How To Win An Election

Keir Starmer has seen off the threat to his leadership - for now. What happens inside Downing Street when things get really, really bad for a prime minister? We also discuss whether the Labour Party will swing to the left with Morgan McSweeney's departure, and Zack Polanski's singing at Liberal Democrat conference. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on A...

Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Keir Starmer's chief of staff. With Number 10 in survival mode, can the prime minister find a new strategy, and how long will potential leadership challengers wait? Hugo, Danny and Polly respond to the emergency podcast bell and react to the news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Mandelson-Epstein scandal has left Keir Starmer's authority over his party, perhaps his future as prime minister, dangling by a thread. In this week's episode we discuss the huge impact of the downfall of Peter Mandelson - who says he has not acted criminally in any way or acted for financial gain - and we also have a frank discussion about his time on the How To Win An Election team, his poli...

Danny argues that if Labour wants to ditch Keir Starmer and pick a new leader, his replacement should immediately go to the polls. Have we switched to a presidential system without realising it, and would the party ever actually risk letting Reform into Downing Street? The team also discuss whether No 10's handling of Andy Burnham has parallels with Tony Blair's opposition to Ken Livingstone becom...

This week we're discussing the shape of the right of British politics - are we witnessing a landmark moment in the journey of Reform UK, and is Kemi Badenoch worried the Conservative Party is now seen as less right wing? The political masterminds also consider whether anyone is making political capital from Donald Trump's diplomatic chaos, and whether Ed Davey is offering his MPs thin gruel. Send...

Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick, saying he was plotting to defect to Reform UK. Hugo and Danny discuss the return of the Tory psychodrama, and what it means for the future of the right in British politics. Also in this week's episode: Sally, Polly and Danny talk about Lynton Crosby's famous commandment to 'scrape the barnacles off the boat', the death of the party political broadcast, and...

Can Keir Starmer learn from Donald Trump and get some swagger? Hugo, Polly and Danny are joined by former Labour strategist Peter Hyman to discuss whether the government can stop looking anxious, and whether the prime minister is right to keep talking about the next election as a straight fight with Reform UK. We also look at whether Nigel Farage is right to say he'd return PMQs to twice-weekly, a...

What are the chances that the elections in May 2026 in Scotland, Wales and England will lead to a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer? That's one of the questions answered by the political masterminds in our Christmas episode. We also find out about their favourite political memorabilia, why the parties import advisers from America and Australia, and whether we've been stuck in a political t...

We're joined by former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg for the latest in our series looking at how the most significant elections in our lifetimes were won, and how they were lost. He takes us inside the 2010 Liberal Democrat campaign - from the first TV leaders' debate in British history, to Cleggmania and 'bigotgate' - ending in the first hung parliament since the 1970s and the frenzied days of...

The prime minister has been increasingly critical of Brexit this week, and says he wants a closer relationship with the EU - without rejoining key parts of the club. But will Labour inevitably have to go further, and if they do will they be falling into a Reform UK trap? We also discuss the role of the Downing Street 'maverick genius' - and what that's got to do with My Little Pony. Send your ques...

Was the Budget aimed at short-term political survival, or did it form part of a coherent electoral strategy? Sally, Polly, Danny (and Hugo) discuss Rachel Reeves' statement - does it make it more likely that she and the prime minister will stay in their jobs, but more likely to lose the next election? What could she have learned from Gordon Brown's budgets? And does Kemi Badenoch's success in the...

Can Keir Starmer persuade his backbenchers to back his tough new migration reforms - and stop them openly plotting his downfall? We discuss how prime ministers have tried to keep their MPs on side, Alex Ferguson's advice for Tony Blair, and whether Andy Burnham could be heading back to Westminster (via Norfolk). Send your comments, questions and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acas...

