The Times Red Box Podcast

What is the press gallery? Hundreds of journalists across different media organisations are now able to report from the Houses of Parliament. We take you back to 1738 where journalists had to fight to be able to report on what went on in the House of Commons with News UK archivist Nick Mays, former Political Editor of the Times, Philip Webster and Times Radio's Carole Walker. Plus columnists chat with FORMEL, James Forsyth and Melanie Reid, on resignations and scrapping exams. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Veteran Political Journalist Michael Crick about his incredibly detailed biography of Brexit's Nigel Farage "One Party After Another".PLUS: India Knight and James Marriott on the cost of living crisis and Botox. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley and Chief Political Commentator of the Sunday Times Tim Shipman pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions.PLUS ALIBERT: Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss the Office of the Prime Minister and men behaving badly. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After explosive scenes in the House of Commons, Matt Chorley unpacks what happened with the Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire.PLUS FINKELVITCH: Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch talk about the relationship between politicians and police and Jimmy Savile. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to an unofficial focus group of women called Sue Gray to find out what they think about the report and Boris Johnson. Plus Opinium pollster Chris Curtis goes through what the public think.COLUMNISTS Rachel Sylvester and Susie Boniface talk about levelling up and Boris Johnson's chances in the next general election. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt dives into the real spiking threat in nightclubs with chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee Dame Diana Johnson, St John's Ambulance, nightclub operator Peter Marks and student organisations trying to tackle this at their universities.PLUS FORMEL: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid talk tax, Johnson's plea to MPs and political location hotspots. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to the former Editor of the Jewish Chronicle about Holocaust Memorial Day and the threat of anti-Semitism in the UK today. PLUSJames Marriott and Martha Gill discuss reasons to be positive See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley and The Sunday Times' Tim Shipman pause the action and ring the bell in yet another Prime Minister's Questions dominated by Partygate and the prospect of Sue Gray's report. PLUSAlice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss the top stories of the day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As Liz Truss continues negotiations to fix the Northern Ireland protocol, Matt Chorley speaks to political analysts and MPs on both sides of the Assembly to ask whether the island of Ireland is on the path to reunification.PLUS Danny Finklestein and David Aaronovitch react to the Police announcing that they will investigate Downing Street parties. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Times Diplomatic Correspondent Catherine Philp, Former Defence Secretary Liam Fox, former UK Ambassador to Ukraine Leigh Turner and others to find out what's happening in Ukraine and what it means for the UK and the rest of the world. PLUSLibby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss the latest from Westminster. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Everyone is talking about letters of no confidence this week so Matt looks through letters which have shaped politics down the years, from campaigns to get prime ministers to change their policies, to Harold Wilson's letter to Daniel Finkelstein about watching the muppets. Daniel Finklestein, Dr Kit Kowol and Professor Richard Toye speak what we can learn from political letters.PLUS FORMEL: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid on the political tv drama we're in and train announcements. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What makes a politician defect and change political sides? Matt talks to four politicians who decided to jump and how they kept it a secret including; Alan Howarth, Douglas Carswell, Anna Soubry and Dr Phillip Lee.PLUS KNIGHT AT THE MARRIOTT... India Knight and James Marriott discuss taking responsibility and why rule breakers get ahead. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As Boris Johnson claims 'he was not told' the Downing Street party would breach lockdown regulations, Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire pause the action between the exchanges at the dispatch box to explain what's going on.PLUS Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss Boris Johnson's leadership woes and swimming in the Serpentine. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Times Chief Political Correspondent Henry Zeffman, former SpAd Kirsty Buchanan and head of the Institute of Economic Affairs Mark Littlewood to find out who the woman behind the photo ops really is. PLUSDaniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss fairness in politics.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley talks to Sir Mark Walport, Professor Linda Bauld and The Science Media Centre's Fiona Fox about going from anonymous scientists in front of a microscope to media sensations during a pandemic.PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester talk Operation Red Meat, the BBC licence fee and more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley hears from people who were in the room with previous Conservative Prime Ministers as they were forced out from office. The Times' Political Editor Steven Swinford analyses how close Boris is to following them.PLUS: Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss the latest Number 10 Downing Street party to be revealed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley catches up with former civil servant, cancer patient and listener Clair Fisher about being moved into a hospice and why palliative care needs to be considered in the Health and Social Care bill.PLUS COLUMNISTS: India Knight and Hugo Rifkind talk about Boris Johnson's leadership, art degrees and dogs wearing clothes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With Boris Johnson under fire for the latest party allegations, Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire pause the action between the exchanges at the dispatch box to explain what's going on. PLUSAlice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss parties and farming. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley and former Number 10 Pollster James Johnson convene the Times Radio focus group to find out what they think about the latest Number 10 party revelations. PLUSDaniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss Michael Gove's lift incident. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to former Ambassador to the US Kim Darroch, Times Diplomatic Editor Roger Boyes, and former senior civil servants Jill Rutter and Simon Fraser about the issues facing the Foreign Office, and what it can do to get back on top. PLUSThe Times Libby Purves and the Mirror's Susie Boniface talk party-gate and living forever. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.