Politics
New Event: Election Special
Just when you thought it was safe to turn the news back on, here comes another election. But who should you vote for? Which party is best for you and your family? Whose policies should you be voting for? Find out on 30th May at Politics in the Pub’s election special.
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When: 30th May
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Where: Bier keller, Morley St.
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Tickets: Get your free ticket today
For an election special, we’ve got a special format. We’ve invited a representative from each of the five main parties in Bradford: Labour, Conservatives, LibDems, Greens and UKIP. Using a Question Time style, we’ll be asking them your questions, allowing them discuss the topics which are most important to Bradfordians this election. You can propose questions on our Facebook page, and we’ll also send attendees an email a few days before asking for questions; if your question is picked, we’ll let you know a day or two before.
Our Panel:
We’ll update you on panellists this weekend and send an email to all attendees once we have biographies for all the panelists.
Get past the spin and beyond the scare stories; come and meet those in the know and find out which party really represents you.
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When: 30th May
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Where: Bier keller, Morley St.
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Tickets: Get your free ticket today
‘The Killings of Tony Blair’ with George Galloway
Former Bradford West MP George Galloway will be back in the city this Monday for a special screening of his documentary ‘The Killings of Tony Blair’ at Picturehouse at the National Media Museum. To make the screening even more special for his former constituents, there’ll be a Q&A session about the making of the film, what drove him to create it and what it demonstrates about the state of politics today, led by Politics in the Pub’s own Dermot Bolton.
Thanks to Picturehouse, we’ve got two pairs of tickets to give away to friends of Politics in the Pub. To win a pair of tickets, simply comment on our Facebook thread with the question you’d like to ask George Galloway following the screening. Questions should be about the themes and topics of the film, such as Tony Blair’s time as prime minister, his decision to invade Iraq or his business dealings since leaving office. Dermot will select his two preferred questions and will contact the winners on Saturday morning. The winners will each receive two tickets for the screening on Monday 1st August at 8.30pm, and will be invited to ask their questions during the Q&A session.*
‘The Killings of Tony Blair’ is a feature-length documentary, co-written and presented by George Galloway, and combines testimony from prominent observers, ambassadors and statesmen to paint a vivid picture of Blair’s time in office and what he’s done since leaving Number 10, suggesting that his actions reveal “a messianic pursuit of personal glory and financial reward.” ‘The Killings of Tony Blair’ comes at an important, even chaotic, period in British and international politics, and is a “timely and thought-provoking exposé which denounces the corruption of the UK’s political elite,” exploring Blair’s premiership, his decision to join the American invasion of Iraq and his role as a peace envoy.
Tickets for this special showing on Monday 1st August at 20.30 can be purchased from Picturehouse at National Media Museum, online, or by calling 0871 902 5756 (calls cost 13p per minute plus your telephone company’s access charge).
*Dermot will choose the questions he thinks are most suitable and his decision is final.
New Event – Brexit: what next for Bradford & Beyond?
What will the EU vote mean for Bradford and the country? Focus has been on the markets, the pound and trade, but how will affect Bradfordians, our local economy and our council? Join four outstanding speakers, including the Susan Hinclcliffe, leader of the council, and Simon Cooke, leader of Bradford Conservative group, to hear how they think voting leave will change our lives, and ask questions about what’s around the corner.
- When: Wednesday 27th July – 7.15pm
- Where: Bier Keller, Morley St, Bradford (just behind The Alhambra)
- Get your free ticket today.
Our expert panel will share how they think the vote to leave will affect you and your family in Bradford. You’ll also have the perfect opportunity to ask questions about what plans for leaving have been made, how the vote might affect you, and what we can expect over the coming weeks, months & years.
Our panel:
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe is leader of the council & the ruling Labour group, and campaigned for Remain during the referendum campaign. She has been a councillor for Windhill & Wrose since 2011, and has previously stood for election as MP for Shipley. She was previously on the council’s Executive as portfolio holder for Education, Skills & Culture. A successful business person as well, Cllr Hinchcliffe is the bête noir of the T&A comments section with any story about her always causing gnashing of teeth below the line.
