Politics Unpacked

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions.PLUS: Robert Crampton and Alice Thompson discuss the top stories of the day including the Prime Minister's backbench rebellion.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley speaks to economist, author and presenter of Radio 4's More or Less Tim Harford about how to make sense of the numbers around us, and what we can learn from pandemic statistics.PLUSDavid Aaronovitch and Daniel Finkelstein discuss the possibility of a new Conservative leader, and David Davis explains why he'll be voting against the government's new covid regulations.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley asks comedian Andy Zaltzman, host of the BBC's "The News Quiz", how best to satirise today's politicians.PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss whether Boris Johnson's time as PM is running out of steam and who might replace him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Jones marks the second anniversary of the 2019 General Election with some of the big winners and losers from that year. How has politics has changed since then?PLUS: Melanie Reid and John Stevens discuss the latest on the political scandal surrounding Number 10 and John has a special scoop on Geronimo the alpaca. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley and discusses what does China want with former US ambassador to China under the Obama administration Max Baucus, MEP and co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Reinhard Hans Bütikofer and Senior Research Fellow at RUSI Veerle Nouwens.PLUS columnists Carol Lewis and James Marriott on Plan B, Christmas Parties and taking pride in Britain's past. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley. Panto is back so Luke speaks to producers, writers and directors including; Robert Shaw Cameron, Vikki Stone, Lisa Spirling and Michael Harrison.PLUS Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch on cancel culture and bringing back old TV hits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One hundred years after the Anglo-Irish treaty was signed, Luke Jones (in for Matt Chorley) goes back to the moment in history when the treaty was agreed and its impact on relations between both countries up to this day.PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester talk about new plans to punish middle-class drug users, and the man who made Britain's biggest model railway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Lords debate a bill over whether to scrap Hereditary Peers by-elections, Matt Chorley finds out how the Hereditary Peer by-election system works and speaks to the Lord behind the bill.PLUS: Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss the day's headlines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley looks at the progress of the campaign against smoking, which began in 1971, and the politics of lighting up with Former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt who passed the public smoking ban in 2007. PLUS: India Knight and John Stevens discuss whether they'll go to their office Christmas party and whether they'll miss Angela Merkel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions.PLUS: Robert Crampton and Alice Thompson discuss the top stories of the day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.