Is this batch of politicians the worst ever? Matt Chorley speaks to journalists Isabel Hardman and Elinor Goodman, Dr Will Jennings and father of the House Sir Peter Bottomley on the calibre of current crop against MPs of the past. 
PLUS FINKELVITCH: Daniel Finkelstein and David Aaronovitch discuss the government obesity strategy and Putin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Worst MPs Ever

Join Matt Chorley as he guides you through what really matters&nbsp;in British politics. Formerly the Red Box podcast, he brings together the best interviews, smartest analysis and funniest panel discussions from his Times Radio show,&nbsp;Politics Without The Boring Bits.
Listen live on DAB, smart speaker or app 10am-1pm Monday to Friday. If you like what you hear, then read more at&nbsp;http://www.thetimes.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News & Politics

News

Politics

Matt Chorley and Patrick Maguire pause and unpack the action from the Commons chamber, as Tory MP for Dover Natalie Elphicke defects to Labour moments before PMQs.
Plus: Columnists Alice Thomson and Robert Crampton discuss never-ending Tory plots, whether the police do enough to tackle stalking, and whether cycling can be cool.
Columnists: (01:24)  PMQs Unpacked: (23:00) 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PMQs: Dover And Out

Mortgage costs went up after Liz Truss' mini-budget in 2022, and are yet to come down. As new analysis of the local election results suggests that support for the Conservatives dropped more sharply in areas where there are more mortgage holders, Matt tries to get to the bottom of who is really to blame.
PLUS: As the Liberal Democrats table another motion of no-confidence in the government to try and trigger an election, Matt asks The Times' Tom Peck - what's the point? 
No-confidence (08:31) Did Liz Truss Really Screw Your Mortgage? (14:52) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Liz Truss Really Screw Your Mortgage?

Description: Matt sits down with MPs leaving Parliament at the next election to find out about their highs and lows, their best and worst bosses, and the lessons they've learned from politics. Conservative MP Craig Whittaker tells Matt about being deputy chief whip in Liz Truss's government, what it's been like having stalkers, and the ‘rot’ inside the Tory party.
Plus: Columnists Rachel Sylvester and Libby Purves discuss the return of the 'coalition of chaos' and whether student protests are effective.
The Columnists: (01:50) The Big Thing: (20:22) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Exit Interview: Craig Whittaker

After a difficult set of election results for the Conservatives, including a by-election defeat in Blackpool South, Matt looks at what they mean for the parties and for Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer as elections expert John Curtice says that losing is the government's "habit".
Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Marriott discuss why neither of them voted, whether they sympathise with Boris Johnson who forgot his ID at the polling booth, and what it means for politics that young people are becoming more religious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Losing Is Becoming A Habit

In half a century just three opposition leaders have become prime minister. 45 years after Margaret Thatcher arrived in Downing Street, Matt hears from the people who knew her best - including Conservative colleagues Ken Clarke, Jonathan Aitken, and David Howell, aide turned author Michael Dobbs, her biographer Charles Moore, and her daughter Carol Thatcher.
Plus: Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss the SNP's leadership struggles, is noise in the Commons a good thing, and whether you should trust attractive politicians. 
The Columnists: (01:00) The Big Thing: (22:27) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Worst MPs Ever

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