Irish Times Inside Politics

As Sinn Féin perform well in the polls, Mary Lou McDonald continues to fight for her place in the televised leaders debate. Fiach Kelly spoke to the SF leader at the candidates launch in Dublin today about the possibility of becoming the next Taoiseach. Also Pat Leahy discusses the most important policy issues for voters according to the latest Irish Times poll. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The latest Irish Times / Ipsos MRBI poll, conducted in the days after the calling of the general election, shows Fianna Fáil edging ahead of Fine Gael and Sinn Fein gaining significant support. Pat Leahy is here with all the numbers and analysis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For Fine Gael, week two of #GE2020 opens under the shadow of a poll in a Sunday newspaper that put them 12 points behind Fianna Fail. The Irish Times will publish our own poll soon. Meanwhile, Harry McGee and Mary Minihan join Hugh to talk about the eruption of pensions as an election issue, Sinn Fein's strength on the housing issue and the head to head debate between Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How has Fine Gael performed in government since 2016? We ask four of our specialist journalists - Paul Cullen on health, Kitty Holland on social housing and homelessness, Carl O'Brien on education and Cliff Taylor on the economy - to compare what was promised to what was delivered. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar & Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan met with senior Garda in Drogheda today as gang wars escalate in the town. Simon Carswell was following the action and spoke to Hugh Linehan and Pat Leahy about how locals reacted to the political presence. Plus Labour were also in Drogheda for the launch of their campaign 'Getting Ireland Moving'. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On day three of the election campaign Jennifer Bray spent the afternoon aboard the Fine Gael 'battle bus' as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visited Longford, shook some hands and avoided some bolshy locals. Fiach Kelly attended the launch of Fianna Fail's economic strategy, an event light on detail but which confirmed that public spending would be a key part of its campaign. Plus, a mini-controversy over a Sinn Fein councillor's remarks about Leo Varadkar that put his party on the back foot. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan in studio to dissect day two of #GE2020. As campaign launches took place across the country, the homeless crisis became the main issue facing the parties following an accident along the canal in Dublin. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is there potential for real change emerging from the results of this general election? Fintan O'Toole joins Hugh and Pat to talk about the politics of patronage, how politicians respond to what they perceive voters want and why we need to talk about Sinn Fein's legitimacy as a partner in government. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Election Daily is our new podcast series covering #GE2020 in under 15 minutes. We'll publish a new episode every weekday evening. Fiach Kelly and Jennifer Bray run through the events of day one of the campaign including the big reveal of February 8th, a Saturday, as election day, the unveiling of campaign slogans and a slew of announcements by sitting TDs that they won't run this time. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The election hasn't been called yet but the political attacks have already begun. What kind of election campaign is in store? With a real head-to-head clash between Varadkar and Martin for the job of Taoiseach, the political stakes are higher than in recent years. Pat Leahy is here to discuss the early manoeuvres in the campaign. Attention listeners: we will be publishing a short daily election podcast five days per week throughout the campaign . You don't need to do anything; "Election Daily" will show up in your Inside Politics feed every evening. And don't worry, we'll still publish our regular shows with the more in-depth stuff. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Claire Fox stands out in the UK political landscape as a Brexit Party MEP with a background in far-left politics. In Dublin to deliver a talk about the reasons behind Brexit at the pro-EU Institute of International and European Affairs, she visits the Irish Times to argue that the loss of national sovereignty that comes with EU membership is intrinsically harmful to democracy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With its clout in Westminister dead and buried, the stakes couldn't be higher for unionism in the current negotiations to restore power-sharing in Stormont. Why then is the DUP unwilling to make some compromises? To explain what's happening up north, Newton Emerson joins Hugh and Fiach. But first they discuss the row over a centenary commemoration that has backfired on the Government down south, exposing the durability of the very divisions it was designed to help heal. And finally Fiach has the latest on the timing of a general election. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Fiach Kelly and Pat Leahy to answer some more of your questions on diverse topics, from the rough and tumble of political reporting to the success of the Tories in UK politics and their own podcast listening habits. Inside Politics will return on Wednesday, January 7th. Thanks for listening in 2019. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hugh is joined by Jennifer Bray, Fiach Kelly, Pat Leahy and Harry McGee to answer some of your questions about politics, politicians, political reporting and more.This is part one of the 2019 edition of Ask Us Anything. We'll publish part two next week. Happy Christmas to all our listeners! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the 2010s dawned, it seemed the economic turmoil of the great recession would bring about social and political change. It did, but in unexpected ways, and increasingly under the warping influence of Big Tech. Hugh is joined by Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole to look back on a troubling decade. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What lessons will political parties in Northern Ireland take from the results of last week's election? Hugh and Pat talk to Dr Katy Hayward, a political sociologist at Queens University Belfast and a senior fellow in the UK in a Changing Europe initiative, and a trusted voice on Brexit and its implications for Northern Ireland. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The results are in. Boris Johnson has secured a historic victory in the UK general election, with the Conservative Party winning a majority of 364 seats to Labour's measly 203. With Britain’s departure from the EU securely on the horizon for January 31st 2020, Boris has succeeded in his mission to ‘Get Brexit Done’. Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, is on the way out. In Northern Ireland, it was a bad night for the DUP. Up bright and early to discuss the results and ramifications with Hugh Linehan is London editor Denis Staunton, academic and former Uk Labour pollster Dr Kevin Cunningham and political editor Pat Leahy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The current Dáil is living on borrowed time, but how will its final act play out? To talk about confidence votes, party strategising and, yes, the timing of the next general election, Hugh is joined by podcast stalwarts Pat, Fiach and Jennifer. They also reflect on the closing days of a UK election campaign characterised by misinformation and mistrust. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At a Labour press conference this morning, Jeremy Corbyn revealed a confidential Northern Ireland Brexit report, which drives a ‘coach and horses’ through Boris Johnson’s promise of no border in the Irish Sea. London Editor Denis Staunton joins Hugh to discuss the implications, if any, this might have for the Conservatives. They also examine how the parties are shaping up as the election campaign enters the home stretch.Also, Finn McRedmond joins us from London to discuss how political parties are using micro-targeting, poor quality ‘boomer memes’ and celebrity endorsements to enhance their online election campaigns. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In recent months Irish Times journalists Patrick Freyne and Jennifer O'Connell have spent time meeting people across the UK and learning about their thoughts on Brexit, their opinions of their political leaders and their fears about the direction of UK society. They've found a confused, disillusioned and, at times, hopeful electorate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.