It's the last PMQs before MPs head off for an Easter break, and comedian Geoff Norcott joins Matt Chorley, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit to pause and unpack the action from the Commons chamber. Rishi Sunak hails the latest inflation figures, while Keir Starmer describes the prime minister's Rwanda plan as a "gimmick". Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss why Labour keeps talking about Margaret Thatcher , whether Gen Z peers are a welcome addition to the House of Lords, and wh...
Mar 20, 2024•1 hr 6 min
With his party behind in the polls and some asking whether he'll survive until the autumn, what options does Rishi Sunak have to turn things around? Matt asks former leader Michael Howard and a panel of expert Tory watchers. Plus: A taster of the latest episode of How to Win an Election, where political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein discuss who could take over as next leader of the party. How To Win (01:21) What's The One Thing Sunak Could Do? (0...
Mar 19, 2024•29 min
Matt Chorley sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out about their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics. This week, Conservative MP William Wragg tells Matt what it's like being a serial backbench troublemaker, how government whips behave like the mafia, and why he compares Boris Johnson to Faust. Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss whether Penny Mordaunt could lead the Conservative Party an...
Mar 18, 2024•52 min
What makes the nation feel good about itself - is it the weather, sporting success or a royal wedding? And what difference does it make to how the nation votes? Matt takes a look back through history and the polls with Elinor Goodman, Steve Richards and pollster Kelly Beaver. Plus: Columnists James Marriott and Miranda Green discuss Rishi Sunak ruling out a May election, whether heft and height matter in politics, and the value of cheap flights . The Columnists: (03:00) The Big Thing: (22:15) Ho...
Mar 15, 2024•48 min
Gordon Brown tried to form a "government of all the talents", giving ministerial jobs to figures from outside politics. Matt speaks to two of the original GOATs, and asks whether Keir Starmer could even keep on David Cameron as foreign secretary. PLUS: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Syed discuss the government's new definition of extremism and whether £5,000 is too much to spend on a handbag. Columnist Panel (02:56) Could Cameron Join The Goats (24:20) Hosted on Acast. See...
Mar 14, 2024•48 min
Rishi Sunak struggles to deflect questions about a Tory donor's racist comments, and accuses of Keir Starmer of double standards. But have government communications descended into the kind of 'inept catastrophe' we saw during the Boris Johnson years? Matt Chorley is joined by Tim Shipman, Hugo Rifkind and Lara Spirit to pause and unpack the exchanges from the Commons chamber. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss the NHS puberty blocker ban , state school pupils making it in...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 7 min
It's been a decade since the introduction of recall, meaning MPs who break the rules can be kicked out of the Commons. As another recall petition opens in Blackpool South, Matt asks whether it's become too easy to remove them from the job. Plus: A taster of the latest episode of How to Win an Election, where political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein discuss the impact of Lee Anderson's move to Reform UK. How To Win An Election (03:28) Total Recall (...
Mar 12, 2024•34 min
Former Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson has defected to Reform UK , giving the party its first MP. Matt discusses the significance of the move with columnists Trevor Phillips and Libby Purves, and former minister Paul Scully. Plus: In the latest Exit Interview, outgoing First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford explains why he is standing down and why he had a difficult relationship with successive Tory prime ministers. Lee Anderson joins Reform (03:13) The Exit Interview (16:30) Ho...
Mar 11, 2024•49 min
In the coming months you're going to see a lot more political adverts across TV, radio, and social media. But how much do we know about what really works, and what doesn't? Matt is joined by Mark Lucas, a British ad man who has made films in 80 countries, and David Brookman, professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss Theresa May's decision not to stand at the next election , JK Rowling being reported to the p...
Mar 08, 2024•52 min
If the polls are right, Rachel Reeves could be the next chancellor. But after a Budget that confirmed money is tight (and stole some of her flagship ideas), what will she be able to do in office? Matt speaks to former advisers to Keir Starmer and Alistair Darling, and Times Radio's Patrick Maguire. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss what the Budget means for the Tories , how much trouble Science Secretary Michelle Donelan is in, and how far is too far when...
