logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2019
52m 10s

392. The Prime Minister Who Cried Brexit

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode
In 2016, David Cameron held a referendum on whether the U.K. should stay in the European Union. A longtime Euroskeptic, he nevertheless led the Remain campaign. So what did Cameron really want? We ask him that and much more — including why he left office as soon as his side lost and what he’d do differently if given another chance. (Hint: not much.) 
Up next
Yesterday
659. Can Marty Makary Fix the F.D.A.?
It regulates 20 percent of the U.S. economy, and its commissioner has an aggressive agenda — faster drug approvals, healthier food, cures for diabetes and cancer. How much can he deliver? (Part two of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”) SOURCES:Marty Makary, commis ... Show More
55m 25s
Jan 9
658. This Is Your Brain on Supplements
We all want to stay sharp, and forestall the cognitive effects of aging. But do brain supplements actually work? Are they safe? And why doesn’t the F.D.A. even know what’s in them? (Part one of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”) SOURCES:Marty Makary, commissioner ... Show More
53m 10s
Jan 2
Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice? (Update)
One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better? We find out, in this update of a 2022 episode. SOURCES:James Choi, professor of finance at the Yale School of Management.Morgan Housel, personal finance author and partner at the Collaborat ... Show More
1 h
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2023
On the frontline of Brexit
No part of the United Kingdom has felt the impact of Brexit more strongly than Northern Ireland. Home to the country's only land border with the European Union, the province is the focus of passionate debate about Britain's future relationship with Europe. Three years on from Bre ... Show More
26m 44s
Jun 2021
How to spin a referendum: The inside story of the Brexit campaign
In a special episode marking the fifth anniversary of the Brexit referendum, Jack Blanchard interviews the two men behind the crucial spin campaigns for Leave and Remain. In a rare interview, Paul Stephenson, director of communications for Vote Leave, reflects on the often-contro ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 2023
What does David Cameron's return to government mean for the UK?
David Cameron stunned Britain when he quit as Prime Minister after the Brexit referendum. Now, he's triggered another political earthquake, making a shock return as Foreign Secretary. That follows the sacking of an interior minister who tried and failed to suppress major demonstr ... Show More
26m 49s
Mar 2016
S02-EP08 Jeremy Cliffe of the Economist on Brexit, the future of the UK and the fate of David Cameron.
Is Donald Trump or Ted Cruz the real ideologue? What would Brexit mean for the future of the UK? And why is Cambridge so different from Peterborough? We talk the EU referendum with Jeremy Cliffe, who writes the hugely influential Bagehot column on British politics for the Economi ... Show More
56m 13s
Jun 2018
Can the EU Survive?
"The fragility of the EU is increasing," says EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, and, "the cracks are growing in size." The cracks appear in many forms. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel says migration is the issue that "could decide the EU's fate." Her French counterpar ... Show More
49m 44s
Jan 2019
The end of no-deal Brexit and Labour's shifting stance
MPs are likely to demand an end to a no-deal Brexit next week, what does this mean for Theresa May's deal and the Brexit debate? The consequences in Westminster will be huge. Plus is the Labour party shifting towards a second referendum? Or is a general election more likely? Pres ... Show More
35m 24s
Jun 2021
Covid-Union-Labour-Brexit-Climate
This week David and Helen take stock of the state of British politics, looking at how the big themes of the last year fit together. They try to join the dots between the pandemic and the fraying of the Union, the weakness of the Labour party and the fraught politics of climate ch ... Show More
45m 56s
Dec 2017
Brexit's First Big Test
A key deadline is looming for Brexit Britain. The British government has until Monday, December 4th, to finalise its offer on three key issues: the Irish border, a financial settlement and European citizens rights. The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said clarity on ... Show More
49m 22s