Politics Unpacked
Episodes
Live from Labour Conference: The Ghost of Blair
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to a panel of seasoned Labour journalists and aides about whether the ghost of Tony Blair still haunts the Labour Conference. ...
Live From Labour Conference: The Economy
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to the CBI Director-General Tony Danker about Labour's bid to become the party of business.PLUS Jane Merrick from the I and Times ...
When Conference Goes Wrong
24 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Labour is heading to Brighton this weekend, kicking off the first party conference season in two years, we take a look at what can go wrong with the p...
Michael Cockerell
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Legendary documentary maker and journalist Michael Cockerell speaks to Matt Chorley about what makes a good political documentary.PLUSIndia Knigh...
PMQs Unpacked 22-9-21
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Sunday Times Political Editor Tim Shipman pause the action to analyse the despatch box exchanges at Prime Ministers Questions. P...
All Aboard The Love Train
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to former Ambassador to the US Kim Darroch about what Boris Johnson can expect when he sits down to speak to President Joe Biden o...
Read All About It
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to the editors of three of the UK's biggest political magazines including the Spectator and the New Statesman to find out what mak...
Chorley in Chorley Special
17 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is live from a café in Chorley for the G7 Speakers Conference. The UK's speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle gives him a tour of the market and sta...
Cabinet On Shuffle
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Times Chief Political Correspondent/DJ Henry Zeffman unpack what the new cabinet means for the country, and discuss whether or not th...
PMQs Unpacked 15-09-21
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minist...
Chequers Mate
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As Boris Johnson prepares to host an awkward dinner party at chequers this weekend, Matt Chorley gets the best anecdotes from those who know the Prime...
Starmer's Essay Crisis
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Financial Times journalist Sebastian Payne about his new book Broken Heartlands, which documents the key constituencies Labour ...
Parliament After 9/11
10 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley looks back at the political response to 9/11 ahead of the 20th anniversary with those who were in the chamber, including Sir Bernard Jenk...
Spitting Image Revisited
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley goes to the Spitting Image studio to speak to some of the stars of the show ahead of its second seriesPLUSIndia Knight and the Spectator'...
PMQs Unpacked 08-09-21
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minist...
The End Of Cheap?
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are we facing the end of cheap goods and services? Matt Chorley speaks to economists, industry leaders and people working at the sharp end of ret...
Parliament Returns
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is live from the House of Commons as parliament returns. He speaks to the chief political correspondent for The Times, Henry Zeffman, to ...
Chorley's Covid Press Briefing
03 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's been months since the governments last covid briefing so Matt Chorley steps up to the plate and has re-created it. Speaking to The Times data jou...
America's Gun Problem
03 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Three weeks on from the Plymouth shooting, Matt Chorley speaks to Times Miami Correspondent Jacqui Goddard, Republicans Overseas' Greg Swenson and the...
Disunited Kingdom 1-9-21
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to journalists from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to get the news from the four corners of the UK. PLUSRobert...
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to the Times Scottish political editor Kieran Andrews and editor of the Courier David Clegg about the alliance and feud of Nicola ...
Riding the Populist Wave
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Carole Walker, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to politics professors Tim Bale, Matthew Goodwin and Amelia Hadfield about what populism in Europe ...
Focus Group: Raab’s seat
27 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley reassembles the Times Radio Focus Group with views from voters in Dominic Raab’s constituency in Surrey.PLUS columnists Melanie Reid an...
"Please Email Me"
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley indulges Boris Johnson's request for local leaders to email him with ideas on how to 'Level Up' the UK, hearing from several councillors ...
Disunited Kingdom 25/8/2021
25 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to journalists from the four corners of the UK to get the latest political and pandemic news.PLUSRobert Crampton and Alice Th...
What The G7 Want
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to experts and journalists in the US, France, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan about what their countries want to see happen at th...
Nudge Nudge Wink Wink
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Nobel Prize winning behavioural economist Richard Thaler about this new book Nudge: The Final Edition and how governments can c...
Afghanistan: 2001
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to guardian correspondent Jason Burke and Lieutenant Colonel Richard Williams about what it was like in...
How to topple a dictator
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley where he discusses the situation in Belarus right now with former UK ambassador to Belarus, Dr Nigel Gould-Davies ...
Disunited World
18 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a departure from normal service, Luke Jones speaks to journalists and experts from China, Pakistan, the US and Russia to hear about what different ...
How To Take Over A Business
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones speaks to Times Retail Editor Ashley Armstrong, Pizza Express Founder Hugh Osmond, Phones4u founder John Caudwell and serial entrepren...
Mother and Father of the House
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley is joined by the Mother and the Father of the House, Conservative MP Peter Bottomley and Labour MP Harriet Har...
How To Save The Government
13 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley tries to save the government with the Times' Henry Zeffman as they take part in an immersive play called Crisis? What Crisis? where they ...
The Secret Service
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Washington Post journalist Carol Leonnig on her book, Zero Fail, which sheds light on the secrets and scandals of the Secr...
