Putin’s view of his country’s recent past propels him to invade Ukraine – and yet his sense of the past is in many ways a wilful misreading. On this at least, he is not alone. Many leaders are burdened by a misreading of their country’s past… with consequences. Plus, brilliant questions from listeners and your suggestions for general election bonus podcasts for Patreon supporters.
Help Rock’n’Roll Politics by backing us on Patreon here. You’ll get extra podcasts, mugs, free tickets and even (for top tier backers) a live show in your own home…
Rock’n’Roll Politics is live at Kings Place, London on Monday March 17th: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/rock-n-roll-politics-17-mar/
Email: steveric14@icloud.com
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Views of the Past, National Identity… and War

Based on his live one-man show Rock & Roll Politics, the broadcaster and author Steve Richards takes a twice-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.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

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Politics

In his last term as Prime Minister, Harold Wilson was seen as old, paranoid and ineffective… yet now we discover he was lively enough to be having an affair. This suggests the caricature might be wrong. What if Wilson was livelier politically too? And what if we choose to see other leaders as stereotypes which do not present anything like the full picture? 
Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon for early episodes, exclusive merchandise and more. 
PLUS get free admission to Steve’s Local Elections 2024 Post-Mortem, live on Zoom at 5pm on Friday 3 May.
https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics
See Rock & Roll Politics live at King's Place on the 10th of July. 
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Harold Wilson’s affair and how we misread leaders

The journalist and author Will Hutton has written an important new book on the eve of what’s likely to be a Labour government. The title is stark: This Time No Mistakes. But what mistakes were made? What are the lessons of the past? What are his hopes and fears for a Keir Starmer government?
This Time No Mistakes is published on April 11th. Buy it through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund Rock & Roll Politics by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.
Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon for early episodes, exclusive merchandise and free admission to Steve’s Local Elections 2024 Post-Mortem, live on Zoom at 5pm on Friday 3 May.
https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics
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This Time No Mistakes – In Conversation with Will Hutton

A rare chance to hear a live show… this one recorded in the main concert hall at Kings Place, London. On the agenda: How do the dramas around the current government compare with other ‘fin de siecle’ administrations? How does Keir Starmer compare with Harold Wilson and Tony Blair when they were on the edge of power? Plus unreliable predictions… Question Time… and much more.
Support the podcast Patreon for bonus editions, special merchandise and exclusive live events for subscribers. Our next one will be the day after the May local elections so sign up to find out first. 
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Rock & Roll Politics Live – The Easter Special

Nigel Lawson once said a party that wins the battle of ideas wins the election... Rachel Reeves has started to engage in this battle of ideas during her Mais Lecture. Labour are way ahead in the polls, so is this a battle they can win?
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Can Rachel Reeves win the battle of ideas?

With polls suggesting a slaughter at the election will Tory MPs seek to replace Sunak … and should they?
Tickets for the next Rock n Roll Politics Live: Kings Place on  26th March 2024 
Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon and get exclusive benefits including bonus episodes and exclusive merchandise only available to subscribers.
Buy Steve’s book Turning Points: Crisis and Change in Modern Britain, from 1945 to Truss through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.




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Views of the Past, National Identity… and War

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