Politics Unpacked - podcast cover

Politics Unpacked

Times Radiowww.thetimes.co.uk

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/

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Episodes

Best of Enemies

Matt Chorley interviews Writer James Graham and Director Jeremy Herrin. Their new play: "Best of Enemies" is about the debates of William F Buckley Junior and Gore Vidal which aired on ABC more than half a century ago, introducing viewers to a whole new style of dramatic on-screen punditry. PLUS: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 26, 202140 min

After Prison

Do prisons work? Matt speaks to the former justice secretary Robert Buckland, former prisoners Tyrell and David Breakspear and Paula Harriott from the Prison Reform Trust. PLUS columnists India Knight and James Marriott on migrants, old photos and Matt's flared jeans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 25, 202140 min

PMQS Unpacked 24 - 11- 21

Matt Chorley and Chief Political Commentator of the Sunday Times Tim Shipman pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. PLUS: Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson on anti-depressants, babies in the House of Commons and the snowflake generation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 24, 202144 min

What Does Putin Want?

Matt Chorley speaks to former White House advisor Fiona Hill, former UK Ambassador Tony Brenton and former Kremlin spokesperson Sergei Markov about how the West can deal with the migrant crisis on the Polish border and increased military activity on the Ukrainian border. PLUS Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss speeches, business and social care. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Nov 23, 202144 min

Katharine Birbalsingh

Matt Chorley interviews Katharine Birbalsingh, the new Chair of the Social Mobility Commission, also known as "Britain's Strictest Headteacher". PLUS: Rachel Sylvester and Carol Lewis discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 22, 202141 min

I'm A Politician, Get Me In There!

Why MPs do reality TV? Matt speaks to the culture secretary Nadine Dorries, former MPs; Matthew Parris, Julia Goldsworthy, Michael Fabricant and more. PLUS columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth on migrants and HS2. Thanks to the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 for the archive material. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 19, 202145 min

Polling in the Deep

What can the polls tell us? Matt Chorley speaks to Chris Curtis from Pollsters Opinium and Political Scientist Paula Surridge to reveal what's really going on in British politics. PLUS: India Knight and James Marriott discuss the rail review, and other stories from today's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 18, 202141 min

PMQS Unpacked 17-11-21

Matt Chorley and Chief Political Commentator of the Sunday Times Tim Shipman pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. PLUS: Robert Crampton and Carol Lewis discuss asylum laws, sleaze and Carry On vs. Bond. SPECIAL TREAT: The man who spent three years restoring the Big Ben clock in a barn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 17, 202157 min

Remembering Clarissa Eden

Matt Chorley speaks to author and friend of Clarissa Eden, wife of Anthony Eden, who died this week at the age of 101. PLUS Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss Alok Sharma's COP26 legacy and Christopher Chope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 16, 202143 min

Whips Smart with Andrew Mitchell

Former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell speaks to Matt Chorley about his new book Beyond a Fringe: Tales from a Reformed Establishment Lackey. PLUS The Times Libby Purves and the Mirror's Susie Boniface discuss COP26, sleaze and sex work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 15, 202139 min

The Sleaziest Decade: Nineties, Noughties or Now?

Is the present sleaze scandal the worst? Or do we need to travel back in time to the 90's or the noughties? Matt speaks to some of the journalists who broke the stories of these historic sleaze scandals, David Hencke, Christopher Hope and Heather Brooke. PLUS columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth on whether we can move on from this sleaze scandal, MPs second jobs and levelling up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Nov 12, 202136 min

MPs Killed In WWI

Matt Chorley reflects on what Remembrance Day means to MPs and finds out about some of those who served and died in the war with parliament historian Kathryn Rix and current MPs Chris Bryant and Tom Tugenhat. PLUS Knight at the Marriott, India Knight and James Marriott, talk about their best flight stories and marrying young. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 11, 202138 min

Disunited Kingdom 10-11-21

It's transport day at COP26, and Matt Chorley speaks to journalists from the four corners of the UK to find out what green travel is like across the country. PLUS Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss Boris Johnson's COP intervention and House of Lords reform. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 10, 202143 min

Who'd be a GP?

Matt Chorley hears about a day in the life of two GPs as they face winter pressures and a mounting backlog of patients, as well as Royal College of GPs Vice Chair Michael Mulholland and Health Minister Maria Caulfield on what can be done to help them and their patients. PLUS Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss Geoffrey Cox's Caribbean endeavours and the Royal Court's Fink blunder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Nov 09, 202141 min

Is WhatsApp Killing Political History?

