Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan

What's Really Motivating Voters? With Jennifer O'Connell

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last week, Irish Times journalist Jennifer O’Connell has been travelling across the country speaking to people and learning about their tho...

Election Daily - Tuesday - SF on a Roll & The Latest Poll

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As Sinn Féin perform well in the polls, Mary Lou McDonald continues to fight for her place in the televised leaders debate. Fiach Kelly spoke to the ...

Election Daily - POLL - Fianna Fáil Opens A Lead, Sinn Féin Surges

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The latest Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI poll, conducted in the days after the calling of the general election, shows Fianna Fáil edging ahead of Fine Gae...

Election Daily - Policies, Pensions & Polls

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For Fine Gael, week two of #GE2020 opens under the shadow of a poll in a Sunday newspaper that put them 12 points behind Fianna Fail. The Irish Times ...

So How Did The Last Government Do?

18 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How has Fine Gael performed in government since 2016? We ask four of our specialist journalists - Paul Cullen on health, Kitty Holland on social hous...

Election Daily - Varadkar Visits Drogheda & Labour Seeks Commuter Vote

17 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar & Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan met with senior Garda in Drogheda today as gang wars escalate in the town. Simon Carswell w...

Election Daily - On Board The Battle Bus, FF's Spending Pledge, SF on Defensive

16 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On day three of the election campaign Jennifer Bray spent the afternoon aboard the Fine Gael 'battle bus' as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visited Longford, ...

Election Daily - Controversial Remarks & Campaign Launches

15 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan in studio to dissect day two of #GE2020. As campaign launches took place across the country, the homeless ...

What's at Stake in #GE2020? - with Fintan O'Toole

15 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is there potential for real change emerging from the results of this general election? Fintan O'Toole joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the politics o...

Election Daily - Day One - Slogans, Saturday Voting, TDs Stepping Down

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Election Daily is our new podcast series covering #GE2020 in under 15 minutes. We'll publish a new episode every weekday evening. Fiach Kelly and Jenn...

What Kind of Election is #GE2020 Going to Be?

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The election hasn't been called yet but the political attacks have already begun. What kind of election campaign is in store? With a real head-to-head...

Brexit Party MEP Claire Fox on The "Vacuous, Corrupting" European Union

10 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Claire Fox stands out in the UK political landscape as a Brexit Party MEP with a background in far-left politics. In Dublin to deliver a talk about th...

RIC Row, What's Happening in Stormont, A February Election? - with Newton Emerson

08 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With its clout in Westminister dead and buried, the stakes couldn't be higher for unionism in the current negotiations to restore power-sharing in Sto...

Ask Us Anything 2019, Part 2

31 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy to answer some more of your questions on diverse topics, from the rough and tumble of polit...

Ask Us Anything 2019 Edition

24 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Fiach Kelly, Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to answer some of your questions about politics, politicians, political repor...

2010s: The Left's Failure, The "Rigged System" & The Intrusion of Tech - with Fintan O'Toole

21 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As the 2010s dawned, it seemed the economic turmoil of the great recession would bring about social and political change. It did, but in unexpected wa...

Northern Ireland's Changed Political Landscape - with Dr Katy Hayward

18 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What lessons will political parties in Northern Ireland take from the results of last week's election? Hugh and Pat talk to Dr Katy Hayward, a politic...

A Landslide for Johnson, Labour's Destruction, What Now for Brexit

13 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The results are in. Boris Johnson has secured a historic victory in the UK general election, with the Conservative Party winning a majority of 364 sea...

The Beginning of The End, The UK Votes

11 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The current Dáil is living on borrowed time, but how will its final act play out? To talk about confidence votes, party strategising and, yes, the ti...

UK Election Update / The Rise of The Political ‘Boomer Meme’

06 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At a Labour press conference this morning, Jeremy Corbyn revealed a confidential Northern Ireland Brexit report, which drives a ‘coach and horses’...

Hope and Disillusionment on the Campaign Trail - with Patrick Freyne & Jennifer O'Connell

04 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In recent months Irish Times journalists Patrick Freyne and Jennifer O'Connell have spent time meeting people across the UK and learning about their t...

