The second episode of City Politicos' 2024 Election Podcast is hosted by Ian Pace, Professor of Music, Culture and Society at City, University of London, and coordinator of this podcast. He is joined by Dr Lise Butler, Senior Lecturer in Modern History, and Konstantin Vössing, Reader in International Politics. They discuss the situations of Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott, the polls predicting a huge Labour victory, and especially the question of politics as a form of performance and theatre, in the run-up to the first TV leaders' debate. To what extent is wider political discourse and public opinion informed by rational discussion of issue, to what extent by the personalities of those involved? The panellists take quite distinct views on this subject, leading into wider discussions of populism, technocracy and more.