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
Streeting Goes For Miliband
Keir Starmer faces a cabinet split as Wes Streeting criticises Ed Miliband's decision to oppose military action against Assad in Syria when he was the party's…
- Politics Unpacked
Kemi's War on Sandwiches
Kemi Badenoch gives an interview in which she claims sandwiches aren't 'real food' - and says she identifies with a murderous Game of Thrones character. Hugo…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: Tip Of The Iceberg
Kemi Badenoch attacks Keir Starmer for his views on immigration when he was a lawyer - but can a letter be the tip of the iceberg? And does the prime minister…
- Politics Unpacked
Lammy Hams It Up Over Syria
After David Lammy tells the Commons that Assad is the "rat of Damascus", does the foreign secretary have a habit of playing to the gallery? Plus: A first hand…
- Politics Unpacked
Would You Buy Shares In The Tories?
With Reform polling well and attracting more Tory defectors - including Suella Braverman's husband - who would you put your money on to dominate the right of…
- Politics Unpacked
'Don't Bet Against Farage'
Kemi Badenoch is Washington, but won't meet Donald Trump - who prefers Nigel Farage anyway. And why does Angela Rayner think Keir Starmer is like a civil…
- Politics Unpacked
Starmer's Six Milestones
Keir Starmer sets out six milestones for voters to judge his premiership, but did his speech reboot his premiership? Hugo Rifkind unpacks the speech and the…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: Conviction Politicians, Not Politicians With Convictions
Kemi Badenoch asks Keir Starmer why he appointed a "convicted fraudster" to be his transport secretary. Hugo Rifkind unpacks the action at prime minister's…
- Politics Unpacked
Too Many Targets?
Keir Starmer is planning to set six numerical targets for the government to achieve before the next election, but do targets lead to results? And should the…
- Politics Unpacked
The Sickness Benefits Trap
Hugo is joined by Fraser Nelson to discuss whether the benefits system is trapping the people it's supposed to help, and unpacks the politics of the day -…
- Politics Unpacked
Starmer Loses His First Cabinet Minister
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh is the first cabinet resignation of the Starmer government, but what don't we know about the story, and how big a set back is…
- Politics Unpacked
Have The Tories Got It Wrong On Immigration?
As official figures show net migration hit a record 900,000 last year, the Tories have set out a "new approach" on immigration. But is it wise for Kemi…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: Taking The Biscuit
Kemi Badenoch says businesses such as biscuit-maker McVities are losing confidence in the UK economy, but will her biscuit puns make Keir Starmer crumble or…
- Politics Unpacked
Have We Reached 'Peak Woke'
Has the woke movement lost confidence? Will Donald Trump bring Joe Rogan into White House press briefings? And what has Boris Johnson been saying about the…
- Politics Unpacked
Petitions, Missions, And Ed Davey's TikTok
Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the politics of the day with Sunday Times columnist Hadley Freeman and politics professor and podcast host David Runciman. They…
- Politics Unpacked
Keir Starmer's Education Revolution
There's a big shake-up of the school curriculum on the way, but how radical is the government's thinking - and could they put standards at risk? Ed Vaizey…
- Politics Unpacked
Tim Shipman: Brexit, Boris & Bust-Ups
Sunday Times chief political commentator Tim Shipman joins Hugo to dig into the final book in his Brexit quartet, 'Out: How Brexit Got Done and The Tories Were…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: Rayner vs... Who?
With Keir Starmer away, his deputy Angela Rayner takes deputy prime minister's questions from Conservative MP Alex Burghart. Does he impress on his first…
- Politics Unpacked
Where Does Musk Find The Time?
Has Elon Musk already overstayed his welcome in the court of Donald Trump? Can a government be made up entirely of mavericks? And how does the billionaire find…
- Politics Unpacked
Is Reeves Haunted By Her CV?