Reading the Byelection Results

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to look at the results of four byelections in Wexford, Cork North-Central, Dublin Mid-West and Dublin Fingal. ...

The Strange World of The DUP - with Sam McBride

29 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What makes the DUP tick? The big beast of unionism has played an outside role in politics across Ireland and the UK over the past few years, yet under...

The Toy Show Elections

27 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Four constituencies, four battles for four seats in Dáil Éireann. On Friday (which is the same day as the Toy Show, as Leo Varadkar pointed out whi...

UK Election: Can Anything Stop Boris Johnson? - with Dr Kevin Cunningham

22 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First-past-the-post, tactical voting, Labour leavers, Tory remainers... it all ads up to a a formidable task for pollsters to call the outcome of GE1...

O'Devaney Gardens, Verona Murphy In Hot Water and A Remainer's Perspective on the General Election

20 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dublin Editor, Olivia Kelly gives us the low down on what's happening with O'Devaney Gardens. Last week City Councillors approved a deal which would s...

UK Election: Could Flooding Cost Johnson The Election? - with Denis Staunton

15 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hugh and Pat are joined by London editor Denis Staunton to talk about the first full week of the UK election campaign. Are the big two parties startin...

Northern Ireland's New Political Battle Lines, Lorraine Clifford-Lee

13 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Northern correspondent Freya McClements on the party plans and pacts that are turning Northern Ireland's Westminster election into one of the most int...

Micheál Martin on Party, Policies and a "Wind-down" of Confidence & Supply

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin gave an interview to our deputy political editor Fiach Kelly last week, covering the veteran politician's approach...

US Politics: One Year Out, Should Democrats Worry? / Fobgate, Money Messages & Election Wobbles

06 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday was a good day for the Democratic Party, winning control of the legislature in Virginia and the governorship of Kentucky, while President Tr...

#GE19 Tactics, What Different Results Mean for Brexit - with Patrick Maguire and Paddy Smyth

01 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The UK general election campaign is, among other things, a battle for what kind of Brexit will ultimately happen. Our Europe editor Patrick Smyth sets...

Direct Provision Tensions: "The Lack of Consultation Isn't Working"

30 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny's car was torched a few days after he spoke out against rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the Dáil. Kenny, who has suppor...

Is The UK Ready for What Brexit Brings? - With Ruadhán Mac Cormaic and Helen Thompson

25 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Leaving the European Union will have consequences for politics in the United Kingdom. What are they, and is the UK ready for them? To chat about that ...

Tangled Up in Brexit, Proxy War of The Buttons

23 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hugh is joined by Denis Staunton, Pat Leahy, Harry McGee and Jennifer Bray. What will UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson try to do first: win a general ...

Votes for A Deal, Ireland's Bittersweet Brexit Success - with Fintan O'Toole and Denis Staunton

18 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

London Editor Denis Staunton on where Boris Johnson might find - or lose - support in tomorrow's House of Commons vote on the Brexit deal. Fintan O'To...

Brexit: Can This Deal Pass?

17 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Pat Leahy and Denis Staunton are on the line to discuss the Brexit deal agreed today and the reaction here, in Northern Ireland and in Westminster. C...

Brexit: Issues Remain as Deadline Looms – with Peter Foster

16 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At this moment in time there is still optimism that a deal may be struck in Brexit talks between the EU and the UK ahead of tomorrow’s European Coun...

Poll: Varadkar’s Approval Up, Little Between Fine Gael & Fianna Fáil

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Political Editor Pat Leahy is here with the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll which shows Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are in pretty much a dead heat,...

Remembering Children Who Died in The Troubles - with Joe Duffy & Freya McClements

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When remembering the Troubles, we tend to focus on the acts of perpetrators. But a new book focusses on the 186 children who died in the Troubles, som...

Brexit: A Backstop for Slow Learners, The Tunnel, The North's Opportunity - with David McWilliams

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Our columnist, economist David McWilliams joins Hugh and Pat. Their discussion weaves together the significant events of the past 24 hours and the lon...

