Politics Unpacked

Tim Montgomerie presents the Opinion podcast direct from Bournemouth:Norman Lamb - Liberal Democrats Patrick Kidd and Michael Savage from The TimesJulia Unwin - Joseph Rowntree Foundation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Philip Collins, Oliver Kamm and Libby Purves.Philip CollinsLet's skip the bit where commentators ingeniously invent reasons why Corbyn might turn out to be Clement Attlee. No, this is man of no interesting ideas and no experience of running a political operation. He has started as he is condemned to go on. In chaos. The task for the sensible Labour party is to renew intellectually and engage the new members who will rapidly have buyer's remorse. Oliver KammIn the 48 hours since Corbyn's election, I have dramatically changed my opinion. Yet again the great Phil Collins is vindicated.I've previously argued there's an ethical obligation on Labour MPs to withdraw cooperation from the whips and declare themselves opposed to a leader who is out of step with party's traditions & progressive values. Yet I hadn't reckoned on the scale of the incompetence of Corbyn & his allies. You can hold on as leader even in the face of bad polls; but it's much more difficult to do so if... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Rachel Sylvester, Matthew Parris and Roger Boyes:Rachel SylvesterPoliticians ought to like the country they want to lead but the Corbynistas seem to disapprove of modern Britain. They are Roundheads in a Cavalier age, collectivists in an era dominated by individualism. There is a sense of moral superiority on the left that is as off-putting as the born-to-rule attitude on the right. Labour moderates must take back the moral high ground in their party. There is nothing wrong with wanting to win. Matthew ParrisThere was something infantile about the apparent switch of public - or at least media - opinion after the publication of that photograph of a drowned Syrian toddler. As if we didn't know already that children were being drowned. My guess, though, is that public sympathy and generosity remains rather thin. People do understand the argument that European hospitality risks drawing in new waves of migrants. Still, the sentiment that photo stirred did give the Prime... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Michael Savage, Patrick Kidd and Melanie Philips:Michael SavageIt's not been a good summer for our increasingly cramped second chamber. The latest set of peerages confirmed their use as a reward for political donors, allies and lieutenants - the appointment of a prominent figure felled by the expenses scandal caused wide disbelief, and it all came after Lord Sewell's alleged extra-curricular antics had provoked new calls for Lords reform of some kind. With the second chamber now bigger than ever and its reputation in question, will they - or should they - come to anything?Patrick KiddThe claim that David Cameron had to buy a cheap pair of Asda wellies to visit the Somerset floods when he had a perfectly good pair of Hunters in the car boot shows that we have reached peak vacuity in this image-obsessed era of politics. But is that their fault or ours? And is the key lesson of Corbynmania that looks really don't matter?Melanie PhilipsWhen I saw the Union Jack being... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster, who sits in for Tim Montgomerie, is joined by Anne Ashworth, Giles Whittell and Ann Treneman. Anne Ashworth:So that's all right, then. Breathe a sigh of relief and get on with your day. After all, some investors saw Monday's share price falls as a buying opportunity - which meant that global markets recovered some of their losses. But maybe we should actually be concerned as events on the Chinese bourses indicated that the regime is ill-equipped to deal with this sort of situation and that the truth about this country's economy could be more disturbing than we think. Giles Whittell:I've never seen the Baalshamin temple at Palmyra, and now I never will. The barbarism of the Isis fanatics who've blown it up is numbing, but what's really troubling about the destruction of Palmyra is its intent. Isis wants to make a mark for eternity, and to this end it's also doing more practical things like training up women doctors. It's not going away unless and until it's defeated, and diplomacy... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Hugo Rifkind, Francis Elliott and Jenni Russell. Hugo Rifkind:Are politicians responsible for their own unsavory supporters? When opponents of Jeremy Corbyn are targeted with sexist or anti-semitic abuse on social media, is that really his fault? And, if not, does that also render Nigel Farage blameless when racists decide he’s speaking their language, or the SNP, when Cybernats bat for them? More worrying still, what if similar people - heaven forbid - should ever agree with us?Francis Elliott:The delay to the Iraq Inquiry report is clearly upsetting for the families of those killed in the war and is frustrating for the politicians. But when a mob unites David Cameron with Yvette Cooper it's hard not to feel queasy. Are we sure we are blaming the right person for the delay and for the right reasons? Jenni Russell:in the last month Edward Heath and Camila Batmanghelidjh have both been fatally damaged by vague and flimsy accusations. Phrases like sex abuse are now... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Daniel Finkelstein, Lucy Fisher and Ed Conway. Daniel Finkelstein:The prospect of Jeremy Corbyn as leader is not a problem for the labour Party. It is a calamity, a disaster, a debacle. It doesn't mean having an leader who can’t win an election. A party can deal with that. It means having a leader that the mainstream Labour MP can't even vote for. It seems astonishing to me that these MPs have not pressed the panic button. They seem to be causally drifting towards catastrophe. Lucy Fisher:Andy Burnham's wife let slip on Monday that he had wanted to be an MP since the age of 18. The revelation prompted jeers that he is a "Westminster bubble” career politician, a common slur that conveys suspicion and contempt. But I think it's time we stopped bashing career politicians. Commons advisers who later look to stand for parliament boast depth of knowledge of the arcane workings of the legislature - surely a good thing. And on a more important level, MPs who have dedicated... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Isabel Harman, Matthew Parris and David Aaronovitch. Isabel HardmanPoliticians are obeying perfectly the rules of a Summer Crisis on Calais. They are ensuring that they are seen to be Doing Something on the question of illegal migrants by posturing on regulations around the private rented sector, rather than answering the question of how to solve the crisis, especially whether Britain should be letting in some of those thronging on the border at Calais. Why answer difficult questions when you can just pretend to be busy?Matthew ParrisFear and dislike of the Left is what impelled me into the Conservative Party as an undergrad. It's part of the Tories' raison d'être and the cement that holds often ideologically different members together. If Labour reall does fall apart, the Tories will be next.David AaronovitchYesterday the IPCC announced that it was investigating a claim that Wiltshire police had abandoned a case in the 1990s because someone involved had alleged... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Sam Coates, Laura Pitel and Philip Webster: What happens to British politics if Jeremy Corbyn wins?A living wage. Prisons reform. 2% spending on defence: do we prefer the Tory government to the Tory manifesto?When will the EU referendum happen?Subscribe via iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-times-opinion-podcast/id660638948?mt=2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Richard Fletcher and Roger Boyes to discuss Greece and its future in the European Union. Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.