The Times Red Box Podcast

Luke Jones speaks to Times France Correspondent Charles Bremner, Mireille Clapot, an MP for Macron's En Marche in Drome in the South-East of France and Lord Peter Ricketts to find out the latest from the French Elections.PLUS Carol Lewis and Libby Purves discuss the day's news. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patrick Maguire sits in for Matt Chorley and talks about the 1992 General Election and what an explosive election it was. Interviews with Neil Kinnock, Chris Patten and Phil Webster. Columnists Melanie Reid and Josh Glancy go through the news on Rishi Sunak, Germany’s response to Ukraine and best places to live. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mark Pack, author of the new book 'Polling Unpacked', tells Matt Chorley about the history of opinion polls, and the five great polling disasters in UK and American history. PLUS: India Knight and James Marriott discuss creative thinking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to political podcast enthusiast David Runciman to dissect the last six years of Talking Politics and why more Prime Ministers are from Oxford rather than Cambridge.PLUS Dorothy Byrne and Abigail Rabbett discuss the day's news. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Holly Watt, Sir Alistair Graham and Stephen Hammond to see what the rules are for employing spouses.PLUS Manveen Rana and David Aaronovitch discuss the Russian misinformation and Channel 4 privatisation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Times Radio's Chief Political Commentator Lucy Fisher, former Director of Downing Street Communications Sir Craig Oliver and David Herzsenhorn, Chief Brussels Correspondent at Politico and former Washington Correspondent at the New York Times. They explore the frequency of anonymous sources being referred to in the press and whether they can be useful or problematic.PLUS Carol Lewis and Libby Purves on employing your spouse and trigger warnings. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last year, to mark 300 years since Robert Walpole became Prime Minister, Matt Chorley learnt about every PM through history each week. This year, he's learning about each Leader of the Opposition with Nigel Fletcher from the Centre for Opposition Studies.Each month you'll find a collection of episodes on the podcast. This week, Granville Leveson-Gower, James Harris,  Lord Cairns and Charles Gordon-Lennox. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of Sunday political TV shows with Sunday shows at 50. Last week, we heard about the rise of Andrew Marr and his decision to leave Sunday mornings. It’s the last episode of the documentary series. Matt speaks to the new kid on the Sunday politics block, Sophy Ridge on Sky News, and we hear from Trevor Phillips on confronting ministers over the death of his daughter. PLUS the future of Sunday Shows with Tony Blair, Jeremy Vine and John Humphrys and more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Labour grandee Margaret Beckett who has announced she is retiring after half a century in politics, going through her career decade by decade.PLUS: India Knight and James Marriott discuss the days news. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley and the Sunday Times Chief Political Commentator Tim Shipman pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions. PLUS: Manveen Rana and Robert Crampton discuss problems with the NHS and fast food job adverts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Tom Lubbock from Kekst CNC who has convened the latest Times Radio Focus Group to assess the situation in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis and Partygate.PLUS Daniel Finkelstein and Oliver Kamm on Partygate fines and politicians discussing Will Smith. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley reflects on nearly five years since the Manchester Arena bombing with the Northern Editor of the Sunday Times David Collins and Pete Weatherby QC, who represents seven of the families. Also, Times Radio's Phil Williams and Manchester Evening News' Helena Vesty on Manchester hospital admissions and the backlog plus what happened at the Oscars between Will Smith and Chris Rock. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of Sunday political TV shows with Sunday shows at 50. Last week we heard about the 21st century boom of political shows, this week we hear about how the axing of Breakfast with Frost paved the way for a new face of Sunday politics, Andrew Marr. Featuring the man himself, Barney Jones, William Hague, Peter Mandelson and more.. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is in Leeds to find out how the Spring Statement will affect the local area. James Smith from the Resolution Foundation, Henri Murison, Leeds City Council Leader James Lewis and Kayleigh Hignell. PLUS Rob Parsons & Victoria Finan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley and The Times' Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions.PLUS Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss the vicious backlash against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and hoarding. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley explores why the number of fluent Russian speakers in the Foreign Office fell by a quarter in the years before the invasion of Ukraine.PLUS Daniel Finkelstein and Oliver Kamm discuss President Putin getting "an easy off-ramp" and Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Times Radio's new Chief Political Commentator Lucy Fisher about her top 5 things: an event, a trend, a person, a place and an issue - that could explain how the rest of the political year might play out.PLUS Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss P&O Ferries and the Government's Covid Inquiry. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last year, to mark 300 years since Robert Walpole became Prime Minister, Matt Chorley learnt about every PM through history each week. This year, he's learning about each Leader of the Opposition with Nigel Fletcher from the Centre for Opposition Studies.Each month you'll find a collection of episodes on the podcast. This month it's John Spencer, Lord George Bentinck, Charles Manners, Marquess of Granby and John Charles Herries.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of Sunday political TV shows with Sunday shows at 50.Last week we heard about the rise of the BBC's 'On the Record', this week we hear how an explosion of new shows competed for dominance after the turn of the century. Featuring Jeremy Vine, Jonathan Dimbelby, Adam Boulton, Tony Blair, William Hague and more... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ukraine is known as the breadbasket of Europe but what happens when war with Russia means everyone is scrambling for the crumbs? Matt Chorley speaks to George Eustice, Dr John Rich and Abi Reader from the NFU. Plus: India Knight and James Marriott See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.