Cllr Simon Cooke is leader of Bradford’s Conservative group and one of the District’s most senior and outspoken politicians, and campaigned to Leave. We’re delighted to have him return to our stage. Cllr Cooke serves the people of Bingley Rural with passion, is never one to duck an argument or gloss an opinion, and is arguably the District’s most outspoken politician on social media, using Twitter and The View from Cullingworth blog to share, discuss and argue his ideas… especially his personal crusade to shine a light on ‘nannying fussbucketry’.
Emma Pentelow is a director of The Pentelow Practice, a Principal Partner Practice within 
St. James’s Place a FTSE 100 Wealth management firm with offices in both Skipton and Leeds. Emma specialises in working with Owner Managed Businesses and has an interest in later life advice and planning. Schooled at North Halifax High she’s worked in Woolworths, been a bar manager and a chamber maid. She graduated from Glasgow University with an MA in Management and Sociology, and worked in industry for several years before being persuaded by her dad to train as a financial advisor within his practice. She now manages a portfolio of 233 private and corporate clients.
In addition to two of Bradford’s most powerful politicians, we’ll be announcing further panel members shortly.
To find out how the Leave vote will affect you, your District, your council and beyond, join us for our latest – dare we say final? – EU Referendum debate. Get your ticket today.
Why do I love Bradford Politics in the Pub? In a world of 10 word answers, we get thousands.
I’m quite the Twitter addict and spend far too much time on social media so, in essence, I’m a connoisseur of memes – I’ve seen ‘em all: cats in hats; inspirational quotes; life-affirming ditties. Can we reduce politics to memes? Jez we can! We select facts which suit our needs, wiggle and jiggle and squeeze them into bite-sized chunks, stick them over a picture of, you know, whatever, and set them free to wreak havoc on whoever their intended victim is (because, let’s face it, they’re rarely positive).
The EU Referendum has brought up its own set of memes: I’ve been lectured on the wastefulness of the EU by Colombo, Sponge Bob Squarepants and Micky Flanagan; I’ve been told that voting out is racist by Nigel Farage, Oswald Mosely and Darth Vader; I’ve had every world leader’s face in my face telling me to face facts (but only the ones appearing on the meme – not the other bad facts!). Each fact – cutting, succinct and blithely wrapped up with its own pretty picture – screaming “Behold, for I am the truth – thou shalt have no other truth before me!”
Others are equally blithe: Leave keeps repeating its own falsehoods, like the £350m a week we (DO NOT!) send to the EU every week; Remain plays the race card every day, not understanding that a deck with that many cards of the same face must be rigged; and, today, I was horrified to see Craig Woodhouse, Chief Political Reporter for The Sun, write “Presumably Cameron and the Remain camp agree with this, given it’s from “experts” they love so much?”, like knowledge, understanding, research and being an ‘expert’ is a bad thing and these people, with their education and learning and thought, are bad.
It made me wonder: are we wandering to the world of The West Wing? Aficionados of Bartlett’s presidency like me (see, I do deal with old media, too) will remember Jed’s second election and the ten word answers. Bartlett had a problem: he was too smart to lead, too smart to make decisions and too smart to be trusted. His knowledge, intelligence and ability made him unelectable – and he needed to connect with everyday people by becoming an everyday person. In the end, intelligence and faith in electorate won out, I’m glad to say – but it isn’t in this election. We’re stuck looking for the ten word answers, feasting on memes and wandering blindly into the future, the vision of which was laid out by fictional words forcibly attributed to fictional characters. In, out, left, right, it’s just on, on, on.
All we get are 10 word answers and this question – hell, any question – needs more than that. Like Bartlett, I want the next 10 words, and the next and the next.
