Olympian James Cracknell joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion to explain why he hopes become a Tory MP, appropriately in Henley on Thames, and how he would react if a certain blonde, former PM tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to step aside...

Also on the podcast, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer MP, fresh from a busy few weeks with the Coronation and then Eurovision, encourages Britain to embrace its cultural soft power, and urges charities to stay out of politics.

Plus former producer to Andrew Neil, Jeremy Paxman and Emily Maitlis, Rob Burley reveals which revered TV legend once wrote a speech for then Prime Minister Thatcher, putting to bed the idea that journalists now are more biased, and shares his top interviewing tips with Chopper, not that he needs them...

Why is this lying bastard lying to me? by Rob Burley

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

Sign up to the Chopper's Politics newsletter: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politicsnewsletter |

Read Chopper's Peterborough diary: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/peterborough-diary |

Listen to Off Script: www.playpodca.st/offsctipt|

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.