Never Mind The Bar Charts: Recent Episodes
Mark Pack
Mark Pack and guests talk about the Liberal Democrats, British politics and a few stray digressions. Only a few.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is not really an episode of the podcast but rather a rerun of an interview I did for the YIMBY Pod with James O'Malley, talking about the problems with secondary legislation - and why they are problems we all should be interested in.
Show notes The YIMBY Pod. (It used to be called The Abundance Podcast.) * One of my pieces about secondary legislation: Why does so much of Whitehall move so slowly? * A reminder about my other podcast, Political Fictions: political drama on screen and the page*. * Photo copyright Parliament/House of Lords. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts features the authors of a great new book, Tribal Politics: How Brexit Divided Britain.
Sara Hobolt and James Tilley discuss how the Brexit referendum was the trigger for new political identities, identities which have persisted.
We also discuss their surprising finding about the role for social media in forging anti-Brexit identities, as well as lessons from their research for pro-European campaigners.
Show notes Tribal Politics: How Brexit Divided Britain by Sara Hobolt and James Tilley: Waterstones / Amazon / Bookshop (independent bookshops). * The previous episodes with the authors of Brexitland: Maria Sobolewska and Rob Ford. * Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics* by Maria Sobolewska and Rob Ford: Waterstones / Amazon / Bookshop (independent bookshops) * Sara Hobolt on Bluesky. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Note: Links to books are affiliate links that generate a commission on sales made.
A special treat for listening of this podcast: a new episode of my other podcast, Political Fictions:
"Mark and Cory talk about political TV for the first time, and there’s nowhere better to start than The Thick of It. After rewatching the first series, they talk about which fictional policy proposals ended up becoming reality, why it’s important that focus groups thought Keir Starmer was an eagle, and given that Malcolm Tucker keeps screwing everything up perhaps the secret genius behind the British Government is actually Terri Coverley?"
Show notes Subscribe to Political Fictions in all the usual places, or listen to it via www.politicalfictionspodcast.com. * You can view the IMDB page for The Thick of It here. * UK listeners can watch the show on BBC iPlayer. * If you enjoyed our segment on focus groups, you may my post about them here (note the date). * Cory’s email newsletter Paperback Rioter*. * Mark’s family of email newsletters. * Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Exciting news! This month I’m launching Political Fictions, a new podcast with Cory Hazlehurst, from the Not Enough Champagne podcast. It’s all about TV, film and books featuring politics.
Take a listen to our trailer to find out more.
You can subscribe to Political Fictions in all the usual places, including on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.
You can also follow the podcast via our website, www.politicalfictionspodcast.com.
I will be carrying on with my previous podcast, Never Mind The Bar Charts, but at a lower tempo of episodes.
For the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts I talked with Paul Webb about the report "Britain's Party Members" which has new data on who joins political parties in Britain and what they get up to.
Are Lib Dems the keenest campaigners? Is the emerging two-bloc pattern of British politics reflected in party membership? We talk about these and many more such illuminating questions, revealing some of the basic bedrock on which British politics is built.
Our discussion also includes the report's analysis of political psychology, based on both the big five traits and the dark triad models - showing differences between parties, and we explore how member preferences shape leadership selection, tactical voting, and party strategy.
We start off though with where the data comes from and how much we can trust to it being right.
Show notes
- Britain's Party Members by Tim Bale, Paul Webb and Stavroula Chrona.
- The excellent book that came from the project's earlier work.
- The ESRC Party Members Project website.
- How Cambridge Analytica's impact was hyped.
- Robert McKenzie and the election night swingometer.
- Only 2% of council by-elections turning out to be Conservative-Labour contests.
- Professor Paul Webb's other work.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
- Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Two of the authors of a new book, The British General Election of 2024, joined me for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Among the topics we discuss are whether Labour's post-election slump has made people too critical of their election campaign, whether the Conservatives could have saved themselves and lessons for the Lib Dems.
Show notes The graph we discuss showing public opinion on tax and what people thought Labour and the Conservatives would do to tax. * Myth busting Liz Truss and the lettuce. * The British General Election of 2024* by Rob Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge: Amazon, Waterstones or UK Bookshop. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
I've popped up on a movie podcast, War Movie Theatre with Rob Hutton and Duncan Weldon. Here is what they have to say about the show:
"A 1964 film about accidental nuclear war from a legendary director and featuring a German scientist with homicidal ideas? That's right, it's Dr Strangelove… hang on, no, it's Fail Safe. Overshadowed on release because of a lawsuit from a rival film (you can guess which), this parable from Sidney Lumet has come to be regarded as a classic, with fans including George Clooney.
"The Ocean's 11 star couldn't be with us to make the case for it himself, so we're joined by a man known to many as the Clooney of British politics, Mark Pack: polling expert, Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords and Total Nerd."
Show notes War Movie Theatre podcast with Rob Hutton and Duncan Weldon: Apple, Spotify and YouTube. * Never Mind the Bar Charts* theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
This episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts features podcast favourite Phil Cowley talking about his new book, The Smallest Room in the House. It is crammed full of fun yet useful insights from political science. Listen to us talk about Simon Cowell, fish and chip shops, riots, the rise of AI, potholes and more.
Show notes All the fish and chip shops in the UK. * Distribution of passport ownership. * Causes and Consequences of Electoral Violence 1832-1914. * Philip Cowley on Bluesky. * Read a free chapter from the book. * Get The Smallest Room in the House: 50 political oddities to read in more than one sitting* from Waterstones, Amazon (including e-book version) and Bookshop.org (affiliate links). * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts sees a return to the show for Professor Rob Ford. We dive into my favourite political paradox to discuss with him: the long term liberalising trends in British politics and yet the run of wins for the Conservatives and populist right. Who is going to come out on top?
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes What caused Brexit? Previous podcast with Rob Ford. * Sunder Katwala / British Future on 'balancers' on immigration. * Depending on your definitions, this person was a century and more ahead of those we mentioned in the podcast in being someone from an ethnic minority who became both Chancellor and then Prime Minister. * Glaciers. * The British General Election of 2024* by Rob Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge is now available to pre-order: Amazon, Waterstones. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts sees me discuss with polling expert Steve Akehurst what has happened to Labour's July 2024 vote.
We dive into the characteristics of those who voted for Starmer but are now flirting with Farage, as well as ask whether those folk are really the whole story.
Show notes* Getting to know ‘Reform curious Labour voters’ by Steve Akehurst. * What would make Labour defectors more positive about Labour? * The problems with polling averages. * Labour's problem is a Michael Barber not a Morgan McSweeney one. * Pollsters split over what's happened to Labour's 2024 vote: I have now done the crosstabs analysis we talk about on the show. * The County Durham by-election mentioned on the show. * Steve Akehurst on Bluesky. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * Downing Street street name sign: photo by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay and used under the Pixabay license. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts features an interview with Emeritus Professor Jonathan Parry, whose new book, Liberalism, explores the history of liberalism as a political idea in Britain.
Parry emphasises that liberalism is best understood through the actions of politicians rather than the abstract theories of political intellectuals.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Liberalism* by Jonathan Parry: Amazon, Bookshop.org or Waterstones. * Professor Jonathan Parry. * Previous podcast with Duncan Brack about Jo Grimond. * Photo of Big Ben CC0 Public Domain. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts saw me team up with John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod team to discuss the local elections. How did they go for the Liberal Democrats and what lessons are there for the party?
Show notes Some highlights from the local election results. * Lib Dem Pod*. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
John Potter of the Lib Dem Pod quizzed me about my first experiences of the House of Lords for our latest joint podcast.
Show notes Lib Dem Pod*. * The Government Chief Whip's Ring Binder. * Photograph © House of Lords 2024 / photography by Roger Harris. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another in the occasional series looking back at previous party leaders with Duncan Brack.
This time we pick over Jeremy Thorpe's career - securing Britain's place in Europe, leading the Liberal Party to national prominence and then mired in scandal. What to make of it all?
Show notes Our previous episode about Jo Grimond - www.markpack.org.uk/161656/jo-grimond-podcast/ * Our interview of Jeremy Thorpe - www.markpack.org.uk/1486/jeremy-thorpe-interview/ * Jeremy Thorpe and Jimi Hendrix - www.mediastorehouse.co.uk/memory-lane-prints/mirror/0100to0199-00163/jeremy-thorpe-jimi-hendrix-concert-jimi-hendrix-21541729.html * Other photos of Jeremy Thorpe looking stylish - www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/image?family=editorial&phrase=jeremy%20thorpe&sort=oldest&recency=daterange&begindate=1960-01-01&enddate=1980-01-01 * Peter Cook satirises the judge's summing up in the trial of Jeremy Thorpe - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyos-M48B8U * Duncan Brack on Bluesky - bsky.app/profile/duncanbrack.bsky.social * The Lib Dem History Group is at liberalhistory.org.uk * Jeremy Thorpe* by Michael Bloch is available from Amazon - amzn.to/41QQUf5 - Bookshop.org - uk.bookshop.org/a/588/9780349142203 - and Waterstones - tidd.ly/3DhN31o * Theme tune by Hugo Lee: hugoleemusic.com * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts: www.markpack.org.uk/161708/how-to-listen-to-a-podcast * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes: www.markpack.org.uk/168491/most-popular-episodes-never-mind-the-bar-charts
Peter Kellner join sme to discuss a new report on what is going wrong with our politics, and the solutions. No surprise then that our conversation focused on populism, its causes and how liberals can defeat it.
Show notes Disruptive Delivery: Meeting the Unmet Demand in Politics, with polling from Deltapoll. * The Challenge of Affluence: Self-Control and Well-Being in the United States and Britain since 1950 by Avner Offer (affiliate link). * An example from the 1990s of failing to predict the political future. * How incumbent governments did badly in elections in 2024. * The three humped graph from the report. * Liberal Democrat achievements in government. * Lib Dem policymaking on AI. * Peter Kellner's polling newsletter. * The Week in Polls*. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts saw Paula Surridge return to the show, talking about the impact of political values and of perceived competence on recent general elections. We got into some surprising similarities between Tony Blair and Nigel Farage, as well as ways in which Boris Johnson and Gordon Brown were the same.
Take a listen to find out how on earth we ended up there.
Show notes* "Values in the Valence Election: Fragmentation and the 2024 General Election" by Paula Surridge. Also in blog form here. * Why we made a joke about cease and desist letters. * The graph which we mentioned. * Paula Surridge on Bluesky and Substack. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts takes a look at a book that has made me rethink several things I thought I knew about the history of the Liberal Democrats and Liberals before them.
It also contains some wonderfully acerbic photo captions and some not terribly kind words about David Lloyd George.
