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

America's Gun Problem

Three weeks on from the Plymouth shooting, Matt Chorley speaks to Times Miami Correspondent Jacqui Goddard, Republicans Overseas' Greg Swenson and the Adam Smith Institute's Morgan Schondelmaier about the different attitudes to gun ownership and the legacies of mass shootings in the UK and the US. PLUS The Times' James Marriott and the Telegraph's Olivia Utley discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 03, 202142 min

Disunited Kingdom 1-9-21

Matt Chorley speaks to journalists from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to get the news from the four corners of the UK. PLUS Robert Crampton and Susie Boniface discuss Dominic Raab's fate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 01, 202142 min

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Matt Chorley speaks to the Times Scottish political editor Kieran Andrews and editor of the Courier David Clegg about the alliance and feud of Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond, that has dominated Scottish politics for a decade. PLUS Emma Woolf and Daniel Finkelstein discuss Greta Thunberg and the nappy tax. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 31, 202138 min

Riding the Populist Wave

Carole Walker, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to politics professors Tim Bale, Matthew Goodwin and Amelia Hadfield about what populism in Europe means for traditional mainstream right-wing parties. PLUS Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss Afghanistan and Monica Lewinsky. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 30, 202139 min

Focus Group: Raab’s seat

Matt Chorley reassembles the Times Radio Focus Group with views from voters in Dominic Raab’s constituency in Surrey. PLUS columnists Melanie Reid and John Stevens on the death of department stores and political memorabilia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 27, 202142 min

"Please Email Me"

Matt Chorley indulges Boris Johnson's request for local leaders to email him with ideas on how to 'Level Up' the UK, hearing from several councillors from around the country. PLUS James Marriott and Rachel Cunliffe reappraise the importance of the suburbs, and whether Nigella Lawson was right to remove the word 'slut' from her recipes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 26, 202140 min

Disunited Kingdom 25/8/2021

Matt Chorley speaks to journalists from the four corners of the UK to get the latest political and pandemic news. PLUS Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss Britain's relationship with animals and the four day working week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 25, 202142 min

What The G7 Want

Matt Chorley speaks to experts and journalists in the US, France, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan about what their countries want to see happen at the virtual G7, hosted today by Boris Johnson to find an international solution to the situation in Afghanistan. PLUS David Aaronovitch and Daniel Finkelstein discuss Dominic Raab and Extinction Rebellion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 24, 202143 min

Nudge Nudge Wink Wink

Matt Chorley speaks to Nobel Prize winning behavioural economist Richard Thaler about this new book Nudge: The Final Edition and how governments can change people's behaviour in a pandemic. PLUS Times columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 23, 202134 min

Afghanistan: 2001

Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to guardian correspondent Jason Burke and Lieutenant Colonel Richard Williams about what it was like in Afghanistan in 2001. Plus Times columnist Melanie Reid and the Daily Mail’s John Stevens on the holidays and the Paralympics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 20, 202139 min

How to topple a dictator

Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley where he discusses the situation in Belarus right now with former UK ambassador to Belarus, Dr Nigel Gould-Davies and former Belarusian Minister of Culture, now opposition figure, Pavel Latushko. PLUS columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss incel culture and uprooting your life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 19, 202141 min

Disunited World

In a departure from normal service, Luke Jones speaks to journalists and experts from China, Pakistan, the US and Russia to hear about what different countries will be hoping happens in the wake of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and how they are pivoting to capitalise on the situation. PLUS Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson assess the opening statements of the parliamentary debate on Afghanistan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Aug 18, 202126 min

How To Take Over A Business

Luke Jones speaks to Times Retail Editor Ashley Armstrong, Pizza Express Founder Hugh Osmond, Phones4u founder John Caudwell and serial entrepreneur Luke Jonhson about how you go about buying and selling a business. PLUS David Aaronovitch and Daniel Finkelstein discuss the West's response to the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 17, 202140 min

Mother and Father of the House

Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley is joined by the Mother and the Father of the House, Conservative MP Peter Bottomley and Labour MP Harriet Harman to reminisce over 85 years on the green benches. PLUS The Times Libby Purves and the New Statesman's Rachel Cunliffe talk Afghanistan and the Plymouth shooting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 16, 202145 min

How To Save The Government

Matt Chorley tries to save the government with the Times' Henry Zeffman as they take part in an immersive play called Crisis? What Crisis? where they have to save the Callaghan government of 1979 from a vote of no confidence. PLUS columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss learning languages and why we need the royal family more than ever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 13, 202139 min

The Secret Service

Matt Chorley speaks to Washington Post journalist Carol Leonnig on her book, Zero Fail, which sheds light on the secrets and scandals of the Secret Service. PLUS columnists India Knight and James Marriot discuss privacy and the rise in supermarket delivery apps. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 12, 202140 min

Disunited Kingdom: Education Special

Matt Chorley dives into the news across the four corners of the UK and this week's focus is on education. PLUS John Stevens and Emma Woolf join Matt to go through the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 11, 202135 min

Are Second Homes Where The Heart Is?

