In today’s episode David talks to Alan Renwick from UCL’s Constitution Unit about the pros and cons of referendums. When does a democratic question need to be put direct to the people? Do some countries do it better than others? How can referendums be used to open up political debate? And how can we avoid a rerun of the pitfalls of the Brexit referendum?
There are just a few tickets left for the 3rd film in our autumn film season at the Regent Street cinema on Thursday 9th October: a screening of Rosa Luxemburg, followed by a live recording of PPF with philosopher and writer Lea Ypi. We’d love to see you there https://bit.ly/4nDuKoY
Next Up in Fixing Democracy: Compulsory Voting
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Now & Then with Robert Saunders: From Kinnock to Corbyn to Starmer
The second part of David’s conversation with Robert Saunders marking the 40th anniversary of Neil Kinnock’s party conference speech attacking the Militant tendency takes the story up to the present and beyond. Was Jeremy Corbyn’s victory in the Labour leadership contest of 2015 the revenge of the ‘Loony Left’? What’s the difference between Momentum and Militant? Which parts of the Labour Party pose the biggest threat to Keir Starmer today? And what lessons might events in Liverpool forty years ago have to teach the Democratic Party in 2025?
Next time in Fixing Democracy: What’s Wrong with Referendums?
Find out everything you need to know about PPF on our website https://www.ppfideas.com/
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Now & Then with Robert Saunders: Neil Kinnock vs Militant
Today’s episode in our occasional series with Robert Saunders to mark momentous events in British political history explores the lasting consequences of a speech delivered 40 years ago this week. Labour leader Neil Kinnock’s attack on Militant at his party’s annual conference in 1985 brought a long-running conflict out into the open. Who were Militant? Why did the speech have such an explosive impact? What did it mean for the past, present and future of the Labour Party?
Next time: From Kinnock to Corbyn to Starmer
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Fixing Democracy: How to Stop Election Rigging
In today’s episode on how to fix democracy David talks to political scientist Nic Cheeseman about how to stop governments rigging elections around the world, from Africa to the United States. How widespread is the problem? Has digital technology made it worse? What makes an election free and fair? And what are the chances that the next US presidential election will be a free and fair one?
Tickets are available for the 3rd film in our PPF Films of Ideas season at the Regent Street Cinema in London on Thursday 9th October: join us for a screening of the biopic Rosa Luxemburg followed by a live recording of the podcast with Lea Ypi https://bit.ly/4mNzNCT
Next Time: Now & Then with Robert Saunders on Neil Kinnock, Labour and Militant
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Fixing Democracy: Citizens’ Assemblies
David talks to Claudia Chwalisz, founder and CEO of Democracy Next, about how citizens’ assemblies could help fix what’s wrong with democracy. Where does the idea of a jury of citizens chosen at random to answer political questions come from? What are the kinds of contemporary questions it could help to settle? How does it work? And what would encourage politicians to listen to citizens’ assemblies rather than to their electorates?
Out now on PPF+: The second half of David’s conversation with Hannah White in which they discuss how we could get better decision-making at the heart of government. Why do politicians find it so hard to address the biggest challenges that they face? To get this and all our bonus episodes plus ad-free listening sign up to PPF+ today https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus
The 2nd film in our autumn Films of Ideas season at the Regent Street cinema is coming up on Thursday 25th September: a screening of My Dinner with Andre, followed by a live recording of PPF with playwright and screenwriter Lee Hall, creator of Billy Elliot. Tickets are available now https://bit.ly/4fWDa7V
Tickets are also now available for a special recording of PPF Live at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Wednesday 15th October: Who Rules The World? Trump, Tech and the Fight for the Future. David will be talking to writer, philosopher and ex-politician Bruno Maçães – plus a special guest to be announced – about where the power really lies. Get your tickets now https://bit.ly/4m2pZno
Next Up in Fixing Democracy: How To Stop Election Rigging
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Past Present Future is a bi-weekly History of Ideas podcast with David Runciman, host and creator of Talking Politics, exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, culture to technology. David talks to historians, novelists, scientists and many others about where the most interesting ideas come from, what they mean, and why they matter.
Ideas from the past, questions about the present, shaping the future.
New episodes every Wednesday and Sunday.
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