It is a book from another David - David Laws - and is a history of Labour - Liberal (Democrat) relations over the last century.
Show notes Serpents, Goats and Turkeys - a century of Liberal-Labour relations: Amazon, Waterstones, Bookshop.org * Who Killed Kitchener? The Life and Death of Britain's Most Famous War Minister: Amazon, Waterstones, Bookshop.org* * How Lib Dems love the 1920s despite the electoral disasters for the Liberal Party. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
* Affiliate links that generate a commission for purchases made.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts takes a look at recent research into the impact of electoral reform on the stability of governments.
Does PR mean less stable government? Listen to my discussion with the research's author Dylan Difford to find out.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes* Strong and Stable: the most politically stable democracies use PR. * The wild ride of elections in the 1920s. * Dylan Difford on Bluesky. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Election campaigns often put significant effort into persuading voters that their candidate(s) could win. But does such campaigning really change people's expectations of who might win? And even if it people's views do change, does being seen as a more likely winner really help you win the election?
Or in other words, are all those "winning here" posters and bar charts worth it?
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts welcomes back to the show Justin Fisher to discuss just that, courtesy of new research from himself and two colleagues.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes "Innocent Bystanders or the Forgotten Actors? The Role of Parties and Candidates in Building Electoral Campaign Momentum" by Justin Fisher, Ed Fieldhouse and David Cutts. * A Logic of Expressive Choice by Alexander A. Schuessler (affiliate link). * 101 Ways To Win An Election*. * The accuracy of MRPs. * Justin Fisher on Twitter/X. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * Photo of "Winning Here" poster courtesy of the Lib Dems (CC BY-ND 2.0). * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts sees a return to the show for Sam Freedman. This time he’s got a new book out, about how our government is broken – and what to do to fix it.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Failed State: Why Nothing Works and How We Fix It by Sam Freedman: Amazon, Waterstones, UK Bookshop (affiliate links). * Sam Freedman’s Prospect articles. * The Mill*. * Sam Freedman’s newsletter. * The myth of Budget poll bounces. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show’s website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts discusses a great new book about the geography of British elections with its two authors, Jamie Furlong and Will Jennings.
Why do the Conservatives underperform on Merseyside yet overperform in Lincolnshire, and how much of electoral geography is really about individual campaigners?
Take a listen to find out...
Show notes Get The Changing Electoral Map of England and Wales by Jamie Furlong and Will Jennings: Amazon, Bookshop, Waterstones. (Affiliate links.) * Get Putting Voters in Their Place: Geography and Elections in Great Britain by Ron Johnston and Charles Pattie: Amazon, Bookshop, Waterstones. (Affiliate links.) * My two previous podcasts discussing Brexitland*: with Rob Ford and with Maria Sobolewska. * Jamie Furlong and Will Jennings on X/Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts takes a look back to the five criteria for success that Professor Tim Bale set out for opposition leaders and considers how they played out by the end of the 2024 general election.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes* Our original discussion of five tests for opposition parties. * Our December 2020, March 2022 and December 2022 updates. * Some of those Ed Davey stunts. * My puzzlement over the lack of concern from Conservatives about losing support in Surrey and London. * The size of Lib Dem majorities. * Ed Davey's campaign ratings. * Survey of Conservative membership on the next party leader. * Tim Bale on X/Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another special with John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod, looking at all the latest from the election campaign.
Show notes Lib Dem Pod*. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes. * For material which promotes the party’s candidates or future candidates, the imprint information is that it is promoted by Mike Dixon on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, both 1 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PN.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another special with John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod, looking at all the latest from the election campaign with Lib Dem peer Liz Barker and Lib Dem candidate David Chadwick.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes The Lib Dem manifesto. * The election timetable. * David Chadwick's campaign. * How we decide where to ask people to campaign. * Lib Dem Pod*. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes. * For material which promotes the party’s candidates or future candidates, the imprint information is that it is promoted by Mike Dixon on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, both 1 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PN.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another team-up with the Lib Dem podcast, taking a look at the general election, mulling over Nigel Farage's entrance and hearing about how a Dalek got canvassed.
Appearing on the show is Victoria Collins. The constituency she is standing in includes the village of Aldbury, often used in TV and films, including for Doctor Who and The Avengers.
Show notes Victoria Collins. * Aldbury. * Lib Dem Pod*. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes. * For material which promotes the party’s candidates or future candidates, the imprint information is that it is promoted by Mike Dixon on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, both 1 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PN. For content related specifically to a candidate, it is published and promoted by S. Oliver on behalf of V. Collins.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts saw a return for the Professor of Political Leafleting, the Lady of the Leaflets, Professor Caitlin Milazzo. She's one of the top experts on what election candidates put in their leaflets and why. So just the person to talk with as even more leaflets are headed to people's letterboxes for the general election.
Show notes* The Open Elections website. * How are political leaflets changing (and do they work)? - previous podcast with Caitlin Milazzo. * Negative campaigning in political leaflets: what the evidence says - previous podcast with Caitlin Milazzo. * Perceived Negativity in British General Election Communications by Caitlin Milazzo and John Ryan. * Personal, policy and partisanship: Understanding voter reactions to campaign negativity by Alan Duggan, Caitlin Milazzo, Harry Applestein and John Ryan. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another team-up with John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod team. This time we were joined by Bill Revans, leader of the largest elected Lib Dem group in the country, to talk about the start of the general election.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Lib Dem Pod*. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another joint venture with The Lib Dem Pod, taking a look at the 2024 local elections.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes The Week in Polls. * The Lib Dem Pod*. * Tribute to Andrew Stunell. * Local election results in Preston. * The 2024 local election results. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
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Never Mind The Bar Charts took an unexpected turn when I was discussing the track record of polls closing in previous Parliaments with Professor Will Jennings. One of the most dramatic such examples was with Jeremy Corbyn in 2017... so perhaps he should be the role model for Rishi Sunak as he looks to rescue the Conservatives?
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes* Have the polls closed in previous Parliaments? * What are MRPs and can we trust them? * Voting intention by supermarket. * Sign up to the newsletter from Will Jennings. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Share the show’s website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Something completely different to the usual fare this time: a little while back I picked my five favourite spy novels for the Spybrary podcast. For a variation from the usual Never Mind The Podcasts fare, take a listen to what I picked, and why those in politics so often like spy stories:
Anthony Price features, of course. As does (ssssh! former spy) Paddy Ashdown and US President Lyndon B Johnson, subject of perhaps the best non-fiction book and one with a brilliant narrator too.
In coincidental related news, I discovered recently that the author of the standard book on the history of the early years of campaigning for proportional representation was a Communist, and possibly a Russian spy. The author is Jennifer Hart and the book is Proportional Representation: Critics of the British Electoral System 1820-1945.
Show notes* The Spybrary Podcast. * The Spybrary Facebook group. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * Photo by Cottonbro Studio on Pexels.com. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes. * Links to books above are affiliate links.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another by-election special with the Lib Dem Pod team, talking about what to make of the latest set of Parliamentary by-elections.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes The by-election results. * The Lib Dem pre-manifesto. * The Lib Dem Pod* team on YouTube. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts features Southwark councillor Rachel Bentley on what it's like being a councillor, the difference you can make to improve people's lives, the disappointments of Sadiq Khan, life campaigning against Labour and, of course, her love of pointing.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes* The Bentley Ramp. * Rachel Bentley on X/Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
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Professor Kate Dommett is one of the UK’s absolute top rank experts on political campaigning, data and the internet. So who better to have back on Never Mind The Bar Charts to talk about how parties use data and what the next general election might bring?
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Data-Driven Campaigning and Political Parties: Five Advanced Democracies Compared by Katharine Dommett, Glenn Kefford and Simon Kruschinski: available from Amazon, Waterstones and independent bookshops. * My previous scepticism about the impact of Cambridge Analytica. * Using a Personality-Profiling Algorithm to Investigate Political Microtargeting: Assessing the Persuasion Effects of Personality-Tailored Ads on Social Media: an academic study showing how targeting people by personality type could work. * The small effects of political advertising are small regardless of context, message, sender, or receiver: Evidence from 59 real-time randomized experiments: the limited impact of online advertising. * Podcast with Florian Foos on the effects of different campaign tactics. * Eitan Hersh on what data US campaigners really use. * Ground Wars – Personalized Communications in Political Campaigns by Rasmus Kleis Nielsen: or what canvassers really do when they are on the doorstep. * Ground Wars – Personalized Communications in Political Campaigns by Rasmus Kleis Nielsen * Kate Dommett's previous appearance on this podcast: What really happens at the grassroots when political parties push new ways of campaigning? * One of my early experiments with using Zoom for politics and how Pokémon GO was used by some Lib Dems. * Kate Dommett and John Curtice talks for the Political Studies Association. * Kate Dommett on X/Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
* Affiliate links which generate a commission for sales.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts welcomed back Duncan Brack for another of our reviews of previous party leaders. This time, it’s Charles Kennedy we took a look at.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Greg Hurst’s biography of Charles Kennedy. * Charles Kennedy on Have I Got News For You*. * The 1983 TV report on his first election (second video on the page). * My earlier take on lessons from Charles Kennedy’s leadership. * Nick Clegg’s tribute to Charles Kennedy following his death. * The Lib Dem History Group. * Duncan Brack on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another special with the Lib Dem Pod team. We talked about a year of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister and lessons from the Mid Bedfordshire by-election. Listen carefully also to spot a little Easter Egg from me...
Show notes The Lib Dem Pod* * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
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I've been honoured to have many great guests on Never Mind The Bar Charts but wow... this time's guest really blew me away with his moving life story and with the thought of just how exciting it would be to see him on the national political stage.
Come take a listen and meet Josh Babarinde from Eastbourne.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes* The sunniest town in the UK. * The kayak tipping incident. * Follow Josh Babarinde on X/Twitter or Instagram. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts features Paula Surridge once again, who since last time has been promoted to Professor - congratulations!
We talk about what's driving British politics, whether the Conservatives can win next time - and what lessons she sees in the data for the Liberal Democrats.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Some of Paula's previous appearances: on the role of values, the Lib Dem win in Tiverton & Honiton and how Boris Johnson won the 2019 general election. * How the polls can be wrong - but why you should still pay attention to them. * The British Social Attitudes Survey. * The moderate pitch of Mrs Thatcher in 1979. * Jonn Elledge on how Labour winning power would change the terms of British politics. * What that reference to seven bins was about. * The long-term liberalisation of Britain. * The British General Election of 2019 by Rob Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge: Amazon / Waterstones / Bookshop.org. * Paula Surridge on Twitter/X. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
* This list includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
It took decades of campaigning for Prohibition campaigners to win in the US, getting alcohol banned in the early twentieth century. Once they'd won, their victory seemed set to last. Yet in less than a decade and a half their victory had been undone and the the idea killed off politically. So can pro-Europeans take heart from drawing parallels between Prohibition and Brexit?
