Episodes
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From Rishi Sunak calling the election in the rain to Ed Davey falling off his paddleboard, what are the images that define a general election campaign? Matt speaks to the photographers who have had a ring-side seat.
Plus: Benedict Pringle and Sam Jeffers discuss the best of the week's campaign adverts (and the ones that had to be deleted).
What We Learned This Week (00:47)
Mad Men (02:44)
The Pictures That Define The Election (11:31)
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It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Matt steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters.
This week it's a group who plan to vote for the Conservatives on July the 4th. Matt is joined by James Johnson from JL Partners to find out why.
PLUS: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Syed discuss whether building houses is a credible plan for economic growth and whether Matt should follow sports stars in drinking pickle juice for his health.
Columnists (04:20)
Focus Group (33:18)
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Episodes manquant?
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In a special election edition of Disunited Kingdom where Matt hears from journalists from the four corners of the UK, we look at which seats to keep an eye ahead of polling day.
Plus: Columnists Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss whether good economic news comes too late for the Conservatives, and whether constituency names are getting too long.
The Columnists: (03:20)
The Big Thing: (22:45)
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Today Matt asks the question on everyone's mind - have we got too many polls, and do they dominate too much of our political coverage? He hears from experts from the polling industry and journalism, and looks at what it's like in a country where reporting the polls is against the law.
Plus: After a cabinet minister admits the Conservatives are unlikely to win, would a small Tory rump in Parliament be able to hold a Labour government to account?
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Matt sits down with the MPs leaving Parliament to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.
Serving Conservative minister and former leadership contender Dame Andrea Leadsom reflects on her time in Westminster, her difficult relationship with former Commons Speaker John Bercow, and explains why she would work for a potential Labour government.
Plus: Columnists Sir Trevor Phillips and Rachel Sylvester discuss cross-party working, populist politicians, and whether Boris Johnson might make a comeback.
Columnists (01:31)
The Exit Interviews (24:35)
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Every local journalist has had a member of the public pitch them a news story by turning up to the newsroom reception. Sometimes these can lead to national headlines, but often they're funny, bizarre or plain mad. Matt speaks to Alex Morrison who has collected his favourite stories in a new book, and friends of the podcast send in their most memorable experiences too.
PLUS: As Conservative ministers all but give up on winning the general election, Matt asks John Major's former Political Secretary Howell James how he kept fighting for every vote in the face of a Labour landslide in 1997.
Tories Fighting On (02:44)
There's Someone In Reception (13:52)
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It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Matt steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters.
This week it's a group who all voted for the SNP in 2019 but are now backing Labour, even though Keir Starmer reminds them of 'weak tea'. Matt is joined by Tom Lubbock of J.L. Partners to find out why.
Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss whether Rishi Sunak has given up, and The Sunday Times' Gabriel Pogrund explains what we learnt from Labour's manifesto launch.
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Public trust and confidence in government and the people who govern us is at a record low. Polling expert Sir John Curtice tells Matt what's behind the worrying decline, and a raft of big thinkers explain what can be done to fix it.
Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss Rishi Sunak growing up without Sky TV, a young, inexperienced parliament, and whether climbing walls should be in the office.
The Columnists (02:55)
Why Politics Is Broken (22:59)
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As dozens of politicians prepare to enter high office for the first time, Matt speaks to former top civil servants Sir Alex Allan and Alun Evans, alongside former ministers Dame Margaret Beckett and Sir Alan Duncan, to find out what pitfalls they need to avoid when they're given the keys to government.
Plus: The Times' Political Editor Steve Swinford explains what we learnt from Rishi Sunak's Conservative manifesto launch.
Conservative Manifesto (03:17)
The Secret Life Of A Minister (09:03)
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Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.
Conservative Brandon Lewis reflects on his time in Parliament, explains why he thinks Rishi Sunak is 'managerial', and why he hosted a radio show with Eric Pickles.
Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvester and James Mariott discuss the march of the right in European elections, and Labour's tangle over plans for VAT on private schools.
