Politics Unpacked

How do you take on Nicola Sturgeon?

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt talks to Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross about facing Nicola Sturgeon in Holyrood, and accusations that he is guilty of "flip-flopping"...

Focus Group: Rishi's First

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

James Johnson from J.L. Partners joins Matt Chorley to discuss what a focus group of undecided voters in key electoral seats think of new prime minist...

Starmer Speaks, and the Forrest Gump of The Times

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer to react to a big rise in interest rates, before speaking to the 'Forrest Gump' of The Times - Michae...

PMQs Unpacked : Who Broke It?

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire pause the action in the Commons, analysing the key exchanges as Sir Keir Starmer questions Rishi Sunak about the stat...

The Five Disgraces of Liz Truss

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Harry Cole and James Heale to discuss their new book about the former prime minister, Out Of The Blue.PLUS breaking news abo...

Austerity 2.0

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt look for spending cuts to help balance the books, Matt Chorley talks to key figures from the first round of austerity i...

Too Much Too Young

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With Rishi Sunak becoming prime minister at 42, Patrick Maguire asks: Are MPs really getting younger? And does age matter in politics? He's ...

Has Starmer got Sunak's Measure?

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire sitting in for Matt Chorley looks at Labour's strategy for tackling the new prime minister, and asks whether Rishi Sunak puts the Cons...

PMQs Unpacked 26-10-2022

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and is joined by Tim Shipman, The Sunday Times' Chief Political Commentator, to unpack Rishi Sunak's first PM...

Rishi Sunak: The New PM in Town

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire gets the low-down on Rishi Sunak and the team he is bringing to Downing Street, and James Johnson from the Times Radio focus group exp...

Can Sunak Save the Tories?

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire asks whether the new Prime Minister can rescue the Tory party from electoral defeat and what can actually be achieved by a government ...

Ben Elton

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Friday Night Live returns to our screens for a one off 40th anniversary special, Matt Chorley has a chat with compere Ben Elton about champagne soc...

What A Fracking Mess

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On a dramatic day at Westminster, Matt Chorley and Times Radio's Lucy Fisher tell the inside story of the events that led up to the resignation of Liz...

PMQs Unpacked 19-10-2022

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and Red Box Editor for The Times Patrick Maguire unpack the brutal exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions, as Liz Truss struggles to sav...

Spreadsheet Politics

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley unlocks the secrets of the operation to monitor MPs' views, speaking to Siimon Burton, former whip special adviser under Theresa May and...

Shredding the Mini-Budget

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley presents live coverage and analysis of the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's statement, in which he put Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng's policies in...

Kwasi Out

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On the day Liz Truss performs another budget u-turn and sacks Kwasi Kwarteng, Times' Political Editor Steven Swinford speaks to Matt Chorley with news...

How To Build A House

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Almost everyone seems to agree we're not building enough house, so today Matt looks at how a house is built, from planning through to getting what pol...

PMQs Unpacked Live 12-10-22

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times Radio's Lucy Fisher and Patrick Maguire from The Times Red Box live on stage at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, pa...

Focus Group 11-10-22

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

James Johnson from J.L. Partners joins Matt Chorley to discuss the latest findings from the Times Radio focus group.PLUS: Finkelvitch on Sam Tarry's d...

Sturgeon's Schedule

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How likely is a second referendum in Scotland? Nicola Sturgeon has set out a timetable, giving the nation a year to decide whether they want independe...

The Politics of Pop

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After Liz Truss got into trouble for playing Moving On Up at her Tory Party Conference speech, Matt Chorley explores the relationship between politics...

It's Not Just Us

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

UK politics may be bonkers, but countries around the world have also lost the plot, changing Prime Minister every few years. Matt Chorley takes a trip...

Truss Unpacked

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire take a forensic look at Liz Truss's first speech as party leader to the Conservative conference ...