A lawyer, an economist and a businessperson walk into a pub…
But then I went to Politics in the Pub – (I’m biased – I’m one of the organisers) – and had a proper talk about the future. There weren’t any politicians, just experts in their fields. I listened to an economist, a lawyer and a business person talk with eloquence, experience, nuance, subtlety and, above all, at length. They said what happens now, what might happen in the future and the possible consequences of both votes. They didn’t threaten me with unfettered immigration or a £30billion budget, they didn’t treat me as a traitor or a racist, and, above all, they didn’t insult my intelligence. They could have – they were all cleverer (and certainly more knowledgeable) than me – and I didn’t understand absolutely every ramification and repercussion of what they said. How could I? I’m not an expert in these areas. But they didn’t pull intellectual punches – and in this far-reaching vote, the effects of which will be felt by the UK, EU and the world for years, if not generations, to come, why should they?
I love Politics in the Pub because it gives me the next 10 words, and the next, and the next and the next. Politics in the Pub gives me the next 10,000 words and it gives me a chance to ask difficult questions and receive difficult answers.
Everyone is entitled to vote – as it should be – but wouldn’t that cross in the box carry more weight if you’d sought out long, complicated articles, shared nuanced, balanced conversations, and heard passionate arguments from knowledgeable people? Mine does.
If you want to know why this debate was so great, take a look at Bradfordzone’s live blog – and make sure you come to our future events… and I’ll kindly ask you not to refer me to this article if you see me retweet, share or even create a meme; after all, hypocrisy is the new, erm, something.
EU Referendum 2 – Politics without the Politicians
The referendum debate rages on… but is the quality of the discourse increasing with its volume? If you want a little more than how Hitler would vote and how Putin’s keeping abreast of the situation, the next Politics in the Pub’s for you.
- WHEN: 15th June – 7.15pm
- WHERE: 1875 Bar & Restaurant, Ivegate BD1 1SW
- Tickets are free and available here
As the politicians move ever further apart, with every claim countered and every fact parried, we wanted to hear from those without political skin in the game. They’re knowledgeable, they’re educated, they work with, in and sometimes despite the EU every day… and none of them are looking for your vote. We’ve handpicked the guests because of their experience and interest, but, most of all, their ability to given a neutral, reasoned, nuanced to an argument that grows more polarised by the hour.
If you want to know what it’s really like for business in Europe, how the EU actually affects our laws and the truth about the economic argument, you’ve got to come to EU Referendum 2.
Our Panel
From business, Andrew Mason, MD of New Mason Design*
As an employer, an entrepreneur and a trader, Andrew is well-used to working within building regulations, employment law and importing goods, so will be a great person to hear how the EU affects, for good or ill, British businesses.
New Mason Design is a Bradford-based company specialising in breathing life back into historical buildings, marrying traditional architecture with modern technology, so Bradford, with its wonderful but often unloved architecture, is the perfect marketplace.
Andrew was born in Shipley and had a varied career before graduating from Warwick as a mature student. He travelled Latin America and South Africa working in social housing, getting held up at gun point twice in the process, before returning to Yorkshire. He started working on Bradford’s regeneration 20 years ago and has been hooked ever since. Outside of breathing life back into Bradford’s unloved gems, he is a keen reader, walker & gardener and enjoys the odd pint – so I know we can help him out with the last one.
From academia and economics, Dr Mark Baimbridge, Senior Lecturer in Economics at University of Bradford*
Mark is an expert in Britain’s relationship with the EU, his research interests including European economics, political integration and the Eurozone. He has written widely on the subject of economics and Europe, including reporting to the Treasury Select Committee on globalisation and business investment.
Mark is excellently placed to tell us about how the EU affects academia and the possible economic impact of Brexit.
From the law, Debbie Jukes, Head of Professional Knowledge at a leading UK law firm*
Debbie is now Head of Knowledge at a global law firm which has over 3500 lawyers worldwide, and is responsible for, amongst other things, the research team and legal libraries. Her team has been actively involved in researching and educating the firm’s clients on the likely impact on them Brexit in legal terms – providing training, seminars, briefings and helping clients build contingency plans. She is corporate/ and commercial lawyer having specialised for over 20 years in advising clients on mergers & acquisitions, long term commercial contracts, outsourcings and joint ventures, particularly in the financial services sector.