Disunited Kingdom: Education Special
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley dives into the news across the four corners of the UK and this week's focus is on education. PLUS John Stevens and Emma Woolf join M...
Are Second Homes Where The Heart Is?
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley asks whether second home ownership is a blessing or a curse for local communities in staycation hotspots with local protest groups, counc...
The Doctor Won't See You Now
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hears from Red Box listeners about the difficulty in getting a face-to-face appointment with a GP. He hears from GP Sarah Jarvis and peop...
The Riots of 2011
06 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley reflects on the riots of 2011 with Shadow Justice Secretary and MP for Tottenham David Lammy, Stephen Reicher and Frances Crook.PLUS colu...
The MP who faked his own death
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Julia Stonehouse, the daughter of the former Labour MP John Stonehouse who faked his own death in the 1970s, and found out how ...
Disunited Kingdom 04/08/2021
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley gets the news from the four corners of the UK with guests Rob Parsons, Editor of the Northern Agenda for Reach, Caroline Wilson, Sen...
Space Wars
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, and experts in the field of space defence to find out what threats co...
Going Green
02 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to the Prime Minister's COP26 spokesperson, Allegra Stratton, ahead of the COP26 conference in Glasgow. PLUS Times columnists...
Prime Minister Priti Patel And The Alternate Political Universe
30 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What if Ed Miliband had won? What if we'd voted for proportional representation? Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Duncan Brack ...
"How To Be An Olympic Champion"
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Adam Peaty's mum Caroline, Jessica Ennis-Hill's coach Steve Ingham and Chair of the British Olympic...
Disunited Kingdom 28-7-21
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, gets the news from the four corners of the UK. PLUSTimes Columnist Robert Crampton and the Daily Mail's ...
What's The Big Idea - Revisited
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Suzanne Heywood and the winners of the Heywood Prize, which asked for members of the public to send...
The Young Ones
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones, sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to three eighteen year old councillors about why they wanted to get into politics, and what they...
Andrew Marr's Elizabethans
23 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley talks to legendary broadcaster Andrew Marr about 40 years in the industry, holding politicians to account, and which Britons he thinks wi...
Harry Enfield
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by legendary comedian Harry Enfield to talk about his new West End Show Windsors: Endgame, creating infamous political comedy c...
PMQs Unpacked 21-07-21
21 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minist...
Times Radio Focus Group 20-7-21
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by former Number 10 Pollster James Johnson to see what the Times Radio focus group make of freedom day, the pingdemic and Boris...
What did the pandemic ever do for us?
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley goes through some of the positive things to come out of the pandemic and covid breakthroughs with Sunday Times Science Editor Ben Spencer...
Historical PMQs Unpacked: Episode 1
16 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's 60 years this week since Prime Minister's Questions started properly in the Commons. Matt Chorley goes back to that first PMQs in 1961, and recre...
Wolff at The White House
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley talks to Michael Wolff, who has spent the last four years chronicling Donald Trump's presidency. His third book Landslide covers the fina...
PMQs Unpacked 14-07-21
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minist...
What the FOI?
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The government is subject to an inquiry into the way it's handing Freedom of Information Requests; Matt Chorley speaks to veteran FOI journalists...
"Five Things You Need To Know About Scottish Politics"
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by the Times' Scottish Political Editor Kieran Andrews for a lowdown on the most important things to know about Scottish politi...
Universities Challenged
09 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley talks about universities and what it will be like for students when they go back next term with the Office for Students's chief executive...
Can't handle the Ruth
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by former leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson on the union, indyrefs and why she's ruling herself out as Boris J...
PMQs Unpacked 07-07-21
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minist...
The Politics of Petrol
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Petrol prices are at an 8 year high - Matt speaks to the RAC to find out why and asks whether it's actually a good thing. And on Tuesday's its Finkelv...
Unions strife
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Author Matt Speaks to two union general secretaries, historian Tim Bale and Times Red Box's Patrick Maguire to ask how the relationship between Labour...
Why isn’t Labour doing better?
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley looks at the Batley and Spen by-election results with analysis from the Times' Eleni Courea, pollster Chris Curtis, former Labour ministe...
"Best of Frenemies"
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Sky News Deputy Political Editor Sam Coates to relive the drama of five years ago this week, when Boris Johnson pulled out o...
PMQs Unpacked 30-6-21
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minist...
Times Radio Focus Group: One Year Of Politics
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and former Number 10 Pollster James Johnson review the year in politics through the eyes of the Times Radio focus group to mark the stati...
Sajid Javid's in-tray
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley asks what's next for Hancock, Sajid Javid and the Department of Health. He speaks to The Times' Political Editor Steven Swinford, former ...
Dying Well
26 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Tanni Grey Thompson, Clair Fisher and Nancy Hey about how end of life care can be made better.PLUSThe Sunday Times Josh Glancy ...
