TV legend Lorraine Kelly tells Matt Chorley what she would do if she ruled the world, including appointing Captain Kirk as Prime Minister and locking up litter bugs. She also discusses why politicians underestimate "fluffy" daytime shows, and says she'll never follow Matt Hancock into the 'I'm a Celebrity' jungle. And after the Chancellor announces a review into an exodus from the workforce, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride and his Labour Shadow Jonathan Ashworth talk about how to get mill...
Nov 21, 2022•54 min
The Lobby is the group of journalists who have special access at Westminster and cover the daily twists and turns of British politics. Have they become hooked on political drama and bringing down ministers at the expense of covering issues of substance? Matt is joined by writer Andrew Gimson, former political editor of the Times Philip Webster, political reporter for the Sun Noa Hoffman and Sir Craig Oliver, former director of communications for David Cameron. Plus columnists James Forsyth and M...
Nov 18, 2022•41 min
In this bonus episode for Red Box subscribers to mark the start of the new series of Past Imperfect, Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thomson talk to Sir Keir Starmer about his childhood and the experiences that helped shape him. The Labour leader talks candidly about growing up in a crowded home, where money was tight and the phone was cut off. He shares bittersweet memories of his early years overshadowed by his mother’s degenerative illness and frequent stays in hospital high dependency units. He w...
Nov 18, 2022•55 min
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has set out his planned tax rises and spending cuts in the Autumn Statement. Matt Chorley unpacks the key announcements and discusses the winners and losers with Times Radio's Lucy Fisher and Dominic O'Connell. Also on the podcast, a special edition of Think Tank Thursday with policy experts Polly Mackenzie and Rachel Wolf explaining what happens when budgets go bad. Plus columnists India Knight and James Marriott talk about Matt going running with Jeremy Hunt and why Jame...
Nov 17, 2022•49 min
While Rishi Sunak is away, the deputies are out to play. Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action and analyse the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions, with Labour's Angela Rayner asking Dominic Raab about the state of the economy and allegations of bullying. Plus columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton ask whether Trump can make a comeback, why the trains are terrible, and where have all the eggs gone? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 16, 2022•45 min
Former head of the Foreign Office Simon McDonald tells Matt civil servants were scared to go into Dominic Raab's office. As well as claims about the minister's behaviour, he also discusses his long diplomatic career working with six foreign secretaries and five prime ministers, answers the charge that the civil service opposed Brexit, and talks about his part in the downfall of Boris Johnson. Plus columnists Danny Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss how ministers should treat officials, an...
Nov 15, 2022•45 min
As many Ukrainian refugees come to the end of their initial six-month stay in the UK, Matt looks at what lies in store for those who came here fleeing from war. He speaks to Ukrainians Svetlana and Olga, hosts Caroline and Sarah, and the former minister for refugees Lord Harrington. Columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss a new deal with France to stop small boats crossing the channel, stealth taxes and whether children should sing in school. Plus the nation's best-loved fox, Basil ...
Nov 14, 2022•53 min
Dick Taverne entered parliament in 1962, and rubbed shoulders with some of the political giants of the 20th century. He was a minister in Harold Wilson’s government, and worked with Roy Jenkins to legalise homosexuality and introduce decimalisation. He even campaigned for remain on a bus with Liz Truss. Plus columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth on Kwasi Kwarteng's non-apology over the mini-budget, the end of the age of secrecy in Westminster and the return of Big Ben's bongs Hosted on Acast...
Nov 11, 2022•39 min
He was the 'Sultan of Swing' - the inventor of the swingometer and the father of modern election science. Matt reflects on the career of psephologist Sir David Butler with his biographer and friend Michael Crick, professor Jane Green and election night legends Jeremy Vine, Peter Snow and David Dimbleby. Plus columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss whether nurses should ever go on strike, why older people are the new radicals, and whether prime ministers should take an oath of office. ...
Nov 10, 2022•45 min
Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action in the Commons, analysing the key exchanges as Sir Keir Starmer questions Rishi Sunak about the allegations of bullying against Gavin Williamson PLUS: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss whether they would take a peerage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 09, 2022•42 min
Matt Chorley speaks to shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock, who says ID cards should be "on the table" to help control our borders. Plus columnists Danny Finkelstein and Jane Merrick on Boris Johnson's peerages, claims of bullying by Gavin Williamson, and have plans for a new royal yacht finally been sunk? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 08, 2022•49 min
Matt talks to Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross about facing Nicola Sturgeon in Holyrood, and accusations that he is guilty of "flip-flopping". Plus, Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester on the UK as an immigrant melting pot, and whether Jeremy Hunt was right to spend £110 on a haircut. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 07, 2022•35 min
James Johnson from J.L. Partners joins Matt Chorley to discuss what a focus group of undecided voters in key electoral seats think of new prime minister Rishi Sunak. PLUS: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid on the government's ambitions, Trump and the joys of reading a newspaper. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 04, 2022•48 min
Matt is joined by Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer to react to a big rise in interest rates, before speaking to the 'Forrest Gump' of The Times - Michael Binyon reflects on 50 years as a foreign and diplomatic correspondent with a ringside seat at some of history's most significant moments. Plus James Marriott and Manveen Rana discuss the return of immigration to the centre of the national conversation, and ask whether social media echo chambers might not be so bad after all. Hosted on Acast. See ...
