Politics Archives - Bridport Literary Festival

Event 13 | Robert Barrington | Corrupted Kingdom

£14.00

Robert Barrington - Corrupted Kingdom - Britain’s Disappearing Integrity – And How We Can Get It Back
Britain has long prided itself on fairness, but is that reputation still deserved? Robert Barrington believes not: the UK is losing the battle against grift. In Corrupted Kingdom, the world-leading corruption expert makes the case that complacency has undermined our national institutions, from parliament and the NHS to the monarchy and the police. Barrington traces this decline back to the end of empire and identifies steps we might take to restore trust. We need to act now, he argues, to stop the rot. Professor Barrington is joined by the broadcaster Gavin Esler, author of Britain Is Better Than This.

When: Sunday 8 November 2026 @ 1.00 pm

Where: Bridport Arts Centre

Sponsored by: Ann Thimont

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Event 20 | Beth Gardiner | Plastic Inc

£14.00

Beth Gardiner - Plastic Inc - Big Oil, Big Money and the Plan to Trash Our Future

In her new book journalist Beth Gardiner looks at our love-hate relationship with one of the world’s most ubiquitous materials. Praised by the New York Times as “a compelling true-crime story”, Gardiner’s deep dive exposes how petrochemical giants have turned to plastic as a financial lifeline, plotting to double production even as individuals are encouraged to use less. Gardiner reveals how corporate litter campaigns cleverly shifted guilt onto consumers, and why the “myth” of recycling plastic effectively has been promoted despite industry knowledge that it can’t work at scale. Author and green campaigner Julia Hailes chairs a revelatory discussion.

When: Monday 9 November 2026 @ 12 noon

Where: Bridport Arts Centre

Sponsored by: Julia Hailes

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Event 22 | Jeremy Hunt | Can We Be Rich Again?

£16.50

Jeremy Hunt - Can We Be Rich Again? - The Surprising Potential of Britain’s Economy

Stagnant growth, oppressive national debt and record tax burdens have convinced many that Britain’s economic best days are behind it. In Can We Be Rich Again?, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt offers an urgent riposte to widespread doom-mongering. Drawing on decades in government, Hunt outlines a roadmap to reignite prosperity. From uncorking the potential of the United Kingdom’s world-leading tech and financial sectors to reforming stagnant state machinery, he argues that low growth is a solvable crisis. Join us for a compelling discussion on how Britain can change its financial fortunes.

When: Monday 9 November 2026 @ 2.00 pm

Where: Electric Palace

Sponsored by: Tim & Sara Clarke

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Event 41 | Tobias Ellwood | Ten Steps to Prevent World War Three

£16.50

Tobias Ellwood - Ten Steps to Prevent World War Three

Putin’s Russia at the throat of Ukraine. War across the Middle East. China seeking leadership of the Global South. Nuclear-armed rogue states. The world is closer than it ever has been to midnight on the Doomsday Clock. So how worried should we be? In conversation with former BBC correspondent Andrew Cassell, politician and military veteran Tobias Ellwood introduces his book Ten Steps to Prevent World War Three. Drawing on his frontline service in the Royal Green Jackets and his experience as a defence minister and chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, Ellwood and asks what the west can do to avert the unthinkable.

When: Wednesday 11 November 2026 @ 4.30 pm

Where: Electric Palace

Sponsored by Barry Mawhinney | Helen & Andrew Carless

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Event 43 | Martin Maudsley | Common Threads

£10.00

Martin Maudsley - Common Threads
Storyteller and writer Martin Maudsley weaves together a performance piece specially commissioned for the festival, mixing folklore, oral history and personal experience. Since moving to Dorset in 2013, Martin has been researching, recording and re-imagining stories about Bridport and its surrounding landscapes. Drawing on many of these colourful strands, Common Threads is a spoken word tapestry of living voices and traditional heritage, delivered for the first time in the newly renovated workshop space of Oxenbury’s Yard. A passionate praise-song to town and country, people and place. “Martin is a master craftsman, telling old tales with new resonance”, Aberystwyth Storytelling Festival.

When: Wednesday 11 November 2026 @ 8.00 pm

Where: Oxenbury’s Yard

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Event 48 | Steve Crawshaw | Prosecuting the Powerful

£12.00

Steve Crawshaw - Prosecuting the Powerful - War Crimes and the Battle for Justice

Putting a ruling dictator in the dock once seemed unthinkable. Today, as international warrants for world leaders mount, that is changing. Author and human rights advocate Steve Crawshaw introduces his book Prosecuting the Powerful. Drawing on his career as a foreign correspondent for the Independent and senior director at both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Crawshaw offers a front-row seat to the fight against state impunity. From the Nuremberg trials to today’s investigations in Gaza, he brings to life the prosecutors, whistleblowers and survivors challenging political crimes. Is the era of immunity for despots coming to an end?

When: Thursday 12 November 2026 @ 4.00 pm

Where: Bull Ballroom

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