The Times Red Box Podcast

Matt Chorley speaks to Washington Post journalist Carol Leonnig on her book, Zero Fail, which sheds light on the secrets and scandals of the Secret Service.PLUS columnists India Knight and James Marriot discuss privacy and the rise in supermarket delivery apps.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley dives into the news across the four corners of the UK and this week's focus is on education. PLUS John Stevens and Emma Woolf join Matt to go through the day's news.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley asks whether second home ownership is a blessing or a curse for local communities in staycation hotspots with local protest groups, councils and MPs. PLUS David Aaronovitch and Danny Finkelstein discuss whether we should really care about the protests to save Geronimo the alpaca.AND As students learn their A-Level results, MPs including Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick and Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner share memories from their own results day.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley hears from Red Box listeners about the difficulty in getting a face-to-face appointment with a GP. He hears from GP Sarah Jarvis and people within Health and the NHS to find out what's going wrong.PLUS Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester ask who will pay for net-zero and whether more school students should apply for apprenticeships.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley reflects on the riots of 2011 with Shadow Justice Secretary and MP for Tottenham David Lammy, Stephen Reicher and Frances Crook.PLUS columnists Melanie Reid and James Forsyth discuss whether life really changes after Covid-19.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Julia Stonehouse, the daughter of the former Labour MP John Stonehouse who faked his own death in the 1970s, and found out how she still sees him as a hero.PLUS He speaks to James Marriott and Rachel Cunliffe on staycations and snobbery.Clips: BBC   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley gets the news from the four corners of the UK with guests Rob Parsons, Editor of the Northern Agenda for Reach, Caroline Wilson, Senior Reporter at The Herald, John Manley, Political Correspondent at the Irish News, and Ruth Mosalski, Political Editor at Wales Online.PLUSRobert Crampton and Emma Woolf discuss jabs for kids.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, and experts in the field of space defence to find out what threats countries pose to each other in outer space. PLUSThe Times' David Aaronovitch and the Spectator's Katy Balls discuss the day's news.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley speaks to the Prime Minister's COP26 spokesperson, Allegra Stratton, ahead of the COP26 conference in Glasgow. PLUS Times columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester go through the day's news and whether Rishi Sunak could become the next Conservative leader.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What if Ed Miliband had won? What if we'd voted for proportional representation? Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Duncan Brack about his new book exploring political counterfactuals, and the man who created the Miliverse Twitter account. PLUSTimes Columnist Melanie Reid and Emma Woolf pick over the news.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Adam Peaty's mum Caroline, Jessica Ennis-Hill's coach Steve Ingham and Chair of the British Olympic Association Sir Hugh Robertson about how families, coaching and political will can create champions. PLUSIndia Knight and James Marriott talk about why it might be good to be sad sometimes.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, gets the news from the four corners of the UK. PLUSTimes Columnist Robert Crampton and the Daily Mail's John Stevens discuss opening the borders and Olympians' mental health.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Luke Jones, sitting in for Matt Chorley, speaks to Suzanne Heywood and the winners of the Heywood Prize, which asked for members of the public to send in their big policy ideas. PLUSTimes Columnist David Aaronovitch and City AM's Andy Silvester discuss the Prime Minister's plans to tackle crime.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

 Luke Jones, sits in for Matt Chorley and speaks to three eighteen year old councillors about why they wanted to get into politics, and what they want to achieve. PLUSTimes Columnist Libby Purves and the New Statesman's Rachel Cunliffe discuss covid cases and Amy Winehouse.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley talks to legendary broadcaster Andrew Marr about 40 years in the industry, holding politicians to account, and which Britons he thinks will define the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.PLUSThe Times' Melanie Ried and the Daily Mail's John Stevens discuss the Olympics and unlocking.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by legendary comedian Harry Enfield to talk about his new West End Show Windsors: Endgame, creating infamous political comedy characters and that Question Time sketch. PLUS India Knight and James Marriott pick over MPs summer reading lists.   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: Crampon: Robert Crampton and Alice Thomson discuss the billionaire's flying to space and the importance of human touch.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley is joined by former Number 10 Pollster James Johnson to see what the Times Radio focus group make of freedom day, the pingdemic and Boris Johnson's isolation u-turn.PLUSDaniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss the day's news.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt Chorley goes through some of the positive things to come out of the pandemic and covid breakthroughs with Sunday Times Science Editor Ben Spencer, Dr Angela George and Professor Paul Moss.PLUS columnists Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester talk about what Freedom Day means to them.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's 60 years this week since Prime Minister's Questions started properly in the Commons. Matt Chorley goes back to that first PMQs in 1961, and recreating what it would have been like with the Red Box Editor Patrick Maguire.He pauses the action as Harold Macmillan faces questions from backbenchers and the leader of the opposition. Plus legendary Commons speaker Betty Boothroyd joined Matt to tell him what she makes of PMQs today.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.