Keir Starmer has vowed to fight any plot to oust him - but has Downing Street's briefing operation against the plotters actually made his downfall more likely? Sally, Pollly, Danny and Hugo discuss the prime minister's survival, and look at past plots that have succeeded - and those that haven't. From the curry house conspiracy against Tony Blair to doomed attempts to bring down David Cameron and...

Danny says if Rachel Reeves raises income tax she will have to resign - and will make all political promises in the future worthless. Do the other political masterminds (and Hugo) agree? We also discuss why Zack Polanski didn't like our discussion about the Green Party, whether British politicians are learning the wrong lessons from Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York, and Polly tries Marmite for...

We're joined by William Hague for the latest in our series looking at how the biggest elections in recent political history were won - and how they were lost. We go inside the Tory campaign, in which Hague's Conservative Party tried to convince the nation it was time for a common sense revolution - and ended up resembling the protester punched in the head by John Prescott. From foot and mouth to S...

Rachel Reeves is thinking about increasing taxes - perhaps even breaking Labour's manifesto commitment not to raise income tax. The political masterminds discuss what that would mean for the government's electoral fortunes, and whether they could end up like George HW Bush - who famously said 'Read my lips: no new taxes', only to do exactly that. We also look at the pressure on Labour from Zack Po...

As well as knowing how to win an election, the team have plenty of experience of losing them too. For this episode, recorded in front of an audience at the Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, we look at some campaigns that went really, really badly. Sally chooses Neil Kinnock's defeat in 1987, Danny chooses John Major's drubbing in 1997, and Polly chooses Jo Swinson's ill-feted...

Has Kemi Badenoch done enough to see off her Tory critics, for now? Does her promise to abolish stamp duty remind the team of George Osborne's inheritance tax pledge in 2007? Danny explains why the public have forgotten about Liz Truss sooner than expected, and Polly realises she shares a dress with Liz Truss AND Kemi Badenoch. The political masterminds - or 'golden trio', plus Hugo - will be live...

As the Tories prepare for their annual conference, can the UK's oldest political party avoid sliding into irrelevance? And how has Nigel Farage become more popular while support for Brexit has declined? Hugo, Sally and Polly are joined by Sir Craig Oliver, former Director of Politics and Communications for David Cameron. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk. The...

The political masterminds are at Labour conference in Liverpool for Keir Starmer's speech, and this special episode recorded in front of a live audience. As the prime minister steps up his attack on Reform UK's Nigel Farage, has he fundamentally changed Labour's strategy - and will it help him win the next election? Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on...

The political masterminds are discussing party conferences - from how to deal with a leadership challenge while you're there, to how to write a speech (and when you should use a joke). They also discuss Andy Burnham's philosophy of 'Manchesterism', and we get our first question from a listener asking when the next General Election will be. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@t...

After a series of sackings, missteps and with Reform ahead in the polls, Labour MPs are seriously thinking about trying to change leader. But would replacing Keir Starmer improve the party's fortunes, would Andy Burnham be any good, and is it true that “the hand that wields the knife shall never wear the crown"? With Danny away, the team are joined by former chancellor Jeremy Hunt to discuss the m...

The political masterminds discuss the deputy Labour leadership contest - and then the breaking news as we record the episode that Peter Mandelson has been sacked as US ambassador. Having backed two allies to stay in their jobs - first Angela Rayner, then Lord Mandelson - where does this leave Keir Starmer? Send your comments and questions to: howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...

Angela Rayner is under fire after admitting she failed to pay enough tax on her second home. Keir Starmer has vowed to do "everything he can" to save her political career, but how much damage is he doing to his own? The political masterminds discuss whether Angela Rayner can survive this scandal. Plus, will Keir Starmer start to have sleepless nights over the Greens? Send your comments and questio...

Is Chevening, the foreign secretary's country house, more Maga than you might think? After news that US vice president JD Vance will stay with the foreign secretary, the team discuss their time at the government's grace-and-favour mansions. They also answer a question from listener Nick about whether Nigel Farage can deliver as well as he can campaign, and look at the impact of Keir Starmer's poli...