Politics Unpacked

Conspiracies, constituencies and cake

12 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Marking three years of the Red Box politics podcast from The Times, Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist David Aaronovitch who reveals he is clos...

Is Theresa May to blame for everything?

05 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

PLUS: Is a general election insane, and how much did Times reporters drink in the 1980s?Matt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, The Times deputy politic...

Who is really ahead in the polls?

29 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Who is really ahead in the polls? Is support building for a second referendum? Would Leave or Remain win? And is Labour really trailing the Torie...

Five other things to worry about

22 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nevermind Brexit, there are plenty of other crises to keep us awake at night.Matt Chorley is joined by a bumper panel of Times reporters and columnist...

A historic defeat. Now what?

16 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by The Times' Daniel Finkelstein, Iain Martin, Esther Webber, Hugo Rifkind and Henry Zeffman in the corridors of power, and ask...

Making a drama out of Brexit

08 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by award-winning playwright James Graham, who explains how and why he created Channel 4’s Brexit: The Uncivil War, and why he...

What will happen in 2019?

01 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley asks Tim Shipman, political editor of The Sunday Times, Esther Webber, the Red Box reporter, and Katie Perrior, Theresa May's former dire...

Rory Bremner and Jan Ravens

25 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by two of his favourite comedians who give their impressions of the last year. Look out for their Fawlty Towers sketch. Hosted ...

Quiz of the year: Part two

20 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley presides over more chaos in part two as the teams fight it out in the remaining rounds.On the MPs’ team, Conservative MP Anna Soubry an...

Quiz of the year: Part one

18 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is ringmaster of the annual circus, testing who has paid the most attention this year: MPs, columnists or reporters.On the MPs’ team, C...

Theresa May clings on, obviously.

13 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On another day of drama, Matt Chorley presents from Westminster speaking to journalists and MPs about May's narrow victory, her promise to stand down ...

Shopping for a new leader

11 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Iain Martin who tries to explain what went wrong with the Brexit vote, Katie Perrior, May's former director ...

Jeremy Hunt on democracy in crisis

07 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, tells Matt Chorley about the risk of social unrest if Brexit is stopped, his fears over the decline of freedom aro...

May's deal is defeated. Then what?

04 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Henry Zeffman, Times political correspondent, who explains what could happen if and when Theresa May's Brexit deal is voted ...

Why is our politics so bad?

27 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Who would become a politician? Who can afford to? And why is there is disconnect between the electorate and the elected?Matt Chorley is joined by Isab...

Would you get involved?

20 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to bad leaders, trapped penguins or mental health, is there a right time to intervene?Matt Chorley is joined by Francis Elliott, The Tim...

What the hell is going on? Again.

15 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On the most extraordinary day in Westminster since, well, yesterday Matt Chorley watches Jacob Rees-Mogg call for a leadership challenge with The Time...

Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates

13 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Matt is joined by Times columnist Philip Collins, who wonders why more billionaires don’t do good, Nicola Woolcock, Times education corres...

Michael Dobbs Interview

09 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley meets House of Cards creator Lord Michael Dobbs. In a wide ranging conversation Dobbs explains his brutal firing by Margret Thatcher...

'Like Augustus Gloop in a chocolate factory'

06 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Hugo Rifkind, who is worried about the vast power that vastly rich people today can have over our politics.In the week ...

Is this a pre-election budget?

30 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Philip Hammond heralded the beginning of the end of austerity, blowing a multi-billion pound windfall on tax cuts and extra spending. But what was hid...

Ruth Davidson on mental health, motherhood and not wanting May's job

23 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to the leader of Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson about life beyond politics, including her upbringing, struggles with mental...

The Three Impossible Bs

16 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How do you solve a problem like Brexit, the Budget or Bercow?Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Rachel Sylvester, who warns Theresa May ha...

Live: May, Trump, Putin and Kanye

12 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded live at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Matt Chorley hosts a special episode as Iain Martin, Lucy Fisher, Jenni Russe...

Dyslexia, digital and Ronnie Wood's pick-me-up: in conversation with Matt Hancock

03 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley meets health minister Matt Hancock in the last of the party conference podcasts. They talk about his dyslexia, why he accepted a dem...

Can the Tories survive? And should they?