Mar 07, 2024•51 min
Jeremy Hunt has delivered what is probably his last Budget before the general election, and as well as offering tax cuts he found time to refer to Peter Mandelson's suggestion that Keir Starmer 'shed a few pounds'. Times columnist Patrick Maguire joins Matt to look at the chancellor's offer to the electorate and to consider Labour's response. Plus: PMQs Unpacked seeks Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer trade blows over law and order. The Budget (00:50) PMQs Unpacked (15:25) Hosted on Acast. See acast....
Mar 06, 2024•40 min
Politicians often tell journalists "the only poll that counts is the one on election day". Professor Jane Green from the University of Oxford tells Matt why we should trust opinion polls as she takes over as head of the British Polling Council. Plus: Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have been arguing about who stacks the dishwasher, and listen to a taster of the latest episode of How To Win An Election. How To Win An Election (01:05) Domestic Chores in the Sunak household (06:25) Jane Gree...
Mar 05, 2024•39 min
Matt Chorley sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out about their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics. Conservative MP Stephen Hammond explains why he wouldn't recommend the job to a friend, why he was kicked out of the party over Brexit, and why he had to help Boris Johnson give him the sack. Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss whether the government will get any credit for cutting taxes ...
Mar 04, 2024•55 min
What really goes on behind the famous black door after an election, as one government makes way for another? Matt hears about recently-released documents lifting the lid on the transfer of power in 1997, and speaks to some of the people who were there. Plus: Columnists India Knight, James Marriott and Patrick Maguire discuss the return of George Galloway to public life , influencers releasing books , and whether we should introduce a value-for-money star rating for theatres. Columnists (02:48) I...
Mar 01, 2024•47 min
Three out of 10 Tory voters now say they're leaning toward Reform UK. Is there anything Rishi Sunak can do to bring them back? Pollster James Johnson of J.L. Partners joins Matt for the monthly Times Radio Focus Group. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Syed discuss whether Rishi Sunak is right about mob rule in the UK, the culture of policing , and whether it's right for theatres to exclude non-black people . Columnists (02:45) The Big Thing (22:37) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...
Feb 29, 2024•49 min
Keir Starmer claims the Tories have become the 'political wing of the flat-earth society' for promoting conspiracies; Sunak says Starmer is just sniping from the sidelines. Matt Chorley, Tim Shipman, Ed Vaizey and Lara Spirit pause and unpack all the action from Westminster. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss where protests should be permitted , life lessons for Gen Z , and whether or not they'd have any 'tweakments' . Columnists: (04:00) PMQs: (23:40) Ho...
Feb 28, 2024•1 hr 9 min
This week in 1974 Britain went to the polls in an election that saw the Conservatives lose, but Labour fail to drum up enough enthusiasm to win a majority. Matt asks whether the next election could produce a similar result by speaking to Ann Taylor, who fought her first campaign that year, and whose career mirrors the ups and downs of the Labour Party itself. Plus: A taster of the latest episode of How to Win an Election, where political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie an...
Feb 27, 2024•35 min
Matt Chorley sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out about their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics. Conservative MP Nickie Aitken explains why she's standing down after five years, how much Liz Truss added to her mortgage, and what it's like being the MP for MPs. Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvester and Tom McTague discuss Lee Anderson , how Nick Clegg became 'The Foreign Secretary of Facebook', and why Rishi Su...
Feb 26, 2024•54 min
After discovering the voice of the self-service checkouts at Tesco sounds like Rishi Sunak, Matt is joined by comedians Jon Culshaw, Debra Stephenson and Rory Bremner for their best political impressions, and to rate listener's attempts. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss whether protests should be banned outside MPs offices , are faux flowers naff, and why the North isn't as cool as it used to be . Columnists: (03:17) The Big Thing: (23:30) Hosted on Acast. See...
Feb 23, 2024•51 min
Matt is joined by columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris to weigh up the Commons speaker's chances of survival as MPs continue to call for him to go. They also discuss Matthew's recent visit to Ukraine , where he met young people terrified about being called to the front lines. Plus: Fraud is already the most common crime in England and Wales, and new technology is making it hard to spot a scam. Matt finds out how the criminals operate, and how to protect yourself and your money. He al...