Find out in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts as I discuss this with Professor Ben Ansell who has just written a great piece comparing Prohibition and Brexit.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Ben Ansell's piece, Brexit's 21st Amendment: Can the Rejoin campaign learn anything from the End of Prohibition?
- Abraham Lincoln on the political value of honey.
- Plastic bags chaos looms ... Supermarkets are braced for chaos and confusion (the Daily Mail, of course).
- Polling on Europe.
- Why Politics Fails by Ben Ansell: Amazon / Waterstones / Bookshop.org *
- Ben Ansell on Twitter and Threads.
- Photo by Chris F on Pexels.com.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
- Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
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So wrote John Curtice after the latest record-breaking Parliamentary by-election by the Liberal Democrats. Who better therefore to discuss how happy Liberal Democrats should be after Sarah Dyke's victory than Frome-born political scientist and podcast favourite, Professor Tim Bale?
Hear what Tim and I made of all three of the recent Parliamentary by-elections in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * There were quite a few Lib Dem leaflets in Somerton and Frome. * The Lib Dem alternative on ULEZ. * The predictive power of Parliamentary by-elections. * The Liberal Democrat Yellow Halo of support. * What issues most concern voters? * Tim Bale on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
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Florian Foos has worked with eight different political parties in five different countries carrying out field experiments to test what does and doesn't work in election campaigning. So I invited him on Never Mind The Bar Charts to talk about what both his research and that of others reveals.
Show notes
- How Much GOTV Mail is Too Much? Results from a Large-Scale Field Experiment by Adam Zelitzer and Donald P. Green
- Get Out the Vote: How to Increase Voter Turnout: How to Increase Voter Turnout by Donald P. Green and Alan S. Gerber: Amazon / Bookshop.org / Waterstones*
- How same-sex marriage campaigners won people over by finding common values.
- Abraham Lincoln's advice on winning campaigns by befriending rather than demonising people.
- Reasons to be sceptical of the impact of deep canvassing.
- Florian Foos on Twitter.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- Image by Nathan Copley from Pixabay.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
- Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts features Sam Freedman, talking about his recent excellent article on why apparently obvious policy ideas keep on being talked about, but not getting implemented. What's going on?
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- The Policy Paradox: The more obvious an idea is the less likely it will happen.
- David Gauke's proposal for an Office for Spending Evaluation.
- Lynne Featherstone on the Institute for Government's induction sessions for new ministers.
- The Shelter report on housing mentioned in the show.
- How Keith House and colleagues get houses built in Eastleigh.
- Sam Freedman's email newsletter.
- Sam Freedman on Twitter.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
- Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts saw a return to the show for Professor Caitlin Milazzo, one of the county's top experts on political leaflets - what goes into them why and with what effect.
This time we discussed her new research into negative campaigning in leaflets.
Show notes* “Going on the offensive: Negative messaging in British general elections” by Alan Duggan and Caitlin Milazzo. * The Open Elections website. * How are political leaflets changing (and do they work)? Caitlin Milazzo’s previous appearance. * Caitlin Milazzo on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show’s most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show’s website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another tie-up with The Lib Dem Podcast, following the stunning Lib Dem gains in the local elections.
I joined councillors John Potter and Richard Kemp, along with new Lib Dem council leader Martin Boffey, to chew over the results. Unfortunately, Lisa Smart was not able to make the show, but she was safely re-elected this month too.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Watch the podcast on YouTube. * The Lib Dem Podcast* on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
I really enjoyed reading Professor Tim Bale's new book, The Conservative Party After Brexit.
So who better to have on the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts to discuss the point of such books, how such an apparently ramshackle party keeps on winning elections, the power of party conference speeches and what Rishi Sunak's politics really are than the man himself? Tim that is, rather than the PM.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation by Tim Bale - Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones. I was kindly provided with an advance copy by the publishers. * Tim Bale on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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Find out the answer to that... and speculate on what Tim Harford and Matt Forde would be like as MPs with the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Public Preferences for Integrity and Accountability in Politics*: the research report we discuss. * Ipsos trust data. * Alan Renwick on Twitter. * Image by David Mark from Pixabay. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
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For the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I'm speaking with Cllr Keith House, leader of Eastleigh Council. The local team has an impressive record of building houses on green fields and (yet also) getting re-elected. How have they managed this combo, and what can other Liberal Democrats learn from it?
Take a listen to find out...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Howards' Way*. * How the first Liberal was elected to Eastleigh Council – and how politics didn’t have a golden age * Cllr Keith House on Twitter. * Image by Peter H from Pixabay. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
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Many attempts at reforming the House of Lords have been made. Many attempts have failed.
So what can would-be reformers learn from the failures of their predecessors to achieve more?
Professor Meg Russell, director of the Constitution Unit at UCL, joined me to share her expertise on this in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Listeners may wish to enjoy her correcting me on voting systems.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Meg Russell on the podcast previously, talking about reforming the House of Commons. * The Changing Role of the House of Lords: the Constitution Unit's research on the House of Lords. * The House of Lords Appointments Commission. * The Parliamentary Battle over Brexit by Meg Russell and Lisa James: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones. * The Constitution Unit on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * Photo courtesy of UK Parliament (used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0). * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. * Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
* This list includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.
It was a warm welcome back to Professor Tim Bale for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. We revisited the five tests for opposition parties we've discussed before. How have Labour and the Lib Dems been performing against them?
Take a listen to find out...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes Our original discussion of five tests for opposition parties. * Our December 2020 and March 2022 updates. * Jon Mellon's research into how well people know the result last time in their own constituency. * The YouGov 0-10 voting propensity tracker. * Pre-order Tim Bale's new book, The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation: Amazon. * Tim Bale on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word* Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
* This is an affiliate link which generate a commission for each sale made.
I recently appeared on the No Man's Land podcast, which describes itself as a, "pod on politics and centrism, for those stuck between political trenches". But rather than talk about whether or not the Liberal Democrats should aim to be centrist, we talked political polling.
Hope you enjoy the conversation, which we recorded before Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * No Man's Land podcast. * Host Steve O'Neil on Twitter. * My book, Polling UnPacked. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
A nice easy question for me and Callum Robertson to chew over in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Here's what we made of it...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Labour NEC member deselected as a councillor.
- The core vote argument.
- Michael Crick's Twitter account tracking Parliamentary selection contests.
- Callum Robertson on Twitter.
- For a Fair Deal: the Lib Dem plan for the UK.
- Sam Seaborn on taxing the rich on The West Wing.
- Electoral Shocks: The Volatile Voter in a Turbulent World by Edward Fieldhouse and others: Amazon, Bookshop, Waterstones.*
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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I joined John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod team for a special show looking at why the party cancelled its autumn federal conference in Brighton. We talked about the decision with Federal Conference Committee Chair, Cllr Nick da Costa, Cllr Hannah Kitching and PPC Laura Gordon.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Why conference was cancelled and the alternatives considered. * Latest information on hotel and travel refunds. * The Lib Dem Pod podcast. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Podcast favourite Tim Bale has a new book out about how Brexit happened - both why the referendum was called and then why it was lost. Discussing his book on the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts we get into how the real trigger of Brexit was the Blue Wall, not the Red Wall. Take a listen to find out why...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Tim Bale on Twitter.
- Michael Crick's Twitter account about MP selections.
- Jonathan Portes's article on what Leave campaigners promised on immigration.
- Brexit: an accident waiting to happen? Why David Cameron called the 2016 Referendum - and why he lost it by Tim Bale: Amazon.*
- For the record by David Cameron: Amazon, Bookshop, Waterstones.*
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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Includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.
What are Conservative Party members like? Who are they going to pick for party leader? And what does it mean for the Liberal Democrats?
Find out in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, where I teamed up again with the Lib Dem Pod and ace expert, Professor Tim Bale.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- The Lib Dem Pod.
- Tim Bale on Twitter.
- How do you make someone join a political party? One of the previous top shows with Professor Tim Bale.
- Footsoldiers: political party membership in the 21st century - one of Tim Bale's great studies of party membership with colleagues: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon.*
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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This list includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.
How much more of a spring in our step should Liberal Democrats have after the Tiverton and Honiton win, and what are the lessons for the party?
After discussing this last week with the Lib Dem Pod team, for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts I invited back an outside expert, political scientist Paula Surridge.
Let's see how much cold water Paula has to pour on Lib Dem hopes...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- One, two, three Liberal Democrat Parliamentary by-election victories.
- Last year's popular episode with Paula after Chesham & Amersham.
- Graph from Will Jennings on the predictive power of Parliamentary by-elections.
- The similarities between North Shropshire and Tiverton & Honiton: Paula Surridge's two graphs - one and two.
- More in Common's polling and focus groups on trans rights.
- Follow council by-election results.
- UK in a Changing Europe website.
- Follow Paula Surridge on Twitter.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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I joined the Lib Dem Pod team shortly after the amazing win for Richard Foord in Tiverton & Honiton to discuss how it happened and what it means. See what Sam, Richard, John and I made of the result...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Richard Foord's amazing win. * The wonderful Frank Doran. * The Lib Dem Pod - do go have a listen to their other episodes. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
I was really lucky to have Professor Jane Green as my guest for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts as she's co-author of an important new report into British politics: "Red Wall, Red Herring? Economic Insecurity and Voting Intention in Britain".
Along the way she politely demolished some of what I've said in the past and provided pointers for what the Liberal Democrats should do in the future.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Red Wall, Red Herring? - full report from Jane Green and Roosmarijn de Geus. * One of the key findings from the report. * Will British politics become less volatile, and how important is ideology? - previous episode with Jane Green. * Professor Jane Green on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Pollster Keiran Pedley joined me on Never Mind The Bar Charts to discuss what we can learn from the 2022 local elections and how Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems really did. Includes how I would have spun the results for Labour if I'd been in their press team and what Keiran thinks of my enthusiasm for the Liberal Democrat results.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * How useful are the local elections for telling us about national trends? * Keir Starmer's approval ratings. * "Are you better off?" - Keiran's piece for the New Statesman. * Ipsos MORI polling archive. * Keiran Pedley on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
I joined John Potter from the Lib Dem Pod podcast, along with Welsh leader Jane Dodds and Scottish campaign maestro Kevin Lang to talk about the 2022 local elections. Here's what we made of the results and what to do next...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The Lib Dem Pod podcast. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
This month's edition of Never Mind The Bar Charts features my recent appearance on another podcast - the UK in a Changing Europe's Brexit and Beyond podcast, talking about opinion polls and my new book all about them with the ever-excellent Paula Surridge.
