Politics Unpacked

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...

PMQs Unpacked 22-06-22

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley analyses the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. Pausing the action alongside the Sunday ...

Channel Hopping

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Jersey goes to the polls, Matt Chorley explores its significance alongside Guernsey and Sark.PLUS Danny Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss s...

A funny thing happened on the way to the CHOGM

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley explores the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, taking place in Rwanda. He hears from Valentine Low, who writes on the Royals for ...

Gyles Brandreth

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Former MP turned national treasure Gyles Brandreth talks about keeping busy, why he would have voted for Boris Johnson in the recent confidence vote a...

Citizens Advice

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley hears stories from the frontlines of the cost-of-living crisis, speaking to regional representatives for Citizens Advice to get a clear u...

PMQs Unpacked 15-06-22

15 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley analyses the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions alongside Sunday Times' Chief Political C...

A Long Hot Summer of Strikes

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a Times Radio investigation showed that nearly a million people are considering or have confirmed strike action this summer, Matt Chorley explor...

What Is Starmer Waiting For?

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire have been hitting up their contacts books, speaking to some of the Labour leader's closest colle...

Wine Times with Matt Chorley

11 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode comes courtesy of our sister podcast: Wine Times.Dabbling in wines from across the globe with Suzi and Will is the journalist and broa...

David Davis Studies

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is the story of the senior Conservative MP, loyalist and rebel David Davis. Matt Chorley sat down with him to discuss losing out to David Cameron...

Focus Group: Wakefield 09-06-22

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by James Johnson from Kekst CNC who has convened the latest Times Radio Focus Group of people from Wakefield, who all voted Con...

PMQs Unpacked 08-06-22

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by the Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minist...

Behind the Scenes in Parliament

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley takes us behind the scenes in Westminster to see how yesterday's extraordinary day in politics unfolded.PLUS Patrick Kidd and Daniel Fink...

No Confidence

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to the Deputy Leader and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and now the former anti-corruption tzar John Penrose on whether or not Bor...

BONUS: Leader of the Opposition - Episode 5

04 Jun 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...

Edward VIII

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire explores what might've happened if Edward VIII had remained king. He hears from royal historian Andrew Lownie and political historian ...

Disunited Kingdom: Jubilee Special

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Carole Walker sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to journalists from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to get the news from the four corn...

The Chancellors

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What can Rishi Sunak learn from former chancellors? We speak to Sir Howard Davies, a British economist, the first chairman of the Financial Services A...

The Ukraine Blockade

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Carole Walker sits in for Matt Chorley. She discusses how can the West break the naval blockade of Ukrainian ports? With the Times' Defence Edito...

Tony! The Tony Blair Rock Opera

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to Steve Brown who co-wrote 'Tony! The Tony Blair Rock Opera" with Comedian Harry Hill, as well as the actors playing Gordon Brown...

Taking Back Control?

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Immigration is on the rise. But is this a good or a bad thing? Matt speaks to Matt Dathan, Chief Exec of Ipsos Kelly Beaver, former Joint Downing Stre...

Sue Gray Day

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Live from College Green, Matt Chorley unpacks the much-awaited Sue Gray report with Lucy Fisher and Patrick Maguire picking through the 39 pages and n...

Is the Red Wall a red herring?

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley explores whether politicians are too obsessed with the red wall. He hears from Professor Jane Green from Nuffield College at Oxford Unive...

Cost of schooling crisis

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley hears from headteachers to see how the cost of living crisis is hitting our schools. He also speaks to  Anne Longfield, former Child...

Nadhim Zahawi on Education

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi to hear about University fee refunds, how cost-of-living is affecting schools and whether we ...

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are hyperlocal newspapers on the rise? Matt speaks to Francesca Evans from Lyme Online, Joshi Hermann from the Manchester Mill and Phyllis S...

PMQs Unpacked 18-05-22

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Sunday Times' Chief Political Commentator Tim Shipman to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at...

The Worst MPs Ever

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is this batch of politicians the worst ever? Matt Chorley speaks to journalists Isabel Hardman and Elinor Goodman, Dr Will Jennings and father of the ...

How to Stop the NHS Killing People

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley hears from a panel of experts to see how the NHS can be fixed after Jeremy Hunt's new book claimed that 150 preventable deaths were occur...

The NHS is Killing People

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to Jeremy Hunt about his new book 'Zero' where it explains how the NHS is causing 150 preventable deaths each week. They explore h...

Focus Group: Tiverton and Honiton 12-05-22

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by James Johnson from Kekst CNC who has convened the latest Times Radio Focus Group of 2019 Conservative voters in the constitu...

Disunited Kingdom 11-05-22

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley gets reaction to the Queen's Speech as well as all the latest news from the four corners of the UK.PLUS: Patrick Kidd and Alice Thomson o...

