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Since Attlee & Churchill
The podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill.
Hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.
Since Attlee & Churchill is also available as a Substack, which includes special bonus podcast episodes for premium subscribers. Visit www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com to find out more.
Got a question? You can contact Richard and Lee on sinceattleeandchurchill@substack.com.
Episodes
20 episodes
Could 'English Socialism' save the Labour Party?
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 i...
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56:43
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Ernest Marples MP - a visionary, a scoundrel, or both?
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 ...
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52:10
What is the socialist case for monarchy?
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 an...
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58:48
Was this the most explosive Tory conference ever?
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 fourt...
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1:01:45
What lessons can be learned from a political maverick?
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 success...
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56:36
Did Edward Heath deserve the name 'The Incredible Sulk'?
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...
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57:15
Who was Labour's greatest champion of overseas aid?
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...
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56:31
Have confidence votes been a disaster for the Tory party?
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 ...
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58:47
What use is the House of Lords, anyway?
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...
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1:01:10
Who are the best political heroes?
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 hero...
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51:26
Whatever happened to Labour Zionism?
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 ...
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1:06:34
How did Margaret Thatcher take over the Conservative Party?
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 fi...
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45:33
Why did Soviet premier Nikita Khruschev say, if he were British, he'd vote Conservative?
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 s...
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42:44
Which U.S. Presidents were the favourites of British monarchs?
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 Pres...
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49:57
What happened to the grace and favour house for women ministers?
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...
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37:29
Who was the Macmillanite in the Thatcher Cabinet?
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 ...
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43:37
Why did the 1964 Labour government get off to such a bad start?
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 ag...
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44:12
Christmas Special: Did the late Queen secretly reference a Prime Minister's illness in her Christmas speech?
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 particula...
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26:03
What happened to Peter Shore's Labour Party?
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 deli...
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39:20
Could Harold Macmillan have been a Labour prime minister?
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...
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28:04