Politics Unpacked

Tim Montgomerie is joined Rachel Sylvester, Philip Aldrick and Matthew Parris. Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Aaronovitch sits in for Tim Montgomerie as the panel debate a wide range of topics. Fay SchlesingerJon Stewart, the American comedian, played it straight on his chat show last week. If Islamist terrorists had massacred nine people in a church, he said, the repercussions would be huge. Because Dylann Roof killed under the banner of home-grown racism, the country will do “jackshit”. The Charleston attack cannot be reduced to failed gun laws, or America as an outlier. Britain and Europe need to take heed.Daniel Finkelstein The idea that the mistakes of the pollsters require state sponsored regulation, as suggested in a new private members bill before Parliament is totally barmy. So is the thought that we should give up polling and just try and guessMelanie Phillips As the Palace of Westminster crumbles, on one side are MPs singing we shall not be moved, on the other, people wanting to hang constitutional change on the scaffolding. All they've got to do is move out for a few years and then move... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Alice Thomson, Ed Conway and Hilary Rose.Alice Thomson:The Scottish Nationalists lost the referendum but they were left with the moral high ground. The Scots had been 'scared' into voting no and then dumped by the English, which is partly why the Scot Nats did so well in the Election.But the increasingly nasty sectarian abuse by the extreme cybernats, hounding the late Charles Kennedy and any businessmen who dare to speak up for the union risks souring the SNP's apparently triumphal progress. When moderate Scots are fleeing South of the border it's time to ask if the dream is turning sour.Ed Conway:For the umpteenth time, Greece is back on what everyone is calling the brink of default. The economy is back in recession and austerity seems to be biting even more than in the darkest days of the crisis. What's agreed by most insiders and outsiders is that it should never have joined the euro in the first place. But simply turfing it out of the club would cause more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Lucy Fisher, Rachel Sylvester and Helen Rumbelow.Lucy Fisher:As the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU looms closer, the “out” campaign is beginning to take shape. But its proponents now face a number of tough questions: who to lead them, with whom to ally and what strategies to pursue? The right business chiefs must be recruited, Tory Eurosceptics and Ukip must calculate how closely to embrace each other, and theoretical reasoning about UK sovereignty must be carefully balanced with more tangible arguments about the impact of immigration.Rachel Sylvester:Labour is speaking in code as it launches its leadership contest. Aspiration, equality, responsibility, choice, Blairite Brownite - these are words used to signify a political direction rather than simply to communicate. The party has to face up to electoral reality and go back to celebrating success even if that means some people doing better than others.Helen Rumbelow:Flexible working the male way: ask... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Webster steps in for Tim Montgomerie and is joined on the panel by Suzy Jagger, David Aaronovitch and Lech Mintowt-Czyz.Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Philip Webster, Anne Ashworth and Robbie Millen. Anne Ashworth:The Queen's Speech will focus on the extension of Right to Buy to housing association tenants. It's right to place an emphasis on home ownership: why should we deny this rite of passage to younger people. However, there are millions who cannot afford to take this step and must rely on rented accommodation. Whoever wants to win the 2020 election needs to get together a workable policy for the provision of better quality homes for this group. Philip Webster:The Labour leadership race is happening far too soon. Contenders exhausted by the election are having to fight again for four months. And no one really knows what they should be saying and doing to please a Labour electorate whose makeup remains a mystery. Will it be Andy, Liz or Yvette?Robbie Millen:Last week Jeffrey Spector, a 54-year-old British man suffering from an inoperable tumour on his spine, went to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Patrick Kidd, Giles Whittell and Libby Purves.Patrick Kidd:When it comes to recovering from a disastrous election it is best to ignore that noted political analyst Meghan Traynor. It is not all about the base ('bout the base) but about understanding those who rejected you. Small businesses and aspirant parents are the kingmakers. Do any of Labour's would-be leaders get this? It would be better to pick the next leader in an open primary of floating voters than an internal talking shop.Giles Whittell:Nicola Sturgeon is right. Renewing Trident is ridiculous. She's wrong about the reason, though. The £100 billion figure used by the CND is for 40 years and anything can be made to seem appallingly expensive over 40 years. The reason is that Trident is outdated now, will be even more outdated in 40 years and may well be every bit as vulnerable to terrorists as Able Seaman William McNeilly says it is.Libby Purves:At last, research confirms what has been obvious to anyone... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part two of an election special recorded in front of a live studio audience.Tim Montgomerie is joined by David Aaronovitch, Daniel Finkelstein and Jenni Russell.Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Montgomerie and a panel of Times columnists, including David Aaronovitch, Daniel Finkelstein and Jenni Russell, discuss the results of the general election in front of a live audience.Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Essential listening in the election campaign brought to you by The Times Opinion podcast.Tim Montgomerie is joined by Melanie Phillips, Jenni Russell and Matthew Parris.Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.