Shows / Politics Unpacked
Politics Unpacked
Hugo Rifkind unpacks the the politics of the day - and the stuff that's even more important - with the brightest brains from the Times and Sunday Times.
You can listen to Hugo on DAB, smart speaker or app 10am-1pm Monday to Friday. If you like what you hear, then read more at http://www.thetimes.com/
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Episodes
- Politics Unpacked
What will happen in 2019?
Matt Chorley asks Tim Shipman, political editor of The Sunday Times, Esther Webber, the Red Box reporter, and Katie Perrior, Theresa May's former director of…
- Politics Unpacked
Rory Bremner and Jan Ravens
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 on Acast…
- Politics Unpacked
Quiz of the year: Part two
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 and Labour’s…
- Politics Unpacked
Quiz of the year: Part one
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…
- Politics Unpacked
Theresa May clings on, obviously.
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 before…
- Politics Unpacked
Shopping for a new leader
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 of…
- Politics Unpacked
Jeremy Hunt on democracy in crisis
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 around the…
- Politics Unpacked
May's deal is defeated. Then what?
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 down by…
- Politics Unpacked
Why is our politics so bad?
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 Isabel…
- Politics Unpacked
Would you get involved?
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 Times'…
- Politics Unpacked
What the hell is going on? Again.
On the most extraordinary day in Westminster since, well, yesterday Matt Chorley watches Jacob Rees-Mogg call for a leadership challenge with The Times' Sam…
- Politics Unpacked
Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates
This week Matt is joined by Times columnist Philip Collins, who wonders why more billionaires don’t do good, Nicola Woolcock, Times education correspondent, on…
- Politics Unpacked
Michael Dobbs Interview
Matt Chorley meets House of Cards creator Lord Michael Dobbs. In a wide ranging conversation Dobbs explains his brutal firing by Margret Thatcher, how he came…
- Politics Unpacked
'Like Augustus Gloop in a chocolate factory'
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 of the death…
- Politics Unpacked
Is this a pre-election budget?
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 hidden in…
- Politics Unpacked
Ruth Davidson on mental health, motherhood and not wanting May's job
Matt Chorley speaks to the leader of Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson about life beyond politics, including her upbringing, struggles with mental health…
- Politics Unpacked
The Three Impossible Bs
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 has no room to…
- Politics Unpacked
Live: May, Trump, Putin and Kanye
Recorded live at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Matt Chorley hosts a special episode as Iain Martin, Lucy Fisher, Jenni Russell and Bruno Waterfield…
- Politics Unpacked
Dyslexia, digital and Ronnie Wood's pick-me-up: in conversation with Matt Hancock
Matt Chorley meets health minister Matt Hancock in the last of the party conference podcasts. They talk about his dyslexia, why he accepted a demotion to…
- Politics Unpacked
Can the Tories survive? And should they?
Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnists, Alice Thomson, Patrick Kidd and Hugo Rifkind and former number 10 adviser, Will Tanner. The panel debates if a…
- Politics Unpacked
Racism, Remain and growing up poor: in conversation with Emily Thornberry
Recorded shortly before her speech to the Labour party conference in Liverpool, Matt Chorley sits down with shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry. In a…
- Politics Unpacked
Live Special: Have we reached peak Corbyn?
Recorded live at the Labour party conference in Liverpool, the panel debate whether Jeremy Corbyn can inspire an electorate and turn the last election's gains…
- Politics Unpacked
Vince's exotic spresm
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 Mackenzie…
- Politics Unpacked
The case for Tony Blair
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 deputy…
- Politics Unpacked
"It's going to be a you-know-what-show"
As MPs return to Westminster, Matt Chorley assembles a crack team of former political spin doctors to diagnose the problems in their parties, and their…
- Politics Unpacked
Our Man In Washington
Matt Chorley speaks to David Charter, The Times’ new US editor, about adjusting to life in Washington, the numerous threats to the Trump presidency and the…
- Politics Unpacked
Politics is too trivial
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 useful…
- Politics Unpacked
How Britain really works
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 Works, an…
- Politics Unpacked
Beyond the fringe #2
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 at the…
- Politics Unpacked
Beyond the fringe
Matt Chorley is joined by three comedians taking political shows to the Edinburgh fringe. Nick Hall brings his show Spencer, the story of Spencer Percival, the…
- Politics Unpacked
Government of national disunity
Why a cross-party effort makes sense, but won't happen. PLUS Leaving Labour and replacing May Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Philip Collins, Times…
- Politics Unpacked
Throw the book at the them
Biographers of Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson help Matt Chorley write the first draft of political history. Sir Anthony Seldon argues Theresa May…
- Politics Unpacked
What the hell is going on?
