The Times Red Box Podcast

Philip Collins steps in for Tim Montgomerie and is joined by Suzy Jagger, Phil Webster and Patrick Kidd. Suzy Jagger This month's surprise - and to date, devastatingly successful - assault by Isis on Northern Iraq has led to a new cat's cradle of shifting internAtional alliances. The West has found itself to be a new uncomfortable bedfellow with Tehran. How do we manage these new allegiances? And are we right to blame much of the crisis deepening in the region to President Obama's complete absence of real foreign policy? Philip Webster Cameron has played the Juncker appointment badly, unnecessarily losing Merkel on the way. He can salvage something from the wreckage by facing other leaders down on Thursday and staging an immediate press conference at midnight to tell the world who voted for whom. Patrick Kidd Shocking in Sao Paulo, humbled in Hamilton and now stumped by Sri Lanka in Leeds, it's been a grim few days for England sports fans. Whatever happened to that glorious summer of 2012 when we... &#

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Melanie Phillips, Alice Thomson and Roger Alton. Melanie Phillips People say the Iraq debacle has happened because we went in and got rid of strong man Saddam. On the contrary, it's because the US and UK got out of Iraq, allowing Maliki to alienate the Sunnis. Leaving a strong man in place hasn't worked in Syria, and Saddam would have run his own jihadi gangs. This chaos directly threatens the West, as did Saddam, but the main focus should be on the head of the snake, Iran. Alice Thomson The real battle in education is not between Dominic Cummings and David Cameron whom he tells Rachel Sylvester and me is like "a sphinx without a riddle" but between Michael Gove and The Blob . The Education Secretary is determined to face down the trendy modernists who want all children making paper mâché puppets and set schools free while promoting academic rigour, he's right. Roger Alton Many people, not always women - are quite happy to say "I don't know anything about football" as if...

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Libby Purves, Daniel Finkelstein and newcomer, Giles Whittell. Libby Purves Ann Widdecombe complains that it is ‘very difficult” to be an active Christian in Britain today. She says that Militant secularism stops people in workplaces from wearing crosses, saying God bless, or offering to pray for people - and that - quotes “stances of conscience” are prevented by political correctness and equality law. I say - render unto Caesar: and show don’t tell...and that applies to other religions too. Daniel Finkelstein What is the point in Britain having influence if it doesn't use it? And what better cause could there be than trying to prevent Jean Claude Juncker from being President of the European Commission? For both procedural and substantive reasons, Mr Juncker is the wrong President for the Commission and this matters even if you believe that the EU must be only a single market. Giles Whittell I’d like to talk about what Putin does next. Little mentioned in our... &nbs

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Matthew Parris, Ann Treneman and David Aaronovitch. Matthew Parris Spain's King Juan Carlos was respected in the 1980s for his brave refusal to support a coup against democracy. That respect has been squandered: hence (in part) the abdication, but are we smug in pointing this out? The fading of British republicanism in recent decades has been enormously dependent on the growing personal popularity of our Queen. Our real monarchists are probably a minority. The majority are, firstly, Elizabethists. Woe betide our monarchy if we ever got a real stinker on the throne. David Aaronovitch The Newark by-election on Thursday is a genuinely interesting contest. My contention - and polls seem to back it up - is that the Euro elections were a Ukip high point. As Ukip has grown, so the proportion of people alarmed by them has grown too. But the media appreciation of this fact has been slow in developing. If the Tories hold on to Newark with any degree of comfort then the understanding...