Penny Mordaunt and the Conservative Comms Crisis

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's the interview that caused Liz Truss's major headache on day 3 of Tory Party Conference. Matt Chorley speaks to Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt...

Michael Gove

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Gove has been a government minister for the majority of the last decade but now he's heading back to the backbenches. He tells Matt Chorley wh...

Say My Name

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Venetia Menzies, Data Journalist at the Times and Sunday Times takes Matt Chorley through baby name statistics. Find out which names are the most popu...

Truss' Tough Thursday

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Description: Matt Chorley and The Times' Political Editor Steve Swinford reveal what Conservative MPs really think about the Chancellor's budget and t...

Starmer Unpacked

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire go through the Labour leader’s speech to the conference in Liverpool and whether this was his ...

Angela Rayner

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley sits down with the Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner. They discuss everything from Labour leadership, why Keir Starmer is a morning pers...

Keir Starmer 3.0

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the Labour leader prepares to take the stage at the conference in Liverpool, Matt Chorley and Henry Zeffman rack through their contacts to find out...

Two Minute Takeaways

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Let's get Fiscal. Matt Chorley dives into the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's fiscal statement and what it all means with the Times' Political E...

How to be a Deputy Prime Minister

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Therese Coffey made her first big announcement as Deputy Prime Minister in the Commons today. With archive and new interviews, Matt Chorley hears from...

Disunited Kingdom 21-09-22

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley heads to the four corners of the UK to speak to local reporters from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland about what is mak...

Politics Is Back!

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times Radio's Chief Political Commentator Lucy Fisher to discuss what's coming up in a frantic week of politics as Liz ...

Black Wednesday

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thirty years ago on 16th September 1992, a collapse in the pound sterling forced Britain to withdraw from the ERM. Matt Chorley speaks to the cha...

1952 vs 2022

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If a lot can happen in seven days, think how much happened over the 70 years of the Queen’s reign. Matt Chorley looks at how life in Britain has cha...

Disunited Kingdom 14-09-2022

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley heads to the four corners of the UK to speak to local reporters from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland about what is mak...

The Royal Mile

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the late Queen's coffin moves from Edinburgh to London, Matt Chorley takes a tour through Westminster taking in the history that surrounded her lif...

A Week Is A Long Time In Politics

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A week, they say, is a long time in politics. First uttered of course by Harold Wilson, number five in Queen Elizabeth’s 15.Matt Chorley looks back ...

Queen Elizabeth II: A 70 Year Reign

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Queen Elizabeth II appointed 15 Prime Ministers and witnessed 18 general elections, 13 government referendums, three minority governments, and one coa...

Times Radio Focus Group: Liz Truss

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by James Johnson from J.L. Partners who has convened the latest Times Radio Focus Group to find out what they think about ...

PMQs Unpacked 07-09-22

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the new term in Parliament begins, Matt Chorley is joined by Tim Shipman, the Sunday Times' Chief Political Commentator to analyse Liz Truss's firs...

The Queen and Her Prime Ministers

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Liz Truss has been appointed the new Prime Minister and as she made her way to Balmoral to be invited by the Queen to form a new government, Matt Chor...

Behind The Scenes Of Becoming PM

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when you enter Downing Street? Matt Chorley speaks to the people who really know, including former prime ministers Tony Blair and David C...

Three Acts of a Premiership

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Brexit, Covid and Partygate came to define Boris Johnson's time in Number 10, with the latter conspiring to bring about his downfall. As Johnson takes...

What’s The Best Job?

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A new prime minister means a new cabinet. From great offices of state to great offices to change things, Alan Johnson, Justine Greening, David Gauke, ...

Disunited Kingdom 31-08-22

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley gets news from all four corners of the UK. He speaks to Sarah Booker-Lewis the Local Democracy reporter for Brighton and Hove News, Ciara...

Harold Wilson: The Winner

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Nick Thomas-Symonds to talk about his new book 'Harold Wilson: The Winner' exploring the life and times of the four-time ele...

