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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

You can find the article here: politicshome.com/opinion/arti... And if you would like a signed copy of the book (including free delivery in the UK), you can order one here: buy.stripe.com/6oU8wQ2wv7Nh...

politicshome.com

The Professor Will See You Now: Defenestration

Lessons in political science. This week: defenestration

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I'm very grateful to @philipjcowley.bsky.social for mentioning my book, 'Coronations & Defenestrations', in his latest column for @thehousemag.bsky.social. The 'The Professor Will See You Now' articles are always a must-read, so I was chuffed to see my name in one!

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I don't find the argument that she was slavish to the ruling party - either when it was Tory or Labour - compelling at all. You could argue her traditionalism was slavish to the establishment, but there aee plenty of other arguments that she could and did make for it.

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Hear Richard and I discuss her life, success and legacy on the 'Since Attlee & Churchill' podcast. Available on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5e83... Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w... YouTube: youtu.be/TlLGSRdSlto Or ad-free on our Patreon: patreon.com/SinceAttleeA...

open.spotify.com

What made Betty Boothroyd such a successful Speaker?

Since Attlee & Churchill · Episode

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST: What made Betty Boothroyd such a successful Speaker? Boothroyd was the first woman to become Speaker of the House of Commons - and from the Speaker's chair became one of the most popular and recognisable figures in British politics. But what made her so successful in the role? 1/2

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angerj.eurosky.social @angerj.eurosky.social · 02/09/2026

I've just listened to this podcast. What an insight into the life of Margaret Bondfield as well as to the social history of the time. I invite you to settle down with a cuppa ....#womenshistory

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Thank you for listening and for sharing the episode! Very glad you enjoyed it.

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Dr Nigel Fletcher @nigelfletcher.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I hugely enjoyed joining Richard and Lee on their excellent podcast- do take a listen (and not just to my episode!)

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/09jE... Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s... YouTube: youtu.be/94u8m5vOk8I Or on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/SinceAttleeA...

open.spotify.com

Summer Book Club: Churchill's Queen

Since Attlee & Churchill · Episode

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

... their very different ways of understanding the decline of the British Empire and the disagreements that punctuated their relationship. We finish by considering how different the beginning of Elizabeth II's reign might have been if Clement Attlee had remained PM instead. 3/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

In his book, Nigel explores how their relationship developed even before Elizabeth's accession in 1952, with Churchill playing an influential role in her early life. And in our discussion, we explore the personal relationship between the two as Prime Minister and Sovereign... 2/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST: Churchill's Queen In the final episode of the Since Attlee & Churchill Summer Book Club, Richard and I are joined by @nigelfletcher.bsky.social, author of 'Churchill's Queen: The Remarkable Friendship That Shaped Our Age'. 1/4

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Nan Sloane @nansloane.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I had a lovely time talking about Margaret Bondfield with @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social and Richard Johnson for the Since Attlee and Churchill Summer Book Club. You can get it from most of the usual outlets and we covered lots of aspects of her life and politics. Have a listen and enjoy!

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James @northamptonian.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Bondfield was MP for Northampton. Supported in her campaign by GB Shaw and Basset-Lowke, pictured here outside the Rennie Mackintosh house on Derngate. Remembered still by a statue in town, and a hall of residence at the university.

Statue of Bondfield in the Guildhall open square amongst other town worthies such as Walter Tull

GBS and the Basset-Lowkes on the doorstep of the Charles Rennie Macintosh house on Derngate, now a tourist attraction.

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Peter Hutchinson @catus14.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

My mother, growing up in a pit village on Tyneside, got into politics aged 5, marching and chanting Vote, Vote, Vote For Maggie Bondfield. That memory and beliefs stayed with her for 80 years.