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Jenni Russell, Philip Webster and Hugo Rifkind. Jenni gives advice to David Cameron: Cameron needs to become a radical dynamic insurgent, not the calm patrician chairman he is now. He must fight internationally to get companies like Amazon and Google to pay proper tax, change the rules on benefit and housing so recent arrivals can't claim, raise the minimum wage and enforce it, and restrict the right of people from the EU's poorest countries to work here. Phil gives advice to Nigel Farage: Nigel. Having achieved your much vaunted tremor you now need to level with your party and voters. Otherwise a year from now there will be a lot of disillusioned people. Hugo gives advice to Nick Clegg: Nick, your only hope is absolute honesty. Start explaining what you've done in government, why you did it, and what else you'd have liked to do but couldn't. Most of all, start talking about future coalitions. Don't fall into the trap of merely sitting around, wistfully dreaming of what... &

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Rachel Sylvester, Philip Webster and Stephan Shakespeare to discuss the following: Is UKIP here to stay as Britain's fourth party? Can Clegg do anything to revive the Lib Dems or is he finished as a political force? How big is Labour's Ed Miliband problem? Tory HQ is unconvinced that Labour's vote drops whenever he appears on TV. How big is the gap now between London and the rest of England? Which of the three big Parties has most reason to panic over the next few days? Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Subscribe to The Times: www.thetimes.co.uk Follow The Times Opinion pages on Twitter: @TimesOpinion  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Alice Thomson, Richard Fletcher and Daniel Finkelstein. Alice Thomson discusses the moral implications of singer Gary Barlow's tax footing. Is it difficult to sympathise with the Take That star? Richard Fletcher puts forward the argument that the decision of a corporate acquisition should be left to shareholders and executives rather than MPs. And Daniel Finkelstein argues that England's expectations in World Cup competitions are far too high considering the size of the country. Has the national team over-achieved in the past? Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Subscribe to The Times: www.thetimes.co.uk Follow The Times Opinion pages on Twitter: @TimesOpinion  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Phillip Collins is joined by Hugo Rifkind, Fay Schlesinger and Patrick Kidd. Hugo RIfkind, "For three decades, Max Clifford was the guru of the dirty secret. Looking back today, though, very few of the revelations he brought to tabloids - 'man sleeps with woman' - seem all that interesting. I think we're becoming a less censorious society and, in the process, leaving the people with real dirt, such as Clifford himself, fewer places to hide." Fay Schlesinger, "Across the rich world crime is falling. 70% fewer murders in Estonia over the past 20 years, violent crime down by a third in the US...just 86,000 cars stolen in England last year against 400,000 in 1997. There are myriad explanations, from education to targeting policing and more prison places, but no real satisfactory answer. So are we, as criminologists are starting to conclude, simply a nicer and less macho society." Patrick Kidd, "One of the plum jobs in journalism is up for grabs as the BBC seeks a new presenter of Newsnight to replace that... &

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Matthew Parris, Rachel Sylvester and Melanie Phillips. Matthew Parris, "I don't believe David Cameron should resign if Scotland is lost this September. But I think he's in great danger. It will be said that he was too cavalier and too soft a touch in conceding this referendum on these terms, and that he "lost the Union" in a fit of inattention. We will be in stormy and uncharted waters if the answer is Yes. I believe an early or a postponed general election would be one of the results." Rachel Sylvester, "Ed Miliband wants to remake capitalism. He says “inequality is the new centre ground” and plans to follow Barack Obama in championing hard working families against a wealthy elite. He mustn’t let this deteriorate into bash the rich class war, but he is onto something and David Cameron will suffer if he becomes the defender of the super-rich." Melanie Phillips, "It's doubtful that David Cameron anticipated the storm he would provoke by saying he was a Christian. Indeed the...

Tim Montgomerie is joined by David Aaronovitch, Juliet Samuel and Robbie Millen. David Aaronovitch, "Lucky Scotland! Defence Secretary Philip Hammond is there this week, amid what seem like a co-ordinated series of warnings about the impact of a 'Yes' vote on the UK's defence capabilities. Are these scare tactics, or are these warnings essentially true? And even if they are, might they not be counter-productive? It is very hard to judge." Juliet Samuel, "With Greece reentering international bond markets for the first time in four years last week, the eurozone has clearly turned a corner but Europe now faces the danger that it could let up on reform needed to provide long term prosperity. Do Europeans have the stomach for it? Robbie Millen, "Sajid Javid hadn’t even a chance to peek in his red box before he was attacked for not being sufficiently cultured...the new Culture Secretary could help the creative sector by de-nationalising it. Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read...