Show notes
- The Brexit and Beyond podcast, complete with lots of previous excellent episodes to enjoy.
- Get your own copy of Polling Unpacked: the history, uses and abuses of political opinion polls.
- Paula Surridge on Twitter.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word
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- Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
It was a warm welcome back to Professor Tim Bale in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts as we returned to the five tests for an opposition party that Tim discussed before. Now we're in 2022, how are Labour and the Liberal Democrats doing on those tests? Listen on to find out...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Previous review of state of Labour and the Liberal Democrats with Tim Bale. * Tim Bale's Golden Halo research with colleagues, updated here. * Caitlin Milazzo's appearance talking about how political leaflets are changing. * What voters do and don't know about how finished first and second in their constituency. * Albert Hirschman's Exit, Voice, and Loyalty: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon.* * Small target strategies in Australian politics. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
- This list includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.
Internet advertising does not have the best of reputations. But when it comes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ability to slip adverts telling the truth pass the eyes of Russian regulators makes it a way of battling Putin's disinformation campaigns. So for the the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts I spoke with Rob Blackie, the public front for a network of volunteers who are running online adverts to get the truth to ordinary Russians.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Donate to the advertising campaign here.
- Marina Ovsyannikova protests on Russian TV.
- TV host blocks one minute silence for Russian war dead.
- Why internet censorship struggles with some words.
- Rob's previous appearances on the podcast.
- Rob Blackie on Twitter.
- Photo by Mathias P.R. Reding on Pexels.com.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word
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- Like the show on Facebook.
- Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
It was great to welcome back Professor Rob Ford for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts and to discuss with him both the long-term trends shaping British politics and how they may or may not be seen off by short term factors, such as a birthday cake.
Which means we also got into how grim, or not, the future looks for the Conservative Party. Take a listen to find out what we concluded...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Rob Ford's previous appearance on the podcast to talk about his book, Brexitland.
- His co-author Maria Sobolewska also talking about the book.
- How Australia got compulsory voting.
- Ipsos-MORI leader ratings.
- The Daily Express front page being cited by Boris Johnson loyalists.
- How I was partly right but also massively wrong about Boris Johnson in 2019.
- Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics by Rob Ford and Maria Sobolewska: Bookshop.org (independent bookshops) / Waterstones / Amazon.*
- The British General Election of 2019 by Rob Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge: Bookshop.org (independent bookshop) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
- Professor Rob Ford on Twitter.
- Cake photo by jgojtan from Pixabay.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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The most excellent Lib Dem Pod team have just done a show on what 2022 holds for the Liberal Democrats with myself, Lib Dem chief executive Mike Dixon and party leader Ed Davey. So here it is for Never Mind The Bar Charts listeners too, including my biggest mistake since being elected President and what baffles me most about the party...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Our plan for 2022 - my January report to party members.
- The Lib Dem Pod podcast.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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To discuss Helen Morgan's stunning victory in the North Shropshire by-election, I welcomed Professor Tim Bale back to Never Mind The Bar Charts. We discussed what happened, its causes and the likely consequences. Here's what we made of it all.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Helen Morgan wins.
- Alan Wager on tactical voting.
- Caitlin Milazzo on political leaflets.
- Sam Coates interview of Boris Johnson.
- Tim Bale on Twitter.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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- Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
It was lovely to welcome Paula Surridge back to Never Mind The Bar Charts. She is one of Britain’s experts on how people’s values influence their political and voting choices. She’s also one of the authors of a new book about the 2019 general election so one of the topics we discussed was why Boris Johnson won, before going on to why the Liberal Democrats, er..., didn't.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Previous episode with Paula Surridge: What Chesham and Amersham tells us about the future for the Liberal Democrats. * Previous episode with Rob Ford: Culture wars, Brexit and electoral reform. * Previous episode with Maria Sobolewska: Brexitland - The long-term factors shaping our politics, and what they mean for the future. * The curious story of compulsory voting in Australia. * Polling UnPacked * Previous episode with Alan Wager: Unleash the bar charts! Tactical voting and the next general election. * John Curtice on the impact of Revoke. * Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics by Maria Sobolewska and Rob Ford: Waterstones / Amazon / Bookshop (independent bookshops).* * Paula Surridge on Twitter. * Photo by Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Tactical voting took centre stage in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts as I discussed the thought-provoking pamphlet Breaching the Blue Wall: could tactical voting help England's 'progressive' parties defeat the Conservatives? with one of its authors, Dr. Alan Wager.
We focus on politics in England, but much of what we discuss is also applicable more widely too.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Breaching the Blue Wall - the pamphlet discussed in the show. * Tactical voting research #1 - many voters don't know the tactical situation in their seat. * Tactical voting research #2 - the impact of tactical voting websites. * Paula Surridge's words of wisdom on understanding British politics. * That top-rating previous podcast with Tim Bale. * Alan Wager on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
It's back to more serious matters in this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts after last time's board game review - the role of money in British politics. I was delighted to have on the show Professor Justin Fisher, one of the country's leading experts on the topic and someone whose research into grassroots politics makes him a better informed expert than many on what really goes inside political parties.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Jeremy Thorpe's role in unlocking the beast of national political spending. * The independent who got elected as an MP by campaigning to protect a hospital. * The Elections Bill. * Justin Fisher's blog post mentioning John O'Farrell and karaoke. * Justin Fisher's work on non-members helping in election campaigns. * Tim Bale on the upsides of getting non-members involved formally in parties. * Justin Fisher on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Something a little different from the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts: a board game review with Jim Williams. A political board game, of course.
It'd be great to hear what you think of this game review. Should Jim and I play more games and talk about them in future episodes?
Show notes
- Get your own copy of 1960: The Making of the President.
- Eugene Burdick.
- My cunning advantage over Jim.
- Canadian Check Shirt Guy (aka Rodney Smith) reviews 1960: The Making of the President on YouTube.
- How Nixon's poor shaving helped lose him the 1960 election.
- The famous Nixon/Khrushchev photo.
- Make Votes Matter - campaigning for electoral reform in the UK.
- If Then: How One Data Company Invented the Future by Jill Lepore: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon.*
- Codenames and 13 Days.*
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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There’s a new book of political alternative histories out called Prime Minister Priti: And other things that never happened. One of its editors is a Liberal Democrat. So who better to have back on Never Mind The Bar Charts than that editor… Duncan Brack.
Listen to us discuss how Eric Joyce having one drink too many caused Brexit (perhaps), what the appeal is of political counter-factuals, our favourite chapters from this book and how one change in the events of 1923 could have led to a very different political history for the Liberal Party.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Our earlier episodes talking about Lord John Russell, Jo Grimond and David Steel.
- My contributions to previous volumes: what if the 1832 Great Reform Act had never happened (full chapter) and what if Chris Huhne had beaten Nick Clegg in the 2007 Lib Dem leadership contest?
- Prime Minister Priti: And other things that never happened edited by Duncan Brack and Iain Dale: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
- Prime Minister Corbyn: And Other Things That Never Happened edited by Duncan Brack and Iain Dale: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
- The Prime Ministers We Never Had: Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn by Steve Richards: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
- The Prime Ministers Who Never Were: A collection of counterfactuals edited by Francis Beckett: Amazon / Waterstones.*
- Duncan Brack on Twitter.
- Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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What happens at Lib Dem party conference? What's it like attending one? What are likely to be the big debates at this September's federal conference? What are the hidden gems to look out for?
With the 2021 Liberal Democrat Federal Conference coming up and a special registration offer of just £1 for first time conference attendees, I joined Cllr John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod team for a special live show previewing conference. Whether you've never come to conference before, or have been going for many decades, the show will have something for you.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- It's only £1 to register for conference if you've not come to one before.
- That photo of a young colleague.
- The most excellent Lib Dem Pod.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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It was great to have Survation's Damian Lyons Lowe on Never Mind The Bar Charts, fresh off the back of his firm's success in polling the Hartlepool by-election. As well as talking about how he got into political polling and what to watch out for when a surprising poll appears, we discussed whether everyone is just paying too much attention to political polls. Does it really matter what they are currently saying? Listen to find out...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Yes, it is fun watching people do Sudoku: Cracking The Cryptic's YouTube channel. * Damian Lyons Lowe gets grilled by Andrew Neil. * The ever-wise Martin Boon. * Survation's successful Hartlepool polling. * Get your latest polling fixes with Britain Elections and Elections Map UK on Twitter. * Anthony Wells disagrees with agree/disagree questions. * Keiran Pedley on Twitter and his podcast. * John Curtice on what the polls say. * Damian Lyons Lowe on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
With the a new edition of 101 Ways To Win An Election out, I chatted with co-author Ed Maxfield for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Roaming across Black Lives Matter, William Wilberforce, Matt Hancock, how the music industry is changing and one of the worst answers given in a political debate, we talked about political campaigning, our favourite chapters from our own book and other books we'd recommend.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Get the new edition of 101 Ways To Win An Election. * How public opinion has shifted over taking the knee. * How experience can lead to doctors making more mistakes. * The different impact of the internet on the music and phone industries. * Michael Dukakis gets it wrong on the death penalty. * William Wilberforce by William Hague: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones. * Putting Voters in Their Place by Ron Johnston and Charles Pattie: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones. * How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.* * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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Lib Dems love by-elections. Lib Dems love winning by-elections. And Lib Dems love getting excited after by-elections.
So to help us all calibrate our levels of excitement after Sarah Green’s victory in Chesham and Amersham, it’s great to welcome back to Never Mind The Bar Charts, Paula Surridge, senior lecturer at Bristol University and an expert in how values are driving political choices in modern Britain.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Lib Dem Newswire edition looking at the lessons from Chesham and Amersham.
- Brexit, British politics and values: Paula's article looking at how Brexit is still shaping British politics.
- The British General Election of 2019 by Rob Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge: Amazon / Waterstones.*
- Paula's previous appearance on the show, looking at what the data from 2019 general election says about the future for the Lib Dems.
- Paula Surridge on Twitter.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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The latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts is another special live show with the Lib Dem Pod team. This time we looked at proportional representation with Lib Dem Parliamentarians Wendy Chamberlain and Paul Tyler.
Why is proportional representation (PR) a good thing? Does it matter which version of PR is used? What's the route to securing it for more elections in the UK? How much should the party talk about it? Find out the answers to all these and more in the show.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
- Liberal Democrat Newswire #148 also looked at the route to securing more electoral reform.
- Lib Dem Pod - a great podcast you should listen to.
- Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
- New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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We all know about the love Liberal Democrats have of delivering leaflets. So our dream professor of politics would be one who specialises in studying leaflets. Which is why I’m delighted to say that is just who I was speaking to for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, Professor Caitlin Milazzo of Nottingham University.
