The death of Sir David Amess cast a shadow over Westminster this week, and in the wake of such a shocking loss comes renewed discussions around MPs' safety.

Former Environment and Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers opens up about the threats she's received, cautions against disrupting constituents' access to their MP and tells Chopper why comments about "Tory scum" just aren't helpful.

Also on the podcast: Andrew Mitchell MP gives us a glimpse behind the fringe in his new memoir and shares a touching memory of his friend Sir David, and former Health Secretary under New Labour Alan Milburn has some words of caution for the government as they embark on pumping money into an ailing NHS (sound familiar?)

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The EU Ambassador to the UK, João Vale de Almeida, joins Christopher Hope on Chopper's Politics as this week Brussels has moved to bend and break their own rules with new proposals to cool tensions over the implementation of Northern Ireland Protocol. He insists the EU isn't a 'punisher', and argues that the European Court of Justice is a necessary referee in football match of the single market. 

The Telegraph's Europe Editor James Crisp and the Whitehall Editor Harry Yorke react to the Ambassador's words, with James' prediction of a future Brexit as a "damp, flaccid, squib" - oh dear... 

Plus co-Chair of The Conservative Steel Caucus Miriam Cates MP makes the case for the importance of steel in the push towards net zero, and also weighs into the row on biological sex versus gender. 

Read more from James Crisp: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/j/ja-je/james-crisp/ |

Read more from Harry Yorke: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/h/ha-he/harry-yorke/ |

The cancellation of women is bigger than a 'culture war', by Miriam Cates: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/10/11/cancellation-women-bigger-culture-war/ | 

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New foreign secretary Liz Truss gives The Telegraph’s Associate Editor, Camilla Tominey the inside line on her first few weeks in the role. Did the appointment come as a surprise? After the fall of Kabul, will she recognise The Taliban as the leaders of Afghanistan? And, in her second role as Women and Equalities Minister, does she still have faith in police chief Cressida Dick following the disturbing revelations surrounding Sarah Everard’s death? All this and more, including Ms Truss’ take on who should play the next James Bond and whether she secretly enjoyed upsetting the French in the recent submarine row.

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

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New Conservative party co-chair Oliver Dowden gives Christopher Hope the inside track on his appointment, including a rather curious instruction bestowed upon him by the PM. But how will he increase party support? Is the membership simply too old? And what will a new HQ in Leeds mean for the grassroots? All this and more, including an attack on the “middle-class outlook” he claims dominates Labour ranks, and a glimpse into the Dowden family dynamics, as the MP tells us why he still gets in trouble with his mum.

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

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New Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries joins Christopher Hope live at the Conservative Party Conference in her first broadcast interview in the role. The best-selling author and MP for Mid-Bedfordshire declares the days of tokenism at the BBC over, dismisses "snobbery" surrounding her appointment, and comes down hard on Angela Rayner's comments about "Tory scum".

Plus: Ms Dorries reveals whether she would pay her TV license if it weren't compulsory and why, as the tenth Culture Secretary in as many years, she's the minister who will stick.

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

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The Leader of the House of Commons, twenty students and a pub in Westminster. Christopher Hope hands the microphone over to the most politically engaged young people since Jacob Rees-Mogg was a lad, as the politics class of St George's School, Harpenden, grill the Conservative MP. Up for discussion: carbon zero, mental health policy and whether his tax affairs are truly above board. Plus, is Mr Rees-Mogg still chasing his own teenage ambition of becoming Prime Minister? And what's his McDonald's order? Listen to find out.

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

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Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy joins Christopher Hope on the podcast this week to talk about why she thinks Labour needs to harness the "quiet patriotism" of the nation, and throws her weight behind Sir Keir Starmer's Labour reforms. Plus, she reveals what top job she's really after (spoiler alert: it's not the Labour leader).

Also on the podcast, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson reacts to President Joe Biden's warning shots to Boris Johnson over the Northern Irish Protocol.

And former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt gives his verdict on whether Paris really should "prenez un grip" after France was left out of the new AUKUS submarine deal.

The French can’t have their cake and eat it, by Jeremy Hunt: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/09/20/french-cant-have-cake-eat/ |

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

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As conference season approaches, how can Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer sell himself to the nation, as well as to the Party itself? One man with a plan is Lord Peter Mandelson, Blairite grandee and one of the architects of New Labour. He tells Christopher Hope whether he thinks Starmer needs a "Kinnock moment", why he thinks the Party needs to lead a "complete rewiring", and in the political bombshell of the century, reveals whether he really mistook mushy peas for guacamole. 

Also on the podcast, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle looks ahead to this weekend's G7 Speakers' Summit in his hometown of Chorley and gives Chris an ultimatum about the Speaker's wig. 

And the Telegraph's own Lucy Fisher gives us a rundown of the movers and shakers of this week's Cabinet reshuffle.

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

Read more from Lucy Fisher: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/l/lu-lz/lucy-fisher/ |

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Listen to Planet Normal: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/planetnormal |

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The biggest tax rises since World War II dominate the discussion this week, with every guest giving their two cents on the government's manifesto-breaking move to fund social care.

Cabinet Office Minister Chloe Smith joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion pub to discuss two new Bills that could, controversially, see passports required at the ballot box, plus she defies critics who say the National Insurance rise is un-Conservative.

Also on the podcast, Martin Baxter from elections experts Electoral Calculus breaks down exclusive polling looking at voting intentions if an election were held tomorrow - and it's not looking good for some big Tory names.

And finally Sir Oliver Letwin talks about his new book, in which he warns government ministers to rapidly change tack on China.

China vs America: A warning, by Oliver Letwin: https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/china-vs-america |

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

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Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey joins Christopher Hope to reflect on the tumultuous exit from Afghanistan and what the UK's future relationship with the country might look like. Speaking in Westminster's legendary Red Lion pub, he dismisses suggestions of a blame game battle between the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence, tells us what he really thinks about the charity chief who evacuated animals out of Kabul, Pen Farthing, and discusses the "wobble in confidence and mojo" in the special relationship. Plus Mr Heappey shares how, as a veteran, the last few weeks have taken their toll. 

Read more from Christopher Hope: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/cf-cj/christopher-hope/ |

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