This week two of the Conservative Party's obsessions reared their head yet again: Boris Johnson and Brexit. You may think you've everything there is to know about either subject but no, there's more, so Christopher Hope has invited a cavalcade of distinguished guests to the Red Lion pub to chew the fat on everyone's pet subjects. Conservative Home Editor Paul Goodman gives his assessment of whether we could see a Boris by-election, and why he believes the former PM is doomed to channel Bilbo Baggins (no, really). Plus former Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke MP gives his reasoning for rebelling against the Windsor Framework, and insists the public at large don't blame Johnson for any dubious "events" during lockdown. And Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer MP, on how he thinks sunnier times are on the horizon for the Tories despite this week, and why he believes that the Sunak government will be the one to end veteran homelessness. 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 Planet Normal: www.playpodca.st/planetnormal| Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Taxes, childcare and Brexit beer boost: The Telegraph's Camilla Tominey and Gordon Rayner join Christopher Hope to give us the top lines of Jeremy Hunt's Budget. Will the Chancellor keep the promise he made to Chopper on this podcast in January that his priority will be bringing down business taxes? Listen to find out (although we suspect you can take a guess...)! 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| Listen to Planet Normal: www.playpodca.st/planetnormal| See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yvette Cooper MP joins Christopher Hope on the week that Rishi Sunak unveiled his plans to tackle illegal immigration. Conservatives think that illegal migration is the one policy area where the party can beat Labour, but the Shadow Home Secretary unsurprisingly disagrees. She tells Chopper that Labour ministers will set themselves the objective to stop all small boats' crossings in the English Channel. Plus in a show of cross-party praise, she hails Theresa May's work to help victims of people trafficking as "pioneering" - and worries that this new Bill risks undoing all that work. Also on the podcast, Damian Green MP on why he is backing the Bill and why he thinks Gary Lineker isn't as erudite a political thinker as he seems to think he is, and Telegraph columnist Anne-Elisabeth Moutet on whether we're about to embark on a new Entente Cordiale between Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron. 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 | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More than 100,000 WhatsApp messages. 2.3 million words - the equivalent of three copies of the King James Bible.  You’ve read the headlines about the Telegraph’s extraordinary examination of the Lockdown Files - and now you can hear from some of the journalists behind it.  Christopher Hope is joined by the woman with the WhatsApps, Isabel Oakeshott, and Investigations Editor Claire Newell, in the newsroom where it happened. The pair tell Chopper how the team found the stories among the many files, whether it's all been worth it, and they consider his challenges to beat the Expenses Scandal record of 30 front pages in a row. Keep up to date with the latest stories from the Lockdown Files: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files/ 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 | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, alongside the European Union president Ursula von der Leyen, announced details of the Windsor Framework this week, a deal he's hoping will put an end to the past six and a half years of wrangling to an end. So is the Brexit hurly-burly done? Has the battle been finally won?  Joining Christopher Hope in the Red Lion to chew the fat is former Brexit adviser to Theresa May, Raoul Ruparel, on how this deal differs from its forebears. Plus the DUP's Sammy Wilson returns just days after last talking to Chopper, to explain why he wanted more than "sausages, solar panels and spaniels", and why he thinks the King will regret being present. And Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker on why he thinks this is the best deal to be done - but that he isn't celebrating until the DUP are on board. 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 Planet Normal: www.playpodca.st/planetnormal | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Boris Johnson is turning into one regular headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. So this week Christopher Hope is looking at three spheres where the former PM is intent on sticking his oar in. First, the Brexit impasse in Northern Ireland. The DUP's Sammy Wilson joins Chopper to discuss whether Boris' interventions on a trade deal are helpful, whether a change in Westminster leadership could make a difference, and casts doubts on whether Rishi Sunak even understands the concept of the Union (ouch). Also on the podcast, the Chair of the Conservative Democratic Organisation, David Campbell Bannerman discusses why the Tory grassroots are revolting, and whether they're punishing the MPs that overthrew Johnson. Plus Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Tobias Ellwood, on whether the former PM is right to push for fighter jets for Ukraine and why he thinks the conflict will last for years. 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 | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, if there was any danger of recess getting boring, Nicola Sturgeon had other ideas. Just as Chopper was taking a well-earned holiday, the First Minister shocked Scotland and the United Kingdom by resigning after eight years in the job. So where does this leave Scotland and the future of the union, and what will be the ripple effect on Westminster? The Telegraph's Gordon Rayner and Alan Cochrane head to the studio to discuss just that, whether Sturgeon will end up backseat driving for the new leader of the SNP and if this could be the end of indyref2. 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 | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. The MP for Cities of London and Westminster blames the coverage of her colleague on snobbery from "intelligentsia", plus she decries polling in the Telegraph this week that puts the Tories down by a whopping 23%. Former Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has a different view on those sombre numbers, and urges government to take them seriously, saying that the wipe-out of Labour in Scotland proves that parties can go from holding all the cards to virtually no seats. And Electoral Calculus' Martin Baxter breaks down his exclusive large-scale poll that spells disaster for the Tories, saying that the next election could be "worse than 1997", with the Conservatives not even being the main opposition party. 