Politics Unpacked

How likely is a second referendum in Scotland? Nicola Sturgeon has set out a timetable, giving the nation a year to decide whether they want independence. Matt Chorley speaks to two journalists in the thick of it, the Times' Kieran Andrews and Catriona Stewart, we also hear from the SNP's Stephen Flynn on why Sturgeon detests the tories and the polling legend Professor John Curtice crunching the numbers.Plus Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss Liz Truss in the tearoom and fixing childcare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Liz Truss got into trouble for playing Moving On Up at her Tory Party Conference speech, Matt Chorley explores the relationship between politics and pop.He hears from Al Mackenzie from the band D:Ream, Dave Rowntree, who was the drummer for Blur and then became a Labour councillor in Norfolk between 2017 and 2021, Matt Charlton, Music Journalist for the NME and Rolling Stone and Lisa Verrico, Music Journalist at The Sunday Times.PLUS James Forsyth and Melanie Reid on the heavy cost of Kwarteng’s spending squeeze and young people's support for Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK politics may be bonkers, but countries around the world have also lost the plot, changing Prime Minister every few years. Matt Chorley takes a trip around the world speaking to foreign correspondents about how quickly the leader get's the chop.PLUS: India Knight and James Marriott on Latin and Liz Truss' dress Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire take a forensic look at Liz Truss's first speech as party leader to the Conservative conference in Birmingham. PLUS Two former Times Political Editors Phil Webster and Francis Elliott delve into the audio archives to look back at the debut conference speeches of past leaders, from John Major and David Cameron, to Theresa May and Boris Johnson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the interview that caused Liz Truss's major headache on day 3 of Tory Party Conference. Matt Chorley speaks to Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt who says she hopes benefits will rise in line with inflation, a commitment the Prime Minister has not made.AND earlier this week Mordaunt joked about the bad communications strategy over the mini-budget, so Matt also convenes a crack team of government comms experts to advise on how the government can improve.PLUS: James Forsyth and David Aaronovitch on all the chaos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Gove has been a government minister for the majority of the last decade but now he's heading back to the backbenches. He tells Matt Chorley what he thinks of the government's decision to abandon its plans to abolish the top 45p rate of tax, and even plays the quiz.PLUS: Alice Thomson and Rachel Sylvester discuss another difficult morning for the government Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Venetia Menzies, Data Journalist at the Times and Sunday Times takes Matt Chorley through baby name statistics. Find out which names are the most popular and which have fallen out of favour, and what happens when your name is the same is a frontline politician.PLUS: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid discuss where the Tories go next after that extraordinary poll for The Times put Labour 33 points ahead.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Description: Matt Chorley and The Times' Political Editor Steve Swinford reveal what Conservative MPs really think about the Chancellor's budget and the economic crisis.PLUS: Highlight's from Liz Truss' difficult series of interviews on local BBC radio stations.AND: Carol Lewis and James Marriott on property and the middle classes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire go through the Labour leader’s speech to the conference in Liverpool and whether this was his best one yet. PLUS Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton on economic meltdown and memoirs.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Chorley sits down with the Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner. They discuss everything from Labour leadership, why Keir Starmer is a morning person and she isn't and why she wants to have slippery nipple shots with Therese Coffey.PLUS Finkelvitch, Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch on Labour values and the call of office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.