Never Mind The Bar Charts

Internet advertising does not have the best of reputations. But when it comes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ability to slip adverts telling the truth pass the eyes of Russian regulators makes it a way of battling Putin's disinformation campaigns. So for the the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts I spoke with Rob Blackie, the public front for a network of volunteers who are running online adverts to get the truth to ordinary Russians.
 
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
 
Show notes
 
Donate to the advertising campaign here.
Marina Ovsyannikova protests on Russian TV.
TV host blocks one minute silence for Russian war dead.
Why internet censorship struggles with some words.
Rob's previous appearances on the podcast.
Rob Blackie on Twitter.
Photo by Mathias P.R. Reding on Pexels.com.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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It was great to welcome back Professor Rob Ford for the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts and to discuss with him both the long-term trends shaping British politics and how they may or may not be seen off by short term factors, such as a birthday cake.
 
Which means we also got into how grim, or not, the future looks for the Conservative Party. Take a listen to find out what we concluded...
 
 
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
 
Show notes
 
Rob Ford's previous appearance on the podcast to talk about his book, Brexitland.
His co-author Maria Sobolewska also talking about the book.
How Australia got compulsory voting.
Ipsos-MORI leader ratings.
The Daily Express front page being cited by Boris Johnson loyalists.
How I was partly right but also massively wrong about Boris Johnson in 2019.
Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics by Rob Ford and Maria Sobolewska: Bookshop.org (independent bookshops) / Waterstones / Amazon.*
The British General Election of 2019 by Rob Ford, Tim Bale, Will Jennings and Paula Surridge: Bookshop.org (independent bookshop) /  Amazon / Waterstones.*
Professor Rob Ford on Twitter.
Cake photo by jgojtan from Pixabay.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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* This list includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.
 

The most excellent Lib Dem Pod team have just done a show on what 2022 holds for the Liberal Democrats with myself, Lib Dem chief executive Mike Dixon and party leader Ed Davey. So here it is for Never Mind The Bar Charts listeners too, including my biggest mistake since being elected President and what baffles me most about the party...
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Our plan for 2022 - my January report to party members.
The Lib Dem Pod podcast.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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To discuss Helen Morgan's stunning victory in the North Shropshire by-election, I welcomed Professor Tim Bale back to Never Mind The Bar Charts. We discussed what happened, its causes and the likely consequences. Here's what we made of it all.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Helen Morgan wins.
Alan Wager on tactical voting.
Caitlin Milazzo on political leaflets.
Sam Coates interview of Boris Johnson.
Tim Bale on Twitter.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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It was lovely to welcome Paula Surridge back to Never Mind The Bar Charts. She is one of Britain’s experts on how people’s values influence their political and voting choices. She’s also one of the authors of a new book about the 2019 general election so one of the topics we discussed was why Boris Johnson won, before going on to why the Liberal Democrats, er..., didn't.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Previous episode with Paula Surridge: What Chesham and Amersham tells us about the future for the Liberal Democrats.
Previous episode with Rob Ford: Culture wars, Brexit and electoral reform.
Previous episode with Maria Sobolewska: Brexitland - The long-term factors shaping our politics, and what they mean for the future.
The curious story of compulsory voting in Australia.
Polling UnPacked
Previous episode with Alan Wager: Unleash the bar charts! Tactical voting and the next general election.
John Curtice on the impact of Revoke.
Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics by Maria Sobolewska and Rob Ford: Waterstones / Amazon / Bookshop (independent bookshops).*
Paula Surridge on Twitter.
Photo by Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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Tactical voting took centre stage in the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts as I discussed the thought-provoking pamphlet Breaching the Blue Wall: could tactical voting help England's 'progressive' parties defeat the Conservatives? with one of its authors, Dr. Alan Wager.
We focus on politics in England, but much of what we discuss is also applicable more widely too.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Breaching the Blue Wall - the pamphlet discussed in the show.
Tactical voting research #1 - many voters don't know the tactical situation in their seat.
Tactical voting research #2 - the impact of tactical voting websites.
Paula Surridge's words of wisdom on understanding British politics.
That top-rating previous podcast with Tim Bale.
Alan Wager on Twitter.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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It's back to more serious matters in this episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts after last time's board game review - the role of money in British politics. I was delighted to have on the show Professor Justin Fisher, one of the country's leading experts on the topic and someone whose research into grassroots politics makes him a better informed expert than many on what really goes inside political parties.
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
Jeremy Thorpe's role in unlocking the beast of national political spending.
The independent who got elected as an MP by campaigning to protect a hospital.
The Elections Bill.
Justin Fisher's blog post mentioning John O'Farrell and karaoke.
Justin Fisher's work on non-members helping in election campaigns.
Tim Bale on the upsides of getting non-members involved formally in parties.
Justin Fisher on Twitter.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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Something a little different from the latest episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts: a board game review with Jim Williams. A political board game, of course.
It'd be great to hear what you think of this game review. Should Jim and I play more games and talk about them in future episodes?
Show notes
Get your own copy of 1960: The Making of the President.
Eugene Burdick.
My cunning advantage over Jim.
Canadian Check Shirt Guy (aka Rodney Smith) reviews 1960: The Making of the President on YouTube.
How Nixon's poor shaving helped lose him the 1960 election.
The famous Nixon/Khrushchev photo.
Make Votes Matter - campaigning for electoral reform in the UK.
If Then: How One Data Company Invented the Future by Jill Lepore: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon.*
Codenames and 13 Days.*
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
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* This list includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.

 
There’s a new book of political alternative histories out called Prime Minister Priti: And other things that never happened. One of its editors is a Liberal Democrat. So who better to have back on Never Mind The Bar Charts than that editor… Duncan Brack.
 
Listen to us discuss how Eric Joyce having one drink too many caused Brexit (perhaps), what the appeal is of political counter-factuals, our favourite chapters from this book and how one change in the events of 1923 could have led to a very different political history for the Liberal Party.
 
 
 
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
 
Show notes
 
Our earlier episodes talking about Lord John Russell, Jo Grimond and David Steel.
My contributions to previous volumes: what if the 1832 Great Reform Act had never happened (full chapter) and what if Chris Huhne had beaten Nick Clegg in the 2007 Lib Dem leadership contest?
Prime Minister Priti: And other things that never happened edited by Duncan Brack and Iain Dale: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
Prime Minister Corbyn: And Other Things That Never Happened edited by Duncan Brack and Iain Dale: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
The Prime Ministers We Never Had: Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn by Steve Richards: Bookshop (independent bookshops) / Amazon / Waterstones.*
The Prime Ministers Who Never Were: A collection of counterfactuals edited by Francis Beckett: Amazon / Waterstones.*
Duncan Brack on Twitter.
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
 
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* This list includes affiliate links which generate a commission for each sale made.
 

What happens at Lib Dem party conference? What's it like attending one? What are likely to be the big debates at this September's federal conference? What are the hidden gems to look out for?
With the 2021 Liberal Democrat Federal Conference coming up and a special registration offer of just £1 for first time conference attendees, I joined Cllr John Potter and the Lib Dem Pod team for a special live show previewing conference. Whether you've never come to conference before, or have been going for many decades, the show will have something for you.
 
Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it.
Show notes
It's only £1 to register for conference if you've not come to one before.
That photo of a young colleague.
The most excellent Lib Dem Pod.
Theme tune by Hugo Lee.
New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts.
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Share the show's website, www.NeverMindTheBarCharts.com.