Coffee House Shots: why by-elections matter episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 23, 2026 · 16 MIN

Coffee House Shots: why by-elections matter

from Best of the Spectator

Two titans of broadcasting – LBC’s Iain Dale and Sky's Jon Craig – join deputy political editor James Heale for a whistle-stop tour of British by-elections. From Oxford City in 1938 to Chesterfield in 1984 right up to Runcorn in 2025, why do by-elections matter? When have they been most significant? And are longer vote counts the product of fractured politics in the modern age?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two titans of broadcasting – LBC’s Iain Dale and Sky's Jon Craig – join deputy political editor James Heale for a whistle-stop tour of British by-elections. From Oxford City in 1938 to Chesterfield in 1984 right up to Runcorn in 2025, why do by-elections matter? When have they been most significant? And are longer vote counts the product of fractured politics in the modern age?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NOW PLAYING

Coffee House Shots: why by-elections matter

0:00 16:27

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Best of the Spectator?

This episode is 16 minutes long.

When was this Best of the Spectator episode published?

This episode was published on February 23, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Two titans of broadcasting – LBC’s Iain Dale and Sky's Jon Craig – join deputy political editor James Heale for a whistle-stop tour of British by-elections. From Oxford City in 1938 to Chesterfield in 1984 right up to Runcorn in 2025, why do...

Can I download this Best of the Spectator episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!