40 | Trump vs. Comey

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We take stock of the latest developments in Washington as the heat intensifies on Trump and the leaking war continues.  What do the new revelations tell us about Trump's fitness to be president?  What do they tell us about the power struggles inside the administration?  We also take a step back to ask about the risks of any showdown between an elected president and the secret state.  Might Trump's fate set a precedent for any outsider who takes on the political establishment?  Do the Democrats need to be careful what they wish for?  Plus, in the week the UK parties start publishing their election manifestos, we ask: what's a manifesto worth anyway?  With Helen Thompson, Aaron Rapport and Chris Bickerton.

36 | The Tory Machine

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What makes the Conservatives so good at winning elections - the most successful party in modern political history?  Is it money?  Leadership?  Luck?  We talk with Helen Thompson, Chris Brooke and Aaron Rapport about Tory successes and failures and we explore some of the inbuilt quirks of the UK electoral system.   Plus we answer some questions posed to us by listeners: How is Mayism different from Milibandism?  And what hopes for a progressive alliance?