A dark day for Europe. Armed forces minister James Heappey joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion pub to talk about how the government should respond to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. 

The MP for Wells warns that decisions made in Western capitals over the next week cannot be viewed as a "quick fix" for such an 'epoch changing' moment, and why the UK will not be committing troops. 

Also on the podcast, Bob Seely MP, decries years of what he calls 'government complacency then panic' towards Russian aggression. 

Plus, Chris is joined by two journalists covering this unfolding story on the ground - the Telegraph's own Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow describes the shock of the Russian people and banks running out of foreign currency and The Times' Askold Krushelnycky in the East of Ukraine talks about the calm, quiet determination of the Ukrainians in the region. 

Read more from Nataliya: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/n/na-ne/nataliya-vasilyeva/ |

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Nigel Farage is the latest person under Michael Crick's microscope, as the veteran broadcaster attempts to demystify one of Britain's most complex politicians in his new book.

He joins Christopher Hope to discuss the moments that should have ended Mr Farage's political rise; how history will measure the man ("It all depends on the success of Brexit!") and what he thinks the former UKIP leader has in common with Tony Blair.

Plus Chris and Michael compare war stories of long lunches with the politician famous for his love of pints.

'One Party After Another, review: a warts-and-all portrait of Nigel Farage, the outsider who changed Britain,' by Simon Heffer: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/one-party-another-review-warts-and-all-portrait-nigel-farage/ |

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Labour MP Rosie Duffield joins Christopher Hope at his favourite table at the Red Lion pub for a frank discussion on the realities of being a politician. She opens up on why she doesn't feel supported by her party following a distressing harassment campaign, and tells us whether she's tempted to defect to another altogether. 

Also on the podcast: Tory donor and businessman Johnny Leavesley tells us why Boris Johnson needs to 'get a grip', and whether current turbulence in Downing Street will see him tightening his purse strings. And Conservative MP for West Wiltshire, Andrew Murrison, on why he's leading a new All Party Parliamentary Group to scrutinise the National Trust. 

'Boris deserves one more chance. But if he doesn't get a grip soon, he must go' by Johnny Leavesley: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/11/boris-deserves-one-chance-doesnt-get-grip-soon-must-go/ |

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Neil O'Brien, Minister in the Levelling Up department, joins Christopher Hope to dissect a very important document released in Westminster this week - and no, we don't mean that one. The MP for Harborough, Oadby & Wigston claims you can "level up" in Chelsea and assures Chris that it isn't a "North vs South thing". 

Also on the podcast, Shadow Secretary for Levelling Up, Lisa Nandy MP, tells us she'd have been right there "cheering from the rafters" offering Michael Gove her support if the white paper had delivered - but she feels it fell short. Plus unofficial Levelling Up expert, author and journalist Sebastian Payne, on what the paper means for Johnsonism, and the Telegraph's own Tony Diver attempts to sum the entire document up in 3 minutes, including why on earth it included a brief history of civilisation... 

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Anthony Mangnall, MP for Totnes and South Devon, joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion pub to talk about becoming the 12th Tory MP to publicly submit a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson. He explains his reasoning to Chris (before the whips or his family!) about how he feels he can't stand by as "good work" is "overshadowed by the actions of one man", and how he didn't come into politics to lie to people, or be lied to, but to help people. 

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It's the day all politicos have been waiting for. Well, sort of.

Christopher Hope is joined by Telegraph colleagues Camilla Tominey and Gordon Rayner to take you inside what the 12 pages of Gray truly mean. Is it "sorry, not sorry" from Boris? How will ambitious backbench Tories leverage a floundering PM? And what will be the impact of, to quote Harold Macmillan, 'events, dear boy, events', such as simmering tensions in Ukraine?  Listen for full enlightenment.

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"He was ambushed by a cake," said Conor Burns MP earlier this week, when asked about Boris Johnson's apparent birthday gathering in 2020: the PM's latest Partygate woe. But on this week's Chopper's Politics the Northern Ireland Minister joins Christopher Hope and makes a stunning revelation - there was no cake at all! He gives an impassioned defence of the PM, and tells listeners why he should stay as the top dog in Downing Street (with the greatest of respect to Dilyn, of course).

Also on the podcast: Sir John Redwood, MP for Wokingham and former head of Thatcher's policy unit, tells us why it’s time for the Prime Minister to take a leaf out of the Iron Lady's book, and the Telegraph's Nataliya Vasilyeva and Lucy Fisher break down the simmering tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and the implications for the UK. 

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Tory grandee David Davis joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion pub for the interview everybody wanted. The former Brexit Secretary explains why he used PMQs to call for the PM to stand aside "in the name of God" and laughs heartily at the idea of stepping in as interim leader (that's not a no, though).

Plus the Telegraph's Tony Diver on his scoop that caused woe at Number 10 (suitcase of booze, anyone?), and Chris Loder MP on how the 2019 Conservative intake are dealing with Partygate and pork pie plots.

Also on the show: Lord Marland, who worked on Boris Johnson's successful mayoral campaign, on why his friend's ship is far from sunk.

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In a Chopper's Politics podcast first, Ian Blackford, the SNP leader of Westminster, joins Christopher Hope as his favourite table in the Red Lion pub. While Britain is distracted by BYOB boozy parties, Ian and Chris get stuck into one of the big political questions of the next few years: will we soon see an Independent Scotland. Plus Ian reveals what it's really like having to work with a Tory government, claims Scotland will keep the pound in the event they leave the union, and makes it clear that he will not stand for anti-Englishness in the SNP. 

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Longtime Brexiteer Tory MP, Andrew Bridgen, joins Christopher Hope to exclusively reveal that he's submitted a 'letter of no confidence' in Boris Johnson over what he sees as a moral vacuum in government, and assures Chris that Bridgen Towers held no BYOB parties, thank you very much.

Also on the podcast: Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Miriam Cates, joins us in the Red Lion pub after the PM's bruising PMQs this week. As a member of the Education Select committee, she shares her concerns around schooling in this country - from masks in the classroom to teaching on gender.

And Nile Gardiner, former aide to Margaret Thatcher, on why he's backing calls for a return to Thatcherite Conservatism, and why he thinks Boris Johnson needs to channel his inner Hugh Grant...

Boris Johnson delivered on Brexit and vaccines; all that’s left to deliver is his resignation, by Andrew Bridgen: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/01/13/boris-johnson-delivered-brexit-vaccines-left-deliver-resignation/ |

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