Is there a point in an election campaign when you realise that the game is up and you're going to lose? And can you admit it when it happens? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss whether Rishi Sunak has another roll of the dice, why Polly planned for a coalition that never happened, and when Peter, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown knew they had no chance of beating the Tories. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to...

What is Rishi Sunak's political legacy, and has he still got time to build one? The political masterminds discuss when leaders have left a lasting change - and whether they can ever leave the public wanting more. Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to talk about legacy, why Rachel Reeves is using the word 'gaslighting', and why Peter thinks the Green Party is becoming a 'dustbin' for the hard left. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to...

In a special bonus episode of the podcast, Matt and the political masterminds analyse the local elections results in front of a live audience. How easy is it to spin your way out of a heavy election defeat, has Rishi Sunak done enough to see off Tory rebels, and should Labour be talking more about Liz Truss? Send questions, comments and voicenotes to [email protected], or WhatsApp 0333 00 323 53 with the words 'How To Win'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there anything that Rishi Sunak can do to defy political gravity and deny Labour a majority? And after flying high for so long, can the SNP find a new leader that will help them turn the page? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss the turmoil in Scottish politics, whether Labour is overpromising, and Conservative fortunes heading into the local elections in England and Wales. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to...

There's currently no vacancy for the leadership of the Conservative Party, but that hasn't stopped potential candidates from positioning themselves for life after Rishi Sunak. Matt Chorley asks the political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein how to get the top job without being seen to wield the knife. After Rishi Sunak turns on Liz Truss, has he been taking their advice? And what will happen if Donald Trump endorses Nigel Farage during the election...

How much lasting damage has Liz Truss done to the Conservative Party, and any future leaders hoping to pursue a radical tax-cutting agenda? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss the former prime minister's new book and whether she wants her party to win or lose the election. And with local elections on the way, does expectation management really work - and could a defeat even lead to Rishi Sunak walking away from Downing...

This week in 2010 saw the UK's first ever TV debate between the party leaders. Campaign insiders Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to remember the advice they gave at the time. Why did Tony Blair warn Peter not to talk up Nick Clegg's performance, why did David Cameron tell Danny he'd been nervous for the first time in his political life, and would they advise Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer to take part this time around? Send questions, comments and...

We're answering your questions this week, including whether Prime Minister's Questions really matters, how important is it to win the support of the newspapers, and does negative campaigning work? Matt Chorley is joined by the political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to [email protected], or WhatsApp 0333 00 323 53 with the words 'How To Win'. And we'll be recording a special episode of the podcast in front of...

Who is writing the manifestos ahead of the General Election, and how are the parties planning to make them grab the public's attention without blowing up during the campaign? Election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to talk about 1983's 'longest suicide note in history', and the time Theresa May kept the manifesto secret from her own cabinet. We also hear why Peter's upset the unions, why H'Angus the Monkey won an election, and whether the...

In the US, Taylor Swift could have the power to swing the presidential election. As famous faces come out to back Keir Starmer's plans for the arts, we ask when a celebrity endorsement can boost a campaign... and when it can go badly wrong. The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss star power, and who could be the next Conservative leader - could the runners and riders include Michael Gove and even David Cameron? Send...

Can Rishi Sunak hold his party together, or is former deputy chairman Lee Anderson's departure a sign of even more Tory unrest ahead? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to look at what happens when politicians defect, from the Gang of Four to Change UK. And how did Keir Starmer react to Peter's diet advice? Send questions, comments and voicenotes to [email protected], or WhatsApp 0333 00 323 53 with the words 'How To...

Can Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak use the Budget to shift the dial, leave the cupboard bare for Labour, and even prepare the ground for a May election? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to look at when budgets go right, and when they go wrong. And as the prime minister and his wife discuss stacking the dishwasher, is it a good idea for politicians to show they're human after all? Send questions, comments and voicenotes to...

