Two-time Labour leadership candidate Peter Shore represented a version of left-wing politics that has mostly disappeared: constitutional socialism. He opposed Britain's entry into Europe and believed in the power of the House of Commons to deliver a radical socialist agenda. Yet by the time he left the Commons in 1997, the party he had represented for over three decades had abandoned many of his ideas. Why? 

In this episode, we mention the following books/articles:

'A Constitutional Socialist' by Richard Johnson. Available at: https://tribunemag.co.uk/2020/06/a-constitutional-socialist

'Ed Miliband is our most consequential MP, I’m afraid' by Dominic Lawson. Available at: https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/ed-miliband-is-our-eras-most-consequential-politician-im-afraid-gm8pqk058

'Lord Berners: The Last Eccentric' by Mark Amory. Available at: https://amzn.to/41GClv1

'Uproar!' by Alice Loxton. Available at: https://amzn.to/3VINN5z

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Harold Macmillan, Conservative prime minister from 1957-1963, was one of the most iconic politicians of the twentieth century. In this episode, we rediscover some forgotten historical sources which pose the question: could he have been a Labour prime minister? One very surprising Labour figure certainly thought so...

In this episode, we mention the following books/articles:

'Could Macmillan Have Become a Labour Prime Minister?' by Lee David Evans. Available at: https://substack.com/home/post/p-143749625?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

'The Abuse of Power' by James Margach. Available at: https://amzn.to/3ByfaIy

'Macmillan' by Emrys Hughes. Available at: https://amzn.to/4iAZxkr

'The Twilight of the Pardon Power' by Margot Colgate Love. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25766118

'Backbencher' by Ian Mikardo. Available at: https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/88123567

'Ian Mikardo' by Tam Dayell (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography). Available at: https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-52289?rskey=JkgL8F&result=1

'OUT' by Tim Shipman. Available at: https://amzn.to/3VFuUQZ

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

If you're British or live in a Commonwealth realm, the Sovereign's Christmas message is synonymous with Christmas. And it's one of those broadcasts that we're talking about in this festive special of 'Since Attlee & Churchill'. In particular, Richard and Lee ask whether, in her 2013 Christmas message, Elizabeth II made a covert reference to the illness of one of her former prime ministers.

In this episode, we mention the following books/articles:

'The Queen' by Ben Pimlott. Available here: https://amzn.to/41JdDKx

'The Way the Wind Blows' by Alec Douglas-Home. Available here: https://amzn.to/3VSrRVA

'Breaking the Code: Westminster Diaries' by Gyles Brandreth. Available here: https://amzn.to/49VAyEE

'Harold Wilson and the "Big Six"' by Michael Lloyd-Jones. Available here: https://amzn.to/3VSrJFA

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

In a special episode recorded in Palm Beach, Florida, Lee and Richard interview presidential historian Alvin S. Felzenberg about two centuries of relations between American Presidents and British monarchs. Topics include: who was the first President to meet a monarch - before, during, and after their presidency? And who did the late Queen Elizabeth II like most of her American counterparts?

In this episode, we mention the following books:

'American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy' by David Corn.

'The Leaders We Deserved (and a Few We Didn't): Rethinking the Presidential Scorecard' by Alvin S. Felzenberg.

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

From 10 Downing Street to Chequers, Bute House to Dorneywood, senior British politicians love grace-and-favour homes. They are the properties made available to the prime minister and other senior government figures during their period of public service. In this episode, we recall the forgotten story of a woman who tried to leave her estate to the nation for the benefit of the most senior woman in government, only to find her plans frustrated. 

In this episode, we mention the following books:

‘The Time of My Life’ by Denis Healey. Available at: https://amzn.to/406riJi

‘How to be a Conservative’ by Roger Scruton. Available at: https://amzn.to/3DOxC0w

‘Divided House’ by Melanie Phillips. Available at: https://amzn.to/4a6yF87

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Few people remember Peter Walker today. But for more than a decade he was one of the most important figures in Margaret Thatcher's government - in spite of the fact he styled himself as an Macmillanite and not a Thatcherite. In this episode we discuss Walker's career, the role he played in 1980s Britain, and whether or not he was able to exercise much influence as a Cabinet minister.