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Jenni Russell, Peter Brookes and Phil Collins. Jenni Russell, "Maria Miller isn't being fairly judged because she has three powerful constituencies prepared to think the worst of her." Peter Brookes, "I feel instinctively against an across the board amnesty for murder in Northern Ireland as proposed on our front page this week by Peter Hain." Phil Collins, "The Royal Tour brings out the worst in the press." Subscribe via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Subscribe to The Times: www.thetimes.co.uk Follow The Times Opinion pages on Twitter: @TimesOpinion  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Hugo Rifkind, Alice Thomson and David Aaronovitch. Hugo Rifkind: "Teenagers and young people have never been so close to their parents in outlook, interest and core morality as they are today. Yet, the same time, they must look forward to a future in which they will lack many of the opportunities and privileges that an earlier generation enjoyed. Why aren't they more angry and rebellious? And, if the rebellion ever comes, how will it look?" Alice Thomson: "The Cinderella law sounds like a therapy driven whinger's charter. Step parents could now not only be stigmatised but criminalised for not hugging their step children. Smaller presents and fewer treats could be evidence for the prosecution. But actually this is desperately needed protection for the most vulnerable arriving at schools unable to talk, still in nappies, ignored from birth." David Aaronovitch: "Nigel Farage lays claim to be the heir to Thatcher. His remarks about Putin show he is no such thing. He represents...

Ann Treneman is joined by Matthew Parris, Libby Purves and Fay Schlesinger. Matthew Parris: "Ukraine: the Western powers should have decided in advance what their sticking point was, and privately communicated this to Moscow. Obviously it should have been that Russia could have Ukraine without a fuss if it was done in an orderly way. Instead they've squawked their protests at every inch taken, usually after it's been taken. The impression is simply of impotent and uncoordinated posturing." Libby Purves: "45 % of university graduates probably won’t ever earn enough to repay their tuition fees and loans That a government calculation, and means that the whole policy will have cost more than the old grants - like PFI, its another example of current governments shoving debt on future generations. And the real scandal is that a lot of those students are not actually getting 27k worth of teaching....And meanwhile, we overvalue even the most dubious degrees and undervalue vocational courses." Fay... &nbs

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Daniel Finkelstein, Jenni Russell and Roger Boyes. Daniel Finkelstein: "It's time to scrap the Budget. We now have two major fiscal events a year - the Budget and the Autumn statement. This encourages gimmicks, reduces strategic thinking and makes it harder to plan. We should move from one event to two and then to Budgets every two years." Jenni Russell: "There's a violent subculture inside our police forces that's out of control. Three recent cases caught on CCTV have shown the police behaving brutally, lying and assuming they'll get away with it. We need cameras, codes of conduct, and tough punishments for officers who offend." Roger Boyes: "The West is threatening Russia with sanctions. They are pretty wimpish and are unlikely to make Putin get out of Crimea any time soon. What we have to do is offer Ukraine NATO membership to show Russia its limits. Will that get us into a shooting war? No. It's the only sure way of setting Russia's limits in Europe." Subscribe via... &#

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Rachel Sylvester, Philip Webster and Alice Thomson. Rachel Sylvester: “Ukip has been dismissed as “fruitcakes and loonies”, “gadflies and cranks”.  Nigel Farage’s “barmy army” is cynical and hypocritical, with a streak of nastiness running through it.  But the other parties ignore it at their peril.  Ukip is a symptom of deep social and economic divides.” Philip Webster: “Nick Clegg was forced by a briefing that went wrong into suggesting  that, like Margaret Thatcher, he would go on and on. The truth is he will only go on - and will only want to go on - if the Lib Dems are part of the next government. Because if they are not, Mr Clegg almost certainly will have presided over the loss of an awful lot of seats. His party will look elsewhere.” Alice Thomson: “University vice chancellors have been awarding themselves stratospheric pay rises – in the elite Russell Group they earn on average £318,500 a year in salary and pension. Yet the value of a degree in the jobs market is... &

