Revolution is afoot in the Conservative Party - with many Tory MPs threatening to vote against the new Prime Minister's deal - while Boris Johnson himself is threatening to boot them out of the party if they do.Mark Mardell follows the twists

24. The Centre Cannot Hold

Sep 2nd, 2020 19m 38s

With problems in Parliament trying to get consensus on a withdrawal agreement, it seemed the main political parties were edging away from the centre ground. Did this leave a vacuum for a new movement?In 2019, more or less simultaneously, a new

23. Three Strikes and You're Out!

Sep 2nd, 2020 19m 21s

Emotions run high as Theresa May tries to get her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament, and fails. Not once, not twice but three times. Meanwhile the European Research Group (ERG) grows in influence and now firmly holds Parliament in the bal

22. The Spartans

Aug 31st, 2020 19m 10s

After Theresa May's so called Chequers plan failed to impress, the Prime Minister faced another problem within her own party. A group of eurosceptics were gaining interest, members and momentum. The European Research Group (ERG), or the Spartan

Brexit: How did we get here?

Jan 31st, 2020 15m 5s

In this one-off special episode of Brexit: A Love Story?, Mark Mardell recaps the journey Britain has taken from joining the European Economic Community in 1973 to voting to leave the European Union in 2016. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @BBC

21. Checkmate at Chequers

Apr 23rd, 2019 21m 24s

After months of talks, haggling and negotiations, the Prime Minister invited the entire cabinet to her country retreat in Buckinghamshire to present her proposed deal. The mercury was running high, as were tensions; it was reported that Downing

20. The path to a meaningful vote

Apr 22nd, 2019 21m 58s

Running alongside the Government's negotiations with the European Union has been a complex - and at times fraught - discussion in Parliament about how much say MPs should have on the final Brexit deal. Mark Mardell navigates MPs' journey for a

19. The election that broke Brexit

Apr 19th, 2019 20m 16s

When Theresa May called a surprise general election that she'd ruled since she took office, with the aim strengething her mandate ahead of tricky Brexit negotiations, nobody could have predicted that she'd end up losing her overall majority in

18. Dexeu: Brexit from a broom cupboard

Apr 18th, 2019 20m 31s

Even before she became Prime Minister, Theresa May pledged a new government department that would oversee Britain's departure from the European. Not just that, but the department would be run by a leading Brexiteer. How much influence did David

Coming soon

Mar 28th, 2019 1m 55s

If you’re getting bogged down in Brexit… maybe it’s time to take a step back and get some perspective.After a hiatus to allow the day-to-day events to unfold, Mark Mardell returns with his in depth look at Brexit... New episodes available soon

17. Lancaster House and red lines

Dec 14th, 2018 17m 44s

January 2017 and Theresa May delivers her now infamous Lancaster House speech. But how was it decided what it would say and where it would be said? Mark Mardell dissects whether the speech backed the Prime Minister into a corner by setting out

16. Article 50 and the Avatar of Hate

Dec 6th, 2018 17m 53s

It took the Government nine months to trigger Article 50 after the British public voted to leave the European Union. At the time, some said it was overdue. Since, people have said it was too soon. Running alongside that debate, though, was whet

15. Road to Conference

Nov 29th, 2018 18m 1s

After Theresa May became Prime Minister, one of the first jobs was to set out her vision for implementing Brexit. Integral to doing that were her Chiefs of Staff – Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill. Mark Mardell considers how Mrs May positioned hers

14. Inside May's Mind

Nov 22nd, 2018 17m 1s

In June 2016, Theresa May put herself forward to be the new Prime Minister, the person who would navigate the UK's exit from the European Union. Her campaign, however, was to be short lived and she moved into Number 10 just a few weeks later. W

13. An Island Nation

Sep 20th, 2018 20m 20s

In 1973, there were celebrations when Britain joined the European Community. But there were always those against the UK being part of the project. Over the next 45 years, there were debates and clashes, headlines and speeches; everyone speaking

12. Five miscalculations and a resignation

Sep 6th, 2018 20m 41s

When the Conservatives won the 2015 election, David Cameron reiterated his manifesto promise to hold an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. Not long after, the starting gun was fired and the battle lines drawn.What followed? It

11. Banging on about Europe

Aug 24th, 2018 20m 34s

How much can one man do?During his first speech as Conservative Party leader, David Cameron insisted the party needed to stop "banging on about Europe". So how did he come to promise an in-out referendum 7 years later?Mark Mardell charts the ri

10. Pole position

Aug 2nd, 2018 18m 39s

The European Union started with just 6 member countries. Over the years 6 more - including the United Kingdom - joined the community. But it was in 2004 when the single largest expansion saw 10 more countries join in one go. And with membership

Blair, Brown and a bike ride

Jul 19th, 2018 21m 5s

In 1997, Tony Blair swept to power with New Labour and Britain won the Eurovision song contest. There was also a renewed enthusiasm for the European project. Or was there?Mark Mardell recalls the twists and turns of Labour's relationship wi

9. Blair, Brown and a bike ride

Jul 19th, 2018 21m 7s

In 1997, Tony Blair swept to power with New Labour and Britain won the Eurovision song contest with Katrina and the Waves. Was there also a renewed enthusiasm for the European project?Mark Mardell recalls the twists and turns of Labour's relati

8. The Most Successful Party That Never Won A Seat

Jul 5th, 2018 19m 21s

A blustering billionaire playing politics, or a brave man doing his best for his country? Sir James Goldsmith divided opinion, but he united both sides of politics in promising a referendum on the euro.Mark Mardell reflects on the party that on

7. Major and the mad cows

Jun 22nd, 2018 20m 2s

In 1990, the agriculture minister fed his daughter a beef burger in front of the tv cameras to prove British beef was safe. But five years later, the government was forced to admit a link between BSE and a new, human disease. As Mark Mardell fo

6. Major’s Bastards and the Battle of Maastricht

Jun 7th, 2018 18m 59s

Tensions rise in the Conservative Party as the Prime Minister negotiates with the European Community member states in Maastricht. Mark Mardell follows the twists and turns of Britain's 45 year relationship with the European Union, but even thou

5. Up Yours Delors!

May 24th, 2018 19m 15s

Stepping away from this series' timeline, Mark Mardell considers what role the press had in influencing public opinion about the European Union during it's 45 year relationship with Britain. Why did the newspapers go from broadly supporting