The Times Red Box Podcast

Twenty years on from the march against the Iraq War, Patrick Maguire is joined by historian Phil Tinline to ask whether protests ever actually work. They hear from some of the people who have organised the UK's biggest recent marches, including the ban on fox hunting, tuition fees and Brexit, to reflect on how effective their protests really were. Plus the New Statesman's Rachel Cunliffe and former Number 10 adviser Jimmy McLoughlin discuss whether women are routinely subjected to victim blaming after Lancashire Police released the health information of missing person Nicola Bulley, why Liz Truss is staging her comeback, and the state of Britain's courts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Maguire get's the latest polling on Nicola Sturgeon’s possible successor with Dr Emily Gray from Ipsos and explores the wider implication of her resignation on the UK political landscape. Expert analysis comes from former deputy leader for the SNP Jim Sillars, Scottish Political Editor Kieran Andrews and Katy Balls from The Spectator.  Plus columnists Manveen Rana and James Marriott discuss whether modern politicians have gone soft, whether cancel-culture is taking over book publishing and the reaction to Lancashire police releasing personal information about missing mother Nicola Bulley.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Maguire presents highlights from the reaction to Nicola Sturgeon's resignation as First Minister live on Times Radio. The Conservatives' Ruth Davidson, Labour's Shadow Scotland Secretary Ian Murray, SNP MP Angus Macneil and pollster Sir John Curtice all speak on a dramatic morning in British politics.Plus Alex Massie and Matt Chorley reflect on her achievements and shortcomings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A decade after the Commons voted to introduce civil marriage for same-sex couples, Patrick Maguire looks back at a moment of change for the country and the Conservative Party with former MP Matthew Parris, former culture secretary Dame Maria Miller and former equalities minister Baroness Featherstone.Columnists Robert Colvile and Dorothy Byrne consider whether the Brexit summit at Ditchley Park was an innocent meeting of minds or remainer skulduggery.Plus Patrick is joined by historian Andrew Lownie to imagine what might have happened if Edward VIII hadn't abdicated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New polling for the Times shows that 70% of voters think the Conservatives give the impression of being sleazy and disreputable - up from 51% in April 2021. Patrick Maguire asks what Rishi Sunak can do to turn the page on propriety before the next election, with former independent MP Martin Bell and former Downing Street chief of staff Lord Barwell.Plus columnists Libby Purves and Martha Gill on whether government credit cards are a scandal or not and the guestlist for King Charles' coronation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do Queen Victoria, Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and an anonymous prostitute have in common? They all wrote letters to The Times that rewrote history.Matt is joined by Letters Editor Andrew Riley and Archive Editor Rose Wild to dip into the notable notes that changed Britain.Plus Manveen Rana and Jimmy McLoughlin discuss tax, Turkey and avoiding parking fines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt talks to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting about NHS pay, Labour's relationship with the unions and his experience as a gay Anglican - before he plays our own version of the word association game 'Mallet's Mallet'.Plus columnists James Marriott and India Knight discuss amateur detectives disrupting the search for Nicola Bulley, the rules of modern etiquette and the new Conservative deputy chairman's support for the death penalty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt is joined by Patrick Maguire to pause and unpack the exchanges between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Westminster to address Parliament, both leaders talk tough on Putin.Plus columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton on policing porn, whether MPs should be awarded a medal after leaving office, and how to pronounce 'Türkiye'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon is under pressure following the row over her gender reforms and a drop in the polls.But is she in serious trouble, or will the dominant force in Scottish politics continue to confound her critics?Matt hears from former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, the SNP's Emma Roddick, politics professor John Curtice and Times columnist Alex Massie.Plus Finkelvitch: Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch are back to discuss Rishi Sunak's cabinet reshuffle, Liz Truss's lack of apology and their collection of political badges.