Political Thinking with Nick Robinson
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211 episodes
Nick Robinson talks to the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Mary Bousted, about how her headteacher father inspired a passion for education, why she quit her job as an English teacher and whether, in a week of widespread teacher strikes, she can see the current crisis coming to an end anytime soon.
Nick Robinson talks to the director general of the Confederation of British Industry, Tony Danker. They discuss what it was like to grow up in a Jewish family in Belfast during 'The Troubles', why he chose to join the Treasury three weeks after Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008 and how his calls for post-Brexit Britain's economy to grow more led to ministers accusing him of talking the country down.
The leader of the Unite union gives a frank and engaging interview to Nick Robinson. She defends the new wave of strikes by ambulance workers, sets out how under her leadership Unite is 'following the money' to target bad employers and explains why Keir Starmer's Labour party is a 'bad tribute act' to Tony Blair and reveals she was threatened by former colleagues when she began an investigation into 'potential criminality' within the union. She tells stories from her early life, including how she led a walkout of silver service restaurant staff aged just 17 in a protest over pay.
A bonus episode, as Nick tells the extraordinary inside story of how Liz Truss gambled her premiership on a dramatic challenge to decades of orthodoxy.
Nick Robinson talks to Labour's shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, about her mum standing up to the people that burgled their house, her grandad's love of books sparking her passion for education and how she ended up as an extra on Byker Grove.
Nick Robinson talks to the chief executive of Citizens Advice, Clare Moriarty, about her and her family's long history with the civil service, how she coped with having cancer while running the Brexit department and what more the government needs to do to help people suffering in the cost of living crisis.
Nick Robinson talks to the Green Party's co-leader, Carla Denyer, about discovering grassroots campaigns at sixth form, declaring Europe's first climate emergency and why she chooses to wear both a red and white poppy.
Nick Robinson talks to the new education secretary, Gillian Keegan, about leaving school at 16 to work in a car factory, the time Derek Hatton bought her a glass of champagne and why sometimes cabinet ministers should just admit it when they don't know something.
Nick Robinson talks to Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, about how her own experience of poverty has shaped her views on the cost of living crisis, her relationship with Labour's leader Keir Starmer and whether working class politicians need to shout louder about their roots.
Nick Robinson revisits his interview with the new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, from late 2019. The then-chief secretary to the treasury discussed working in his mother’s pharmacy, why he chose to vote Leave and his knowledge of The Force
Nick Robinson talks to Conservative peer David Frost, the former chief Brexit negotiator, about Boris Johnson's potential return as Prime Minister, the downfall of Liz Truss and how he went from foreign office diplomat to Brexit architect
Nick Robinson talks to Lisa Nandy, the shadow levelling up secretary, about preparing for government, the political lessons she's learned from football and whether she disagrees with Keir Starmer's stance on strikes.
Nick Robinson talks to Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, about attacks from the left and right on so-called economic orthodoxy, how to stay impartial during moments of political turbulence and what his self-proclaimed nerdy teenage self would make of his career now.
Nick Robinson has a conversation with, not an interrogation of, the people who shape our political thinking about what shaped theirs.
Nick Robinson talks to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn about how he became a socialist, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and whether he'll be allowed to stand again as a Labour candidate.
Nick Robinson talks to Christopher Steele, the author of the 'Trump-Russia dossier'. They discuss his time as an intelligence officer in the Soviet Union, how he became an overnight public figure and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Nick Robinson talks to Christopher Steele, the author of the the 'Trump-Russia dossier'. They discuss his time as an intelligence officer in the Soviet Union, how he became an overnight public figure and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Nick Robinson has a conversation with, not an interrogation of, the people who shape our political thinking about what shaped theirs.
Nick Robinson revisits his interview with the new prime minister, Liz Truss, from July 2018. The then-chief secretary to the treasury discusses her transition from Lib Dem to Conservative, her plans for a low-tax, small state UK and comparisons with Mrs Thatcher.
Nick Robinson revisits his interview with Liz Truss from December 2021. The foreign secretary discusses facing down Russia on the global stage, the way we view British history and comparisons with Mrs Thatcher
Nick Robinson revisits his interview with Rishi Sunak from November 2019. The then-chief secretary to the treasury discusses working in his mother’s pharmacy, why he chose to vote Leave and his knowledge of The Force
With Boris Johnson having resigned as Conservative leader, Nick Robinson takes a look through the Political Thinking archives, to see what has shaped the thinking of the men and women hoping to become the UK’s next prime minister
Nick Robinson talks to the shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, about loneliness, belonging and Britain's place in the world
Nick Robinson talks to the journalist and founder of Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, about his love of numbers, the cost of living crisis and his application to become a crossbench peer
Nick Robinson talks to Naomi Long, the leader of the Alliance Party and Northern Ireland's Justice Minister, about growing up during the Troubles, the ongoing implications of Brexit and her decision not to identify as nationalist or unionist
Nick Robinson talks to Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, about immigration policy, being a working mum in politics and Labour's chances of winning back power.
Nick Robinson talks to the government's social cohesion adviser, Dame Sarah Khan, about her efforts to counter extremism and the upcoming review of the Prevent counter-terror strategy
Nick Robinson speaks to Mick Lynch, the general secretary of the RMT, about his union's planned strike action this summer
Nick Robinson speaks to Nimco Ali, the government's adviser on violence against women and girls about her campaigning on female genital mutilation, calls for street harassment to be made a crime and her friendship with Carrie Johnson.
Nick Robinson speaks to the Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries MP about her efforts to clean up social media, her upbringing in Liverpool, and being a bestselling author. Producer: Jack Fenwick.
