Past Present Future Podcast
@ppfideas.bsky.social
5.2K followers 23 following 460 posts

The History of Ideas Podcast. Every Wednesday and Sunday with David Runciman. Wherever you get your podcasts. Find us at 🔗 www.ppfideas.com

David Walter Runciman, 4th Viscount Runciman of Doxford, is an English academic and podcaster who until 2024 taught politics and history at the University of Cambridge, where he was Professor of Politics. From October 2014 to October 2018 he was also head of the Department of Politics and International Studies. In April 2024 he decided to resign his position at the university to focus on his podcast full-time. He was subsequently made Honorary Professor of Politics. .. more

Political science 70%
Sociology 9%
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
ppfideas.bsky.social
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

In today’s episode David talks to political historian @dmk1793.bsky.social about whether voting should be required by law and what might change if non-participation was no longer an option. Why have some countries made voting compulsory?

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

ppfideas.bsky.social
Thanks Daniel. We've had a *lot* of messages from people clarifying the Swiss approach and will be covering it in our Q&A episode!

Reposted by David Runciman

dmk1793.bsky.social
I enormously enjoyed this conversation with David Runciman about the history of compulsory voting, how it came to be adopted in countries like Belgium and Australia, and what it could for British politics today.
ppfideas.bsky.social
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

In today’s episode David talks to political historian @dmk1793.bsky.social about whether voting should be required by law and what might change if non-participation was no longer an option. Why have some countries made voting compulsory?

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

Reposted by David Runciman

tariqmodood.bsky.social
Gets my vote too! Very good discussion of the Labour Party from the rise of Thatcher to today with especial focus on Neil Kinnock's leadership challenges
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/now...
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/now...
on @ppfideas.bsky.social
with @robertsaunders.bsky.social

Reposted by David Runciman

Reposted by David Runciman

foxlanebooks.bsky.social
🎙️Past Present Future comes to South Yorkshire! Join David Runciman & Robert Ford at Hill House nr Doncaster, for a live podcast recording

Fox Lane Books will have a bookstall at this event, and David will be signing books after the recording🎙️

FREE! Book: shorturl.at/Wlu0D

ppfideas.bsky.social
🚨❓CALL FOR QUESTIONS! ❓🚨

We’ll be doing a Q&A as part of our Fixing Democracy series so get your questions in for David & David @dmk1793.bsky.social.

We’d love to hear your suggestions for Fixing Democracy too!

💬 www.ppfideas.com/contact

💬 Or reply below ⬇️

Reposted by David Runciman

cyrilpedia.bsky.social
This exploration of England's (I dont think Scots deserve to be included in the diagnostic) European Derangement Syndrome by David Runciman in the @lrb.co.uk is wild — and impossible to excerpt, there are just too many great bits.

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman · Down the Rabbit Hole: Britain’s Europe Problem
From Macmillan to Wilson to Heath to Thatcher to Major to Blair to Cameron, a succession of prime ministers persuaded...
www.lrb.co.uk
ppfideas.bsky.social
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

In today’s episode David talks to @alanrenwick.bsky.social from UCL’s Constitution Unit about the pros & cons of referendums. How can they be used to open up political debate? When does a democratic question need to be put direct to the people?

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

ppfideas.bsky.social
Thanks Phil! @robertsaunders.bsky.social is a national treasure (or should be).
philbryan.bsky.social
Just been listening to this 2 parter - one of the best podcasts I’ve listened to for a very long time. I thought I knew this period well but learnt a lot more about it.

Reposted by David Runciman

philbryan.bsky.social
Just been listening to this 2 parter - one of the best podcasts I’ve listened to for a very long time. I thought I knew this period well but learnt a lot more about it.

Reposted by David Runciman

lkoro.es
David Runciman reviewing @tommctague.bsky.social 's new book in the LRB is the birthday present I didn't know I wanted.

Reposted by David Runciman

robertsaunders.bsky.social
What happened to Militant after the 1980s?

How did Tony Blair invent "Old Labour"?

Why did Neil Kinnock speak highly of Momentum?

And has Keir Starmer learned the wrong lessons from Kinnock?

Part 2 of our discussion of the radical left from the 1980s to 2025.
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/now...
Now & Then with Robert Saunders: From Kinnock to Corbyn to Starmer
225
www.ppfideas.com

Reposted by David Runciman

lrb.co.uk
‘A succession of prime ministers persuaded themselves that their country was somehow different from the rest: it could pick and choose from the menu of European options in the way that suited it best. They were all mistaken.’

David Runciman on the road to Brexit:

www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman · Down the Rabbit Hole: Britain’s Europe Problem
From Macmillan to Wilson to Heath to Thatcher to Major to Blair to Cameron, a succession of prime ministers persuaded...
www.lrb.co.uk

Reposted by David Runciman

Reposted by David Runciman

robertsaunders.bsky.social
Today on @ppfideas.bsky.social, it's the second part of our conversation on the radical left since the 1980s.

In Part 1, we discussed Neil Kinnock, Liverpool & the Militant Tendency.

Today, we talk about the 90s, Corbynism, Momentum & "Your Party". Hope you enjoy!
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/now...
Now & Then with Robert Saunders: From Kinnock to Corbyn to Starmer
225
www.ppfideas.com

ppfideas.bsky.social
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

The second part of David’s conversation with @robertsaunders.bsky.social marking the 40th anniversary of Neil Kinnock’s party conference speech attacking the Militant tendency takes the story up to the present and beyond.

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

ppfideas.bsky.social
Us too!! This is what we like to hear!🤣

ppfideas.bsky.social
Have a listen - we certainly get to that part too!

ppfideas.bsky.social
Thanks Nigel, and good idea - noted!
robertsaunders.bsky.social
"You end in the grotesque chaos of a Labour council - a Labour council! - hiring taxis to scuttle round a city, handing out redundancy notices to its own workers!"

40 years on, I joined @ppfideas.bsky.social to discuss Neil Kinnock's blistering assault on Militant.
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/now...

ppfideas.bsky.social
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

Today in our occasional series with @robertsaunders.bsky.social we explore the lasting consequences of a speech delivered 40 years ago this week - Labour leader Neil Kinnock’s excoriating attack on Militant at his party’s conference in 1985.

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
robertsaunders.bsky.social
"I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises..."

It's 40 years since Neil Kinnock tore into Militant at the Labour Party conference.

I joined David Runciman on @ppfideas.bsky.social to talk about Kinnock, Trotskyism & the legacy of THAT speech today. Enjoy!
www.ppfideas.com/episodes/now...
Now & Then with Robert Saunders: Neil Kinnock vs Militant
224
www.ppfideas.com

ppfideas.bsky.social
A fantastic screening and discussion last night of ‘My Dinner with Andre’ with Lee Hall.

We’ll be putting this and all the others in our live Films of Ideas series out as episodes over Christmas.

Two down, four to go.

Fancy joining us?

🎟️ Info & tickets here: www.ppfideas.com/events