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Available now wherever you get your podcasts. Just search 'Since Attlee & Churchill.' Or listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6CF6... Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s... YouTube: youtu.be/hURsFeBfZ1I Or ad-free on our Patreon: patreon.com/SinceAttleeA...

open.spotify.com

Summer Book Club: Margaret Bondfield

Since Attlee & Churchill · Episode

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

... to her rise through the trade union movement, as well as her Christian faith and likely lesbianism. Finally, we explore her controversial time as Minister of Labour during 1929–31, her relationship with Ramsay MacDonald, and the reasons why she subsequently faded from public memory. 3/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

... to speak from the despatch box in the House of Commons, the first woman Privy Counsellor and the first woman Cabinet Minister. But her life is much more than a series of remarkable firsts. In this episode, we discuss Bondfield's difficult childhood and early working life through... 2/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST: Margaret Bondfield In this episode of the Since Attlee & Churchill Summer Book Club, Richard and I are joined by @nansloane.bsky.social, author of 'Margaret Bondfield: The Life and Times of Britain’s First Female Cabinet Minister.' Margaret Bondfield was the first woman... 1/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The book is available to buy now, and if you would like a signed copy you can get one here. 👉 buy.stripe.com/6oU8wQ2wv7Nh...

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Obviously, WhatsApp didn't exist in 1963, but if it had... The actual story of this extraordinary episode in political history - the battle to succeed Harold Macmillan - is told in my new book, 'Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and Losing) Tory Leaders'. Available now.

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

I haven't - I'd be interested to know more!

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

... Against that backdrop, the goal set out by Stanley Baldwin, one of the greatest One Nation Tories of all, to “make one nation of our own people”, is as noble as it ever was and arguably much more urgent." www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08...

telegraph.co.uk

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

... many younger people feel that their parents and grandparents have enjoyed privileges that they will never have... ... three decades of unprecedented inward migration have stretched the social fabric in parts of the country... ... devolution [is] pulling the home nations ever further apart...

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

From my piece for @telegraph.co.uk on how I think the One Nation tradition should be applied to politics today: "The great tragedy is that One Nation Conservatism, properly conceived, still has a lot to offer politics... "Pay, education and life expectancy across the regions... varies wildly...

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Listen now on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5xBD... Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w... YouTube: youtu.be/-IoYcZ_InhY And ad-free on our Patreon: patreon.com/SinceAttleeA...

open.spotify.com

Who was the last MP to disclaim a hereditary peerage?

Since Attlee & Churchill · Episode

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

... Douglas-Hamilton spent most of his life in politics. So we ask: what motivated him? What did he achieve during his long career in public service? And, perhaps most curiously of all: how and why did he become the last MP to disclaim a hereditary peerage? Available now. 3/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

... the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Scottish Parliament, earning a reputation in each for courtesy and quiet effectiveness. Born the grandson of two Dukes and educated at Eton and Oxford... 2/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST: Who was the last MP to disclaim a hereditary peerage? In the latest episode of Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard and I discuss the remarkable life of James Douglas-Hamilton. A Scottish Tory politician, he had the rare distinction of serving in three legislative chambers... 1/4

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

... come and go with increasing speed? Hear us discuss those issues - and more - on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6axC... Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s... YouTube: youtu.be/Tvn9kfYmRvc Patreon: patreon.com/SinceAttleeA...

open.spotify.com

Summer Book Club: Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders

Since Attlee & Churchill · Episode

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Was the old system of "emergence" really as undemocratic as is often portrayed? Why did Harold Macmillan's handling of the 1963 succession bring that system to an end? And did William Hague's 1998 reforms create the instability that has seen Conservative leaders...

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST: Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders In the latest edition of our podcast Since Attlee & Churchill, Richard interviews me about my new book on the Tory leadership. We explore how the Conservative Party has picked – and ditched - its leaders. 1/4

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TheKnightIrish @theknightirish.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

It’s here! @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social’s book on the most efficient users of the political guillotine. As the Tories settle down to a period of consistent leadership after the tumult of Cameron to Sunak (move over French Revolution!) I’m looking forward to getting into this. #histbookchat

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

We cover everything from the NHS to education, welfare to crime, housing to globalisation, and ask: can Blair's legacy still be felt in Britain today? Available on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/38gI... Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s... And on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxd0...

open.spotify.com

Summer Book Club: New Labour, New Britain?

