The Times Red Box Podcast

Matt Chorley asks comedian Andy Zaltzman, host of the BBC's "The News Quiz", how best to satirise today's politicians.PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss whether Boris Johnson's time as PM is running out of steam and who might replace him. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Luke Jones marks the second anniversary of the 2019 General Election with some of the big winners and losers from that year. How has politics has changed since then?PLUS: Melanie Reid and John Stevens discuss the latest on the political scandal surrounding Number 10 and John has a special scoop on Geronimo the alpaca.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley and discusses what does China want with former US ambassador to China under the Obama administration Max Baucus, MEP and co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China Reinhard Hans Bütikofer and Senior Research Fellow at RUSI Veerle Nouwens.PLUS columnists Carol Lewis and James Marriott on Plan B, Christmas Parties and taking pride in Britain's past.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Luke Jones sits in for Matt Chorley. Panto is back so Luke speaks to producers, writers and directors including; Robert Shaw Cameron, Vikki Stone, Lisa Spirling and Michael Harrison.PLUS Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch on cancel culture and bringing back old TV hits.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One hundred years after the Anglo-Irish treaty was signed, Luke Jones (in for Matt Chorley) goes back to the moment in history when the treaty was agreed and its impact on relations between both countries up to this day.PLUS: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester talk about new plans to punish middle-class drug users, and the man who made Britain's biggest model railway.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the Lords debate a bill over whether to scrap Hereditary Peers by-elections, Matt Chorley finds out how the Hereditary Peer by-election system works and speaks to the Lord behind the bill.PLUS: Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss the day's headlines  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley looks at the progress of the campaign against smoking, which began in 1971, and the politics of lighting up with Former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt who passed the public smoking ban in 2007. PLUS: India Knight and John Stevens discuss whether they'll go to their office Christmas party and whether they'll miss Angela Merkel.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley and Times Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire pause the action to analyse the exchanges between Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions.PLUS: Robert Crampton and Alice Thompson discuss the top stories of the day.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Former Number 10 pollster James Johnson convenes the final Times Radio focus group of the year to discuss new covid measures and what to get Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer for Christmas.PLUSDaniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss reshuffles.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley assesses the state of relations between Britain and France with Lord Ricketts, Britain’s ambassador to Paris from 2012 until 2016, and Sylvie Berman, France’s ambassador to London from 2014-17. One of them rates the relationship as 3 or 4 out of 10, the other thinks it's as bad as anything since Waterloo.Plus Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester on the politics of pandemic panic and the prospect of a Labour reshuffle.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley interviews Writer James Graham and Director Jeremy Herrin. Their new play: "Best of Enemies" is about the debates of William F Buckley Junior and Gore Vidal which aired on ABC more than half a century ago, introducing viewers to a whole new style of dramatic on-screen punditry.PLUS: James Forsyth and Melanie Reid discuss the day's news.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do prisons work? Matt speaks to the former justice secretary Robert Buckland, former prisoners Tyrell and David Breakspear and Paula Harriott from the Prison Reform Trust.PLUS columnists India Knight and James Marriott on migrants, old photos and Matt's flared jeans.  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: Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson on anti-depressants, babies in the House of Commons and the snowflake generation.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to former White House advisor Fiona Hill, former UK Ambassador Tony Brenton and former Kremlin spokesperson Sergei Markov about how the West can deal with the migrant crisis on the Polish border and increased military activity on the Ukrainian border. PLUSDaniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss speeches, business and social care.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley interviews Katharine Birbalsingh, the new Chair of the Social Mobility Commission, also known as "Britain's Strictest Headteacher".PLUS: Rachel Sylvester and Carol Lewis discuss the day's news.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why MPs do reality TV? Matt speaks to the culture secretary Nadine Dorries, former MPs; Matthew Parris, Julia Goldsworthy, Michael Fabricant and more.PLUS columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth on migrants and HS2.Thanks to the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 for the archive material.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What can the polls tell us? Matt Chorley speaks to Chris Curtis from Pollsters Opinium and Political Scientist Paula Surridge to reveal what's really going on in British politics.PLUS: India Knight and James Marriott discuss the rail review, and other stories from today's news.  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: Robert Crampton and Carol Lewis discuss asylum laws, sleaze and Carry On vs. Bond.SPECIAL TREAT: The man who spent three years restoring the Big Ben clock in a barn.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to author and friend of Clarissa Eden, wife of Anthony Eden, who died this week at the age of 101. PLUSDaniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss Alok Sharma's COP26 legacy and Christopher Chope.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell speaks to Matt Chorley about his new book Beyond a Fringe: Tales from a Reformed Establishment Lackey.PLUS The Times Libby Purves and the Mirror's Susie Boniface discuss COP26, sleaze and sex work.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.