Red Lines

By BBC Radio Ulster

What's Red Lines about?

The back-stop’s here? Bad puns with top political coverage from Northern Ireland. Red Lines brings you essential analysis and commentary by BBC NI’s politics team.

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Red Lines episodes:

06.26.2024
The Constituency Profiles: Belfast North, South, East and West.
Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Brendan Hughes and Suzanne Breen to look at the race for Westminster in four more constituencies.
06.19.2024
The Constituency Profiles: North, South and East Antrim.
Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Jayne McCormack and Stephen Walker to look at the Westminster race in three more constituencies.
06.12.2024
The Constituency Profiles: Lagan Valley, Upper Bann and Newry & Armagh
Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Suzanne Breen and Gareth Gordon to assess the candidates running for Westminster in Lagan Valley, Upper Bann and Newry & Armagh.
06.05.2024
The Constituency Profiles: Foyle & East Londonderry
Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Enda McClafferty & Freya McClements to assess the candidates running for Westminster in Foyle & East Londonderry.
05.29.2024
The Constituency Profiles: N Down, S Down and Strangford.
Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Jayne McCormack and Stephen Walker to assess the candidates running for Westminster in North Down, South Down and Strangford.
05.15.2024
Stop the votes?
Will Rishi Sunak's Rwanda policy impact the local elections in the Republic?
05.09.2024
From unionism to unity
DUP founding member Wallace Thompson tells Mark Caruthers about his changing political views and how other unionists have told him they agree a united Ireland is "inevitable".
04.17.2024
The Stormont Insider - Money for nothing
Mark Carruthers is joined by Deirdre Hargey, Jonathan Buckley, Eóin Tennyson, John Stewart, Matthew O'Toole and Gerry Carroll to discuss the perilous state of Stormont finances.
03.27.2024
Pact to the future
Mark Carruthers asks Gareth Gordon, Suzanne Breen and David McCann for their General Election predictions.
02.21.2024
Casement snark
Mark Carruthers is joined by Jayne McCormack, David McCann and MLAs Sorcha Eastwood, Mike Nesbitt and Colin McGrath to discuss Casement Park, Assembly tensions and Dublin money.
02.06.2024
Back to School
Mark is joined by Gareth Gordon & a few MLAs as Stormont gets back up and running.
02.01.2024
Red Lines: The Michelle O'Neill interview
First broadcast in August 2022: Mark Carruthers talks to Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill about her life in politics.
01.17.2024
Is anyone in charge?
Who is actually running Northern Ireland?
12.13.2023
The Long and the Short of 2023
Mark Carruthers reviews the year with the stars of 'The Long And The Short Of It', Tim McGarry and Dr David Hume, and Prof Deirdre Heenan, Newton Emerson and Gareth Gordon.
11.24.2023
Red, White and New
What would unionism look like if it realigned into two new parties? A traditional one and the other more socially liberal. Darran Marshall asks the experts.
11.08.2023
Sinn Féin: Will their day come in 2024?
Ahead of the party's ard fheis, the panel discuss what's next for Sinn Féin? Mark is joined by Elaine Loughlin, Brian Feeney & Newton Emerson.
10.11.2023
Has Sir Jeffrey played a blinder?
Mark Carruthers asks Enda McClafferty, Suzanne Breen and Chris Donnelly if the DUP Leader has actually played a difficult political game very skilfully.
09.14.2023
Blue Lights
Former PSNI Chief Constable Sir George Hamilton speaks exclusively to Mark Carruthers about the crisis in policing. With analysis from Allison Morris & Dr Jonny Byrne
08.23.2023
Red Lines: The Eamonn McCann Interview
Mark Carruthers talks to Eamonn McCann about his influences & inspirations.
08.16.2023
Red Lines: the Ciarán Hinds Interview
Mark Carruthers talks to actor Ciarán Hinds about his influences & inspirations.
08.09.2023
Red Lines: The Kate Hoey Interview
Mark Carruthers talks to Baroness Hoey about her influences & inspirations.
08.02.2023
Red Lines: The Joe Brolly Interview
Mark Carruthers talks to Joe Brolly about his influences & inspirations.
07.11.2023
Season Finale - What next?
Mark Carruthers asks Suzanne Breen, Brendan Hughes and Jayne McCormack to predict the political future in Belfast, London and Dublin.
07.05.2023
The Troubles: Disputed narratives.
Mark and guests chat about how museums tell the stories of The Troubles.
06.29.2023
Self Defence
Does Ireland's long-standing policy of neutrality remain fit for purpose in an ever-changing global landscape? Mark Carruthers is joined by John O'Brennan, Professor of European Politics at Maynooth University, Dr Karen Devine a lecturer in International Relations at Dublin City...
06.21.2023
Stuffed or stuck? What next for the SNP & Scottish independence?
Mark and guests assess the political landscape in Scotland.
06.14.2023
United Ireland: For richer or poorer?
Assessing the state of the economies in Northern Ireland & the Republic.
06.07.2023
Trading the Union
Mark Carruthers speaks to academic and author Aaron Edwards and former BBC NI Political Editor Mark Devenport about how unionists face up to the debate on constitutional change.
05.31.2023
Three Derry Corner
Mark Carruthers speaks to newly-returned Derry City and Strabane Councillors Ryan McCready, Lilian Seenoi-Barr and Shaun Harkin.
05.23.2023
Red Lines: Redrawing the electoral map?
What impact could the local election results have on the battle for Westminster seats?
05.17.2023
'Vote till you boke'
Mark Carruthers is joined by Jon Tonge, Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool, freelance writer and broadcaster, Amanda Ferguson and BBC NI Political correspondent,Gareth Gordon
05.10.2023
#LE23 Other
After looking at the challenges facing both nationalism and unionism in the run up to the local council election, Mark is joined by David McCann, Deputy Editor of Slugger O'Toole, Suzanne Breen, the Belfast Telegraph's Political Editor and BBC NI's...
05.03.2023
#LE23 - Nationalists
Mark Carruthers profiles the issues within nationalism with Dr David McCann, Jayne McCormack & Brendan Hughes ahead of the local government election.
04.26.2023
#LE23 - Unionists
Mark Caruthers profiles the issues within unionism with Dr David McCann, Sam McBride and Gareth Gordon ahead of the local government election.
04.19.2023
Getting the band back together
World leaders past and present were at Queen's University this week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Mark Carruthers is joined by former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern,Tony Blair's former Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell, Professor Monica McWilliams,and...
04.05.2023
The President is coming to town.
Mark and guests chat about US presidential visits to Northern Ireland
03.29.2023
GFA#3 The Dealmakers
There was a lot of heavy-lifting done by a lot of people to make the Good Friday Agreement happen, but some key individuals shouldered more of the burden than others. Mark Carruthers is joined by David Kerr, the former Director...
03.22.2023
From our own Correspondents
Recorded in front of a live audience as guests of the Imagine! Belfast Festival, Mark Carruthers is joined by Suzanne Breen, Political Editor of the Belfast Telegraph, Mark Devenport, former Political Editor of BBC NI and Gareth Gordon, Political Correspondent...
03.15.2023
Playing the part
Mark Carruthers talks to writer Owen McCafferty, director Charlie Westenra and stars Dan Gordon and Andrea Irvine.
03.08.2023
Taking on the trolls
Mark Carruthers is joined by the BBC's Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent, Marianna Spring, BBC NI's Health Correspondent, Marie-Louise Connolly and Professor Deirdre Heenan to talk about their experiences dealing with online abuse and discuss what more platforms can do...
03.01.2023
Unravelling the Windsor knot
Mark Carruthers assesses the Windsor Framework and whether the DUP will accept it with Gareth Gordon, John Campbell and Suzanne Breen.
02.22.2023
GFA#2 Women of the hour
Mark Carruthers is joined by Bronagh Hinds, one of the founding members of the Women's Coalition, Dawn Purvis, a former MLA and leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, Kathleen Stephens, the former US Consul General in Belfast and Liz...
02.15.2023
D(UP)-Day
What are the big decisions facing the DUP & Sir Jeffrey Donaldson?
02.08.2023
Reading the Right
Mark & guests discuss the recent anti-migrant protests in the Republic.
02.01.2023
Coiled springs?
Mark Carruthers speaks to MLAs Patricia O'Lynn, Diane Forsythe and Mike Nesbitt about what they've been doing while Stormont hasn't been sitting.
01.25.2023
GFA25: Ep 1 - The Fourth Estate
Mark Carruthers looks back on the Good Friday Agreement with journalists Mark Simpson, David Davin-Power, Martin Fletcher and former NIO official Mary Madden.
01.18.2023
Caution;Tunnel Ahead
Mark Carruthers is joined by BBC NI's Economics and Business Editor, John Campbell, RTE's Europe Editor, Tony Connelly, Jess Sargeant from the Institute for Government, to discuss not the details of a potential deal but the process of getting all...
01.11.2023
Protocol, pounds and patients
Mark Carruthers asks Jayne McCormack, John Campbell and Marie-Louise Connolly to predict what lies ahead this year.
12.20.2022
Review of the Year
Mark Carruthers asks Tim McGarry, Enda McClafferty, Deirdre Heenan and Newton Emerson to cast their minds back to the highlights of 2022.
12.14.2022
Leo V 2.0
Leo Varadkar returns as Taoiseach this weekend. Where might Micheál Martin go?

