The Times Red Box Podcast

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New Labour A Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. The Times' 1997 lobby journalists Philip Webster, Jill Sherman and James Landale on the battlebuses, spin doctors, chickens, bulldogs and gay lions they found reporting on the campaign train for The Times.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lessons in a landslide: 20 years after New Labour A Red Box podcast series of interviews with all of the key players in the 1997 campaign, and their fears for the future of the party. In this episode: Anji Hunter, Blair's gatekeeper, on watching New Labour being born, surviving in a team of "pushy" blokes, and relations with "tetchy" Cherie. Additional clips: Sky News  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley previews an exclusive series detailing Labour's historic landslide victory in 1997. The series features interviews with all the key players, including Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell, Anji Hunter, Margaret McDonagh and Peter Mandelson for insights on the campaign, early government days and reflections on the current Labour party. The Times political team from 1997 reassemble to tell you the stories they couldn't report at the time. All six episodes are available from Saturday  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week Matt Chorley is joined by Jenni Russell, Anthony Wells and Hamish Macdonell. On the agenda: hear how pollsters have changed their methodology after poor accuracy in recent years, why the Scottish political map should shift yet again with the Tories benefitting, and why Jenni is feeling depressed by an election for the first time in her life.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As Theresa May stuns Westminster by calling a snap election Lucy Fisher sits in for Matt Chorley and is joined by Sam Coates and Henry Zeffman to discuss the repercussions. The panel consider May's hit to her trustworthy image, her motivations for calling the election now and how large her majority must be for this to be considered a success? Whether a heavy election loss for Labour would really signal the end for Jeremy Corbyn, and why the Lib Dems will be delighted to fight a 'Brexit Election'  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the final Red Box Politics and Comedy Special Matt Chorley is joined by a Ayesha Hazarika, James McGrory and Daniel Finkelstein to discuss what it's like writing jokes for politicians. They discuss their best and worst efforts before debating what's required to make famous political names appear funny and the potential problems when it goes wrong. Also covered, how Nick Clegg can strangle any joke, why Ed Milliband shudders at Hush Puppies and why William Hague might have been better suited to comedy.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recorded in a busy Portcullis House, Matt Chorley sits down with comedian Al Murray to discuss how he invented the pub landlord character, what it was like standing against Nigel Farage in the 2015 general election and what he learned about the life of a politician.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Andy Zaltzman, Tiff Stevenson and Hugo Rifkind to debate whether the current times are too serious for comedy. Also discussed are the fundamentals of the art, if certain subjects are taboo, whether acts needs a message behind the punchlines and whether Donald Trump can truly be parodied?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the first of a four-part series focusing on politics and comedy, Matt Chorley sits down with Rory Bremner to discuss his thirty year career, the lack of political satire on British television, how he formulates his impressions and why deep down he has a core respect for politicians. Check back tomorrow when Matt speaks to Andy Zaltzman and Tiff Stevenson.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the agenda: how Trump's survival will hinge on tax cuts, deficit spending and domestic deregulation, how the new liberal backlash against the populist surge will see the Lib Dems benefit, and what Theresa May's Vogue interview tells us about her.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For the podcast Matt Chorley is joined by Catherine Philp, Sam Coates and Oliver Kamm. This week, the panel tries to make sense of Michael Howard's Gibraltar comments and the resulting firestorm, there's debate over the prime minister's 'counterproductive' tour of the Middle East to drum up interest in trade deals and Sam can't understand ministers sheepishly pretending they're not really announcing anything.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Oliver Wright and Henry Zeffman, plus Jill Rutter from the Institute for Government to answer your questions and tell you how to impress your friends talking about tariffs, timetables and triggering Article 50.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Iain Martin and Emma Tucker in London, Lindsay McIntosh in Edinburgh and Bruno Waterfield in Brussels. They discuss Nicola Sturgeon calling for a second referendum and the commons passing the article 50 bill, in a week of more political drama.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recorded from parliament Matt Chorley welcomes Senior Political Correspondent, Lucy Fisher, Labour MP Wes Streeting, Times columnist and Tory peer Matt Ridley and former Chancellor Alistair Darling, to run the rule over Phillip Hammond's first Spring Budget.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, Anne Ashworth and Jenni Russell to discuss the maelstrom of upcoming events for May's government, the need to teach practical money management in schools and how Trump is posing new questions for the media with every outlandish statement.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a live special, Matt Chorley is joined by Phillip Collins of The Times, Sarah Baxter from The Sunday Times and Sohrab Ahmari from the Wall Street Journal to discuss how important is the special relationship?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Lucy Fisher and Henry Zeffman to reflect on the by-election results in Copeland and Stoke on Trent. They discuss: How big an achievement this is for Theresa May, what it means for beaten UKIP leader Paul Nuttall? And did Labour lose by winning in Stoke?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by former advisor to Tony Blair turned stand up, Matt Forde, Times columnist Rachel Sylvester and former minister David Willetts, who now heads the Resolution Foundation. They debate if the weak Labour opposition is distorting everything Theresa May does? Why in the age of Google, some politicians make claims which can so easily be disproved? And how the goal of each generation doing considerably better than the one before it can be revived.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the second part of this spin doctor special, we hear how to deal with leadership crisis of all shapes and sizes. Matt Chorley is joined by: Jo Tanner who worked on two Boris Johnson mayoral campaigns, Lord Wood of Anfield spent a decade advising Gordon Brown before running Ed Miliband's leadership campaign, and James Holt spent seven years spinning for the Lib Dems, including as head of government communications for Nick Clegg in the coalition. Also 'When photo-ops go wrong' the panel reveal their disastrous moments featuring: Boris Johnson and lingerie, Ed Milliband's bacon sandwich nightmare and why Nick Clegg was forced to star in a shot for shot remake of 'I really like you' by Carly Rae Jepsen.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by three former spin doctors for a two part special on the reality behind the images they helped to create. On the Panel: Jo Tanner worked on two Boris Johnson mayoral campaigns, Lord Wood of Anfield spent a decade advising Gordon Brown before running Ed Miliband's leadership campaign, and James Holt spent seven years spinning for the Lib Dems, including as head of government communications for Nick Clegg in the coalition. They debate whether a backlash against spin led to the rise of Trump and Brexit and is Twitter a help or a hindrance for today's politicians? Including memories of the best twitter gaffs from years past.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.