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 | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Ireland protocol, the Union and more, David Jones (Deputy Chairman of the European Research Group) & Alex Phillips (Former Brexit Party MEP & GB News Broadcaster). In fact, Alex has an announcement of her own. Plus, as the country is crippled by strikes and with another Nurses walkout on the horizon, Health Minister Helen Whately dropped by the pub to explain the government's position. 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 | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 on when, and that his focus this year will be on business and taking advantage of Brexit. Plus, he tries to woo the over 50s back into work, rules out running for leader again, and (very importantly) reveals his favourite fast food. 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 | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Labour wouldn't be the "fun police" to ban cakes in offices following comments this week from the chair of the Food Standards Agency, explains why he won't "wag his finger" at people who use private healthcare and proclaims that he's up for a debate about his proposed NHS reforms. Also on the podcast, Conservative MP Lee Anderson discusses levelling up, slimming down, and challenges campaigner Steve "Stop Brexit" Bray to a charity boxing battle (no, really). Plus Baroness Stowell, Tina Stowell, on why politicians need to take the creative industries more seriously. 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 | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 reveals that a 'cash for trash' scheme looks set to get the green light, so get your litter pickers ready! Also on the podcast, John Baron expresses his dismay at the Foreign Office's shambolic handling of the issue of British Council's contractors stranded in Afghanistan, and John Stafford from the Campaign for Conservative Democracy talks about his concerns for his party. 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 | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 'tractor' watching MP, so plenty to discuss, plus a look ahead to what might be in store in the New Year. 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 | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 union leaders and the government. Robert Halfon MP, previously an outspoken and campaigning backbencher, swings by the Red Lion pub to explain how now, as a Minister of State in the Department of Education, he's taking that spirit and applying it to students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. He's also, unusually, a member of a trade union. Plus, Sir Geoffrey Cox KC pops by to talk about a ghost of his Christmas past: second jobs for MPs. He also treats us to a tradition on the podcast, a reading from A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas. 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 | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 herring" fuelled by the fact the word Europe is "catnip" for some of his Conservative colleagues. Then Jonathan Gullis talks about his failed Bill to force Rishi Sunak to ignore rulings from Strasbourg over the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, and why he was just trying to give the Prime Minister some "space", honest. Also on the podcast, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Jonathan Ashworth on how Labour would encourage over 50s to get back to work. Plus a surprise festive ditty from one of our guests to get us into the Christmas spirit. 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 Off Script: www.playpodca.st/offscript | Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 strike action and suggests that "Mr Lynch and his cronies" should perhaps try earning what soldiers earn. Strong words. Also on the podcast, UK Director of think-tank More in Common, Luke Tryl, says that if political marmite figure Nigel Farage returned it could turbocharge Reform's support, with the party posing a threat to both major parties but only with a charismatic figure-head. Plus MP for Chipping Barnet and Tory housing rebel Theresa Villiers assures Chris she isn't a NIMBY. 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| Listen to Ukraine: the latest: www.playpodca.st/ukraine| Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 fellow conservatives to rethink onshore windfarms and central housing targets and not fall for a "NIMBY's charter".  Also on the podcast, William Wragg, MP for Hazel Grove, discusses why he's made the leap into leaving parliament after the next election despite only being 34. Plus former leader of the Lib Dems, Tim Farron, tells Chris why he thinks Christians should dip their toes into politics, and why he thinks the Church of England is compromised by being a "part of the furniture of state". Britain is fast descending into chaos, and the Tories are powerless to stop it, by Allister Heath A Mucky Business: Why Christians Should Get Involved In Politics, by Tim Farron 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| Listen to Offscript: www.playpodca.st/offscript| Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sir Keir Starmer comes to Telegraph Towers and Christopher Hope hands over the microphone, as the politics class of St George's School, Harpenden, grill the Labour Leader. Up for discussion: Unions and the Union, as Mr Starmer defends not standing on picket lines with striking works and discusses his stance on indyref2, and he talks tax and claims that Labour is the party of sound money. Plus, who does Keir Starmer fancy to win the World Cup and will he reveal which Tory he kissed? Listen to find out. 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| Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, what a difference 7 weeks makes. The Telegraph's Camilla Tominey and Gordon Rayner join Christopher Hope to give us the top lines of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement, somewhat different in tone to his predecessors less than two months ago. Also on the podcast, David Jones, MP for Clwyd West and prominent ERG member, gives his withering assessment of Mr Hunt's tax hikes (5/10, must do better), urges the Chancellor to reconsider for the sake of the next election and balks at the use of the phrase "unearned income". Plus Economic Jim O'Neill on why he thinks Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak have made some canny choices and why as a country we need to accept that there's "no such thing as a free lunch". 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| Listen to Ukraine: the latest: www.playpodca.st/ukraine| Email: chopperspolitics@telegraph.co.uk | See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.