Share
Why Bother? Podcast
Exploring the people at the fringes of the mainstream - Series 1: Britain's Smallest Political Parties
Latest episode
4. Episode Four: Liberal Party
38:29In this episode I spoke to the Liberal Party. The term ‘liberal’ is startlingly infrequent in British political discourse, much to the contrast of our American cousins. In the past 40 years, those identifying as liberals have played a key role in determining the outcome of UK general elections, be that through the SDP or Lib Dems. Now, however, the movement has been pushed to the fringes of mainstream policy making. I spoke to Liberal Party leader and councillor in Liverpool Steve Radford, to discuss the state of Liberalism, the Party’s roots its links to the US Democrats and UKIP.
More episodes
View all episodes
3. Episode Three: Wessex Regionalists
29:40In this episode, I spoke to the Wessex Regionalists. We explored localism on the Yorkshire Party podcast earlier this series and I first found Wessex to be in a peculiar position to the typical model of region-focused parties. This is chiefly because, I suspect, that the vast majority of the population would struggle to draw Wessex on a map or really know what it is. I wanted to find out how this identity fitted into 21st century Britain and how a party dedicated to it could play a role in our political culture. I spoke to Nick, Jim and David from the party’s leadership.
2. Episode Two: Animal Welfare Party
45:08I spoke to the Animal Welfare Party. From a basic if maybe crude standpoint, the rights of animals appears to be something the population generally agrees with. So turning broad, if inactive, support into votes at the ballot box for this singular issue could be an incredibly tough act. What I found was a party fighting both of these assumptions, tooth and nail. I spoke to Vanessa, Jane and Gavin from the party leadership.
1. Episode One: Yorkshire Party
39:21During this series, I will be speaking to some of Britain’s smallest political parties, to ask them what motivates for a cause that can often only be rewarded by a handful of votes and a lost deposit.In the first episode, I spoke to the Yorkshire Party. Follow @Why_Bother_Pod on Twitter.
Trailer
00:51Series One of Why Bother? Podcast is out soon. Join Marc for a sneak preview of the upcoming episodes with some of Britain's smallest political parties...