Why are the right obsessed with Ed Miliband?

Why are the right obsessed with Ed Miliband?

Author: Steve Richards March 20, 2026 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 is by no means alone. Apparently some of those making the same point used to work for Keir Starmer. But do Gove’s arguments make much sense? Time again to forensically examine a single article.

Get tickets here for the York Book Festival with Steve Richards and Alan Johnson on Tuesday March 24th.

Rock & Roll Politics is at the Cambridge Literary Festival on Saturday April 25th.

And you can get your tickets for Rock & Roll Politics -The Election Special, at Kings Place on Monday May 11th here.

Subscribe to Patreon for live events, bonus podcasts and to get the regular podcast a day early and ad free. 


Written and presented by Steve Richards.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


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: 50

Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards
Podcast Episodes
Can Andy Burnham win the by-election? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:37
After a week of high political drama, some raging questions are answered. Starmer wants to stay, Streeting has resigned, and Burnham has a route to the Commons. But now another question arises - can he win?To join in the…
Who can lead the ‘people’s revolt’? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:36
All leaders and potential leaders agree the urgent need to move on from what Keir Starmer calls vaguely ‘the status quo’. Nigel Farage claims to lead ‘the people’s revolt’ against the status quo. But why should he have t…
Election Special - Who can meet the voters’ hunger for ‘change’? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:13
Labour is slaughtered in spite of promising ‘change’ in a country desperate to move on from the failures of the past. But does Starmer - or potential successors - know what they mean by change? And does Farage?To join in…
How will Reform and the Greens respond to electoral success? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:00
Reform and the Greens are expected to make stunning gains in this week's elections. But will either party be ready to develop coherent and credible policies - in line with their very different values - by the time of the…
Is Britain ungovernable? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:04
With another prime minister fighting for his political life, some commentators argue that the job has become impossible. Since 2016 there have been six prime ministers. But is the context suddenly impossibly challenging,…
How vulnerable is Keir Starmer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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.…
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…