In this episode, we discuss the following books:

'Taken as Red' by Anushka Asthana. Available here: https://amzn.to/4fI2k8T

'Strange Days Indeed' by Francis Wheen. Available here: https://amzn.to/4fBtJJz

We also mention audiobooks. If you’re interested in trying them out, you can get a free trial with Audible by clicking here.

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

An incoming Labour government gets off to a difficult start, taking tough and unpopular decisions which they say are necessary because of the inheritance left by the Conservatives. It's not Keir Starmer in 2024, but Harold Wilson six decades ago. In this episode, we consider Wilson's tricky start as prime minister, how a controversial and sensational by-election crystallised the issues facing Britain and its government in the mid-1960s, and the ways Wilson tried to recover ahead of the 1966 election.

In this episode we discuss the following programmes, articles and books:

'Lucan' on BBC iPlayer. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0024qb9/lucan

‘'Make The Equal Rights Amendment Part Of The Constitution' by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/15/opinion/trump-biden-legacy.html?searchResultPosition=4

'John Stonehouse: My Father' by Julia Stonehouse. Available at: https://amzn.to/41Rv9Mv

'Making the Weather' by Vernon Bogdanor. Available at: https://amzn.to/3ZVQrWH

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

After 13 years in government, the 2010 general election saw Labour ejected from office and on the hunt for a new leader. Curiously, two brothers - David and Ed Miliband - stood against each other in a five-way battle to lead the party. This divisive leadership contest led to accusations of fratricide and, when Ed won, many in Labour conclude that the party had chosen the wrong brother to lead it. Is that fair? In this episode, Richard and Lee look back on the 2010 leadership election and interrogate the decision made by MPs, members and trade unions about who would lead the Labour Party in opposition.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Ed: The Milibands and the making of a Labour leader' by James Macintyre and Mehdi Hasan. Available at: https://amzn.to/4mJcNFN

'Steeple Chasing: Around Britain by Church' by Peter Ross. Available at: https://amzn.to/4mCBYJY

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

In 1961 and 1963, two by-elections took place that changed British politics, and the fortunes of Tony Benn, forever. The first  came after Benn was removed from the House of Commons following the death of his father. This elevated Benn to the peerage as the second Viscount Stansgate and meant, although Benn won the by-election, he was denied his seat in the Commons. After years of political and legal battles, Benn fought a second by-election and became an MP once more. In this week's podcast, Richard and Lee chart this dramatic time in British political history and discuss the consequences for Benn, for other peers, and for British politics.

In this episode, the following articles and books are mentioned:

'Labour must learn to love Brexit' by Richard Johnson in The Spectator. Available at: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/labour-must-learn-to-love-brexit/

'These are the British' by Drew Middleton. Available at: https://amzn.to/3ZAOQq3

'Britain’s Conservative Right since 1945: Traditional Toryism in a Cold Climate' by Kevin Hickson. Available at: https://amzn.to/4k5LFik

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

For almost 40 years, Austin Mitchell was a staple of the House of Commons. At the beginning of his career, he was an up-and-coming star with a successful media career. Yet for the vast majority of his time as an MP, he was overlooked by successive leaders and confined to the backbenches. In this episode, Richard and Lee look back on Mitchell's career and consider what lessons can be learned from the life of a political maverick.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Could it Happen Here? The Day a Prime Minister Refuses to Resign' by Peter Hennessy and Andrew Blick. Available at: https://amzn.to/4iTyD6N

'Trump, the Administrative Presidency, and Federalism' by Frank Thompson, Kenneth Wong, and Barry Rabe. Available at: https://amzn.to/4iBbhD1

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Edward Heath spent more time in the House of Commons after he was Conservative leader (1975-2001) than beforehand. This long period, in which he was a frequent thorn-in-the-side of Margaret Thatcher and critic of her legacy, has become known as 'The Incredible Sulk.' But is that title fair? Why did Heath stick around for so long? What did he hope to achieve? And was he successful? That's the topic of this week's episode. 

