How To Win An Election

Does big money win elections? As Reform UK receives record sums from billionaire donors, we look at what it will take to translate the cash into votes. The team recalls the fall-out from the Bernie Ecclestone affair and the cash-for-honours scandal during the Blair years, and both Danny and Sally say they've been approached by people asking for a peerage. Plus: After the 'Gail's' strategy, what do the Liberal Democrats need to do to get out of the electoral doldrums? Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Video editor: Kim McCarthy Executive Producer: Andrew Alexander Picture: Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump faces accusations of bribery after promising every adult $5,000 if they vote Republican - but Danny says he advised Rishi Sunak to present tax cuts to the British public in the same way. The political masterminds also consider whether Andy Burnham made a mistake in saying national security can't come at the expense of social security, whether the British government's sanctions on Israeli settlements are born from principle or political calculation, and at what point the voters notice sleaze. The book Danny refers to is The Rise of Reform by Nick Tyrone. It's available to order at the Times Bookshop where Times Plus members can get a 20% discount. Send your comments, questions and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Executive Producer: Andrew Alexander Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's a by-election on the way, thanks to Keir Starmer's decision to stand down as MP for Holborn and St Pancras. Green Party leader Zack Polanski wants to stand - just how big a risk is he taking, and could he fall flat on his face? The team have been looking into the likely scenarios. We also talk about Andy Burnham's ongoing efforts to do politics differently, and we try to give Reform advice on how to get back on track after a tricky summer. But does Nigel Farage really want to campaign all the way to the next election? Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigel Farage has seen off along list of novelty candidates to increase his majority in the Clacton by-election. The Reform UK leader says it's a resounding victory, but over whom? And if it was, why wasn't he been out trumpeting the result? The political masterminds (well, most of them) return from their summer break to explain what the outcome means for the general election, and whether the 'Burnham Bounce' has actually been a bit flat. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk. The podcast will be back on September 3. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham’s first week in Downing Street has been full of promises - but can he keep everyone happy and still balance the books? Hugo, Sally, Polly and Danny look at the prime minister’s first week in power, from his plans for public services and tax cuts, to the questions over how he will pay for them. They also discuss John Healey’s appointment as Chancellor, the fallout from the purge of Starmer allies, and whether Burnham’s approach risks trying to please everyone. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham will soon be making his first speech from Downing Street as prime minister - how will he introduce himself to the nation? The team discuss striking the right balance between optimism and acknowledging the scale of the challenge, and look back at their role in preparing speeches for Tony Blair, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. And, does the choice of lectern actually matter? We also answer a question from a listener who asks whether Nigel Farage could lose the Clacton by-election. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the political masterminds are answering more of your questions. Does Andy Burnham risk becoming all things to all people, and will that inevitably result in disappointment? What jobs would Sally, Polly and Danny have in No 10 North? Have former military figures seized the agenda over defence spending, and is Labour worrying enough about a possible Tory revival? Send your voicenotes, questions and comments to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk And you can watch the podcast on YouTube here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nigel Farage has announced his resignation as an MP, saying he will fight a 'people versus the establishment' by-election in Clacton. Is it a high risk stunt by the Reform UK leader? When have by-elections backfired in the past, and will it make questions about his finances, and his future, go away? Hugo, Sally, Polly and Danny analyse Farage's gamble. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What have we learned so far about Andy Burnham's plan for government? Danny has been reading his book, Head North, and thinks he's proposing a clear left turn when it comes to the economy and public services. Does Burnham's vision of a more devolved United Kingdom add up to an electoral strategy, or is that actually coming from Morgan McSweeney's playbook? Plus: We're joined by comedian and host of the How To Win The World Cup podcast Matt Forde to discuss whether success on the football pitch can give a boost at the ballot box. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The team bring their years of experience inside Downing Street to the question of how Andy Burnham will construct his cabinet, and who he could pick as chancellor. After the return of James Purnell as chief of staff, is there a risk of having too many veterans of the Blair and Brown years back in power? And - Polly sets out her vision for replacing Chequers with a Mar-a-Lago-style resort in Blackpool. Send your questions, voicenotes and views on Polly's policy to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally and Danny join Hugo for this extra episode to examine the Keir Starmer legacy - if there is one - and ask whether Andy Burnham could be a more consequential leader than the consensus gives him credit for. And, how will Reform UK attack Burnham - can they make the label 'Captain Flip-flop' stick? Send your comments, questions and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham has won, and won big in the Makerfield by-election - what happens next in Downing Street and the Labour Party, and what does it all mean for the next general election? Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo discuss Keir Starmer's insistence he won't walk away from No 10, the reaction of the cabinet, who will get the top jobs in a Burnham government, and whether Reform UK will need to change strategy. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're only a week away from the Makerfield by-election, when voters could choose the next prime minister. If Andy Burnham wins, what happens in the hours and days after he arrives in Westminster? Will he seize the moment and try to challenge Keir Starmer immediately, or wait until he has a plan for running the country? And if he wins, what does it mean for Reform UK's electoral strategy? We also look at Steve Hilton's journey from David Cameron's modernising adviser to the race to be the next governor of California. Send you messages, voicenotes and questions to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How is Andy Burnham defining his vision for the country as he tries to win the Makerfield by-election? Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo discuss whether the (possible) next prime minister can really wind back the clock back 40 years, whether Nigel Farage has taken a risk in his response to the murder of Henry Nowak, and whether Kemi Badenoch can define Labour as the party of welfare. Send your messages, voicenotes, praise and criticism to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk A full list of the candidates in the Makerfield by-election is available here . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former cabinet minister, former deputy prime minister, big beast of the Tory jungle - Lord Heseltine joins us for our series looking at how the most significant elections of our lifetimes were won, and how they were lost. He takes us back to the 1983 general election. Margaret Thatcher was fresh from victory in the Falklands, Labour offered voters the 'longest suicide vote in history', and the polls suggested the SDP-Liberal Alliance could break the old two-party system. If you enjoyed this episode, listen to more in the series: Nick Clegg and 2010 William Hague and 2005 Neil Kinnock and 1992 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Makerfield by-election is going to be huge - if Andy Burnham wins, Labour will believe it has a route to beating Reform UK at a general election. If Reform wins, then it will clear Nigel Farage's path to power and plunge the government into (further) chaos. Sally, Polly, Danny (and Hugo) weigh up who is the underdog, whether Wes Streeting will run against Burnham, and whether a victorious Burnham could even think about going to the country. Also, Danny explains why the best parallel for this contest is probably William Gladstone in 1876. Send you questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The struggle for the future of the Labour Party, and the country, has begun, even as Keir Starmer tries to hang on. The political masterminds look at the potential pitfalls for Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham - and discuss whether Labour should give up on its working class roots and try instead to unite liberal Britain. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally Morgan, Polly Mackenzie, Danny Finkelstein (and Hugo) explain what's behind a chaotic day at Westminster - where Keir Starmer vows to carry on, despite a growing number of MPs and ministers calling for him to go. Why didn't the cabinet speak out, is government continuing to function, and does Wes Streeting need to move within 24 hours or miss out on the leadership? Send you questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour has taken a hammering at elections in England, Scotland and Wales, with Nigel Farage calling it an ‘historic shift in British politics’ - does this add up to the end of the two-party system, and does it add up to the end of Keir Starmer? Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo explain why things went so badly for the party, how Starmer will respond, and whether the Reform UK leader is going to be the next prime minister. Send your questions, comments and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the local elections in England and parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, the political masterminds ask: just how bad can it get for the Labour Party? If predictions of huge losses come to pass, how will the cabinet, MPs and councillors react, and can Downing Street come up with a plan to circle the wagons around Keir Starmer? We also discuss what impact the terror attacks in Golders Green, north London, will have on political campaigning. Send your questions, comments, and voicenotes to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.