From the archive: ‘A nursery of the Commons’: how the Oxford Union created today’s ruling political class
25 June 2025

From the archive: ‘A nursery of the Commons’: how the Oxford Union created today’s ruling political class

The Audio Long Read

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We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: at the Oxford university debating society in the 80s, a generation of aspiring politicians honed the art of winning using jokes, rather than facts By Simon Kuper. Read by Andrew McGregor. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod