Steve Richards

London

Presenter at The Independent

Steve Richards presents the Rock N Roll Politics podcast: https://t.co/yX54EZioTa He's also an author and broadcaster

Articles

Not Another One

2 weeks ago | listennotes.com | Steve Richards |Miranda Green |Tim Montgomerie |Iain Martin

Inspired by the UK’s most famous voter, Brenda from Bristol, four close watchers of politics agree - and freely disagree - about the twists and turns of the General Election 2024 - and beyond. With Steve Richards, broadcaster and author, Tim Montgomerie, founder of Conservative Home and a serial political entrepreneur, Iain Martin, Times columnist and Miranda Green of the Financial Times. We hope you agree with us, rather than with Brenda, that it’s a useful addition to the debate.
There is a simple question Starmer’s government is yet to answer: ‘Why are you doing that?' | Steve Richards

Sep 24, 2024 | theguardian.com | Steve Richards

There is nothing like conference to focus the minds of a governing party. The leading players have speeches to make, and must explain what they are doing and why. And so Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves find themselves in the curious position of stressing that economic gloom is not an end in itself. It would be uniquely perverse to pursue such an objective. “We are planning for misery” is a slogan that would not endure for very long.
Starmer’s Brexit timidity must stop in No. 10

Jun 30, 2024 | theneweuropean.co.uk | Steve Richards

Losing an argument can become a habit. Keir Starmer might be on the verge of a triumphant election landslide victory but in relation to Brexit he is a serial loser. Starmer backed Remain in the 2016 referendum and advocated a second referendum during the 2019 general election when Labour was slaughtered. He was shadow Brexit secretary. That was not the end of the matter. Soon after that Starmer became leader of his party and opted for silence on one of the biggest issues of our time.
Why Starmer will be dragged to the Left

Jun 6, 2024 | unherd.com | Steve Richards

ElectionKeir StarmerLabourPoliticsUK During the 1979 election, the outgoing Labour Prime Minister, Jim Callaghan, noted a “sea change” propelling Margaret Thatcher to power. Callaghan declared despairingly to a senior adviser that there was nothing he could do about it. The ideological tides were unstoppable. His views on the role of the state, how to govern, were out of step with the times. He duly foundered.
Pourquoi Starmer sera entraîné vers la gauche

Jun 6, 2024 | unherd.com | Steve Richards

ElectionKeir StarmerLabourPoliticsUK Pendant les élections de 1979, le Premier ministre travailliste sortant, Jim Callaghan, a noté un ‘changement radical’ propulsant Margaret Thatcher au pouvoir. Callaghan a déclaré avec désespoir à un conseiller principal qu’il ne pouvait rien y faire. Les marées idéologiques étaient irrésistibles. Ses opinions sur le rôle de l’État, sur la manière de gouverner, étaient dépassées. Il a donc échoué.
Why size matters for Starmer

Jun 4, 2024 | theneweuropean.co.uk | Steve Richards

Is there anyone who expects Rishi Sunak to be prime minister after July 4? I doubt if even the Sunaks are working on the assumption that they will be in Downing Street at the end of the election campaign. Yet elections are more layered than sporting contests, where one team wins and another loses. Almost certainly Labour will be in power this summer, but the size of its majority, if it secures one, will determine quite a lot of what follows. No one knows what is going to happen.
When things fall apart: The Tory endgame

Apr 30, 2024 | theneweuropean.co.uk | Steve Richards

The effective exercise of power is based on ideas and the policies that arise from them. Successful implementation of a programme is dependent on ambitious figures uniting around a mission, willing to compromise in order to keep the show on the road. When the ambitious sniff looming defeat, they are no longer bound to a leader or a common sense of purpose. Some prepare for future battles. Others wonder about a life outside politics.
One last gamble for the Tories?

Apr 2, 2024 | theneweuropean.co.uk | Steve Richards

What to do if you are a Conservative MP waking up each day to opinion polls suggesting your party faces electoral slaughter? That it might – as Easter weekend megapolls suggested – end up with less than 100 seats when the election is finally held, or around 150 if Reform were to stand down? A large swathe of MPs has answered the question in the most simple way. They have announced they will not contest the next election, the most vivid barometer of a party in crisis.
After the Tories: A turning point in British history

Mar 12, 2024 | theneweuropean.co.uk | Steve Richards

Were you up for Portillo? The mischievous question came to define the heady election night in 1997 when the seemingly invincible Conservative Party was slaughtered. Unexpectedly, Michael Portillo, the ambitious defence secretary who had become favourite to replace John Major once the inevitable happened, lost what had been a majority of 15,563 on a swing of 17.4% to Labour. A lot of voters were up for Portillo – the result came in at 3.10am – and recognised the symbolism of his fall.
We need a Brexit inquiry

Nov 28, 2023 | theneweuropean.co.uk | Steve Richards

Watching the relentless progress of the Covid inquiry makes one thing very clear. We need an inquiry into the other national disaster – Brexit. Specifically, we need to know much more about what happened in the same year that Covid raged, when the final Brexit deal was negotiated. After all, the same reckless fools were in charge of both. Even if titans had ruled the UK, they would have struggled with Brexit alone.