David Runciman tells the story of one of the biggest shocks in British parliamentary history: the 1945 election and the dawn of a new age. Listen on BBC Sounds from Monday 9 Jun 2025

19 years as a member of parliament, 6 cabinet positions, 5 general elections and serving under 4 prime ministers. During his political career, Michael Gove pretty much saw and did it all. As he says himself, no-one in politics is a conscript. He and others are volunteers who willingly choose their fate. But office can and does take its toll and in this five part series, Michael talks candidly with politicians from different parties about the strengths and skills needed to survive when things get tough.

Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Clare Fordham Sound recordists: Jack Graysmark and Hannah Montgomery Mixed by James Beard Production co-ordinators: Janet Staples, Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck

Listen to all episodes from Monday 21 October 2024 on BBC Sounds.

Welcome to Politically, BBC Radio 4’s home for insightful, inside takes on how politics and power really work.

The clips are taken from:

Surviving Politics with Michael Gove Reflections

The former Green Party leader speaks to James Naughtie about her years in Parliament, and how it feels to see her party thrive just as she stands down.

In fourteen years, Caroline Lucas never held ministerial office and so had to find other ways to exercise power and influence. She discusses working with others, listening to people you disagree with, and getting arrested for your beliefs.

Producers: Giles Edwards and Najiba Feroz.

The former Chancellor reflects with James Naughtie on tough choices and political resurrection.

Jeremy Hunt held four Cabinet jobs - including almost six years as Health Secretary, and then Foreign Secretary under Theresa May. After he was defeated by Boris Johnson in their battle for the Conservative leadership, he thought his ministerial career was over, only to be called back by Liz Truss after her mini-budget.

In this episode of Reflections he discusses all that with James Naughtie, as well as a famous radio moment the two shared.

Producers: Giles Edwards and Joel Massey.

The former Governor of California oversaw the world's fifth largest economy for sixteen years, ran three times for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, and over the course of his public life has known every president from John F. Kennedy to Donald Trump.

In this interview with James Naughtie, Jerry Brown reflects on the importance of limits in the Jesuitical and Buddhist traditions, and how he took that idea into politics; on how his views on forgiveness informed his decisions to commute the sentences of people on California's Death Row; and on why if, in his words, you believe that inclination of the soul is to sin "you have to be somewhat sceptical about politics".

Producer: Giles Edwards.

In the decade since the Brexit referendum, much has been said about the effect the decision to leave had on the UK. But what is the view from Europe? What did the EU make of Britain's decision to leave the European Union, and how have they adapted in the years since?

Alex Forsyth speaks to Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, and Jannike Wachowiak, a Research Assistant at UK in a Changing Europe, about the EU's relationship with Britain today and their appetite for reintegration.

Presenter: Alex Forsyth Producers: Ben Carter and Mhairi MacKenzie Editor: Richard Vadon Studio engineer and sound mix: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley

There’s no doubting just how divisive Brexit was. Whatever side of the debate you sat on, the strength of feeling ran high. It split opinion, ruptured political parties and toppled Prime Ministers. In the years after the referendum the country watched while Westminster was dominated by intense wrangling , and much of Whitehall’s bandwidth was focused on Brexit. New political identities emerged - leavers and remainers - and in 2019, an entire General Election was dominated by Brexit.

Alex Forsyth speaks to Paula Surridge, Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Bristol and Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester, about the political climate pre and post-Brexit, and what we can learn about how it continues to shape our politics today.

Presenter: Alex Forsyth Producers: Ben Carter and Mhairi MacKenzie Editor: Richard Vadon Studio engineer and sound mix: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley