How To Win An Election

With Reform UK now ahead of the Conservatives according to one poll, how should Rishi Sunak respond? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson and Daniel Finkelstein think the prime minister could electrify the campaign by tackling Nigel Farage head on. They join Matt Chorley to talk about whether the polls could still shift before July 4, and whether Keir Starmer really should start measuring the...

We've got a special guest on the podcast this week, with American pollster and strategist Frank Luntz joining Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie, Daniel Finkelstein and Matt Chorley to discuss why Joe Biden is in trouble in the race against Donald Trump, and why the Tories are facing a Canadian-style wipeout. Was it wise for Rishi Sunak to head to a racetrack to launch the Conservative manifesto, an...

The podcast is going twice-weekly for the rest of the campaign, with the political masterminds answering your questions. First up today, how did Rishi Sunak get it so wrong when he decided to leave the D-Day ceremony in France early? Can being a good constituency MP save you from defeat? And what's the point of canvassing? Send questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk, or What...

How will Nigel Farage's decision to stand as a candidate for Reform UK affect the election result, and can things get any worse for Rishi Sunak? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss the chances of a Conservative implosion, Peter's last-ditch plan to replace Sunak with Penny Mordaunt, and whether the TV debates could still sh...

The race is on to get candidates in place for the general election, with the Tories having to deal with more MPs announcing their departure by the day. The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss who the parties will pick, and who they’ll come to regret. And has Rishi Sunak’s campaign actually started better than we’d expected? Sen...

It's happened. Rishi Sunak has announced the General Election for 4th July - as predicted by Danny in the last episode of the podcast. The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt for an emergency episode, recorded at the Podcast Show in London. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk, or WhatsApp 0333 00 323 53 with the wor...

The long election campaign is well underway, and politicians are vying for attention with eye-catching photocalls, speeches, visits and stunts. The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein explain what happened when Blair and Brown shared an ice cream, when Ming Campbell pointed down the toilet, and when Danny was asked to arrange an actual bonfire of regulatio...

Is there a point in an election campaign when you realise that the game is up and you're going to lose? And can you admit it when it happens? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss whether Rishi Sunak has another roll of the dice, why Polly planned for a coalition that never happened, and when Peter, Tony Blair and Gordon Brow...

What is Rishi Sunak's political legacy, and has he still got time to build one? The political masterminds discuss when leaders have left a lasting change - and whether they can ever leave the public wanting more. Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to talk about legacy, why Rachel Reeves is using the word 'gaslighting', and why Peter thinks the Green Party is...

In a special bonus episode of the podcast, Matt and the political masterminds analyse the local elections results in front of a live audience. How easy is it to spin your way out of a heavy election defeat, has Rishi Sunak done enough to see off Tory rebels, and should Labour be talking more about Liz Truss? Send questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk, or WhatsApp 0333 00 32...

Is there anything that Rishi Sunak can do to defy political gravity and deny Labour a majority? And after flying high for so long, can the SNP find a new leader that will help them turn the page? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss the turmoil in Scottish politics, whether Labour is overpromising, and Conservative fortunes...

There's currently no vacancy for the leadership of the Conservative Party, but that hasn't stopped potential candidates from positioning themselves for life after Rishi Sunak. Matt Chorley asks the political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein how to get the top job without being seen to wield the knife. After Rishi Sunak turns on Liz Truss, has he been taking their...

How much lasting damage has Liz Truss done to the Conservative Party, and any future leaders hoping to pursue a radical tax-cutting agenda? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss the former prime minister's new book and whether she wants her party to win or lose the election. And with local elections on the way, does expectati...

This week in 2010 saw the UK's first ever TV debate between the party leaders. Campaign insiders Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to remember the advice they gave at the time. Why did Tony Blair warn Peter not to talk up Nick Clegg's performance, why did David Cameron tell Danny he'd been nervous for the first time in his political life, and would they advi...

We're answering your questions this week, including whether Prime Minister's Questions really matters, how important is it to win the support of the newspapers, and does negative campaigning work? Matt Chorley is joined by the political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk, or WhatsApp 0333 00 323 53...

Who is writing the manifestos ahead of the General Election, and how are the parties planning to make them grab the public's attention without blowing up during the campaign? Election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to talk about 1983's 'longest suicide note in history', and the time Theresa May kept the manifesto secret from her own cabinet. W...

In the US, Taylor Swift could have the power to swing the presidential election. As famous faces come out to back Keir Starmer's plans for the arts, we ask when a celebrity endorsement can boost a campaign... and when it can go badly wrong. The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss star power, and who could be the next Conservati...

Can Rishi Sunak hold his party together, or is former deputy chairman Lee Anderson's departure a sign of even more Tory unrest ahead? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to look at what happens when politicians defect, from the Gang of Four to Change UK. And how did Keir Starmer react to Peter's diet advice? Send questions, comments a...

Can Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak use the Budget to shift the dial, leave the cupboard bare for Labour, and even prepare the ground for a May election? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to look at when budgets go right, and when they go wrong. And as the prime minister and his wife discuss stacking the dishwasher, is it a good idea fo...

Liz Truss has been in the US, appearing alongside Trump strategist Steve Bannon and blaming the 'deep state' for forcing her from office. Should Rishi Sunak act, and even kick her out of the party? Matt Chorley and the election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein discuss whether the prime minister could take a stand against his predecessor, why Parliament is in a me...

Is it the economy, stupid, that will decide the election? Could green shoots come to the government's rescue? Political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to look at what happens when the country goes to the polls during a recession. They also find out why Polly's gone viral, how parties vet candidates, and when politics has moved them to tears. S...

Working round the clock, sleeping in the office and eating sugary cereals. How do the people working on the inside of a campaign survive all the way to polling day? Is Boris Johnson's coalition of voters lost forever? And where's the best place to watch the exit poll come in? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to answer some of your...

Focus groups, along with opinion polls, are vital for political parties and election campaigns. Peter Mandelson discusses introducing them to British politics, Polly Mackenzie explains why the Lib Dems could never afford them, and even Daniel Finkelstein agrees they make a difference. The political masterminds join Matt Chorley to talk about when to follow the polls and when to ignore them, Liz Tr...

How do you plan, negotiate and form a coalition? Should Labour be thinking more seriously about doing a deal with the Liberal Democrats? And have we finally found out what Danny thinks makes a difference to the outcome of the election? Matt Chorley is joined by political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein to lift the lid on the last coalition negotiations in 2010,...

Will Nigel Farage and Reform UK split the Conservative vote, and could Jeremy Corbyn launch a new left-wing party to take votes from Labour? Political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss local elections, access talks, and have they ever been inspired by The West Wing or The Thick Of It? Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: howtowi...