Debbie is naturalised Yorkshire. She grew up near the Welsh border before seeing the light and moving to Yorkshire nearly 30 years ago for work. She’s a regular at Politicsw in the Pub, bringing along her 18 year old son who, as a politics student, is now capable of out arguing Debbie and the entire family on anything and everything – so we’re offering her family counselling rather than the customary pint given to speakers.
If you want to hear from experts in their fields, people who, together, know the EU inside and out, and can tell you what it’s really like now and could be like after the referendum, book your ticket today.
*Please note, all our panellists are appearing in a personal capacity and any views they express about the European Union or the forthcoming referendum are personal views and are not necessarily the views of their employers and should not be inferred as such.
Event Update: EU Referendum 1
The biggest question we’ll be asked this year is “Europe: leave or remain?” Politics in the Pub is delighted to bring you all you need to know to make up your mind.
- When: Thursday 31st March 7.15pm
- Where: Bier Keller, Morley St, Bradford BD7 1AQ
- Tickets: Free from Eventbrite
Tim Iredale, BBC’s political editor for Yorkshire & Lincolnshire, and will stand between our two heavyweight guests to ensure that you get the answers you want. Tim, a proud Yorkshireman and Bradford resident, is one of the region’s foremost political journalists, fronting Sunday Politics and Look North’s Hull programme. He once said his scariest moment was asking John Prescott about ‘that punch’ – so we knew that he was the man to come between Richard Corbett and Philip Davies in a Bier Keller in Bradford.
Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, is an outspoken proponent of #VoteLeave and will spell out the reasons Britain 
should be out of Europe. Parliamentary Spokesperson for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, Philip was the first MP to publicly call for Britain’s withdrawal from the EU and will do his utmost to convince you that we’re better off out.
Richard Corbett, MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber, is a passionate Europhile and will be 
telling you exactly why we’re #StrongerIn. Richard is Deputy Leader of Labour Members of the European Parliament and speaks four languages. He describes himself as “the most boring person you can safely vote for” but we know he’ll enthral and engage you in the EU.
We’re delighted to be again ‘on the road’ and what a perfect place for an EU debate we have: Bradford’s Bier Keller on Morley St. We’ve put the oompah band on hold as our guests will have all the oomph needed to convince you.
Tickets are limited so make sure you book today.
Poetry with a Punch: Politics, Poetry & a Pub
Politics in the Pub is delighted to be part of Bradford Literature Festival and bringing you Poetry with a Punch, a poetry revue with a finely honed political edge.
Poetry with a Punch has an outstanding line up of political poets who’ll leave you angered, enraged and thoroughly entertained: multifaceted John Hegley will join Bradford’s own Nick Toczek, artist & spoken word performer Asma Elbadawi, writer & artist Jay Bernard, young poet laureate for London Selina Nwulu and journalist Atif Tauqeer, all expertly hosted by Ralph Dartford, co-founder of A Firm of Poets.
Take a double punk spirit with your beer, then Stand Up & Spit with Bradford Literature Festival & Politics in the Pub on 25th May 2016.
Tickets are just £6 (all going to Bradford Literature Festival and their amazing programme) and are available from Bradford Literature Festival.
Can’t make it? See the extraordinary array of political events on at this year’s Bradford Literature Festival.
New Event: EU Referendum 1
To leave or remain: that is the question. Join Bradford Politics in the Pub for the debate of the year – maybe, even, the debate of the decade – as two of Bradford’s most outspoken commenters on European politics go head to head over the question that will dominate politics for the next few months and beyond. Shipley’s Philip Davies MP will be putting forward the case for leave; Yorkshire & Humber MEP Richard Corbett will argue we’re better off in the EU; ensuring the debate runs smoothly will be our returning guest-Chair, Len Tingle.
- When: Thursday 31st March 7.30pm
- Where: Bradford City Centre – exact venue tbc.
