Politics Unpacked

It's Matt's last appearance on the podcast, and he's assembled comedians Jon Culshaw, Lewis Macleod and Nerine Skinner to give us their best political impressions - including the Tories in the running to lead the party. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss the Olympics, Strictly, and we find out whether Matt really has been bullying James. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

The starting gun has been fired and Conservative MPs have begun entering the race to become next leader of the party.  Who will make it to the finish line? Matt speaks to supporters of some of the candidates, and hears advice from two Olympians-turned-politicians on how to go the distance.  Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Bell ask how the Tories can win over the  under-30s...

PMQs is back, and this time it's Rishi Sunak putting questions to new prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. Matt unpacks the action from the new-look Commons chamber with the help of Patrick Maguire and Lara Spirit, as both party leaders are unusually consensual and polite. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss Starmer's ruthless streak after suspending seven rebel MPs, Kamala Harr...

Special advisers, known as 'SpAds', are being appointed left and right and centre by the new government. But what do they actually do? Matt is joined by former advisers Nikki da Costa, Henry Newman, Catherine MacLeod, Peter Cardwell, and Emily Walch, to discuss how to deal with your minister, the civil service, and the media. Plus: Why was Tony Blair advised not to do televised debates? Hosted on...

As the Times Red Box newsletter celebrates its 10th birthday, Matt rounds up all the previous editors to look back over a remarkable decade in politics, and finds out what it's really like to make sense of it in your pyjamas. Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Iain Martin discuss  Joe Biden withdrawing from the presidential race and who will be the next Tory party leader. ...

As thousands of performers descend upon Edinburgh for the Fringe, those promising topical comedy are buried in hasty rewrites after the snap election. But is there less to satirise under Keir Starmer? Matt is joined by former MP Mhairi Black, who’s making her Fringe debut, Steve Richards, who’s taking his political stand-up on the road, Emma Sidi, who’s playing Sue Gray, and comedy critic Steve Be...

Matt takes a look at the government's new gang of four - Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner, Rachel Reeves and Pat McFadden. Will they make all the big decisions before they reach cabinet, and will it stop them from falling out? Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss the ghost of Liz Truss and whether MPs should be allowed to read their speeches in the Commons chamber. Hosted on Acast....

King Charles III has set out the government's plans for the year ahead, but what happened the last time a King was on the throne unveiling the programme for an incoming Labour prime minister? We look back at 1945, when Labour's Clement Attlee had defeated Conservative Winston Churchill, and find some surprising modern-day parallels. The voice of George VI is provided by the actor Kieran Hodgson. P...

Keir Starmer has promised to "deliver from the get-go”, but what does a focus on delivery really mean? Matt is joined by US political theorist Matt Stoller, who coined the term “deliverism”, and former government advisers Claire Ainsley and Sir Michael Barber. Plus: The race to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader has been underway for 10 days - is it any clearer who could come next?  Hosted on...

As Joe Biden gaffes his way through his latest press conference , columnists James Marriott and India Knight ask if he should stand down. They also discuss whether PM Keir Starmer should smile more, the luxury of not having a smartphone , and the collective joy of watching sport.. Plus: From interviewing prime ministers and presidents, to being unwitting target of a surface-to-air missile over Afr...

After Keir Starmer told us his children are campaigning to get a German Shepherd, we find out whether there's room for one in the flat above Downing Street. Matt is joined by 'The Dogfather' Graeme Hall, and he speaks to the new Lib Dem MP Steve Darling about his guide dog Jenny. And with big dog John Prescott retiring from the House of Lords, we look back at some of his best bits with columnists...

Keir Starmer is in America for his first Nato summit as prime minister, but what kind of leader will he be on the world stage? Matt is joined by correspondents around the world to analyse the foreign policy challenges the Labour government will face in the coming years. Plus: Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss whether a  younger parliament  is good news for Gen Z, why we shouldn't...

