Politics Unpacked

PLUS: Is a general election insane, and how much did Times reporters drink in the 1980s?Matt Chorley is joined by Sam Coates, The Times deputy political editor, who says the prime minister is the root of all our problems.Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein warns a planned election is mad, but it is worth planning for an accidental one.And as Frances Gibb prepares to retire after four decades covering the law for The Times, she describes what has got better (and worse) in justice and journalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is really ahead in the polls? Is support building for a second referendum? Would Leave or Remain win? And is Labour really trailing the Tories? Matt Chorley is joined by polling guru Sir John Curtice and Deborah Mattinson, Gordon Brown's former pollster and founder of Britain Thinks. PLUS: Do you feel politically homeless? Jane Merrick describes quitting Labour and Nick Mazzei explains why he quit the Tories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nevermind Brexit, there are plenty of other crises to keep us awake at night.Matt Chorley is joined by a bumper panel of Times reporters and columnists to discuss the issues not being discussed enough.Columnist Rachel Sylvester is worried about poverty; Lucy Fisher, the defence correspondent, is worried about Nato; Graeme Paton, the transport correspondent, is worried about the railways; Chris Smyth, health editor, is worried about almost all of the NHS, and columnist Kenny Farquharson is worried about SNP infighting.Subscribe to the Red Box politics morning email at thetimes.co.uk/redbox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by The Times' Daniel Finkelstein, Iain Martin, Esther Webber, Hugo Rifkind and Henry Zeffman in the corridors of power, and asks MPs including Boris Johnson, Mary Creagh and James Cleverly what happens now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by award-winning playwright James Graham, who explains how and why he created Channel 4’s Brexit: The Uncivil War, and why he hopes drama can be a catharsis.Kieran Hodgson is a comedian and actor but also a self-confessed political history nerd and his latest show, '75 indulges his fascination for the lively world of 1970s politics, in particular the dramatic story of how the UK joined Europe in the first place.And Nikki da Costa, who until November was Theresa May’s director of legislative affairs in No 10, explains how the Brexit plot will play out over the next few months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley asks Tim Shipman, political editor of The Sunday Times, Esther Webber, the Red Box reporter, and Katie Perrior, Theresa May's former director of communications to gaze into their crystal balls and predict what this year might hold in store in British politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by two of his favourite comedians who give their impressions of the last year. Look out for their Fawlty Towers sketch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley presides over more chaos in part two as the teams fight it out in the remaining rounds.On the MPs’ team, Conservative MP Anna Soubry and Labour’s Conor McGinn. On the columnists team Daniel Finkelstein and Hugo Rifkind. And finally on the reporter’s team, the undefeated champion for the last two years: sketchwriter and diary editor Patrick Kidd, who this year is joined by Red Box reporter Esther Webber. Can they make it three years in a row? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is ringmaster of the annual circus, testing who has paid the most attention this year: MPs, columnists or reporters.On the MPs’ team, Conservative MP Anna Soubry and Labour’s Conor McGinn. On the columnists team Daniel Finkelstein and Hugo Rifkind. And finally on the reporter’s team, the undefeated champion for the last two years: sketchwriter and diary editor Patrick Kidd, who this year is joined by Red Box reporter Esther Webber. Can they make it three years in a row? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On another day of drama, Matt Chorley presents from Westminster speaking to journalists and MPs about May's narrow victory, her promise to stand down before the next election, and whether all the theatrics help or hinder the path to a deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.