Politics Unpacked

EU Referendum special: In the blue corner, representing Vote Remain, host Matt Chorley is joined by Conservative MP and Energy Secretary Amber Rudd.And in the red corner, Parliamentary spokesperson for Ukip, Suzanne Evans, speaks out for Vote Leave.Deputy Political Editor at The Times, Sam Coates, also joins proceedings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by The Times' Head of News Fay Schlesinger, Anthony Wells from YouGov and Chief Political Correspondent for The Times, Michael Savage.Fay Schlesinger:A drive to weed out and punish Universities that deliver poor-quality teaching is a step forward as higher education becomes bigger and more expensive. But let’s not allow the system to become homogenised. Everyone remembers their scatty professor who dispensed with notes to launch into an off-topic spiel that left the hungover students enthralled and inspired. The Government’s University reforms must improve standards and choice, and allow bad institutions to fail… but let that professor survive. Anthony Wells:Young people, who don't vote, back Remain, old people, who do vote,back Leave. So If turnout is low, Leave stands a better chance with only the dedicated older voters turning out. Or so the consensus goes.Except it's more complicated than that: the middle classes and well-educated are also more likely to vote. And they... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a Westminster special, Matt Chorley is joined by Stewart McDonald MP, former Labour Party advisor Ayesha Hazarika and political sketch-writer and diarist for The Times, Patrick Kidd. The panel answer questions from the public about working and living in Westminster. Plus additional contributions from Deputy Politics Editor Sam Coates and Business writer Callum Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Times Deputy Editor Emma Tucker, Chief Leader writer Giles Whittell and columnist Phil Collins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by columnist David Aaronovitch, Business reporter Callum Jones and Red Box writer Hannah McGrath.David Aaronovitch:The BMA say the strike is the government's fault and the government says it's the BMA's. As in the bad old days the sides - an particularly the doctors - have become polarised beyond the reach of reason. From having been a question of how to staff hospitals properly at weekends the dispute is now being framed as an existential one about the very future of the NHS. Of course people like doctors more than politicians - this is the bully point which has always aided the BMA. But an all-out strike makes patients wonder whose side the doctors are on. That's not something doctors should take lightly. Callum Jones:Having come under heavy fire for its confused response in the days after Tata Steel's decision to leave the UK, the government yesterday picked up its game in the hours after BHS collapsed into administration. As the EU referendum debate twists and turns each... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Matt Chorley is joined by ex-Blair spin doctor John McTernan, former Home Office advisor Fiona Hill and Red Box columnist Matt Smith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Jenni Russell who thinks we've missed the point on the Panama Papers, deputy political editor Sam Coates who warns we don't understand how Westminster works and Times political editor Francis Elliott who explains why Number 10 is banking on Jeremy Corbyn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by a "denial" of Spin Doctors. Ayesha Hazarika - who had the unenviable task of trying to make Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman sound funny. Katie Perrior - whose PR magic helped get Boris Johnson into City Hall. Sean Kemp - who knows more about Nick Clegg and the inner workings of the Lib Dems than is healthy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by columnist Rachel Sylvester on the fall out from Iain Duncan Smith's resignation, politics professor Matthew Goodwin on the EU referendum and columnist Hugo Rifkind on the boat on everyone's lips, 'Boaty McBoatface'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Senior Political Correspondent Lucy Fisher, European Football Writer (and fellow Times podcast presenter) Gabriele Marcotti, plus Property Editor and Assistant Editor of The Times Anne Ashworth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Deputy Editor of The Times, Emma Tucker, who examines the latest attempt to deal with the migrant crisis, columnist Daniel Finkelstein who says Junior Doctors must face realities and columnist Matthew Parris on the legacy of the recently deceased Nancy Reagan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Political sketch-writer and diarist Patrick Kidd, columnist Jenni Russell and Assistant Editor of The Spectator, Isabel Hardman. Patrick Kidd:Marco Rubio is a big-eared sweaty robot with a water addiction, while Donald Trump is a stubby-fingered orange-faced pants-wetter with a dodgy hairdo. Meanwhile David Cameron makes "yer mum" jokes at Jeremy Corbyn, while Labour MPs still make piggy noises at the Prime Minister. Do playground insults demean politics or are they what's needed to get Joe Public interested?Jenni RussellIn the last few days I've been struck by the number of people I've come across who say they want to understand the consequences of leaving or staying in Europe before they decide which way to vote. But those facts are hard to come by. There are plenty of grand assertions on both sides but their truth is hard to judge. The referendum will be won by the side that can make a complex question sound clear and plausible. Neither has managed that yet.Isabel... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Debating the UK's position in the EU: Matt Chorley is joined by Brussels Correspondent Bruno Waterfield, Columnist Melanie Phillips and the Times' Chief Political Correspondent Michael Savage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Aldrick:Global markets have been in meltdown but one man who may be smiling is the chancellor. Government borrowing costs have fallen to an all-time low, which make servicing the nation’s £1.5 trillion of debt cheaper. Over the next five years, Capital Economics estimates lower market interest rates and lower inflation will hand George Osborne a £20 billion windfall. He’s struggling to make the books balance through tax and spending policy. Instead, he’s getting a helping hand from the most unlikely of sources.Natasha Clark:The polls are all we have to try and figure out what's going to happen with the EU referendum. But the polls lately have been showing us drastically different answers; there have been 22 percentage points between some polls for results in support of Remain, and around 13 percentage points difference for Leave. Pollsters say that the phone and internet polling will show us different answers, possibly because people are more likely to want to say that they want to remain in... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Opinion podcast is now the Red Box Podcast from The Times. Columnist Robert Crampton, Media Editor Elizabeth Rigby and Deputy Political Editor Sam Coates joins host Matt Chorley.Robert Crampton:The Labour Party cannot achieve a coherent position on Trident while Jeremy Corbyn is leader. The moment he said he would never use the nuclear deterrent as a future PM was the moment Labour lost the next election. Party pragmatists should focus on toppling Corbyn, not cobbling together a futile compromise on Trident renewal. Elizabeth Rigby:Freedom of Information: Tony Blair [bitterly regretted] introducing FOI laws; Chris Grayling said FoI was being misused 'as a research tool to generate stories for the media' and now David Cameron is carrying out a review with one intention – to limit access to government information. Entirely antipathetic to voters’ demands for more openness not less, the backlash has been swift, ferocious and near universal. Will Cameron abandon the fight? Probably and so he... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Matt Chorley is joined by Chief Leader writer Giles Whittell and columnists Jenni Russell and Phil Collins. Giles Whittell:Hillary Clinton is going to be the next president of the United States. Of course a lot of people are going to spend a lot of time analysing this [Tuesday] morning's Iowa caucus results, but the facts are these: Trump and Cruz are unelectable in a national race. Only one mainstream Republican has a chance of squeezing past them. That is Marco Rubio. He has already torpedoed his image with Latinos by betraying them on immigration reform. Bernie Sanders is a socialist. Hillary beats Bernie, and then beats whoever the GOP puts up. Simple.Jenni Russell:Is David Cameron simply the luckiest prime minister ever, or is there an element of skill in his performance which we rarely credit? He beat the SNP and crushed the LibDems. Now Labour is distracted and divided and even the Eurosceptic threat is evaporating as they are consumed by vicious internal fights. With no coherent... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Assistant Editor Anne Ashworth and columnists Giles Coren and David Aaronovitch. Anne Ashworth:Pension tax reliefs for the higher-paid have already been reduced and more cuts are coming. The justification for this reform is fairness: the higher-paid have had it too good. But if you make company pension scheme membership less attractive to executives, this make it less likely that they will support these schemes - which will hurt the less well-off. This is just another Treasury tax grab, disguised as redistribution. Giles Coren:A survey commissioned by the Labour party has revealed that, "A disproportionate number of members who have joined since the 2015 general election are ‘high-status city dwellers’ pursuing well-paid jobs”. Most of them are from North London. So Corbyn and McDonnell rode to power on a crest of people exactly like me, except with the politics of Rik out of the Young Ones. One Labour MP has suggested that, "Members with properties valued at over a... