The Guardian’s Polly Toynbee and co-author David Walker dig into 14 years of Conservative rule to ask how the incompetence and austerity measures inflicted on the British public might be put right by the new Labour government in the years ahead. With host Steven Gale.

Iain Sinclair’s latest book, Pariah Genius, follows the life of photographer John Deakin, whose chronicles of Soho life – and the world of Francis Bacon and his friends – have so influenced our perception of that generation’s work. He talks to author and broadcaster Horatio Clare about why Deakin remains such a compelling figure.

Putting a country’s leader on trial once seemed unimaginable. But as journalist Steve Crawshaw makes clear in his new book – a blend of eyewitness reporting and history, including recent stories from the front lines of justice in Ukraine and Palestine – the possibilities of what can happen have been transformed. With host Daniel Hahn.

Andy Capon, chief writer and editor of The Spire, is back on stage for a rematch with host Simon Tyler. Expect political satire, anecdotes, interjections and lots of drinking as they explore a cast of characters from Andy’s ‘semi-imaginary’ home town of Faversham.

Anxiety, depression, burnout, insomnia, eating disorders, psychosis – or any one of many conditions of the mind that can be hell to endure, or support someone through – award-winning writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare offers a map through the mental health system and how it can provide the help we need, when we most need it.

Hot on the heels of her best-seller Unlawful Killings, Wendy Joseph KC skilfully reconstructs four courtroom dramas, drawing on her many years’ experience as a murder judge to ask if our justice system works, and if it has improved or not over the centuries. With host Marg Mayne.

This event is sponsored by Tassells Solicitors

From the author of Ghost Town, psychogeographer Jeff Young’s Wild Twin is at once a hallucinatory dream book of lost youth and a deeply felt love song to the city he calls home. Literary journeying of the finest order, this is one you don’t want to miss. Jeff will be in conversation with his friend Horatio Clare.

Dame Harriet Walter, renowned for her roles in Succession and Killing Eve, The Crown and Downton Abbey, is one of Britain’s most esteemed Shakespearean actors. Having played most of the Bard’s female characters she now, in her book She Speaks!, boldly lets them speak their minds... with new parts for 30 Shakespearean women written in verse and prose... a 'between the lines' that playfully and searchingly lets us hear what she imagines these women were really thinking.

Bestselling author and palliative care doctor Rachel Clarke, the writer behind the medical TV drama series Breathtaking, has penned a riveting and inspiring true story of two families linked by one heart, interweaving the history of medical innovations behind transplant surgery with the plight of two children, one of whom desperately needs a new heart. The event will be chaired by Marg Mayne.

In a feat of magnificent storytelling, award-winning historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes reveals secrets from the ancient world told through its seven greatest monuments: The Great Pyramid of Giza, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, The Temple of Artemis, The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, The Lighthouse of Alexandria; The Colossus at Rhodes, and The Mausoleum of Halikarnassos.

The much-loved Gavin and Stacey star talks to Julia Wheeler about her post-war working-class roots, varied acting career – from Abigail’s Party to Pride and Prejudice – and her former marriage to Mike Leigh. Expect it to be very funny, very feminist and very entertaining!

With the UK more divided than ever, the idea of Englishness has re-emerged as a potent force in our culture and politics. In this timely book Caroline Lucas, former leader of the Green Party, delves into our literary heritage to explore what it can teach us about the most pressing issues of our time. With host Claire Armitstead, former associate editor of the Guardian, Culture.

Dancer and entertainer Wayne Sleep talks to Marg Mayne about his extraordinary life both on and off stage. In his memoir Just Different he looks back on the extraordinary times he has lived through, from dancing with ballet legends Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn to the prejudices he faced as a working-class, gay man and living through the Aids epidemic. Expect laughter, tears, and plenty of gossip.

Buzzcocks bass player and lead guitarist Steve Diggle has been the driving force keeping the band alive since he first met Pete Shelley in 1976. He talks to music journalist Siân Pattenden about his new book Autonomy, Diggle’s definitive inside account of their shared musical legacy and complex friendship through the band’s rise, fall, and rise again – from their punk origins to Top of the Pops, the band's break-up and reformation.

Leeroy Thornhill, ex-member of The Prodigy, talks to author and music journalist Miranda Sawyer about the story of the first decade of the band, from the earliest raves to Japan and the United States in the late 1990s, by which point the band were one of the biggest on the planet.

A vital reminder of the importance of direct action in turbulent times, Led By Donkeys will discuss their new book, Adventures in Art, Activism and Accountability, a stunning visual showcase of the group's artistic acts of resistance against years of inept, corrupt Conservative rule in Britain and which demonstrates how they continue to hold the powerful to account. They will be in conversation with journalist, author and artist Siân Pattenden.

For tickets click the 'Details' button to see options & prices.

Join Paralympic champion, Strictly Come Dancing star and You Can Do Anything! author, Jonnie Peacock, for an empowering and inspirational discussion about finding your happiness, chasing your dreams and being unstoppable. Jonnie will be talking about his experiences as a Paralympian and taking young people in the audience on a journey to get inspired, build confidence, overcome setbacks and learn that they can achieve anything, no matter what their abilities or ambitions might be.

Suitable for age 8–12

Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Accompanying adults need to purchase a ticket for this event.

Known for her creativity and individuality Dame Zandra Rhodes is one of the most significant figures in British fashion. She talks to Julia Wheeler about her archive of iconic garments, her life spent among rockstars and royalty, life-changing friendships and the highs and lows that come with being an era-defining designer. In this insightful memoir, Iconic, Zandra shares her life story for the first time.

Join author and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer as she runs through her fantastic assemblage of key music artists of the 1990s – Oasis, Blur, The Prodigy, Suede, Chemical Brothers, Radiohead, PJ Harvey and more. She talks to music journalist Siân Pattenden about a time when British music meant everything, and the mad exhilaration of being right in the thick of it.

A gentle ode to nature, history and the simple art of looking and finding treasure in every season. With warmth and wisdom, the London Mudlark will be talking to Julia Wheeler about discovering hidden objects in the most overlooked part of the city, the secrets they reveal and the stories that are patiently waiting to be told.

After No.1 bestsellers All Out War, Fall Out and No Way Out, the Sunday Times chief political commentator Tim Shipman talks to author, journalist and former Newsnight presenter Gavin Esler about Out!, the rollicking, unrestrained latest instalment in Tim's essential account of modern British political history, covering the Johnson years, through the tussles over the final Brexit deal to our shortest serving PM ever.

Terrifying, fascinating and hilarious... don't miss an hour with Danny Robins sharing experiences from his book Into The Uncanny, a real-life adventure into the paranormal! Hear how and why he investigated four chilling cases that he hasn't explored on the TV series or the podcast – a poltergeist case in Rome, a haunted house in the English countryside, a compelling tale of possible contact with the dead and a truly unsettling UFO story.

For tickets click the 'Details' button to see options & prices.