Red Lines

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The back-stop’s here? Bad puns with top political coverage from Northern Ireland. Red Lines brings you essential analysis and commentary by BBC NI’s politics team.

BBC Radio


    • May 28, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 31m AVG DURATION
    • 213 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Red Lines

    Jailhouse Unlocked

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 37:06


    Mark Carruthers visits the courthouse & jail on Belfast's Crumlin road. He talks about their contrasting fortunes with Michael Liggett, John Kelly, Johann Muldoon & Rita Harkin

    It's Show time

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 34:21


    Marks Carruthers speaks to the Agriculture and Environment Minister, the First and deputy First Ministers and other political figures at the Balmoral Show.

    The Race for the Áras

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 40:10


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Diarmaid Ferriter, Mary Regan and Gavan Reilly to reflect on the outgoing Irish President and who might succeed him.

    race diarmaid ferriter irish president gavan reilly mary regan mark carruthers
    Trump, Tariffs and Trade deals

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 35:29


    Mark chats about Donald Trump's tariffs tactics and what it means for us. With Jodie Carson, Martina Lawless and Will Haworth

    Sting Statement

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 38:28


    Mark Carruthers assesses the implications of the Spring Statement with John Campbell, Caroline Keenan, Andrew Webb and Enda McClafferty.

    Capitol Skill

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 31:40


    All you need to know ahead of the St Patrick's Day events in Washington. Mark chats to Caitríona Perry, Enda McClafferty & Shane Greer.

    The case for the Defence

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 39:30


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Sam McBride, Mark Hennessy, Mary Kenny and Colum Eastwood to assess how global politics are influencing the Irish question.

    irish defence mary kenny mark hennessy mark carruthers
    Green, White House, and Orange

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 44:32


    St Patrick's Day in Washington -under Trump 2.0

    Trump Power

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 36:35


    Mark Carruthers talks Trump, trade and tariffs with David McWilliams, Paul Colgan, Allie Renison and John Campbell.

    donald trump john campbell david mcwilliams allie renison mark carruthers
    Next year delivery

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 45:02


    Mark Carruthers and MLAs from Stormont's five largest parties assess the performance of the Executive so far and look ahead to 2025.

    The Big 2024 Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 56:00


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Suzanne Breen, Newton Emerson, Deirdre Heenan, Tim McGarry and Gareth Gordon to look back on 2024.

    mark carruthers
    The South Poll

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 41:48


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Lucinda Creighton, Gary Murphy, Elaine Loughlin and Gráinne Ní Aodha in Dublin to preview the Republic's election later this month.

    south republic dublin poll gary murphy lucinda creighton elaine loughlin mark carruthers
    The Big Budget Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 42:54


    Mark Carruthers is joined by John Campbell, economists Richard Ramsey and Andrew Webb, tax expert Caroline Keenan and Tina McKenzie from the FSB to discuss the Budget.

    budget fsb john campbell big budget andrew webb richard ramsey mark carruthers tina mckenzie
    The 200th Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 40:44


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Gareth Gordon, John Campbell, Mark Devenport and David McCann to look back on an eventful five years and 200 episodes of Red Lines.

    Get with the Programme!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 47:21


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Phillip Brett, Connie Egan, Steve Aiken, Matthew O'Toole, Claire Sugden and Mark Devenport to discuss Stormont's new Programme for Government.

    The Denis Bradley Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 39:25


    Mark Carruthers chats to Denis Bradley about his political influences & inspirations.

    denis mark carruthers
    The Máirtín Ó Muilleoir Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 40:59


    Mark Carruthers chats to Sinn Féin's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir about his political influences & inspirations.

    sinn f muilleoir mark carruthers
    The Edwin Poots Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 39:34


    Mark Carruthers chats to Edwin Poots about his political influences & inspirations. This conversation was recorded before the recent trouble in south Belfast.

    belfast edwin poots mark carruthers
    The Claire Hanna Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 34:46


    Mark Carruthers chats to SDLP MP Claire Hanna about her political influences & inspirations.

    mark carruthers
    Red Faces

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 35:15


    Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Suzanne Breen and Jayne McCormack to look back at what caused the big surprises in the general election.

    red faces mark carruthers
    The Constituency Profiles: Fermanagh South Tyrone, West Tyrone and Mid Ulster

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024 29:59


    Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Enda McClafferty and David Young to assess another three Westminster constituencies.