What's Red Lines about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Red Lines episodes:

The Constituency Profiles: Belfast North, South, East and West.

The Constituency Profiles: North, South and East Antrim.

The Constituency Profiles: Lagan Valley, Upper Bann and Newry & Armagh

The Constituency Profiles: Foyle & East Londonderry

The Constituency Profiles: N Down, S Down and Strangford.

Stop the votes?

From unionism to unity

The Stormont Insider - Money for nothing

Pact to the future

Casement snark

Back to School

Red Lines: The Michelle O'Neill interview

Is anyone in charge?

The Long and the Short of 2023

Red, White and New

Sinn Féin: Will their day come in 2024?

Has Sir Jeffrey played a blinder?

Blue Lights

Red Lines: The Eamonn McCann Interview

Red Lines: the Ciarán Hinds Interview

Red Lines: The Kate Hoey Interview

Red Lines: The Joe Brolly Interview

Season Finale - What next?

The Troubles: Disputed narratives.

Self Defence

Stuffed or stuck? What next for the SNP & Scottish independence?

United Ireland: For richer or poorer?

Trading the Union

Three Derry Corner

Red Lines: Redrawing the electoral map?

'Vote till you boke'

#LE23 Other

#LE23 - Nationalists

#LE23 - Unionists

Getting the band back together

The President is coming to town.

GFA#3 The Dealmakers

From our own Correspondents

Playing the part

Taking on the trolls

Unravelling the Windsor knot

GFA#2 Women of the hour

D(UP)-Day

Reading the Right

Coiled springs?

GFA25: Ep 1 - The Fourth Estate

Caution;Tunnel Ahead

Protocol, pounds and patients

Review of the Year

Leo V 2.0

Other shows like Red Lines: