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.
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Why Are The Conservatives Still Talking To Themselves?
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The Conservatives were slaughtered at the latest election, and yet its leadership candidates are still singing the same old tune. Is the party weaker now than it was in 1997? Plus brilliant questions from the Rock & Roll Politics co-operative, and important assembly notices. Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place next Monday. Tickets here: htt…
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The first Labour conference after a landslide win should be celebratory, but in Liverpool the mood is uncertain. Can Keir Starmer give his government a clearer sense of purpose? Rock n Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on October 7th. Tickets here! Subscribe to Patreon here for bonus podcasts and much more. Written and presented by Steve Richard…
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Can the Lib Dems Make Any Impact on a Landslide Government?
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The Lib Dems won 72 seats at the election. While this is an epic achievement, it will have little influence over a government with a commanding majority. But is there one policy where they could play an historic role? Rock & Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on October 7th. Tickets here. Subscribe to Patreon here for bonus podcasts and much more…
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Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are refusing to budge over the winter fuel payment saga – and both argue they are willing to be unpopular if the decision is the 'right one'. But is this the smart strategic course? And is unpopularity an inevitable consequence of 'tough' leadership? Plus, answers to brilliant listener questions and some vital assembl…
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Whoever wins the Tory leadership contest will face a titanic task. Are any of the six candidates up to it? And can Labour make the most of the political space while they decide? Support Rock & Roll politics on Patreon. Rock N Roll Politics is live at Kings Place on Oct 7th after the party conferences. Tickets here. Written and presented by Steve Ri…
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In Keir Starmer’s first major speech as Prime Minister he argues things will get worse before they will get better… Is this the right message and approach? Why are incoming Labour governments so much more cautious than their Conservative equivalents? Rock & Roll Politics is live at King’s Place London on Mon October 7. Tickets here Support the podc…
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The macho briefings against Sue Gray have echoes with those against Marcia Williams in the Harold Wilson era, and could have disruptive consequences. Plus latest from the Edinburgh Festival. Rock & Roll Politics is at the Edinburgh Festival every day until August 24, with a different show every time for the whole festival. Tickets here Support the …
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With Reform breathing down their necks should the next Tory leader seek to work with Farage or try to destroy him? Either route is fraught with explosive problems… Rock & Roll Politics is at the Edinburgh Festival every day until August 24, with a different show every time for the whole festival. Tickets here Support the podcast on Patreon here for…
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There are attempts to elevate the activities of criminal thugs by suggesting that they are “on to something”. Are they? Plus brilliant questions on the riots, Rachel Reeves, and how to pronounce Kamala. Rock & Roll Politics is at the Edinburgh Festival from Sun Aug 11th and then every day, with a different show every time for the whole festival. Ti…
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Labour was not candid about the state of public finances before the election. Can it be so now, without losing public trust? Back us on Patreon to join the Post-Election Post-Mortem on ZOOM on Tue 30 July – plus you’ll get bonus podcasts, live events, exclusive merchandise and much more. Rock & Roll Politics is at the Edinburgh Festival from Aug 11…
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President Biden will not fight a second term… but it's taken him a long time to reach an obvious conclusion that was right in front of us. And he’s not alone. Most leaders do not dare to accept that it’s over when it is. Plus, more on Labour's foreign policy, your questions and much more. Back us on Patreon to join the Post-Election Post-Mortem on …
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Where next for the ‘Special Relationship’ amid US turmoil?
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The attempted assassination of Donald Trump is a symbol of a disturbed democracy and will be another destabilising factor for the US. UK Prime Ministers choose to hug the US close, but how reliable an ally is the US for a British government seeking a more mature foreign policy after the reckless misrule of recent years? Plus: Why England losing is …
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Has Keir Starmer won the political space to be daring?
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Keir Starmer is only the third Labour leader to enter Number 10 having won a landslide. Only Attlee and Blair achieved similar results. Starmer has the bonus of facing a demoralised and divided Tory party. How will he make use of rare political space? Plus, as ever, your brilliant questions. Rock & Roll Politics is live daily at the Edinburgh Festi…
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Labour's mammoth lead has been virtually unchanged from the start of the campaign six weeks ago. Despite this the election has been full of surprises and if we look closely enough there is much to discover from the oddest campaign in decades. Support Rock & Roll politics on Patreon. Rock & Roll Politics – the post election special is live at Kings …
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A special bonus episode! We recorded the Rock & Roll Politics live show at Kings Place in London on the 24th of June for all to listen back to. It’s the only show of the election campaign, complete with unreliable predictions, reflections on all the main parties and audience questions. Support Rock & Roll politics on Patreon. Rock & Roll Politics –…
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Most Labour leaders have argued that economic growth is the key to improving public services but will the distinct policies of Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves deliver? Support Rock & Roll politics on Patreon. Rock n Roll Politics – the post election special is live at Kings Place on July 10th. If the polls are right it will be the first live show at…
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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 bril…
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Why is the election 'tax and spend' debate dangerous and bonkers?
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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 c…
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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 …
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The Tory Campaign – Why is it the most calamitous start in modern times?
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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…
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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 …
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Contaminated Blood – Will the familiar lessons ever be learnt?
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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 …
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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 sill…
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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, an…
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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 here Back Rock & Roll Politics o…
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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 brill…
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In 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 …
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This Time No Mistakes – In Conversation with Will Hutton
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The 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 …
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A 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… Que…
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Nigel 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…
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With 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 …
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From Johnson to Starmer – How much does character matter?
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We 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 the…
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The 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 li…
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Amidst 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 a…
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In 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-richar…
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Labour 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 Pol…
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Labour’s £28 billion saga – Has an exciting policy become a threat?
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Starmer 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-operat…
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Attempted 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 a…
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The myths of Blair’s ‘97 campaign – and why Starmer is being judged unfairly.
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It’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 merc…
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Last 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 f…
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The 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 th…
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A 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 …
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Christmas Special: Rock N Roll Politics Live At Kings Place
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It 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 incl…
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Are you driving home this Xmas (because the trains are useless)?
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A 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…
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Why is the Rwanda plan sucking up all political energy?
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NHS 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-oper…
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After 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 bon…
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It’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…
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Now 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 Roc…
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The 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 e…
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Rishi 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 …
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