In this episode, the following books and articles are mentioned:

'Strengthening the Political Constitution' edited by Richard Johnson, published by Police Exchange. Available here: https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/strengthening-the-political-constitution/

'Why a media savvy British politician-ambassador may be just what the US-UK relationship needs' by Richard Johnson, published by the LSE Blog. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2025/03/11/the-2024-elections-why-a-media-savvy-british-politician-ambassador-may-be-just-what-the-us-uk-relationship-needs/

'The Road to Inequality: How the Federal Highway Program Polarized America and Undermined Cities' by Clayton Nall. Available at: https://amzn.to/43OnQGs

'Bloody Panico! or Whatever happened to the Tory Party?' by Geoffrey Wheatcroft. Available at: https://amzn.to/4iyeMtT

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

The government recently made headlines with its decision to reduce overseas aid to 0.3% of national income. In this episode, we cast our eye back to Labour's most vocal supporter of overseas development and international aid, Judith Hart. Based on her years as a minister in both Harold Wilson and Jim Callaghan's governments, we ask: What was her approach to international aid? What did she manage to achieve in office? And what would she have made of what Keir Starmer and Labour are doing in office today?

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Deep Roots: How Slavery Still Shapes Southern Politics' by Avidit Acharya, Matthew Blackwell, and Maya Sen. Available at: https://amzn.to/4hkRA0G

'Frustrate their knavish tricks' by Ben Pimlott. Available at: https://amzn.to/4kB3xST

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

After years of tumult at the top of the Conservative Party, the method by which it removes its leaders has rarely been far from the headlines. In this podcast, Lee and Richard discuss how 'confidence votes' have been used to test the levels of support for Tory leaders among their MPs. It's a dramatic story - from Iain Duncan Smith's downfall in 2003, to Theresa May and Boris Johnson's near misses in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Revolt on the Right: Explaining support for the Radical Right in Britain' by Matthew Goodwin and Robert Ford. Available at: https://amzn.to/41FEfur

'Churchill's Citadel: Chartwell and the Gatherings Before the Storm' by Katherine Carter. Available at: https://amzn.to/3QCKpGf

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

For longer than it's been possible to talk about British politics, the House of Lords has played an essential role in how this country has been governed. But the 20th century saw their Lordships subordinated to the Commons and many of the peers, known as hereditary peers, stripped of their membership of the upper house. In this episode, Lee and Richard chart the history of the House of Lords and consider how it got to where it is today and ask: what use is the House of Lords in modern Britain? 

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Dear Bill: A Memoir' by Bill Deedes. Available at: https://amzn.to/3ETBtdi

'Get In: The Inside Story of Labour under Starmer' by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund. Available at: https://amzn.to/4hNVHUl

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Most politicians have at least one hero, someone in whose footsteps they hope to walk and whose achievements they hope to emulate. In this episode, Richard and Lee discuss whom senior Conservative and Labour politicians have named as their heroes - from the sublime to the occasionally ridiculous - and also share their own political lodestars.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Loyalists and Loners' by Michael Foot. Available at: https://amzn.to/3CUo9of

'A Fabulous Failure: The Clinton Presidency and the Transformation of American Capitalism' by Nelson Lichtenstein & Judith Stein. Available at: https://amzn.to/4hC484Y

'Politics on the Edge' by Rory Stewart. Available at: https://amzn.to/4hDiQsv

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

For much of its history, Labour was Britain's most pro-Zionist party - with MPs on the left of Labour the most supportive of the Jewish state. But from the 1960s, things began to change and, ultimately, the factional dynamics reversed. In this episode, Richard and Lee discuss how Labour went from being an enthusiast for Israel to being fiercely divided about the existence, and actions, of the world's only Jewish state.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'The Betrayal of Anne Frank: Less a Mystery Unsolved Than a Secret Well Kept' by Rosemary Sullivan. Available here: https://amzn.to/42MUPdP

'Failed State' by Sam Freedman. Available here: https://amzn.to/42SJqcF

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

February 2025 marks fifty years since the election of Margaret Thatcher as leader of the Conservative Party. To mark this anniversary, Lee and Richard discuss the blockbuster leadership contest that elevated her to the top of the Tories, the first woman to lead a British political party. 

