Fion Cudmore and Tom Turner were both studying on our MA Government Studies and were delighted at the calibre of experts brought in to share their experiences with students.
Fion, who had enjoyed being involved with student radio as an undergraduate, suggested to Tom they should interview some of them for a podcast so that others could also benefit from hearing such insights.
I wanted the podcast primarily to appeal to young people like me who had experienced Prime Minister after Prime Minister and wanted to understand the lack of stability at the centre of British Government. I really hope that what people get from it is an understanding not just of what is happening but why it's happening, to give a history-first perspective on modern politics.– Fion Cudmore
The result is the In a State podcast, which features guests who have worked in and around the UK government including former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and Lord Simon Case who was Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service under four different Prime Ministers.
There were some fascinating people who came to the MA classes, and it was amazing to be able to sit down with them outside of the set timetable.– Tom Turner
Tom hopes the series will give young people a different perspective on politics. He is particularly concerned that many could be put off it because they increasingly get their news from social media which tends to focus heavily on the most shocking issues or scandals.
Both Fion and Tom were particularly struck by Lord Case’s thoughts on what it takes to lead the country.
He told us that the main skill a good Prime Minister needs was the ability to make tough decisions, as every easy decision could be taken by someone other than the Prime Minister.– Fion Cudmore
In another episode, Ed Balls, former Shadow Chancellor and now King’s academic and broadcaster, talked about the importance of the relationship between a Prime Minister and their Chancellor, and how this dynamic can greatly influence the decision-making of a government.
The series also features an episode with John Rentoul, political journalist and biographer, who spoke about New Labour and how Sir Keir Starmer’s early years as Labour leader were necessarily focused on changing the party’s brand.
Another guest was Baroness Catherine MacLeod, who worked in the Treasury during the global financial crisis and is now a Labour peer. She spoke about her experiences during such a challenging time, her ongoing work on policy and communications, plus potential reform of the House of Lords.
After coming up with the idea of the podcast towards the end of 2025, Tom and Fion approached the Strand Group team who run their MA. They were fully supportive, helped reach out to the speakers and arranged from them to be able to use the podcast studio at the Policy Institute.
As outlined in King’s Strategy 2030, a key priority for us is equipping students with the skills and experiences to shape their own successful futures and help them succeed in and beyond the university.
Tom and Fion did everything including drafting invitations to speakers, researching the speakers, writing their questions, then recording the four separate episodes between February and June this year. Tom was the host and Fion was producer and editor. Both also worked on the plans to promote it on social media.
Looking to the future, Fion has an interest in both politics and audio production, so thinks the podcast is a great example for either career path. The extra research and writing skills gained during the experience should also prove very useful for their upcoming dissertation.
For Tom, who is already involved in other initiatives around youth engagement in democracy, it also confirmed he wants to be part of public life in some way to show how his generation has the capacity to make the world a better place.
I really hope that the series gives young people, and anyone else who fancies listening, a taste of four amazing careers in public life. I think it’s crucial for people to know that this path can be exciting, enriching and incredibly worthwhile. After all, it’s going to be us running the country in a few decades!– Tom Turner
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Listen to In a State on Acast or on your chosen podcast platform.
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