Rachel Reeves is under pressure to explain her CV, after it emerged that she used a false claim to win her seat as an MP - but does it matter? Hugo Rifkind…
- Politics Unpacked
Criminalising The Culture Wars
Thousands of people, including children, have been questioned by police over non-crime hate speech, but is that involving police in political problems? Ed…
- Politics Unpacked
Is Europe Delusional About Trump?
Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the politics of the day with Matthew Syed and Manveen Rana. Can Europe hold Donald Trump responsible if the US walks away from its…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: The Magic Money Tree Is Back
In her second outing at PMQs, Kemi Badenoch attacks Keir Starmer over the government's National Insurance rise - but he says she's resorting to the "magic…
- Politics Unpacked
Has Pop Culture Shifted Right?
Has the liberal dominance of the old entertainment industry given way to the dominance of right-wing YouTubers, podcasters, streamers and influencers? Hugo…
- Politics Unpacked
Why Labour Isn't More Radical
After Paul Johnson tells us he's changed his mind about the scale of the recent Budget, is the government missing the chance to be more radical? Hugo Rifkind…
- Politics Unpacked
Harris's Lessons For Labour
Can Keir Starmer learn anything from the Democrats' defeat in the presidential election, or are the UK and the US too different to draw comparisons? Ed Vaizey…
- Politics Unpacked
Trump's Hard Truth For Liberals
Donald Trump's victory might be a bitter pull for liberals around the world to swallow, but they can't avoid his overwhelming success at the ballot box. Hugo…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: Badenoch Plays Her Trump Card
In Kemi Badenoch's first PMQs as Tory leader, she ask whether Keir Starmer will get on with President-elect Trump and protect the "special relationship", but…
- Politics Unpacked
Has Starmer U-Turned on Fees?
In 2020 Keir Starmer promised to abolish university tuition fees - so will his government suffer from the decision to increase them in line with inflation?…
- Politics Unpacked
Like British Politics, But Bigger
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have been making their closing pitches in front of large crowds in the US, but are the differences between British and American…
- Politics Unpacked
PTSD From Truss's Mini-Budget
Were the markets hostile to the budget or are our jitters a hangover from Liz Truss? Should we bring back food rationing? Can you hold a grudge for as long as…
- Politics Unpacked
The Real Problem With The USA
As Biden makes another blunder, is the US president making the campaign impossible for Kamala Harris? And are both parties failing to diagnose the real…
- Politics Unpacked
Reeves' Budget & Sunak's Swan Song
Labour's first budget in nearly fifteen years will also be the biggest tax-raising budget in history. Hugo unpacks it all with Times Radio's Political…
- Politics Unpacked
Is Kemi Too Outrageous?
Do politicians have to be outrageous to get attention? Why is the nation's birth rate plummeting? Plus, a lesson in how to carve turnip lanterns. Hugo Rifkind…
- Politics Unpacked
A Joke Too Far For Trump
Will racist language used at Trump's latest rally help or hinder his bid for the White House? Are we really living in unprecedentedly bad times? And are new…
- Politics Unpacked
Musk's Talks With Putin
After the Wall Street Journal reports on secret conversations between Elon Musk and Russia's president, just how much influence does the world's richest man…
- Politics Unpacked
Starmer's Squabble In Samoa
As Commonwealth leaders press the case for slavery reparations, has the summit in Somoa gone wrong for the prime minister? And how serious are Donald Trump's…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: The Battle Of The Gingers
With Keir Starmer away, it's Angela Rayner v Oliver Dowden at deputy prime minister's questions - or the "battle of the gingers". Lara Spirit pauses and…
- Politics Unpacked
Can Ministers Make Prison Work?