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Times Columnist and The Rest Is History co-host Dominic Sandbrook joins Matt to talk about how this election campaign compares to others throughout the post-war period, and how our current crop of politicians will be remembered in the history books.
Plus: Former Number 10 adviser Cleo Watson tells Matt about her latest political 'bonkbuster', Cleavage, and 'Liz Truss' reads out some of the naughtiest bits.
Cleo Watson: (03:30)
Dominic Sandbrook: (12:30)
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It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Matt steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters.
This month it's a group who all voted for the Conservatives in 2019 but are now thinking of backing Reform UK. They tell Matt and James Johnson of J.L. Partners that Nigel Farage is the "Donald Trump of the UK" and their advice to Rishi Sunak is to "pack your suitcase".
Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Tom McTague discuss whether lying is new in politics.
Columnists (02.43)
Focus Group (21:22)
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Matt is joined by Tim Shipman to unpack the action from Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer's first head-to-head debate of the campaign. Starmer talks up his father's toolmaking career while Sunak accuses Labour of planning a £2,000 tax on working households.
Plus: Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss whether there's more to the Lib Dems than meets the eye, misogyny in Young Farmers groups and whether Robert can make it as a London tour guide.
Columnists (03:28)
The Debate Unpacked (23:41)
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Would former Tory minister Rory Stewart make another foray into politics? The podcaster, author and ex-diplomat tells Matt how he'd fix Westminster, why he'd much rather be PM than host a podcast, and what keeps him up at night.
Plus: Comedian Al Murray takes us back to 2015, when he ran against Nigel Farage in Thanet South.
Al Murray vs Nigel Farage: (5:10)
The Big Thing - Rory Stewart: (8:50)
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Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.
Former minister Robert Halfon tells Matt why he thinks all MPs should have round-the-clock personal security, and which Lord of the Rings character Rishi Sunak resembles.
Plus: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss whether the Conservatives can benefit from the culture wars, how an international organised crime gang stole millions from the British taxpayer, and whether the next prime minister should take an oath of office.
Columnist Panel (04:18)
The Exit Interview (23:41)
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As the election campaign kicks off in earnest, comedians Lewis Macleod, Nerine Skinner and Rory Bremner join Matt for their best political impressions, and listeners send in their own.
Plus: Columnists James Marriott and India Knight discuss Jeremy Corbyn running as an independent, Rishi Sunak's shelved smoking bill, and politicians using football to appear more relatable.
The Columnists: (03:00)
The Big Thing: (23:10)
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Nigel Farage's decision not to stand for Reform UK is the first major story of the election campaign. Manveen Rana and Trevor Philips from The Times discuss how that might change Conservative fortunes.
Plus: What happened the last time Britain went to the polls in July? And two seasoned campaigners tell some of their worst war stories from the battle bus.
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The last PMQs before the Whitsun recess is overshadowed by the speculation of a snap general election being called. Matt is joined by political journalists Kevin Maguire, Andrew Pierce, Patrick Maguire and Lara Spirit to unpack all the action from the Commons.
Plus: In the wake of Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay returning to Parliament after having his arms and legs amputated as a result of sepsis, Matt speaks to the founder and chief executive of the Sepsis Trust.
PMQs: (01:00)
Best of the rest: (31:00)
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Who is Morgan McSweeney and why is he so important to the Starmer team? Matt is joined by Patrick Maguire and Tom McTague discussing the role of the Labour leader's chief strategist.
Plus, as Gareth Southgate reveals who makes his squad for this summer's Euros he inevitably faces a backlash for leaving out certain players. It's not an easy gig being England manager - but is it harder than being Prime Minister? Matt hears out both sides of the arguments for who has the harder job.
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Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.
Conservative Sir Bob Neil reflects on the challenges of the job by saying he wouldn't recommend it to his younger self, why he feels it was good Liz Truss' time in office was so short, and his hopes for the future of the Tory party.
Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvester and Iain Martin discuss whether the neverending group of public inquiries are proving value-for-money, whether our politicians are taking defence spending seriously enough and whether Jeremy Corbyn will run against Labour in the next election.
Columnists (04:02)
The Exit Interviews (26:36)
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