How vulnerable is Keir Starmer?

How vulnerable is Keir Starmer?

Author: Steve Richards April 24, 2026 Duration: 51:30

Are we in the final days of Starmer’s leadership, or is no potential successor ready to make a move? 


Rock & Roll Politics is live at the Cambridge Literary Festival this Saturday at 8pm. Tickets on the festival website.


Rock & Roll Politics -The Election Special is live at Kings Place on Monday May 11th. Tickets here.


Written and presented by Steve Richards.


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Each week, broadcaster and author Steve Richards draws from his acclaimed live performance to create Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards. This isn't a dry recitation of headlines, but a guided tour into the often-overlooked mechanics of British political life. Steve focuses on the interplay between power and perception, examining how the media narrative is constructed and how it, in turn, shapes our understanding of the unfolding drama at Westminster and beyond. The conversation in this podcast acknowledges a central paradox of our times: while historical events can seem deceptively simple in hindsight, the present moment feels wildly uncertain. Steve acts as a seasoned guide through that uncertainty, offering clarity without oversimplification. You'll hear analysis that connects cultural currents to political decisions, exploring the personalities, strategies, and occasional chaos that define the UK's political landscape. Tune in for a thoughtful, weekly perspective that makes sense of the seismic shifts in society and government, all delivered with the insight of someone who has spent a career observing the stage from both the wings and the front row.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards
Podcast Episodes
Starmer/Mandelson - Does the plot ever really change? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:52
Did Starmer deliberately mislead parliament? No. Did Starmer make a terrible misjudgement in appointing Mandelson with a casual detachment? Yes. This was the plot of the first episode of this dark saga. It is also the pl…
Is there a danger the government will spend too much on defence? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:04
There is no money, the economy is barely growing, the war in Iran will cost billions in Britain and there are demands on spending across public services. Yet there is a noisy clamour for huge increases in defence spendin…
The fall of Orban - How vulnerable is the populist right? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:16
In Hungary’s general election the seemingly invincible Viktor Orban has suffered a heavy defeat. But are there any significant lessons for exposing the weaknesses of Reform and other right wing parties in Europe?The next…
Are we seeing the return of Cabinet Government? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:11
This month marks the fiftieth anniversary since James Callaghan became prime minister. There were many dramas punctuating his short rule in Number 10, but throughout the storms Callaghan showed skilfully how to manage hi…
What next for the BBC? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:24
The BBC has a new director general, but is he or his army of senior managers - conveniently detached from direct responsibility for the output - capable of answering a key question: What is the role of a publicly-funded…
Alan Johnson on Wilson, Blair and Starmer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:37
Recorded live at the York Literary Festival, host Steve Richards is joined by the former cabinet minister Alan Johnson to discuss three Labour Prime Ministers that have all won landslide election victories. But do they h…
The never-ending debate special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:37
The emails from the co-operative have been flying - so this podcast concentrates solely on the brilliant, illuminating never-ending debate. Today, a focus on the energy crisis, the media, Iran, and the continuing mysteri…
What is the ‘centre ground’? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:02
The Observer columnist Philip Collins argues that the future lies on the “centre ground” which he defines as spanning the Cameron government to Blairite Labour. But at a time when voters are impatient for sweeping change…
Why are the right obsessed with Ed Miliband? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:10
With the departure of Morgan McSweeney, the right in the media and well beyond detect that Ed Miliband has become the unofficial prime minister. The Spectator editor Michael Gove has written an article on this theme, and…