Politics Unpacked

Matt Chorley reveals what's really happening inside the Tory party as he plays out off-the-record texts from Conservative MPs, voiced by actors. He and The Times' Political Editor Steven Swinford analyse and The Times' former Political Editor Phil Webster puts them into historical context. PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss the plot to oust Boris Johnson and the value of an English Li...

Matt Chorley looks back on the by-elections results of Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton. Matt crunches the numbers with Times Radio's Chief Political Commentator Lucy Fisher, pollsters Sir John Curtice, Lord Hayward and Professor Paula Surridge. COLUMNISTS: Melanie Reid and James Forsyth with their analysis of the by-elections and the politics of Glastonbury. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

Matt Chorley speaks to the former prime minister of New Zealand, former head of the United Nations Development Programme and now President of Chatham House, about a new commission looking at how to prepare every country for the health threats of the future. COLUMNISTS: Patrick Kidd and Laura Freeman on the commonwealth, GCSE poetry and top gun. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

Matt Chorley analyses the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. Pausing the action alongside the Sunday Times' Chief Political Commentator Tim Shipman PLUS: Robert Crampton and Carol Lewis discuss whether strikes were better in the 1970s, property and cushions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Jersey goes to the polls, Matt Chorley explores its significance alongside Guernsey and Sark. PLUS Danny Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss strikes and the fall of Macron. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley explores the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, taking place in Rwanda. He hears from Valentine Low, who writes on the Royals for The Times, Sue Onslow, Director at the Institute for Commonwealth Studies, Sir Simon McDonald, who was Permanent Under-Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service at the Foreign Office between 2015 and 2020 and Henry Zeffman, The Times Associate pol...

Former MP turned national treasure Gyles Brandreth talks about keeping busy, why he would have voted for Boris Johnson in the recent confidence vote and his new podcast with the Duchess of Cornwall PLUS: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid discuss Islamism and why Peers don't want to move to Stoke-On-Trent Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley hears stories from the frontlines of the cost-of-living crisis, speaking to regional representatives for Citizens Advice to get a clear understanding of the hardships people in England and Wales are going through. PLUS: India Knight and Rachel Cunliffe discuss how to dress in a heatwave and the state of the economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley analyses the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions alongside Sunday Times' Chief Political Commentator Tim Shipman. PLUS Patrick Kidd and Alice Thomson discuss the Rwanda flight court order and obesity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a Times Radio investigation showed that nearly a million people are considering or have confirmed strike action this summer, Matt Chorley explores what this means for the industries affected. He hears from Paul Nowak, Deputy General Secretary of the TUC, Gary Smith, the general secretary of the GMB union and Steven Fielding, Professor of political history at the University of Nottingham. PLU...

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire have been hitting up their contacts books, speaking to some of the Labour leader's closest colleagues, who are getting increasingly jittery about whether he is the man for the job.  PLUS Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester on early years learning and dealing with criticism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode comes courtesy of our sister podcast: Wine Times. Dabbling in wines from across the globe with Suzi and Will is the journalist and broadcaster Matt Chorley - who has an astute love for sauvignon blanc. As well as tasting three great wines Matt discusses why he believes people should pay less attention to politics, Will talks about his love for savoury wine and Suzi reflects on some...

This is the story of the senior Conservative MP, loyalist and rebel David Davis. Matt Chorley sat down with him to discuss losing out to David Cameron in a leadership race, bringing down Theresa May, and why he wants Boris Johnson to go. PLUS: Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss Boris Johnson's future, capitol riots and shipwrecks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by James Johnson from Kekst CNC who has convened the latest Times Radio Focus Group of people from Wakefield, who all voted Conservative for the first time in 2019. Find out what they think of Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer ahead of the constituency's by-election on the 23rd of June. PLUS: James Marriott and India Knight discuss whether second homes are immoral, and why Jame...

Matt Chorley is joined by the Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. PLUS Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss train strikes, the NHS and why we are an anxious nation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley takes us behind the scenes in Westminster to see how yesterday's extraordinary day in politics unfolded. PLUS Patrick Kidd and Daniel Finkelstein discuss the future for Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley speaks to the Deputy Leader and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and now the former anti-corruption tzar John Penrose on whether or not Boris Johnson should be removed from No 10. We also take a look back through the archive when other Prime Ministers were removed from office, with memories from Michael Heseltine, John Whittingdale, Baroness Bertin and many more. Plus Carol Lewis and Ra...

Last year, to mark 300 years since Robert Walpole became Prime Minister, Matt Chorley learnt about every PM through history each week. This year, he's learning about each Leader of the Opposition with Nigel Fletcher from the Centre for Opposition Studies. Each month you'll find a collection of episodes on the podcast. This month, Sir William Harcourt, John Spencer, George Robinson, Henry Petty-Fit...

Patrick Maguire explores what might've happened if Edward VIII had remained king. He hears from royal historian Andrew Lownie and political historian Sir Anthony Seldon. PLUS Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss Tory party woes and the future of the monarchy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carole Walker sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to journalists from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to get the news from the four corners of the UK.  Also columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss ethics, nostalgia and being a macho man. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can Rishi Sunak learn from former chancellors? We speak to Sir Howard Davies, a British economist, the first chairman of the Financial Services Authority and now the chairman of the Natwest Group. Carole speaks to him about his book. PLUS Columnists Hugo Rifkind and Angela Epstein on apocalypse fatigue and dogs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carole Walker sits in for Matt Chorley. She discusses how can the West break the naval blockade of Ukrainian ports? With the Times' Defence Editor Larisa Brown, Chair of Ukraine's biggest grain producer Dr John Rich, Chris Southworth, the General Secretary for The International Chamber of Commerce and Professor of War and Strategy Dr Alessio Palatano. PLUS: Manveen Rana and Alex Massie discus...

Matt Chorley speaks to Steve Brown who co-wrote 'Tony! The Tony Blair Rock Opera" with Comedian Harry Hill, as well as the actors playing Gordon Brown and Princess Diana. PLUS: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid discuss Rishi Sunak's latest economic support package. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Immigration is on the rise. But is this a good or a bad thing? Matt speaks to Matt Dathan, Chief Exec of Ipsos Kelly Beaver, former Joint Downing Street Chief of Staff of Theresa May Nick Timothy and former journalist James Kirkup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live from College Green, Matt Chorley unpacks the much-awaited Sue Gray report with Lucy Fisher and Patrick Maguire picking through the 39 pages and nine pictures of several events that happened at Downing Street. We also head to the Commons for PMQs Unpacked where Sir Keir Starmer focused on pressing Boris Johnson on the cost of living and a windfall tax. Plus Alice Thomson, Quentin Letts and Rob...