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Truss is back to make the case for her tax-cutting agenda. Does she have a point, and is anyone listening? Matt is joined by journalist Katy Balls, pollster Patrick English and economists Paul Johnson and Mark Littlewood.Plus columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss Boris Johnson, petrol prices and the death of satirist Kit Hesketh-Harvey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All week, people in politics have been asking whether the next general election is going to be a similar result to 1992 - when Labour were expected to win but lost, or like 1997 when Labour won in a landslide victory. Who better to ask than former Labour leader Neil Kinnock?In a wide-ranging chat, Neil talks about the challenge of facing Margaret Thatcher at PMQs, sharing funny tweets with Keir Starmer, how he feels about the trans-debate given his grandson has transitioned, and what Labour need to do to win the next election. Plus columnist Iain Martin and former head of Channel 4 News Dorothy Byrne on the rumoured comebacks of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, Iain's defence of Brexit and commemorating political moments with blue plaques. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Prime Minister has been in office for 100 days, a big achievement by recent standards. Matt has some exclusive polling from YouGov showing what the public thinks of his performance so far, and discusses the scale of the electoral task ahead of him.Plus columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss whether false modesty is worse than bragging, the Times investigation into the practices of British Gas debt collectors, and what to do with jade vaginal eggs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions. Rishi Sunak accuses Keir Starmer of siding with 'extremist protestors and union bosses', but the Labour leader says that's 'rank pathetic'.Plus columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss whether Therese Coffey will clean up the environment, fines for wood burning stoves and the bird charity removed from Twitter for posting about woodcocks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three years after the UK left the European Union, Matt hosts a panel of experts from The Times to answer questions sent in by readers. Plus columnists Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss whether Rishi Sunak is the new John Major, and whether he's heading for an election like 1992 or 1997. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do politicians find it so hard to say sorry? After Nadhim Zahawi declined to apologise following his sacking by the Prime Minister, Matt discusses the art of the political apology with US author Marjorie Ingall and The Times' Matthew Parris.Plus columnists Rachel Sylvester, Libby Purves and Paul Johnson discuss the government's NHS blueprint, whether we need to change the way we think about old age, and what happens to young people after a recession. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and tests his theory that speeches in the House of Commons aren't as good as they used to be. He looks back at some famous moments in the chamber with speechwriter Jessica Cunniffe and historian Nigel Jones, while Times sketchwriter Quentin Letts defends the modern MP.Plus columnists Matthew Syed and Manveen Rana debate the survival of Nadhim Zahawi, the politics of Rod Stewart, and Matthew's battle with biscuits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Times Radio Focus Group meets for the first time in 2023. James Johnson from J.L Partners leads a group of swing voters from across the country as they give their views on Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer and Nadhim Zahawi.Plus columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss a crackdown on laughing gas, and will artificial intelligence will make creativity redundant? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley, Tim Shipman and Lara Spirit pause and unpack the exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions. This week, Keir Starmer asks Rishi Sunak if being prime minister is too big a job for him, and Sunak accuses him of playing 'petty politics' over Nadhim Zahawi's tax affairs.Plus columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss same sex marriages, Robert's trip to meet voters in Blyth Valley, and whether toddlers are getting more precocious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One in four terminally ill people of working age find themselves in poverty. For them and their families, the agony of grief is compounded by financial worries.Matt hears from people pushed to bankruptcy by their illness, and discusses the Marie Curie charity campaign to give them the state pension.Plus Finkelvitch: Columnists Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch ask whether it's time to sack Nadhim Zahawi, failures in the probation service, and political fantasists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Rishi Sunak gets ready for a cabinet trip to Chequers and Keir Starmer plans an outing for his team, Matt asks if a political away day is a good way to build morale - or whether it's all flip charts, trust exercises and sitting on the floor.David Davis talks about his trip to Chequers with Theresa May, William Hague reflects on taking Tory MPs to a hotel in casual dress, and we hear about the Lib Dem away day that was visited by a six foot man dressed as a bee.Plus Times columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss the prime minister and propriety, whether technology is making us unhappy and Nicola Sturgeon asking why 16-year-olds can't drink in a pub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.