Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards
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.
251
Boris Johnson Takes Control of the NHS
B Johnson proposes to take back control of the NHS - A reform of the reforms introduced in the first term of this long serving government. It is right to do so..and it was always absurd for the Cameron government to give away significant powers while...
44 min
252
Vaccines, Brexit and the Irish Question
The Northern Ireland protocol is looking wobbly already...that's because it doesn't answer the Irish Question arising from Brexit...Plus the lessons of UK's vaccine triumph..brilliant questions and the definitive answer to B Johnson's hair style....
51 min
253
Covid, Brexit And A Fear of Contemplating Conse...
Boris Johnson speaks and acts on a daily basis...but why does he show little sign of thinking through the consequences of what he says and does? Plus new questions on the implications of the Biden presidency, referendums, the art of leadership, Jeremy...
44 min
254
B Johnson's Hair And The Other Big Issues Of Ou...
In this week's episode we focus on listeners' brilliant questions including ones on referendums and how they might work, Joe Biden...and B Johnson's hair style. Rock N Roll Politics- the Latest Lockdown Special streams live at Kings Place this...
49 min
255
Trump and 'the Special Relationship'
Is the 'special relationship' of such value to the UK that it prevents British Prime Ministers from making critical judgements about US Presidents and their administrations? Plus..more U turns from B Johnson ...brilliant questions about...
41 min
256
Brexit Far From Done..And Another Late Lockdown
When I heard that the Brexit deal was 'done' I wondered how all the fundamental conflicts had been resolved. The answer is that they have not been..all the thorny questions have been kicked in to the long grass...and B Johnson stumbles belatedly in to...
32 min
257
My favourite Political Interview..Ever
For the Rock N Roll Politics Podcast Brexit/Covid Festive Special I reflect on my favourite political interview ...at the suggestion of a listener. Thanks to all of you for listening in 2020..and the for the brilliant questions..what a year..and we're...
34 min
258
The No Deal/Bad Deal (but better than a no deal...
We explore the layers of tragic irony as the UK heads for the cliff's edge via the never ending Brexit saga. Tickets for Rock N Roll Politics live at Kings Place and the live stream are available here. The Prime Ministers-Reflections on Leadership...
38 min
259
The Dangerous Self- Confidence of Etonian Prime...
One of the biggest differences between Conservative Prime Ministers and the few Labour leaders that have made it to Number 10 is their level of self confidence. B Johnson has pursued the hardest possible Brexit without agonising about its impact on...
36 min
260
Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Rebel Tory MPs
Michael Gove wrote a well argued essay in the Times explaining the reasoning behind the new tier system. Within hours a panic stricken Boris Johnson implicitly undermined the arguments to appease Conservative MPs..and even before the tiers replace the...
36 min
261
Form A Square Around the Pritster
With Rock N Roll Politics streaming live on Monday at 7 here's a great chance on the podcast to have more time for your brilliant questions, this time from BBC interviewing styles to the Number 10 'reset'...Plus B Johnson's use of the term 'Pritster'...
33 min
262
Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings and a Downing S...
With the departure of Dominic Cummings there is much talk of a 'reset' in Downing Street... But how much will really change or can change? Plus more brilliant questions..keep them coming : . Tickets for Rock N Roll Politics the live lockdown special...
34 min
263
Biden, Merkel, Macron....and Brexit Johnson.
The victory of Joe Biden and the fall of Donald Trump raise many questions: What's the impact on the increasingly isolated B Johnson? Will 'Trumpism' flourish without Trump ( I doubt it)? Are there lessons for the BBC in CNN's grown up coverage (Yes)?...
31 min
264
Johnson and Lockdown; Starmer and Corbyn
We're living through epic times...B Johnson calls a second national lockdown inevitably. Yet he acts weeks after he was advised to do so..the same dark sequence as in the spring. When leaders are out of their depth they repeat past misjudgements...
44 min
265
Boris Johnson V Andy Burnham and Marcus Rashford
A government with a big majority faces a dizzying array of critics less than a year since its election victory -some of its own MPs highlight forensically what's wrong with the 'world beating Test and Trace' system, Marcus Rashford is once again the...
42 min
266
Covid Response in the UK and the Consequences o...
A preview of the live stream of Rock N Roll Politics from the Kings Place Website at 7pm on Monday (and available for a few days after the live event). There'a lot to catch up on..Brexit, Covid latest, your questions and much more. Tickets here: ...
5 min
267
Steve Richards Presents Rock n Roll Politics
Boris Johnson's unconvincing 'Third Way' on Covid
38 min
268
Test and Trace-The Reasons for The World Beatin...
In another packed episode-latest on Covid testing, B Johnson's conference speech crammed with objectives without explaining how he'll meet any of them-and your brilliant questions inc Andrew Neil's new channel, Keir Starmer's knighthood..and...
42 min
269
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak-Nothing is What I...
The media is trained to spot tensions between PMs and Chancellors, but often gets the complex relationship wrong...plus Covid, the government's response and Monty Python's Flying Circus...and your brilliant questions.
36 min
270
The Tory Papers Turn on Boris Johnson
As the virus wreaks havoc again, why some MPs are calling for the army to intervene ...and why there'll be significant consequences as some Tory newspapers give B Johnson a hard time (though nowhere near as hard as they would have done to a Labour...
31 min
271
Boris Seeks to Break the Law
The government's 'oven ready' deal that would 'get Brexit done' is now being violated...by the government...and your brilliant questions on Boris Johnson, Brexit, Keir Starmer and much more.
35 min
272
Brexit is back (it never went away)
The Number 10 that presided chaotically over Covid and its consequences does not go for introspective humility...Instead of learning lessons from its failures it moves on with naive self-confidence and counterproductive machismo as it threatens to...
41 min
273
Prime Ministers and the Misery of Power
Boris Johnson is struggling. Does he realise yet that he is not equipped to meet the epic demands of leadership? Writing the paperback version of 'The Prime Ministers- Reflections on Leadership from Wilson to Johnson' I am struck by how miserable...
29 min
274
The most significant political year since 1945
Have the last twelve months been the most historic since the end of World War Two? Covid, Brexit, a big Tory election win....that takes a lot of beating..there's been the Suez Crisis, Sterling Crises, Three Day Weeks, Winter of Discontent, Iraq,...
10 min
275
Boris Johnson and A Fear of Scrutiny
In UK politics B Johnson can escape scrutiny more easily than D Trump, Johnson's model of leadership in some respects. Johnson does not like being challenged and in one huge policy area he is getting his way. The UK economy faces another big hit...
28 min