Share

cover art for The Swing Voters Who’ll Decide The Next Election

Politics Unpacked

The Swing Voters Who’ll Decide The Next Election

This week millions of voters will go to the polls as more than 8,000 council seats in England are contested in the local elections – the most significant gauge of public opinion before Rishi Sunak faces Keir Starmer at a general election. Behind the scenes, politicians and pollsters are trying to work out exactly who they need to win over, and how they can do it without losing their core supporters.


In this guest episode from the Stories of Our Times team, Manveen Rana speaks to Red Box reporter Lara Spirit and former YouGov president Peter Kellner.


- Find out whether there are elections in your area: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-information


- New photo ID requirements to vote: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id

More episodes

View all episodes

  • Is The UK Ready For Shortages

    31:00|
    A top-level crisis drill inside government - “Exercise Turnstone” - has been testing what happens if the conflict in Iran continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. So how ready is Britain for possible food shortages? Hugo Rifkind Unpacks the politics of the day with Josh Glancy and Daisy McAndrew.
  • PMQs: Defending The Undefendable

    44:41|
    Kemi Badenoch criticises the government for failing to publish its plan for defence spending, but Starmer says the Tories hollowed out the budget, and gets told off by the Speaker for failing to answer the question.Hugo unpacks PMQs with Patrick Maguire and the comedian Andrew Maxwell.
  • The AI President

    29:55|
    Donald Trump insists the AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure actually depicts him as a doctor. He's faced backlash from all sides, but it's not his first AI post to cause controversy. Did this one go too far?
  • Hungary, The 'Boriswave', And Trump vs The Pope

    32:50|
    Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Seb Payne and Libby Purves. Is the tide shifting away from the hard right in Europe? Would Nigel Farage really put Boris Johnson on trial over immigration? And why are the US President and the Pope fighting? 
  • Starmer "Fed Up" With Trump

    30:43|
    Keir Starmer has stepped up his criticism of Trump, but could that put the UK in the firing line for retaliation from the US?Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Alys Denby and Patrick Kidd.
  • Are The Fringe Parties Still The Fringe?

    30:47|
    Reform UK and the Green Party are expected to do well at next month's elections at the expense of the established parties. But is the electorate ready for some of their more radical policies?Hugo Rifkind unpacks the news and politics of the day with Cindy Yu and Sonia Sodha.
  • Has Trump Won The War?

    29:53|
    Iran has agreed to a ceasefire with the US after Trump promised to destroy it - but with the biggest issues still unresolved, can he really claim victory?Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Alice Thomson and Trevor Phillips.
  • Kanye West, Strikes and 90s Nostalgia

    34:17|
    The rapper Ye - formerly known as Kanye West - has been blocked from headlining a festival in London this summer over anti-semitic behaviour. Can we separate the art from the artist? We also discuss the cumulative impact of doctors' strikes, and ask why politics - and society - can't get over its obsession with the nineties and noughties.Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Charlotte Ivers and James Marriott. 
  • Trump's Foul-Mouthed Diplomacy

    33:02|
    Donald Trump has threatened to turn Iran into "hell" in a profanity-laden rant on social media. But with so many conflicting messages and shifting deadlines, should his threats be taken seriously?Plus, do religious leaders still have a role to play in preaching peace to the world?Guto Harri unpacks the news and politics of the day with Sebastian Payne and Patrick Kidd.