Matt Chorley speaks to historian Anthony Seldon, Catherine Haddon from the Institute for Government, Chris Evans MP and Nick Mays from the News UK archives to find out whether the government conducting their business on encrypted apps will make chronicling history more difficult. PLUS Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss sleaze and fallen heroes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Nov 08, 202143 min

Stayin' Alive

Could we live forever? Matt Chorley speaks to Richard Faragher, professor of gerontology at the University of Brighton, on the science of living forever. Plus columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth on rebel MPs and pantomimes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 05, 202135 min

Out of Africa

In just 60 years there will be more Nigerians than Europeans. Matt Chorley looks at the future of migration in Africa with Roger Boyes, Yvonne Ndege from International Organisation of Migration, Paul Morland, Dr Parag Khanna. Plus James Marriott and John Stevens discuss the Owen Paterson U-turn and enthusiasm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 04, 202142 min

PMQS Unpacked 03 -11-21

Matt Chorley and Chief Political Commentator of the Sunday Times Tim Shipman pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Angela Rayner (in for Keir Starmer) at Prime Minister's Questions. PLUS: Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss meat tax, will money and nudist holidays. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 03, 202141 min

November Focus Group

Matt Chorley is joined by James Johnson, who chairs a panel of swing voters from Plymouth, Manchester and Derby, to get their views on Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer, the budget and climate change. Plus: Finkelvitch, Daniel Finkelvitch and David Aaronovitch, on climate hypocrisy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 02, 202147 min

Danny Alexander

Matt Chorley speaks to Former Cabinet Minister Danny Alexander who's arrived at COP26 to argue for greener investment in Asia. PLUS Libby Purves and Rachel Sylevester discuss the day's news and praise the inventor of Tiramisu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 01, 202135 min

Fiona Hill: From County Durham to the White House

Matt Chorley is joined by Fiona Hill to talk about going from a County Durham comprehensive to working for three US presidents. PLUS a look back at a week that had a budget and more Brexit rows, with James Forsyth and Melanie Reid. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 29, 202143 min

The Budget Small Print

Matt Chorley speaks to a panel of economic experts each with their own key takeaway from Rishi Sunak's Budget. PLUS: India Knight and James Marriott discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 28, 202140 min

PMQs Unpacked 27-10-21

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Ed Miliband (in for Keir Starmer) at Prime Minister's Questions. PLUS: Robert Crampton and Polly Mackenzie discuss the top stories of the day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 27, 202136 min

Allegra Stratton Q&A

Matt Chorley puts questions sent in by Times Radio listeners to COP26 Spokesperson Allegra Stratton. PLUS: David Aaronovitch and John Stevens discuss the day's news as well as why parents can't behave at their children's football matches. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 26, 202148 min

Happy Birthday, Private Eye

Matt Chorley speaks to Adam Macqueen, author of a new book chronicling six decades in news as captured by the satirical magazine. Plus Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester on NHS backlogs and overhauling the honours system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 25, 202141 min

The Greens

As The Green Party host their party conference, Matt Chorley asks whether they can gain from environmental issues becoming mainstream and what they can learn from successful green parties in other countries. PLUS Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 22, 202141 min

Pandemic Politics + John Humphrys

Matt Chorley looks at the impact of the past year on political attitudes with Sir John Curtice and Gillian Prior from National Centre for Social Research. Veteran broadcaster John Humphrys recalls the Aberfan disaster, 55 years on. PLUS India Knight and James Marriott on wasting your twenties, and not reading bad books Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 21, 202156 min

PMQs Unpacked 20-10-2021

Matt Chorley and Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the despatch box exchanges at Prime Minister’s Questions. PLUS Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss the day's news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 20, 202144 min

October 2021 Focus Group

Matt Chorley is joined by former No10 pollster James Johnson for the monthly Times Radio Focus Group in association with Kekst CNC, asking a panel of swing voters in Wolverhampton, Rother Valley and Swindon what they noticed about the conference season, the rising cost of living, and their thoughts on Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer. Plus Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch on anonymity online and how the rich call politicians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Oct 19, 202151 min

Jess Phillips

Matt Chorley speaks to the Labour frontbencher at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, just an hour after news broke of the killing of Sir David Amess. They discuss MPs' safety, honesty in politics and cross-party working. PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester on police attitudes towards threats. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 18, 202141 min
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