Another Brexit Breakdown, Paschal's Budget Message

09 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Spectator's political editor James Forsyth had the biggest Brexit scoop of the week on Monday when he reported that, per a Downing Street source, ...

The DUP's Brexit Ruse - with Sam McBride & Patrick Smyth

04 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In agreeing to regulatory checks in the Irish Sea, the DUP have made a major Brexit concession, a "massive shift", says the Belfast Newsletter's polit...

A Boring Budget, Johnson's 'Final' Brexit Offer, Bring Back Wolves

02 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It might not feel like it, but there is a small matter of a budget to think about next week. Hugh is joined by Harry McGee, Jennifer Bray and Fiach Ke...

Brexit: Rancor in Westminster as EU Hopes Fade - with Nick Gutteridge and Simon Carswell

27 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Brexit week began with Lady Hale delivering a famous judgement against Prime Minister Boris Johnson. That might have been expected to dominate the...

Brexit: A Brutal Defeat for Boris, Green Shoots, A Growing Threat to Journalism

25 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Boris Johnson faces an uncertain future and narrowing options after yesterday’s brutal supreme court ruling that his prorogation of parliament was u...

Naomi Klein: We Need Radical Climate Action

20 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Canadian journalist and social activist Naomi Klein is best known for her 1999 book No Logo which exposed corporate malpractice. Two decades on, her f...

Election Talk, Brexit Back-Channels

18 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The dawning political season in Leinster House is overshadowed by the prospect of a general election and still by the uncertainty over Brexit. Fiach ...

Brexit: A Backstop In All But Name?

11 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The DUP has publicly rejected proposals for a Northern Ireland-only backstop amid speculation at Westminster that Boris Johnson is considering an all-...

Brexit: Has Boris Johnson's Visit Changed Anything?

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has visited Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for a "positive, constructive" meeting. But has the Irish government's view of the ...

Bracing for Johnson's General Election - with Fintan O'Toole

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fintan O'Toole pops in to review the incredible week that has unfolded in Westminster and what we can expect from the election that seems inevitable n...

Brexit: A Bad Day for Boris, Election Calculations, A Chink of Light? - with Katy Balls

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After a day of drama and political upheaval in Westminster, Hugh is joined by our own Pat Leahy and Denis Staunton, and by Katy Balls, deputy politica...

Northern Ireland Past, Present and Future - with Professor Brendan O'Leary

30 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Brendan O'Leary, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, has written a three-book treatise on the entity we call Northern ...

Brexit: Sit Back and Remain on the Edge of Your Seat – with Lisa O’Carroll

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The dust is beginning to settle after British prime minister Boris Johnson’s surprise announcement on Wednesday, that he is to prorogue parliament f...

Can a Capitalist Economy Solve the Climate Crisis?

28 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible to run a capitalist economy and also address climate change? Or, is the greed-driven system destined to destroy itself? Hugh is joined ...

Maureen Dowd on Trump, Washington in Turmoil and Thriving Journalism

23 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd is the undisputed queen of the Washington commentariat. President George W Bush called her 'the Cobra' and in 1...

Brexit: The 'Phoney War' Phase - with Professor Ronan McCrea

21 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Almost a month after becoming British prime minister, Boris Johnson has restated his opposition to the backstop in a four-page letter to European Coun...

Radicalisation and the Amplification of Extremism Online

16 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In today's podcast we look at issues around radicalisation, disinformation and the amplification, sometimes unwittingly, of extremism online. What rol...

The Struggle for Independents - with Finian McGrath

14 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Do independent politicians get their fair share of coverage in the Irish media? Independent TD and Minister of State for Disability Issues, Finian McG...

Sinn Féin's Westminster Seats, Social Housing - with Eoin Ó Broin and Fintan O'Toole

07 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is it time for the state to build much more social housing? Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin feels that it is and he has written a book about how that can be...

Billy Bragg on Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn & Why Labour Should Support A Second Referendum

02 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Best known as a unique musician with a political edge in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and The Clash, Billy Bragg is a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and...

