Politics Unpacked
Episodes
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 ...
Why the election means Brexit could be off
13 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley welcomes columnists Rachel Sylvester and Phillip Collins as well as political reporter Henry Zeffman.The panel discuss, why the Tories ne...
Post Election Special
09 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As Britain wakes up to another shock result, a sleep deprived Matt Chorley welcomes The Times Deputy Editor, Emma Tucker, Times columnist, Alice Thoms...
Special: The Red Box Election Debate
06 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As Britain prepares to go to the polls, Matt Chorley chairs a Red Box debate. On the panel: Katie Perrior, former director of communications at Number...
Edinburgh Special
01 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley heads to Edinburgh for a Scottish Red Box special.On a whirlwind tour of the capital he gauges public opinion on the major parties and se...
Behind the scenes on a campaign
30 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Katie Perrior, former May director of communications, Matt Zarb-Cousin, former Corbyn spokesmanand James McGrory, former Nic...
Is Theresa May any good?
25 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As general election campaigning restarts following the terror attack in Manchester, Matt Chorley is joined by Tim Shipman and Sam Coates. They reflect...
Manchester terror
23 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
After the terror attack in Manchester, Matt Chorley delivers a short monologue in place of the the regular podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
Robots, social care and a bookmaker's read of the campaign
18 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Alice Thomson and Matthew Shaddick from Ladbrokes as the manifestos break cover. On the agenda: why politicians are...
Special: in search of the Lib Dem fight back
17 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley escapes the Westminster bubble to visit Yeovil to discover if the Lib Dem fightback is realistic. Listen in as he travels around the loc...
The Mays' relationship, lessons from Macron and a pollster's view of immigration
09 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by former Number 10 director of communications, Katie Perrior, Ipsos Mori research director, Kully Kaur-Ballagan and columnists...
Why hiding from the public works and how UKIP could turn the north Tory blue
04 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Lucy Fisher, Danny Finkelstein and Oliver Kamm. On the agenda: Why campaigns should be disciplined and hide candidates away ...
Special Debate: the battle to become West Midlands mayor
02 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley escapes the Westminster bubble to present a special debate between the leading candidates to become West Midlands mayor. Andy Street (Con...
Lessons in a landslide: Tony Blair
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fe...
Lessons in a landslide: Alastair Campbell
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fe...
Lessons in a landslide: Peter Mandelson
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fe...
Lessons in a landslide: Anji Hunter
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fe...
Lessons in a landslide: The Times 1997 team
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fe...
Lessons in a landslide: Margaret McDonagh
28 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New LabourA Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fe...
Trailer: Lessons in a landslide - a six part series
27 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley previews an exclusive series detailing Labour's historic landslide victory in 1997. The series features interviews with all the key playe...
Can we now trust the polls? Is the Scottish political landscape about to shift again?
25 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week Matt Chorley is joined by Jenni Russell, Anthony Wells and Hamish Macdonell.On the agenda: hear how pollsters have changed their methodology...
Snap Election Special from Parliament
18 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As Theresa May stuns Westminster by calling a snap election Lucy Fisher sits in for Matt Chorley and is joined by Sam Coates and Henry Zeffman to disc...
Politics and Comedy Special 4: The MP's Joke Writers
12 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the final Red Box Politics and Comedy Special Matt Chorley is joined by a Ayesha Hazarika, James McGrory and Daniel Finkelstein to discuss what it'...
Politics and Comedy Special 3 Al Murray
11 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded in a busy Portcullis House, Matt Chorley sits down with comedian Al Murray to discuss how he invented the pub landlord character, what it was...
Politics and Comedy Special 2: Andy Zaltzman, Tiff Stevenson and Hugo Rifkind
10 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Andy Zaltzman, Tiff Stevenson and Hugo Rifkind to debate whether the current times are too serious for comedy. Also discusse...
Politics and Comedy Special: Rory Bremner
10 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of a four-part series focusing on politics and comedy, Matt Chorley sits down with Rory Bremner to discuss his thirty year career, the la...
May in Vogue, Lib Dems in clover and Trump still in power
05 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
On the agenda: how Trump's survival will hinge on tax cuts, deficit spending and domestic deregulation, how the new liberal backlash against the popul...
War with Spain, morals vs trade and confusing policy announcements
04 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For the podcast Matt Chorley is joined by Catherine Philp, Sam Coates and Oliver Kamm. This week, the panel tries to make sense of Michael Howard's Gi...
The Bluffer's Guide to Brexit
28 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Oliver Wright and Henry Zeffman, plus Jill Rutter from the Institute for Government to answer your questions and tell you ho...
As political storm begins was Nicola Sturgeon shrewd or boxed in?
14 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Iain Martin and Emma Tucker in London, Lindsay McIntosh in Edinburgh and Bruno Waterfield in Brussels. They discuss Nicola S...
Budget Special from Parliament
08 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded from parliament Matt Chorley welcomes Senior Political Correspondent, Lucy Fisher, Labour MP Wes Streeting, Times columnist and Tory peer Mat...
Can May cope with the coming storm?
07 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, Anne Ashworth and Jenni Russell to discuss the maelstrom of upcoming events for May's government, the need to te...
RedBox Debate: How important is the special relationship?
