Take Back Control

Take Back Control

Author: The Telegraph January 6, 2023 Duration: 48:29

On the week that the Prime Minister announced his 5 promises to voters, Science Minister George Freeman joins Christopher Hope to give his suggestions for 5 reasons to be cheerful, including getting rid of EU red tape, focusing on the "10% daft regulations" first.

Also on the podcast, Shadow Cabinet Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds reacts to Sir Keir Starmer's reappropriation of the Brexit slogan "Take Back Control", and, after writing a biography of former Labour leader Wilson, what the current Labour leader could learn from his 60s equivalent.

Plus former Tory MP Brooks Newmark on how he's been inspired by figures like Sir Nicholas Winton and Oskar Schindler to help transport Ukrainians to safety.


Harold Wilson, by Nick Thomas-Symonds


For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/chopper |

Sign up to the Chopper's Politics newsletter: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politicsnewsletter |

Read Chopper's Peterborough diary: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/peterborough-diary |

Listen to Ukraine: the latest: www.playpodca.st/ukraine |


Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk |


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Every week, Christopher "Chopper" Hope brings his decades of Westminster experience straight to your ears. This isn't a dry recitation of headlines; it's a conversation from the heart of British power. Chopper's Politics, from The Telegraph, operates like a backstage pass, offering listeners direct access to the people shaping the nation. You'll hear candid interviews with senior politicians from across the spectrum and sharp insights from leading commentators, all paired with the ground-level analysis from the paper's own parliamentary team. The discussion naturally delves into the finer points of policy, the motivations of key players, and the often-unseen internal movements within the political machines, particularly within the Conservative Party. Tuning into this podcast means going beyond the soundbites to understand not just what is happening in British politics, but why it's happening and what it likely means for the future. It’s built for anyone who finds themselves wanting more context from the news cycle, seeking to piece together the real stories unfolding behind the doors of government. The tone is informed and direct, reflecting Chopper's own style-a blend of sharp questioning and institutional knowledge that makes complex political maneuvering comprehensible and genuinely engaging. Each episode aims to connect the dots between public statements and private strategies, giving you a clearer picture of the forces at work in Westminster.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Chopper's Politics
Podcast Episodes
Capital punishment, pitiful polling and pogo sticks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:04
New deputy chair of the Conservative Party, Nickie Aiken MP joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion this week to vigorously defend her co-chair Lee Anderson, after he got into hot water this week for his views on hanging.…
Happy Birthday Brexit? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:23
This week, Christopher Hope returns to his spiritual home, the Red Lion pub, to discuss, you guessed it, Brexit. Three years on from leaving the E.U., many grumblings rumble on. So joining Chris to discuss the Northern I…
Talking taxes with Jeremy Hunt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:29
Christopher Hope swaps the Red Lion for Number 11 Downing Street this week, as he sits down with Jeremy Hunt. The Chancellor tells Chopper that he and the Prime Minister are committed to cutting taxes, but won't be drawn…
Let them eat cake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:14
The last of the Hope family's Christmas cake joins the guests in the Red Lion this week, and Wes Streeting is the first to take Christopher Hope up on the offer of having a slice. The Shadow Health Secretary insists that…
Cash for litter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:13
Rebecca Pow joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion for some coffee in a china mug, as the Environment minister talks about the announcement that plastic cutlery, plates and polystyrene cups will soon be banned. She also…
2022 in Review [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:08
2023 is almost upon us, so join Christopher Hope, Gordon Rayner and Camilla Tominey to reflect on the wacky year just gone in Westminster. We've had four Chancellors, three Prime Ministers, two different monarchs and one…
Strikes, sexism and why MPs' second jobs are OK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:33
Twas the strike before Christmas... on this week's festive edition of Choppers' Politics: Frances O'Grady gives her final interview as the General Secretary of the TUC, discussing strikes and the current gridlock between…
Small boats and the silver exodus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:51
Sir Robert Buckland KC and Jonathan Gullis bring their views on how to tackle the migrant crisis to the Red Lion this week. Robert Buckland calls talk of withdrawing from the European Convention of Human Rights "a red he…
Further strikes, fewer houses, and Farage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:26
James Sunderland, former Colonel in the Royal Logistics Corps, joins Christopher Hope in the Red Lion to talk about why the MP for Bracknell thinks the government needs to stop relying on the armed forces to step in over…
A leap of faith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:59
All of Christopher Hope's guests this week are encouraging or have taken a leap of faith. Former Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke, now in the freedom of the backbenches, joins Chopper in the Red Lion to urge his fello…