enoch Powell
August 08, 2023 03:00 - 54 minutesIn 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 e...
A Revealing Twist in the Mad ’Tax and Spend’ Debate
July 25, 2023 03:00 - 39 minutesWhile 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/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Fe...
The three by-elections and the consequences
July 21, 2023 10:07 - 23 minutesLabour'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/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live ...
Keir Starmer: Is he right to copy Tony Blair's language and ideas?
July 18, 2023 03:00 - 49 minutesIn 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...
The BBC and The Sun – A dark dance
July 13, 2023 13:37 - 30 minutesAt 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/RockNRollPolitics Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from ...
'Tax Burden' and 'Reform' part 2 - Where is the economic growth going to come from?
July 11, 2023 03:00 - 42 minutesOne 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/wha...
My Extinction: Climate Change Special
July 07, 2023 03:00 - 34 minutesSteve 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 c...
'Tax Burden' and 'Reform' - What Do These Ubiquitous Terms Really Mean?
July 04, 2023 03:00 - 44 minutesWe 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-kgvveaea Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 1...