278 | Michael Sandel on the Case Against Meritocracy

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David and Helen talk to the philosopher Michael Sandel about the
damage that the idea of rewarding people on merit has done to education,
democracy and public life. Why is it wrong to try to match the best students to the best universities? What is credentialism and how has it warped the way work is rewarded? Whatever happened to the idea of the common good? Plus we discuss America's sense of itself as God's chosen nation in the age of Obama and Trump.

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275 | The Incompetence of Boris Johnson

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This week we talk about the politics of incompetence: when does it matter and when can politicians get away with it.  Have repeated u-turns during the pandemic damaged the government?  Has Nicola Sturgeon had a better crisis than Boris Johnson or is it just competence theatre?   Is the government's incompetence going to be enough to get Keir Starmer into Downing Street?  With Helen Thompson, Chris Brooke and Chris Bickerton.

200 | One Election or Many?

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We have a first look at what's happening in the election campaign by asking whether it's really one election or many. Do national vote shares mean much any more, given all the regional variations? How is the Remain Alliance meant to work? Is this a Brexit election? And is 2015 or 2017 (or neither) a better guide to 2019? Plus we discuss the recent election in Spain and explore parallels between gridlock there and possible gridlock here. With Helen Thompson, Chris Bickerton and Mike Kenny.

179 | Talking Politics Guide to ... Being a Civil Servant

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We talk to public policy expert Dennis Grube about the changing character of the civil service, from Victorian mandarins and Yes, Minister to the current battles over Brexit in the age of Twitter. Senior civil servants increasingly find themselves in the public eye, expected to communicate their views. Has this politicised the advice they give?

173 | Waiting for Boris

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Barring an act of God, Boris Johnson is going to be the next leader of the Conservative Party. We're exploring what that means in two parts. Today, Helen and David talk about the domestic implications. Can Johnson avoid an election? Can he hold on to the seats he needs while winning others he doesn't have? Will he unite or divide his party? Will Labour be able to stop him either way? Plus we talk about what's at stake for the Tories in Johnson's relationship with Trump. Next week: Europe and Brexit.

115 | Taming Trump

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We talk with Bronwen Maddox, Director of the Institute for Government and former Washington bureau chief of the Times, about the latest revelations from inside Trumpworld.  With claims that the resistance has spread to the government, we ask whether it is ethical for administration officials to resist the elected president.  Is this about Trump's personality or his policies?  What precedent might be being set?  And are Obama's interventions in the mid-term elections helping?  Recorded at the Institute for Government with Helen Thompson.