Britain’s institutions and democracy have been envied around the world for centuries – the mother of parliaments, the centre of an administrative empire that pinked in the world. Are parliament, Whitehall, the City of London, the devolved assemblies, the press, the political parties, the Trades Unions and the traditional powers of the land still fit for purpose? Who runs Britain? How’s that going? Abell is editor of the TLS and author of How Britain Really Works. Olusoga is a broadcaster and Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester. He is the author of Black and British: A Forgotten History.  Maddox is Director of the Institute for Government. She has been Foreign Editor of The Times and Editor of Prospect.

We know we love the NHS. It’s up there with Shakespeare and the Olympics. And we all want to improve it. Prof Tallis argues that the Government’s Health And Social Care Act will result in the death of some of the members of the audience, will cause others to suffer, and will financially ruin many more – and asks what can be done… Chaired by Julie Grigg GP.

Who invented beds? When did we start cleaning our teeth? How old are wine and beer? Which came first: the toilet seat or toilet paper? What was the first clock? In this gloriously entertaining romp through human history Greg Jenner, historical consultant to Horrible Histories, explores the gradual and often unexpected evolution of our daily routines.

A searing modern polemic on race in the UK, from the MOBO award-winning poet, musician and outspoken political commentator, founder of The Hip Hop Shakespeare Company. In his memoir Natives he speaks directly to British denial and squeamishness when it comes to confronting issues of race and class that are at the heart of the legacy of Britain’s racialised empire. Chaired by Claire Armitstead.

What is causing the logjam between central economic policy-makers and the energy of local economic activists? Stormy with a sunny local banking outlook – the economic forecast with the New Weather Institute. New Economic Foundation fellows and authors Andrew Simms and David Boyle discuss with Green MP Caroline Lucas.

Steven Hawking famously declared philosophy dead because it had not kept up with developments in modern physics. While acknowledging the spectacular achievements of contemporary science, the author of Reflections Of A Metaphysical Flaneur will argue that physics and the human race need philosophy more than ever.

Contributors to a ground-breaking new book, Roald Dahl: Wales of the Unexpected, discuss the vital presence of Wales in the work of ‘the world’s number one storyteller’. This is Dahl wonderfully defamiliarised in his centenary year through the lens of the country of his birth and early life.

Presented by The Welsh Academy 

Beyond The Script

Psychologist and writer Dr Terri Apter will address common myths about women and how to overcome them, with author Zoe Strimpel. They discuss why women’s lives are analysed in such detail, why their choices are so subject to scrutiny, and how they can resist and play with the stereotypes that define them.