How To Win An Election

How To Defeat The Populists

In the wake of Viktor Orbán's election defeat in Hungary, can we draw conclusions about the limits of populism - and the chances of a recovery by the centre here in the UK?Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo also discuss how government prepares for disaster - from foot-and-mouth disease to fuel protests to looming shortages caused by the war in Iran.And, Polly has a plan to rescue sad, empty historic buildings on our high streets.Send your comments, questions and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How To Sell Starmer The Statesman

The prime minister is trying to appeal to voters ahead of May's elections by talking about conflict overseas - can branding him as a global statesman rescue his premiership, in the same way Gordon Brown tried to survive after the financial crash?With Danny away, we turn to the next generation - Simon Finkelstein, former adviser to Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab (and Danny's nephew) joins Sally, Polly and Hugo.We also discuss whether MPs know enough about the real world - would we be better off with a House Of Commons full of Ed Milibands or Angela Rayners?And, we answer a listener who worries we're too flippant about the remarkable rise of Zack Polanski's Green Party.Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How The Energy Shock Helps Starmer Survive

There's an arms race under way as the parties make competing offers to help with the rising cost of living. Is anyone cutting through to the voters?And as Keir Starmer's rivals consider whether to move against him after May's elections, Danny argues that the looming economic crisis makes it a bad time for them to act.We also find out why Sally introduced 'garish posters and loud music' to Downing Street, and Polly holds forth about barbecues.Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How To Shut Down A Political Conspiracy

Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo discuss the conspiracies swirling around the theft of Morgan McSweeney's mobile phone. How did government work in the pre-smartphone era, when Tony Blair refused to use one?They also explore how political language is evolving (and whether it’s becoming dangerously loose), and imagine what’s more likely - a Lab-Lib coalition or a Tory-Reform alliance.Plus, the team settle a debate you didn't even know existed - chilled vs super-chilled.Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How To Run A Shadow Leadership Campaign

Angela Rayner has fired the opening shot in the leadership race to succeed Keir Starmer, warning that Labour is 'running out of time'.We discuss the art of being on manoeuvres without being caught doing it - from Michael Portillo installing the phone lines, to Rishi Sunak's team secretly registering 'readyforrishi.com'.And, will any of the potential candidates - including Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting, Andy Burnham or even John Healey - actually be ready to go if the party suffers a heavy defeat in the local elections in May?We also give (unsolicited) reading suggestions for Keir Starmer:Sally: The Choice Before the Labour Party, RH TawneyPolly: The Man Who Planted Trees, Jean GionoDanny: Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer, Patrick Maguire and Gabriel PogrundHugo: Guards! Guards! Terry PratchettSend your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.