We talked about how political leaflets are changing, the impact they have, how political campaigning isn't getting more negative and the evidence that female candidates are more likely than male candidates to make an important mistake with their election literature. Listen on to find out more, including how to avoid that mistake yourself...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The Open Elections project. * Upload a leaflet to the Open Elections project or help code those already uploaded here (currently after leaflets for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd elections). * Other research into political leaflets: Mark Shephard and Justin Fisher. * Evidence from Rosie Campbell, Phil Cowley, Nick Vivyan and Markus Wagner on how voters prefer local candidates. * Follow Caitlin Milazzo on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
After the special joint edition with the Lib Dem Pod looking at cross-party cooperation, it’s back to the normal format this time – and welcome back to Duncan Brack for one of our historical dives into a former party leader.
After having discussed Jo Grimond and David Steel, this time we’re headed into the 19th century with Lord John Russell. He served in government for at least part of every decade from the 1830s through to the 1860s, with two spells as Prime Minister, 13 years apart.
What should we make of his political career?
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Lord John Russell biography on the gov.uk website. * My 'what if' about the 1832 Great Reform Act. * The Prime Ministers, edited by Iain Dale: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon.* * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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Never Mind The Bar Charts and the most excellent Lib Dem Pod teamed up for another joint show, taking a look this time at lessons in coalitions and cross-party cooperation.
We have an excellent panel to discuss it all:
- Kirsty Williams the brilliant Liberal Democrat Minister of Education in the Welsh Government and member of the Senedd since 1999
- Duncan Brack from the Liberal Democrat History Group
- Polly Mackenzie, Chief Exec of the think tank Demos and special advisor to Nick Clegg during the Westminster coalition
This was our first attempt at a joint live show, so feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Duncan Brack's book chapter on cross-party cooperation. * My previous podcast on cross-party cooperation with Duncan Brack. * Follow the most excellent Lib Dem Pod on Twitter. * Get the most excellent Lib Dem Pod on YouTube. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
One of the most popular episodes last year was with Rob Ford, discussing Brexitland, the book he’s co-written that takes a look and the long-term social and demographic changes driving British politics.
So I’m delighted this time to welcome to the show his co-author, Professor Maria Sobolewska, to discuss further their book and its implications for British politics.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Last year's popular episode with Maria's co-author, Rob Ford: Culture wars, Brexit and electoral reform. * How predictions after the 1992 general election didn't work out. * Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics by Maria Sobolewska and Rob Ford: Waterstones / Amazon / Bookshop (independent bookshops). * Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain by Sathnam Sanghera: Waterstones / Amazon / Bookshop (independent bookshops). * Professor Maria Sobolewska on Twitter. * Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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In this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talk with the Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson, Munira Wilson, about what it's like being an MP, how over-centralisation may be hindering the struggle against coronavirus and how best to communicate with the public.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Interview with Dr Ben Johnson from Nature. * How local government could and should have been used to make track and trace work. * How Germany is approaching protecting civil liberties while tackling coronavirus. * Listen also to my interview with Jim Killock. * Help for (would-be) Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidates: the Campaign for Gender Balance, the Liberal Democrat Campaign for Race Equality and the Parliamentary Candidates Association. * The Lib Dem campaign for frontline care works. * Munira Wilson on Twitter.
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Welcome to the first episode in 2021 of Never Mind The Bar Charts. As regular listeners may have guessed given the timing, for this year I’m going to revert to monthly shows after last year’s near-weekly shows.
Let’s call this then season three, and for the season opener I’m so pleased to have an absolute A-lister when it comes to how politics works in the UK, Professor Meg Russell of the Constitution Unit.
A special adviser to Robin Cook when he was Leader of the House of Commons, Meg played a key role in the Wright Committee which led to a wave of Parliamentary procedural reform.
We talked about a new report she has co-authored, taking a look at how to improve the way Parliament works.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Taking Back Control: Why the House of Commons Should Govern its Own Time. * The Wright Committee. * House of Commons Standing Order 14: its history and impact. * Legislation at Westminster: Parliamentary Actors and Influence in the Making of British Law by Meg Russell and Daniel Gover: Bookshop / Amazon.* * The Constitution Unit on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * Photo by Andy Reed from Pixabay. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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I was joined again by Professor Tim Bale for the last episode in 2020 of Never Mind The Bar Charts. We took a look back at Tim's five lessons for opposition parties and discussed how both Labour and the Liberal Democrats are doing on each of them.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Tim Bale's five lessons for opposition parties. * The Liberal Democrat record in coalition. * Alistair Darling promising bigger cuts than Margaret Thatcher. * The Thornhill Report into what went wrong for the Lib Dems in 2019. * What are the possible Lib Dem target seats like? * The Politics of Competence by Will Jennings and Jane Green: Bookshop / Amazon.* * Photo courtesy of Tom Jeffs / Parrot of Doom, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. * Tim Bale on Twitter. * Theme tune by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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With the very welcome recent progress on electoral reform in Wales, I invited Jess Blair from the Electoral Reform Society Cymru to join me on Never Mind The Bar Charts.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * How electoral reform makes government better. * The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill. * STV explained (words). * STV explained (animals). * Public support for electoral reform. * Join the Electoral Reform Society. * Jess Blair on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat member of the London Assembly and someone who saw Boris Johnson up close during his eight years as Mayor, joined me for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
We discussed how Boris Johnson behaves as a politician, his strong desire to be liked, his long track record of wasting public money and more. I hope you enjoy the show.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The Garden Bridge. * The SS Richard Montgomery. * The wasteful water cannons. * The Deputy Mayors problem. * City Hall moving. * CrossRail2. * That Susan Kramer song. * Luisa Porritt. * Me and graffiti. * Caroline Pidgeon on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
I was joined again on Never Mind The Bar Charts by Rob Blackie to talk about the early lessons from the 2020 US Presidential elections for the Liberal Democrats. With Rob as a guest, no surprise that we talked a lot about messaging and political positioning. In particular, how do you win over people who have a different world view? Listen to find out...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * What the Liberal Democrats can learn from Donald Trump - the earlier episode with Rob Blackie. * 2020 US Presidential election results. * The (non-) use of Latinx. * Winning the struggle for same-sex marriage: how framing the argument using the world view of its opponents helped persuade many of them to change their mind. * Graham Norton. * Photo by Andrew Neel from Pexels. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Tom King, author of excellent pamphlet The Generous Society, was my guest for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. We talked about his new pamphlet, the importance of generosity to liberals and what Liberal Democrats can pick up from Joe Biden's electoral victory.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Read The Generous Society. * John Stuart Mill's On Liberty. * Jim Hacker wonders how best to do a political broadcast. * Michael J Sandel's The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? - Bookshop / Amazon.* * Tom King on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
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I recently guested on Michael Bossetta's Social Media and Politics show, talking about... social media and politics. In particular, how the media coverage of election campaigns and their use of technology so often gets it wrong. Hope you enjoy the chat, and if you do, by all means grab the relevant chapter of my book, Bad News: what the headlines don't tell us, which is available for free here.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Bad News: what the headlines don't tell us. * Free book chapter. * Michael Bossetta. * The excellent Social Media and Politics podcast. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Why did the Liberal Party become so pro-European and how did that carry over into the Liberal Democrats? That was the topic when I welcomed back Duncan Brack to Never Mind The Bar Charts. We roamed over everything from the creation of the Anti-Corn Law League through to the future for pro-Europeanism in the Lib Dems.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Our Jo Grimond episode. * The motion on Europe passed at the party's 2020 conference. * Peace, Reform and Liberation: A History of Liberal Politics in Britain 1679-2011, compiled by Robert Ingham and Duncan Brack. * Free Trade Nation: Commerce, Consumption, and Civil Society in Modern Britain by Frank Trentmann: Waterstones / Amazon. * The Liberal Democrat History Group. It's special journal issue on Europe is available for free. * Duncan Brack on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * Image by MichaelGaida from Pixabay. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
What caused Brexit? Was it inevitable? Why do the right love fighting culture wars even though each culture war gets fought on more liberal territory? Those were just some of the questions covered in a wonderfully wide-ranging discussion with Rob Ford.
Not Rob Ford, the scandal-prone Mayor of Toronto, or Rob Ford, the man who killed Jesse James, or even Rob Ford, the Dundee FC footballer. But Rob Ford, Politics Professor at Manchester University and co-author of the new book, Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics by Rob Ford and Maria Sobolewska: Waterstones / Amazon. * Left Out: The Inside Story of Labour Under Corbyn by Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire: Waterstones / Amazon. * The New Minority: White Working Class Politics in an Age of Immigration and Inequality by Justin Gest: Waterstones / Amazon. * Why the first black British prime minister is likely to be a Conservative - Stephen Bush. * The political lessons of tuition fees discussed with Chris Butler. * Professor Rob Ford on Twitter. * Professor Maria Sobolewska on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * Photo by Anthony Beck from Pexels. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
I headed across the Atlantic in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts to talk about the US elections. For that I was joined by US politics podcaster Karin Robinson of the Democratically: 2020 show. We talked about Biden's chances, nerded out over the US postal service, discussed how the TV debates may go and more.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * 5 Myths About the Postal Crisis - Politico. * Vote from Abroad. * Kevin Rudd's winning 2007 election strategy. * Five Thirty Eight - a website and a podcast. * Talking Points Memo. * The New York Times's Nate Cohn. * Marc Elias / Democracy Docket. * American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). * Democratically: 2020 podcast. * Karin Robinson on Twitter. * My appearance on Karin's podcast to discuss Bad News. * Music by Hugo Lee. * Photo of Joe Biden courtesy of janeb13 / Pixabay. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
The Lib Dem Podcast joined up again with Never Mind The Bar Charts for a special show looking at the latest issues facing the Liberal Democrats. John Potter and Tom Morrison joined me to review the leadership contest as well as to discuss the debate about when the Lib Dems should be campaigning to rejoin the EU.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The Lib Dem Podcast. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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China's changing foreign policy, tackling populism, the role for the Liberal Democrats: my guest David Howarth and I ranged widely over the political landscape in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The core vote strategy pamphlet David Howarth and I wrote in 2015. * My take on the role for liberalism in a post-coronavirus world. * The positive pay-offs from Angela Merkel's decision to welcome many more immigrants to Germany. * How Paddy Ashdown's strategy worked in the 1990s. * The risks of hung Parliaments. * New research into the Liberal Democrats and tuition fees: podcast episode with Chris Butler. * Listening to party members: how you can tell me your views. * Licence to be Bad: How Economics Corrupted Us by Jonathan Aldred: Amazon / Waterstones. * Island Stories: Britain and Its History in the Age of Brexit by David Reynolds: Amazon / Waterstones. * The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company by William Dalrymple: Amazon / Waterstones. * The Will of the People: A Modern Myth by Albert Weale: Amazon / Waterstones. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
There was a weird role reversal at the heart of the Liberal Democrat decisions over tuition fees in 2010, as Chris Butler's academic research reveals. So I invited him on Never Mind The Bar Charts to discuss what he has found, the lessons for the Liberal Democrats and the implications more generally about what makes for successful political parties.
