Politics Without The Boring Bits The Times

Matt sits down with the MPs leaving Parliament to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.
Serving Conservative minister and former leadership contender Dame Andrea Leadsom reflects on her time in Westminster, her difficult relationship with former Commons Speaker John Bercow, and explains why she would work for a potential Labour government.
Plus: Columnists Sir Trevor Phillips and Rachel Sylvester discuss cross-party working, populist politicians, and whether Boris Johnson might make a comeback.
Columnists (01:31)
The Exit Interviews (24:35)

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Every local journalist has had a member of the public pitch them a news story by turning up to the newsroom reception. Sometimes these can lead to national headlines, but often they're funny, bizarre or plain mad. Matt speaks to Alex Morrison who has collected his favourite stories in a new book, and friends of the podcast send in their most memorable experiences too.
PLUS: As Conservative ministers all but give up on winning the general election, Matt asks John Major's former Political Secretary Howell James how he kept fighting for every vote in the face of a Labour landslide in 1997.
Tories Fighting On (02:44)
There's Someone In Reception (13:52)

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Comedian Miles Jupp tells Matt what he would do if he ruled the world, and finds out why his life is mysteriously intertwined with Peter Andre's

Lara Spirit continues her A-Z of Parliament, this week looking at 'S' for Speaker

It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Matt steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters.
This week it's a group who all voted for the SNP in 2019 but are now backing Labour, even though Keir Starmer reminds them of 'weak tea'. Matt is joined by Tom Lubbock of J.L. Partners to find out why.
Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss whether Rishi Sunak has given up, and The Sunday Times' Gabriel Pogrund explains what we learnt from Labour's manifesto launch. 

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Public trust and confidence in government and the people who govern us is at a record low. Polling expert Sir John Curtice tells Matt what's behind the worrying decline, and a raft of big thinkers explain what can be done to fix it.
Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss Rishi Sunak growing up without Sky TV, a young, inexperienced parliament, and whether climbing walls should be in the office.
The Columnists (02:55)
Why Politics Is Broken (22:59)

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As dozens of politicians prepare to enter high office for the first time, Matt speaks to former top civil servants Sir Alex Allan and Alun Evans, alongside former ministers Dame Margaret Beckett and Sir Alan Duncan, to find out what pitfalls they need to avoid when they're given the keys to government.
Plus: The Times' Political Editor Steve Swinford explains what we learnt from Rishi Sunak's Conservative manifesto launch. 
Conservative Manifesto (03:17)
The Secret Life Of A Minister (09:03)

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