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's panel we have columnist Rachel Sylvester on the rise of Russia (in Labour), political reporter Callum Jones on Labour’s obsession with Twitter and columnist Matthew Parris on why an Oxford college might be right to tear down a statue of Cecil Rhodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Opinion podcast is back with a brand new host. Red Box editor Matt Chorley is joined by panelists Hugo Rifkind, Oliver Kamm and Lucy Fisher. Hugo Rifkind:The Tories are sleepwalking into disaster on the EU. For David Cameron, with ministers freely campaigning on both sides, if he loses, he loses, and if he wins, he still loses. Cameron has asked his government to remain civil on Europe, which is a thing no Conservative ever has been before. And what happens after the vote, to those on the losing side? Will they really still have a future?Oliver Kamm:The transformation of Labour from a party of government to an irrelevant sect continues apace. The lack of respect, let alone support, for Jeremy Corbyn among Labour MPs is palpable but still worse is the incredibility of the leadership’s views. On economic policy and defence, Corbyn & John McDonnell are far out of line with the position of the party both historically and in its current stance. Electoral retribution is guaranteed and extinction... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Philip Webster is joined by Robbie Millen, Philip Aldrick and Patrick Kidd in this 2016 preview special.Robbie Millen:In or Out? Leave or Remain? I have all sorts of firm views about relatively trivial issues yet on the greatest issue facing Britain I flip flop around in the no-man’s land of the undecided voter. I don’t want to be a “don’t know” that’s why I’m looking forward to the EU referendum and the debate it ought to provoke. Philip Aldrick:Interest rates will finally go up - but we will have to wait until after the Brexit referendum, which the ins will win. Perversely, those rates will increase into a slowing economy. The chancellor will tighten the screw with more tax rises in the march budget. House prices will come off the boil. And there will be a small financial crisis in emerging markets that everyone will panic about before it blows over.Patrick Kidd:Next year one of the main political parties will change its leader, but it's more likely to be David Cameron going than Jeremy... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Philip Webster is joined by Ann Treneman, Stewart Wood and Daniel Finkelstein in this end-of-year special as each panelists picks a topic to debate from the past year.Ann Treneman:It's been a terrible year for getting it wrong. The Westminster Bubble called the election wrong, the Labour leadership wrong and it still can't quite believe what's happened in Scotland. But, just say, that Jeremy Corbyn is right and that he will increase Labour's vote, as happened in Oldham. Is Britain heading towards an American situation where half of the electorate passionately believe one thing, and the other half passionately believe the other? Is the Bubble capable of acknowledging that politics has changed, possibly if not forever, then for the time being?Stewart Wood:2015 was the year when politics changed fundamentally in Britain. It saw the rise & further rise of politics outside the traditional Westminster cartel – from the social movement that underpinned a triumphant SNP to the Corbynista movement that... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Philip Webster is joined by Rachel Sylvester, Libby Purves and Hugo Rifkind. Rachel Sylvester:David Cameron once said his Party had to stop banging on about Europe but now the rest of premiership is going to be defined by a referendum on Britain's relationship with the EU. The polls are narrowing and ministers who wants to stay in are increasingly worried that people will vote to leave. The essay crisis prime minister got the grades he needed in the referendums on AV and Scotland, and the general election but is complacency going to make him fail the biggest test?Libby Purves:The fear of ‘radicalization’ into actual violence is reasonable; so is public political correctness, which is basically just politeness. But they’re leading us too far down a dangerous path. Hate-speech laws haven’t helped. We need to accept that as long as you don’t incite or perform violence or discrimination, you can believe what you like, and insult other people’s behaviour and beliefs. That's a British value... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Opinion podcast with David Aaronovitch, Lucy Fisher and Phil Collins. --Phil Collins:The anonymous man who said, to the attacker at Leytonstone tube station, “you ain’t no Muslim, bruv” has been hailed as speaking for moderate people of all faiths and none. Quite right too. Yet the statement is, alas, not quite true. We cannot attribute murder to faith but we cannot pretend faith is entirely irrelevant either.David Aaronovitch:Oh what a great brouhaha that Syria vote was. 'Momentous' said the BBC. A fabulous debate everyone agreed, with MPs congratulated - on either side - for weighing the issues and their consciences with almost exquisite aesthetic precision. Well, balls frankly. The decision was the minimum possible response a country like ours could have made. Anything else would have been an admission that, short of responding to being invaded, Britain had put its military out to grass. Lucy Fisher:It's received wisdom that Jeremy Corbyn is unelectable & Labour will tank at the 2020 polls... