Chariots of Fire

GPs are being told to stop handing out so many sick notes as part of the government's efforts to get more people back to work. And why are women turning to Reform?Ed Vaizey unpacks the politics of the day with Alice Thomson and Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for ... Show More

Former Conservative Chairman Jake Berry is the second ex-Tory minister to defect to Reform this week, but is this working in Nigel Farage's favour?Hugo Rifkind is joined by Tim Montgomerie and Zoe Strimpel to unpack the politics of the day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ... Show More

Keir Starmer reiterated his tax pledges at PMQs as Kemi Badenoch accused him of 'flirting' with a wealth tax. Hugo Rifkind pauses and unpacks the exchanges from the Commons with Patrick Maguire and Jon Harvey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. 

This year’s weird Winter Olympics were overshadowed by politics, Covid-19, and the threat of war. But as NPR’s Tom Goldman explains, the biggest scandals were still about the sports.This episode was produced by Will Reid with help from Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette ... Show More

FT sports writers Matthew Engel and Simon Kuper join Gideon Rachman to provide their mid-term assessment of the London Olympics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. 

Patrick Barclay, Oliver Kay and Ben Smith join Gabriele Marcotti discuss the Manchester and West London derbies, and debate the Great Britain team heading to the Olympics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. 

Let the games begin… As the Tokyo Olympics are set to go ahead, double Olympic champion Lord Coe gives us the latest on how the games will happen under restrictions, and why the mental health of our future sports stars is important. And Adam finds out from Justin Rowlatt and Clie ... Show More

As athletes and competitors all over the world prepare to descend on Tokyo, locals don't seem to want them to come. With just weeks to go, will the Olympics happen? This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today ... Show More

Great Britain's rowers enjoyed mixed fortunes in the last competition before the Olympics, winning three golds but seeing two leading hopes beaten. Jonathan Legard speaks to a disappointed Greg Searle after the men’s eight only managed to secure a bronze medal. After the Canoe Sl ... Show More

(Note: A few hours after we published this episode, Japan and the IOC announced that the Olympics will, in fact, be postponed until 2021.)Yesterday, a member of the International Olympic Committee told a reporter that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be postponed until next year. Thi ... Show More

Another Olympics has come and gone. And as the athletes and sponsors leave town, Tokyo could be left to deal with the debt, gentrification, and displacement that can come from hosting the games. In this episode, we look at the social cost of hosting sporting events and the activi ... Show More

US Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby addresses the intel onslaught about Russia's moves over Ukraine ... Christiane asks Ukraine's ambassador to Germany if western countries are doing enough ... With the highest court in sports clearing Russian skater Kamila Valieva to participate ... Show More