Politics Unpacked

Philip Hammond heralded the beginning of the end of austerity, blowing a multi-billion pound windfall on tax cuts and extra spending. But what was hidden in the small print, does it make an election more likely, and who will actually have more money in their pocket? Matt Chorley is joined by Anne Ashworth, The Times money and property editor, Oliver Wright, The Times policy editor, and Richard Fle...

Matt Chorley speaks to the leader of Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson about life beyond politics, including her upbringing, struggles with mental health, and impending motherhood.  This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Edinburgh's Signet library. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you solve a problem like Brexit, the Budget or Bercow? Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Rachel Sylvester, who warns Theresa May has no room to compromise. Carl Emmerson, from the Institute for Fisxal Studies, on why the chancellor can’t end austerity and the balance the books. And Henry Zeffman, Times political correspondent, on whether John Bercow can survive the latest calls...

Recorded live at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Matt Chorley hosts a special episode as Iain Martin, Lucy Fisher, Jenni Russell and Bruno Waterfield, argue over the big (and not so big) political issues of the day.  Including: the Brussels view of brexit, the USA's abdication as "world police", how should the west fight back against Russia? And what is...

Matt Chorley meets health minister Matt Hancock in the last of the party conference podcasts.  They talk about his dyslexia, why he accepted a demotion to remain in a minister in 2016, what he plans to do with the billions allocated for the NHS and what Ronnie Wood handed him to get through the Brit awards. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnists, Alice Thomson, Patrick Kidd and Hugo Rifkind and former number 10 adviser, Will Tanner. The panel debates if a party torn apart by Brexit, promising tax rises not cuts and buffeted by domestic crises can reinvent itself and who is the right person for the job? Recorded live at the electric cinema in Birmingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

Recorded shortly before her speech to the Labour party conference in Liverpool, Matt Chorley sits down with shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry. In a wide ranging interview they discuss her childhood, brexit, anti-semitism and why she expects Labour's demands for a general election to succeed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live at the Labour party conference in Liverpool, the panel debate whether Jeremy Corbyn can inspire an electorate and turn the last election's gains in to a majority or whether his peak will be remembered as a song on a Glastonbury hillside. To find an answer Matt Chorley is joined by former Corbyn spokesman Matt Zarb-Cousin, author of "Comrade Corbyn" Rosa Prince and Times columnists Ra...

Matt Chorley is at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton, where leader Sir Vince Cable had a nightmare delivering the key part of his speech. Polly Mackenzie, former Lib Dem No10 policy chief, Vanessa Pine, former adviser to Sir Vince, and Henry Zeffman, Times political correspondent, pick over a bad few days beside the sea. Matthew Parris, The Times columnist, discusses 30 years of attending Lib Dem...

Matt Chorley is joined by Daniel Finkelstein, who argues only one person can lead a new Blairite party, and that’s Tony Blair. Sam Coates, The Times deputy political editor, tackles the most contentious issue in politics: trans rights. And Anne Ashworth, The Times money editor, wonders why ministers care so little about how much we are saving for old age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

As MPs return to Westminster, Matt Chorley assembles a crack team of former political spin doctors to diagnose the problems in their parties, and their long-term chances of survival. Katie Perrior,  who was Theresa May's   No10 director of communications, insists the PM is dead set against a second Brexit referendum: "She thinks it's highly divisive, when you go back on democra...

Matt Chorley speaks to David Charter, The Times’ new US editor, about adjusting to life in Washington, the numerous threats to the Trump presidency and the challenge of being a foreign correspondent in a town where contacts can suddenly - and dramatically - lose their jobs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If sometimes you think politics seems to trivial this might not be the episode for you. Matt Chorley assembles three of the biggest brains filled with useful (and useless) facts about politics and only one can emerge victorious. Showing off their knowledge are Patrick Kidd, The Times sketchwriter and diarist, Esther Webber, Red Box reporter, and Mark Mason, author of Question Time: A Journey Round...

