Politics Unpacked

Red Box reporter Esther Webber talks to Baroness Evans, Baroness Smith, Lord Fowler and others about the future of the strangest part of the British constitution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Esther Webber talks to Baroness Evans, Baroness Smith, Lord Fowler and others about how the strangest part of the British constitution works. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Tiff Stevenson, Konstantin Kisin, Steve Allen and Jena Friedman to discuss free speech, Twitter trolls and being better.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Matt Forde and Grace Campbell to discuss leaving Labour, writing worries and playing with Putin's kids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Iain Dale, Lolly Jones and Dominic Frisby to discuss tax, talk shows and nipple tassels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does a special adviser (spad) do? Where does power lie? How do you tell the boss to change the clothes or their poll ratings are tanking?Matt Chorley speaks to three former special advisers who have just left government. Paul Harrison was Theresa May's political press secretary, having previously been an adviser to Jeremy Hunt. Salma Shah was a special adviser to Sajid Javid at the home office, ministry of housing and department for business. James Johnson was the Downing Street pollster from 2016. All three left government last week, and lift the lid on the dark arts of spin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley was in the room for the announcement that Boris Johnson will be the new Tory leader, and gets instant reaction from Francis Elliott, The Times political editor, and sketchwriter Quentin Letts.PLUS columnist Matthew Parris on whether we get “good Boris or naughty Boris”, Lucy Fisher, Times defence correspondent, on the international crises waiting in the in-tray, and Red Box’s Esther Webber on who might be in Team Boris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A visit to the Queen, a speech in Downing Street, then what? In a special documentary Matt Chorley speaks to those who know what it is like to move into No10.Contributors include Tony Blair, the former prime minister; Anji Hunter, Blair’s former gatekeeper; Gus O’Donnell, the cabinet secretary to Blair, Brown and Cameron; Stewart Wood, foreign policy adviser to Brown;Gabby Bertin, press secretary to Cameron;and Katie Perrior, May’s director of communications.For more, read Matt Chorley’s feature in The Times Magazine or at thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As May leaves No10, Matt Chorley asks Alice Thomson, Daniel Finkelstein and Anne Ashworth if her injustices are still burning.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After going running with Jeremy Hunt last month, Matt Chorley wants to know how Boris Johnson exercises, his plans for Brexit and his other policies.*Rory Bremner helps provide the answers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by David Aaronovitch and Hugo Rifkind to discuss who are the members pulling the strings in the Labour and Tory parties.Plus Catherine Philp, The Times’ diplomatic correspondent, on what on Earth is going on in the White House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this transatlantic special to Mark Independence Day, Matt Chorley is joined on the line from DC by David Charter, The Times US editor, who tries to explain the method in the Trump madness.Boer Deng, Washington correspondent, on the ones to watch in the Democratic race to take on the Republican President.And Ben Hoyle, US West Coast bureau chief, on America’s confused experiment with drugs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Alice Thomson, Eleni Courea and Steven Swinford to debate why Lib Dems need more scrutiny. PLUS how to beat Boris and MPs' maternity pay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, Theresa May, Lorraine Kelly and many more thanks to impressionists Jon Culshaw and Debra Stephenson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Owen Bennett, author of Gove biography Man In A Hurry, to discuss the radical in the Tory leadership contest. Rachel Sylvester on the Tory problem with ethnic minority voters and Henry Zeffman on Labour's Brexit civil war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley sits down with John McDonnell to discuss worrying businesses, Rachel Sylvester quizzes Michael Gove on drugs and hate crime and Hugo Rifkind asks Sir Nick Clegg why he's changed his mind on Facebook.  All interviews were recorded at Times CEO Summit on June 11th. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley joins the foreign secretary on his morning jog to talk Brexit, why he could do a better job than Theresa May, how Donald Trump is advising him on Twitter and his love of chocolate cake.WARNING: Contains huffing and puffing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley buys Andrea Leadsom an ice-cream and asks her about quitting the cabinet, running for leader a second time, and who ordered the food for Pizza Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined in the rain by the health secretary who discusses Love Island, tanktops and why he would be good at PMQs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley takes a stroll with the Tory leadership contender, who discusses being the Trumpian anti-Trump, who he would have in his cabinet and being liked by Larry the Cat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Matthew Parris, who explains why rescuing a dog helped him become a Tory MP 40 years ago, discusses how coming out cost him his political career and reveals his fear that the Conservative party could disappear by the end of 2020.Plus: which Tory leadership contender could swim across the Thames? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley goes for a walk in the park with Sam Coates, as he prepares to quit as deputy political editor after two decades on The Times. They discuss not discussing football, the peril of the screenshot and Gordon Brown’s bomber jacket. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by James Kirkup, former No10 director of communications Katie Perrior and YouGov's Chris Curtis to discuss the people, the process and the policies of the Tory leadership contest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janice Turner on sexual political protest, Rachel Sylvester on Tory divisions on climate change and Francis Elliott on the rise of the Brexit Party.All while Matt Chorley is stuck on a train. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Alex Dawson, a former Home Office adviser to Theresa May who became her political director in No 10, who describes how a short leadership campaign left her unprepared for what came next.Plus Esther Webber, Red Box reporter, on the dramatic return of the Lib Dems, and Jane Merrick, Red Box columnist, on whether the royals are better at politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley sits down with Chorley MP and deputy speaker, Lindsay Hoyle to discuss how to control a rowdy commons, being in the speakers chair during a terror attack and why a crumbling parliament might need to send in the cats.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All political nerds will be gripped by the local election results this week, but what should we expect, where should we watch, and why should we care? Matt Chorley is joined by Lord Hayward, a former MP and polling guru, Deborah Mattinson, who was Gordon Brown’s pollster in No10 before founding the polling firm Britain Thinks, Sean Kemp worked for the Lib Dems including four years in Downing Street during the coalition, but is much better now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Jo Tanner, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, who wonders if her old boss can ever get serious. Times columnist Matthew Parris thinks we could have two new PMs before the end of the year, and Hugo Rifkind says the power of protest cannot be ignored. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rounding off a week of special episodes, Matt Chorley speaks to Ian Hislop, star of Have I Got News For You and editor of Private Eye, about Brexit, breaking politics and the point of satire in an increasingly crazy world.Red Box will return on April 23rd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley travels to the Brussels summit as EU leaders give Britain an extra six months until Brexit. We hear from Oliver Wright, Bruno Waterfield, Paddy Smith, Christian Spielmann and Jacki Davis across six hours of late-night negotiations as Matt lifts the lid on what actually happens behind Brussels closed doors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a report shows young people turning their backs on the Tory party, Matt Chorley asks if a change of leader will be enough to reverse the trend?In this episode James Kanagasooriam counts down the top ten ways the Tories are in trouble then leadership hopefuls Matt Hancock, Penny Mordaunt and Tom Tugendhat set out their stalls for how to fix things. Finally Katy Balls and Henry Zeffman outline the challenges ahead for any new leader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley presents from parliament to assess how bad things have become on a human level. MP's Chris Bryant, George Freeman, Philippa Whitford and Ruth Smeeth explain about poor mental health, tears behind closed doors and members unable to visit dying relatives due to Brexit uncertainty. Later, staffers Tara O'Reilly and Elliot Stratton recount dealings with death threats as common place before co-chairs of the parliamentary mindfulness group, Tim Loughton and Chris Ruane detail how long baths and appreciating the small things have helped over 200 MPs and Peers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley begins a week of daily Red Box podcasts with a special episode recorded at Podcast Live.   Sam Coates explains why every future PM will tinker with Brexit then Katie Perrior considers the lack of charm in our politicians.   PLUS David Aronovitch hopes for the death of two party politics and Esther Webber on why we've all turned into parliamentary wonks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley asks how a different prime minister might have negotiated the last three years more successfully.Chris Wilkins, Theresa May's former speechwriter, lifts the lid on the lack of strategy behind the scenes. Jill Rutter, from the Institute for Government, says experts were shut out from day one.Plus Oliver Wright, The Times policy editor, on the risks of setting red lines, and Times columnists Jenni Russell and Iain Martin disagree over what Michael Gove told them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final part of the Brexit Tamed specials, Matt Chorley invites Katie Perrior, Lucy Fisher, Sathnam Sanghera and Hugo Rifkind to speculate whether British politics can be saved, what we'd be talking about if remain won, and what comes after Brexit?   