Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

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Nick Robinson talks about what’s really going on in British politics.

BBC Radio 4


    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 279 EPISODES

    4.6 from 66 ratings Listeners of Political Thinking with Nick Robinson that love the show mention: interesting.


    Ivy Insights

    The Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcast is an exceptional and insightful series that explores the lives and beliefs of prominent political figures in the UK. Hosted by the experienced journalist Nick Robinson, this podcast offers a unique opportunity to gain deep insights into the minds of politicians and understand the motivations behind their actions.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is Robinson's skill as an interviewer. He has a natural ability to ask probing questions that challenge his guests without being confrontational or disrespectful. His approach allows for open and honest discussions, providing listeners with a more nuanced understanding of each guest's perspectives and experiences. Additionally, Robinson's interviews are not limited to policy discussions; he also delves into personal anecdotes and moments that have shaped each politician's journey, making for a more well-rounded portrait.

    Another strength of this podcast is its commitment to neutrality and unbiased reporting. Robinson consistently provides a platform for politicians from across the political spectrum, offering them equal opportunity to share their views. This fosters a sense of fairness and objectivity in each episode, allowing listeners to form their own opinions based on a range of perspectives. It is refreshing to hear interviews where both sides are given equal consideration.

    However, one possible downside of this podcast is that it may not delve deep enough into certain policy issues due to time constraints. While Robinson does an excellent job at covering a wide range of topics within each interview, there are times when listeners may wish for more in-depth analysis or follow-up questions on specific policy matters. Nonetheless, given the format of these interviews and their focus on providing insight into the person behind politics, it is understandable why some topics may be briefly touched upon.

    In conclusion, The Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcast is an outstanding series that offers valuable insights into the world of politics through thoughtful interviews with prominent figures in British politics. Robinson's interviewing skills create an engaging atmosphere where guests feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences. The show's commitment to impartiality ensures that listeners are exposed to a diverse range of perspectives. Overall, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the people and ideas that shape political discourse in the UK.



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    Latest episodes from Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

    The Jacinda Ardern One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 33:32


    How does it feel to be held up as the 'anti-Trump' by progressives across the globe?Jacinda Ardern was prime minister of New Zealand for 6 years and is now committed to promoting empathy and kindness in world leadership. She joins Nick in the Political Thinking studio to reflect on her unexpected rise to power and being described as a 'global pinup for progressive values'.She also opens up about how growing up in a Mormon family prepared her for politics and reveals what she told Donald Trump in the aftermath of the murder of 51 people in a mosque in New Zealand in 2019.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Tanni Grey-Thompson One

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 40:50


    After 15 years as a member of the House of Lords, Tanni Grey-Thompson reflects on how a career at the top of sport prepared her for the world of politics.The crossbench peer speaks to Nick about what she sees as a dangerous relationship between benefit reforms and legalising assisted dying.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Eluned Morgan One

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 45:54


    The First Minister of Wales sets a marker to the left of Keir Starmer, setting out her vision of a "Red Welsh Way", drawing inspiration from Gavin and Stacey.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Richard Tice One

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 38:17


    Reform UK's deputy leader reflects on a year of political success, a privileged upbringing and the cabinet job he's eyeing upProducer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Joe Biden One

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 29:41


    To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, former president Joe Biden sits down with Nick Robinson for an exclusive interview, his first since leaving the White House.

    Bonus: The Rishi Sunak Lessons from Downing Street One - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 61:28


    In the second, bonus instalment of this exclusive interview with the former prime minister, Rishi Sunak opens up about his time as Chancellor and Prime Minister, including how his relationship with Boris Johnson fell apart, why he regrets his "Stop the Boats" slogan and what comes next for someone who has become an elder statesman, aged 44.Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Joel Massey

    The Rishi Sunak Lessons from Downing Street One

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 58:32


    An exclsuive in-depth interview with the Rishi Sunak. In this first instalment, the former prime minister tells stories from behind the scenes on the world stage explains why he thinks we must now cut welfare spending to fund defence.Sunak reflects on how a sense of duty - inspired by his Hindu faith - helped drive his political career, and reflects on how and why he ultimately led the Conservative Party to the worst electoral defeat in its history.Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Joel Massey

    The Carla Denyer 2025 One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 33:15


    The co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales joins Nick for a conversation

    The Heidi Alexander One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 41:41


    The Transport Secretary on Corbyn, Ukraine and growing up in SwindonProducer: Lauren Tavriger

    The Charlie Taylor One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 40:20


    The Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales on how he went from being a teacher at a school for kids with beahvioural problems, to being the leading voice on prison conditions. He tells stories of cheap suits, perspex windows, being the subject of offensive graffiti, and explains how he retains optimism.Producers: Lauren Tavriger and Daniel Kraemer

    The Zia Yusuf One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 48:06


    Who is the 38-year-old, Muslim, second-generation immigrant chairman of Reform UK?Zia Yusuf joins Nick in the Political Thinking to tell his story, lay out his party's path to power, and share his thoughts on Boris Johnson, Elon Musk, Suella Braverman and his boss, Nigel Farage.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Chris Philp One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 41:50


    The Shadow Home Secretary joins Nick in the Political Thinking studio to reflect on mistakes of the last government, humility in opposition and his anger at the new government.Chris Philp also opens up about the impact of caring for his premature baby twins and what he has learned from success and failure in business. Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Kim Leadbeater One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 42:32


    The Labour MP sits down with Nick to reflect on how she went from selling beds in her Yorkshire hometown, to being at the forefront of political debate as the face of the campaign to legalise assisted dying, and how the murder of her sister, Jo Cox, helps explain the journey.

