Politics Unpacked

Matt is joined by Times and Sunday Times cartoonists Peter Brookes and Morten Morland at the Cheltenham Literature Festival to discuss the art of mocking politicians, and why mocked politicians still want to buy their work.  Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matt Deegan talk about the importance of language when reporting on conflict, and how to get over news fatigue. Hosted on Acast. Se...

Against the backdrop of the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the prime minister and Labour leader debate the global response and the impact on the streets of Britain. Matt is joined by Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit to pause and unpack the action. PLUS: Robert Crampton and John Stevens discuss  whether Westminster has a drinking problem ,  Robert's 30-year-old jokes , and  wheth...

As the world faces another major conflict, Matt takes a look at the history and changing nature of warfare since 1945 with former director of the CIA General David Petraeus and historian Andrew Roberts. Plus: Columnists Tom McTague and Jane Merrick discuss British influence in the Middle East, whether Sir Patrick Vallance's Covid-19 diaries should be kept private, and the tree-felling that br...

Should politicians do God, and does religion still matter in politics? Matt discusses the role of faith in public life and the Israel-Gaza conflict with the broadcaster Edward Stourton. Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester on whether it's right to go to a protest alongside bad actors,  covid's ghost children , and why the Austrian "Beer Party", which started as a joke,...

Which election in history could 2024 most closely resemble? Will it be a 1997-style landslide? Could the Tories pull off a surprise win like John Major in 1992? Or could it be such a tight result we have to go back to the polls, like in 1974? Live at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Matt is joined by polling guru Professor John Curtice, Times Radio's Ayesha Hazarika, Red Box Editor Lara Sp...

Has Keir Starmer sealed the deal with undecided voters? In the latest Times Radio Focus Group, Matt and James Johnson from JL Partners find that while Rishi Sunak's attempt to become the change candidate hasn't landed so far, Starmer is still seen as 'weak' and 'vanilla'. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Holehouse discuss disinformation and the Israel-Hamas war , what the Captain Tom...

Forget the Westminster bubble, some of history's most important political events happened not in the corridors of power but in car parks, village halls and seaside resorts. In a taster of his new book 'Planes, Trains and Toilet Doors', Matt visits the 50 places that changed British politics from John Major's dentist room to Harold Wilson's 'Scilly' season holidays. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...

As Keir Starmer makes his final pitch to the public ahead of the next general election, Matt looks back at the pre-election conference speeches of previous Labour leaders with Tony Blair's former speechwriter Phil Collins and former Ed Miliband adviser Ayesha Hazarika. Plus: Columnists Daniel Finkelstien and Miranda Green on ministers calling pro-Palestinian protesters in London to stay at home, a...

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner and shadow health secretary Wes Streeting have a round of cocktails with Matt and discuss Angela's favourite drink ('venom'), what to do about children vaping, and what music Keir Starmer should walk on stage to ahead of his conference speech. Matt also takes a look at the changing perceptions of Starmer through the Times Radio Focus Group archives. Plus: Colum...

After Labour's decisive win in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, Keir Starmer channelled Michael Caine and claimed the party had 'blown the doors off'. But does the result mean he's now on the way to Number 10? Matt talks to polling guru Sir John Curtice and Times Radio's Patrick Maguire. Plus: Help, my mum's running the country! Matt speaks to Carol Thatcher to find out what life is r...

The old War Office in Whitehall, once used by Winston Churchill as the nerve centre of Britain's war effort, has been hidden from public view for more than a century. Matt is given a guided tour of the historic building, which has been converted into a hotel, to uncover its secrets. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss the relationship between the West and Ukraine, Boris Johnso...

Rishi Sunak has made his first party conference speech as leader, but polls suggest it could be his last; so who comes next? JL Partners' Scarlett Maguire and Sam Lister from the Daily Express look at the frontrunners in the next Tory leadership race. Plus: Matt catches cabinet ministers Mel Stride and Michael Gove on their way out of the conference hall for their take on the Prime Minister's spee...