- Tickets: Free from Eventbrite
Len Tingle is the BBC’s political editor for Yorkshire, reporting & commenting on the region for many BBC TV 
programmes, most frequently Look North and Sunday Politics, and is a regular voice on the BBC’s local radio stations. He is one of the most informed, articulate and unbiased voices on the political scene across Yorkshire & North Midlands. A Barnsley lad, he’s a former Business & Industry specialist for both ITV and BBC, musing “Think of an idyllic or exotic place and I’ve probably reported from a shop floor, steel mill or coal mine close by – then caught the next flight out without seeing a single tourist attraction”… so it was high time he got rewarded with another visit to somewhere glamorous. Welcome back to Bradford, Len.
Richard Corbett MEP is Labour MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber, and is Deputy Leader of Labour Members of the European Parliament. Originally from Merseyside, serving the area as an MEP, Richard’s first taste of the right side of The Pennines was university in Hull, making his choice to swap Merseyside for Yorkshire again all the easier in 1999 when he first became our MEP. Richard, a speaker of four languages, has written a number of books, enjoys sports and describes himself as “the most boring person you can safely vote for”; but we know that self-depreciatory claim will be made a mockery of when he speaks to you about the EU.
Philip Davies has been Shipley’s outspoken MP since 2005, increasing his majority from just 422 to nearly 10,000. He has served on the influential Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee, and was the first MP to publicly call for Britain to withdraw from the EU. Most importantly, though, he pulls no punches and speaks plainly as he’s Parliamentary Spokesperson for the Campaign Against Political Correctness. Originally from Doncaster, Philip came to west Yorkshire as a student at University of Huddersfield before embarking on a career with ASDA in customer services then marketing. He enjoys sports, particularly horse racing.
Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union? The best place to hear both sides of the argument is right here in Bradford on 31st March. Make sure you get your ticket today.
Fall in Love with Politics – Politics in the Pub Valentine’s Special
Tired of the same faces, same arguments, same policies week after week? Bored of the carbon copy bombast? Take a fresh look at politics, hear new arguments and speak to passionate people who might just make you think again about the other parties at our Valentine’s Political Speed Dating event.
With around a dozen politicos ready, willing and eager to tempt you to change your mind, you’re sure to find something to bridge the divide… and maybe even cross it.
This is easily our most expansive, exciting and unusual event to date. A whole host of outstanding speakers will be on hand to tell you why they love their politics, and why you should too.
It’s certainly not one to miss!
- Glyde House (opposite Bradford Ice Arena), Glydegate, Little Horton Lane BD5 0BQ
- 17th February – 7pm
Booking is essential as we expect this to be yet another sell out – and with these speakers, how could it not be?
Naz Shah MP (Labour, Bradford West) – Naz is returning to Politics in the Pub to convince you that Labour’s got it right on women and that their All Women Shortlists are working to make Parliament more inclusive, more representative and better able to work for everyone.
Party leaders Dave Green (Labour, Wibsey) and Simon Cooke (Conservative, Bingley Rural) have both spoken at Politics in the Pub before and will* return to tell you why their respective parties deserve your vote nationally and locally.
Kersten England (Chief Executive Bradford Council) – Kersten is coming along to tell you about the role of the council, how it works and how our society wouldn’t look anything like it does without the vital services it provides.
Hawarun Hussain (Shipley, Green Party) – Hawarun will be hoping to convince you that The Green Party deserves your vote, explaining how it’s not just for veggies & vegans, but filled with local & national policies which will strike a chime with you.
Jason Smith (UKIP) – Jason firmly believes the UK is better off out of the EU and will work tirelessly to convince you that only UKIP’s policies, including but not only voting to leave, is the right way forward.
Yorkshire First – YF believe that Britain’s biggest county needs a stronger voice locally and nationally, and their representative (tbc) will talk up the county and the need for a Yorkshire Parliament.