Brexit: Is The Political Landscape Shifting? - with Professor Helen Thompson

31 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Britain’s MPs are now on holidays but Boris Johnson and his cabinet are working away on their preparations for a No Deal Brexit in October. Will thi...

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Brexit, Boris Johnson and What "No Deal" Means for The North

26 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With Brexit tensions hitting new highs, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar answers Pat Leahy's questions about how he views Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hardlin...

Johnson's No Deal Cabinet, Varadkar's Determination - with Lisa O'Carroll

25 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Buckle up: it's going to be a bumpy ride between now and the end of October. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet purge and appointment of hard B...

Boris Johnson's in Charge, Maria Bailey's Punishment, End of Dáil Review

24 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The front pages are dominated by two stories today: Boris Johnson’s Tory leadership and Fine Gael TD Maria Bailey’s punishment for her claim again...

Brexit: What is Boris Johnson's Strategy? - with James Forsyth

17 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Both contenders for the Tory leadership, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, mades news on the hustings the other day by stating that even a time-limit to ...

Ailbhe Smyth's Life of Activism - Live at Body & Soul

12 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone at Inside Politics was shocked and saddened to learn of the death this week of our colleague and friend, Noel Whelan. Our condolences to his ...

Is No-Deal Brexit Now Inevitable? With Fintan O'Toole, Lisa Chambers, Katy Hayward

10 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Is a no-deal Brexit inevitable? What will happen at the border if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal? And how will our own political system d...

Mercosur Adds to Govt Woes, President Von Der Leyen, EU Dealmaking

03 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As Dáil term nears a close, the government is creaking a bit under the pressure of a growing number of fronts: agriculture, broadband, Brexit and har...

A United Ireland? Live at Body & Soul with Mary Lou McDonald, Sophie Long & Simon Carswell

28 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After several years of turmoil in the UK over Brexit, there is a feeling that the union is under strain like never before. But are we really any close...

'Fake News' Comes to Ireland, Govt Plans Brexit Budget

26 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

An investigation by the Digital Forensic Research Laboratory at Washington-based think tank, the Atlantic Council, found that Ireland was one of sever...

Michael Wolff on the Trump Presidency, Journalism & Politics Without Ideas

21 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

American journalist Michael Wolff has written a follow up to 'Fire and Fury', his infamous bestseller detailing the chaos of the Trump White House. He...

An Ambitious Climate Action Plan

19 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week the Government published its much-anticipated plan to tackle climate change. It's an ambitious proposal, aiming to cut emissions and make Ir...

How Nations Cope with Crisis and Change - with Jared Diamond

14 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bestselling author, geographer and historian Jared Diamond's latest book, Upheaval, is about how countries come through turmoil while adopting selecti...

Brexit, Scotland and Rockall / Fiscal Slap-Down

12 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First: No sooner than it had begun, our new national rivalry with Scotland seems at an end as territorial tensions over Rockall abate. But why did the...

Brexit And The Problem with British Media - with James O'Brien

08 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

British broadcaster and outspoken Remainer James O'Brien has become widely known for the exasperated monologues and heated debates that feature on his...

The Tory Leadership & Brexit, Gender Quotas in Local Elections

05 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As the Tory leadership hopefuls compete to succeed outgoing prime minister Theresa May, the party has tightened the rules for the contest amid concern...

Who is Emmanuel Macron? - with Sophie Pedder

31 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Sophie Pedder is the Paris bureau chief of the Economist, writing about French politics and economics. The author of “Revolution Françai...

Exit Polls, The Left, Where's the Electoral Commission? – with Fintan O’Toole

29 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As the dust begins to settle on the local and European elections, we look at why, not for the first time, an exit poll was wide of the mark and whethe...

Election Special: Sinn Féin in Crisis, A Green-Left Alliance?, Fianna Fáil's Path to Power

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fiach Kelly, Pat Leahy and Jennifer Bray join Hugh to talk about all the results we have so far from the weekend's local and European elections. What ...