    The Rachel Reeves Chancellor One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 34:30


    The Chancellor reflects on her first six months in power and what lies behind her determination that she has "what it takes" to "turn things around".Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Nick Clegg One

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 50:24


    Nick Robinson speaks to Sir Nick Clegg about life as Mark Zuckerberg's right hand man at Meta and the transition from Westminster to Silicon Valley. He responds to challenges on regulation of social media companies and issues a warning about the political power of Elon Musk.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Husam Zomlot One

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 48:49


    The Head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK reflects on a childhood in a Gaza camp and how hope is what keeps him going.

    The Daisy Cooper One

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 38:04


    The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats reflects on her journey from campaigning as a child against nuclear weapons and scratchy jumpers, to being at the heart of the third-largest party in parliament.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Mark Rowley One

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2024 43:30


    The Metropolitan Police Commissioner reflects on the decision to rejoin the UK's largest police force when it was in crisis.Sir Mark Rowley sits down with Nick Robinson to outline the challenges the Met faces under his leadership, as well as how he decided as a teenager that policing was his mission.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

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    The Darren Jones One

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2024 41:13


    The Chief Secretary to the Treasury sits down with Nick to chart his rise to the heart of Starmer's government.How did a Bristol boy, who's parents sometimes went without meals to ensure he had food, end up at the Chancellor's side, in charge of the purse-strings of the government?Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Rupert Soames CBI One

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 38:18


    How did Churchill's grandson end up at the top of British industry?Rupert Soames - Chair of the Confederation of British Industry - sits down with Nick Robinson to talk about this Labour government's first budget, which he claims did not offer enough "bang for the buck"Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Kemi Badenoch for Leader One

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 48:13


    What shaped the views and principles that Kemi Badenoch hopes will help her win the race to become next leader of the Conservative Party?Nick Robinson sits down with the former Business Secretary near the end of her party's leadership contest. Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Matt Goodwin One

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 43:27


    The academic and author Matt Goodwin sat down with Nick Robinson in the aftermath of the riots that spread across the UK in the summer, to discuss whether there are 'legitimate grievences' that lay behind the violence, or just 'hate-fuelled mob violence sparked by misinformation.

    The Tzipi Hotovely One

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 44:26


    The Israeli Ambassador sits down with Nick Robinson on the week of the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack. They discuss what lies behind her worldview, the mindset of Israelis and the actions of her government.

    The John Swinney One

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 36:42


    The Scottish First Minister sits down with Nick to reflect on his path to powerProducer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Wes Streeting Health Secretary One

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 43:34


    The Health Secretary sits down with Nick Robinson at the end of the Labour conference in Liverpool.Wes Streeting reflects on how his family role-models led him to become a political fighter, rebukes those who criticise him for being too gloomy about the NHS, and reveals why an Oasis classic was his kareoke song of choice at the previous night's party.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Mick Whelan One

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2024 37:43


    Mick Whelan is General Secretary of Aslef, the union representing train drivers. He sits down with Nick on the week that his members voted overwhelmingly to accept a pay offer, bringing to an end two years of strike action.Whelan reflects on growing up in working class West London and being one of a number of 2nd-generation Irish immigrants who have become union leaders in the UK. Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The James Cleverly for Leader One

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 49:32


    Why does the former Home Secretary believe he has 'outperformed everyone else on this leadership ticket by a country mile'? How did growing up as a mixed-race boy in London at the height of the National Front shape his politics? And what does the government need to do to improve integration in the UK?

    The Karim Khan International Prosecutor One

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024 51:23


    The Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court sits down with Nick Robinson.Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Jonathan Brunert

    The Liz Kendall One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 41:58


    Nick Robinson talks to the new Work and Pensions secretary about being at the centre of the Labour government's first row, taking on the scourge of worklessness and how her 2-year-old son is a cure for stress.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Robert Jenrick 2024 One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 41:48


    Robert Jenrick on what went wrong for the Conservative Party and how to turn it around

    The Pat McFadden in Power One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 42:45


    Nick Robinson talks to the man at the heart of the new Downing Street government.Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Caitlin Moran One

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2024 25:29


    Bestselling author and columnist talks to Nick Robinson about why, after years of writing about women and girls, she decided to turn her attention to problems with boys and young men with her latest book "What About Men?"Producer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Victoria Atkins One

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024 38:18


    After a damning report into maternity services in England, the Health Secretary opens up about her own traumatic childbirth experience in the NHS.Victoria Atkins also speaks to Nick Robinson about a change of tone in dealings with doctors' unions, growing up as child of an MP and what she thought when Natalie Elphicke defected to Labour.

    The Emma Little-Pengelly One

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024 39:59


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

    The Nigel Farage 2024 One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 52:54


    Nigel Farage tells Nick Robinson that "timing is everything" when it comes to deciding whether to return to frontline politics. Fresh off 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 prime ministerProducer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Mariana Mazzucato One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 36:58


    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.

    The Emma Runswick One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2024 45:08


    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

    The Shabana Mahmood One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2024 44:31


    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 universityProducer: Daniel Kraemer

    Bonus episode: The Michelle O'Neill One - Revisited

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 23:42


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

    The Jeremy Hunt Chancellor One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 35:31


    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

    The Blair and Hague One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2024 45:30


    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 worldProducer: Daniel Kraemer

    The Humza Yousaf One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2024 38:52


    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 GazaProducer: Daniel Kraemer

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