Ralph Berry (Wibsey, Lab&Coop) – Ralph will be talking about the Cooperative movement and party, and how they link to but are distinct from Labour.
On top of these great speakers, we’ve got representatives of The Co-Operative Party and more – so you’re sure to find something to love.
Find a new political love at Politics in the Pub’s Valentine’s Special – book now to ensure your place at the tables.
Politics Pub Quiz at Home – Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas from everyone at Politics in the Pub.
We’re as busy as Santa’s elves, making sure that 2016 is full of debates and discussions covering the full political spectrum. If you have any ideas for topics or speakers, please give us a shout.
In the mean time, for those of you who didn’t make our Christmas Quiz at the brewery (as well organised as it was), why not sit back, relax and have a go at the questions. Remember – no cheating… or this guy’ll be after you!
Picture Round – Picture Quiz
Download the Picture Quiz here. There are two parts: a simple ‘Who’s that?’ about politicians from Bradford or with a strong connection to the district. The second parts asks you to make links between the pictures to find places in Bradford; for example,
Round 1 – Bradford Politics
- Name the local leaders of the three main political parties in Bradford (Con, Lab, LibDem).
- Which former Shipley MP was Chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee, and oversaw Conservative selections at the 1972 election?
- Bob, Anne and John are part of which political family associated with Keighley?
- George Galloway had a very public spat with the MD of an independent Bradford business during the 2015 election; which business? (Yes, we really asked that; no, not everyone got it)
- Where in Bradford can you find a mural celebrating the foundation of the Independent Labour Party in 1893?
- In May 2011, Bradford appointed the country’s first female what?
Round 2 – Political Leaders
- Which Liberal Party leader usurped Tony Abbott to become Australia’s prime minister earlier this year?
- Who was the first female MP in the UK?
- Who was the longest serving non-royal leader of a nation (since 1900)?
- Who was the first female head of mainly Muslim country?
- Which former army officer became known as the father of the modern Turkish secular state?
- Which country had the world’s openly gay head of state?
Round 3 -Religion and Politics
- Which two nations still reserve places in their parliaments for unelected religious clerics?
- How many Lords Spiritual (CofE bishops) are there in the House of Lords?
- Which 19th century MP was instrumental in allowing MPs to affirm rather than swear a religious oath when taking their seat?
- Which political adviser famously said, “We don’t do God”?
- Saudi Arabia bases its legal system on the Islamic Sharia code; which other nations officially use Sharia as part of their legal systems? (Up to 10)
- As well as being Head of State, HM the Queen also has some titles relating to her position within the church: what are they?
Round 3 -Who Said That?
- “We just thought people in Yorkshire hated everyone else, we didn’t think they hated each other so much”
- “If you want something said, ask a man…if you want something done, ask a woman.”
- “Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party”
- “My head spins. One moment I’m told I’m too edgy, then people say I’m too angry, then that I show too much passion… make your minds up”
- “I’ve met serial killers and assassins but nobody scared me as much as Mrs Thatcher.”
- “I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Woman”
Round 4 – Who’s in the Spotlight? In this round, the task is to identify the Yorkshire based MP (past or present) finding themselves in media headlines. We’ll give you the headline, the source and the date. (The date is of the news report, not necessarily of the event)
- “’Politically correct’ Romeo and Julian play sparks anger”
- “-BLANK- has a punchable face, says attacker” – The Scotsman – 27th October 2015
- “Nick Clegg calls Lib Dem MP Paris attack tweet ‘stupid’” – BBC News – 15th Jan 2015
- “-BLANK- wins Orwell political writing prize for memoir This Boy” – The Guardian – 21st May 2014
- “MP accused of ‘xenophobia after complaining that Polish cannot make decent bacon sandwich” – The Telegraph – 25th Apr 2012
- “-BLANK- punches protester – BBC News – 16th May 2001
We really hope you enjoyed that, and that you enjoyed all the Politics in the Pub events you came to in 2015.
You can download the answers here – BDPiP – Quiz Answers – and please let us know how you did by leaving a comment in the box below.
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