Politics Unpacked

In this special episode recorded in front of an audience, Matt Chorley sits down with former No10 speechwriter and Times columnist, Philip Collins to discuss the art of writing the perfect political speech.  Using examples from famous speeches Philip explains how Churchill showed timing is everything, why you must have something of importance to say and why it's best try to include a joke, un...

The Red Box christmas quiz returns to review another bizarre political year.  In part two Matt Chorley introduces rounds such as "play your Farages right" as three teams go head to head. The reporters Patrick Kidd and Lucy Fisher attempt to defend their crown against Ruth Smeeth and Johnny Mercer, the MPs, while the columnists Danny Finkelstein and Matthew Parris attempt t...

The Red Box christmas quiz returns to review another bizarre political year.  Matt Chorley attempts to keep order as three teams of varying ability go head to head. The reporters Patrick Kidd and Lucy Fisher attempt to defend their crown against  Ruth Smeeth and Johnny Mercer, the MPs, while the columnists Danny Finkelstein and Matthew Parris mainly plead for bonus points...

Matt Chorley is joined by Times Columnist Rachel Sylvester, Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, and Grant Tucker from the Times Diary. This week: Will anyone stand up for the benefits of Immigration? What are the conclusions we can draw from David Davis’ media appearances? What might 2018 look like?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Lucy Fisher, senior political correspondent, who tells us about Labour's "purge", Matthew O'Toole, a former No10 Brexit spokesman, explains why it all comes back to Irish first principles, and Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos Mori, reveals the five political tribes crossing party and Brexit lines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat...

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Hugo Rifkind, who worries that the Tories are kitten-killers, Anne Ashworth, Times Money editor, who warns that we are all still losing interest from the major banks, and Patrick Maguire, political reporter, tries to explain the political fall out in Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has chancellor Philip Hammond solved a housing problem? Will £2.8 billion really help the NHS? Or was it a "record of failure with a forecast of more to come". Matt Chorley welcomes Nicky Morgan, Alison McGovern, Sam Coates, Patrick Kidd and Alice Thomson to discuss the budget. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley welcomes Times columnist David Aaronovitch, Times religious affairs correspondent Kaya Burgess and Red Box columnist Jane Merrick to discuss the crisis in Germany, religion’s place in politics, and politics place in the celebrity jungle. Philip Hammond’s attempt to save the economy and his own job will be covered in a podcast special later this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

Matt Chorley assembles a team of experts to answer your Brexit questions in an attempt to figure out what is actually going on and whether it's all very boring? On the panel: Times Brexit briefing pair, policy editor Oliver Wright and political reporter Henry Zeffman, and Jill Rutter, former No10 and Treasury policy guru who is now programme director of the Institute for Government. They answer am...

With nothing of interest happening in Westminster at the moment - Matt Chorley casts a critical eye over the first year of the Trump presidency.  Joining him on the panel: Times columnist Jenni Russell, who argues Trump is not interested in helping anyone but himself, Sir Christopher Meyer, former British ambassador to the US, who says we should finally now stop talking about the sp...

As parliament is gripped by a sexual harassment storm, Matt Chorley is in Westminster to find out what the so-called “dirty dossier” of Tory MPs means and asks how the culture in politics can be changed so people feel safe going to work.  Times reporters Henry Zeffman and Hannah McGrath describe the challenge of corroborating the swirling litany of anonymous allegations. Jess Phillips, a Labo...

This week Matt assembles a panel of people who do politics differently. Forget politicians, or think tanks or even journalists. This episodes focuses on those who bring about change outside the party system. On the panel: David Babbs from the online petition website 38 Degrees, campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, who’s successes include getting Jane Austen on the £10 note, and Matteo Bergamini from...

Matt Chorley returns to the studio after the party conference season and due to popular demand this episode is a Brexit free zone. This week: Lucy Fisher, senior political correspondent for The Times, on cutting cronyism in the Lords, Katie Perrior, Theresa May’s former director of communications now Times columnist on the perils of reshuffles, and columnist Daniel Finkelstein on Corbyn's proposed...

