Politics Unpacked

How and why was Sue Gray ousted from Downing Street, and what does it tell us about Keir Starmer's government? Times columnists Patrick Maguire and Hadley Freeman join Hugo Rifkind to discuss the inside story of the reshuffle at No 10. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Maguire is unpacking the politics of the day with Rachel Sylvester and Timandra Harkness.  They discuss Boris Johnson's new memoir 'Unleashed', the government's decision to give up sovereignty over the Chagos Islands , and why businesses were asked for £30,000 for breakfast with the business secretary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer's decision to repay some of the hospitality and gifts he received since entering No. 10 has reignited the discussion about freebies in political life. Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Robert Crampton and Janice Turner.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The four Conservative leadership hopefuls have been speaking to the party's conference in Birmingham, but who is pulling ahead in this contest? Hugo Rifkind is joined by Tim Montgomerie to unpack the key moments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How is Liz Truss's fight to save western civilisation going? Why is Jonathan Gullis finding it hard to get back into teaching? And is Boris Johnson right to say you shouldn’t apologise for things you don’t believe. Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the politics of the Conservative Party conference with Libby Purves and James Marriott.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...

How badly have Kemi Badenoch’s maternity pay comments damaged her campaign? And does Keir Starmer have a woman problem? Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the politics of the Conservative Party conference with Patrick Maguire and Hadley Freeman.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Vaizey is unpacking the politics of the day with Miranda Green and Carolyn Quinn. If the government can swallow being nice to Trump, why not Elon Musk? How did Keir Starmer and Donald Trump's Washington dinner go , and will Boris Johnson's memoirs overshadow the Tory leadership contest? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After another day of stories about Keir Starmer taking big donations - all within the rules - why is the prime minister struggling to move on? Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Manveen Rana and Jenni Russell. Does the government know how to get the economy growing, and what part does Englishness play in the Tory leadership contest? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

Wes Streeting says the NHS is letting people down, but should he be spending so much time talking the health service down? Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Robert Crampton and Jane Mulkerrins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the politics of the Labour Party conference with James Marriott and Libby Purves. Is being deputy prime minister a proper job? Is America turning its back on the great legal weed experiment? And… Judge Libby returns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Hugo steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters.  This month, we find out whether stories about freebies and donors have cut through to Labour voters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Vaizey is unpacking the politics of the day with Timandra Harkness and Matthew Bell.  Is Robert Jenrick right about English identity, could Nigel Farage end up in Downing St, and are smartphones as bad as all that? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Keir Starmer's freebies a legitimate part of his job? With Hugo away, Matthew Parris and Manveen Rana join Lara Spirit to unpack the politics of the day, including Sue Gray's pay packet and Reform's challenge to the Conservatives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton join Hugo Rifkind to discuss the divisive Scottish independence referendum, 10 years on.   Plus: Do ministers want civil servants to go back to work, are self service checkouts terrible, and should Brits do away with pints? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugo Rifkind is back to unpack the politics of the day, and all the other news, with the brightest minds from the Times and the Sunday Times. Today he's joined by James Marriott and Libby Purves to discuss the extent to which BBC should have noticed the Huw Edwards case, whether Britain has lost its respect for regional identity and the decline of Anglo-Saxon names.  Plus, Judge Libby is back...

Columnists Hadley Freeman and Patrick Maguire join Hugo Rifkind to discuss Keir Starmer's breach of parliamentary rules in failing to declare that clothes were bought for his wife by a Labour donor. Plus, is Ed Davey ambitious , what can the government learn from Italy , and why has Hadley stopped writing for the Jewish Chronicle ? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Friday, so Ed Vaizey is back to unpack the politics of the day with Trevor Phillips and Miranda Green. Could Labour plug the financial black hole with the return of PFI, why is there still no love lost between Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, and what did people make of Trevor's suggestion that Keir Starmer should send for Michael Gove? And why hasn't Miranda been given an honour? Hosted on...

Hugo Rifkind is here to unpack the politics of the day, and plenty of other news, with the brightest minds from the Times and the Sunday Times. Today he's joined by Manveen Rana and Patrick Kidd to discuss taking benefits away from pensioners , pausing free speech protections on campus , and whether human touch can ever be replicated by a machine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the action from Prime Minister's Questions, joined by Sunday Times chief political commentator Tim Shipman and comedian Ria Lina. As Rishi Sunak surprises everyone by still being leader of the opposition, Nigel Farage gets booed and Keir Starmer seems reluctant to leave his script. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugo Rifkind is back to unpack the politics of the day, and all the other news, with the brightest minds from the Times and the Sunday Times. Today he's joined by James Marriott and Libby Purves to discuss why so many people are going straight from university to long-term sickness , whether ID cards could tackle illegal immigration , and 'Judge Libby' delivers her verdict on some of the ethical di...

Hugo Rifkind is here to unpack the politics of the day, and plenty of other news, with the brightest minds from the Times and the Sunday Times. Today he's joined by Hadley Freeman and Patrick Maguire to discuss threats from the wealthy to flee the UK, Dominic Cummings' threat to start a new political party, and what we can tell about society from the rape case that has stunned France. Hosted on Ac...

As the 335 new MPs elected at the last election continue to deliver their first speeches to Parliament, Ed Vaizey asks what is the secret to standing out from the crowd. He takes a look at some of the best (and worst) from the past, including Boris Johnson, Theresa May.... and Ed Vaizey.  Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss whether shutting libraries is cul...

Ed Vaizey interrogates the past, present and future of espionage, from moments that could have come from fiction to the reality of spying in the modern world. He speaks to former GCHQ director Sir David Omand and Lord Robin Renwick, former UK ambassador to the United States and author of 'The Intelligent Spy's Handbook'. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Timandra Harkness discuss how to make compa...

PMQs is back from summer recess, with Rishi Sunak quizzing Keir Starmer - although the prime minister is still having a hard time getting used to his new job title. Ed Vaizey unpacks the action from the Commons chamber with the help of Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss whether public inquiries are too expensive, whether Robert Jenrick is right...

Keir Starmer says it's all about growth, growth, growth - but why do some economists and politicians say we're looking at it the wrong way? Ed Vaizey finds out about the radical theory of 'degrowth', and asks whether happiness is a better measure of success than GDP. Plus: Columnists Melanie Reid and Robert Colvile discuss Britain's faltering national pride , the crucial role of public libraries,...