01 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnists, Alice Thomson, Patrick Kidd and Hugo Rifkind and former number 10 adviser, Will Tanner.The panel debates i...

Racism, Remain and growing up poor: in conversation with Emily Thornberry

25 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded shortly before her speech to the Labour party conference in Liverpool, Matt Chorley sits down with shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry...

Live Special: Have we reached peak Corbyn?

23 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded live at the Labour party conference in Liverpool, the panel debate whether Jeremy Corbyn can inspire an electorate and turn the last election...

Vince's exotic spresm

18 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton, where leader Sir Vince Cable had a nightmare delivering the key part of his speech.Polly Macken...

The case for Tony Blair

11 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Daniel Finkelstein, who argues only one person can lead a new Blairite party, and that’s Tony Blair. Sam Coates, The Times...

"It's going to be a you-know-what-show"

04 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As MPs return to Westminster, Matt Chorley assembles a crack team of former political spin doctors to diagnose the problems in their parties, and...

Our Man In Washington

28 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to David Charter, The Times’ new US editor, about adjusting to life in Washington, the numerous threats to the Trump presidency ...

Politics is too trivial

21 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If sometimes you think politics seems to trivial this might not be the episode for you.Matt Chorley assembles three of the biggest brains filled with ...

How Britain really works

14 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded live at a TimesPlus event, Lucy Fisher speaks to Stig Abell, editor of the Times Literary Supplement, about his new book, How Britain Really ...

Beyond the fringe #2

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In part two of our special looking at political shows on the Edinburgh fringe, Matt Chorley is joined by Andrew Maxwell, who you’ll know from Live a...

Beyond the fringe

31 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by three comedians taking political shows to the Edinburgh fringe.Nick Hall brings his show Spencer, the story of Spencer Perci...

Government of national disunity

24 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Why a cross-party effort makes sense, but won't happen.PLUS Leaving Labour and replacing MayMatt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Philip Coll...

Throw the book at the them

17 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Biographers of Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson help Matt Chorley write the first draft of political history.Sir Anthony Seldon argues The...

What the hell is going on?

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Resignations, reshuffles and May's survival.In this special recorded in Westminster, Matt Chorley is joined by The Times' Henry Zeffman, Sam Coates an...

What did Obama think of Boris, May and Corbyn?

03 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley speaks to Ben Rhodes, whose new book, The World As It Is, charts a decade at Barack Obama’s side, from the campaign in Chicago to flyin...

What do we want? More protests!

26 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

PLUS Tories bash business and handling Brexit badlyMatt Chorley is joined by James McGrory, from Open Britain, Rachel Shabi, a left-wing commentator, ...

In search of May’s money and morals

19 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Paul Johnson, Times regular and director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, who insists there is no Brexit dividend f...

Resignations and Team America

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by political correspondent Henry Zeffman and columnists Daniel Finkelstein and Jenni Russell. The panel discuss the f...

One year on from THAT election result

05 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Mart Chorley is joined by Tom Swarbrick, former head of broadcast in Theresa May's No10, and Steve Howell, former deputy director of communications in...

Playing good cop/bad cop

29 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Fiona Hamilton, The Times crime and security editor, on Sajid Javid trying to improve relations with the police after years of hostilities.Lucy Fisher...

Live: Who rules the robots?

22 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded live at a Times+ event for Times subscribers, Matt Chorley and a stellar panel grapple with the ethical questions of the tech takeover.He was...

Secrets of PMQs: Part two

17 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Times sketchwriters past and present Patrick Kidd, Ann Treneman and Matthew Parris on the good, the bad and the ugly exchanges across the despatch box...

Secrets of PMQs: Part one

15 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ayesha Hazarika and Tom Hamilton, former political advisers and authors of Punch & Judy Politics, give their top 10 tips to surviving prime minist...

Boris, bullying and baby-boomers

08 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by a panel to discuss in-depth three big political themes of the week.Oliver Wright, The Times policy editor, tries to explain ...

Part two: Saving Downing Street, when No10 nearly fell down

03 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded from Downing Street, Matt Chorley is joined by Jack Brown, the street researcher-in-residence, who reveals the rows about the PM moving out f...

What life is really like inside No10: tantrums, tears and toilets

01 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In part one of Red Box's Downing Street series, Matt Chorley welcomes Philip Collins, Times columnist and former Blair speechwriter, Gabby Bertin, for...

