Politics Unpacked
Episodes
David Owen: Labour, Limehouse and “hubris syndrome”
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
David Owen became foreign secretary aged just 38, before going on to break away from Labour as one of the ‘Gang of Four’ and lead the SDP.He talks...
Get Off The Golf Course
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt looks at the government's new plan to get seven million adults back into a job. He speaks to Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride, who say...
We're Going On A Jeremy Hunt
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's Budget day, and we've been on a Jeremy Hunt - talking to people around the country called Jeremy who all look after the finances of a local ...
3 Dads Walking
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by three men whose daughters took their own lives to talk about their campaign for suicide prevention to become part of the school curr...
Chorley's Budget Airline
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of this week's budget Matt jets around the G7 to speak to a raft of international correspondents who lay out the economic problems they're facin...
Strong Message Here
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From Ron Burgundy to Jeremy Corbyn's 'strong message here', Matt looks at what happens when the TV autocue goes wrong. He speaks to Lauri Plesco, the ...
Happy Birthday, Sir Humphrey
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's 170 years since Gladstone commissioned the Northcote-Trevelyan review, which gave birth to the impartial civil service. Why has the system surviv...
PMQs Unpacked: Back To School
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Tim Shipman, Lara Spirit and the politics students of Vyners School to pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions....
Rishi, parlez-vous français?
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of Rishi Sunak's trip to France for the first Anglo-French summit in five years, Matt discusses the state of relations between Paris and Lo...
The Next Spymaster
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Jeremy Fleming, the director of the intelligence agency GCHQ, is stepping down after nearly six years in the role. Matt speaks to two of his prede...
'I Haven't Felt Happy Since Brexit'
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Northern Ireland Minister and self-styled Brexit hardman Steve Baker sits down with Matt and Times Political Editor Steve Swinford for a frank dis...
Frank Field
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2021 Frank Field, now Lord Field, was told he had weeks to live. 18 months on he tells Matt he's published his memoirs and is 'just happily waiting...
PMQs Unpacked: Do Widzenia, Pet
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit to pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions. Keir Starmer claims that the average fa...
Final Finkelvitch
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch have been the cleverest duo on the podcast for nearly three years. Today Matt and Danny say goodbye to David,...
Remembering Betty Boothroyd
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Betty Boothroyd, the first female speaker of the House of Commons, has died aged 93. Matt is joined by current speaker Sir Lindsey Hoyle to reflect on...
Floella Benjamin
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt hosted this year's Parliamentary Book Awards, where he sat down with winner and children's TV legend Floella Benjamin.Columnists Manveen Rana and...
Focus Group: Labour Switchers
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Times Radio focus group returns, this time with a group who voted Conservative in 2019 but say they currently plan to back Labour. Matt is joined ...
PMQs Unpacked: Deal Me In
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit to pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions. Rishi Sunak says he'll keep fighting un...
Got To Have Faith
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes faces questions about her views on gay marriage, Matt discusses the role of faith in politics with columnis...
How to Talk to Putin
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Baroness Ashton was the first - and last - Briton to lead European foreign policy, with an in-tray including Iran's nuclear programme, natural disaste...
Do Protests Work?
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Twenty years on from the march against the Iraq War, Patrick Maguire is joined by historian Phil Tinline to ask whether protests ever actually work. T...
Life After Sturgeon
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Maguire get's the latest polling on Nicola Sturgeon’s possible successor with Dr Emily Gray from Ipsos and explores the wider implication of...
Sturgeon Resigns
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Maguire presents highlights from the reaction to Nicola Sturgeon's resignation as First Minister live on Times Radio. The Conservatives' Ruth ...
Gay Marriage: 10 Years On
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A decade after the Commons voted to introduce civil marriage for same-sex couples, Patrick Maguire looks back at a moment of change for the country an...
Can Sunak Shake Off Sleaze?
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
New polling for the Times shows that 70% of voters think the Conservatives give the impression of being sleazy and disreputable - up from 51% in April...
Letters That Changed Britain
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do Queen Victoria, Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and an anonymous prostitute have in common? They all wrote letters to The Times that ...
Wacaday with Wes Streeting
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt talks to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting about NHS pay, Labour's relationship with the unions and his experience as a gay Anglican - before...
PMQs Unpacked: Zelensky's in Town
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Patrick Maguire to pause and unpack the exchanges between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. With Ukrainian...
Has Sturgeon SNPeaked?
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon is under pressure following the row over her gender reforms and a drop in the polls.But is she in serious tr...
Is Truss Right or Wrong, Wrong, Wrong?
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Liz Truss is back to make the case for her tax-cutting agenda. Does she have a point, and is anyone listening? Matt is joined by journalist Katy Balls...
Neil Kinnock: 92 or 97?
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
All week, people in politics have been asking whether the next general election is going to be a similar result to 1992 - when Labour were expect...