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley introduces part two of a special episode recorded at the Emmanuel centre in London. Phillip Collins moderates a debate with Sarah Baxter, Daniel Finkelstein, Iain Martin and David Aaronovitch as they try to unpick the history of Europe and decide how it led us to Brexit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley introduces a special episode recorded at the Emmanuel centre in London. First Quentin Letts speaks to Chukka Umunna then in a reversal of the remain/leave dynamic Rachel Sylvester interviews Iain Duncan Smith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PLUS Free speech in the internet age and beating cancer.Matt Chorley is joined by Alice Thomson, Hugo Rifkind and Lindsay McIntosh Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley gives up on asking politicians what might happen with Brexit and ventures into The Times office on the roof of parliament to ask the political team what has really happened this week, and what happens next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is in parliament with politicians and pundits, asking how Geoffrey Cox became so key to Theresa May's deal, and what the hell happens now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley hosts a special episode ahead of International Women's DayCampaigner Caroline Criado Perez has already secured victory in getting a woman, Jane Austen, on banknotes and then another, Millicent Fawcett, among the statues in Parliament Square. Now she’s taken on a bigger challenge: rewiring the whole of society, especially the data which drives it, which is shall we say, quite male-dominated. Anne Ashworth, The Times money and property editor, argues why women must learn to be riskier with their money to ensure they are not left short in retirement.And Rachel Sylvester, the Times columnist and interviewer that most of the cabinet are too scared to be interviewed by, warns Amber Rudd is being singled out for misogynistic abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by three London-based foreign reporters, including Dutch correspondent Tim de Wit, Cristina Marconi from Italy and Katrin Pribyl from Germany, to discuss how to make sense of Brexit for a foreign audience, who makes the news overseas and how Britain is now seen abroad. (It's not good.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley takes another stroll, this time with the former Labour MP on why he quit, looking his dad in the eye, and his fears for his old party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outrageous, outspoken and out of the Tory party, Anna Soubry speaks to Matt Chorley about why she quit, who tried to persuade her to stay and what happens next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley speaks to two MPs who quit the party, plus Ayesha Hazarika on the threat to Labour and Ash Sarkar on how Corbyn should respond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marking three years of the Red Box politics podcast from The Times, Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist David Aaronovitch who reveals he is close to quitting Labour over antisemitism; Red Box reporter Esther Webber worries about how one man is blocking backbench laws in the Commons; and YouGov's Anthony Wells explains the firms latest modelling which predicts another hung parliament if we have a snap election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PLUS: Is a general election insane, and how much did Times reporters drink in the 1980s?Matt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, The Times deputy political editor, who says the prime minister is the root of all our problems.Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein warns a planned election is mad, but it is worth planning for an accidental one.And as Frances Gibb prepares to retire after four decades covering the law for The Times, she describes what has got better (and worse) in justice and journalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is really ahead in the polls? Is support building for a second referendum? Would Leave or Remain win? And is Labour really trailing the Tories? Matt Chorley is joined by polling guru Sir John Curtice and Deborah Mattinson, Gordon Brown's former pollster and founder of Britain Thinks. PLUS: Do you feel politically homeless? Jane Merrick describes quitting Labour and Nick Mazzei explains why he quit the Tories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nevermind Brexit, there are plenty of other crises to keep us awake at night.Matt Chorley is joined by a bumper panel of Times reporters and columnists to discuss the issues not being discussed enough.Columnist Rachel Sylvester is worried about poverty; Lucy Fisher, the defence correspondent, is worried about Nato; Graeme Paton, the transport correspondent, is worried about the railways; Chris Smyth, health editor, is worried about almost all of the NHS, and columnist Kenny Farquharson is worried about SNP infighting.Subscribe to the Red Box politics morning email at thetimes.co.uk/redbox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by The Times' Daniel Finkelstein, Iain Martin, Esther Webber, Hugo Rifkind and Henry Zeffman in the corridors of power, and asks MPs including Boris Johnson, Mary Creagh and James Cleverly what happens now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.