Show notes * Chris Butler's research: When are governing parties more likely to respond to public opinion? The strange case of the Liberal Democrats and tuition fees. * David Laws's book on the coalition negotiations. * The front page of the 2010 general election manifesto. * Ryan Coetzee's controversial take on the 2015 general election, and my take on his take along with my second take on his take. * How to get right thinking about who might vote for you: a core vote strategy. * Nick Clegg's tuition fees apology - including the musical remix. * Chris Butler on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
After the popularity of the previous discussion with Duncan Brack about lessons for the Liberal Democrats from Jo Grimond’s time as party leader, Duncan returns to discuss another former leader. This time, it’s David Steel.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * British Liberal Leaders edited by Duncan Brack, Robert Ingham and Tony Little: Amazon / Waterstones. * David Steel: Rising Hope to Elder Statesman by David Torrance: Amazon / Waterstones. * The Pact: The Inside Story of the Lib–Lab Government, 1977-1978 by Alistair Michie and Simon Hoggart: Amazon / Waterstones. * A House Divided: The Lib-Lab Pact and the Future of British Politics by David Steel: Amazon. * Against Goliath by David Steel: Amazon. * Peace, Reform and Liberation: A History of Liberal Politics in Britain 1679-2011, compiled by Robert Ingham and Duncan Brack. * Our previous podcast episode looking at Jo Grimond. * The Liberal Democrat History Group. * Follow Duncan Brack on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * The photo with this episode is of David Steel opening the Washington Liberal Club in the 1970s. Photo courtesy of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Time for an international turn on Never Mind The Bar Charts, with Professor Judith Brett, author of From Secret Ballot to Democracy Sausage: How Australia got compulsory voting.
It's a great book about how democracy developed in Australia. Not only how voting ended up mandatory but also why so many people eat sausages when voting, the flirtation with round ballot papers and the way British politicians accidentally gave the Australians more democracy than they realised.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Which places use compulsory voting (including those who have it but don't enforce it). * Talk of using weekend voting in the UK. * Optimising names at the start of the London telephone book. * From Secret Ballot to Democracy Sausage: How Australia got compulsory voting by Judith Brett: Waterstones / Amazon (though watch out that Amazon's paperback prices seem very messed up and Waterstones will almost certainly be a much better deal). * I'll take any excuse to shoehorn in another link to the epic Bill Shorten interview, from before he became leader of the Labor Party and lost a general election. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
Following the publication of the research report Where next for the Liberal Democrats?, I invited one of its co-authors, Professor Tim Bale, back on the show to talk about what the report found and the lessons for future Lib Dem strategy.
Show notes * Where next for the Liberal Democrats? - the report we discuss on the show. * Creating a core vote for the Liberal Democrats: my original pamphlet with David Howarth. * The previous interview with Cllr Anton Georgiou, by-election winner in Brent. * Follow Tim Bale on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.
I was delighted to be joined for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts by one of the most important political scientists in Britain, Professor Jane Green.
Amongst her many achievements, she’s co-director of the British Election Study, which is to British elections what Wisden is to cricket or Oxford is to dictionaries: that is, an absolutely essential source for anyone wanting to understand what has happened in our elections and why.
Among the many topics we covered were whether British politics is going to become less volatile and how important competence (as opposed to ideology) is in determining who wins elections.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The British Election Study website is full of news and data. * Electoral Shocks: The Volatile Voter in a Turbulent World: Amazon / Waterstones. * The Politics of Competence: Parties, Public Opinion and Voters: Amazon / Waterstones. * The report on Lib Dem prospects from The UK in a Changing Europe. * Follow Jane Green on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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What makes someone a Liberal Democrat? What should the party's anthem be? Can you order cheese toasties via the internet? And can I avoid embarrassing myself in a quiz about chocolate?
Find out the answers to all these and more in my recent appearance on the excellent Politics of Sound podcast with Iain Carnegie.
Show notes * The Beautiful South music video with the elephant. * Subscribe to the Politics of Sound podcast. * Follow Iain Carnegie on Twitter. * Never Mind The Bar Charts music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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What impact is digital campaigning having on politics, and is it for the better or the worse? That's what I discuss in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts with Kate Dommett, Senior Lecturer in the Public Understanding of Politics at the University of Sheffield. We started off with her research into how new ways of digital campaigning do - or don't - take root at the political grassroots of parties.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Katharine Dommett, Luke Temple and Patrick Seyd, "Dynamics of Intra-Party Organisation in the Digital Age: A Grassroots Analysis of Digital Adoption", Parliamentary Affairs. * The relative failure of Barack Obama's 2008 campaign: a critique of my talk, the original talk and what the electoral data shows. * Report from the House of Lords Committee on Democracy and Digital Technologies. * Bad News has a section on filter bubbles. * Was the impact of Cambridge Analytica over-hyped? * Social Media and Politics podcast. * Exponential View podcast. * Government versus Robots podcast. * Retooling Politics: How Digital Media Are Shaping Democracy by Andreas Jungherr, Gonzalo Rivero and Daniel Gayo-Avello: Waterstones / Amazon. * Kate Dommett on Twitter. * Music by Hugo Lee. * New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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I've tried something a little different for this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts: taking a look at the career of a previous party leader to see the lessons for the current Liberal Democrats.
I picked Jo Grimond, who saved the Liberal Party from disastrous election results and had a plan for a realignment on the left of British politics. You might be able to spot some parallels there...
No surprise that for my guest, I'm joined by the closest thing the party has to an official historian, Duncan Brack.
Hope you enjoy the show and do let us know what you think of it; would you like more shows looking at the lessons from other party leaders?
Show notes * Mark Egan’s book Coming into Focus: The Transformation of the Liberal Party 1945-64. * The Orpington by-election. * Jo Grimond campaigning for Britain to join the European Economic Community (EEC). * Why I am a Liberal Democrat, edited by Duncan Brack: Waterstones / Amazon. * Great Liberal Speeches, edited by Duncan Brack and Robert Ingham: Waterstones / Amazon. * Liberal Lion: Jo Grimond, A Political Life by Peter Barberis: Waterstones / Amazon. * Jo Grimond: Towards the Sound of Gunfire by Michael McManus: Amazon. * Peace, Reform and Liberation: A History of Liberal Politics in Britain 1679-2011, compiled by Robert Ingham and Duncan Brack. * The Liberal Democrat History Group's pieces on Jo Grimond. * Duncan Brack on Twitter.
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Laura Shields and Dirk Singer, communications consultants, members of Democrats Abroad and authors of an excellent piece “Swimming with the sharks: What progressives can learn from Republicans Against Trump” join me for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
You may recall an earlier show had Rob Blackie on talking about what the party can learn from how Trump himself communicates. This time with Laura and Dirk, the show looks at what can be learnt from those campaigning against Trump.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Swimming with the sharks: What progressives can learn from Republicans Against Trump. * Rob Blackie episode on learning from Trump. * The Lincoln Project and some of its adverts. * The Meidas Touch group and some of its adverts. * Republican Voters Against Trump and some of its adverts. * The Taliban bounties story. * My book about trusting - or not trusting - the news. * Donald Trump boasting about slowing down coronavirus tests. * Boris Johnson boasting about shaking the hands of coronavirus patients. * Donald Trump drinks and throws away a glass of water. * The Remainer Now story. * Lindsey Graham loves Joe Biden advert. * Laura's political ad pick. * Dirk's political ad pick. * Follow Laura and Dirk on Twitter.
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Welcome to a special re-run of a previous, but once again very relevant, edition of Never Mind The Bar Charts. It is from June 2019, which feels a long time ago now but the calendar says that was only 12 months ago. It was the time of the party’s last leadership election, and I did an interview with Tim Farron about his experience as leader of the Liberal Democrats. We focused on his advice for the next party leader as well as tips on what members should ask in hustings meetings.
Both Tim’s advice and tips are still very relevant, so here is that episode again. And do also take a listen to the episode I did recently with Tim Bale, where we also cooked up great hustings questions.
Hope you enjoy the repeat.
Show notes * Jonathan Calder's David Steel versus John Pardoe categorisation for Liberal Democrat leadership contests. * Paperclip design. * Vince Cable's Stalin to Mr Bean moment at Prime Minister's Questions. * The Lib Dems did indeed, as Tim Farron mentioned, once hit 4% in the polls after the 2015 election. * Tim Farron's response to the European referendum result. * You can watch the first Davey-Swinson hustings from the 2019 contest here. Here is Stephen Bush in the New Statesman on those hustings. * Information about the 2020 leadership contest, including hustings where you can ask the questions mentioned in the show, is on the party website.
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Apologies if you got a truncated version of this episode first time around. The podcast host has been playing up a bit but you should now be able to hear the interview all the way through to the end.
How must the Liberal Democrats change in order to win more often? Listen to me discuss this with Lisa Smart, chair of the party's Federal Communications and Elections Committee (FCEC).
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Lisa Smart's election to chair the party's main elections committee. * The show with Tim Bale talking about what opposition parties must do. * The independent review into the 2019 general election. * Support electoral reform? Join the Electoral Reform Society. * The Star Trek reference. * The pros and cons of Steve Webb's approach to being a minister. * How to make targeting work. * Lisa Smart on Twitter.
Enjoy the show? Spread the word * Follow the show on Twitter. * Like the show on Facebook. * Subscribe, rate or review via your favourite podcasting platform - links here.
Welcome to another special edition of Never Mind The Bar Charts, this time my appearance on Democratically: 2020 with Karin Robinson. We talk about my book, Bad News, the US Presidential race and how election coverage is so often wrong.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Democratically: 2020 on Apple Podcasts. (It's also on all the other standard podcast platforms. * Karin Robinson on Twitter. * Sign up for a free chapter from Bad News.
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What makes for a successful opposition party? How much of that success is down to the leader? How much does policymaking matter in opposition? Wnat question should be asked the Lib Dem leadership election hustings? These are just some of the topics I chewed over with opposition expert Professor Tim Bale in this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Tim Bale's previous appearance, talking about how you can persuade someone to join a political party. * Tim Bale's excellent, re-arrangeable book on Ed Miliband. * Recovering Power: The Conservatives in Opposition Since 1867: the book from which the list five things opposition parties must do came: Amazon / Waterstones. * The Liberal Democrat election review. * Tim Harford on how to avoid making mistakes. * Turning Japanese: the excellent book that didn't foretell the future. * That Norman Lamont photo (with a young David Cameron in the background). * The Politics of Competence by Will Jennings and Jane Green: Amazon / Waterstones. * Will Jennings on Twitter. * Jane Green on Twitter. * Tim Bale on Twitter.
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I teamed up with the Lib Dem Pod crew for another special joint episode, with John and Richard grilling me about what's going on in the party.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The Liberal Democrat election review. * Follow Lib Dem Pod on Twitter. * Get Lib Dem Pod on YouTube.
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I often talk about opinion poll data with guests on Never Mind The Bar Charts, so this time to talk about what we can read into the polls – and what we shouldn’t – I was joined by a pollster, YouGov’s Chris Curtis. We started off with discussing what a pollster actually does all day...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * One of those quirky YouGov polling questions. * British Polling Council. * The great Yes, Prime Minister sketch on leading poll questions. * Research that shows the accuracy of political opinion polls. * New UK pollster Redfield & Wilton Strategies. * YouGov's issues tracker showing the sustained interest in the environment. * Chris Curtis on Twitter.
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Donald Trump may not be the most obvious of role models for the Liberal Democrats. But there's a lot about effective communication the party can learn from him. After all, he won a national election, defying political establishments and seeing off unfriendly media along the way.
So in this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talk about him with Rob Blackie. I used to work with Rob at Lib Dem HQ many years ago when he was the maestro of costing manifesto policies. He has since carved out a very successful career in marketing and communications.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The wonder of brevity. * The Hemingway App. * Yoast Search Engine Optimisation tools and advice. * The Lincoln Project's targeted advert which trolled Donald Trump. * Ducks and potholes. * Rob Blackie as a womble. * Donald Trump in Home Alone 2. * Yes!: 60 secrets from the science of persuasion. * Rob Blackie's Twitter thread on Donald Trump. * Photo by History in HD on Unsplash.
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Rather than a normal episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, this time I’m running an episode of the excellent Not Enough Champagne podcast, including an improbable comparison between me and Terry Pratchett.
You might recall me mentioning Not Enough Champagne as one of my favourite podcasts. I like it so much despite – or rather because – it’s done by two Labour Party activists, Cory and Steve, and therefore gives a rather different take on the world from mine.
Different enough to be thought-provoking and a guard against insular thinking without being so different as to cause me to hit stop in disgust.
And the reason for picking this particular episode that they’ve kindly let me re-run here?
Well, in it they talk about my book, Bad News. See what some non-Lib Dems make of it and enjoy listening, including hearing – if you listen right to the end, their cracking theme tune by Dave Depper.
Hope you enjoy their show and do subscribe to their podcast too.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Terry Pratchett's footnotes were glorious. * The Not Enough Champagne podcast. * The Not Enough Champagne team on Twitter: @paperbackrioter and @acousticradical. * Bad News: what the headlines don't tell us.
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It's crucial that apps designed to help us battle coronavirus also protect our privacy as otherwise their take-up and so public health will suffer.
That's the key point made by the Open Rights Group's Jim Killock in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts as we discussed the potential risks to our civil liberties from the different attempts to track who people have been in contact with. Such contact tracing is essential to tackling coronavirus, but how can it be done best? Listen to find out...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * How Australia is legislating for a contact tracing app in ways that protect people's rights. * The German approach to protecting civil liberties while tracking people to tackle coronavirus. * Problems with the British approach. * Join the Open Rights Group. * Jim Killock on Twitter. * Photo credit: Rieo from Pixabay.
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In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talked with Ben Johnson, a former Liberal Democrat councillor in Southwark with a PhD on the influenza virus from Public Health England and the University of Reading, and now working for Nature, one of the world’s most famous and respected scientific journals.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Sunder Katwala interview on coronavirus. * Bicester Village train station signs. * Phil Cowley on why Hong Kong reacted so quickly to coronavirus. * IFS data on key worker salaries. * My book Bad News, including a section on how different types of death get very different levels of media coverage. * How cats took over the world. * Find Ben on Twitter at @DrBenJohnson. * Photo credit for episode image: Brian McGowan on Unsplash.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talk with Duncan Brack, the closest thing the party has to an official historian, about the lessons for the Liberal Democrats from the last time that a Conservative government was defeated.
A key part of that was cross-party cooperation so we dive into what then party leader Paddy Ashdown's plans were, what worked, what didn't work and what lessons apply to this Parliament.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Lessons from the Ashdown-Blair ‘Project’ - Duncan Brack's book chapter on the topic. * The Cook-Maclennan talks. * Ways for parties to cooperate without making seat deals. * Never Mind The Bar Charts on Paddy Ashdown's legacy. * Never Mind The Bar Charts on what it's like working with Dominic Cummings. * Coalition Diaries by David Laws - Amazon / Waterstones * Who Killed Kitchener? The Life and Death of Britain's most famous War Minister by David Laws - Amazon / Waterstones * Duncan Brack on Twitter. * The Liberal Democrat History Group. * Photo credits.
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In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talk with Sunder Katwala from the British Future think tank. Along with discussing civil rights in the age of coronavirus and the impact on BAME communities, he raised the important issue of the human bias towards pessimism and its impact on our reactions to the coronavirus crisis.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * Sunder on how the Liberal Democrats can improve their diversity. * The University of Leicester study into who has caught Covid-19. * Research into our pessimism bias. * Sunder on Twitter. * British Future. * Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow: Amazon / Waterstones. * John Maynard Keynes by Robert Skidelsky: Amazon / Waterstones. * Image by Jasmin Sessler from Pixabay.
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In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talked with the chief executive of Demos, Polly Mackenzie, about the impact of coronavirus on public policy. We got a bonus bit of background music courtesy of one of her children and a piano.
As with the other shows since coronavirus, this one was recorded over video call so apologies for the occasional blip in sound quality.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes * The Demos website, including the old content being re-released as discussed in the show. * The previous show with Phil Cowley and that Martin Kettle piece. * Nervous States: how feeling took over the world by William Davies - Amazon / Waterstones. * Georgette Heyer's books - Amazon / Waterstones. * Polly's previous appearance on Never Mind The Bar Charts. * Follow Polly on Twitter.
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In a special tie-up with the Lib Dem Podcast, I'm interviewed by Cllr John Potter about the decision to postpone the Liberal Democrat leadership election and whether or not the party's autumn federal conference should be cancelled.
Show notes
- Leadership election postponed
- The Lib Dem Podcast: Twitter / Instagram / iTunes
In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I speak with Professor Phil Cowley, one of Britain’s leading political scientists, co-author for several general elections of authoritative Nuffield study and someone who casts the net so widely in his research that I occasionally appear in his footnotes.
Phil’s been on my list of possible guests for a while, but I particularly wanted to talk to him now as he’s currently living in Hong Kong, somewhere that’s been much in the news here in the UK for comparisons over how coronavirus is being tackled in each place.
We also talk about what this all means for British politics, and Phil's picks for books to read at the moment.
Show notes * Martin Kettle's piece on the possible (non-)impact of coronavirus on politics. * Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World by Laura Spinney - Amazon / Waterstones. * Agent Jack by Rob Hutton - Amazon / Waterstones. * Electoral Shocks: The Volatile Voter in a Turbulent World - Amazon / Waterstones. * Phil Cowley's excellent books - Amazon / Waterstones. * Phil Cowley on Twitter.
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Before the coronavirus crisis hit, I recorded a podcast with my published, Biteback Books, about my new book, Bad News.
Listen to find out how you can make sense of the news all around us, the problem with news coverage on gun control, the (lack of a problem) with news echo chambers and filter bubbles, why I look back on my daily commute in years past with amazement and how I came to write Bad News.
Show notes * Biteback Chats Books podcast. * Buy Bad News from Waterstones, Amazon, Biteback or Hive. * Music: Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod / Link / License.
In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I welcomed back to the show academic Paula Surridge. We talked about what the British Election Study is and what its polling data from the 2019 general election shows, including its implications for the future for the Liberal Democrats.
Show notes * Paula Surridge on Twitter. * Is politics still about left versus right? - the previous show with Paula Surridge. * The British Election Study (BES). * Sign up for more polling news with Polling UnPacked.
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In the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, I talk with Councillor Anton Georgiou from Brent, who won a spectacular by-election victory in January and is now getting to enjoy being a councillor.
What's it like? How did he win? And how can others emulate him?
Listen to find out...
Show notes * Anton Georgiou's by-election victory. * His tweets about being a councillor. * The importance of pointing at potholes. * Daniel Brown, former Lib Dem councillor for Alperton and his autocorrection tip. * Siobhan Benita's campaign to be Mayor of London. * Stephen Robinson on what it's like to be a council leader. * ALDC.
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In this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, the Liberal Democrat leader of Chelmsford Council, Stephen Robinson is interviewed about what Lib Dem council leader does, and how he got to be one in the first place.
Show notes: * The Chelmsford team were great at welcoming and making good use of volunteers who came to help. * Read the then Conservative leader of Chelmsford Council explaining before polling day that, "we have mostly avoided canvassing up to now". * A big vote increase but a long way off winning: the Chelmsford result at the 2019 general election. * Black Box Thinking: the lessons of marginal gains.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
Professor Tim Bale, one of the leading experts in political party membership, talks about who joins parties, why they join and how those who join the Liberal Democrats differ from those who join other parties. Plus he gives his top tips on how to persuade people to join a party.
Show notes:
- Footsoldiers: political party membership in the 21st century.
- Why supporters don't always join parties.
- The research on how to get members involved.
- Five Year Mission: Tim Bale's study of Ed Miliband.
- Tim Bale used the phrase, "That's a great question". Here's a whole other podcast episode just about that phase, from Freakonomics.
- The previous Never Mind The Bar Charts show with Paula Surridge.
- The preamble to the Liberal Democrat constitution.
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Welcome to the first episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts's second season, featuring for the first special guest former Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone.
Show notes:
- Lynne Featherstone's book on legalising same-sex marriage.
- The Guardian story which chose to highlight a coffee shop in the headline rather than a library.
- Lynne Featherstone and a pothole.
- An example of the sort of local campaigning that was so central to Lynne Featherstone's electoral successes.
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In the final episode of season one, Mark and Stephen pick over the general election result, another less important election result and the plans for Season 2 of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
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Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, taking a look at the key role for targeting in general elections, how the Lib Dem Brexit policy is going down with voters, some seats to watch out for on election night and a very large number of digressions.