Rishi Sunak's 100 Days
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Prime Minister has been in office for 100 days, a big achievement by recent standards. Matt has some exclusive polling from YouGov showing what th...
PMQs Unpacked: Rank Pathetic!
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions. Rishi Sunak accuses Keir Starmer of siding wit...
Brexit Q&A
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Three years after the UK left the European Union, Matt hosts a panel of experts from The Times to answer questions sent in by readers. Plus colum...
Sorry, Not Sorry
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why do politicians find it so hard to say sorry? After Nadhim Zahawi declined to apologise following his sacking by the Prime Minister, Matt discusses...
Is Parliamentary Oratory Dead?
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and tests his theory that speeches in the House of Commons aren't as good as they used to be. He looks back a...
Focus Group: Sunak's Pledges and Starmer's Face
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Times Radio Focus Group meets for the first time in 2023. James Johnson from J.L Partners leads a group of swing voters from across the country as...
PMQs Unpacked: A Job Too Big?
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions. This week, Keir Starmer asks Rishi Sunak if be...
The Cost of Dying
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One in four terminally ill people of working age find themselves in poverty. For them and their families, the agony of grief is compounded by financia...
Sunak's Away Day
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As Rishi Sunak gets ready for a cabinet trip to Chequers and Keir Starmer plans an outing for his team, Matt asks if a political away day is a good wa...
How To Make A Party Political Broadcast
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Party political broadcasts have been around for nearly 100 years, featuring everything from men sitting woodenly behind desks to yogic flying.How are ...
Generation Game
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nice to see the polls, to see the polls nice? Matt looks at exclusive polling showing that while the Conservatives are losing young voters, they have ...
PMQs Unpacked: Lethal Chaos
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Tim Shipman to pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions. This week, Keir Starmer challenges Rishi Sunak on the '...
Britain's Litter Problem
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt takes to the streets to find out about Britain's litter problem. He speaks to a listener who's found everything from sex toys to a sawn-off shotg...
Bring Back Boris
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Conservative Democratic Organisation is a new group calling for Tory party members to have a greater say in how the party is run, and who it elect...
Lineker: Football vs Politics
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt talks to Gary Lineker about exclusive polling for Times Radio showing which job the public thinks is harder - being prime minister, or being a pr...
James Graham
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Talk about making a drama out of a political crisis. If there's one man who's turned the defining moments of our age into hits on stage and screen, it...
PMQs Unpacked: From Clapping to Sacking
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt and Tim Shipman are back to pause and unpack the exchanges at the first PMQs of 2023, which sees Keir Starmer accuse Rishi Sunak of going from 'c...
Doctor, Doctor, Shall I Pay You Now?
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After Ken Clarke told us better-off patients may have to start paying for GP appointments, Matt looks at the case for reforming general practice and h...
Ken Clarke and Paying for the NHS
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt's back, and he's joined by political big beast Ken Clarke to discuss a career spanning more than 50 years in the Commons and some of the biggest ...
Smaller Parties Win Elections Too
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How can the smaller political parties win in 2023 when the electoral system is stacked against them and they are struggling for the public's attention...
Can The Lib Dems Cut Through?
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Liberal Democrats are stuck at a distant third in the opinion polls, with a leader many people still haven't heard of. Do a series of by-election ...
Peter Mandelson
04 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Maguire in for Matt Chorley talks to the architect of New Labour, the former cabinet minister Lord Mandelson. They discuss Keir Starmer "sorti...
Have the Tories Run Out of Steam?
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are the Conservatives heading for a period out of office, or can they confound expectations before the next General Election?Sitting in for Matt, Patr...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 11
30 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 10
30 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 9
29 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 8
29 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 7
29 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 6
28 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 5
28 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 4
28 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 3
27 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 2
27 Dec 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, Nige...
Leader of the Opposition: Episode 1
27 Dec 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, Nige...
Politics Without the Boring Quiz 2022
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley is joined by a live audience for Politics Without the Boring Quiz, a test of how much the teams can remember from the most exciting, exha...
Chorls Dickens Presents: A Christmas Carol
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is Chorls Dickens, telling the story of Eber-Rishi Scrooge as he is visited by the spirit of his former business partner Jacob Rees-Marley, and t...
What is the Funnest Part of the UK?
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the final Disunited Kingdom of 2022, Matt Chorley puts some of our favourite journalists from around the UK to the test with a quiz of the fun loca...
Baroness Prue Leith?
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Prue Leith is already a successful chef, author, dame and queen of the Bake Off tent, but she has her sights on another title: a peerage. She speaks t...
Political Thrillers
19 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Plenty of former MPs, advisers and political journalists have tried their hand at writing fiction, and they often turn to the drama and skuldugge...
PMQs Unpacked: The 1972 Edition
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire analyse the dramatic scenes at Westminster 50 years ago, when a protest by MPs against rising unemployment caused upr...