It’s a story that is full of drama: from the stubbornness of Ted Heath to the rebelliousness of Conservative MPs, right up to the moment that Thatcher wins and a new age in British politics begins. 

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

‘Kingmaker’ by Graham Brady

‘Harold Wilson: The Winner’ by Nick Thomas-Symonds

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

1956 was the year that saw the Suez crisis and the brutal suppression of the Hungarian uprising. But before either of those events, Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev made a nine day visit to the United Kingdom. Included on a packed agenda, which saw the Soviet delegation tour the country, was a dinner with the Labour Shadow Cabinet. Almost immediately, the set-piece between Britain's left-wing party and the Russian communist leader got off to an awkward start - and ended with shouts of 'God forgive you!' across the dinner table. 

In this episode, Lee and Richard mention the following books:

'The Last Liberal Republican: An Insider's Perspective on Nixon's Surprising Social Policy' by John Roy Price. Available here: https://amzn.to/3E7E9nd

'Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip' by Simon Hart. Available here: https://amzn.to/4jpBlSx

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

From 1980-1983, Michael Foot led the Labour Party through a disastrous and divisive period in its history, culminating in the famous landslide defeat of 1983. That result has marred how people think of Foot ever since. But Richard believes that Foot's long and remarkable career - as a journalist and a politician - deserves a more generous appraisal from historians. Is he right? In this episode we look back at Foot's long life to find out.

In this episode, the following books, journals and articles are mentioned:

'The President's Kill List: Assassination and US Foreign Policy since 1945' by Luca Trenta.

'The Conservative History Journal'. Find out more: https://conservativehistory.wordpress.com/journal/

'The Life and Legacy of Michael Foot' by Richard Johnson, as published in Tribune. Available here: https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/07/the-life-and-legacy-of-michael-foot 

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Private members clubs once played a crucial role in British politics, even acting as the organising hubs of the Conservative and Liberal parties. For centuries, politicians of every shade have drunk, dined and gossiped together behind the closed doors of London clubs. But do they still? And do clubs still influence our politics? In this week's episode, Lee and Richard tackle that question and identify the one post-war prime minister who, it seems, has never been a member of any club.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Ten Years to save the West' by Liz Truss.

'Active and Passive Citizens' by Richard Tuck.

If you are interested in learning more about clubs, we also recommend:

'Behind Closed Doors' by Seth Thévoz.

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Since the end of WWII, an increasing number of foreign leaders have been invited to address MPs and peers - whether in Westminster Hall, the Royal Gallery or elsewhere in Parliament. In 2017 and again today, a debate raged about whether Donald Trump should be among them. Lee and Richard look back on the history of foreign leaders addressing Parliament and consider whether it would be reasonable for Trump to be prevented from making an address to Parliament.

in this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Vassal State: How America Runs Britain' by Angus Hanton. Available at: https://amzn.to/4lWVBMF

'The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness' by Jonathan Haidt. Available at: https://amzn.to/4cZ29WO

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Prime ministerial resignation honours - first used in 1895 and regularly issued since - have been a perennial embarrassment for outgoing prime ministers. In this episode, Richard and Lee look back on the post-war lists, from Churchill to Sunak, Attlee to Brown, and consider who they chose to honour, why, and whether it harmed their reputation and legacy.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Priests de la Resistance!: The loose canons who fought Fascism in the twentieth century' by The Revd Fergus Butler-Gaillie. Available at: https://amzn.to/42xHFRq

'Polarized by Degrees' by by Matt Grossmann & David A. Hopkins. Available at: https://amzn.to/4cNC4d7

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

The ideas underpinning English socialism go back to before the Norman Conquest, but they have been strangely absent from the Labour Party in recent years. In this week's episode, Lee and Richard discuss the concept of English socialism - what it is, where it comes from, how its distinct (but compatible) with British socialism, and why its values could be a recipe for the rejuvenation of the Labour Party today.

