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.

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Times Radio

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News

Podcast website

www.thetimes.co.uk

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

What May should do now by those who know her best 10.07.2017

In the week Theresa May marks a year as Prime Minister, Matt Chorley asks, what path should May now take? Two people who know her best offer their insight. Katie Perrior, May's director of communications in No10 until the election was called, explains why the PM needs to cheer up and offer some hope. And in his first interview since leaving Downing Street, Chris Brannigan, who was head of governme...

Special: Politics of Pride Part 2 05.07.2017

In the second special in the run up to Pride, Matt Chorley sits down to chat with Justine Greening, Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, to discuss coming out by tweet, her view of the DUP and why her personal slogan is "keep on trucking".They also cover her attempt to extract money for schools from the treasury, whether she has any ambitions for future leadership and what ba...

Special: Politics of Pride Part 1 04.07.2017

In a two-part special to mark Pride week Red Box examineswhere the battles now lie for the LGBTQ community. Matt Chorley is joined by James Holt from Pride, Times columnist Matthew Parris, Labour MP Angela Eagle and SNP MP Stewart McDonald. Up for debate: is it no longer a big deal to be a gay politician, how important are labels and was there surprise at the reaction to the DUP deal? Also, Angela...

Weird Westminster: new MPs get lost in corridors of power 27.06.2017

Matt Chorley is joined by three new MP's to discuss the quirks of adjusting to life in parliament. On the panel: Douglas Ross (Conversative), Luke Pollard (Labour) and Wera Hobhouse (Lib Dem) They discuss the pain of sorting your office, getting lost in the giant building, what they hope to achieve in their terms and what's been the strangest part about the job so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...

Who should be the next Tory leader? 20.06.2017

Matt Chorley welcomes Jenni Russell who says Brexit is already a mess, Iain Martin who thinks he knows who should be the next prime minister and Anne Ashworth, Times property editor, who suggests the lessons that must be learnt from the Grenfell Tower fire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why the election means Brexit could be off 13.06.2017

Matt Chorley welcomes columnists Rachel Sylvester and Phillip Collins as well as political reporter Henry Zeffman. The panel discuss, why the Tories need to listen to Ruth Davidson, why Jeremy Corbyn should resist calls to move rightwards and how shelving Brexit could be the PM's least worst option in 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Post Election Special 09.06.2017

As Britain wakes up to another shock result, a sleep deprived Matt Chorley welcomes The Times Deputy Editor, Emma Tucker, Times columnist, Alice Thomson, Times diary and sketch writer Patrick Kidd, and Sunday Times Political Editor, Tim Shipman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special: The Red Box Election Debate 06.06.2017

As Britain prepares to go to the polls, Matt Chorley chairs a Red Box debate. On the panel: Katie Perrior, former director of communications at Number 10, Anthony Wells, director of YouGov's political polling and Times columnists Hugo Rifkind and David Aaronovitch. Up for discussion: are people still backing Theresa May, is Jeremy Corbyn a turn-off on the doorstep or surging, is the only way down...

Edinburgh Special 01.06.2017

Matt Chorley heads to Edinburgh for a Scottish Red Box special. On a whirlwind tour of the capital he gauges public opinion on the major parties and seeks to understand issues on the minds of voters, there's also host of interviews including: Times columnist Alex Massie, on why the political map could become very divided, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who explains why she's 'in charg...

Behind the scenes on a campaign 30.05.2017

Matt Chorley is joined by Katie Perrior, former May director of communications, Matt Zarb-Cousin, former Corbyn spokesmanand James McGrory, former Nick Clegg spinner, to lift the lid on the realities of running a campaign, who's currently doing well, and their worst moments whilst out on the road with the candidates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Theresa May any good? 25.05.2017

As general election campaigning restarts following the terror attack in Manchester, Matt Chorley is joined by Tim Shipman and Sam Coates. They reflect on the political response to terror, what the intelligence leaks mean for transatlantic relations and how the final stages of the election campaign will look. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester terror 23.05.2017

After the terror attack in Manchester, Matt Chorley delivers a short monologue in place of the the regular podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robots, social care and a bookmaker's read of the campaign 18.05.2017

Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Alice Thomson and Matthew Shaddick from Ladbrokes as the manifestos break cover. On the agenda: why politicians aren't talking about the rise of the robots, how the social care crisis has finally become a major election issue, and how bookies set political odds, plus the big money bets placed to far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special: in search of the Lib Dem fight back 17.05.2017

Matt Chorley escapes the Westminster bubble to visit Yeovil to discover if the Lib Dem fightback is realistic. Listen in as he travels around the local area to chat with Conservative candidate, Marcus Fysh, Lib Dem candidate, Jo Roundell Greene and a whole host of local voters. There's also expert analysis from Professor Charles Lees from the University of Bath and Times columnist Hugo Rifkind. Ho...

