How To Win An Election

Jan 28 2025 62 ep. 39 mins 672
How To Win An Election Podcast artwork

The Times brings together some of the most experienced strategists in British politics to discuss what's really going on behind the big stories, and elections taking place here and around the world.

Daniel Finkelstein and Polly Mackenzie join Hugo Rifkind for an intelligent, adversarial and witty conversation every week.

Follow the podcast now to never miss an episode.

Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected]

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How To Hang Out Your Political Washing

Jan 28 2025 41 mins  
How much time in Number 10 is devoted to getting on with the business of government, and how much to thinking about winning the next election?Sally Morgan, one of Tony Blair's closest advisers, joins Hugo, Polly and Danny to discuss running a campaign and delivering at the same time. She explains what a political washing line is, why Liz Truss was all line and no clothes, and they

How To Respond To Trump

Jan 21 2025 40 mins  
Keir Starmer is on a charm offensive with Donald Trump - does it give Labour's opponents an electoral advantage?The political masterminds (and Hugo) are joined by US pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson to discuss Trump's inauguration, his honeymoon (or otherwise), and Polly and Kristen disagree over Republican women.You can still vote for us in the People's Choice category at this yea

How To Stop Your Missions Becoming Impossible

Jan 14 2025 41 mins  
With Reform closing in on Labour in the polls and questions being asked about the chancellor's political survival, how can the government get on with the day job of changing the country?The political masterminds are joined by guest Peter Hyman, former adviser to Tony Blair and Keir Starmer and architect of the government's five "missions for national renewal".And... the podcast has

How To Say Goodbye To Peter

Jan 07 2025 42 mins  
The political masterminds (and Hugo) say farewell to Peter before he heads to Washington as the UK's ambassador to the United States. Has he packed his wellies, and could there be another comeback around the corner?Danny, Polly and Hugo also discuss who should replace him, and with local elections in England on the way - who will win the battle for control of the right of politics?

How To Stop Political Chaos Ruining Christmas

Dec 17 2024 47 mins  
Peter, Polly and Danny are answering your questions this week. When has politics ruined their Christmas - or in Polly's case, a hen do? Will there be a realignment on the left to threaten Keir Starmer? Why did Jo Swinson help Boris Johnson into Downing Street? And should politicians risk a holiday?Send your messages to the political masterminds (and Hugo) at at [email protected]

How To See Off An Insurgent Party

Dec 10 2024 41 mins  
Nigel Farage's Reform UK is on a roll, but can the political masterminds see a time when he breaks the traditional two-party system? How would they advise Labour and the Tories to deal with the threat - and how would they advise Farage?They also look back to Ed Miliband's decision not to back air strikes against Syria in 2013, and Peter remembers a three-hour meeting with the count

How To Keep Blaming Your Predecessors

Dec 03 2024 41 mins  
The prime minister wants to blame the last government for leaving the economy in a mess, just like David Cameron did in 2010 - but is the strategy working, and for how long?The political masterminds - and Hugo - discuss the whether voters will reward Starmer for being sensible, whether he should be more like Harold Wilson, and whether any Western government can get to grips with mi

How To Prepare For PMQs

Nov 26 2024 42 mins  
Peter, Polly and Danny explain what goes on inside 10 Downing Street - and the Leader of the Opposition's office - in the days and hours before Prime Minister's Questions. Why is it often the only way a PM can find out what's going on in their own government, and does Kemi Badenoch have a strategy yet?How much politics is involved in the free vote on assisted dying, and why doesn't

How to Handle Elon Musk (And The Farmers)

Nov 19 2024 42 mins  
How should Keir Starmer cope with criticism from the world's richest man (and Trump adviser) Elon Musk - ignore him, or try to build bridges through mutual friends?And how worried should the government be as farmers protest over changes to inheritance tax? The political masterminds, and Hugo, look at the parallels with protests during the Blair years.Send messages to Hugo, Peter, P

How To Work Out Why You Lost

Nov 12 2024 44 mins  
When you've lost an election, how do you work out what went wrong - and do you always have to blame the leader? The political masterminds (and Hugo Rifkind) look at what went wrong for Kamala Harris, and bicker (a little bit) over the Brexit referendum.And, what does Peter have to say about speculation he could be the next UK ambassador to the US?Send messages to Hugo, Peter, Polly