Matt Chorley asks whether second home ownership is a blessing or a curse for local communities in staycation hotspots with local protest groups, councils and MPs. PLUS David Aaronovitch and Danny Finkelstein discuss whether we should really care about the protests to save Geronimo the alpaca. AND As students learn their A-Level results, MPs including Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick and Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner share memories from their own results day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...

Aug 10, 202149 min

The Doctor Won't See You Now

Matt Chorley hears from Red Box listeners about the difficulty in getting a face-to-face appointment with a GP. He hears from GP Sarah Jarvis and people within Health and the NHS to find out what's going wrong. PLUS Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester ask who will pay for net-zero and whether more school students should apply for apprenticeships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 09, 202141 min

The Riots of 2011

Matt Chorley reflects on the riots of 2011 with Shadow Justice Secretary and MP for Tottenham David Lammy, Stephen Reicher and Frances Crook. PLUS columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss whether life really changes after Covid-19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 06, 202143 min

The MP who faked his own death

Matt Chorley speaks to Julia Stonehouse, the daughter of the former Labour MP John Stonehouse who faked his own death in the 1970s, and found out how she still sees him as a hero. PLUS He speaks to James Marriott and Rachel Cunliffe on staycations and snobbery. Clips: BBC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 05, 202137 min

Disunited Kingdom 04/08/2021

Matt Chorley gets the news from the four corners of the UK with guests Rob Parsons, Editor of the Northern Agenda for Reach, Caroline Wilson, Senior Reporter at The Herald, John Manley, Political Correspondent at the Irish News, and Ruth Mosalski, Political Editor at Wales Online. PLUS Robert Crampton and Emma Woolf discuss jabs for kids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 04, 202136 min

Space Wars

Matt Chorley speaks to Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, and experts in the field of space defence to find out what threats countries pose to each other in outer space. PLUS The Times' David Aaronovitch and the Spectator's Katy Balls discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 03, 202139 min

Going Green

Matt Chorley speaks to the Prime Minister's COP26 spokesperson, Allegra Stratton, ahead of the COP26 conference in Glasgow. PLUS Times columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester go through the day's news and whether Rishi Sunak could become the next Conservative leader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 02, 202145 min

Prime Minister Priti Patel And The Alternate Political Universe

What if Ed Miliband had won? What if we'd voted for proportional representation? Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Duncan Brack about his new book exploring political counterfactuals, and the man who created the Miliverse Twitter account. PLUS Times Columnist Melanie Reid and Emma Woolf pick over the news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 30, 202139 min

"How To Be An Olympic Champion"

Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Adam Peaty's mum Caroline, Jessica Ennis-Hill's coach Steve Ingham and Chair of the British Olympic Association Sir Hugh Robertson about how families, coaching and political will can create champions. PLUS India Knight and James Marriott talk about why it might be good to be sad sometimes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 29, 202140 min

Disunited Kingdom 28-7-21

Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, gets the news from the four corners of the UK. PLUS Times Columnist Robert Crampton and the Daily Mail's John Stevens discuss opening the borders and Olympians' mental health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 28, 202141 min

What's The Big Idea - Revisited

Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Suzanne Heywood and the winners of the Heywood Prize, which asked for members of the public to send in their big policy ideas. PLUS Times Columnist David Aaronovitch and City AM's Andy Silvester discuss the Prime Minister's plans to tackle crime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 27, 202141 min

The Young Ones

Luke Jones, sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to three eighteen year old councillors about why they wanted to get into politics, and what they want to achieve. PLUS Times Columnist Libby Purves and the New Statesman's Rachel Cunliffe discuss covid cases and Amy Winehouse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 26, 202137 min

Andrew Marr's Elizabethans

Matt Chorley talks to legendary broadcaster Andrew Marr about 40 years in the industry, holding politicians to account, and which Britons he thinks will define the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. PLUS The Times' Melanie Ried and the Daily Mail's John Stevens discuss the Olympics and unlocking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 23, 202141 min
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