Share
Politics Unpacked
Do playground antics demean politics?
•
Matt Chorley is joined by Political sketch-writer and diarist Patrick Kidd, columnist Jenni Russell and Assistant Editor of The Spectator, Isabel Hardman.
Patrick Kidd:
Marco Rubio is a big-eared sweaty robot with a water addiction, while Donald Trump is a stubby-fingered orange-faced pants-wetter with a dodgy hairdo. Meanwhile David Cameron makes "yer mum" jokes at Jeremy Corbyn, while Labour MPs still make piggy noises at the Prime Minister. Do playground insults demean politics or are they what's needed to get Joe Public interested?
Jenni Russell
In the last few days I've been struck by the number of people I've come across who say they want to understand the consequences of leaving or staying in Europe before they decide which way to vote. But those facts are hard to come by. There are plenty of grand assertions on both sides but their truth is hard to judge. The referendum will be won by the side that can make a complex question sound clear and plausible. Neither has managed that yet.
Isabel...
More episodes
View all episodes
Burnham Heads Further North
28:32|Andy Burnham parks his tank on the SNP’s lawn, challenging John swinney to work with him on devolution - but is this an offer of cooperation, or is it mostly political fighting talk?Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Michael Binyon and Alys Denby.
Zelensky Rallies His Allies
34:18|The Ukrainian President said he felt 'betrayed' by the US over the loss of access to Starlink. Andy Burnham has pledged to 'heal' the rift - but can he do so without American support? Hugo Rifkind is joined by Sarah Ditum and Andy Silvester to unpack the politics of the day.
PMQs: Badenoch Accuses Burnham Of Putting His Foot In It
53:47|PMQs Unpacked is back after recess, as Kemi Badenoch presses Andy Burnham on Brexit and benefits - and asks whether he ever gets tired of putting his foot in his mouth.Hugo Rifkind is joined by Patrick Maguire and Ayesha Hazarika to unpack the exchanges from the Commons, live at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival.
Why Everyone Is Talking About Brexit Again
29:50|Brexit is firmly back on the political agenda, but does anyone really mean it? And did Robert Jenrick really mean what he said about using ‘lethal force’ in the Channel?Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Charlotte Ivers and James Marriott.
Burnham's Brexit Claim Questioned
35:52|After Andy Burnham says said it's clear Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum, one of his ministers clarifies the Kremlin tried - but failed - to influence the vote. Has the PM been careless?Hugo Rifkind unpacks the politics of the day with Libby Purves and Seb Payne
Polanski's Battle To Remain Green Leader
30:11|Zack Polanski failed to take Holborn & St Pancras from Labour in the by-election - as criticism of his handling of a controversial Zionism policy continues, is he fighting for his survival?Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Michael Binyon and Alys Denby.
The Two-Party Fantasy
33:19|Labour and the Tories are feeling pretty good after party conference season - but is a return to two-party politics really on the cards, or are they kidding themselves?Hugo unpacks the politics of the day with Cindy Yu and Juliet Samuel.
Kemi Badenoch’s Speech: What Did We Really Learn?
14:44|Kemi Badenoch has given her big speech at Tory conference, with a promise to scrap inheritance tax on family homes, and a warning that the country is running out of money.Hugo Rifkind unpacks the speech with Anna Mikhailova, Lara Spirit, Josh Glancy and Robert Colville.
The Tory Conference Bubble
29:40|The Tories are in an upbeat mood at their party conference, but the polls are flat and plenty of seats are empty. Are they insulated from political reality?