Never Mind The Bar Charts

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.c

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.   Enjoy the show? Spread the word   Follow the show on Twitter. Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.  

  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.   Enjoy the show? Spread the word   Follow the show on Twitter. Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.  

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?

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 whi

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. 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.

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. Enjoy the show? Spread the word Follow the show on Twitter. Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarC

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. 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.

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

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   Follow the show on Twitter. Like the show on Facebook. 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 Faceboo

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   Fo

  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) / 

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. Enjoy the show? Spread the word Follow the show on Twitter. Like the show on Facebook. Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.