The Presidents & Prime Ministers
LBC
Season One of ‘The Presidents & Prime Ministers brought to life all 55 of Britain's Prime Ministers through interviews with the authors of all 55 essays in Iain Dale’s book The Prime Ministers: Three Hundred Years of History. From the obscure 18th-century figures like the Earl of Shelburne and Henry Pelham to 20th-century titans like Churchill and Thatcher, these podcasts provide a much-needed reminder about their motivations, failures and achievements. Season Two, commencing in November 2021 gives the same treatment to the 45 US Presidents from George Washington through to Joe Biden, with each episode featuring an interview with the author of the essay about a President in Iain Dale’s book ‘The Presidents’. In September 2022 Season Three will feature Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chancellors from countries such as Russia, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, China, India and many other countries. Buy signed copies of ‘The Prime Ministers’ and ‘The Presidents’ at http://www.politicos.co.uk.
- 32 minutes 23 seconds228. Napoleon III – France (1852-70)
Iain Dale talks to Sir Robert Buckland about the French Emperor who failed to live up to the reputation of his namesake predecessor.
15 December 2025, 12:45 am - 27 minutes 22 seconds227. Liz Truss – 2022-22
I talk to Liz Truss’s biographer, James Heale, about Britain’s 56th and shortest serving prime minister.
8 December 2025, 12:45 am - 47 minutes 6 seconds226. Simon Harris – Ireland (2024-25)
In order to complete the Irish Taoiseach podcast series, Iain Dale talks to Irish Times Political Editor Pat Leahy about the 16th Irish Taoiseach, Simon Harris.
1 December 2025, 12:45 am - 36 minutes 14 seconds225. Bashar Al-Assad – Syria (2000-24)
Iain Dale talks to former Conservative MP Brooks Newmark about the rule of the Syrian dictator who eventually fled to exile in Moscow. Brooks met Assad on nine occasions.
24 November 2025, 11:57 am - 40 minutes 43 seconds224. Josef Stalin - Soviet Union (1924-53)
Iain Daie talks to Lewis Goodall about the life and brutal rule of the man who ruled the Soviet Union for close on three decades.
Buy a signed copy of THE DICTATORS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024
Buy a signed copy of THE PRIME MINISTERS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-prime-ministers-edited-by-iain-dale-paperback-coming-on-august-26-2022-signed-copy
Buy a signed copy of THE PRESIDENTS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-presidents-signed-by-iain-dale
Buy a signed copy of KINGS & QUEENS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/kings-queens-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-in-novemer-2023
Buy a signed copy of THE TAOISEACH here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-irish-taoiseach-ed-iain-dale-coming-31-october-2026
3 November 2025, 12:45 am - 39 minutes 23 seconds223. Hendrik Verwoerd - South Africa (1958-1966)
Iain Dale talks to Simon marks about the Father of apartheid in South Africa.
27 October 2025, 12:45 am - 38 minutes 11 seconds222. Napoleon Bonaparte – France (1799-1814, 1815)
Iain Dale talks to political historian Alex Puffette about the French Emperor who is one of the most famous dictators in world history.
Buy a signed copy of THE DICTATORS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024
Buy a signed copy of THE PRIME MINISTERS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-prime-ministers-edited-by-iain-dale-paperback-coming-on-august-26-2022-signed-copy
Buy a signed copy of THE PRESIDENTS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-presidents-signed-by-iain-dale
Buy a signed copy of KINGS & QUEENS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/kings-queens-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-in-novemer-2023
Buy a signed copy of THE TAOISEACH here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-irish-taoiseach-ed-iain-dale-coming-31-october-2026
20 October 2025, 1:00 am - 28 minutes 12 seconds221. Isaias Afwerki – Eritrea (1991-)
Iain Dale talks to Justin King about the Eritrean dictator Isaias Afwerki, who is now 79, but has clung to power for more than 30 years.
29 September 2025, 1:00 am - 44 minutes 42 seconds220. Saddam Hussein – Iraq (1979-2003)
Iain Dale talks to Nadhim Zahawi about the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Nadhim spent the first 11 years of his life living under Saddam before his family left Iraq for the UK
Buy a signed copy of THE DICTATORS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-dictators-a-warning-from-history-edited-by-iain-dale-signe-copy-coming-in-2024
Buy a signed copy of THE PRIME MINISTERS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-prime-ministers-edited-by-iain-dale-paperback-coming-on-august-26-2022-signed-copy
Buy a signed copy of THE PRESIDENTS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-presidents-signed-by-iain-dale
Buy a signed copy of KINGS & QUEENS here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/kings-queens-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-in-novemer-2023
Buy a signed copy of THE TAOISEACH here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/the-irish-taoiseach-ed-iain-dale-coming-31-october-2026
24 September 2025, 11:46 am - 26 minutes 35 seconds219. Genghis Khan – Mongolia (1206-1227)Iain Dale talks to historian Dominic Selwood about the Khan of the Mongol Empire
The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-20258 September 2025, 12:45 am - 28 minutes 12 seconds218. Lee Quan Yew – Singapore (1959-90)
Iain Dale talks to historian Jack Brown about Singapore’s first prime minister.
The Dictators, edited by Iain Dale is published in hardback by Hoddr & Stoughton. Signed copies can be ordered here https://www.politicos.co.uk/products/margaret-thatcher-a-short-biography-signed-by-iain-dale-coming-5-june-2025
1 September 2025, 12:45 am - More Episodes? Get the App