Politics Unpacked

Matt Chorley meets Nish Kumar, comedian and host of the 'Mash Report’ to try and understand why a British 'Daily Show’ has never worked, how losing elections is the best way to avoid satire, how he dealt with being told to "go home" the day after the Brexit vote, and how he feels about that Piers Morgan cartoon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley meets David Baddiel to discuss his appearance on a government panel hoping to tackle antisemitism, how social media forces comedians to take political positions and why Tony Blair is like Bob Monkhouse.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve worked hard to become an MP, you’ve worked even harder to become a minister, so what happens when it all comes crashing down and you’re faced with a resignation calibre problem? Matt Chorley sits down with Mark Harper MP to discuss why his response to events in 2014 is regarded as the textbook political resignation.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politicians resign for all sorts of reasons, in this special the panel examine the art and the fall out of the political resignation.Matt Chorley is joined by Theo Barclay, author of “Fighters and Quitters” which chronicles some of the great resignations, Sir Craig Oliver, David Cameron’s director of communications, and Jane Merrick, Red Box columnist.They discuss: what are grounds for quitting, how do you do it with grace and some dignity intact, and is there ever a way back? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Fay Schlesinger, Alice Thomson and Iain Martin to discuss fears of society becoming overly prudish, how to fix the housing crisis, and why the Tories need to find the courage to change leader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Matt Chorley talks comedy, social media and why we need a party of nutters.On the panel: Matthew Moore, The Times media correspondent, who asks why all the jokes are on the left. Polly Mackenzie, head of Demos think tank, on regulating the future and Times columnist Matthew Parris on the slow death of a political party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Chris Smyth, Times health editor, to see whether Jeremy Hunt can solve social care, Graeme Paton, transport correspondent, on Chris Grayling hitting the buffers, and Rosemary Bennett, education editor, on whether Damian Hinds can win over whingeing teachers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley is joined by Times columnists David Aaronovitch and Rachel Sylvester and former Director of Strategy & Chief Speechwriter at May's No10, Chris Wilkins.The panel debate: a government afflicted by caution as seen in the reshuffle, how the hard left is further seizing control of the Labour party and its institutions and whether President Hilary Clinton could have survived the mainstream media onslaught if facing Trump like revelations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley welcomes Lucy Fisher, Times Senior Political Reporter, Tim Shipman the author of 'Fall Out' and Tom McTague co-author of 'Betting the House' to cast one final look at the political events of 2017.The panel pick their highlights from the last twelve months and dare to make wild guesses about the chaos which might await us in the coming year.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode recorded in front of an audience, Matt Chorley sits down with former No10 speechwriter and Times columnist, Philip Collins to discuss the art of writing the perfect political speech. Using examples from famous speeches Philip explains how Churchill showed timing is everything, why you must have something of importance to say and why it's best try to include a joke, unless the person telling it is John Prescott.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.