Free Thinking

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Free Thinking: Left and Right - still relevant in British and Global Politics?

Left and Right - still relevant in British and Global Politics?

BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Left and Right - still relevant in British and Global Politics?

Margaret MacMillan, David Aaronovitch, Phillip Blond and Gisela Stuart join Matthew Sweet.

Are the terms left and right relevant when discussing British and global politics? Matthew Sweet talks to Margaret MacMillan, David Aaronovitch, Phillip Blond and Gisela Stuart.

British politics has long been defined by the labels of left and right but the terms are now often seen as defunct with research showing voters increasingly struggle to identify policies as being from one wing or another.
We look at the historical origins of the terms and whether it is parties,  voters, or both who have shifted in recent years. Our guests, the cross bench peer Gisela Stuart who heads the Foreign Office Executive Agency Wilton Park, Author and broadcaster David Aaronovitch, right wing thinker Phillip Blond from the ResPublica Think Tank and Margaret MacMillan, Emeritus Professor of International History at Oxford University,  will talk about their own political journeys as well as discussing the wider geo political environment and the future of liberal democracy.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Studio Manager: Andrew Garrett.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Left and Right - still relevant in British and Global Politics?

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