Alice Mahon may not be a well-remembered figure today, but for 18 years she served as MP for Halifax. In this episode, Lee and Richard discuss how this working class Yorkshirewoman entered the House of Commons and how her left-wing politics were received in Tony Blair's Labour Party. In doing so, they reflect on Blair's style of party management - in which left-wingers like Mahon were tolerated - and how it contrasts with Sir Keir Starmer's approach today. The episode finishes by asking whether, as Mahon apparently claimed, she was the inspiration for the Smokey song 'Living next door to Alice.'

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Shattered Nation: Inequality and the Geography of A Failing State' by Danny Dorling.

'The Man Who Was Saturday: The Extraordinary Life of Airey Neave' by Patrick Bishop.

The Since Attlee & Churchill substack is available at: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

In a special bonus episode to mark 25,000 downloads of the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast, Lee and Richard interview Dr Mark Garnett, a renowned historian of the Conservative Party and researcher for Ted Heath on the former prime minister’s memoirs. They discuss Heath’s approach to writing his much-anticipated autobiography; his ideology; how he came to terms with Thatcherism; and why he stayed around in the House of Commons for so long - a full 26 years after he lost the Tory leadership in 1975.

About Mark Garnett

Mark is a political historian. He is the author of biographies of Keith Joseph and Willie Whitelaw, among other prominent post-war politicians, and has written on a wide range of political matters. He is the co-author of Keeping the Red Flag Flying, a history of the Labour Party in opposition, and has recently published books on Conservatism and the prime ministership.

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

In 1949, the Young Conservatives boasted 160,000 members. They were the largest political youth organisation in the free world. Their social events were iconic and thousands of marriages, it was said, had been formed after encounters at Young Conservative committee meetings or balls. But by the mid-1960s, the organisation was declining; by the 1980s, it was in freefall. So what happened to the Young Conservatives? And can the Tories, or any other party, engage young people once again as members?

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors' by Matt Chorley

'Ruling the Void: The Hollowing of Western Democacy' by Peter Mair

You can read the latest articles on the Since Attlee & Churchill Substack, and listen to our special podcast on the 1955 general election, at www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com.

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

Black Wednesday, also known as the Sterling Crisis of 1992, is one of the most traumatic events in Britain's post-war economic history. It left Britain looking devalued and powerless compared to the economic powerhouse of Germany, whilst for John Major and his government it was a blow to their economic credibility from which they would never recover. But was it actually a bad day for Britain? And what was its legacy as Britain thought about joining the Euro, and eventually leaving the European Union, in the years ahead? Lee and Richard discuss this, and more, in this week's episode.

The special bonus episode of Since Attlee & Churchill on the 1955 election is available now. Click here to listen: https://www.sinceattleeandchurchill.com/p/bonus-podcast-the-1955-general-election

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Trials of the State: Law and the Decline of Politics' by Jonathan Sumption

'Thatcher' by Clare Beckett

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

The third and final instalment of a special mini-series on the Attlee versus Churchill elections turns to the 1951 general election. In some respects, it was a repeat of the contest 20 months earlier - similar candidates, similar ideas, and a similar number of votes for both parties. But due to the workings of the electoral system, it gave the Conservatives and Winston Churchill a small majority in the House of Commons. Could Clement Attlee have avoided this election, or the defeat which brought to an end six years of Labour government? Lee and Richard discuss - and often disagree!

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'A prime minister remembers' by Francis Williams

'Viking Economics' by George Lakey.

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

The 1950 general election, the second contest between Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill, came four and a half years after Labour's landslide victory at the end of the Second World War. In many ways, this election was a referendum on the agenda implemented by Attlee as prime minister, from the NHS to the nationalisation of 20% of the economy. For Winston Churchill, 1950 was an opportunity to try and reclaim power after his shock rejection in 1945. Throughout, there was drama and the laying of the foundations for post-war British politics. In this podcast, Lee and Richard chart the election battle from the party's preparations through to the results and aftermath.

The following books are mentioned in this episode:

'Patrick Gordon Walker: A Political and Family History' by Alan Gordon Walker. Available here: https://amzn.to/3GOvzvd

'The Diary of a Nobody' by George & Weedon Grossmith. Available here: https://amzn.to/459Ob1W

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

The 1945 general election is undeniably one of the key turning points in modern British history. It's also the first of three general elections that the namesakes of this podcast - Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee - fought against each other as leaders of their parties.

In this first of three special episodes charting the Attlee vs Churchill elections, Lee and Richard look back at the contest that took place 80 years ago this month - featuring scuffles about when the election should be; rogue radio broadcasts that undermined the Tory campaign; and the curious history of 'Wakes Weeks' which saw polling day delayed in parts of the north and Scotland. The podcasts concludes by reflecting on the enormous consequences of this election for Britain.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Election '45: Reflections on the Revolution in Britain' by Austin Mitchell.

'Conservatism (Short Histories)' by Mark Garnett

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.

In 1997, Tony Blair returned Labour to power with a landslide majority. But many people who hoped for radical change were left disappointed when he announced that Labour would continue with the Tory plan to scrap the Lone Parent Premium, a welfare top up for single parents. Lone parents protested; Labour MPs revolted; and Blair had to decide whether to plough on with the measure or surrender to his backbenchers.

In the week after Keir Starmer buckled under pressure from his MPs over the Personal Independent Payment, Lee and Richard look at Blair's approach to a similar dilemma almost three decades ago.

In this episode, the following books are mentioned:

'Queen James: The Life and Loves of Britain’s First King' by Gareth Russell. Available at: https://amzn.to/44vEJEN

'Storyteller: The Life of Roald Dahl' by Donald Sturrock. Available at: https://amzn.to/4lcmA5N

Support the show

Since Attlee & Churchill is the podcast all about post-war British political history, hosted by:

Lee David Evans is an historian of the Conservative Party and the John Ramsden Fellow at the Mile End Institute, Queen Mary, University of London. He is on social media @LeeDavidEvansUK.

Richard Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, and among his other areas of expertise is an historian of the Labour Party. He tweets at @richardmarcj.