Politics Unpacked
Episodes
Running out with Boris Johnson*
11 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After going running with Jeremy Hunt last month, Matt Chorley wants to know how Boris Johnson exercises, his plans for Brexit and his other policies.*...
Only weirdos join parties
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by David Aaronovitch and Hugo Rifkind to discuss who are the members pulling the strings in the Labour and Tory parties.Plus Ca...
Who can beat Trump?
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this transatlantic special to Mark Independence Day, Matt Chorley is joined on the line from DC by David Charter, The Times US editor, who tries to...
The other leadership contest
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Alice Thomson, Eleni Courea and Steven Swinford to debate why Lib Dems need more scrutiny. PLUS how to beat Boris and M...
Dead Ringers
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, Theresa May, Lorraine Kelly and many more thanks to impressionists Jon Culshaw and Debra Stephe...
Who is the real Michael Gove?
18 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Owen Bennett, author of Gove biography Man In A Hurry, to discuss the radical in the Tory leadership contest. Rachel Sylvest...
McDonnell, Gove and Clegg
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley sits down with John McDonnell to discuss worrying businesses, Rachel Sylvester quizzes Michael Gove on drugs and hate crime and...
Running out with... Jeremy Hunt
09 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley joins the foreign secretary on his morning jog to talk Brexit, why he could do a better job than Theresa May, how Donald Trump is advisin...
Walking out with... Andrea Leadsom
07 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley buys Andrea Leadsom an ice-cream and asks her about quitting the cabinet, running for leader a second time, and who ordered the food for ...
Walking out with... Matt Hancock
04 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined in the rain by the health secretary who discusses Love Island, tanktops and why he would be good at PMQs. Hosted on Acast. See ...
Walking out with... Rory Stewart
03 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley takes a stroll with the Tory leadership contender, who discusses being the Trumpian anti-Trump, who he would have in his cabinet and bein...
The Parris Agreement
28 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Matthew Parris, who explains why rescuing a dog helped him become a Tory MP 40 years ago, discusses how coming out cost...
Walking out with Sam Coates
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley goes for a walk in the park with Sam Coates, as he prepares to quit as deputy political editor after two decades on The Times. They discu...
Who will choose the next PM?
21 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by James Kirkup, former No10 director of communications Katie Perrior and YouGov's Chris Curtis to discuss the people, the proc...
Could a sex strike solve Brexit?
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Janice Turner on sexual political protest, Rachel Sylvester on Tory divisions on climate change and Francis Elliott on the rise of the Brexit Party.Al...
How to avoid May's mistakes
07 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Alex Dawson, a former Home Office adviser to Theresa May who became her political director in No 10, who describes how a sho...
Why parliament needs cats
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley sits down with Chorley MP and deputy speaker, Lindsay Hoyle to discuss how to control a rowdy commons, being in the speakers chair d...
Will you be up all night?
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
All political nerds will be gripped by the local election results this week, but what should we expect, where should we watch, and why should we care?...
The case for Boris Johnson
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Jo Tanner, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, who wonders if her old boss can ever get serious. Times columnist Matthew Parr...
Has Ian Hislop got views for you
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rounding off a week of special episodes, Matt Chorley speaks to Ian Hislop, star of Have I Got News For You and editor of Private Eye, about Brexit, b...
Inside the Brussels horror show
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley travels to the Brussels summit as EU leaders give Britain an extra six months until Brexit. We hear from Oliver Wright, Bruno W...
Are the Tories finished?
09 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After a report shows young people turning their backs on the Tory party, Matt Chorley asks if a change of leader will be enough to reverse the trend?I...
Current status: grim and worsening
08 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley presents from parliament to assess how bad things have become on a human level. MP's Chris Bryant, George Freeman, Philippa Whitford...
No charm, all offensive
07 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley begins a week of daily Red Box podcasts with a special episode recorded at Podcast Live. Sam Coates explains why every f...
Could you have done Brexit better?
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley asks how a different prime minister might have negotiated the last three years more successfully.Chris Wilkins, Theresa May's former spee...
Brexit Tamed Live Part Three: What Next?
29 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the final part of the Brexit Tamed specials, Matt Chorley invites Katie Perrior, Lucy Fisher, Sathnam Sanghera and Hugo Rifkind to speculate whethe...
Brexit Tamed Live Part Two: The History
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley introduces part two of a special episode recorded at the Emmanuel centre in London. Phillip Collins moderates a debate with Sarah Ba...
Brexit Tamed Live Part One: The Interviews
27 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley introduces a special episode recorded at the Emmanuel centre in London. First Quentin Letts speaks to Chukka Umunna then in a r...
Bercow: annoying but right?
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
PLUS Free speech in the internet age and beating cancer.Matt Chorley is joined by Alice Thomson, Hugo Rifkind and Lindsay McIntosh Hosted on Acast. Se...
Inside The Times office
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley gives up on asking politicians what might happen with Brexit and ventures into The Times office on the roof of parliament to ask the poli...
Who blew up Brexit?
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is in parliament with politicians and pundits, asking how Geoffrey Cox became so key to Theresa May's deal, and what the hell happens now...
It's a man's world (and shouldn't be)
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hosts a special episode ahead of International Women's DayCampaigner Caroline Criado Perez has already secured victory in getting a woman...
From their own correspondent
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by three London-based foreign reporters, including Dutch correspondent Tim de Wit, Cristina Marconi from Italy and Katrin Priby...
Walking out with Ian Austin
25 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley takes another stroll, this time with the former Labour MP on why he quit, looking his dad in the eye, and his fears for his old party. Ho...
Soubry: Unplugged
20 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Outrageous, outspoken and out of the Tory party, Anna Soubry speaks to Matt Chorley about why she quit, who tried to persuade her to stay and what hap...
Labour splits: what now?
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to two MPs who quit the party, plus Ayesha Hazarika on the threat to Labour and Ash Sarkar on how Corbyn should respond. Hosted on...
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...