Politics Unpacked

It's Wednesday, but with the House of Commons in recess we bring you the other PMQs - Patrick Maguire Questions. Patrick is joined by Red Box Editor Lara Spirit and political commentator Isabel Hardman to answer listeners' questions, including what happens if Labour doesn't win the next election, can Nadine Dorries be forced to stand down as an MP, and where did all the Corbynites go?Plus: Columnists Robert Crampton and Phil Tinline discuss whether there are political rewards for falling inflation, the origins of US deep state conspiracy theories, and whether some people still sneer at women's football. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 16 years since Tony Blair walked away from frontline politics, forced to step down by a party that had fallen out of love with him. But with Keir Starmer keen to hug the three-time election winner close, could he and his Institute for Global Change have a big influence over British politics in the future?Plus: Columnists Robert Colvile and Helen Lewis discuss the implications of Donald Trump's indictment in Georgia, Labour's contortions over congestion charging, and why Parliament is still crumbling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty five years after Bill Clinton infamously denied having an affair with Monica Lewinsky, Patrick speaks to Damian Whitworth, who remembers the chaos that gripped US politics while he was covering the story of The Times. Boris Johnson's former Director of Communications Guto Harri, Andrew Gimson and Isabel Hardman analyse the best and worst denials made by UK politicians.Plus: Anoosh Chakelian from the New Statesman and former Number 10 advisor Jimmy Mcloughlin discuss the government's latest policy week, whether schools should teach more sociology or more languages, and whether the government should appoint a toilet czar - or even a 'Lenin of the loos'.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Saturday we're bringing you an extra episode from another Times podcast - Stories of Our Times - one remarkable story, told in depth, each day.With an election just around the corner, politicians are quitting Westminster in their droves, many of them under 40. Is the job broken – or are they just jumping before they're pushed? We meet the leavers and reluctant remainers.Luke Jones speaks to The Sunday Times columnist Charlotte Ivers.Clips: Times Radio, ITV News, Global. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do politicians keep fit? Rishi Sunak spends his holidays going to Taylor Swift-themed spin classes; Keir Starmer prefers to kick around a football. Former health minister Lord Bethell and Tanni Grey-Thompson, Paralympian and crossbench peer, tell Patrick Maguire how to stay healthy in Westminster.Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss Labour's cautious approach to Lee Anderson, youthful cynicism and whether impressions are a dying art form. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Parliament broken, and how can we fix it? Chair of the Committees on Standards and Privileges Chris Bryant joins Patrick Maguire to discuss his experience of abuse in the Commons, whether MP's behaviour is now worse than it's ever been and why MPs should be allowed to call their colleagues 'liars'.Plus: Columnists Patrick Kidd and Dorothy Byrne discuss travelling for an operation, Nicola Sturgeon's ‘personal and revealing’ memoir and whether your employer should pay for your lunch? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a journalistic cliché that very little happens in politics while MPs are on holiday during the Parliamentary recess. But is it fair to describe August as 'silly season'? Historian Phil Tinline joins Patrick Maguire to debunk this myth and look at the biggest political moments of summers gone by.Plus: columnists Alice Thomson and Carol Midgely discuss toxic masculinity, Matt Hancock's TikToks, and whether Beyond Meat is past its best. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A decade of low economic growth has seen Britain fall behind it's wealthy counterparts, and nations like Poland and South Korea are set to become richer than the UK within the decade. How has Britain become so poor, and what can be done about it? Patrick asks the experts, and speaks to a former MP in the American deep-south to find out.Plus John Stevens and Jane Merrick discuss whether boilers are the new front in green politics, the Greenpeace activist standing for Labour and the rules of etiquette on the beach Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is firmly ahead in the polls, but nothing in politics is ever certain. So, how do you lose an election that seems unloseable? Patrick Maguire looks at Hilary Clinton's defeat to Donald Trump with Corey Dukes, former state director for Hillary Clinton's campaign in Pennsylvania, and the Australian Labor Party's shock loss in 2019 with Ryan Liddell, former Chief of Staff to Bill Shorten.Plus: Columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss Liz Truss' honours resignation list, disappointing A-level results, and whether Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg would win a boxing match. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Very few people in Westminster have had as many lunches as The Sunday Times' Chief political commentator Tim Shipman.So for the final day of food week, he settles his bet for a big lunch by joining Matt at Hawksmoor in Borough Market, to discuss wining and dining ministers, how he is getting on with his book, and the senior politician who had a cheesy doggie bag.Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriot chat about cheering up, beans and what it takes to be a professional beer taster  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.