The Man Who Invented The Red Wall
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt speaks to pollster and analyst James Kanagasooriam who coined the term Red-Wall in 2019 to describe areas in the North whose constituents tended ...
PMQs Unpacked 23-6-21
23 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Sunday Times Political Editor Tim Shipman pause the action at Prime Minister's Questions to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johns...
E-scooters, future or fad
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
E-scooters, they're being trialled in over 30 areas in the UK, some say they're the future of green urban travel, whilst others say they're a disrupti...
Secrets of The Lobby
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Times Radio's own Carole Walker about her new book 'Lobby Life' and speaks to Theresa May's Press Secretary Paul Harrison as we...
One less blue brick in the wall
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks about the symbolic and surprising result of the Chesham and Amersham by-election where the Liberal Democrats took it from the...
Let's chat about history
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
History teaches us a lot. It allows us to understand how people and societies behave, understand how wars erupted and how pivotal moments in history h...
PMQs Unpacked 16-6-21
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Sunday Times Political Editor Tim Shipman pause the action at Prime Minister's Questions to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johns...
How Do You Jab The World?
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After the G7 pledged 1 billion jabs for the developing world, Matt Chorley speaks to a panel of experts including Jane Halton, Lily Caprani, Mary...
Times Radio Focus Group - June 2021
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This month the Times Radio focus group is chaired by legendary US pollster Frank Luntz, who speaks to swing voters about lockdown, taking the knee, Jo...
A funny thing happened at the G7
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is in Cornwall for the G7.He speaks to Esther Webber from Politico and Tom McTague from the Atlantic.And with remembrances of G...
Boris vs Biden
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Patrick Maguire, the Red Box Editor, who broke the story that US diplomats had issued an extraordinary rebuke to Boris Johnson'...
PMQs Unpacked 09-6-21
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Times columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton pick over the day's news, then Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action at Prime Minister's Qu...
The Special Relationship with Matthew Barzun
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to Barack Obama's Ambassador to the UK Matthew Barzun about his book, The Power of Giving Power Away, his time in London and what ...
Why Bristol ?
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One year since the toppling of the Colston statue, Matt Chorley tours the city with a long history of protests, and speaks to the mayor Marvin Rees.PL...
The pressure of Long-Covid
04 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones is sitting in for Matt Chorley and talks about long-covid after the ONS reveals around one million people in the UK have reported experienc...
The Law of the Future
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones is sitting in for Matt Chorley and hears about how the pandemic has made the courtroom virtual and what lies in store for the future o...
Disunited Kingdom 02-06-21
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones is once again sitting in for Matt Chorley and as the race to the 21st June is hotting up, hears about the situation in intensive care to fi...
Tricks of the trade
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones is in for Matt Chorley again and hears about the life and times of another 'Pre-Pandemic Professor', this time it's Professor of Immunology...
"You have no authority here, Luke Jones"
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Kent Dominic Abrams and Former Chief Constable f...
Chariots of Fire
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Tokyo Olympics is to go ahead in July, Matt Chorley speaks to current and former Olympic and paralympic athletes Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Tom...
"It's Hard Being Green"
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is the Green Party having a resurgence? Matt Chorley speaks to pollster Chris Curtis and Times Radio Political Correspondent Charlotte Ivers about how...
PMQs Unpacked 26-5-21
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Times columnist Robert Crampton and John Stevens from the Daily Mail pick over the day's news. Then Matt Chorley and Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pa...
Remembering George Floyd
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On the first anniversary of George Floyd's death, Matt Chorley speaks to his school friend Jonathan Veal about his memories of Floyd and reflections o...
When The Crowd Say Bo' Select Committee
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of Dominic Cummings' appearance at the Science and Technology Select Committee on Wednesday, Matt Chorley speaks finds out what select committee...
Interview With MI5
21 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In his first interview since taking over the domestic spy agency, MI5's Director General Ken McCallum speaks to Matt Chorley, along with the head of c...
What Red Wall voters want
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley finds out what Red Wall voters really think with YouGov pollster Patrick English and the re-elected Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Ho...
PMQs Unpacked 19-5-21
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Times columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton pick over the day's news, then Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action at Prime Minister's Qu...
Kevin McCloud On The Politics Of Housing
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does home ownership mean about your politics? As parliament debate the housing element of the Queen's Speech, Matt Chorley speaks to property roy...
Crime and Punishment
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As parliament debates the bills related to crime in the Queen's Speech, Matt Chorley speaks to Shadow Domestic Violence Minister Jess Philips, Former ...
The Art of Reshuffles
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After Labour's reshuffle earlier this week, Matt Chorley speaks to the people who've conducted them and the people who've been on the receiving end of...
The future of Scottish politics
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the Scottish parliament is sworn in, Matt Chorley looks at the history of Holyrood and speaks to one of the new MSPs, Liberal Democrat's Alex ...
Disunited Kingdom - Post-Election Special
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by journalists from the four corners of the UK Parliamentary Correspondent at Yorkshire Live Alexandra Rogers Chief Reporter at...