Politics Without The Boring Bits The Times

Times Columnist Hugo Rifkind tells Matt what he would do if he ruled the world, and talks about his new novel "Rabbits"

Plus: Lara Spirit continues her A-Z of Parliament, this week looking at 'R' for Recess

Times Columnist and The Rest Is History co-host Dominic Sandbrook joins Matt to talk about how this election campaign compares to others throughout the post-war period, and how our current crop of politicians will be remembered in the history books.
Plus: Former Number 10 adviser Cleo Watson tells Matt about her latest political 'bonkbuster', Cleavage, and 'Liz Truss' reads out some of the naughtiest bits.
Cleo Watson: (03:30)
Dominic Sandbrook: (12:30)

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It's the Times Radio Focus Group, where Matt steps outside the Westminster bubble to hear the opinions of ordinary voters.
This month it's a group who all voted for the Conservatives in 2019 but are now thinking of backing Reform UK. They tell Matt and James Johnson of J.L. Partners that Nigel Farage is the "Donald Trump of the UK" and their advice to Rishi Sunak is to "pack your suitcase". 
Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Tom McTague discuss whether lying is new in politics.
Columnists (02.43)
Focus Group (21:22)

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Matt is joined by Tim Shipman to unpack the action from Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer's first head-to-head debate of the campaign. Starmer talks up his father's toolmaking career while Sunak accuses Labour of planning a £2,000 tax on working households.
Plus: Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss whether there's more to the Lib Dems than meets the eye, misogyny in Young Farmers groups and whether Robert can make it as a London tour guide.
Columnists (03:28)
The Debate Unpacked (23:41)

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Would former Tory minister Rory Stewart make another foray into politics? The podcaster, author and ex-diplomat tells Matt how he'd fix Westminster, why he'd much rather be PM than host a podcast, and what keeps him up at night.
Plus: Comedian Al Murray takes us back to 2015, when he ran against Nigel Farage in Thanet South. 
Al Murray vs Nigel Farage: (5:10)
The Big Thing - Rory Stewart: (8:50)

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Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics.
Former minister Robert Halfon tells Matt why he thinks all MPs should have round-the-clock personal security, and which Lord of the Rings character Rishi Sunak resembles.
Plus: Libby Purves and Rachel Sylvester discuss whether the Conservatives can benefit from the culture wars, how an international organised crime gang stole millions from the British taxpayer, and whether the next prime minister should take an oath of office.
Columnist Panel (04:18)
The Exit Interview (23:41)

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