Real reporting from the coalface of British politics.
Join The Times and The Sunday Times’s political heavyweights Patrick Maguire, Steven Swinford, Gabriel Pogrund and Caroline Wheeler and as they dig deep into the latest tea room tip offs, reveal insider conversations and bring analysis, authority and insight.
No party loyalty. No spin. Not hosted by some old politicians. Taking you into the real business of politics, from those who live it daily.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Real reporting from the coalface of British politics.
Join The Times and The Sunday Times’s political heavyweights Patrick Maguire, Steven Swinford, Gabriel Pogrund and Caroline Wheeler and as they dig deep into the latest tea room tip offs, reveal insider conversations and bring analysis, authority and insight.
No party loyalty. No spin. Not hosted by some old politicians. Taking you into the real business of politics, from those who live it daily.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Starmer wants to win over voters on the cost of living but can he make a convincing case, especially when Nigel Farage is planning to campaign on the same issue? Meanwhile the mood in the Labour Party remains bleak. Will Wes Streeting move against Keir Starmer? It surely can’t go on like this…or can it? Plus, in a new world order, there’s only so long you can sit on the fence.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hold onto your hats for a year that promises plenty of political drama.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Political moment of the year? Civil war of the year? And who or what gets The Actual State of It Award? 2025 offered rich pickings for our inaugural Christmas awards.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Senior Labour figures say a challenge to Keir Starmer's leadership could come as early as next month. But who will move first? Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner are all on manoeuvres.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Angela Rayner turned down a chance to appear on I'm a Celebrity because she wasn't done with politics. Will she return to cabinet or make a bid for the leadership herself? Patrick has been told what she really thinks of the idea of a pact with Wes Streeting.
Also, Keir Starmer's plan for turning things around – and the bear traps on the path ahead.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Clips: The Liz Truss Show
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The budget gave Labour MPs a lift but for how long? They're already getting uneasy, and some members of the cabinet are so cross that they're proactively ringing The Times. Also, Patrick reminisces about his weekend at the Your Party conference...and Brexit makes a comeback.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The dust has settled on Rachel Reeves’s budget. What does it really mean for the country? Is there any real economics behind it? And is it politically fatal for Labour? Tune in to our bonus episode recorded live in Westminster.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Fraser Nelson, columnist, The Times
Mehreen Khan, economics editor, The Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rachel Reeves may have appeased Labour MPs but at what cost? We exclusively reveal just how bad relations are between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana. We also discuss whether recent allegations against Nigel Farage are a big problem for him, and the political fall-out from Gabriel's story that West Midlands Police acted on false intelligence when they banned Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa game.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Clips: Times Radio
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shabana Mahmood brings Blue Labour values to the Home Office, but can the human rights lawyer in Keir Starmer hold the line? Also, after last week's episode unleashed chaos in Westminster, we look at the anatomy of a briefing war and the chancellor's sudden u-turn on income tax. And today's scoop: how the Corbynite left is eating itself while Zack Polanski is eating their lunch.
Warning: offensive language
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Clips: Parliament Live, Times Radio
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We reveal how the prime minister intends to fight a leadership challenge that he now sees as inevitable. Meanwhile the chancellor plans to scrap the two-child benefit cap to appease some Labour MPs, even though there are no votes in it. And why are phrases like 'carpet bombing' and 'harassment' being applied to Steve's reporting style?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Before the election, Rachel Reeves said she wasn't going to raise taxes on working people. Well, guess what? It looks like that's exactly what she's about to do. We reveal the measures the treasury is considering. And even the Labour whips are talking about a spring leadership challenge. Could a former leader make a comeback? And is Keir Starmer's Terminator demeanour helping or hindering him?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this half-term special, Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire tackle the week’s heavyweight political stories. Gabriel lifts the lid on a capital S scoop from his morning's round of whatsapping, and Patrick explores what Plaid Cymru’s triumph in Caerphilly means for Labour and Reform? And has Keir Starmer really gone woke?
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A two-scoop episode. We reveal one of the controversial measures coming in next month's budget. And there's trouble ahead for the UK's most senior official. Both stories raise questions about the government's grip on the levers of power.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Picture credit: Getty Images
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is Tony Blair his own nation state? Did the security minister mislead the House? And what's lurking in the basement of the proposed Chinese embassy? We also hear about Patrick's road trip with Nigel Farage and why the Speaker rang Caroline to say "hello, Mrs Angry".
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
Picture credit: Getty Images
Audio credit: 1942 British Council Film Collection
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We have details about a secret WhatsApp group of MPs who are tempted to move against Kemi Badenoch sooner rather than later. At the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, there's plenty of manoeuvring and existential angst, and you can also hear Patrick Maguire singing along to Tiffany at a 100th birthday disco for Margaret Thatcher.
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The State of It, coming to you from Liverpool where the Labour Party is finishing its annual conference. Keir Starmer's team seem happy after his leader's speech, but what are his MPs really saying about him? Was he wise to call Nigel Farage a racist? How will Rachel Reeves balance the books in November's budget? Oh, and which cabinet ministers excelled at last night's karaoke?
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Caroline Wheeler, political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times
Producer: Euan Dawtrey
Executive producer: Molly Guinness
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Real reporting from the coalface of British politics. Join The Times and The Sunday Times’s political heavyweights Steven Swinford, Caroline Wheeler and Patrick Maguire as they give you the latest tea room tip offs, reveal insider conversations and bring analysis, authority and insight.
No party loyalty. No spin. Not hosted by some old politicians. Taking you into the real business of politics, as only those who live it can.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.