Since Attlee & Churchill

Benjamin Disraeli remains one of the most influential figures in Conservative history – but how much of the Disraeli we think we know was created after his death? In this episode, Lee and Richard are joined by Emily Jones, author of 'The Disraeli Myth: The Making of a Conservative Tradition'. They discuss how successive generations were inspired by Disraeli and reinvented him to suit their own political purposes, from Tory Socialists and Edwardian tariff reformers to One Nation Conservatives. What made Disraeli such a compelling figure in Tory history? How important was his Jewish identity to the mythmaking? And does 'political bodysnatching' – the appropriation of historical figures by later generations – help or hinder the way we think about politics?

'The Disraeli Myth: The Making of a Conservative Tradition' by Emily Jones is available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780691246314

Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340

Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill

Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac

Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!
***
Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Lee and Richard consider the argument that supporting North Sea oil and gas extraction is an “extremist” position. How useful is it to label political opponents in this way? And has it been a mistake to reduce Britain's environmental policy to what is essentially a spreadsheet exercise in calculating carbon emissions? They then turn to a new article exploring the relationship between politicians and their constituents through the letters and emails that MPs receive. Drawing on the correspondence of politicians including Tony Benn and Enoch Powell, Richard and Lee consider what politicians can really learn from their postbags – and whether the rise of email, social media and now AI is changing the relationship between voters and their representatives.

Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340

Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill

Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac

Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!
***
Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Lee and Richard discuss the remarkable life of James Douglas-Hamilton, the Scottish Tory politician who had the rare distinction of serving in three legislative chambers: the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Scottish Parliament, earning a reputation in each for courtesy and quiet effectiveness. Born the grandson of two Dukes and educated at Eton and Oxford, Douglas-Hamilton spent most of his life in politics. What motivated him? What did he achieve during his long career in public service? And why did he become the last MP to disclaim a hereditary peerage? These questions, and more, are explored in the episode.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:
'After you, Prime Minister' by James Douglas-Hamilton
'Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress' by Maya Kornberg. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781421454580

Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340

Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill

Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac

Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!
***
Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Lee and Richard discuss the controversy over whether the Conservative Party is still the home of One Nation Conservatism. Drawing on the long history of One Nation ideas, stretching back to Benjamin Disraeli in the Victorian era, Lee argues that the tradition has become confused in recent decades with liberal conservatism - and makes the case for reclaiming its original emphasis on national cohesion, social responsibility and patriotism. Next, Richard examines what Prime Minister Andy Burnham meant when he suggested that his devolution reforms could lead to a written constitution. Does Britain actually lack one? What would be different about a codified constitution? And would it strengthen, or weaken, British democracy?

Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340

Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill

Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac

Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!
***
Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ann Clwyd spent her political career on the Labour left. She marched with the miners, opposed nuclear weapons, rebelled against her own party, and was sacked from Labour's front bench more than once. Yet she also became one of the strongest supporters of the Iraq War. How? In this episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard and Lee explore the life of one of Labour's most independent-minded MPs. They discuss Clwyd's Welsh upbringing, her route into Parliament, the battles she fought with her own party on everything from welfare to devolution, and the convictions that led her to champion military intervention in Iraq.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:
'Rebel With a Cause' by Ann Clwyd. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781785901140

And also the upcoming books for our Summer Book Club:
'The Disraeli Myth: The Making of a Conservative Tradition' by Emily Jones. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9780691246314
'Churchill’s Queen: The Remarkable Friendship That Shaped Our Age' by Nigel Fletcher. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781529977257
'Margaret Bondfield: The Life and Times of Britain’s First Female Cabinet Minister' by Nan Sloane. Available at: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16406/9781350513655

Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available. Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340

Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchill

Buying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saac

Enjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!
***
Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.