Never Mind The Bar Charts

Many attempts at reforming the House of Lords have been made. Many attempts have failed.
So what can would-be reformers learn from the failures of their predecessors to achieve more?
Professor Meg Russell, director of the Constitution Unit at UCL, joined me to share her expertise on this in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Listeners may wish to enjoy her correcting me on voting systems.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
 
Show notes
Meg Russell on the podcast previously, talking about reforming the House of Commons.
The Changing Role of the House of Lords: the Constitution Unit's research on the House of Lords.
The House of Lords Appointments Commission.
The Parliamentary Battle over Brexit by Meg Russell and Lisa James: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
The Constitution Unit on Twitter.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
Photo courtesy of UK Parliament (used under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0).
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It was a warm welcome back to Professor Tim Bale for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. We revisited the five tests for opposition parties we've discussed before. How have Labour and the Lib Dems been performing against them?
Take a listen to find out...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Our original discussion of five tests for opposition parties.
Our December 2020 and March 2022 updates.
Jon Mellon's research into how well people know the result last time in their own constituency.
The YouGov 0-10 voting propensity tracker.
Pre-order Tim Bale's new book, The Conservative Party After Brexit: Turmoil and Transformation: Amazon.*
Tim Bale on Twitter.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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I recently appeared on the No Man's Land podcast, which describes itself as a, "pod on politics and centrism, for those stuck between political trenches". But rather than talk about whether or not the Liberal Democrats should aim to be centrist, we talked political polling.
Hope you enjoy the conversation, which we recorded before Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
No Man's Land podcast.
Host Steve O'Neil on Twitter.
My book, Polling UnPacked.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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A nice easy question for me and Callum Robertson to chew over in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts. Here's what we made of it...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Labour NEC member deselected as a councillor.
The core vote argument.
Michael Crick's Twitter account tracking Parliamentary selection contests.
Callum Robertson on Twitter.
For a Fair Deal: the Lib Dem plan for the UK.
Sam Seaborn on taxing the rich on The West Wing.
Electoral Shocks: The Volatile Voter in a Turbulent World by Edward Fieldhouse and others: Amazon, Bookshop, Waterstones.* 
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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I joined John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod team for a special show looking at why the party cancelled its autumn federal conference in Brighton. We talked about the decision with Federal Conference Committee Chair, Cllr Nick da Costa, Cllr Hannah Kitching and PPC Laura Gordon. 
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Why conference was cancelled and the alternatives considered.
Latest information on hotel and travel refunds.
The Lib Dem Pod podcast.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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Podcast favourite Tim Bale has a new book out about how Brexit happened - both why the referendum was called and then why it was lost. Discussing his book on the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts we get into how the real trigger of Brexit was the Blue Wall, not the Red Wall. Take a listen to find out why...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Tim Bale on Twitter.
Michael Crick's Twitter account about MP selections.
Jonathan Portes's article on what Leave campaigners promised on immigration.
Brexit: an accident waiting to happen? Why David Cameron called the 2016 Referendum - and why he lost it by Tim Bale: Amazon.*
For the record by David Cameron: Amazon, Bookshop, Waterstones.* 
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash.
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* Includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.

What are Conservative Party members like? Who are they going to pick for party leader? And what does it mean for the Liberal Democrats?
Find out in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts, where I teamed up again with the Lib Dem Pod and ace expert, Professor Tim Bale.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
The Lib Dem Pod.
Tim Bale on Twitter.
How do you make someone join a political party? One of the previous top shows with Professor Tim Bale.
Footsoldiers: political party membership in the 21st century - one of Tim Bale's great studies of party membership with colleagues: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon.*
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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How much more of a spring in our step should Liberal Democrats have after the Tiverton and Honiton win, and what are the lessons for the party?
After discussing this last week with the Lib Dem Pod team, for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts I invited back an outside expert, political scientist Paula Surridge.
Let's see how much cold water Paula has to pour on Lib Dem hopes...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
One, two, three Liberal Democrat Parliamentary by-election victories.
Last year's popular episode with Paula after Chesham & Amersham.
Graph from Will Jennings on the predictive power of Parliamentary by-elections. 
The similarities between North Shropshire and Tiverton & Honiton: Paula Surridge's two graphs - one and two. 
More in Common's polling and focus groups on trans rights.
Follow council by-election results.
UK in a Changing Europe website.
Follow Paula Surridge on Twitter.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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I joined the Lib Dem Pod team shortly after the amazing win for Richard Foord in Tiverton & Honiton to discuss how it happened and what it means. See what Sam, Richard, John and I made of the result...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Richard Foord's amazing win.
The wonderful Frank Doran.
The Lib Dem Pod - do go have a listen to their other episodes.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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I was really lucky to have Professor Jane Green as my guest for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts as she's co-author of an important new report into British politics: "Red Wall, Red Herring? Economic Insecurity and Voting Intention in Britain".
Along the way she politely demolished some of what I've said in the past and provided pointers for what the Liberal Democrats should do in the future.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Red Wall, Red Herring? - full report from Jane Green and Roosmarijn de Geus.
One of the key findings from the report.
Will British politics become less volatile, and how important is ideology? - previous episode with Jane Green.
Professor Jane Green on Twitter.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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