Liz Truss has been in the US, appearing alongside Trump strategist Steve Bannon and blaming the 'deep state' for forcing her from office. Should Rishi Sunak act, and even kick her out of the party? Matt Chorley and the election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein discuss whether the prime minister could take a stand against his predecessor, why Parliament is in a mess over Gaza, and what it's like to stand in an unwinnable seat. Send questions, comments and...

Is it the economy, stupid, that will decide the election? Could green shoots come to the government's rescue? Political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to look at what happens when the country goes to the polls during a recession. They also find out why Polly's gone viral, how parties vet candidates, and when politics has moved them to tears. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to [email protected], or WhatsApp 0333 00 323 53...

Working round the clock, sleeping in the office and eating sugary cereals. How do the people working on the inside of a campaign survive all the way to polling day? Is Boris Johnson's coalition of voters lost forever? And where's the best place to watch the exit poll come in? The political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to answer some of your questions, and to find out what music Peter should walk on to. Send questions, comments and...

Focus groups, along with opinion polls, are vital for political parties and election campaigns. Peter Mandelson discusses introducing them to British politics, Polly Mackenzie explains why the Lib Dems could never afford them, and even Daniel Finkelstein agrees they make a difference. The political masterminds join Matt Chorley to talk about when to follow the polls and when to ignore them, Liz Truss's Popular Conservatives, and who has met the most prime ministers? Send questions, comments...

How do you plan, negotiate and form a coalition? Should Labour be thinking more seriously about doing a deal with the Liberal Democrats? And have we finally found out what Danny thinks makes a difference to the outcome of the election? Matt Chorley is joined by political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein to lift the lid on the last coalition negotiations in 2010, including who had done their homework, who wore shorts and who brought the best snacks. Send...

Will Nigel Farage and Reform UK split the Conservative vote, and could Jeremy Corbyn launch a new left-wing party to take votes from Labour? Political masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt Chorley to discuss local elections, access talks, and have they ever been inspired by The West Wing or The Thick Of It? Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With at least two by-elections on the way, what impact will they have on Rishi Sunak if he keeps losing? Do they tell us any more than an opinion poll? And how did an American intern saddle Peter with an apocryphal story about mushy peas? Matt Chorley and election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein also discuss how the return of Donald Trump will influence the UK General Election. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected] Hosted on...

With Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey in the headlines for his role in the Post Office scandal, will his opponents be able to turn his track record against him? Matt Chorley is joined by Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein to discuss Davey's (possible) downfall, whether Rishi Sunak really will wait until the autumn to go to the polls, and why the prime minister decided to switch strategy. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected] Hosted on...

It's the start of a huge political year, and Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are planning big speeches to try and frame the coming general election. Should the Conservatives 'let Sunak be Sunak', does Dominic Cummings have the answers, and is Labour's plan to borrow £28bn a gift to the Tories? Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein join Matt to discuss the choices facing the leaders, and to look at some of the other big elections taking place around the world in 2024. Send...

In a special end of year episode we answer some of your biggest political questions, including: Who will be in Downing Street and the White House this time next year? Will Nigel Farage try to join the Tories? And do the closing days of an election campaign make any difference? There are Christmas crackers in the studio as election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein sit down and talk turkey with Matt Chorley. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to:...

Can Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer tell a decent gag, and does it matter? Why did 'From Stalin to Mr Bean' do so much damage to Gordon Brown, and why did Nick Clegg once compare David Cameron to Toilet Duck? Matt Chorley and election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein remember when politicians being funny made a difference, and when their side-splitters fell flat. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See...

The next election is set to be the most expensive in history. But why are people giving so much to the Conservatives when the party is in chaos? Does the party with the deepest pockets win? And was the Ed Stone a cold hard waste of cash? Matt Chorley asks election masterminds Peter Mandelson, Polly Mackenzie and Daniel Finkelstein about the role of money in politics, and whether they think the chances of an early election are rising. Send questions, comments and voicenotes to:...