281 | Trump Stress Test

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David talks to the historian Sarah Churchwell about how well America's political institutions have withstood the stress of the last four years.  Have we seen the limits of presidential power or have we discovered how easy it is to trash those limits?  Are constitutional checks and balances still intact?  Is it really Mitch McConnell who is putting American democracy under stress?  Plus we talk about what will be needed to restore the social contract and the perils of political humility.

244 | Labour and Brexit: Beyond the Crisis

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David is joined by Helen Thompson and Chris Brooke to try to get beyond the current crisis and work out here British politics is heading.  How different is Starmer's political programme likely to be from Corbyn's?  Can the Labour party become the party of the workers again?  And is Brexit really going to happen without an extension and without a deal?  Plus we explore the renewed influence of the trade unions and ask what it means for the political choices ahead.

231 | From Cholera to Coronavirus

David talks to the historian Richard Evans about the history of cholera epidemics in the 19th century and what they can teach us for today.  How did contemporaries understand the spread of the disease? What impact did it have on growing demands for democracy?  And who tended to get the blame - foreigners, doctors or politicians?  Plus we discuss whether the political changes being driven by the current pandemic are likely to outlast the disease itself.

214 | The Great Abortion Switcheroo

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 In the final episode of our American Histories series, Sarah Churchwell tells the incredible story of the politics of abortion during the 1970’s.  How did evangelicals go from supporting abortion to being its die-hard opponents, what did the switch have to do with the politics of race and what have been the lasting consequences for American democracy?

154 | May Rolls the Dice

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David and Helen talk through the latest twist in the Brexit tale: Theresa May's offer to work with Labour to get some version of Brexit over the line.  Can the two parties ever agree on what that version is?  Could any agreement be made to stick?  And if they can't agree, what happens next?  Plus we talk about whether May's offer to stand down is still in effect and we ask what all this might mean for the ERG, the DUP, the SNP and the EU.