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster is joined by Fay Schlesinger, Giles Whittell and Anne Ashworth. Fay Schlesinger:After Jeremy Corbyn was elected, he promised a “kinder politics”. Fast forward two months and his allies are vowing revenge on shadow cabinet ministers at odds with him over Syrian airstrikes. Even the most attractive of Corbyn’s traits are turning sour. He must drop the Mr Nice Guy act or compromise over his ideals. He can't keep up the charade of both.Giles Whittell:There is an air of unreality about the Paris climate conference. The challenge is more urgent than ever but India won't stop burning coal, America won't be legally bound by anything and yet somehow delegates are optimist for a breakthrough. It won't happen until someone does for energy what cell phones did for communications - enables the developing world to leapfrog the developed.Anne Ashworth:There's a power grab going in the housing market. Schemes - like the Help to Buy Isa which makes its debut today and the stamp duty changes - are... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster is joined by Stewart Wood and Daniel Finkelstein.Stewart Wood:The Syrian crisis looks set to dominate British politics for the foreseeable future. Issues around the response to terrorism in Europe, dealing with unprecedented migration flows & UK involvement in bringing the Syrian conflict to an end should be the overwhelming priorities for our Government. Given the seriousness and complexity of these issues, David Cameron should seek all-party support for postponing the EU referendum until 2019.Daniel FInkelstein:During the first years of this government, it was argued that we needed to borrow more because we were in a recession. Now we aren't in one it should follow that this is the time to borrow less. We can't continue with a massive structural deficit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster is joined by Alice Thomson, Roger Boyes and John McTernan. Alice Thomson:Looking at the rows of victims in Paris, they all have glossy hair, white smiles and youth. It used to be the police, establishment, businesses and commuters who were the most vulnerable to terrorism. This is the first time the Facebook generation has been targeted, on a Friday night when they're relaxing at cafes, concerts and matches, how will they respond?Roger Boyes:Our efforts to " contain and degrade" Isis have failed. We are left with two rotten options: accept that Putin now controls Syria's future and mount joint bombing campaigns, using unpalatable Hezbollah and Iranians to do the dirty work on the ground. Or we overcome our fear of using ground troops and confront Isis face to face.John McTernan:To be a credible potential government Labour has to convince voters they can be trusted with national security. In uncertain times that becomes even more critical. Opposing shoot to kill, condemning French... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster is joined by Oliver Kamm, Lucy Fisher and Michael Savage. Oliver Kamm:Jeremy Corbyn has accused the chief of defence staff, Sir Nicholas Houghton, of political bias for intervening on the question of Britain's nuclear deterrent. The claim is absurd - a measure of the frivolity of Corbyn's own stance rather than any extra-constitutional manoeuvring by the armed forces. Every postwar government has supported Britain's nuclear deterrent and our participation in Nato. That is the policy of the Labour party, regardless of Corbyn's own views. Corbyn's parliamentary colleagues know that the voters will never trust a party that is weak on defence - and they should flatly contradict their leader's whims. Lucy Fisher:Britain is facing a crisis of confidence in foreign policy, “sidelined in Syria, ineffective in Ukraine, unwilling in Europe, and inimical towards refugees”. That was the damning verdict of some of the UK’s most senior former diplomats, intelligence officers and academics in a... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster is joined by Rachel Sylvester, Emma Tucker and Philip Collins.Rachel Sylvester:George Osborne is the most intriguing politician of our age. He’s morphed from a short termist partisan tactician to a political strategist with a long term plan. But, as the tax credit fiasco shows, his biggest flaw is that he still lacks empathy - the ability to win people over by persuading them he understands how they feel. If he wants to become Conservative leader and Prime Minister he's got to prove he knows that that politics is about emotions as well power.Emma Tucker:Debate about Britain's relationship with the European Union is about to heat up as David Cameron prepares to outline his desired reform package in a letter to be delivered to Brussels this week. But he faces very tricky manoeuvres. Europe’s leaders don't really want to engage with him until he can reassure them that he will vote for Britain to stay in the EU. But if he does so, the Outers will accuse him of reducing incentives for... