The Prime Minister At 300

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

The liminal premiership

20210402

It's 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole took office as the first recognisable office holder of Prime Minister. To mark the anniversary, the historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, examines how the role came about and why it has survived despite various crises and periods of change in the life of the nation. What do Walpole and Boris Johnson, the 55th occupant of the office, have in common?

Former Prime Ministers, Foreign Secretaries, Cabinet Secretaries and others at the heart of government talk about the pressures on the modern office and the responsibilities that come with it. Has the job become too difficult to perform effectively and what could be done to enhance the role of Prime Minister?

The first programme explores the origins of the office and how it was shaped by two of the longest serving Prime Ministers, Sir Robert Walpole and William Pitt the Younger.

Producer: Peter Snowdon

Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics.

Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.

The liminal premiership

20210402

20210503 (R4)

The first programme explores the origins of the office and how it was shaped by two of the longest serving Prime Ministers, Sir Robert Walpole and William Pitt the Younger.

Producer: Peter Snowdon

Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics.

Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.

How has the office survived?

20210409

The second programme explores how the office survived from the Victorian era to the present day and how it was shaped by a small number of exceptional office-holders.

Producer: Peter Snowdon

Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics.

Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.

How has the office survived?

20210409

20210504 (R4)

The second programme explores how the office survived from the Victorian era to the present day and how it was shaped by a small number of exceptional office-holders.

Producer: Peter Snowdon

Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics.

Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.

A job for the fourth century

20210416

As the office enters its fourth century, the final programme explores whether the responsibilties of the role have become too great for it to be performed effectively and what could be done to enhance the role.

Producer: Peter Snowdon

Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics.

Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.

A job for the fourth century

20210416

20210505 (R4)

Producer: Peter Snowdon

Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics.

Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	The liminal premiership	20210402		It's 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole took office as the first recognisable office holder of Prime Minister. To mark the anniversary, the historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, examines how the role came about and why it has survived despite various crises and periods of change in the life of the nation. What do Walpole and Boris Johnson, the 55th occupant of the office, have in common? Former Prime Ministers, Foreign Secretaries, Cabinet Secretaries and others at the heart of government talk about the pressures on the modern office and the responsibilities that come with it. Has the job become too difficult to perform effectively and what could be done to enhance the role of Prime Minister? The first programme explores the origins of the office and how it was shaped by two of the longest serving Prime Ministers, Sir Robert Walpole and William Pitt the Younger. Producer: Peter Snowdon Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics. Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.
01	The liminal premiership	20210402	20210503 (R4)	It's 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole took office as the first recognisable office holder of Prime Minister. To mark the anniversary, the historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, examines how the role came about and why it has survived despite various crises and periods of change in the life of the nation. What do Walpole and Boris Johnson, the 55th occupant of the office, have in common? Former Prime Ministers, Foreign Secretaries, Cabinet Secretaries and others at the heart of government talk about the pressures on the modern office and the responsibilities that come with it. Has the job become too difficult to perform effectively and what could be done to enhance the role of Prime Minister? The first programme explores the origins of the office and how it was shaped by two of the longest serving Prime Ministers, Sir Robert Walpole and William Pitt the Younger. Producer: Peter Snowdon Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics. Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.
02	How has the office survived?	20210409		It's 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole took office as the first recognisable office holder of Prime Minister. To mark the anniversary, the historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, examines how the role came about and why it has survived despite various crises and periods of change in the life of the nation. What do Walpole and Boris Johnson, the 55th occupant of the office, have in common? Former Prime Ministers, Foreign Secretaries, Cabinet Secretaries and others at the heart of government talk about the pressures on the modern office and the responsibilities that come with it. Has the job become too difficult to perform effectively and what could be done to enhance the role of Prime Minister? The second programme explores how the office survived from the Victorian era to the present day and how it was shaped by a small number of exceptional office-holders. Producer: Peter Snowdon Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics. Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.
02	How has the office survived?	20210409	20210504 (R4)	It's 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole took office as the first recognisable office holder of Prime Minister. To mark the anniversary, the historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, examines how the role came about and why it has survived despite various crises and periods of change in the life of the nation. What do Walpole and Boris Johnson, the 55th occupant of the office, have in common? Former Prime Ministers, Foreign Secretaries, Cabinet Secretaries and others at the heart of government talk about the pressures on the modern office and the responsibilities that come with it. Has the job become too difficult to perform effectively and what could be done to enhance the role of Prime Minister? The second programme explores how the office survived from the Victorian era to the present day and how it was shaped by a small number of exceptional office-holders. Producer: Peter Snowdon Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics. Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.
03	A job for the fourth century	20210416		It's 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole took office as the first recognisable office holder of Prime Minister. To mark the anniversary, the historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, examines how the role came about and why it has survived despite various crises and periods of change in the life of the nation. What do Walpole and Boris Johnson, the 55th occupant of the office, have in common? Former Prime Ministers, Foreign Secretaries, Cabinet Secretaries and others at the heart of government talk about the pressures on the modern office and the responsibilities that come with it. Has the job become too difficult to perform effectively and what could be done to enhance the role of Prime Minister? As the office enters its fourth century, the final programme explores whether the responsibilties of the role have become too great for it to be performed effectively and what could be done to enhance the role. Producer: Peter Snowdon Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics. Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.
03	A job for the fourth century	20210416	20210505 (R4)	It's 300 years since Sir Robert Walpole took office as the first recognisable office holder of Prime Minister. To mark the anniversary, the historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, examines how the role came about and why it has survived despite various crises and periods of change in the life of the nation. What do Walpole and Boris Johnson, the 55th occupant of the office, have in common? Former Prime Ministers, Foreign Secretaries, Cabinet Secretaries and others at the heart of government talk about the pressures on the modern office and the responsibilities that come with it. Has the job become too difficult to perform effectively and what could be done to enhance the role of Prime Minister? As the office enters its fourth century, the final programme explores whether the responsibilties of the role have become too great for it to be performed effectively and what could be done to enhance the role. Producer: Peter Snowdon Sir Anthony Seldon charts 300 years of the top job in British politics. Sir Anthony Seldon examines how the role of Prime Minister has changed over 300 years.