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Politically

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.

Radio 4,21 episodes

Episodes

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Postwar
Trailer
David Runciman tells the story of the 1945 election and the dawn of a new age.
04 Jun 2025,2 mins
Postwar
1. The Rejection
Why did Winston Churchill find himself so decisively rejected by the electorate?
09 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
2. Mr Churchill and Mr Attlee
With the war in Europe at an end, Churchill and Attlee became fierce election rivals.
10 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
3. The Beveridge Report
William Beveridge's plan was an answer to the question of what we were fighting for.
11 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
4. Public Opinion
How could politicians know what voters were thinking in 1945?
12 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
5. The Soldiers' Election
During the 1945 election, there were still almost five million servicemen and women.
13 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
6. Appealing to Women
How did the 1945 election reflect the dramatically changed working lives of women?
16 Jun 2025,15 mins
Postwar
7. The Labour Manifesto
Uniquely in modern British history, the 1945 Labour Manifesto was a genuine bestseller.
17 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
8. Healthcare for All
The war changed many things, and access to healthcare was one of them.
18 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
9. Churchill's 'Gestapo' Broadcast
Churchill's first election broadcast in 1945 might be remembered as his greatest gaffe.
19 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
10. India and Empire
The question of self-government for India would have to be confronted when war was over.
20 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
11. Homes for Heroes
The 1945 election was fought and decided over two main issues: demobilisation and housing.
23 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
12. Art, War and Propaganda
With the creation of the Arts Council in 1945, on-going state patronage of the arts began.
24 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
13. From Yalta to Potsdam
Between the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, everything changed.
25 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
14. United Nations
Both main parties supported the United Nations, but they disagreed about what that meant.
26 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
15. Debt to America
In 1945, Britain was the most indebted country in the world.
27 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
16. The Result
The immediate result of the general election in 1945 was silence: a three-week hiatus.
30 Jun 2025,14 mins
Postwar
17. A New Jerusalem?
How much of Britain’s past were Labour willing to jettison in 1945?
01 Jul 2025,14 mins
Postwar
18. Churchill: Lion in Winter
What happened to Winston Churchill in the years after the 1945 general election?
02 Jul 2025,14 mins
Postwar
19. Post-postwar
When did the postwar period end?
03 Jul 2025,14 mins
Postwar
20. What if?
What would Britain have been like if Winston Churchill had won the 1945 general election?
04 Jul 2025,14 mins