Matt Chorley braves his fourth and final conference of the season this time with the SNP in Glasgow. He asks, have we reached, 'peak Nat', is Brexit making the case for independence harder, and with leaving the union not mentioned throughout conference, how do the SNP continue to motivate party members? The questions are put to Hamish Macdonell, Times Scottish political editor, Times columnist Ale...

In the final conference special Matt Chorley welcomes a panel of Times political columnists and journalists including Matthew Parris, Hugo Rifkind and Rachel Sylvester, who dangerously try to predict the future of British politics once more and answer, who will lead the Conservatives next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special podcast Matt Chorley interviews Ruth Davidson MSP in front of a packed fringe event at the Conservative party conference in Manchester. Davidson speaks on a variety of issues including, firing Boris Johnson, not wanting a second Brexit referendum, parking her tanks on Alex Salmond's lawn, how the party should fight Corbyn and whether she will ever stand for the Tory leadership. In...

In the second special from Brighton, Matt Chorley is joined by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner MP, to reflect on the changed mood of the Labour party conference. They also discuss why she took the job in the first place, why she's comfortable saying Labour lost, how teenage pregnancy turned her life around and how her upbringing informs her politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

The first Red Box debate of conference season comes from Brighton, Matt Chorley welcomes Times senior political correspondent Lucy Fisher, Times columnist Philip Collins, and journalist Rachel Shabi, to try and answer whether Corbyn can become prime minister? In an extended podcast, the panel grapple with the key issues surrounding the topic before taking questions from the audience. **NB: the sta...

In this special episode, Matt Chorley takes a trip to the seaside to cover the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth. He encounters former special advisors, James McGrory and Vannesa Pine, who share the tribulations of preparing a leader for a major speech. Matthew Parris and Henry Zeffman, try to work out if the Lib Dems have a message for the general public whilst on a cliff top. And Times sketch wr...

Still armed with his "Brexit Buzzer" Matt Chorley welcomes a panel to debate anything but the B-word. Times columnist, Rachel Sylvester asks if the Tories will ever be forgiven for taking a hardline on the big issue of the day by a generation that overwhelmingly supports Remain. (01:03)Roland Watson, foreign editor of The Times, ponders solving a problem like Korea. With the United Nations divided...

Matt Chorley returns from Brussels and immediately bans any talk of Brexit until some progress is made, the podcast focuses instead on other issues facing the country. Chris Smyth, the Times health editor, explains why the NHS winter warning gets earlier every year (01:00) Jenni Russell, Times columnist on upcoming benefit cuts that are starting to bite (10:43) And fellow columnist Iain Martin ask...

Red Box returns from the summer break with an episode from Brussels. Matt Chorley and Henry Zeffman emerge from a windowless room in the Berlaymont Building to try to work out why the Brexit talks have stalled. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final Red Box of the political year, Matt Chorley welcomes back Jan Ravens, from Spitting Image and Dead Ringers. Patrick Kidd, The Times sketchwriter and diarist. And Peter Brookes, The Times cartoonist who mocks the mighty in beautiful watercolours. The panel attempt a quiz and remember their highlights of 2017 so far before recalling the political characters from the past they enjoyed pa...

Matt Chorley casts a critical eye back over the most dramatic year in British politics since last year. On the panel, Jan Ravens, the impressionist who has given voice to leaders on Spitting Image and Dead Ringers. Patrick Kidd, The Times sketchwriter and diarist who gives them a kicking in print. And Peter Brookes, The Times cartoonist who mocks the mighty in beautiful watercolours. They review t...

Matt Chorley is joined by Fay Schlesinger, The Times head of news, who wonders how to reverse the collapse of trust in the state, Red Box commentator Rachel Shabi sets out what Labour will be doing while the Tories are on their summer break, and Lucy Fisher, senior political correspondent for The Times, discusses the little local difficulty in the Tory party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...