The Pulse of Power

I’ve always found it fascinating when someone crosses from the business world into politics, especially when they’ve spent decades leading one of the UK’s most recognisable companies. In this episode, I sit down with Andy Street, former Mayor of the West Midlands and long time John Lewis boss, to talk about leadership, public service, and why he believes the UK needs a stronger centre-right moveme...

I’ve followed Lord Shaun Bailey's career for years, so getting him on The Pulse of Power felt like a real coup - especially with his no-holds-barred take on the city's challenges and the bigger political picture. In this episode, I sit down with Lord Shaun Bailey, former London mayoral candidate and assembly member, for a candid chat about the state of London today. We cover the crime spike, housi...

Are the economic problems we’re facing today really new or are we repeating mistakes we’ve made before? In this episode of The Pulse of Power, I’m joined by  Sir John Redwood , former Conservative MP, Cabinet Minister, and Head of Margaret Thatcher’s Policy Unit. We take a wide-ranging look at the state of the British economy, drawing direct parallels between today and the turbulence of the 1...

From sneaking into the Labour Party underage to leading it through its darkest defeats and brightest near-misses, few have shaped and survived British politics like Neil Kinnock. In this episode of The Pulse of Power, I sit down with Lord Kinnock for a masterclass in political resilience, collective spirit, and brutal honesty. From the Welsh valleys to the brink of Downing Street, from the miners’...

In this second instalment of The Pulse of Power, I explore Sir Vince Cable’s extraordinary 50-year political odyssey: Glasgow councillor in his twenties, special advisor to John Smith, Business Secretary in the Coalition, Lib Dem leader, and now the elder statesman who refuses to fade away. What You’ll Learn - The Three-Party Education : What Labour in the 70s, the SD...

On the day Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first Budget in 14 years, who better to dissect it than the last Liberal Democrat to sit in Cabinet as Business Secretary? In this first instalment of The Pulse of Power, I sit down with Sir Vince Cable - former leader of the Liberal Democrats and Secretary of State for Business (2010–2015) for an unflinching, real-time reaction to the 202...

Power shapes everything - from politics to business and technology. But who really pulls the strings? How did we get to where we are today, and what decisions today are shaping our tomorrow? I’m Alex Duguid and this is The Pulse of Power: a podcast where we track the heartbeat of politics and the world around us. From the corridors of Westminster to Silicon Valley boardrooms, from global summits t...