Recorded live at a TimesPlus event, Lucy Fisher speaks to Stig Abell, editor of t he Times Literary Supplement, about his new book, How Britain Really Works , an in-depth look at the challenges facing the UK. Getting to grips with Britain is harder than ever – a nation that chose Brexit, rejects immigration but is dependent on it, is getting older but less healthy, is more demanding of public serv...

In part two of our special looking at political shows on the Edinburgh fringe, Matt Chorley is joined by Andrew Maxwell, who you’ll know from Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week and Celebrity Mastermind. He is at the fringe with his show Shake a Leg. Lolly Jones, whose show Fifty Shades of May is a comedy/burlesque hybrid described as Downing Street on poppers, with a P45, suspenders, and a chunky m...

Matt Chorley is joined by three comedians taking political shows to the Edinburgh fringe. Nick Hall brings his show Spencer, the story of Spencer Percival, the only British prime minister to have been assassinated. He asks if, in this age of Brexit, Trump, Corbynista and Maybot, could we still learn something from the past? Jess Green’s show is pretty self-explanatory: A Self-Help Guide to Being i...

Why a cross-party effort makes sense, but won't happen. PLUS Leaving Labour and replacing May Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Philip Collins, Times deputy diary editor Grant Tucker and Red Box columnist Jane Merrick to discuss the week in politics.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Biographers of Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson help Matt Chorley write the first draft of political history. Sir Anthony Seldon argues Theresa May could still rescue Brexit and avoid bgeing remembered as the worst PM ever. Rosa Prince, biographer of Jeremy Corbyn, asks what the Labour leader needs to do to become PM himself. And Andrew Gimson, biographer of Boris Johnson, on what the...

Resignations, reshuffles and May's survival. In this special recorded in Westminster, Matt Chorley is joined by The Times' Henry Zeffman, Sam Coates and Lucy Fisher to discuss why political crises are linked to the hole in Sam's trousers. Alastair Campbell describes helping Robin Cook write his resignation letter. Katie Perrior, Theresa May's former director of communications, and Rupert Harrison,...

Matt Chorley speaks to Ben Rhodes, whose new book, The World As It Is, charts a decade at Barack Obama’s side, from the campaign in Chicago to flying with him to California on the day he left the White House for the final time He was at the table for the Iran nuclear deal, the opening up of relations with Cuba, the night US Navy seals killed Osama Bin Laden. And he was there when David Cameron ask...

PLUS Tories bash business and handling Brexit badly Matt Chorley is joined by James McGrory, from Open Britain, Rachel Shabi, a left-wing commentator, and Anthony Wells, from pollsters YouGov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Paul Johnson, Times regular and director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, who insists there is no Brexit dividend for the NHS, or anything else. Times columnist Rachel Sylvester tackles the drugs debate in the Tory Party. And in a passionate debate on the moral fibre of The Government, Sam Coates, The Times deputy political editor, wonders why on Earth Brita...

Matt Chorley is joined by political correspondent Henry Zeffman and columnists Daniel Finkelstein and Jenni Russell.  The panel discuss the first Brexit resignation, why child protection budgets are being misdirected and why the USA remains the world's police force. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mart Chorley is joined by Tom Swarbrick, former head of broadcast in Theresa May's No10, and Steve Howell, former deputy director of communications in Jeremy Corbyn's Labour, to recall the moment the exit poll dropped, and how their leaders have handled the last year. Tim Shipman, political editor of the Sunday Times, and Alice Thomson, Times columnist and interviewer, reflect on the highs and low...

Fiona Hamilton, The Times crime and security editor, on Sajid Javid trying to improve relations with the police after years of hostilities. Lucy Fisher, The Times chief political correspondent, warns Theresa May has nowhere to hide from the Northern Ireland abortion debate. And Matthew Moore, The Times media correspondent, on why Radio 2 listeners are revolting over efforts to end tackle its all-m...