Since Attlee & Churchill · Episode

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST: New Labour, New Britain? Almost twenty years after Tony Blair left Downing Street, how should we judge the record of New Labour? In our latest 'Since Attlee & Churchill' podcast, Richard and I are joined by @gsoh31.bsky.social to discuss his book, 'New Labour, New Britain?' 1/2

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Marie Coronel @mariecoronelsd.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

‘Burnham’s coronation comes with a catch.’ @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social on Andy Burnham’s path to become Leader of the Labour Party & the United Kingdom’s next Prime Minister. Via @capx.co. #UnitedKingdom capx.co/burnhams-cor...

capx.co

Burnham’s coronation comes with a catch

No leadership contest means no debate about what comes next for Labour

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Spotted in the wild! - at Blackwell's Bookshops, Oxford.

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

🎉 It's publication day +1! I missed posting about it here yesterday, but my book - Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and Losing) Tory Leaders - is now published with @agendapub.bsky.social and @edinburghup.bsky.social. If you'd like to give it a read, you can find it... 1/2

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7v0P... Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c... YouTube: youtu.be/3AGhUy5swcU And on our Patreon (where you can hear the show ad-free and find bonus episodes, too): www.patreon.com/SinceAttleeA...

open.spotify.com

Cameron’s Referendums Ep 3 of 3: Brexit

Since Attlee & Churchill · Episode

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

... the approach he took to negotiating a new deal with Europe... ... and how the referendum campaign eventually unfolded. We also consider some of the similarities and differences with the 1975 European referendum. The episode is available now wherever you get your podcasts. Or see next tweet.

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

🚨 NEW PODCAST: The Brexit Referendum Richard and I have reached the finale of our miniseries on Cameron’s referendums. In this episode, we discuss why Cameron promised to hold a referendum... ... the circumstances in which he made good on that pledge...

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

‘It is hard to imagine Starmer being a boisterous ex-PM. After all, what ideas would he advocate for? If anybody knew - if he knew - then he may not have just resigned as prime minister.’ I’ve written for @unherd.com on what Keir Starmer might do next. unherd.com/newsroom/wil...

unherd.com

Will Keir Starmer become the secretary general of the UN?

In 2023, Emily Maitlis asked Keir Starmer the question that revealed more about his failed premiership than any other: which does he prefer, Davos or Westminster? For most politicians, the choice betw...

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Well, I'm glad I haven't just written a history of Labour leadership contests... I'm hoping this Tory version will be 'up to date' for some time yet!

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

The formal party mechanisms for triggering a leadership contest have never yet brought down a prime minister ... but nor do prime ministers go by choice. Most voluntary resignations are involuntary" Harold Wilson’s departure half a century ago in 1976 is the last truly voluntary resignation

The formal party mechanisms for triggering a leadership contest have never yet brought down a prime minister: Theresa May and Johnson both survived a no-confidence vote of their Conservative party MPs. Yet both found themselves forced to resign soon after, within a month in Johnson’s case.

But nor do prime ministers tend to go by choice, either. Harold Wilson’s departure half a century ago in 1976 is the last truly voluntary resignation, where a prime minister controlled the timing, and surprised his party and the public. Most voluntary resignations are involuntary, though they can have shorter or longer timelines.

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

An exciting moment: the first copies of my book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations’, arrived today! It’s the story of how the Conservatives have picked (and ditched) their leaders throughout history, to be published by @agendapub.bsky.social (@edinburghup.bsky.social) at the end of this month.

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Lee David Evans @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Such an honour to be at the installation service for the Order of the Garter yesterday, and to see the incomparable Peter Hennessy join their ranks.

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