Politics Unpacked

Why August Isn't Silly Season

It's a journalistic cliché that very little happens in politics while MPs are on holiday during the Parliamentary recess. But is it fair to describe August as 'silly season'? Historian Phil Tinline joins Patrick Maguire to debunk this myth and look at the biggest political moments of summers gone by. Plus: columnists Alice Thomson and Carol Midgely discuss <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/barbies-ken-puts-andrew-tate-in-the-shade-m0w5ntl7m" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">toxic masculinity</a>, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/will-no-one-save-poor-old-matt-hancock-from-his-own-cringe-factor-50kz06ctq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Matt Hancock's TikToks</a>, and whether Beyond Meat is <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/beyond-meat-sales-fall-as-shoppers-count-cost-of-vegan-burgers-3gpcwthwg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">past its best</a>. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Hugo Rifkind unpacks the the politics of the day - and the stuff that's even more important - with the brightest brains from the Times and Sunday Times. You can listen to Hugo on DAB, smart speaker or app 10am-1pm Monday to Friday. If you like what you hear, then read more at <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.thetimes.com/</a> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.