Tim Smith

British General Elections podcast

History EN ↓ 19 episodes

This podcast tells the story of classic British General Elections. Starting in the 1950s the podcast introduces the main participants, traces the progress of the campaign, discusses how the election was covered by the press, isolates and explains the key issues and analyses the results. What can the experience of past general elections teach today's politicians, and voters? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author

Tim Smith

Category

History

Podcast website

feeds.acast.com

Latest episode

May 5, 2026

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Episodes

UK local elections 2026 PART 2 05.05.2026

Party strategy, London Boroughs and Birmingham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK 2026 Elections 04.05.2026

Mid term elections in the UK - I discuss why they are important and what to expect - part I Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1951 Opening manoeuvres of the election 26.01.2025

The public are mostly concerned with the King's Health. The situation in Persia remains difficult, the stock market rallies on hopes the Conservatives are going to win Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1951 Election part 2 15.12.2024

Attlee calls an early election as George VI has a lung removed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Election 2024 special - final day 03.07.2024

I go through the final polls, timings for the exit poll and counts, what is the exit poll etc and a word on Scotland and Wales Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 Election special part 4 30.06.2024

The electorate still not really looking at Labour's policies, I discuss the latest polling data and what it means, and a few words on the ground campaign Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 election special part 3 23.06.2024

 I do a quick state of the race update, explain why the Conservatives and Lib Dems may do better than Reform on a similar or lower vote share and then look at candidate effects including so called incumbency advantage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 election special part 2 02.06.2024

This episodes discusses what the polls are saying, but also why they can be different and explains some of the pitfalls in assessing the mood of the country accurately. I also explain what we mean by MRP-poll. I explain why the evidence points to a better votes to seats outcome to Labour than at previous elections and explain briefly what could happen in the increasingly unlikely event of a hung p...

2024 Election special 27.05.2024

I talk about the fundamentals of the 2024 election - why the Conservatives have such a mountain to climb. The importance of ratings on the economy and the rating of the PM on the election outcome. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1951 Election Part 1 12.05.2024

This episode goes through the events of the 1950/51 Parliament, ECHR signing, Bevan resignation, death of Bevin and loss of Cripps, by elections and Persia issue Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1950 Election Part 7 14.04.2024

Swings throughout the country, bias in the election and a brief discussion about the consequences of the election Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1950 Election Part 6 01.04.2024

The results of the 1950 election are counted. Initially it looks like Labour is going to be back with a decent majority, but then on the Friday things start to go very wrong. The press has a wobbly weekend wondering if the Attlee Government can survive and the Conservatives lash out at the Liberals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1950 Election Part 5 03.03.2024

This episode talks about the final broadcasts of the campaign by Mr Churchill and the PM, Mr Attlee. It then goes on to talk about the final arguments the main players made in the final weeks and the comments and endorsements of the leading newspapers. It finishes with comment about the relatively inexperienced electorate Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1950 election Part 4 18.02.2024

This episode discusses the penultimate week of the 1950 election. I talk about Churchill's petrol stunt and his intervention in Foreign Policy and the A-bomb. We discuss the party's radio pitches. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1950 Election part 3 10.02.2024

This episode takes us from the end of Jan to 9 Feb, two weeks before polling day. There is a row over German economic policies being brought into the UK. The Liberal Party releases its manifesto, and the Attlees hit the road for an 1000 mile tour round the country. I also outline who the main players were on the Tory front bench. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1950 Election Part 2 28.01.2024

The two major parties release their manifestos. I explain that contrary to some rather glib generalisations, the parties were actually not as close together as is sometimes suggested. I give the first red card of the election for a breach of Godwin's law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1950 Election Part 1 20.01.2024

Opening manoeuvres of the 1950 Election Campaign Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

INTRO 2 - Labour 1945-50 in Government 07.01.2024

In this second intro episode I take a deep dive into the Labour Government of 1945-50. I discuss some of the key issues that are going to return for the 1950 election Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1 - Introduction & Conservative 1930s 07.12.2023

In this episode I outline what this podcast is all about and give the first introductory episode, an explanation of the collapse of the Tory hegemony of the interwar period Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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