Will the government's sentencing review stop the prison overcrowding crisis? Are entrepreneurs scared to start their own business? And were there any sensible…
- Politics Unpacked
Trump, Badenoch & McDonald's
Donald Trump has been serving (briefly) at a McDonald's, while Kemi Badenoch worked at one during her A-levels - does having the fast-food restaurant on your…
- Politics Unpacked
Badenoch Broke The Clap-O-Meter
Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch took part in their first televised hustings, and if the clap-o-meter is anything to go by, Badenoch won the debate - but has…
- Politics Unpacked
Taylor Swift, Slick Jenrick
Why is the government still being dogged by stories about Taylor Swift tickets, is Robert Jenrick's conversion from centrist to right-winger credible, and is…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: Political Point Scoring?
Rishi Sunak focuses on the threat from China as the foreign secretary heads to Beijing. But is it, as Keir Starmer says, just "political point scoring"? Hugo…
- Politics Unpacked
Will Labour Break Its Tax Promise?
If the chancellor increases employer national insurance contributions, will she have broken Labour's manifesto promise? And could weight-loss jabs help cut…
- Politics Unpacked
Was The Transport Secretary Thrown Under The Bus?
As cabinet ministers come close to jeopardising the government's investment summit, is Labour still in campaign mode? Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the…
- Politics Unpacked
Where's Sue Gray?
The prime minister's been at the first meeting of the new Council of the Nations and Regions, but why is his new "envoy to the nations and regions", Sue Gray…
- Politics Unpacked
The Tory Identity Crisis
With James Cleverly out of the Conservative leadership contest and Boris Johnson teasing a possible return to frontline politics, does that party know what it…
- Politics Unpacked
PMQs: It's Like She's Voldemort
PMQs is back, with Keir Starmer facing questions about freebies and the budget - but why is everyone afraid to say Sue Gray's name? Hugo Rifkind unpacks the…
- Politics Unpacked
Crackdown On Cronyism?
Ministers are drawing up plans for political parties to have to publicly justify why they are appointing peers to the House of Lords. Will it help combat…
- Politics Unpacked
Gray Matter
How and why was Sue Gray ousted from Downing Street, and what does it tell us about Keir Starmer's government? Times columnists Patrick Maguire and Hadley…
- Politics Unpacked
Boris Johnson, Chagos and 'Cash For Croissants'
Patrick Maguire is unpacking the politics of the day with Rachel Sylvester and Timandra Harkness. They discuss Boris Johnson's new memoir 'Unleashed', the…
- Politics Unpacked
Starmer's Freebie-Geebies
Keir Starmer's decision to repay some of the hospitality and gifts he received since entering No. 10 has reignited the discussion about freebies in political…
- Politics Unpacked
Tory Leadership: Who Has The Momentum?
The four Conservative leadership hopefuls have been speaking to the party's conference in Birmingham, but who is pulling ahead in this contest? Hugo Rifkind is…
- Politics Unpacked
Who Is Listening To Liz Truss?
How is Liz Truss's fight to save western civilisation going? Why is Jonathan Gullis finding it hard to get back into teaching? And is Boris Johnson right to…
- Politics Unpacked
Who Is Winning The Tory Leadership Contest
How badly have Kemi Badenoch’s maternity pay comments damaged her campaign? And does Keir Starmer have a woman problem? Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the politics…
- Politics Unpacked
Will Boris Overshadow Tory Conference?
Ed Vaizey is unpacking the politics of the day with Miranda Green and Carolyn Quinn. If the government can swallow being nice to Trump, why not Elon Musk? How…
- Politics Unpacked
Why Can't Starmer Shake The Donors Story?
After another day of stories about Keir Starmer taking big donations - all within the rules - why is the prime minister struggling to move on? Hugo Rifkind…
- Politics Unpacked
Is Streeting Talking Down The NHS?
Wes Streeting says the NHS is letting people down, but should he be spending so much time talking the health service down? Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of…
- Politics Unpacked
Is Angela Rayner Being Frozen Out?
Hugo Rifkind is unpacking the politics of the Labour Party conference with James Marriott and Libby Purves. Is being deputy prime minister a proper job? Is…
- Politics Unpacked
Focus Group: Has The Gifts Row Cut Through?
It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Hugo steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters. This month, we find out whether…