Resignations, reshuffles and May's survival. In this special recorded in Westminster, Matt Chorley is joined by The Times' Henry Zeffman, Sam Coates and Lucy…
- Politics Unpacked
What did Obama think of Boris, May and Corbyn?
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 flying with him…
- Politics Unpacked
What do we want? More protests!
PLUS Tories bash business and handling Brexit badly Matt Chorley is joined by James McGrory, from Open Britain, Rachel Shabi, a left-wing commentator, and…
- Politics Unpacked
In search of May’s money and morals
Matt Chorley is joined by Paul Johnson, Times regular and director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, who insists there is no Brexit dividend for the NHS, or…
- Politics Unpacked
Resignations and Team America
Matt Chorley is joined by political correspondent Henry Zeffman and columnists Daniel Finkelstein and Jenni Russell. The panel discuss the first Brexit…
- Politics Unpacked
One year on from THAT election result
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 Jeremy…
- Politics Unpacked
Playing good cop/bad cop
Fiona Hamilton, The Times crime and security editor, on Sajid Javid trying to improve relations with the police after years of hostilities. Lucy Fisher, The…
- Politics Unpacked
Live: Who rules the robots?
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 joined…
- Politics Unpacked
Secrets of PMQs: Part two
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. Sign up…
- Politics Unpacked
Secrets of PMQs: Part one
Ayesha Hazarika and Tom Hamilton, former political advisers and authors of Punch & Judy Politics, give their top 10 tips to surviving prime minister's…
- Politics Unpacked
Boris, bullying and baby-boomers
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 what…
- Politics Unpacked
Part two: Saving Downing Street, when No10 nearly fell down
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 for the…
- Politics Unpacked
What life is really like inside No10: tantrums, tears and toilets
In part one of Red Box's Downing Street series, Matt Chorley welcomes Philip Collins, Times columnist and former Blair speechwriter, Gabby Bertin, former…
- Politics Unpacked
Is Gove having impure thoughts?
PLUS Nasty parties and watching royal-watchers Matt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, Times political editor, who suspects Michael Gove is again eyeing the Tory…
- Politics Unpacked
Windrush, Polling and Wetherspoons
Matt Chorley welcomes Times political editor Francis Elliot, Times reporter Grant Tucker and former No10 spin chief Katie Perrior. The panel discuss: is…
- Politics Unpacked
The Museum of Brexit
In this bumper episode, Matt Chorley welcomes founder of Number Cruncher Politics, Matt Singh, senior political correspondent Lucy Fisher and columnist Iain…
- Politics Unpacked
One year to go: will Brexit still happen?
Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnist Alice Thomson, Bruno Waterfield, Times Brussels Correspondent, and Oliver Wright and Henry Zeffman, who write the…
- Politics Unpacked
Who has been worst PM ever?
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, former No10…
- Politics Unpacked
Tigger warning: spring statement is a lot of Pooh
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 Eyeore's on…
- Politics Unpacked
In loving memory of PMQs
Matt Chorley welcomes Times political correspondent, Henry Zeffman, Times columnist, Rachel Sylvester and comedian, Matt Forde. Discussed this week: why May's…
- Politics Unpacked
Yes to a dementia tax, no to Marvel movies...
Matt Chorley welcomes Times columnist, David Aaronovitch, Times assistant editor, Anne Ashworth and director of Social Market Foundation, James Kirkup. The…
- Politics Unpacked
Why a significant new party is closer than ever
Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Daniel Finkelstein and Philip Collins to debate the chances of a new force emerging from the current two main parties. They…
- Politics Unpacked
New parties, Rubbish parties and gay donkey parties
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, Chris…
- Politics Unpacked
Nish Kumar Interview
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 losing elections…
- Politics Unpacked
David Baddiel Interview
Matt Chorley meets David Baddiel to discuss his appearance on a government panel hoping to tackle antisemitism, how social media forces comedians to take…
- Politics Unpacked
How to resign part two: Mark Harper Interview
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 faced with a…
- Politics Unpacked
Resignation Special
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 joined by…
- Politics Unpacked
Possible PMs, property and the Presidents Club
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 crisis…