With Dr Rick Foster, The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Professor Jane Green FAcSS FAAAS, Professor Stephen Fisher

This event is a conversation between the Rt. Hon. Liam Byrne MP and Prof. Jane Green on the origins and rise of populism. Liam will speak to the discussion in his new book, Why Populists Are Winning – And How to Beat Them, which traces populism's growth from a broken economic promise, in which wage growth has stalled since the financial crisis, leaving people's politics turning zero-sum as they scramble to protect what little they have (20 mins). Jane will speak to her research, discussing how economic insecurity and fragmentation are both drivers of voter movements towards populism (20 mins). The two will discuss where their perspectives align and differ, covering both the political and academic dimensions of the topic (via 5-10 minutes of questions from the chair). The audience will then have the opportunity to ask some questions of the panellists (remainder of time available). 

Join acclaimed actress Greta Scacchi, actor and director Philip Franks and scholar Dan Rebellato to explore the life, work and enduring significance of Trinity alumnus Terence Rattigan. Once dismissed as old-fashioned, Rattigan's plays—including The Winslow Boy, The Deep Blue Sea and, most recently at the National Theatre, Man and Boy—have undergone a remarkable critical revival, celebrated for their emotional precision and subtle social critique. Drawing on their varied experience with his work, the panel will examine why Rattigan's exploration of repression, class, and hidden desire continues to resonate 50 years after his death.

Each year the Richard Hillary Memorial Lecture is given by notable creative writers and remembers Richard Hillary, the author of The Last Enemy, who was a student at Trinity. The event is free and open to all.

This year's lecture will be given by Jhumpa Lahiri.