Since Attlee & Churchill

In 2024, Labour won seats it hardly ever wins, and some of its new MPs may not expect to be back after the next election. So what should you do if you think you’ll only get one term? In this episode, Richard tells the story of one such MP from the class of 1945: Tom Skeffington-Lodge. He was a High Church Christian socialist from a wealthy Yorkshire family, and he unexpectedly took Bedford in Labour’s landslide victory. He used his five years in the Commons to take up causes nobody else would: dirty cafés, mock-Tudor pub carriages on the railways, imported marble headstones, and American content filling British magazines. He even fought to keep the university seats, the only Labour MP to do so. But none of it saved him; he lost his seat in 1950 and never made it back into Parliament. What lessons should today’s Labour MPs take from his example? In this podcast, the following books are mentioned: 'The Great Gatsby', available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780198864400'Congress Overwhelmed: The Decline in Congressional Capacity and Prospects for Reform'Attend the Since Attlee & Churchill book club meeting later this month by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon as a 'Right Honourable Friend of the Show': https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill You can now get your own Since Attlee & Churchill mugs here: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/ Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this mid-week episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard and Lee discuss 'Matters of Interest' from across the Atlantic and the other side of the world. First, Richard turns his attention to the American midterm elections and the implications of the Democrats' remarkable victory. Does this really represent the end for MAGA politics? Or is it premature to write off a political movement that has transformed the Republican Party and still seems to hold the affection of many Republican primary voters? Then Lee looks ahead to the general election in New Zealand, where a debate about tactical voting has thrown the country's electoral system into the spotlight. With voters being encouraged to split their votes, has New Zealand's Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system lost credibility? And what impact will this have on Saturday's election? You can now get your own Since Attlee & Churchill mugs here: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/ NOW OR NEVER! BOOK LAUNCH: Sign up for the book launch of 'Now or Never!' here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/now-or-never-the-first-scottish-referendum-and-its-legacy-1979-2026-tickets-2001527671144EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreator Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review! ***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Lee and Richard travel back 70 years to Harold Macmillan's only Budget as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the controversial introduction of Premium Bonds. Was this an ingenious way of encouraging saving, or an immoral state-sponsored lottery? They explore the centuries-old history of state-sponsored lotteries, Macmillan's determination to present Premium Bonds as a respectable form of saving, and the furious reaction from Labour politicians and religious leaders. Harold Wilson denounced the scheme as a 'squalid raffle', while Clement Attlee and the Archbishop of Canterbury were among those who questioned its morality. But with millions of people enthusiastically buying bonds, was Labour fighting a losing battle? And how did Macmillan ultimately get the last laugh? In this podcast, the following books are mentioned: 'The Macmillan Diaries: The Cabinet Years 1950-57'. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780230768437'Social Europe, the Road not Taken: The Left and European Integration in the Long 1970s' by Aurelie Dianara Andry. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780192867094 You can now get your own Since Attlee & Churchill mugs here: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/ EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreator Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s midweek episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Lee and Richard explore two very different questions about political power. First, Lee examines Reform UK’s slide in the opinion polls and the Conservatives’ return to the lead on the right. After a remarkable opportunity to establish itself as Britain’s dominant right-wing party, has Reform squandered its chance? Then Richard turns to the courts, in particular the progressive hope that rights can be protected by taking them out of everyday politics. Drawing on the experience of Greece during the financial crisis, he asks whether constitutional guarantees of economic and social rights are really worth the paper they are written on — or whether democratic accountability is in fact a more reliable safeguard.You can now get your own Since Attlee & Churchill mugs here: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.comNEW EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreator Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard takes us through the extraordinary life of Donald Soper, the Methodist preacher, Christian socialist and pacifist who became one of the most familiar Christian men in post-war Britain, but is now largely forgotten. A lifelong Methodist, Soper devoted seven decades to preaching, engaging hecklers at Tower Hill and Hyde Park, broadcasting on radio and television and championing both Christianity and the causes of the Labour left. He became a trusted confidant of Harold Wilson and even took a seat in the House of Lords. But Soper’s uncompromising Christian pacifism meant he had opposed British rearmament in the face of Nazi aggression, condemned the Allied war effort and made deeply controversial claims about the Holocaust. So was he a courageous man of principle, or had his commitment to his principles led him into not just eccentric but indefensible territory?You can now get your own Since Attlee & Churchill mugs here: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/ NEW EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreator Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this mid-week episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard examines the constitutional issues raised by Darren Jones MP’s evidence to Parliament about the failures of Keir Starmer’s mission-led government. Were civil servants obstructing the government’s ambitions, or did the real problems lie with confused responsibilities, muddled leadership and a Prime Minister unwilling or unable to take responsibility for the big decisions? Then, Lee takes us to Alberta, where a series of referendums has raised fundamental questions about immigration, constitutional reform and the province’s place within Canada. Why has separatism become an issue on the Canadian right, and what does this tell us about the differences between British and Canadian conservatism? And what do the arguments over the proposed abolition of the Canadian Senate tell us about the role of upper chambers in Canada, the United States and Britain?NEW EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreatorYou can now get your own Since Attlee & Churchill mugs here: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/ Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In July 1948, just as the National Health Service was coming into being, Aneurin Bevan delivered a speech in which he declared that the Conservatives were “lower than vermin”. But rather than take offence, thousands of Tories decided to embrace the insult - and the Vermin Club was born. In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard and Lee explore the curious history of a political organisation that attracted as many as 120,000 members, including a young Margaret Thatcher. Why did Bevan make his infamous attack? How did the Conservatives turn his words into a badge of honour? And why was the Tory leadership so reluctant to embrace a movement that seemed to have captured the imagination of its own supporters?The following books are mentioned in this episode:'Huntingtower' by John Buchan. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780199537860'Fruit Fly' by Josh Silver. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781836431473NEW EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreatorEnjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s 'Matters of Interest', Lee and Richard share their reflections from Oslo, where they’ve been researching how politicians get their policy advice in different parliamentary systems. After a visit to the Storting, Norway’s parliament, they reflect on the differences between Norwegian and British politics, from proportional representation and party discipline to the relationship between MPs and their constituents. What can we learn from the Norwegian experience, and what might be lost if Britain tried to follow its example? Then Richard tells the story of Samuel Gompers, the British-born trade unionist who became one of the most influential figures in American labour history, but remains largely forgotten in his homeland.NEW EVENT: Come along for a live version of Since Attlee & Churchill at the Buckinghamshire History Festival on 14th November in High Wycombe. Find out more here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/since-attlee-churchill-live-chequers-confidential-tickets-1993124324508?aff=oddtdtcreator Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard and Lee explore Labour's long and often fraught relationship with the judiciary. From the Tolpuddle Martyrs and the Taff Vale case to Michael Foot's criticisms of judges in the 1970s, why did the Labour movement so often see the courts as an instrument of the establishment, standing in the way of working-class progress? Richard explains how Labour's historic commitment to parliamentary sovereignty was shaped by the struggle to overcome judicial rulings. Lee, meanwhile, wonders whether Labour's hostility to judges was simply a reflection of the party's political impotence and/or incompetence. They finish by considering why and when Labour's view changed and how the party learned to love the British and European judiciaries.In this episode, the following books are mentioned:'The House of Commons: An Anthropology of MPs at Work' by Emma Crewe. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781474234573'The Oxford Handbook of Norwegian Politics'. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780198888581Find out more about our new 'Right Honourable Friend' Patreon membership here: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saacEnjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's Matters of Interest, Richard and Lee reflect on the Conservative Party Conference and consider what it says about the role of Kemi Badenoch, with Lee arguing she is — rarely for the Conservatives in recent years — a leader who is wholly secure in her position. But what will Badenoch's strategy for the Conservatives be? Next, Richard introduces the 'sewer socialists' of Milwaukee, the American socialists who built a hugely successful political movement by concentrating less on Marxist theory and more on improving the lives of working people.Find out more about our new 'Right Honourable Friend' Patreon membership here: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchillBuying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saacEnjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.