This year marks a century since the 1922 committee of Conservative backbenchers came into being. Why do the men and women in grey suits still wield so much power, and why aren't they called the 1923 committee? Matt also talks to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove about HS2, benefits, and bendy bananas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a special conference edition of the Times Radio Focus Group; Matt and James Johnson from JL Partners hear from a group of 2019 Conservative voters who say they no longer support the party. What can Rishi Sunak do to win them back, and would they rather snog, marry or avoid Sunak, Starmer and Davey? Plus: Columnists Iain Martin and Rachel Sylvester discuss Liz Truss's appearance at the Tory co...

30 years ago John Major made a speech pledging to get Britain, and his government, ‘back to basics' - but the scandals just kept coming. Matt speaks to Howell James, Major’s former political secretary, and political journalists Phil Webster and Elinor Goodman. Plus: Columnists James Marriott and India Knight discuss the 'war on motorists', whether Rishi Sunak or Suella Braverman has it right on mu...

How often do politics and quizzing collide? There's a rich history of politicians trying and failing to answer simple questions, and the British public struggling to grapple with political trivia. Matt is joined by comedian Lucy Porter and Jenny Ryan, aka The Vixen from The Chase. Plus: Manveen Rana and Matthew Bell discuss whether Labour has flip-flopped when it comes to private schools...

It's the podcast everyone has been waiting for... join Matt and Patrick Maguire as they bring you Ed Davey Unpacked: pausing and analysing the action from Bournemouth and the Liberal Democrat Leader's conference speech. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss what Rishi Sunak should do about inheritance tax , their worst train story, and why Robert should giv...

It’s Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth, and Matt plays crazy golf with party leader Ed Davey. How many houses does he want to build, why won’t he talk about Brexit, and who will get a hole-in-one? Plus Columnists Daniel Finkelstein and Miranda Green debate whether there's any point of the Lib Dems and whether Rishi Sunak is truly a long-term thinker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

As party conference season kicks off, Matt speaks to those who have seen it all - from karaoke, to babysitting drunk ministers, to skinny dipping. Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss the ballooning costs of HS2 , Taylor Swift's political power, and ask what is the point of the Liberal Democrats? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

History is written by (and often about) the winners, but the lives and careers of Britain's political losers can be just as telling. Leaders of the Opposition was a long-running feature on Matt's Times Radio show, and now author and historian Nigel Fletcher has written the book explaining what they can tell us about modern politics. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott on  Rishi S...

The British Social Attitudes Survey has been running for 40 years, and its latest findings show that we expect the state to do more than ever before. Matt is joined by Gillian Prior from the National Centre for Social Research to chart the journey from Thatcherite Britain to post-Covid big state spending. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss whether Rishi Sunak's message on net...

With Parliament in recess and no PMQs, Matt is joined by Patrick Maguire and Kate McCann to answer questions from the listeners on Rishi Sunak's net zero promises, political speeches and culture wars. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss the art of ageing well, taking a midlife gap year and Rishi Sunak’s love of Britney Spears... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy fo...

As we learn Labour's slogan for party conference season, Matt is joined by columnists Daniel Finkelstein and Jane Merrick to discuss the best and the worst - from 'build back better' to 'straight talking honest politics'. Plus: It's not just the UK dealing with the consequences of people leaving their home country for safety or economic security. How are other nations dealing with this r...

Keir Starmer may be ahead in the polls, but nearly half of voters say they still don't think he looks like a prime minister in waiting. Matt hears advice on how to look the part from experts from the worlds of fashion and photography, and Thatcher's biographer Charles Moore explains how the Iron Lady changed her voice. Plus Columnists Rachel Sylvester and Robert Colvile on  what Russell Brand...

Matt is working from home today...a rare occasion for him but not for millions of people . Stanford economist and world leading expert in remote working Nick Bloom explains the impact changing work patterns will have on the railways, golf courses and why it could lead to a total rewiring of the state. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss  whether the 20s are better than th...