How To Win An Election

We're joined by William Hague for the latest in our series looking at how the biggest elections in recent political history were won - and how they were lost.We go inside the Tory campaign, in which Hague's Conservative Party tried to convince the nation it was time for a common sense revolution - and ended up resembling the protester punched in the head by John Prescott.From foot and mouth to Sharon Storer, from Thatcher announcing 'The mummy returns' to Oliver Letwin going into hiding, the team get under the skin of the campaign and ask why it couldn't make a dent in Tony Blair's popularity.

Rachel Reeves is thinking about increasing taxes - perhaps even breaking Labour's manifesto commitment not to raise income tax.The political masterminds discuss what that would mean for the government's electoral fortunes, and whether they could end up like George HW Bush - who famously said 'Read my lips: no new taxes', only to do exactly that.We also look at the pressure on Labour from Zack Polanski's Green Party, whether the government 'grid' of daily announcements has had its day, and which prime minister played the most musical instruments?Send your questions, comments and views on marmite to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk

As well as knowing how to win an election, the team have plenty of experience of losing them too. For this episode, recorded in front of an audience at the Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, we look at some campaigns that went really, really badly.Sally chooses Neil Kinnock's defeat in 1987, Danny chooses John Major's drubbing in 1997, and Polly chooses Jo Swinson's ill-feted run at becoming prime minister in 2019.Send your questions, comments and stories of defeat to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk

Has Kemi Badenoch done enough to see off her Tory critics, for now? Does her promise to abolish stamp duty remind the team of George Osborne's inheritance tax pledge in 2007?Danny explains why the public have forgotten about Liz Truss sooner than expected, and Polly realises she shares a dress with Liz Truss AND Kemi Badenoch.The political masterminds - or 'golden trio', plus Hugo - will be live at the Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival on Tuesday 14th October. Tickets are available at: https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.org/

As the Tories prepare for their annual conference, can the UK's oldest political party avoid sliding into irrelevance? And how has Nigel Farage become more popular while support for Brexit has declined?Hugo, Sally and Polly are joined by Sir Craig Oliver, former Director of Politics and Communications for David Cameron.Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk.The political masterminds will be recording the show in front of a live audience at the Times & Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival on Tuesday 14th October. Tickets available here.

The political masterminds are at Labour conference in Liverpool for Keir Starmer's speech, and this special episode recorded in front of a live audience.As the prime minister steps up his attack on Reform UK's Nigel Farage, has he fundamentally changed Labour's strategy - and will it help him win the next election?Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk