Politics Unpacked

Keir Starmer says he'll tackle the problem of small boats crossing the channel with his plan to "smash the gangs". Will the policy work, can he park his tanks on the Tory lawn, and does anyone remember Labour's migration mugs? Plus Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris  discuss back seat driving by former prime ministers,   peers blocking the government's housebuilding plan , a...

It's the last PMQs before the party conferences, with Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer trading blows over the government's string of recent woes and Starmer dubbing Sunak 'inaction man'. Matt, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit pause, unpack and analyse the action from Westminster. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss what to do about the rising popularity of the drug Ketamine , whether...

Are referendums the sign of a healthy democracy, or as Thatcher said a "device of dictators and demagogues"? Matt finds out about their increasing use around the world to decide everything from pension reform to using nuclear power. Plus: Columnists Daniel Finkelstein and Miranda Green discuss how political narratives are built from uncertain data, and whether it's a problem that Keir Starmer is l...

Defence and security is one of the areas where the Conservatives are still more trusted than Labour by the public. With big questions looming over Ukraine, defence spending and the threat from China, can they overtake them? Matt speaks to Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, former Chief of the General Staff Lord Dannatt, and Elisabeth Braw from the American Enterprise Institute. Plus: Columnists...

Welcome to the grand opening of The Museum of Political Fiascos, where artefacts old and new are on display showcasing the most embarrassing moments in British politics. Matt and Patrick Maguire tour the exhibits, taking in objects like Liz Truss' jenga lectern, Boris Johnson's Brexit bus and the 'Ed Stone'. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss  whether there's enough glam...

The focus group is back, with swing voters from around England giving us their unvarnished view of politics. It's bad for Rishi Sunak, with even former Tory supporters sounding more negative (one calls him a 'weasel'). But they're still not sure Labour would do a better job, and think Keir Starmer is 'duplicitous'. Matt is joined by James Johnson from JL Partners to discuss the results. Plus: Colu...

It's the first PMQs clash between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer since Parliament returned from the summer break, and the exchanges are dominated by crumbling concrete in schools. Matt, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit are back to pause, unpack and analyse the action from the Commons chamber. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss meeting politicians in real life, whether weight-loss...

Keir Starmer has met with his brand new shadow cabinet for the first time, but does his top team now have more Blairites than Tony Blair ever did? Matt is joined by New Labour architect Lord Mandelson, former Starmer aide Chris Ward and Times Radio's Patrick Maguire. Plus: Columnists Daniel Finkelstein and John Stevens discuss the government's defence over collapsing schools, Gillian Kee...

With MPs back after the summer recess, Matt and Times Radio Political Editor Kate McCann bring you their guide to the five things Rishi Sunak should be worrying about between now and the general election. Plus: Kwasi Kwarteng joins Matt to reflect on a year since he was appointed as Liz Truss's chancellor, and columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss the Labour reshuffle , crumbling co...

Brand new Times columnist and Rest is History star Dominic Sandbrook tells Matt why the King's first year on the throne has been a surprising success, why Tony Blair isn't in his top 10 prime ministers, and why he really doesn't like archeology. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss India getting Covid (again), what Rishi Sunak will be served when he goes to Balmoral, and w...

From sending stories by mail to sacking ministers by tweet, 'The Political Editors' series showed how the news, and the creators of news, changed over the last half a century. In this final episode, Matt reflects on the evolution of political journalism, and how you might get your news in the future.  Plus: Columnists Jane Merrick and Matthew Bell chat about the cabinet reshuffle , hazar...

The Times' current Political Editor Steven Swinford has been in the job for a turbulent three years, straddling three prime ministers and at least 42 ministerial resignations. He tells Matt about covering partygate, Tories squaring up to each other, a serene Liz Truss as her premiership exploded, and sacking the chancellor via tweet. The Political Editors is half a century of politics told by the...

Francis Elliott became The Times' Political Editor in 2013, covering an extraordinary period that saw the end of the coalition, the slow downfall of Theresa May, and how Boris Johnson tried to get first Brexit and then Covid done. The Political Editors is half a century of politics told by the people who wrote the first draft of history for the Times. Plus: Columnists Daniel Finkelstein and Mirand...

