Birkbeck Politics

Westminster Watch is a podcast in which members of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College discuss current issues in British politics. It is aimed at those with an interest in British politics in general and students on Birkbeck's BA Politics module, Contemporary British Politics, in particular. In episode 32, Dr Dermot Hodson and Dr Ben Worthy discuss the British General Election 2017.

Westminster Watch is a podcast in which members of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College discuss current issues in British politics. It is aimed at those with an interest in British politics in general and students on Birkbeck's BA Politics module, Contemporary British Politics, in particular. In episode 31, Dr Dermot Hodson and Dr Ben Worthy revisit the Westminster Model in the light of recent developments in British politics.

Westminster Watch is a podcast in which members of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College discuss current issues in British politics. It is aimed at those with an interest in British politics in general and students on Birkbeck's BA Politics module, Contemporary British Politics, in particular. In episode 30, Dr Dermot Hodson and Dr Ben Worthy discuss the Surrey tax referendum and Sadiq Khan’s mayoralty.

A lecture delivered by Professor Michael Kenny (QMUL)at Birkbeck College on 8 May 2017. The event is introduced by Dr Jason Edwards (Birkbeck).

The English radical lineage has been repeatedly invoked on the British left in recent years: as an antidote to the technocratic character of social democratic thought and rigidity of socialist orthodoxy; and for its intimate relationship with English traditions at a point when ‘Englishness’ appears resurgent. Edward Thompson, one of Britain’s leading public historians, best known intellectuals and leading figure in the peace movement during the 1980s, is often seen as the last exemplar of this tradition. This lecture takes a critical look at this characterisation. It also reappraises standard dismissals of Thompson’s patriotism, asking what kind of Englishness was at stake in the work of the author of The Making of the English Working Class. It explores the shifting ways in which he wrote – as historian, intellectual contrarian and romantic critic — about the English radical tradition, and compares Thompson’s raucous, eclectic and argumentative conception of this lineage with latter-day progressive thinking. The lecture finishes by asking who in British politics can lay claim to the title deeds of Thompson’s brand of English radicalism.

Michael Kenny is a Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London. He has written widely on British political thought and politics, and is the author of The Politics of English Nationhood (2014), The Politics of Identity (2004) and author of the Preface to the Penguin Modern Classics edition of E.P.Thompson’s The Making of the English Working Class (2013). He is currently writing a book, with Nick Pearce, on The Anglosphere in British Politics, which will be published by Polity Press.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BirkbeckPolitics/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/birkbeck-dept-of-politics

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bbkpolitics

Centre website: www.csbppl.com

Department website: www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/

PQ Magazine: www.politicalquarterly.org.uk/

Philip Collins, Lucy Barnes and Tony Wright (Chair) discuss tax enforcement in the UK and the relationship between parliament and the civil service in the collection of taxes.

Is it possible to get corporations to pay more tax, or are current practices the inevitable result of Britain’s ‘bargain basement’ approach to competition with other countries for investment and jobs? And are criticisms of senior civil servants fair, given that they may not be supported in taking a tougher line by their political masters?

This is a recording of an event co-organised by the Centre for British Politics and Public Life and The Political Quarterly. The event was organised around Margaret Hodge MP and her book Called to Account. Due to events in Westminster on 22 March, Margaret Hodge was unable to attend.

About the Speakers:

Tony Wright was an MP from 1992 to 2010, and played a leading role in the ‘Wright reforms’ to Parliamentary select committees. He is currently a visiting professor at UCL and Birkbeck.

Lucy Barnes is a lecturer in comparative politics at UCL, specialising in the politics of taxation.

Philip Collins is a columnist and chief leader writer for The Times, and chair of the board of trustees at the independent think tank Demos.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BirkbeckPolitics/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/birkbeck-dept-of-politics

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bbkpolitics

Centre website: www.csbppl.com

Department website: www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/

PQ Magazine: http://www.politicalquarterly.org.uk/

Staff from the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College and special guest David Goodhart discuss the populist backlash in Western politics.

This debate features Professor Eric Kaufmann, Dr Sam Ashenden, Dr Jason Edwards and special guest David Goodhart, founding editor of Prospect magazine and head of the Demography, Immigration and Integration Unit at Policy Exchange.

Dr Alex Colas, Head of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck, chairs the event.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BirkbeckPolitics/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/birkbeck-dept-of-politics

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bbkpolitics

Centre website: www.csbppl.com

Department website: www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/

As it comes to look increasingly like hard Brexit for Britain, what is the future for progressive politics? One suggestion has been for an electoral alliance on the Left bringing together the Greens, Labour and the SNP. Not everyone is convinced – including Jeremy Corbyn – but the proposal has sparked debate and discussion across progressive parties.

Birkbeck Politics hosts an evening of discussion with a cross-party panel to discuss what such an alliance would look like, how it would work and whether it is the quickest way back to power for the left or a dangerous dream?

Our panel includes Labour MP and Birkbeck alumnus Lisa Nandy, Greens MP Caroline Lucas and former Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Chris Bowers, who co-edited the recent book The Alternative: Towards a New Progressive Politics. We will also be joined by Jon Cruddas, Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BirkbeckPolitics/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/birkbeck-dept-of-politics

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bbkpolitics

Centre website: www.csbppl.com

Department website: www.bbk.ac.uk/politics/

Westminster Watch is a podcast in which members of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College discuss current issues in British politics. It is aimed at those with an interest in British politics in general and students on Birkbeck's BA Politics module, Contemporary British Politics, in particular. In episode 29, Dr Dermot Hodson and Dr Ben Worthy discuss UK defence policy and Tony Blair’s new anti-Brexit campaign.

Westminster Watch is a podcast in which members of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College discuss current issues in British politics. It is aimed at those with an interest in British politics in general and students on Birkbeck's BA Politics module, Contemporary British Politics, in particular. In episode 28, Dr Dermot Hodson and Dr Ben Worthy discuss the Government’s new industrial strategy and Theresa May’s first six months as PM.

Westminster Watch is a podcast in which members of the Department of Politics at Birkbeck College discuss current issues in British politics. It is aimed at those with an interest in British politics in general and students on Birkbeck's BA Politics module, Contemporary British Politics, in particular. In episode 27, Dr Dermot Hodson and Dr Ben Worthy discuss Theresa May’s first meeting with Donald Trump and the Parliamentary debate on Brexit.