Welcome to Prime Factors where we review each UK Prime Minister from Robert Walpole to Keir Starmer. We discuss their biography, highs and lows, and then rate them on a scale designed by a 10-year old before awarding the ultimate prize: Are they ”Known” or an ”Ice Cream Cone”?
Episodes
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Who was really the first Prime Minister? Do Prime Ministers even exist? And was Robert Walpole one of those? This bonus episode (recorded at Intelligent Speech 2025) looks at the lies and half-truths behind early British Prime Ministers.
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Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
As the Grenville government was on its final legs, Prince William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland, was tasked with forming a new one... unfortunately right during the Ascot Races. Fortunately for Charles Watson-Wentworth, he was also enjoying the races that day. No one was more surprised than he was to discover that he was now Prime Minister.
Recorded in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire.
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Wednesday Jun 11, 2025
Wednesday Jun 11, 2025
Charles Watson-Wentworth was not a serious person. After failing to run away at 15 to join Cumberland's army, he spent the remainder of his young adulthood entertaining his way across Europe before throwing one of the largest birthday parties that Yorkshire had ever seen. He loved horse racing, not elections. But with the Whigs floundering and Bute in ascendance, could this party boy be just what the nation needed?
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Support the Show: If you enjoyed our show, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app. It helps others find us and makes Abram very excited.
Friday May 16, 2025
Friday May 16, 2025
Prime Time and Prime Factors, united at last! Join John, Rob, Abram, and Joe as they look back at the first forty years of British Prime Ministers, answer some quiz questions, and have a great time.
This is Part 1 of 2, you can find the second part by searching for Prime Time Prime Ministers in your podcast app of choice or at www.primetimepod.com.
Recorded on location at the Travel Cafe in Waterloo, London!
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Support the Show: If you enjoyed our show, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app. It helps others find us and makes Abram very excited.
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Having abandoned his family in the pursuit of power, George Grenville rose to the highest office in the land. As riots broke out in England and the New World over his unpopular policies, would George Grenville rise above the fray and find success as a Prime Minister? Well, no.
Recorded once again at the Walpole Public Library as we continue to celebrate our anniversary.
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Support the Show: If you enjoyed our show, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app. It helps others find us and makes Abram very excited.
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
All it took was a rat-sized metaphor scampering across the 10 Downing Street stoop to put David Cameron on the back foot politically. Fortunately, the UK has a long history of mousers in government.
Featuring Kit (fka "Kess") from Prime Time as our special guest host!
Please enjoy our special anniversary (and April Fools) edition of Prime Factors with some very real history about cats in the British government.
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Wednesday Feb 26, 2025
Wednesday Feb 26, 2025
George Grenville wanted to be a lawyer, but when his Uncle Cobham needed more MPs to form his "Cobham Cubs" to fight Robert Walpole, George dutifully entered parliament. With Pitt by their side, the family seemed unstoppable. But after decades playing second-fiddle, would George Grenville step out of his family's shadow and find his own path?
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Support the Show: If you enjoyed our show, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app. It helps others find us and makes Abram very excited.
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
With victory in the Seven Years War came the spoils, in this case inconceivable debt and the need to increase the size of the military to defend Britain's new territory. George Grenville had a fantastic idea: let's tax the colonies!
In this special mini episode (recorded at WCA-TV in Watertown, MA), we look at the hated Stamp Act and the start of the road to American independence.
Join the Discussion: We want to hear your ranking! Find us on BlueSky at @primefactorspod.bsky.social
Support the Show: If you enjoyed our show, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app. It helps others find us and makes Abram very excited.