Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

BBC Radio 4

About

Nick Robinson has a conversation with, not an interrogation of, the people who shape our political thinking about what shaped theirs.

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246 episodes

The Emma Little-Pengelly One

Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister talks to Nick Robinson.

39m
Mar 07
The Nigel Farage 2024 One

Nigel Farage tells Nick Robinson that 'timing is everything' when it comes to deciding whether to return to frontline politics. Fresh of the plane from Florida, Farage talks about what he can learn from - and how he can defend - Donald Trump, as well as islamophobia, Liz Truss, and what he would do if he were prime minister. Producer: Daniel Kraemer

52m
Feb 29
The Mariana Mazzucato One

One of the world's most influencial progressive economists outlines her pitch to leaders across the world - and Starmer's Labour Party - to focus on ambitious 'missions' that can transform society for the better.

36m
Feb 21
The Emma Runswick One

The Deputy Chair of the British Medical Association Council talks to Nick Robinson ahead of the latest round of junior doctor strikes. She defends the pay demands set out by doctors, tells the story of a life of activism, and opens up about the horrors of working in Covid wards at the height of the pandemic. Producer: Daniel Kraemer

45m
Feb 16
The Shabana Mahmood One

The Shadow Justice Secretary and Labour's most senior Muslim MP reflects on Gaza, her faith and campaigning for Rishi Sunak's "geek vote" when they were at university Producer: Daniel Kraemer

45m
Feb 08
Bonus episode: The Michelle O’Neill One - Revisited

Nick looks back at his 2021 conversation with the new First Minister of Northern Ireland

23m
Feb 07
The Jeremy Hunt Chancellor One

Nick Robinson sits down with the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the dining room of No11 Downing Street. They discuss living nextdoor to the Sunaks, how much headroom he will have at the budget, and who he would invite to his dream dinner party

35m
Feb 01
The Blair and Hague One

Sir Tony Blair and Lord William Hague sit down with Nick Robinson to discuss their vision for a new "national purpose". They reflect on facing each other across the dispatch box 25 years ago and how to deal with an unstable world Producer: Daniel Kraemer

45m
Jan 25
The Humza Yousaf One

The First Minister of Scotland sits down with Nick Robinson in Glasgow to reflect on his first ten months in power and how his family is dealing with the ongoing trauma of being caught up in the war in Gaza Producer: Daniel Kraemer

38m
Jan 18
Introducing... When It Hits The Fan

Who's in the news for all the wrong reasons? David Yelland and Simon Lewis invite you to join them in the world of crisis managers and spin doctors as they watch the week's biggest PR disasters unfold.

2m
Dec 13, 2023
The Ben Wallace 2023 One

The former Defence Secretary opens up about the impact of high-pressure government jobs on family relations and tells the behind-the-scenes story of the lead-up to the Ukraine War and his take on the “poison” in British politics.

41m
Nov 24, 2023
The Kishwer Falkner One

Nick Robinson sits down with the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, to discuss multiculturalism, transgender rights and challenging the UK government on its asylum policies.

38m
Nov 17, 2023
The Michael Gove 2023 One

Nick Robinson sits down with the Levelling Up Secretary for an in-depth conversation about what lies behind his drive for reform, having first joined the cabinet 13 years ago. They also reflect on community tensions in the UK as a result of war in the Middle East, what the Home Secretary has said about protests, and what Nadine Dorries has written about him Producer: Daniel Kraemer

46m
Nov 09, 2023
The Pat McFadden One

Labour's campaign chief talks to Nick Robinson about how to deal with divisions with in the party, communities and families on events in the middle east. And how has he become the "great survivor" of the party, from working as Tony Blair's backroom fixer in the 90s to running Labour's election campaign?

39m
Nov 03, 2023
The Michelle Donelan One

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology talks to Nick Robinson about the UK's AI summit and how the world can balance protection against AI's dangers and harnessing it for good. Producer: Daniel Kraemer

34m
Oct 26, 2023
The Radek Sikorski One

Poland's former foreign minister talks to Nick Robinson about his journey from rebelling against communist rule as a child, living in exile in the UK, being a leading diplomat, and his party on the brink of returning to power after 8 years

34m
Oct 21, 2023
The Nick Gibb One

The Schools Minister tells Nick Robinson how his single-minded curriculum reform has kept him in his job for 10 of the last 13 years, and how his sexuality might have limited his career prospects Producer: Daniel Kraemer

41m
Oct 13, 2023
The Roger Hallam One

The co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, now behind the scenes in Just Stop Oil, challenges Nick Robinson to emotionally engage with the reality of climate change and take a stand against global inaction

51m
Oct 05, 2023
The Keir Starmer 2023 One

The leader of the Opposition sets out his vision for getting Labour back into government

44m
Sep 28, 2023
The Ed Davey Party Leader One

The Liberal Democrat leader talks to Nick Robinson about caring for his disabled son, the value of coalitions in politics and why the prime minister's net zero strategy 'hands the future to China' Producer: Daniel Kraemer

38m
Sep 21, 2023
The Theresa May One

Nick Robinson has a conversation with, not an interrogation of, the people who shape our political thinking about what shaped theirs.

58m
Sep 13, 2023
The Paul Nowak One

Nick Robinson talks to the boss of the TUC ahead of hosting his first Congress in his hometown of Liverpool, what it was like working with ministers during Covid and why we need a national conversation on tax

34m
Sep 07, 2023
The Anas Sarwar One

Nick Robinson has a conversation with, not an interrogation of, the people who shape our political thinking about what shaped theirs.

34m
Jun 29, 2023
The George Freeman One

The Science minister talks to Nick Robinson about how his troubled childhood instilled conservative values from a young age and the challenge of dealing with buccaneering tech billionaires

34m
Jun 23, 2023
The Lord Finkelstein One

Lord Daniel Finkelstein talks to Nick Robinson about what it is like preparing Conservative leaders for PMQs and how having two refugee parents shaped his politics of 'moderation'

39m
Jun 16, 2023
The Louise Casey One

Baroness Louise Casey has become one of the most influencial non-politicians in the UK. She tells Nick Robinson why it all started with a passion for homelessness and what might be next on her list.

42m
Jun 09, 2023
The Peter Kyle One

How does a politician with the reading age of an 8-year-old operate as a Shadow Cabinet member?

40m
Jun 02, 2023
The Feargal Sharkey One

The former Undertones frontman tells Nick how his youth in Derry during the Troubles led him to becoming one of the most prominent environmental campaigners in Britain today.

34m
May 26, 2023
The Stephen Flynn One

The SNP's Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, on what he will demand in the event of a hung Parliament, and how living with a disability shaped his politics.

35m
May 18, 2023
The Penny Mordaunt One

Penny Mordaunt reveals the secret to holding that sword throughout the Coronation, whether she’s planning another tilt at the Conservative leadership and being PM, and why culture wars may not be such a good idea for her party.

34m
May 11, 2023