

Politics Unpacked
The Times
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/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 28, 2025 • 36min
A MAGA British Summer
Keir Starmer meets Donald Trump at his Turnberry golf course today, where the president's love of Scotland has sparked talk of a 'MAGA British summer'. But on the domestic front, the prime minister has some thorny issues to contend with.Michael Binyon unpacks the politics of the day with Charlotte Ivers and Seb Payne. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 25, 2025 • 30min
Battle With The BMA
Keir Starmer has appealed in The Times directly to doctors not to strike - but is this falling on deaf ears? And how does this bode for Labour’s future relations with the unions? Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Michael Binyon and Thangam Debbonaire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 24, 2025 • 30min
Badenoch's Chainsaw Conservatives
Kemi Badenoch says the chainsaw-wielding president of Argentina would be “the template” for her government - could could she be Britain's answer to Javier Milei?Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Manveen Rana and Fraser Nelson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 23, 2025 • 32min
Is Britain "Fraying"?
Keir Starmer has warned Britain is "fraying at the edges" and urgent action on immigration is needed to avoid a repeat of last summer's riots. But is this the worst it's been? Robert Crampton and Phil Tinline join Ed Vaizey to unpack the politics of the day Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 22, 2025 • 33min
Reshuffles, Reform & JD Vance's Holiday
Kemi Badenoch is using the last day before the Commons recess to launch a reset of her leadership of the Conservative Party, while Nigel Farage is gearing up to spend his summer talking about crime. Plus: What will JD Vance get up to in the Cotswolds? Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with James Marriott and Sarah Ditum Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 21, 2025 • 33min
Farage's Summer Of Crime
Reform UK's leader launches a six-week summer crime campaign, promising to deport criminals to prisons in El Salvador and halve crime overall. Could he deliver it?Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Charlotte Ivers and Patrick Kidd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 18, 2025 • 32min
Afghan Data Leak: "Cock-up Or Conspiracy"?
As more revelations about the Afghan data leak continue to come out, who will take the blame? And is an urgent inquiry needed to unpack the failings? Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Michael Binyon and Alys Denby. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 17, 2025 • 32min
Persistent Knobheadery
Keir Starmer has suspended four of his MPs over repeated breaches of party discipline, or as one party source described it to the Times, “persistent knobheadery”. Was this a ruthless or desperate move from Starmer?Patrick Maguire unpacks the politics of the day with Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 16, 2025 • 42min
PMQs: Don't Mention The Data Leak
Keir Starmer said Conservative ex-ministers have serious questions to answer over the Afghanistan data leak at the start of Prime Minister's Questions. But after that, no one seemed to want to mention it.Patrick Maguire unpacks the action with Sunday Times Whitehall Editor Gabriel Pogrund and former Conservative cabinet minister Sir David Lidington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 15, 2025 • 29min
Melania, Billionaires And The Power Of Pessimism
Patrick Maguire is unpacking the politics of the day, asking James Marriott and Libby Purves whether Melania Trump changed the US president's mind over Putin, whether we should mourn the departure of billionaires, and why pessimism can be a force for good. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.