Feb 22, 2024•47 min
Keir Starmer focuses on the Post Office Horizon scandal ahead of the Commons vote on Gaza. But have the listeners come up with better questions for the prime minister? Matt Chorley, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit pause and unpack all the action from Westminster. Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss who would want to run a public body, what NFU boss Minette Batters really thinks of politicians, and are we getting bored of by-elections ? Columnists (02:20) PMQs Unpacked (17:00) ...
Feb 21, 2024•1 hr 1 min
As a new biography of Keir Starmer tells us more about the Labour leader's childhood, Matt takes a look at the importance of a backstory - does finding out more about a politician's past make a difference to how we view them now? Then comedian Joe Lycett wades into the sewage scandal for his new TV documentary, and says he’d do a better job than Rishi Sunak if he was drunk. Plus: A taster of the latest episode of How to Win an Election, where political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Pol...
Feb 20, 2024•43 min
Matt Chorley sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to talk about their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics. Conservative MP Dehenna Davison tells Matt why starting life in Westminster in her mid-20s was a steep learning curve, how suffering with chronic migraines affected her work and why she admires Liz Truss. Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss the government's move to ban mobile phon...
Feb 19, 2024•42 min
In the wake of the by-elections in Kingswood and Wellingborough, Patrick asks whether a Labour general election victory is nailed on, if Rishi Sunak can turn things around, and how serious a threat Reform UK poses to the Tories. He speaks to Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party James Daly, Labour frontbencher Liz Kendall, Reform Party Leader Richard Tice, and polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 16, 2024•31 min
It's a year since Nicola Sturgeon's surprise resignation as First Minister rocked Scottish politics and her successor Humza Yousaf has had a difficult time filling her shoes. Joined by former First Minister Alex Salmond and the SNP's former leader in Westminster Ian Blackford, Patrick asks if Yousaf has managed to escape Sturgeon's shadow. Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Syed discuss why David Cameron has been irritating Republicans in America , whether Westminster should ban the...
Feb 15, 2024•49 min
As Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer take a break from Prime Minister's Questions during recess, Patrick asks what their weekly joust teaches us, and whether it ever truly changes the political weather. He speaks to Tom Peck from The Times and Times Radio's Jane Garvey to both deride and defend PMQs, and two former party leaders about how to make an impact from the Chamber. Plus: Columnists Robert Crampton and Hadley Freeman on how the war in Gaza is reigniting the left's antisemitism problems , the ...
Feb 14, 2024•48 min
There's a new divide in British politics: young men are becoming more right-wing, just as young women turn left. Patrick asks what's causing this growing political gender gap, the impact it could have on the general election and how MPs should respond to it. Plus: A taster of the latest episode of How to Win an Election, where political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Danny Finkelstein and Polly Mackenzie answer listener's questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...
Feb 13, 2024•32 min
Patick Maguire is back looking after the podcast this week as Matt is away for half term. Today he looks at Keir Starmer's relationship with Joe Biden to ask whether it is wise for the leader of the opposition to put all of his eggs in a Democrat basket. Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss if Rishi Sunak should be worried about the crumbling rural wall , w hether state schools are failing our brightest children , and how old is too old to run a country? Hosted on Acast. Se...
Feb 12, 2024•50 min
With constituents asking their MP to deal with everything from arguments about hedges to parking tickets, are politicians are struggling to focus on the other part of their job - passing better laws? Matt speaks to Charles Walker and a range of other MPs about the rising levels of casework. Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss President Biden's memory issues , Labour's climate U-turn , and Kemi Badenoch's 'star power' . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...
Feb 09, 2024•50 min
On Throwback Thursdays Matt speaks to the politicians of the past to find out lessons for the present. Estelle Morris was Education Secretary under Tony Blair but resigned in 2002 because she felt she wasn't up to the job. The former teacher describes swapping the classroom for the Commons, why it was bittersweet being elected for the first time during Labour's general election defeat in 1992, and the moment she knew she had to go. Plus: Manveen Rana and Matthew Holehouse discuss Labour's u...
Feb 08, 2024•45 min