In this podcast, the following articles and books are mentioned:

'An American Sissy' by Gore Vidal. Available at: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1981/08/13/an-american-sissy/

'Hope and Glory' by Peter Clarke. Available at: https://amzn.to/42jwETM

'George Lansbury: At the Heart of Old Labour' by John Shepherd. Available at: https://amzn.to/3GjOuxi

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Few people today can recall the man who launched premium bonds, gave us the motorway network, or invited Dr Beeching to swing his axe on the United Kingdom's railway network. It was Ernest Marples, a post-war Conservative MP and ally of Harold Macmillan. Marples has a claim to be one of the most consequential ministers of the 1951-64 Conservative governments, but his personal immorality and financial failings left him off the frontbench, out of the Commons, and soon fleeing the taxman in Monaco. Lee and Richard discuss his sensational but consequential political career in this podcast.

In this podcast, the following books are mentioned:

'The Carlton Club 1832-2007' by Charles Petrie and Alistair Lexden.

'The False Promise of Liberal Order: Nostalgia, Delusion, and the Rise of Trump' by Patrick Porter. Available at: https://amzn.to/43LJBXz

You can also read more about Ernest Marples, among other topics, on the Since Attlee & Churchill Substack here: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

For the past century, many of the most prominent left-wing politicians in Britain, especially Labour leaders, have judged that the institution of monarchy is compatible with their vision of a more equal Britain. Why? In this episode, Richard and Lee discuss the socialist case for monarchy, from the earliest days of the Labour Party right up to the present day. Richard, a socialist himself, makes the fascinating argument that the monarchy is a pre-capitalist institution which sits outside of what socialists want to achieve.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Britain in Pictures: The Conservative Party (122) by Nigel Birch.

'The First Brexiteer: The Diaries of Sir Neil Marten, 1970-79' edited by Tim Aker. Available at: https://amzn.to/4lyqbfk

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

In 1963, Harold Macmillan resigned as prime minister and triggered one of the most dramatic fights for the Tory leadership in modern history. Four men jockeyed for position at the party's annual conference in Blackpool, with an unassuming fourteenth earl eventually coming out on top. Why did Macmillan resign? Who should have succeeded him? And did the 1964 general election, which brought Harold Wilson to power, get decided by these combustible events a year earlier? That's the theme of this week's podcast.

In this podcast, the following talks and books are mentioned:

'The Rule of Law: at home, abroad – and in Westminster' by Lord Wolfson. Available at: https://policyexchange.org.uk/events/the-rule-of-law-at-home-abroad-and-in-westminster/ 

'People Without Power: the war on populism and the fight for democracy' by Thomas Frank. Available at: https://amzn.to/43yImuS

'Public Servant, Secret Agent: The elusive life and violent death of Airey Neave' by Paul Routledge. Available at: https://amzn.to/4hRXZ3G

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

The 1956 Suez Crisis has gone down as one of the most shameful events in modern British history. After Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal, part owned by the United Kingdom, the British government desperately sought to re-assert its authority. A conspiracy developed with France and Israel to intervene and strike a blow against Nasser. Yet the events ended in disaster, with Britain's reputation in tatters and Prime Minister Anthony Eden's political career cut short. But is our conventional understanding of the Suez crisis correct? Or was Eden right after all?

 In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Between Extremes: Seeking the Political Center in the Civil War North' by Jack Furniss. Available at: https://amzn.to/43BjuSE

'Write to the Point: How to be Clear, Correct and Persuasive on the Page' by Sam Leith. Available at: https://amzn.to/4mNOoyV

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.