Discussion of political opposition with leading academics, politicians and commentators, presented by Dr Nigel Fletcher of the Centre for Opposition Studies.
We have a result! The long Conservative leadership contest comes to an end with the election of Kemi Badenoch, who... more
Plot twist! We're back with an extra episode after the final MPs' ballot in the Conservative leadership election produced a... more
With the sudden resignation at the weekend of the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, Sue Gray, what does the turmoil... more
With the Labour Party back in government after 14 years of opposition, Nigel heads up to Liverpool to the party's... more
It's party conference season, and Sir Ed Davey has kicked things off by arriving at his Lib Dem gathering in... more
We're back - and we've gone transatlantic! With the US election looming, Sarah has headed Stateside, and joins us from... more
As parliament rises for its summer recess, MPs and politicos will be getting a bit of a break after a... more
As the new parliament gets underway, we consider the changed political landscape, and the implications for the way opposition operates,... more
The dust has barely settled after the Labour landslide, but Nigel and Sarah have caught up on their sleep, and... more
Finally, it has arrived. The polls are open and after six weeks of politicians campaigning, it is now for the... more
With just two days to go until polling day, we're joined by special guest and podcast royalty, former Labour Home... more
With just a week to go until the results of the election are known, Nigel and Sarah discuss the latest... more
As the betting scandal rumbles on, Nigel and Sarah discuss what further damage it could do to the public's faith... more
In this episode Nigel and Sarah review the party leaders' performance in their latest television grilling, discuss the Tory betting... more
In the latest from the campaign trail we talk to Conservative Minister Lord Parkinson, fresh from a bloody encounter with... more
Manifesto week concludes with the Labour and Green Party manifestos being published, and another TV debate being held. Nigel and... more
It's manifesto week, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats having launched theirs, and Labour's still to come on Thursday. Nigel... more
What are the challenges facing the Lib Dems in this election, and what does success look like for them? In... more
As we await the first Leaders' TV debate of the election, Nigel and Sarah discuss the news from the campaign... more
In this all-star edition of the podcast we speak to Gyles Brandreth and John Sergeant about parallels with previous... more
As we approach the end of the first week of the General Election campaign, Nigel and Sarah discuss how the... more
As the UK General Election campaign gets properly underway, we unveil exciting changes to the podcast! Joining Nigel Fletcher as... more
EMERGENCY PODCAST! (As they say) With Rishi Sunak calling the General Election for 4th July, Nigel Fletcher gives his initial observations... more
Wales is often seen as one of the most anti-Conservative parts of Britain, with a strongly working-class Labour tradition. But... more
In the UK, the Labour Party has held a convincing lead over the Conservatives in the opinion polls since the... more
Over recent years, as leadership turmoil regularly engulfed the Conservative Party, the position of the 1922 Committee was brought to... more
The House of Commons descended into acrimonious chaos this week, with the Speaker facing a major backlash for his handling... more
An increasing number of MPs have reported an increase in the level of personal abuse, threats and intimidation they have... more
We're back! With 2024 shaping up to be a dramatic year for politics in the UK and around the world,... more
An unscheduled EMERGENCY episode (!) prompted by the resignation of senior Civil Servant Sue Gray to take up a job... more
With protests continuing on the streets of Iran against the country's authoritarian regime, and the Ukrainian people continuing their defiance... more
As the Conservative Party suffers a collapse in its opinion poll rating, Nigel speaks to pollster Chris Curtis of Opinium... more
There is a new mood of confidence around the Labour Party as it takes a substantial lead in the opinion... more
In this special episode, we pay tribute to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the week of her State... more
This episode features extracts from the first Opposition Studies Conference, held in July 2022 at King's College London. Baroness Royall... more
The Labour Party, perhaps more than other parties, has a keen sense of its own history. In this episode... more
How important are ideas to an opposition party seeking election? How has the Labour Party struggled to balance ideology and... more
We're back with a Christmas Special, and a real treat from the archives of the Centre for Opposition Studies. In... more
When Tony Blair took Labour back into government in 1997, his achievement was built on the foundations laid by his... more
Kate Fall was a key member of David Cameron's inner circle throughout his time as Leader of the Opposition and... more
There is a new mood of confidence around the Labour Party as it takes a substantial lead in the opinion polls and... more