The Strategies of Right-Wing Populism - with Jan-Werner Mueller

24 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As voters go to the polls in 28 countries this weekend to select the new European Parliament, the expectation is of a significant surge in support for...

Is Our Political System Capable of Tackling Climate Change?

22 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A 'climate emergency' has been declared in Dáil Éireann, and green issues are coming up on the doorsteps in this election campaign, putting pressure...

EU Elections: The State of the Race

17 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To talk about what has been a rather low-key EU election campaign so far, Hugh is joined by Pat Leahy, Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray. Hosted on Acast....

Going Through The Motions: The Problem With Local Government

15 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

They are powerless, frustrated, underpaid and too often reviled by their constituents. Many local councillors have spoken out about how unattractive t...

Trump, Truth & US Politics - with Bob Woodward

11 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At the age of 76, Bob Woodward has now covered nine different American presidents. That's 20% of all presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump...

POLL: Who Leads in the Race for Europe?

10 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today's Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI poll is actually three polls, with one conducted in each of our three European parliament constituencies: Dublin, Mid...

Plebiscites and Populism and Broadband, Oh My

08 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's the topic none of you has been asking us to cover: the forthcoming plebiscites in Limerick, Cork and Waterford to see if those cities should have...

Nationalism & The Irish-American Identity - with Michael Brendan Dougherty

03 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Irish-American writer Michael Brendan Dougherty, who is a journalist with the New York-based conservative magazine National Review....

The New IRA and Politics in the North

01 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly a fortnight on from the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry, local elections take place in Northern Ireland tomorrow. Will those who come ...

Bret Easton Ellis on US Politics Invading His Apolitical Life

25 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bret Easton Ellis, best known as a fiction writer of novels including American Psycho and Less Than Zero, has just published his first non-fiction boo...

Anti-EU Parties in the European Parliament - with Dr Kevin Cunningham

24 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Political scientist and polling expert Dr Kevin Cunningham joins Hugh, Pat and Fiach to discuss a report he co-authored for the think tank, the Europe...

"This Is Not A Retirement" - Clare Daly on Running for Europe

17 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Independents 4 Change TD Clare Daly joins Hugh and Fiach to discuss her decision to run for a seat in the European parliament. Why has the TD some see...

Brexit Day Blues II - with Fintan O'Toole & Denis Staunton

12 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The new October Brexit deadline impacts British politics in myriad ways, obvious and subtle. But it also has implications for politics here in Ireland...

Brexit: Ireland's Wasted Opportunity - with David McWilliams & Shana Cohen

10 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As Theresa May waits to find out what Brexit extension EU leaders will offer her, we ask what, if anything, Irish society can gain from Brexit. To do ...

Brexit: Can Corbyn and May Strike A Deal? - with Helen Thompson

05 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As Theresa May sends a letter to Brussels seeking another extension, Hugh and London Editor Denis Staunton are joined again by Helen Thompson, Profess...

Zuckerberg in Dublin, A Green Consensus, The Carbon Tax – with Eamon Ryan

03 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg made a flying visit to Dublin this week, during which time he met with politicians including Green Party lead...

Brexit Day Blues - with Ronan McCrea

29 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It was meant to be the day when "church bells were rung, coins struck, stamps issued and bonfires lit to send beacons of freedom from hilltop to hillt...

Indicative Vote Day, or 'Strictly Come Brexit' - with Denis Staunton

27 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First: Later today in the UK House of Commons, 'indicative votes' - designed to show how much support different Brexit options enjoy - will be held, u...

US Politics: The 2020 Democratic Candidates - with Suzanne Lynch

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Taking a break from the chaos of Brexit, we turn to a rather chaotic and already crowded field of candidates for the Democratic Party nomination to ta...

Brexit: What is The EU's Strategy? / Councillors & Gambling Machines

20 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First: Patrick Smyth in Brussels joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the thinking behind the EU's stance on a potential Brexit delay. Then: Jennifer Bray...

David Runciman on Democracy's 21st Century Problems

15 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Western democracies are beset by a variety of problems: fractured legislative bodies, the rise of the far right, the erosion of norms and the dangers ...