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster is joined by Sam Coates, Hugo Rifkind and Patrick Kidd.Sam Coates:George Osborne got the strategy wrong, the tactics wrong, the politics wrong, the communications wrong and the people-handling wrong - all the things the Chancellor is meant to be good at. MPs think his reputation has taken a hit. After riding high over the summer, the Chancellor's reputation was probably due a correction to the mean, but Boris would be unwise to think things have swung that much in his favour. Anyway the tax credit problem is still far from solved - anyone with any ideas should pop them on a postcard to the TreasuryHugo Rifkind:What's up with students? Last week, Germaine Greer cancelled a lecture at Cardiff University, after a petition circulated calling for her to be disinvited, due to her "problematic" views. When I was a student, visiting speakers included people such as the BNP's Nick Griffin and the radical Islamist Omar Bakri. If we could cope with them, how come students today can't cope with... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his final Opinion podcast, host Tim Montgomerie is joined by Rachel Sylvester, Mathew Parris and Ann Treneman. Matthew Parris:Now that we're having to take seriously the possibility (though not, I think, the likelihood) that Britain may vote to leave the EU, we need to look beyond that possible Leave vote. What happens then? The government will have to begin a lengthy negotiation about the terms of our departure, with (of course) no negotiating cards to play at all. Much - a huge amount - will hang on the terms we are finally able to secure. It's perfectly possible voters who voted in principle to leave will find those terms unacceptable in practice. There will have to be a second referendum.Ann Treneman:What is Jeremy Corbyn playing at? Going on holiday (and to Scotland!) when he should be kissing the Queen's hand and becoming a privy councillor. It seems that we knew he was a republican but, hey, he actually seems to be a republican! Will Corbyn, in his own way, make us grow up as to how we... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie presents the Opinion podcast direct from Manchester at The Conservative Party conference:- Daniel Finkelstein and Jenni Russell: The Times- Paul Goodman: Conservativehome.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie presents the Opinion podcast direct from Brighton at The Labour Party conference:- Andy Burnham: Shadow Home Secretary - Matthew Parris, Lucy Fisher and Marcus Roberts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie presents the Opinion podcast direct from Bournemouth:Norman Lamb - Liberal Democrats Patrick Kidd and Michael Savage from The TimesJulia Unwin - Joseph Rowntree Foundation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Philip Collins, Oliver Kamm and Libby Purves.Philip CollinsLet's skip the bit where commentators ingeniously invent reasons why Corbyn might turn out to be Clement Attlee. No, this is man of no interesting ideas and no experience of running a political operation. He has started as he is condemned to go on. In chaos. The task for the sensible Labour party is to renew intellectually and engage the new members who will rapidly have buyer's remorse. Oliver KammIn the 48 hours since Corbyn's election, I have dramatically changed my opinion. Yet again the great Phil Collins is vindicated.I've previously argued there's an ethical obligation on Labour MPs to withdraw cooperation from the whips and declare themselves opposed to a leader who is out of step with party's traditions & progressive values. Yet I hadn't reckoned on the scale of the incompetence of Corbyn & his allies. You can hold on as leader even in the face of bad polls; but it's much more difficult to do so if... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Rachel Sylvester, Matthew Parris and Roger Boyes:Rachel SylvesterPoliticians ought to like the country they want to lead but the Corbynistas seem to disapprove of modern Britain. They are Roundheads in a Cavalier age, collectivists in an era dominated by individualism. There is a sense of moral superiority on the left that is as off-putting as the born-to-rule attitude on the right. Labour moderates must take back the moral high ground in their party. There is nothing wrong with wanting to win. Matthew ParrisThere was something infantile about the apparent switch of public - or at least media - opinion after the publication of that photograph of a drowned Syrian toddler. As if we didn't know already that children were being drowned. My guess, though, is that public sympathy and generosity remains rather thin. People do understand the argument that European hospitality risks drawing in new waves of migrants. Still, the sentiment that photo stirred did give the Prime... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Michael Savage, Patrick Kidd and Melanie Philips:Michael SavageIt's not been a good summer for our increasingly cramped second chamber. The latest set of peerages confirmed their use as a reward for political donors, allies and lieutenants - the appointment of a prominent figure felled by the expenses scandal caused wide disbelief, and it all came after Lord Sewell's alleged extra-curricular antics had provoked new calls for Lords reform of some kind. With the second chamber now bigger than ever and its reputation in question, will they - or should they - come to anything?Patrick KiddThe claim that David Cameron had to buy a cheap pair of Asda wellies to visit the Somerset floods when he had a perfectly good pair of Hunters in the car boot shows that we have reached peak vacuity in this image-obsessed era of politics. But is that their fault or ours? And is the key lesson of Corbynmania that looks really don't matter?Melanie PhilipsWhen I saw the Union Jack being... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster, who sits in for Tim Montgomerie, is joined by Anne Ashworth, Giles Whittell and Ann Treneman. Anne Ashworth:So that's all right, then. Breathe a sigh of relief and get on with your day. After all, some investors saw Monday's share price falls as a buying opportunity - which meant that global markets recovered some of their losses. But maybe we should actually be concerned as events on the Chinese bourses indicated that the regime is ill-equipped to deal with this sort of situation and that the truth about this country's economy could be more disturbing than we think. Giles Whittell:I've never seen the Baalshamin temple at Palmyra, and now I never will. The barbarism of the Isis fanatics who've blown it up is numbing, but what's really troubling about the destruction of Palmyra is its intent. Isis wants to make a mark for eternity, and to this end it's also doing more practical things like training up women doctors. It's not going away unless and until it's defeated, and diplomacy... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Hugo Rifkind, Francis Elliott and Jenni Russell. Hugo Rifkind:Are politicians responsible for their own unsavory supporters? When opponents of Jeremy Corbyn are targeted with sexist or anti-semitic abuse on social media, is that really his fault? And, if not, does that also render Nigel Farage blameless when racists decide he’s speaking their language, or the SNP, when Cybernats bat for them? More worrying still, what if similar people - heaven forbid - should ever agree with us?Francis Elliott:The delay to the Iraq Inquiry report is clearly upsetting for the families of those killed in the war and is frustrating for the politicians. But when a mob unites David Cameron with Yvette Cooper it's hard not to feel queasy. Are we sure we are blaming the right person for the delay and for the right reasons? Jenni Russell:in the last month Edward Heath and Camila Batmanghelidjh have both been fatally damaged by vague and flimsy accusations. Phrases like sex abuse are now... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Daniel Finkelstein, Lucy Fisher and Ed Conway. Daniel Finkelstein:The prospect of Jeremy Corbyn as leader is not a problem for the labour Party. It is a calamity, a disaster, a debacle. It doesn't mean having an leader who can’t win an election. A party can deal with that. It means having a leader that the mainstream Labour MP can't even vote for. It seems astonishing to me that these MPs have not pressed the panic button. They seem to be causally drifting towards catastrophe. Lucy Fisher:Andy Burnham's wife let slip on Monday that he had wanted to be an MP since the age of 18. The revelation prompted jeers that he is a "Westminster bubble” career politician, a common slur that conveys suspicion and contempt. But I think it's time we stopped bashing career politicians. Commons advisers who later look to stand for parliament boast depth of knowledge of the arcane workings of the legislature - surely a good thing. And on a more important level, MPs who have dedicated... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Isabel Harman, Matthew Parris and David Aaronovitch. Isabel HardmanPoliticians are obeying perfectly the rules of a Summer Crisis on Calais. They are ensuring that they are seen to be Doing Something on the question of illegal migrants by posturing on regulations around the private rented sector, rather than answering the question of how to solve the crisis, especially whether Britain should be letting in some of those thronging on the border at Calais. Why answer difficult questions when you can just pretend to be busy?Matthew ParrisFear and dislike of the Left is what impelled me into the Conservative Party as an undergrad. It's part of the Tories' raison d'être and the cement that holds often ideologically different members together. If Labour reall does fall apart, the Tories will be next.David AaronovitchYesterday the IPCC announced that it was investigating a claim that Wiltshire police had abandoned a case in the 1990s because someone involved had alleged... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Sam Coates, Laura Pitel and Philip Webster: What happens to British politics if Jeremy Corbyn wins?A living wage. Prisons reform. 2% spending on defence: do we prefer the Tory government to the Tory manifesto?When will the EU referendum happen?Subscribe via iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-times-opinion-podcast/id660638948?mt=2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Richard Fletcher and Roger Boyes to discuss Greece and its future in the European Union. Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined Rachel Sylvester, Philip Aldrick and Matthew Parris. Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Aaronovitch sits in for Tim Montgomerie as the panel debate a wide range of topics. Fay SchlesingerJon Stewart, the American comedian, played it straight on his chat show last week. If Islamist terrorists had massacred nine people in a church, he said, the repercussions would be huge. Because Dylann Roof killed under the banner of home-grown racism, the country will do “jackshit”. The Charleston attack cannot be reduced to failed gun laws, or America as an outlier. Britain and Europe need to take heed.Daniel Finkelstein The idea that the mistakes of the pollsters require state sponsored regulation, as suggested in a new private members bill before Parliament is totally barmy. So is the thought that we should give up polling and just try and guessMelanie Phillips As the Palace of Westminster crumbles, on one side are MPs singing we shall not be moved, on the other, people wanting to hang constitutional change on the scaffolding. All they've got to do is move out for a few years and then move... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Alice Thomson, Ed Conway and Hilary Rose.Alice Thomson:The Scottish Nationalists lost the referendum but they were left with the moral high ground. The Scots had been 'scared' into voting no and then dumped by the English, which is partly why the Scot Nats did so well in the Election.But the increasingly nasty sectarian abuse by the extreme cybernats, hounding the late Charles Kennedy and any businessmen who dare to speak up for the union risks souring the SNP's apparently triumphal progress. When moderate Scots are fleeing South of the border it's time to ask if the dream is turning sour.Ed Conway:For the umpteenth time, Greece is back on what everyone is calling the brink of default. The economy is back in recession and austerity seems to be biting even more than in the darkest days of the crisis. What's agreed by most insiders and outsiders is that it should never have joined the euro in the first place. But simply turfing it out of the club would cause more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Lucy Fisher, Rachel Sylvester and Helen Rumbelow.Lucy Fisher:As the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU looms closer, the “out” campaign is beginning to take shape. But its proponents now face a number of tough questions: who to lead them, with whom to ally and what strategies to pursue? The right business chiefs must be recruited, Tory Eurosceptics and Ukip must calculate how closely to embrace each other, and theoretical reasoning about UK sovereignty must be carefully balanced with more tangible arguments about the impact of immigration.Rachel Sylvester:Labour is speaking in code as it launches its leadership contest. Aspiration, equality, responsibility, choice, Blairite Brownite - these are words used to signify a political direction rather than simply to communicate. The party has to face up to electoral reality and go back to celebrating success even if that means some people doing better than others.Helen Rumbelow:Flexible working the male way: ask... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster steps in for Tim Montgomerie and is joined on the panel by Suzy Jagger, David Aaronovitch and Lech Mintowt-Czyz.Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Philip Webster, Anne Ashworth and Robbie Millen. Anne Ashworth:The Queen's Speech will focus on the extension of Right to Buy to housing association tenants. It's right to place an emphasis on home ownership: why should we deny this rite of passage to younger people. However, there are millions who cannot afford to take this step and must rely on rented accommodation. Whoever wants to win the 2020 election needs to get together a workable policy for the provision of better quality homes for this group. Philip Webster:The Labour leadership race is happening far too soon. Contenders exhausted by the election are having to fight again for four months. And no one really knows what they should be saying and doing to please a Labour electorate whose makeup remains a mystery. Will it be Andy, Liz or Yvette?Robbie Millen:Last week Jeffrey Spector, a 54-year-old British man suffering from an inoperable tumour on his spine, went to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Patrick Kidd, Giles Whittell and Libby Purves.Patrick Kidd:When it comes to recovering from a disastrous election it is best to ignore that noted political analyst Meghan Traynor. It is not all about the base ('bout the base) but about understanding those who rejected you. Small businesses and aspirant parents are the kingmakers. Do any of Labour's would-be leaders get this? It would be better to pick the next leader in an open primary of floating voters than an internal talking shop.Giles Whittell:Nicola Sturgeon is right. Renewing Trident is ridiculous. She's wrong about the reason, though. The £100 billion figure used by the CND is for 40 years and anything can be made to seem appallingly expensive over 40 years. The reason is that Trident is outdated now, will be even more outdated in 40 years and may well be every bit as vulnerable to terrorists as Able Seaman William McNeilly says it is.Libby Purves:At last, research confirms what has been obvious to anyone... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part two of an election special recorded in front of a live studio audience.Tim Montgomerie is joined by David Aaronovitch, Daniel Finkelstein and Jenni Russell.Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.