Politics Without The Boring Bits

Who is Morgan McSweeney and why is he so important to the Starmer team? Matt is joined by Patrick Maguire and Tom McTague discussing the role of the Labour leader's chief strategist.

Plus, as Gareth Southgate reveals who makes his squad for this summer's Euros he inevitably faces a backlash for leaving out certain players. It's not an easy gig being England manager - but is it harder than being Prime Minister? Matt hears out bot...

Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.

Conservative Sir Bob Neil reflects on the challenges of the job by saying he wouldn't recommend it to his younger self, why he feels it was good Liz Truss' time in office was so short, and his hopes for the future of the Tory party.

Plus: Columnists Rache...

How do you maintain discipline in a government that's on the ropes after a long period in office, with a prime minister behind in the polls and beset by defections?

Former Tory MP and whip Gyles Brandreth charted the downfall of the Major government in his indiscreet diaries, and joins Matt to discuss the striking similarities between then and now.

Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Mariott discuss whether the nation is ...

Heading into an election campaign, politicians can be asked to explain their party's position on absolutely anything - but it's not always easy to remember exactly what that is. Matt is joined by a panel of former spin doctors to find out how MPs are given the lines to take, and what happens when they forget them.

Plus: Manveen Rana and Matt Deegan discuss whether Keir Starmer's six pledges have made Labour's policy po...

Never mind prisons running out of space or rainbow lanyards - PMQs gets derailed by Nicholas Lyndhurst. Matt is joined by Patrick Maguire and Lara Spirit to unpack all the action from the Commons.

Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss what Rishi Sunak should do about Nigel Farage, living next door to celebrities, and whether linen clothes, the Northern Lights, and strawberry jam are overrated.

The Co...

As Rishi Sunak hosts farmers at Number 10 to offer his support to British agriculture, the sector is struggling with ever higher costs and extreme weather. Food Minister Mark Spencer explains why the wet winter could lead to food prices going up again.

Plus: Punch and Judy are cleaning up their act, but will that bring an end to "Punch and Judy politics"? 

The Politics Of Punch And Judy Politics (04:53)

Why Is Food Still ...

Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.

Conservative Edward Timpson remembers arriving in Westminster after a by-election circus where he was characterised as a Tory toff, his achievements as a minister, and he explains why he never went into the family business.

Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvest...

It's been 30 years since the sudden death of Labour leader John Smith, a man many expected would go on to be prime minister. Matt hears from some of the people who knew him best, including the recollections of Tony Blair, Margaret Beckett and Neil Kinnock.

Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss Dominic Cumming's idea for a new political party, James' trip to a pro-Palestinian protest, and the ethics behind the ...

It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Matt steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters. 

This month it's a group who all voted for the Conservatives in 2019 but now want to vote for Labour or haven't made their mind up. They tell Matt and James Johnson of J.L. Partners that Rishi Sunak's trainers look "stupid" and Keir Starmer makes their "skin crawl". 

PLUS: Columnists Manvee...

Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire pause and unpack the action from the Commons chamber, as Tory MP for Dover Natalie Elphicke defects to Labour moments before PMQs.

Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss never-ending Tory plots, whether the police do enough to tackle stalking, and whether cycling can be cool.

Columnists: (01:24)

PMQs Unpacked: (23:00)

Hosted ...

Mortgage costs went up after Liz Truss' mini-budget in 2022, and are yet to come down. As new analysis of the local election results suggests that support for the Conservatives dropped more sharply in areas where there are more mortgage holders, Matt tries to get to the bottom of who is really to blame.

PLUS: As the Liberal Democrats table another motion of no-confidence in the government to try and trigger an election, Matt ask...

Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out about their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics. Conservative MP Craig Whittaker tells Matt about being deputy chief whip in Liz Truss's government, what it's been like having stalkers, and the ‘rot’ inside the Tory party.

Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss the return of the '...

After a difficult set of election results for the Conservatives, including a by-election defeat in Blackpool South, Matt looks at what they mean for the parties and for Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer as elections expert John Curtice says that losing is the government's "habit".

Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss why neither of them voted, whether they sympathise with Boris Johnson who forgot his ID at the pol...

In half a century just three opposition leaders have become prime minister. 45 years after Margaret Thatcher arrived in Downing Street, Matt hears from the people who knew her best - including Conservative colleagues Ken Clarke, Jonathan Aitken, and David Howell, aide turned author Michael Dobbs, her biographer Charles Moore, and her daughter Carol Thatcher.

Plus: Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss the SNP's leadership stru...

Tim Shipman and Kait Borsay join Matt Chorley to pause and unpack the action from the Commons chamber as Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak clash over pensions and how to fund them, and one Tory gets a ticking-off from the Speaker.

Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss the violence on American University campuses, whether sports stars make good politicians and the policing of domestic violence. ...

For months a group of Tory plotters have been saying that the local elections will be pivotal to their efforts to remove Rishi Sunak from office. So as the moment of truth nears, can the plot succeed, or are the plotters themselves divided?

Plus: After an MSP accidentally (and briefly) enters the race to replace Humza Yousaf, we look at the shotest ever leadership campaigns.

Short Leadership Campaigns: (05:06)

The Big Thing: (...

Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out about their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.

Caroline Lucas - the only Green MP - tells Matt about her reasons for standing down and what's wrong with Westminster - including MPs cowering in the toilet to hide from their party whips.

Plus: As Humza Yousaf resigns, Times Scottish Political Edit...

The impressionists are back - Jon Culshaw, Rory Bremner and Nerine Skinner join Matt to talk about their favourite political impressions, before engaging in a 'three-way Trump-off'.

Plus: Andrew Neil gives his take on the future of Humza Yousaf and the SNP, and Gyles Brandreth discusses Keir Starmer opening up about his childhood.

Andrew Neil (03:15)

The Columnists (12:00)

The Impressionists (30:30)

Exclusive polling for the podcast shows two in 10 voters - including one in 10 of those who voted Tory in 2019 - would like the Conservative party to disappear completely, in favour of another right-wing party.

How bad do things look for the Tories, and could they be facing a Canada-style electoral wipeout? 

Plus: Manveen Rana and Matthew Bell discuss political nicknames, whether politicians should answer more questions ...