OppositionCast

In a festive special, Nigel is joined by former Home Secretary and recent Strictly star Jacqui Smith, to discuss the role of the Government Chief Whip, which she held under Tony Blair. She tells us about the plot to remove him from office in favour of Gordon Brown, and how she managed dissent in the Labour ranks.

Dr Nigel Fletcher considers the nature of political uncertainty, and discusses the future challenges for the Labour Party and the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer - with a little help from Richard Osman's House of Games...

The US Presidential election has resulted in a clear win for Joe Biden that has been acknowledged by leaders around the world. But in the White House, the loser Donald Trump still refuses to concede defeat. Nigel Fletcher asks what this means for the prospects of a peaceful transition of power, and what lessons can be learned from the last four years. His guest is Dr Richard Johnson, lecturer in US policy and politics at Queen Mary, University of London.

Dr Nigel Fletcher examines how opposition to Donald Trump in the USA over the last five years failed to prevent him being nominated, getting elected and continuing in office. He speaks to lifelong Republican activist Chris Brennan, who is now working in the key swing state of Pennsylvania to encourage fellow Republicans to vote against the President. Featuring clips of Carly Fiorina, Hillary Clinton and Senator Kamala Harris. What's Next?

In the 1945 election, Winston Churchill was unexpectedly swept from power and into opposition. Just six years later, he and the Conservatives were back in government again. Dr Nigel Fletcher speaks to three guests about this period of Conservative recovery:

Dr Michael Kandiah of King's College London discusses the role of Party Chairman Lord Woolton; Lord (Stephen) Parkinson discusses the policy work of Rab Butler; and Katherine Carter, curator at Churchill's former home, Chartwell, discusses how the former war leader adapted to life in Opposition, and what it was like to work for him.

Professor Philip Norton is this week's guest as he discusses different types of political opposition, how the Official Opposition operates in the UK Parliamentary system, and his new book, "Governing Britain: Parliament, Ministers and Our Ambiguous Constitution."

Presented by Dr Nigel Fletcher.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Labour's former Leader in the House of Lords, talks to Dr Nigel Fletcher about her political career - from working for Neil Kinnock in the 1980s to her five years as Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords under Ed Miliband. As Chairman of the Centre for Opposition Studies, she also gives her view on why our work to promote greater study of the subject is so important.

How did Labour perform in opposition to the 2010-2015 Coalition government? Dr Nigel Fletcher is joined by Professor Tim Bale of Queen Mary, University of London to talk about the leadership of Ed Miliband - from attacks on the "omnishambles" budget to the rise of Jeremy Corbyn...

Stuart Smedley of the Centre for British Politics and Government at King's College London talks about his research on UK public opinion to EU integration in the years from 1973 to 2016. How did growing opposition to further integration develop into support for Brexit?

Dr Catherine Haddon of the Institute for Government talks to Dr Nigel Fletcher about how the Civil Service and opposition parties prepare for a possible change of government - including how the process of official contacts has evolved, and how it could work better.