As the Commons meets to elect the Speaker, who has made a success of the job - and who hasn't? Matt speaks to two former deputy speakers to find out how the job works, and asks why they'd like to ban mobile phones in the chamber. Plus: After Joe Biden's press secretary bats away questions about the US president's health, we compare the way journalists cover the White House and 10 Downing Street. H...

Now, as a record number of new faces arrive in Westminster, Matt pulls together a helpful guide on how to survive life as an MP - from asking for directions to taking control of your own diary and staying off social media after a drink. Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvester and Patrick Maguire on Rachel Reeves' first speech as Chancellor, why the Tory leadership candidates are shy about announcing the...

Matt Chorley guides you through an extraordinary moment in British politics, as Rishi Sunak leaves Downing Street for the last time and Keir Starmer becomes the UK's first Labour prime minister in 14 years. He's joined by guests including pollster John Curtice, Times Radio Political Editor Kate McCann, and Sunday Times Whitehall Editor Gabriel Pogrund. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...

Former and Current Political Editors Fred Emery, Roland Watson and Steven Swinford tell Matt about reporting on half a century of elections for The Times. They discuss how election coverage has changed and how the 2024 campaign compares to previous years. Plus: Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss whether  Boris Johnson's  appearance on the campaign trail could lead to a late t...

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tells Matt about tax, protecting his family, his favourite Elton John record, and his plan for a Downing Street downpour. Plus: In the latest Times Radio Focus Group, James Johnson of JL Partners leads a group of undecided voters who think Piers Morgan should be prime minister. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades the holy grail of election night has been swing - the method of comparing support for the parties between general elections invented back in 1955. Matt finds out what kind of swing Keir Starmer needs to get a majority in the Commons and remembers the 'sultan of swing', David Butler, with expert voices in including David Dimbleby, Jeremy Vine, Jon Snow and James Kanagasooriam. Plus: Lib...

Being prime minister doesn't come with a job description - in our political system after a gruelling six-week assault course of an election campaign, a newly-elected PM is thrown straight into the job and expected to hit the ground running. Over the years Matt has spoken to the people who've been there and done it - prime ministers and advisers including Tony Blair, David Cameron, Peter...

In the latest Times Radio Focus Group, 2019 Conservative voters explain why they have switched to Labour, but have very low expectations of Keir Starmer as PM. James Johnson from JL Partners tells Matt how this could present an opportunity to an incoming government,. PLUS: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss the state of the election race so far, Labour luvvies and Rishi Sunak as th...

The party leaders have been on the campaign trail day in, day out - but what seats have they been visiting, and what does it tell us about the kind of campaign they're fighting? Matt looks at whether an appearance by Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer can help swing a seat, and speaks to former Number 10 adviser Cleo Watson about the dos and don'ts of planning political events.   Plus: Columnists Ro...

The Conservative party is facing one of its biggest ever challenges, but how did they get into this mess? And what does the future of the party look like? Matt speaks to Paul Goodman, Conservative peer and former editor of Conservative Home, about what will happen if it loses the election, and hears from William Hague about what it is like being ignored in opposition.  Plus: A selection of so...

Matt sits down with the MPs leaving Parliament to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics. Tory MP Craig Mackinlay lost his hands and feet after suffering a life-threatening episode of sepsis, and Rishi Sunak's snap election came too soon for him to run for his seat again. He talks to Matt about how he kept working from his hos...

From Rishi Sunak calling the election in the rain to Ed Davey falling off his paddleboard, what are the images that define a general election campaign? Matt speaks to the photographers who have had a ring-side seat. Plus: Benedict Pringle and Sam Jeffers discuss the best of the week's campaign adverts (and the ones that had to be deleted). What We Learned This Week (00:47) Mad Men (02:44) The Pict...

It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Matt steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters. This week it's a group who plan to vote for the Conservatives on July the 4th. Matt is joined by James Johnson from JL Partners to find out why. PLUS: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Syed discuss whether building houses is a credible plan for economic growth and wheth...