Is Gove having impure thoughts?

24 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

PLUS Nasty parties and watching royal-watchersMatt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, Times political editor, who suspects Michael Gove is again eyeing ...

Windrush, Polling and Wetherspoons

17 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley welcomes Times political editor Francis Elliot, Times reporter Grant Tucker and former No10 spin chief Katie Perrior.The panel discu...

The Museum of Brexit

10 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this bumper episode, Matt Chorley welcomes founder of Number Cruncher Politics, Matt Singh, senior political correspondent Lucy Fisher an...

One year to go: will Brexit still happen?

26 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Alice Thomson, Bruno Waterfield, Times Brussels Correspondent, and Oliver Wright and Henry Zeffman, who writ...

Who has been worst PM ever?

20 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Who has been worst PM ever? And the best? And what does history tell us about today's politicians?Matt Chorley is joined by author Andrew Gimson, form...

Tigger warning: spring statement is a lot of Pooh

13 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Patrick Kidd and Rachel Sylvester to pick over the politics of Philip Hammond's spring statement, in which he mocked the Eye...

In loving memory of PMQs

06 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley welcomes Times political correspondent, Henry Zeffman, Times columnist, Rachel Sylvester and comedian, Matt Forde.Discusse...

Yes to a dementia tax, no to Marvel movies...

27 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley welcomes Times columnist, David Aaronovitch, Times assistant editor, Anne Ashworth and director of Social Market Foundation, Ja...

Why a significant new party is closer than ever

21 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Daniel Finkelstein and Philip Collins to debate the chances of a new force emerging from the current two main parti...

New parties, Rubbish parties and gay donkey parties

20 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As a record number of new parties are set up, Matt Chorley and Lucy Fisher speak to Daniel Oxley, a founder member of the Democrats and Veterans Party...

Nish Kumar Interview

14 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley meets Nish Kumar, comedian and host of the 'Mash Report’ to try and understand why a British 'Daily Show’ has never worked, how losin...

David Baddiel Interview

13 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley meets David Baddiel to discuss his appearance on a government panel hoping to tackle antisemitism, how social media forces comedians to t...

How to resign part two: Mark Harper Interview

07 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve worked hard to become an MP, you’ve worked even harder to become a minister, so what happens when it all comes crashing down and you’re f...

Resignation Special

06 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Politicians resign for all sorts of reasons, in this special the panel examine the art and the fall out of the political resignation.Matt Chorley is j...

Possible PMs, property and the Presidents Club

30 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Fay Schlesinger, Alice Thomson and Iain Martin to discuss fears of society becoming overly prudish, how to fix the housing c...

Why we need a party of fruitcakes

23 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week Matt Chorley talks comedy, social media and why we need a party of nutters.On the panel: Matthew Moore, The Times media correspondent, who a...

What difference can a minister make?

16 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Chris Smyth, Times health editor, to see whether Jeremy Hunt can solve social care, Graeme Paton, transport correspondent, o...

Strong and stable geniuses? 2018 for May, Corbyn and Trump

09 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnists David Aaronovitch and Rachel Sylvester and former Director of Strategy & Chief Speechwriter at May's No...

End of year special

31 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Times Senior Political Reporter, Tim Shipman the author of 'Fall Out' and Tom McTague co-author of 'Betting th...

Christmas Special: How to write a political speech

25 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode recorded in front of an audience, Matt Chorley sits down with former No10 speechwriter and Times columnist, Philip Collins to ...

Christmas Quiz Part 2

21 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Red Box christmas quiz returns to review another bizarre political year. In part two Matt Chorley introduces rounds such as "play your F...

Christmas Quiz Part 1

19 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Red Box christmas quiz returns to review another bizarre political year. Matt Chorley attempts to keep order as three teams of varying a...

Promises, Crossed Fingers & The Future.

12 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times Columnist Rachel Sylvester, Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, and Grant Tucker from ...

Which tribe are you in?

05 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Lucy Fisher, senior political correspondent, who tells us about Labour's "purge", Matthew O'Toole, a former No10 Brexit spok...

Tory animals, Irish emails and unhelpful banking

28 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Hugo Rifkind, who worries that the Tories are kitten-killers, Anne Ashworth, Times Money editor, who warns t...