Sixty years ago Martin Luther King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which went onto shape modern America. Hugo Rifkind asks a panel of former Downing Street speechwriters what makes King's speech so good, and what lessons Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer can learn from the great orators of political history. Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Zoe Strimpel on  Theresa May's new book , &nbsp...

After covering the US for the Times in the aftermath of 9/11 - and interviewing President Bush in the White House - Roland Watson returned to the "goldfish bowl" of Westminster, becoming the paper's political editor in time for the 2010 election. He tells Matt about Gordon Brown's prickly relationship with the press, making contacts in the coalition, and how David Cameron sowed the seeds of Brexit...

Philip Webster was political editor at the Times for 18 years, a colossus of the Blair and Brown eras who survived nine editors at the paper. He tells Matt about writing the story that killed Tony Blair's dreams of joining the Euro, getting stuck on Margaret Thatcher's battle bus, and what happened when he was locked up in Africa with Neil Kinnock. The Political Editors is half a century of politi...

Westminster veteran Sir Peter Riddell tells Matt about his time charting the dramatic end to the Thatcher era, underestimating John Major, Labour coming back from the wilderness, and how the job of covering politics has changed over the years. The Political Editors is half a century of politics told by the people who wrote the first draft of history for the Times.  Plus: Columnists Robert Cra...

Julian Haviland became political editor of the Times in 1981, but his career in journalism began in the 1950s and covered every prime minister from Alec Douglas-Home to Margaret Thatcher. He tells Matt about his recollections of a smug Jim Callaghan, the decent but flawed Harold Wilson, and Thatcher having a stiff drink before her weekly audience with Queen Elizabeth. He also reveals that the...

The Political Editors is half a century of politics told by the people who wrote the first draft of history for the Times. First up is Fred Emery, who became political editor in 1977 after a series of foreign postings including covering the Vietnam War and Watergate. He tells Matt about getting the scoop that President Nixon was about to resign, the fall of the Callaghan government and what it was...

Has political correctness come to bury comedy, or to save it? Patrick Maguire speaks to David Stubbs, who believes 'wokeness' has been good rather than bad, and takes a tour through the changing face of British comedy. Plus: Columnists Laura Freeman and Ailbhe Rea discuss why  Labour is spending so much time talking about class , the decline of the chat show, and how to  stage a heist ....

Military coups are "back" according to the UN, with Niger the latest African nation to have its government overthrown. Patrick asks why they're on the rise, and discusses the most consequential and surprising coups to have ever happened. The Times' Catherine Philp recounts what it was like to report on the 1997 coup in Cambodia with bullets flying overhead.  Plus: Manveen Rana and Matthew Bel...

It's Wednesday, but with the House of Commons in recess we bring you the other PMQs - Patrick Maguire Questions. Patrick is joined by Red Box Editor Lara Spirit and political commentator Isabel Hardman to answer listeners' questions, including what happens if Labour doesn't win the next election, can Nadine Dorries be forced to stand down as an MP, and where did all the Corbynites go? Plus: Column...

It's 16 years since Tony Blair walked away from frontline politics, forced to step down by a party that had fallen out of love with him. But with Keir Starmer keen to hug the three-time election winner close, could he and his Institute for Global Change have a big influence over British politics in the future? Plus: Columnists Robert Colvile and Helen Lewis discuss the implications of Donald Trump...

Twenty five years after Bill Clinton infamously denied having an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Patrick speaks to Damian Whitworth, who remembers the chaos that gripped US politics while he was covering the story of The Times.  Boris Johnson's former Director of Communications Guto Harri, Andrew Gimson and Isabel Hardman analyse the best and worst denials made by UK politicians. Plus: Anoosh Ch...

This Saturday we're bringing you an extra episode from another Times podcast - Stories of Our Times - one remarkable story, told in depth, each day. With an election just around the corner, politicians are quitting Westminster in their droves, many of them under 40. Is the job broken – or are they just jumping before they're pushed? We meet the leavers and reluctant remainers. Luke Jones spea...