Show notes * Reactions to Jo Swinson's interview with Andrew Neil. * The BBC's fact check of that interview. * Fiona Bruce's Question Time mistake. * The Boris Johnson interview question about him lying, missing any of the obvious follow-ups. * The latest YouGov polling on revoking Article 50, along with evidence from earlier in the year: #1, #2 and #3. * How to make a difference in the last week of the election. * How Lib Dem members can find a target seat to help in. * Fact check: thanks to @SoupDragon0 for pointing out a mistake in the episode about the letters than British Prime Ministers write setting out what to do with the country's nuclear weapons.
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In Episode #24, Stephen and Mark take a look at how the Liberal Democrat general election campaign is going so far.
They used a blog post from Mark about the YouGov MRP results to structure their discussion, so here as the show notes is an updated version of that post: https://www.markpack.org.uk/160501/yougov-mrp-polling/.
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Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, which takes a look at the general election and in particular the policy-heavy message the Liberal Democrats are pushing.
Show notes * The David Davis 'look, no notes' photo. * One, two, three, four Lib Dem candidate problems. * Not Enough Campagne podcast on the impact of candidate deals. * A summary of the Liberal Democrat policies. * The problem with the Liberal Democrat message in 2005. * Liberal Democrat party committee election results.
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With the general election underway, Stephen Tall and Mark Pack discuss how things are going so far for the Liberal Democrats, what the constituency polls are saying, the role of bar charts and the latest on the party's internal elections.
Show notes * What the national opinion polls are saying. * All the constituency polls made public so far. * The full list of Unite to Remain seat arrangements. * What went wrong with the Liberal Democrat constituency polling in 2015? * Responsible bar charting. * More information on voting in the Liberal Democrat internal elections.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
Once again, an MP has kindly timed their decision to join the Liberal Democrats for just before the recording of an episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts.
So Stephen and I discussed the party's latest Parliamentary recruit along with the outlook for the general election.
Show notes * Antoinette Sandbach joins the Liberal Democrats. * How many Liberal Democrat MPs are there now? * The new Liberal Democrat election slogan. * Got problems voting in the Liberal Democrat internal elections? Email elections@libdems.org.uk.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
In the first live audience recording of Never Mind The Bar Charts, host Stephen Tall talks to two people who have worked with Dominic Cumnings: Polly Mackenzie and Sean Kemp.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, in which Stephen Tall and I discuss the growing number of recruits to the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party, the unusual set of seats the party is targeting for the general election, why Will Hutton is wrong about Jeremy Corbyn and why everyone should go read Gaby Hinsliff.
Plus an extended digression about cake, apples and grandmothers.
Show notes * Mark is running to be Liberal Democrat Party President. * The must-listen interview with Paula Surridge about British politics and the place for the Liberal Democrats. * Local Lib Dem PPC Ian Sollom graciously welcomes Heidi Allen to the Lib Dems. * Rob Castell, formerly Lib Dem PPC for Beaconsfield, previously did a brilliant campaign video. * Cake, having and eating thereof. * Grandmothers and machine guns. * Gaby Hinsliff's excellent piece on the end of the liberal Tory.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, a variation of the usual format in which I interview Paula Surridge about her research into the British electorate. She's been one of the pioneers in understanding how there is more than left versus right to modern British politics. Listen to hear what she has to say about what this means for the Liberal Democrats...
Show notes * A good introduction to some of Paula Surridge's work. * Paula Surridge on Twitter. * Paula Surridge on Medium.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, which takes a look at the news that the Liberal Democrats may run in the general election on a simple 'revoke Article 50' platform. Stephen Tall attempts to fisk my Remainer optimism. He possibly fails. Or does he?
Show notes * Keep count of how many Liberal Democrat MPs there are. * Monica Harding is the Lib Dem PPC for Dominic Raab's constituency. * Demand Better sets out the wider Lib Dem policy plans beyond Brexit. * Boris Johnson on Damian McBride.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, in which I go full-on cheerleading for Remain. Stephen Tall responds with half a bucket of cold water.
Show notes:
- Beatrice Wishart wins in Shetland.
- Reasons to doubt the Boris Johnson / Dominic Cummings strategy.
- The public doesn't like prorogation.
- Tom Chivers on Dominic Cummings and a game of chicken.
- Charles Moore's biography of Margaret Thatcher.
- The Led By Donkeys anti-Breixt campaigners.
- Come and watch us record a special episode: "Is Dominic Cummings a genius?".
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, in which Stephen Tall and I discuss the two latest recruits to the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party, as well as lessons from Winston Churchill on when to hold a politician's past against them.
Show notes * Get tickets for our first live show recording. * Jane Dodds wins in Brecon and Radnorshire. * Sarah Wollaston joins the Liberal Democrats. * The mixed party politics of Winston Churchill. * Deltapoll, or what Joe Twyman did next. * The newsletter that I don't mention much.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, in which Stephen Tall and I pick over the results of the Liberal Democrat leadership election. Why did it turn out that way and what next for the party?
Show notes * Results of the Liberal Democrat leadership election. * The Lib Dem Newswire survey on the 2019 contest. * The Lib Dem Newswire survey on the 2017 contest, showing what a strong position Jo Swinson started the 2019 one in.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, in which Stephen Tall and I reflect on the Lib Dem leadership contest so far and quite spectacularly fail to end the show promptly after we say we should.
Show notes * Jo Swinson interview for Never Mind The Bar Charts. * Ed Davey interview for Never Mind The Bar Charts. * Launch of cross-party electoral reform campaign, including The Brexit Party. * Leadership survey from Liberal Democrat Newswire. * Leadership survey from Harry Samuels. * The similarity of Ed Davey and Jo Swinson. * Hustings: it's been a long time gripe of mine. * Tim Farron's pledges on diversity in 2015. * The Morrissey Report, not yet all implemented. * Examples of the evidence on the benefits of diversity.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
Following the special Never Mind The Bar Charts interview with Jo Swinson, now out is the matching interview with her rival for leadership of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey:
Mark Pack interviews would-be Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey about why he's decided now is the time to run for leader. They also discuss the Coalition Government, environmental policy and how to defeat Boris Johnson.
Stephen Tall and I are recording our reflections on both interviews early next week. Do let us know either on this post or the social media channels below what you made of the interviews before we record that show; listener feedback is always gratefully received.
Find Never Mind The Bar Charts on social media Like the show? Do follow on Twitter or Facebook. It's a great way to hear more about the podcast - and to let your friends and colleagues know about it too.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts which, as trailed at the weekend, is the first of two interviews with the candidates to be the leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Following the toss of a coin, Jo Swinson's interview comes first:
Mark Pack interviews would-be Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson about why she wants the job. The topics they discuss include what she thinks of the SNP, what she'd do in a hung Parliament and how the party can be more successful.
The Ed Davey interview will come out in a couple of days and then Stephen and I are recording our reflections on the interviews early next week.
Do let us know either on this post or the social media channels below what you made of the interviews before we record that show; listener feedback is always gratefully received.
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Exclusive interviews with Edward Davey and Jo Swinson coming up. Subscribe the podcast to make sure you don't miss them.
Show notes * The mystery coin was a special 2001 Canadian 10 cents (held upside down and with light glinting off it... at least that's my defence). * Make sure you don't miss those exclusive interviews by subscribing in your favourite podcast app or sign up for email alerts.
In episode #9, Stephen Tall and Mark Pick pick over the European election results and what comes next for the Lib Dems. Can the party sustain its May run of successes?
Show notes * Kieran Pedley co-hosts the Polling Matters podcast, which you can find here. * Examples 1, 2 and 3 of how the media missed the story of the Lib Dem surge. * Details of Lord Ashcroft's polling. * Tim Bale points out that the referendum theory Stephen mentioned doesn't really hold water. * Phil Cowley writes and edits great books, and here is his tweet we mentioned. * And... ignore my garbled reference to the 1992 general election. The comparison that can be done in different ways is between 1987 and 1992, not 1992 and 1997.
Welcome to the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, in which Stephen Tall and I pick over the 2019 local election results to see how happy the Liberal Democrats should be. We also take a bit of a look forward to the European elections, discuss the use of 'bollocks' (complete with Ofcom guidance) and consider the overall pace of the Liberal Democrat recovery.
Show notes * 704! * The coalition didn't irredeemably damage the Lib Dem brand: the evidence. * Not Enough Champagne: the centre-left podcast we praise during the show. * John Curtice's analysis of the Lib Dem local election performance versus the Remain/Leave balance of an area. * How rude is 'bollocks'? The official Ofcom guidance. * How effective is 'bollocks'? It fits with this wise advice.
Stephen Tall and Mark Pack discuss the leaked Change UK memo about the Lib Dems, where Change UK is headed, a bold claim about Tony Blair from Stephen and how the local elections may change the political trajectory of the Remain parties.
Show notes * Our previous podcast episode about Change UK / The Independent Group. * That Change UK memo. * Local election predictions look promising for the Lib Dems. * The Liberal Democrat Euro campaign launch.
Welcome to the latest edition of Never Mind The Bar Charts, in which Stephen finally gets me to talk about Brexit. But only after discussing the Newport West by-election, the reliability of the national opinion polls, the likely Liberal Democrat leadership contest and whether the party might be about to lose Norman Lamb from its ranks.
Listen and enjoy...
Show notes * Norman Lamb's comments about his future can be read about here. * The Lord Ashcroft polling discuss was covered in more detail by me here. * One small fact correction on myself: the second Brexit Party person to have to stand down was the party's treasurer. * The podcast now has its own social media channels.
Listen and enjoy as birthday boy Stephen and I discuss Vince Cable's record as party leader now he's announced his departure date (nearly), who might succeed him, what happened at Liberal Democrat conference in York, the brilliance of Geoff Payne, the party reforms now underway and why Stephen Tall pays up money to the New Statesman. He also mentioned the Steel vs Pardoe way of looking at Lib Dem leadership contests, explained by Jonathan Calder here.
Listen and enjoy as Stephen and I discuss the future of The Independent Group, its possible impact on British politics, parallels with the SDP and what it means for the Liberal Democrats.
With a shoutout to the Polling Matters podcast episode which took a look at TIG polling and the Times Red Box podcast interview with Anna Soubry.
Stephen and Mark discuss three things they don't like.
A few follow-up links for what we discussed:
- Finnish universal basic income trial and thoughts from my time on a policy working group looking at the subject.
- Nick Barlow's blog post on new parties.
- Why I like ideology.
Mark Pack and Stephen Tall discuss Paddy Ashdown, Lib Dem strategy and our obsession with US politics. Brexit nearly doesn't get mentioned.
Stephen Tall and Mark Pack talk about their favourite political podcasts and commentators, what the government should be doing if it wasn't consumed by Brexit and the Liberal Democrats.