Times Radio

Politics Unpacked

News EN ↓ 1980 episodes

Hugo Rifkind unpacks the the politics of the day - and the stuff that's even more important - with the brightest brains from the Times and Sunday Times. You can listen to Hugo on DAB, smart speaker or app 10am-1pm Monday to Friday. If you like what you hear, then read more at  http://www.thetimes.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author

Times Radio

Category

News

Podcast website

www.thetimes.co.uk

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

McDonnell, Gove and Clegg 11.06.2019

Matt Chorley sits down with John McDonnell to discuss worrying businesses, Rachel Sylvester quizzes Michael Gove on drugs and hate crime and Hugo Rifkind asks Sir Nick Clegg why he's changed his mind on Facebook.   All interviews were recorded at Times CEO Summit on June 11th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Running out with... Jeremy Hunt 09.06.2019

Matt Chorley joins the foreign secretary on his morning jog to talk Brexit, why he could do a better job than Theresa May, how Donald Trump is advising him on Twitter and his love of chocolate cake. WARNING: Contains huffing and puffing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walking out with... Andrea Leadsom 07.06.2019

Matt Chorley buys Andrea Leadsom an ice-cream and asks her about quitting the cabinet, running for leader a second time, and who ordered the food for Pizza Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walking out with... Matt Hancock 04.06.2019

Matt Chorley is joined in the rain by the health secretary who discusses Love Island, tanktops and why he would be good at PMQs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walking out with... Rory Stewart 03.06.2019

Matt Chorley takes a stroll with the Tory leadership contender, who discusses being the Trumpian anti-Trump, who he would have in his cabinet and being liked by Larry the Cat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Parris Agreement 28.05.2019

Matt Chorley is joined by Matthew Parris, who explains why rescuing a dog helped him become a Tory MP 40 years ago, discusses how coming out cost him his political career and reveals his fear that the Conservative party could disappear by the end of 2020. Plus: which Tory leadership contender could swim across the Thames? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walking out with Sam Coates 23.05.2019

Matt Chorley goes for a walk in the park with Sam Coates, as he prepares to quit as deputy political editor after two decades on The Times. They discuss not discussing football, the peril of the screenshot and Gordon Brown’s bomber jacket. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who will choose the next PM? 21.05.2019

Matt Chorley is joined by James Kirkup, former No10 director of communications Katie Perrior and YouGov's Chris Curtis to discuss the people, the process and the policies of the Tory leadership contest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could a sex strike solve Brexit? 14.05.2019

Janice Turner on sexual political protest, Rachel Sylvester on Tory divisions on climate change and Francis Elliott on the rise of the Brexit Party. All while Matt Chorley is stuck on a train. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to avoid May's mistakes 07.05.2019

Matt Chorley is joined by Alex Dawson, a former Home Office adviser to Theresa May who became her political director in No 10, who describes how a short leadership campaign left her unprepared for what came next. Plus Esther Webber, Red Box reporter, on the dramatic return of the Lib Dems, and Jane Merrick, Red Box columnist, on whether the royals are better at politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast...

Why parliament needs cats 02.05.2019

Matt Chorley sits down with Chorley MP and deputy speaker, Lindsay Hoyle to discuss how to control a rowdy commons, being in the speakers chair during a terror attack and why a crumbling parliament might need to send in the cats.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will you be up all night? 30.04.2019

All political nerds will be gripped by the local election results this week, but what should we expect, where should we watch, and why should we care? Matt Chorley is joined by Lord Hayward, a former MP and polling guru, Deborah Mattinson, who was Gordon Brown’s pollster in No10 before founding the polling firm Britain Thinks, Sean Kemp worked for the Lib Dems including four years in Downing Stree...

The case for Boris Johnson 23.04.2019

Matt Chorley is joined by Jo Tanner, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, who wonders if her old boss can ever get serious. Times columnist Matthew Parris thinks we could have two new PMs before the end of the year, and Hugo Rifkind says the power of protest cannot be ignored. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has Ian Hislop got views for you 11.04.2019

Rounding off a week of special episodes, Matt Chorley speaks to Ian Hislop, star of Have I Got News For You and editor of Private Eye, about Brexit, breaking politics and the point of satire in an increasingly crazy world. Red Box will return on April 23rd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside the Brussels horror show 11.04.2019

Matt Chorley travels to the Brussels summit as EU leaders give Britain an extra six months until Brexit.  We hear from Oliver Wright, Bruno Waterfield, Paddy Smith, Christian Spielmann and Jacki Davis across six hours of late-night negotiations as Matt lifts the lid on what actually happens behind Brussels closed doors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are the Tories finished? 09.04.2019

After a report shows young people turning their backs on the Tory party, Matt Chorley asks if a change of leader will be enough to reverse the trend? In this episode James Kanagasooriam counts down the top ten ways the Tories are in trouble then leadership hopefuls Matt Hancock, Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat set out their stalls for how to fix things. Finally Katy Balls and Henry Zeffman outlin...

Current status: grim and worsening 08.04.2019

Matt Chorley presents from parliament to assess how bad things have become on a human level. MP's Chris Bryant, George Freeman, Philippa Whitford and Ruth Smeeth explain about poor mental health, tears behind closed doors and members unable to visit dying relatives due to Brexit uncertainty.  Later, staffers Tara O'Reilly and Elliot Stratton recount dealings with death threats...

No charm, all offensive 07.04.2019

Matt Chorley begins a week of daily Red Box podcasts with a special episode recorded at Podcast Live.    Sam Coates explains why every future PM will tinker with Brexit then Katie Perrior considers the lack of charm in our politicians.    PLUS David Aronovitch hopes for the death of two party politics and Esther Webber on why we've all turned into parliamentary wonks....

Could you have done Brexit better? 02.04.2019

Matt Chorley asks how a different prime minister might have negotiated the last three years more successfully. Chris Wilkins, Theresa May's former speechwriter, lifts the lid on the lack of strategy behind the scenes. Jill Rutter, from the Institute for Government, says experts were shut out from day one. Plus Oliver Wright, The Times policy editor, on the risks of setting red lines, and Times col...

Brexit Tamed Live Part Three: What Next? 29.03.2019

In the final part of the Brexit Tamed specials, Matt Chorley invites Katie Perrior, Lucy Fisher, Sathnam Sanghera and Hugo Rifkind to speculate whether British politics can be saved, what we'd be talking about if remain won, and what comes after Brexit?   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brexit Tamed Live Part Two: The History 28.03.2019

Matt Chorley introduces part two of a special episode recorded at the Emmanuel centre in London.  Phillip Collins moderates a debate with Sarah Baxter, Daniel Finkelstein, Iain Martin and David Aaronovitch as they try to unpick the history of Europe and decide how it led us to Brexit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brexit Tamed Live Part One: The Interviews 27.03.2019

Matt Chorley introduces a special episode recorded at the Emmanuel centre in London.  First Quentin Letts speaks to Chukka Umunna then in a reversal of the remain/leave dynamic Rachel Sylvester interviews Iain Duncan Smith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bercow: annoying but right? 19.03.2019

PLUS Free speech in the internet age and beating cancer. Matt Chorley is joined by Alice Thomson, Hugo Rifkind and Lindsay McIntosh Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside The Times office 14.03.2019

Matt Chorley gives up on asking politicians what might happen with Brexit and ventures into The Times office on the roof of parliament to ask the political team what has really happened this week, and what happens next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who blew up Brexit? 12.03.2019

Matt Chorley is in parliament with politicians and pundits, asking how Geoffrey Cox became so key to Theresa May's deal, and what the hell happens now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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