麻豆约拍

Last year, as American election day drew nearer, Presidential candidate Mitt Romney told the media he'd only prepared one speech: a 1,018 word victory address. He never got to make it of course.

Thankfully President Nixon was never called upon to deliver the speech entitled 'In event of moon disaster' and fate prevented John F.Kennedy from delivering a speech on trade policy in Dallas in November 1963.

In this Archive Hour former speech writer and Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein listens to the world's greatest speeches that never saw the light of day, from Winston Churchill to David Miliband.

Through the many voices of impressionist Jon Culshaw, Radio 4 will bring forgotten speeches to life, exploring the context and the ramifications had circumstances not intervened.

Producer Caitlin Smith.