Hello and welcome to The Rundown, a podcast from Politics Home with me, Alan Tolest.

This week, we're continuing our look at politics in 2025 by chatting to one of the most

interesting and consequential politicians of the past few years, but who is now out of Parliament

having lost his seat in the Labour landslide last summer. The Conservative MP for Wickham for 14 years,

Steve Baker served as a minister in three departments for three different prime ministers,

but it's probably best known as the so-called Brexit hard man,

who corralled the ERG group of Eurosceptic Tories into numerous rebellions

and was a thorn in the side for a few leaders of his party.

So, Steve, it's now six months on from the general election and your personal defeat and also

your party's defeat. How do you feel looking back at it now? Well, Alan, when I first

say thank you for that generous introduction. Sorry, I thought you'd take an interesting

and you take a, you take an acceptance. For the record, I prefer the general or rebel commander.

Yeah, okay, okay general or rebel commander.

The Brexit hard man thing was my worst mistake in 14 years.

It was supposed to be a joke and it was a terrible mistake.

Yeah.

So, yeah, looking back, I think I expected to lose.

People who usually vote conservative in Wickham were telling me on the doorstep,

not this time, Mr. Baker.

And I asked why, and it was conduct issues, the circus of changing

prime ministers, it was betting on the outcome of the election. It was not staying to the end of

D-Day for people who were, you know, widows of veterans, in particular, one lady, I can think of,

...