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Roger Boyes, Ann Treneman and Matt Ridley. Ukraine gave away its nuclear arsenal 20 years ago. Roger Boyes asks if the country would have fared better in its showdown with Russia if it had kept the bomb. 'Why don't the media take Nigel Farage seriously?' Asks Ann Treneman, after attending UKIP's national spring conference in Torquay. Is he really the most interesting politician out there at the moment? Matt Ridley draws focus on E-cigarettes and their potential health benefits in helping smokers quit their habit. Is unnecessary bureaucracy really getting in the way? Subscribe in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Subscribe to The Times: www.thetimes.co.uk Follow The Times Opinion pages on Twitter: @TimesOpinion  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Hugo Rifkind, Alice Thomson and Libby Purves. Hugo Rifkind says it's not the fault of the NHS or the Government that a pioneering programme to create a shared database of patient information has been suspended. It's ours. Are we too shrill when it comes to personal data? Alice Thomson suggests that we need to teach girls to be more robust and to realise that A* grades don't necessarily define them. Mary Beard, Angela Merkel, Clare Balding - are these the role models we should be encouraging? Libby Purves tackles London's rising, and often unaffordable property prices, head on. Should the Government do more to discourage foreign investors using the capital as their own private 'piggy bank'? "There are sharper things they could do, but they're all flirt!" Subscribe in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Subscribe to The Times: www.thetimes.co.uk Follow The Times Opinion pages on Twitter: @TimesOpinion  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out info

Tim Montgomerie is joined by David Aaronovitch, Juliet Samuel and Fay Schlesinger. David Aaronovitch looks at the forthcoming Scottish referendum for independence and says 'up until now, the 'Yes' people have been able to fantasise about how easily an independent Scotland will be able to dictate its own separation terms.' But has this fantasy been given a reality check? Juliet Samuel asks if the Bank of England is being overly optimistic after it revised its GDP growth forecast for this year to 3.4% when the average prediction from some City economists and academics stands at 2.4% and even lower from the OBR. Even if this figure is true, is such economic growth sustainable? Fay Schlesinger analyses the grim reality of female genital mutilation in the UK and looks at an alternative way to tackle the issue. Should we be more sensitive to the practitioners' traditional perspectives or risk driving the practice further underground? Subscribe in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read...  

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Jenni Russell, Oliver Kamm and Roger Boyes. Jenni Russell agrees in the principles of banning smoking in cars where children are present, after MPs voted in the law this week, however, will it end up - in practice - as yet another pointless and unenforceable law? Oliver Kamm states that 'The Swiss vote to curb EU immigration is a depressing indication of the potency of populist politics in European debate.' Are the current control of immigration within Europe far too tight? Are populist political Parties taking advantage of the untenable immigration fears? Roger Boyes argues that the 'grim' politics of Russian president Vladimir Putin is in danger of being overlooked during this year's Winter Olympics in Sochi, 'The Kremlin leader is an authoritarian menace and his bullying tactics in Ukraine and beyond are making a nonsense out of the so-called Olympic spirit.' Subscribe in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Subscribe to The Times: www.thetimes.co.uk... &

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Philip Collins, Matthew Parris and Rachel Sylvester. Subscribers to The Times will be familiar with the passionate divide of opinion between Philip Collins and Matthew Parris regarding the qualities of David Cameron's leadership. Philip Collins argues that David Cameron has yet to answer the question of what kind of country he wants to lead - "what would a second-term Cameron government actually want to do?" Matthew Parris draws focus towards Cameron's Conservatives principles and argues that the Prime Minister is preventing socialism and "resisting the creep of a Labour government into every corner of our lives and pockets." Rachel Sylvester suggests that "voters want more passion from the Prime Minister, but fear [the] Labour leader's zeal." Subscribe in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/did-you-read Subscribe to The Times: www.thetimes.co.uk Follow The Times Opinion pages on Twitter: @TimesOpinion  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.