Budget 2017 special

22 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Has chancellor Philip Hammond solved a housing problem? Will £2.8 billion really help the NHS? Or was it a "record of failure with a forecast of more...

German crisis and politics place in the jungle

21 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley welcomes Times columnist David Aaronovitch, Times religious affairs correspondent Kaya Burgess and Red Box columnist Jane Merrick to disc...

Brexit is boring!

14 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley assembles a team of experts to answer your Brexit questions in an attempt to figure out what is actually going on and whether it's all ve...

President Trump one year on

07 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

With nothing of interest happening in Westminster at the moment - Matt Chorley casts a critical eye over the first year of the Trump preside...

How serious is Westminster’s “dirty dossier”?

31 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

As parliament is gripped by a sexual harassment storm, Matt Chorley is in Westminster to find out what the so-called “dirty dossier” of Tory MPs m...

Politics but not as we know it

23 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week Matt assembles a panel of people who do politics differently. Forget politicians, or think tanks or even journalists. This episodes focuses ...

Reshuffles, limited Lords and Corbyn's would-be foreign policy

17 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley returns to the studio after the party conference season and due to popular demand this episode is a Brexit free zone.This week: Lucy Fish...

Special: don't mention independence with the SNP

10 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley braves his fourth and final conference of the season this time with the SNP in Glasgow.He asks, have we reached, 'peak Nat', is Brexit ma...

Debate Special: Who will lead the Conservative party next?

03 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the final conference special Matt Chorley welcomes a panel of Times political columnists and journalists including Matthew Parris, Hugo Rifkind and...

Interview Special: Ruth Davidson MSP

02 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this special podcast Matt Chorley interviews Ruth Davidson MSP in front of a packed fringe event at the Conservative party conference in Manchester...

Interview Special: Angela Rayner MP

25 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the second special from Brighton, Matt Chorley is joined by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner MP, to reflect on the changed mood of the Labo...

Debate Special: Can Corbyn become prime minister?

24 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The first Red Box debate of conference season comes from Brighton, Matt Chorley welcomes Times senior political correspondent Lucy Fisher, Times colum...

Sun, sea and Lib Dems

19 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode, Matt Chorley takes a trip to the seaside to cover the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth. He encounters former special adviso...

The Tories' problem with getting down wiv da kids

12 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Still armed with his "Brexit Buzzer" Matt Chorley welcomes a panel to debate anything but the B-word. Times columnist, Rachel Sylvester asks if the T...

Why we could be heading for a winter of discontent

05 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley returns from Brussels and immediately bans any talk of Brexit until some progress is made, the podcast focuses instead on other issues fa...

Brexit: lack of progress special

31 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Red Box returns from the summer break with an episode from Brussels. Matt Chorley and Henry Zeffman emerge from a windowless room in the Berlaymont Bu...

End of term special: Part 2

27 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the final Red Box of the political year, Matt Chorley welcomes back Jan Ravens, from Spitting Image and Dead Ringers. Patrick Kidd, The Times sketc...

End of term special: Part 1

25 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley casts a critical eye back over the most dramatic year in British politics since last year.On the panel, Jan Ravens, the impressionist who...

How to reverse the collapse of trust in the state

17 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by Fay Schlesinger, The Times head of news, who wonders how to reverse the collapse of trust in the state, Red Box commentator ...

What May should do now by those who know her best

10 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the week Theresa May marks a year as Prime Minister, Matt Chorley asks, what path should May now take? Two people who know her best offer their ins...

Special: Politics of Pride Part 2

05 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the second special in the run up to Pride, Matt Chorley sits down to chat with Justine Greening, Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equ...

Special: Politics of Pride Part 1

04 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In a two-part special to mark Pride week Red Box examineswhere the battles now lie for the LGBTQ community.Matt Chorley is joined by James Holt from P...

Weird Westminster: new MPs get lost in corridors of power

27 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley is joined by three new MP's to discuss the quirks of adjusting to life in parliament. On the panel: Douglas Ross (Conversative), Luke Pol...

Who should be the next Tory leader?

20 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Chorley welcomes Jenni Russell who says Brexit is already a mess, Iain Martin who thinks he knows who should be the next prime minister and Anne ...