Politics Unpacked

Recorded live at a Times+ event for Times subscribers, Matt Chorley and a stellar panel grapple with the ethical questions of the tech takeover. He was joined by: Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the first minister to set up an app about themselves. Timandra Harkness is presenter of the BBC Radio 4 series,  FutureProofing , a scien...

Times sketchwriters past and present Patrick Kidd, Ann Treneman and Matthew Parris on the good, the bad and the ugly exchanges across the despatch box. Sign up to the Red Box morning email thetimes.co.uk/redbox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ayesha Hazarika and Tom Hamilton, former political advisers and authors of Punch & Judy Politics, give their top 10 tips to surviving prime minister's questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by a panel to discuss in-depth three big political themes of the week. Oliver Wright, The Times policy editor, tries to explain what Boris Johnson wants from Brexit, and why he probably won’t get it. Jenni Russell, Times columnist, says the resignation of New York’s attorney-general , Eric Schneiderman, after allegations of abuse by ex-girlfriends, is a chilling reminder of...

Recorded from Downing Street, Matt Chorley is joined by Jack Brown, the street researcher-in-residence, who reveals the rows about the PM moving out for the repairs in 1958 and why they were almost scuppered by a cup of tea. Additional clips: Sky News/ Reuters Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part one of Red Box's Downing Street series, Matt Chorley welcomes Philip Collins, Times columnist and former Blair speechwriter, Gabby Bertin, former Cameron spokeswoman and adviser, and Caroline Slocock, former Thatcher private secretary. They speak about the power struggles, how the building shapes it inhabitants and the day their boss was forced to move out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...

PLUS Nasty parties and watching royal-watchers Matt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, Times political editor, who suspects Michael Gove is again eyeing the Tory leadership, Hugo Rifkind, Times columnist, fears bigotry and bias is ingrained in both the Tory and Labour Party, while comedian Tiff Stevenson wonders if coverage of royal babies and weddings is designed to distract us from the bigger issu...

Matt Chorley welcomes Times political editor Francis Elliot, Times reporter Grant Tucker and former No10 spin chief Katie Perrior. The panel discuss: is Theresa May's stint as home secretary coming back to haunt her, is the problem with polls, the data or those who report it, and after Wetherspoons ditched social media, is it time for brands and politicians to switch off twitter and get back...

In this bumper episode, Matt Chorley welcomes founder of Number Cruncher Politics, Matt Singh, senior political correspondent Lucy Fisher and columnist Iain Martin. The panel cover: why nothing has changed in the polls, why a new party won't work in Britain and what should fill the new Museum of Brexit? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Alice Thomson, Bruno Waterfield, Times Brussels Correspondent, and Oliver Wright and Henry Zeffman, who write the Times Brexit Briefing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who has been worst PM ever? And the best? And what does history tell us about today's politicians? Matt Chorley is joined by author Andrew Gimson, former No10 spin chief Katie Perrior and Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Patrick Kidd and Rachel Sylvester to pick over the politics of Philip Hammond's spring statement, in which he mocked the Eyeore's on the Labour benches. Plus Francis Elliott, Times political editor, and Lucy Fisher, senior political correspondent, on what to do about Russia and can John Bercow survive the bullying scandal? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i...

Matt Chorley welcomes Times political correspondent, Henry Zeffman, Times columnist, Rachel Sylvester and comedian, Matt Forde. Discussed this week: why May's speech means there's finally a significant Brexit update, why the election for Labour general secretary shows fresh infighting on the left and why PMQs is now dreadful to watch.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

Matt Chorley welcomes Times columnist, David Aaronovitch, Times assistant editor, Anne Ashworth and director of Social Market Foundation, James Kirkup. The panel discuss: why the government energy cap teaches us to be active consumers and hold businesses to account, why Britain’s under-taxing of housing wealth means a return for the dementia tax and why Marvel films mean absolutely...

Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Daniel Finkelstein and Philip Collins to debate the chances of a new force emerging from the current two main parties. They discuss why it has to come from a Tory/Labour split, the events which could lead to its creation and why an electoral shift is required to make it viable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a record number of new parties are set up, Matt Chorley and Lucy Fisher speak to Daniel Oxley, a founder member of the Democrats and Veterans Party, Chris Coughlan a founder of centrist party Renew, and Sally Cogley, founder of The Rubbish Party. Tomorrow: Daniel Finkelstein and Philip Collins debate the chances of a new force emerging from the current two main parties. Hosted on Acast. See aca...

Matt Chorley meets Nish Kumar, comedian and host of the 'Mash Report’ to try and understand why a British 'Daily Show’ has never worked, how losing elections is the best way to avoid satire, how he dealt with being told to "go home" the day after the Brexit vote, and how he feels about that Piers Morgan cartoon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley meets David Baddiel to discuss his appearance on a government panel hoping to tackle antisemitism, how social media forces comedians to take political positions and why Tony Blair is like Bob Monkhouse.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve worked hard to become an MP, you’ve worked even harder to become a minister, so what happens when it all comes crashing down and you’re faced with a resignation calibre problem?  Matt Chorley sits down with Mark Harper MP to discuss why his response to events in 2014 is regarded as the textbook political resignation.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politicians resign for all sorts of reasons, in this special the panel examine the art and the fall out of the political resignation. Matt Chorley is joined by Theo Barclay, author of “Fighters and Quitters” which chronicles some of the great resignations, Sir Craig Oliver, David Cameron’s director of communications, and Jane Merrick, Red Box columnist. They discuss: what are grounds for quit...

Matt Chorley is joined by Fay Schlesinger, Alice Thomson and Iain Martin to discuss fears of society becoming overly prudish, how to fix the housing crisis, and why the Tories need to find the courage to change leader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Matt Chorley talks comedy, social media and why we need a party of nutters. On the panel: Matthew Moore, The Times media correspondent, who asks why all the jokes are on the left. Polly Mackenzie, head of Demos think tank, on regulating the future and Times columnist Matthew Parris on the slow death of a political party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Chris Smyth, Times health editor, to see whether Jeremy Hunt can solve social care, Graeme Paton, transport correspondent, on Chris Grayling hitting the buffers, and Rosemary Bennett, education editor, on whether Damian Hinds can win over whingeing teachers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnists David Aaronovitch and Rachel Sylvester and former Director of Strategy & Chief Speechwriter at May's No10, Chris Wilkins. The panel debate: a government afflicted by caution as seen in the reshuffle, how the hard left is further seizing control of the Labour party and its institutions and whether President Hilary Clinton could have survived the mainst...

Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Times Senior Political Reporter, Tim Shipman the author of 'Fall Out' and Tom McTague co-author of 'Betting the House' to cast one final look at the political events of 2017. The panel pick their highlights from the last twelve months and dare to make wild guesses about the chaos which might await us in the coming year.    Hosted on Acast. See acas...