The Mays' relationship, lessons from Macron and a pollster's view of immigration 09.05.2017

Matt Chorley is joined by former Number 10 director of communications, Katie Perrior, Ipsos Mori research director, Kully Kaur-Ballagan and columnists, David Aaronovitch in the studio and Robert Crampton on the road. On the agenda: The Mays and their political relationship, why there is little evidence meeting immigration targets would please the public, and are there lessons to be learned in Brit...

Why hiding from the public works and how UKIP could turn the north Tory blue 04.05.2017

Matt Chorley is joined by Lucy Fisher, Danny Finkelstein and Oliver Kamm. On the agenda: Why campaigns should be disciplined and hide candidates away if required. Why Oliver is wrestling with voting for a local Labour candidate despite his problems with Corbyn's leadership and why switched UKIP votes could cause swathes of Labour-held seats in the north to turn blue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

Special Debate: the battle to become West Midlands mayor 02.05.2017

Matt Chorley escapes the Westminster bubble to present a special debate between the leading candidates to become West Midlands mayor. Andy Street (Conservative) and Sion Simon (Labour) go head to head and are joined on the panel by Jenni Russell and Matthew Parris. Conversation covers not only local issues but the general election as well. Recorded live on the 26th April 2017 Hosted on Acast. See...

Lessons in a landslide: Tony Blair 28.04.2017

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. Tony Blair reflects on his paranoia that he might blow it in 1997, his unsolvable conflict with Gordon Brown and his sadness at Blairite now being a dirty word in the party in led to three election victories. Hosted o...

Lessons in a landslide: Peter Mandelson 28.04.2017

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. In this episode: Peter Mandelson, the election svengali, on coining New Labour, why John Prescott was always feeling left out and how some Blairites have still not forgiven him for going back to save Gordon Brown's pr...

Lessons in a landslide: Alastair Campbell 28.04.2017

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. In this episode Alastair Campbell, the spin doctor, describes how he waged a war against complacency even after the polls closed, insists that being "cuddlier" with journalists wouldn't have delivered the same result...

Lessons in a landslide: Margaret McDonagh 28.04.2017

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. Margaret McDonagh, the campaign co-ordinator, on the birth of the pledge card, rowing with John Prescott in a cinema and the panic of MPs who had been unexpectedly elected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...

Lessons in a landslide: The Times 1997 team 28.04.2017

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. The Times' 1997 lobby journalists Philip Webster, Jill Sherman and James Landale on the battlebuses, spin doctors, chickens, bulldogs and gay lions they found reporting on the campaign train for The Times. Hosted on A...

Lessons in a landslide: Anji Hunter 28.04.2017

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. In this episode: Anji Hunter, Blair's gatekeeper, on watching New Labour being born, surviving in a team of "pushy" blokes, and relations with "tetchy" Cherie. Additional clips: Sky News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

Trailer: Lessons in a landslide - a six part series 27.04.2017

Matt Chorley previews an exclusive series detailing Labour's historic landslide victory in 1997. The series features interviews with all the key players, including Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell, Anji Hunter, Margaret McDonagh and Peter Mandelson for insights on the campaign, early government days and reflections on the current Labour party. The Times political team from 1997 reassemble to tell you...

Can we now trust the polls? Is the Scottish political landscape about to shift again? 25.04.2017

This week Matt Chorley is joined by Jenni Russell, Anthony Wells and Hamish Macdonell. On the agenda: hear how pollsters have changed their methodology after poor accuracy in recent years, why the Scottish political map should shift yet again with the Tories benefitting, and why Jenni is feeling depressed by an election for the first time in her life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...

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