Losers in British Politics

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the Conservative Party Leadership Election reaches its final days, Patrick Maguire asks what the future might hold for the losing candidate. He is ...

Energy Price Cap Q&A

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis about the energy price cap announcement then assembles an expert panel, Emma Munbodh from...

The newsreader silenced by the Taliban

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to Shabnam Khan Dawran, an Afghan TV presenter who fled after the fall of Kabul last year. After the Taliban threatened to kill he...

Pienaar Unpacked

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire reflect on the Times Radio leadership hustings hosted by John Pienaar.PLUS Robert Crampton and Laura Freeman discuss ...

Inflation Around The World

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley explores how inflation is crippling the world. He hears from Times Correspondents Charles Bremner, Jane Flanagan, Bernard Lagan, Oliver M...

It Must Be Gove, Gove, Gove

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Michael Gove announces he's stepping back from frontline politics, Matt Chorley looks back on his life and career. He hears from former Prime Minis...

Tom Kerridge

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Michelin starred chef extraordinaire Tom Kerridge joins Matt Chorley to talk about the pressures the hospitality industry is facing due to the cost of...

Supermarket Sweep

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley grabs a basket and heads into Iceland to speak to their Managing Director Richard Walker, on how the cost of living crisis has changed th...

Disunited Kingdom: Food banks

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After exclusive polling revealed that one in six people are regularly skipping meals, Matt Chorley looks at the demands on food banks. He hears from J...

Food Fraud

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley asks how food fraud is affecting what we eat. He hears from Professor Chris Elliott from the Queen’s Institute for Global Food Security...

Old Matt Chorley On The Farm

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley goes on a tour of Weston’s Farm in Horsham in West Sussex. He speaks to David Exwood, Vice President of the NFU and owner of the farm a...

Rishi Sunak and Harry Hill

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley interviews the Tory leadership candidate and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak on the cost of living, GDP figures, the Northern Ireland Proto...

Britain goes into space

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley discusses the future of British space travel with Joshua Western, CEO and Co-founder of Space Forge; Melissa Thorpe, Head of Space Port C...

Disunited Kingdom 10-08-22

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley explores all four corners of the UK in Disunited Kingdom. He speaks to Ciaran Jones, Head of News at Wales Online, Caroline Wilson,&...

Malcolm Turnbull

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to the former Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull on why British politics is similar to down under, Boris Johnson, the mo...

Christina Lamb in Kabul

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to Sunday Times Chief Foreign Correspondent Christina Lamb who has travelled back to Kabul, Afghanistan to find out how the countr...

Philip Larkin at 100

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire celebrates 100 years since Philip Larkin's birth. He speaks to former Poet Laureate and biographer Sir Andrew Motion who worked with L...

Watch Your Grammar

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss plan to usher in the return of grammar schools, but do they actually help provide opportunities to working class famili...

Disunited Kingdom 03-08-22

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire explores all four corners of the UK in Disunited Kingdom. He speaks to Liam Thorp Political Editor at the Liverpool Echo, Liz Perkins ...

Is Levelling up dead under a new PM?

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire questions whether the levelling up agenda is dead under a new Prime Minister. He hears from Ben Houchen, the Conservative mayor of the...

Why Does Everyone Hate The Treasury?

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire speaks to former Treasury Minister John Glen, Poppy Trowbridge, who was Special Adviser to the former Chancellor Philip Hammond, Jeevu...

BONUS: Leader of the Opposition - Episode 7

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, to mark 300 years since Robert Walpole became Prime Minister, Matt Chorley learnt about every PM through history each week. This year, he's...

It's Coming Home

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley. Ahead of the Women's Euros final this Sunday, we dive into the history of women's football, the politics at ...

Tories Battle For The Union

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and today's episode is all about Scotland. Can Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak save the Tories in Scotland and with ...

The Fight Ahead

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire explores who Labour might want as the new Prime Minister and how they might oppose them. With exclusive polling from Patrick English f...