Nov 03, 2022•43 min
Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire pause the action in the Commons, analysing the key exchanges as Sir Keir Starmer questions Rishi Sunak about the state of the immigration and asylum system. PLUS: Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton on Matt Hancock entering the 'I'm a Celebrity' jungle, the price of tea and tinned fish. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 02, 2022•44 min
Matt Chorley is joined by Harry Cole and James Heale to discuss their new book about the former prime minister, Out Of The Blue. PLUS breaking news about Matt Hancock going into the jungle. And David Aaronovitch and Trevor Phillips on the migrant crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 01, 2022•43 min
As Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt look for spending cuts to help balance the books, Matt Chorley talks to key figures from the first round of austerity including former health secretary Lord Lansley and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham. How do they think the government and Labour should approach it a second time around? Plus columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss the migrant crisis, Suella Braverman's survival and hating Halloween. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...
Oct 31, 2022•40 min
With Rishi Sunak becoming prime minister at 42, Patrick Maguire asks: Are MPs really getting younger? And does age matter in politics? He's joined by broadcaster Joan Bakewell, former Lib Dem leader Vince Cable, politics professor Tim Bale and Alexander Curtis, who was one of the youngest mayors in British history. Plus columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss 'Rishinomics', a possible deal with France over channel migrants, and whether Twitter has been good or bad for our national conv...
Oct 28, 2022•36 min
Patrick Maguire sitting in for Matt Chorley looks at Labour's strategy for tackling the new prime minister, and asks whether Rishi Sunak puts the Conservatives back in contention at the next general election. Plus columnists India Knight and James Marriott on the politics of the World Cup in Qatar and why the noughties was a boring decade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 27, 2022•38 min
Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and is joined by Tim Shipman, The Sunday Times' Chief Political Commentator, to unpack Rishi Sunak's first PMQs. PLUS Robert Crampton and Dorothy Byrne discuss the art of lying, the national curriculum, and the new prime minister's fashion sense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 26, 2022•54 min
Patrick Maguire gets the low-down on Rishi Sunak and the team he is bringing to Downing Street, and James Johnson from the Times Radio focus group explains how the public's opinion of the new Prime Minister has changed over time. PLUS: David Aaronovitch and Isabel Hardman discuss Liz Truss' farewell speech and what to expect from Sunak's first week in charge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 25, 2022•36 min
Patrick Maguire asks whether the new Prime Minister can rescue the Tory party from electoral defeat and what can actually be achieved by a government just two years from a general election. PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester on Boris' exit from the race and how the Labour party approach the new regime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 24, 2022•40 min
As Friday Night Live returns to our screens for a one off 40th anniversary special, Matt Chorley has a chat with compere Ben Elton about champagne socialism, Tory Prime Ministers, and why he's not on social media. PLUS Melanie Reid and James Forsyth on what follows Liz Truss' resignation. AND What we learned during the 45 days of Truss' premiership Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 21, 2022•34 min
On a dramatic day at Westminster, Matt Chorley and Times Radio's Lucy Fisher tell the inside story of the events that led up to the resignation of Liz Truss. He speaks to three Conservative MPs who wanted her out of Number 10, and columnists Iain Martin and Helen Lewis discuss the end game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 20, 2022•33 min
Matt Chorley and Red Box Editor for The Times Patrick Maguire unpack the brutal exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions, as Liz Truss struggles to save her leadership and claims she's a 'fighter not a quitter'. Conservative MP Steve Double tells Matt that it's time for Liz Truss to consider her position after dropping most of her campaign promises. Plus columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss whether environmental protesters are 'tofu-eating wokerati', and why things go wrong in Fra...
Oct 19, 2022•46 min
Matt Chorley unlocks the secrets of the operation to monitor MPs' views, speaking to Siimon Burton, former whip special adviser under Theresa May and Boris Johnson and Nikki Da Costa, former No10 director of legislative affairs at Number, plus The Times' Lara Spirit on the latest in Westminster and data journalist Matilda Davies on how to excel at Excel. PLUS Finkelvitch (Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch) on what Tory MPs should do now. And Matt reports from parliament, grabbing chats wi...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Matt Chorley presents live coverage and analysis of the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's statement, in which he put Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng's policies into the shredder one-by-one. PLUS: Matthew Parris and Libby Purves give their verdict on the Prime Minister. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 17, 2022•46 min
On the day Liz Truss performs another budget u-turn and sacks Kwasi Kwarteng, Times' Political Editor Steven Swinford speaks to Matt Chorley with news from Westminster. PLUS Andrew Neil on what it all means for the government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 14, 2022•19 min
Almost everyone seems to agree we're not building enough house, so today Matt looks at how a house is built, from planning through to getting what politicians like to call shovels in the ground. He speaks to a builder, a planner and Martin Roberts from Homes Under the Hammer as well as a Conservative MP who criticises the government's planning reforms, Theresa Villiers. Plus Patrick Kidd and James Marriott discuss the last ten days of Liz Truss and mediocre politicians. Hosted on Acast. See acas...
Oct 13, 2022•41 min
Matt Chorley is joined by Times Radio's Lucy Fisher and Patrick Maguire from The Times Red Box live on stage at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, pausing the action to analyse the exchanges between Liz Truss and Keir Starmer at PMQs. PLUS: Alice Thomson and India Knight discuss the day's news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 12, 2022•50 min