    The Constituency Profiles: Belfast North, South, East and West.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 43:26


    Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Brendan Hughes and Suzanne Breen to look at the race for Westminster in four more constituencies.

    The Constituency Profiles: North, South and East Antrim.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024 37:29


    Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Jayne McCormack and Stephen Walker to look at the Westminster race in three more constituencies.

    The Constituency Profiles: Lagan Valley, Upper Bann and Newry & Armagh

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 38:06


    Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Suzanne Breen and Gareth Gordon to assess the candidates running for Westminster in Lagan Valley, Upper Bann and Newry & Armagh.

    The Constituency Profiles: Foyle & East Londonderry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 38:03


    Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Enda McClafferty & Freya McClements to assess the candidates running for Westminster in Foyle & East Londonderry.

    The Constituency Profiles: N Down, S Down and Strangford.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 36:35


    Mark Carruthers is joined by David McCann, Jayne McCormack and Stephen Walker to assess the candidates running for Westminster in North Down, South Down and Strangford.

    Stop the votes?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 37:27


    Will Rishi Sunak's Rwanda policy impact the local elections in the Republic?

    From unionism to unity

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 25:29


    DUP founding member Wallace Thompson tells Mark Caruthers about his changing political views and how other unionists have told him they agree a united Ireland is "inevitable".

    The Stormont Insider - Money for nothing

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 40:27


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Deirdre Hargey, Jonathan Buckley, Eóin Tennyson, John Stewart, Matthew O'Toole and Gerry Carroll to discuss the perilous state of Stormont finances.

    Pact to the future

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2024 37:05


    Mark Carruthers asks Gareth Gordon, Suzanne Breen and David McCann for their General Election predictions.

    general election pact mark carruthers
    Casement snark

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 40:38


    Mark Carruthers is joined by Jayne McCormack, David McCann and MLAs Sorcha Eastwood, Mike Nesbitt and Colin McGrath to discuss Casement Park, Assembly tensions and Dublin money.

    dublin assembly snark mark carruthers
    Back to School

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024 39:45


    Mark is joined by Gareth Gordon & a few MLAs as Stormont gets back up and running.

    Red Lines: The Michelle O'Neill interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 29:53


    First broadcast in August 2022: Mark Carruthers talks to Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill about her life in politics.

    Is anyone in charge?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2024 33:04


    Who is actually running Northern Ireland?

    The Long and the Short of 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2023 48:32


    Mark Carruthers reviews the year with the stars of 'The Long And The Short Of It', Tim McGarry and Dr David Hume, and Prof Deirdre Heenan, Newton Emerson and Gareth Gordon.

    david hume mark carruthers
    Red, White and New

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2023 24:05


    What would unionism look like if it realigned into two new parties? A traditional one and the other more socially liberal. Darran Marshall asks the experts.

    Sinn Féin: Will their day come in 2024?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2023 31:29


    Ahead of the party's ard fheis, the panel discuss what's next for Sinn Féin? Mark is joined by Elaine Loughlin, Brian Feeney & Newton Emerson.

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    Has Sir Jeffrey played a blinder?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2023 30:35


    Mark Carruthers asks Enda McClafferty, Suzanne Breen and Chris Donnelly if the DUP Leader has actually played a difficult political game very skilfully.

    Blue Lights

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2023 29:52


    Former PSNI Chief Constable Sir George Hamilton speaks exclusively to Mark Carruthers about the crisis in policing. With analysis from Allison Morris & Dr Jonny Byrne

    Red Lines: The Eamonn McCann Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2023 29:46


    Mark Carruthers talks to Eamonn McCann about his influences & inspirations.

    red lines eamonn mccann mark carruthers
    Red Lines: the Ciarán Hinds Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2023 29:57


    Mark Carruthers talks to actor Ciarán Hinds about his influences & inspirations.

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    Red Lines: The Kate Hoey Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2023 29:46


    Mark Carruthers talks to Baroness Hoey about her influences & inspirations.

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