Focus Group: The Last One of 2022
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Times Radio focus group meets for the last time this year. Matt Chorley is joined by James Johnson from J.L. Partners to see what floating voters ...
PMQs Unpacked: Nightmare before Christmas?
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action and analyse the exchanges at the last Prime Minister's Questions of 2022, with Keir Starmer accusing Ris...
Ed Balls All at Sea
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Finding themselves on a week-long Times cruise from New York to Southampton, Matt Chorley talks to former cabinet minister Ed Balls about the chances ...
Joe Lycett MP?
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After giving evidence to the House of Lords, taking on David Beckham over human rights and becoming an unlikely cheerleader for Liz Truss, Joe Ly...
Dear Diary
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As Matt Hancock releases his 'Pandemic Diaries', Patrick Maguire asks what makes a great political diary? He speaks to Sir Alan Duncan, who published ...
Afghanistan: The Forgotten Crisis
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In Summer 2021 the eyes of the world were on Afghanistan as the West's 20-year mission came to an end. This winter the situation for ordinary Afghans ...
PMQs Unpacked: Strikes and Blancmange
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Maguire and Tim Shipman pause the action and analyse the exchanges at Prime Minister’s Questions, as Rishi Sunak promises action to stop "un...
Lessons from the Winter of Discontent
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Maguire travels back to the late 1970s and the Winter of Discontent with author Phil Tinline. What caused this prolonged period of industrial ...
Sport, Schmoozing and Geopolitics
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How much politics is taking place on the sidelines of the World Cup? Patrick Maguire looks at the wheeling and dealing in Qatar with Sunday Times spec...
How to be an Ex-Prime Minister
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The UK has seven living ex-prime ministers for the first time in modern history. But how should a former leader behave when they've left the top job? ...
Rayner and Rees-Mogg on Cartoons
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley visits the Political Cartoon of the Year Awards and speaks to cartoon superfans Jacob Rees-Mogg and Angela Rayner. He discusses the role ...
PMQs Unpacked: Trickle-down Education
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action and analyse the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions, as Sir Keir Starmer calls for an end to charita...
Has Britain Got Too Many Dogs?
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
They say that if you want a friend in politics, get a dog. But with an estimated 10.3 million dogs in the UK, have we now got too many?Matt Chorley ta...
Is the Right Alright?
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With immigration at a record high and claims of backsliding on Brexit, are we about to see the resurgance of a party to the right of British politics?...
The Politics of Gogglebox
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Forget focus groups, watching Channel 4's Gogglebox can be a great insight into what the nation thinks about its politicians. The show's creator Steph...
Nothing as Ex as an Ex-MP
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After more Conservative MPs announce they will stand down at the next election, Matt Chorley asks Lucy Fisher and Matthew Parris if it could turn into...
PMQs Unpacked: League of Their Own
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action and analyse the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions, as Sir Keir Starmer compares Rishi Sunak to a b...
Who Cares About Corbyn
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Keir Starmer has withdrawn the whip from Jeremy Corbyn, but has to decide whether he can stand for Labour at the next election. If he doesn't, could h...
Lorraine Kelly Rules the World
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TV legend Lorraine Kelly tells Matt Chorley what she would do if she ruled the world, including appointing Captain Kirk as Prime Minister and locking ...
Has The Lobby Lost It?
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Lobby is the group of journalists who have special access at Westminster and cover the daily twists and turns of British politics.Have they become...
Sir Keir Starmer
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode for Red Box subscribers to mark the start of the new series of Past Imperfect, Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thomson talk to Sir Ke...
Hunt's Tax-and-Axe Plan
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has set out his planned tax rises and spending cuts in the Autumn Statement. Matt Chorley unpacks the key announcements and dis...
PMQs Unpacked: Duel of the Deputies
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While Rishi Sunak is away, the deputies are out to play. Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action and analyse the exchanges at Prime Minister's Q...
A Reckoning for Raab
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Former head of the Foreign Office Simon McDonald tells Matt civil servants were scared to go into Dominic Raab's office.As well as claims about the mi...
What Next for Ukrainian Refugees in the UK?
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As many Ukrainian refugees come to the end of their initial six-month stay in the UK, Matt looks at what lies in store for those who came here fleeing...
Dick’s Six Decades in Politics
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dick Taverne entered parliament in 1962, and rubbed shoulders with some of the political giants of the 20th century. He was a minister in Harold Wilso...
The Sultan of Swing
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
He was the 'Sultan of Swing' - the inventor of the swingometer and the father of modern election science.Matt reflects on the career of psephologist S...
PMQs Unpacked: Bully For You
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman pause the action in the Commons, analysing the key exchanges as Sir Keir Starmer questions Rishi Sunak about the allegati...
Can I See Your Papers Please?
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Chorley speaks to shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock, who says ID cards should be "on the table" to help control our borders. Plus ...