Queen's Speech 1952 Unpacked

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire unpack Queen Elizabeth's first ever state opening of parliament, 70 years ago in 1952 to explain what has and hasn't ...

Conserving the Union

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Following last week's election results, which saw success for the nationalists in Northern Ireland and Scotland, Matt Chorley speaks to a panel of pol...

In Conversation With Andrew Neil

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After our special documentary series, the Sunday Shows at 50, charting the rise and fall of Sunday political shows, Matt Chorley interviews broadcast ...

Big Ben Back Again

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After almost five years near total silence, Big Ben is ready to bong again. Matt Chorley got exclusive access to the Elizabeth Tower to see how the re...

Disunited Kingdom 04-05-22

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley convenes the Disunited Kingdom panel to preview the local elections from the four corners of the UK.PLUS: Alice Thomson and Patrick Kidd ...

Northern Ireland Elections Unpacked

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley dives into this potentially historic Northern Ireland Assembly election including interviews with U105's News Editor Grainne McKinney, Bi...

Sexism in Parliament

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a flurry of more accounts of sexual harassment and bullying within Parliament, Carole Walker speaks to those who've seen it first hand and peopl...

BONUS: Leader of the Opposition - Episode 4

30 Apr 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...

Inside the '97 campaign

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

25 years after New Labour's landslide, Matt Chorley lifts the lid on the fears, egos and infighting among the party's grandees. He dives into the Time...

Times Radio Focus Group 28-04-22

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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

PMQS Unpacked 27-04-22

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Sunday Times' Chief Political Commentator Tim Shipman to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at...

Grant Shapps

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley sits down for an exclusive interview with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to discuss Planes, Trains and Automobiles.....and Ferries too....

French Presidential Election: Le Résultat

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A victory for Macron who secured a second term as French President. Matt speaks to the Times’ Charles Bremner, and Sylvie Bermann, France’s ambass...

The French Dispatch

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt puts France under a microscope and heads to the different regions of France to find out what voters are thinking and what issues really...

Boris in India

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to one of Boris' former High Commissioners to the country and an Indian MP to find out what will be on the agenda for the PM's tri...

PMQS Unpacked 20-04-22

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Patrick Maguire to analyse the exchanges between Sir Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson at Prime Minister's Questions.PLUS Rober...

New Term at Westminster

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As it's the first day back to Parliament after the Easter break, Matt Chorley speaks to Lucy Fisher, Times Radio's Chief Political Commentator and Pro...

Refugee Schemes

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How's the UK's refugee policy going? Luke speaks to 'Aziz' Afghan refugee who has been stuck in a hotel for six months, Presenter Dr. Bendor Grosvenor...

SUNDAY SHOWS AT 50 Part Six: The Future

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of Sunday political TV shows with Sunday shows at 50. Last week, we heard about the rise of Andrew Marr and his ...

SUNDAY SHOWS AT 50 Part 5: Marr

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of Sunday political TV shows with Sunday shows at 50. Last week we heard about the 21st century boom of politica...

SUNDAY SHOWS AT 50 Part 4: The Explosion

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of Sunday political TV shows with Sunday shows at 50.Last week we heard about the rise of the BBC's 'On the Reco...

SUNDAY SHOWS AT 50 Part 3: On the Record

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of Sunday political TV shows with Sunday shows at 50. Last week we heard how David Frost came to dominate Sunday...

SUNDAY SHOWS AT 50 Part 2: Frost

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of the Sunday political TV shows with Sunday Shows at 50. Last week, we looked at the birth of Weekend World and...

SUNDAY SHOWS AT 50 Part 1: Weekend World

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of the Sunday political TV show, starting by going behind-the-scenes of the heavyweight, sometimes heavy-going, ...

Navalny

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Luke Jones hears from Daniel Roher, the director of new film 'Navalny', as well as Vladimir Ashukov, former Executive Director of the Anti-Corruption ...

How Do You Join NATO?

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley. How does a country join NATO? He speaks to Mary Elise Sarotte is a Professor of Post-Cold War history at Joh...

Disunited Kingdom 13-04-22

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Luke Jones speaks to journalists from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to get the news from the four corners of the UK. Alice Thomson and...

Chatham House

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Luke Jones speaks to Robin Niblett who is standing down after 15 years as Director of the International Affairs Think Tank Chatham House.PLUS Daniel F...

French Elections

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Luke Jones speaks to Times France Correspondent Charles Bremner, Mireille Clapot, an MP for Macron's En Marche in Drome in the South-East of France an...

The 1992 General Election

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and talks about the 1992 General Election and what an explosive election it was. Interviews with Neil Kinnock...

Polling Unpacked

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Pack, author of the new book 'Polling Unpacked', tells Matt Chorley about the history of opinion polls, and the five great polling disasters in U...