28 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In a live special, Matt Chorley is joined by Phillip Collins of The Times, Sarah Baxter from The Sunday Times and Sohrab Ahmari from the Wall Street J...
By-election Special
24 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Lucy Fisher and Henry Zeffman to reflect on the by-election results in Copeland and Stoke on Trent.They discuss: How big an ...
Why do politicians make claims which can so easily be disproved?
21 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by former advisor to Tony Blair turned stand up, Matt Forde, Times columnist Rachel Sylvester and former minister David Willett...
Secrets of the Spin Doctors: Part Two
16 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of this spin doctor special, we hear how to deal with leadership crisis of all shapes and sizes.Matt Chorley is joined by:Jo Tanner...
Secrets of the Spin Doctors: Part One
14 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by three former spin doctors for a two part special on the reality behind the images they helped to create. On the Panel:Jo Tan...
Brexit is distracting from key domestic issues
07 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Michael Savage, Phillip Collins and Melanie Phillips. They discuss how Brexit is obscuring vital domestic issues, examine Jo...
Politics and the markets
02 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode Matt Chorley is joined by fund manager Paul O'Connor to examine the increasingly potent effect of political events on the mark...
Are politicians more transparent on television?
31 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by the legendary documentary maker Michael Cockerell, who lifts the lid on decades spent trying to get a politician to answer a...
Parliament: demolish or sell-off?
24 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded from the depths of Westminster, host Matt Chorley is joined by senior political correspondent Lucy Fisher and political reporter (and Brexit ...
Donald Trump's first 100 days
19 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley talks to Rhys Blakely - Washington bureau chief for The Times - about Donald Trump's first 100 days in office. Discover more at www.theti...
What does Theresa May's speech mean for Brexit?
17 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Rachel Sylvester, deputy political editor Sam Coates, and Suella Fernandes MP to discuss Theresa May's speec...
Special: Sir Anthony Seldon
13 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by historian and biographer Sir Anthony Seldon about how Theresa May can make a success of being prime minister and whether the...
Do May, Corbyn and Trump know what they're doing?
10 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Do our political leaders know what they're doing?The question of competency is the topic up for discussion on the first Red Box podcast of the new yea...
Special: a review of 2016 from Westminster
27 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by the Political Editor of The Sunday Times, Tim Shipman, at Westminster as the pair discuss the topsy-turvy political waters o...
Christmas Quiz of the Year - part 2
23 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hosts a reflective Christmas Quiz which pits reporters, columnists and MPs against each other in a light-hearted (but heated) battle to s...
Christmas Quiz of the Year - part 1
20 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hosts a reflective Christmas Quiz which pits reporters, columnists and MPs against each other in a light-hearted (but heated) battle to s...
The Whip Round - Mark Tami
16 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Red Box podcast presents a special series of interviews with Parliamentary whips - both past and present - to discuss the inside workin...
The Whip Round - Mark Harper
15 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Red Box podcast presents a special series of interviews with Parliamentary whips - both past and present - to discuss the inside workin...
The Whip Round - Ann Taylor
14 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Red Box podcast presents a special series of interviews with Parliamentary whips - both past and present - to discuss the inside workin...
Whip special - Alistair Carmichael
13 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Red Box podcast presents a special series of interviews with Parliamentary whips - both past and present - to discuss the inside workin...
The Whip Round - Anne Milton
12 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Red Box podcast presents a special series of interviews with Parliamentary whips - both past and present - to discuss the inside workin...
Live special with Ed Balls and Philip Webster - part 2
09 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hosts this special event recorded in front of 300 Times readers at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster, featuring former MP and dancer Ed ...
Live special with Ed Balls and Philip Webster - part 1
06 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hosts this special event recorded in front of 300 Times readers at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster, featuring former MP and dancer Ed ...
There is life in the Lib Dems yet
02 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley chats to Lib Dem leader Tim Farron following Zac Goldsmith's defeat to the Lib Dems' Sarah Olney in the Richmond Park by-electionFind out...
Are there votes in defence?
29 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined this week by Times columnist Hugo Rifkind, Times Defence Editor Deborah Haynes and the paper's Deputy Political Editor Sam Coat...
Autumn Statement Special
23 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hosts this Autumn Statement special direct from the heart of Westminster with Labour MP Rachel Reeves, Times senior political corresponde...
Theresa May's drift and muddle
22 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist and former host of the podcast, Tim Montgomerie, as well as the property editor of The Times, Anne Ashworth ...
Matt Chorley speaks to Ruth Davidson
14 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley chats to the leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, the Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament, and the Mem...
US Election Special
09 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
On the day the world awoke to the news that Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States of America, Matt Chorley hosts this special r...
Live special: Boris after Brexit
08 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley hosts a special live event which focuses on foreign policy after the Brexit vote. Sign up to the morning email briefing at www.thetimes.c...
Special: Richmond by-election
03 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley gets out-and-about in Richmond to assess the public's mood ahead of the Richmond by-election, featuring interviews with Nick Clegg and ca...
MPs need to get a grip
01 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Deputy Political Editor of The Times, Sam Coates, former Tory spin doctor, Paul Stephenson, and one of the contenders to bec...
Is Trumpization here to stay?
25 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by Ann Treneman, Lucy Fisher and Hannah McGrath. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.