Arlene Foster, First Minister of Northern Ireland, joins Christopher Hope to discuss the meeting of the decade's two biggest stories: Brexit and the pandemic. She tells us why she's outraged at new regulations banning soil from crossing the English-Northern Irish border, and why she's going to remind the Prime Minister of his infamous "customs forms in the bin" speech when they meet on Wednesday.

Plus, Theresa Villiers MP on how the UK can capitalise on freedom from EU regulations and former British Ambassador to France and Washington, Sir Peter Westmacott on whether the UK and the EU can kiss and make up... and partying with President Joe Biden. 

They Call it Diplomacy: Forty Years of Representing Britain Abroad by Peter Westmacott: https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Call-Diplomacy-Peter-Westmacott/dp/1800240961/ |

Listen to Brian Moore's Full Contact: https://www.playpodca.st/fullcontact |

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Could the academic year be the latest victim of the Covid cancellation? Headteacher and education reformer, Katharine Birbalsingh, joins Christopher Hope to make her case for keeping children back a year. She tells us shy screens are no replacement for teachers, and why she does have some sympathy for a certain Education Secretary... 

Plus former Newsnight presenter, Gavin Esler on the likelihood of Scottish independence, featuring a quick burst of Scottish mythology for anyone not paying attention at the back.

And the Telegraph's outgoing US Editor Ben Riley-Smith on what it was really like reporting on the Trump political circus, featuring a cameo from Chris' talking Trump pen.

How Britain Ends: English Nationalism and the Rebirth of Four Nations, by Gavin Esler: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Britain-Ends-English-Nationalism/dp/1800241054/ |

To read more from Ben Riley-Smith: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/ben-riley-smith/ |

Listen to the Juggling Act: https://www.playpodca.st/jugglingact |

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Departing General Secretary of UNISON, Dave Prentis, joins Christopher Hope on this week's Chopper's Politics to talk about how paying frontline workers a decent wage would be a better "thank you" than any honour, and why he thinks it was a mistake not to speak out about Labour infighting. Plus he reveals his unusual retirement gift from his colleagues... 

Also on the podcast, leader of the SDP William Coulston talks ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Limehouse Declaration. He tells us why he won't be teaming up with Nigel Farage any time soon, and why he believes his party is still relevant in the 21st Century. Plus Telegraph columnist Juliet Samuel on why she thinks Britain's nimble vaccine taskforce puts EU bureaucracy to shame. 

To read more from Juliet Samuel: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/juliet-samuel/ |

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The first ever EU Ambassador to the UK, João Vale de Almeida, joins Christopher Hope on this week's Chopper's Politics to talk about the new 'special relationship', how he's teaching himself why people might have voted Brexit, and reveals his past life and friendship with a certain tousle-haired Prime Minister...

Plus the Minister for Loneliness, Baroness Barran, on why we shouldn't forget about young people when talking about loneliness and how she recommends volunteering to those feeling isolated.

Bryony Gordon's Mad World podcast: https://www.playpodca.st/madworld |

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Nigel Farage was the first to tell you Donald Trump would win the presidential election. So where did it all go wrong? And what does his departure really mean for global populism? In his first interview since last week's violence in Washington, he tells Christopher Hope why the Republican Party could soon split, and warns that if social media companies continue silencing Mr Trump, then what fills his place could be "very sinister indeed". 

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In out, in out... With England heading into its third national lockdown roughly a month after coming out of one, Christopher Hope is joined for an extra episode of Chopper's Politics by the Telegraph's Deputy Political Editor Lucy Fisher and Science Editor Sarah Knapton, to discuss the ins and outs. 

Should the decision have come sooner? What will the political fallout be? And what does it mean for how the government, and ordinary people, will cope with the virus going forward? All discussed within. 

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This time last year then Government minister, George Freeman and former special adviser to Amber Rudd and Liz Truss, Jason Stein, joined Christopher Hope in the Red Lion to analyse what the year ahead will bring. It's safe to say... they got a few things wrong.

Here they look back at their predictions for 2020, and make a few more for the new year. Will Tory infighting be a thing of the past in 2021? Will the UK strike a trade deal with the United States? And will life get back to "normal"?

Plus Deborah Mattinson, author of ‘Beyond the Red Wall’, reveals which party leader is viewed as a 'sheep' as the year comes to a close.

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Sir Bill Cash and Mark Francois were among the 28 Tory MPs who didn’t support Theresa May’s Brexit deal. But now, they’re backing Boris Johnson’s. They tell Christopher Hope why he was the right leader for the job, how the EU may yet try to renege on some of its concessions, and what they’ll be doing to mark Brexit at 11pm on New Year’s Eve.

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We all need some Christmas cheer, so join the Chopper's Politics team for a jovial listen back over 2020 in this Christmas special. Christopher Hope dips back into some of the best interviews of the year, with highlights from the Big Brexit Lock-in all the way back in January, Piers Morgan giving his Trump predictions for 2021, some behind the scene bloopers (altogether now, "you're on mute!"), and much more.

Plus in what has become a seasonal tradition here on the podcast, mellow voiced Geoffrey Cox MP QC with a festive reading from A Christmas Carol. 

For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/chopper |

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Put on your party-hats, it's time for a festive chat about... trade deals! Brexit adviser to Theresa May, Raoul Ruparel joins Christopher Hope to discuss whether his old boss would have been happy with where things stand now, and former MEP David Campbell-Bannerman says we all need to calm down about the ramifications of leaving without a trade deal. 

Plus the authorised biographer of Margaret Thatcher, the Telegraph's own Charles Moore, on how he thinks The Crown's Gillian Anderson captures just one aspect of the late PM and whether he still believes Olivia Colman's face is too "left-wing" to play the Queen. 

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