Tonight, the two contenders for prime minister take part in their first head-to-head TV debate. Meanwhile, unnoticed by the general public, one former diplomat has played a key role in the contest, as part of his mission to create a new ideological faction. The Frost story – and various sliding doors moments along the way – could explain how the Conservative Party got to this point, and where it’s heading… This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.  Guest: Oliver Wright, Policy Editor, The Times. Host: David Aaronovitch. Clips: BBC News, Sky News, TalkTV, Times Radio, GB News, Policy Exchange, Food and Drink Federation, Centre for Policy Studies, BBC Radio 4, Unherd. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.