Guess Who's Back

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley. Boris Johnson is plotting a comeback, so we take you back in time to when former prime ministers tried to ge...

Who Has The Power?

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and finds out about the 160,000 Tory members who will be deciding who is the next Prime Minister will be and ...

Al Murray

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to the Pub Landlord, Comedian and friend of the show Al Murray about politics, comedy and missing Boris JohnsonPlUS: Melanie Reid ...

CCHQ - A Two Horse Race

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley gets to know the two Tory leadership finalists in more detail. Hear the life and times of Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, and why their suppor...

PMQs Unpacked 20-07-22

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and the Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges at Boris Johnson's last ever Prime Minister's Ques...

CCHQ: Focus Group 19-07-22

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Gabriel Milland from Portland Communications who has convened the latest Times Radio Focus Group of swing-voters from Newcas...

CCHQ: The Economics of the Tory Leadership Contest

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley hears from The Times' Policy Editor Oliver Wright, former Chancellor Lord Lamont and Gemma Tetlow the Chief Economist at the Institu...

How to win a TV election debate

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley hears from a former spinner from the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems about how they prepared their respective leaders for political TV de...

Spin When You're Winning

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Who better to divulge the strengths and weaknesses of the Leadership candidates than the people who know them best. Peter Cardwell worked with Ri...

PMQs Unpacked 13-07-22

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and the Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prim...

CCHQ: Andrea Leadsom

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley hears from Phil Webster, former political editor for The Times, and Elinor Goodman, the former political editor at Channel 4 news on Chor...

Introducing CCHQ

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley introduces the Chorley Campaign Headquarters as the race to become Conservative Party Leader begins. He speaks to Phil Webster, Former Po...

BONUS: Leader of the Opposition - Episode 6

09 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, to mark 300 years since Robert Walpole became Prime Minister, Matt Chorley learnt about every PM through history each week. This year, he's...

BONUS: Past Imperfect Presents....Wes Streeting

09 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Past Imperfect is a podcast from The Times hosted by Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thomson. Hear stories from outstanding people about how moments in...

And they're off!

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After Boris Johnson resigned as the Conservative Party leader, Matt Chorley takes a look at the key runners and riders for the Tory leadership, who is...

Thems' The Breaks

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley presents highlights from the rolling coverage of Boris Johnson's resignation on Times Radio, hosted alongside Patrick Maguire. INCLUDING:...

PMQs Unpacked 06-07-2022

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley, the Sunday Times Political Editor Tim Shipman and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pick through those explosive exchanges between Si...

How Much Is Enough?

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amid rising inflation, Matt Chorley asks what would make a good pay-rise for workers this summer. With expert economic and political analysis and an i...

Prince Charles and Money

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to the Sunday Times Whitehall Editor Gabriel Pogrund on his investigations into Prince Charles and where his charity money comes f...

Summer Holidays

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to tourism bosses about how the industry coping with rising costs, staff shortages and surging demand including Visit Britain, UK ...

Pride 50 Years On

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With this week marking the 50th anniversary of the first pride rally in the UK, Matt Chorley speaks to LGBTQ+ Rights Advocate and Campaigner Peter Tat...

PMQs Unpacked 29-06-2022

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley analyses the exchanges between Deputy Leader Dominic Raab and Angela Rayner at Prime Minister's Questions. Pausing the action alongside t...

Moving the Capital

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley asks whether the capital should be moved out of London, and exclusive polling for Times Radio what the public thinks. Shadow Levelling Up...

Off The Record

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley reveals what's really happening inside the Tory party as he plays out off-the-record texts from Conservative MPs, voiced by actors. He an...

By-Election By Numbers

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley looks back on the by-elections results of Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton. Matt crunches the numbers with Times Radio's Chief Politica...

Helen Clark

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to the former prime minister of New Zealand, former head of the United Nations Development Programme and now President of Cha...