It is the most pledged policy in recent decades and yet never delivered … Labour proposed a national care service in 2010, Theresa May had a plan in 2017, Boris Johnson pretended to have one in 2019 … So far nothing. Now the Fabian Society has set out its ideas for a National Care Service with a report broadly welcomed by its shadow Health Secretary, Wes Streeting. But where will the money come from and does Keir Starmer have the political will to deliver finally? That's two of many questions I discuss with Andrew Harrop, General Secretary of the Fabians as we delve deep in thorny areas with the next election moving into view. Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival from Sunday August 13th ... a different show every day. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boris Johnson is making life hellish for Rishi Sunak..causing trouble in relation to the Covid Inquiry, making the front pages most days of the week, making clear he blames Sunak for his fall. Former PMs make leadership difficult for their successors...does a politically active Johnson make it almost impossible to lead the troubled Conservative party? Support Rock & Roll Politics on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For a few decades the Conservative Party has changed from an expedient political force with MPs and members loyal to the leadership to a more factional and insurrectionary movement. Tim Bale, the author of The Conservative Party After Brexit-Turmoil and Transformation, has followed the changes at every level from the membership to the leadership. To make sense of the current turmoil in the UK's governing party we look back and follow the wild patterns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suella Braverman and many others contemplating their leadership ambitions, take note. From Rab Butler to Jeremy Corbyn there are reasons why those seen by some as potential Prime Ministers never make it.  Rock N Roll Politics is live at the Edinburgh Festival with a different show every day from Sunday August 13th. Tickets here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/steve-richards-presents-rock-n-roll-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his new book ‘Politics-A Survivor’s Guide’ the columnist Rafael Behr hails the centre ground in contrast to the populist politics that has flourished in the UK and elsewhere…but the term is imprecise and often applied to justify policies that are far away from the ‘centre’. Also..Can we get angry about the state of politics without nearly killing ourselves?? Support Rock N Roll Politics on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/RockNRollPolitics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices