''How To Win An Election'' is a weekly political analysis podcast from ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'', published since October 2023''.'' It is hosted by the Times columnist

Hugo Rifkind Hugo James Rifkind (born 30 March 1977) is a British journalist. He has been a columnist for ''The Times'' since 2005. He also presents a mid-morning show on Times Radio, Mondays to Thursdays (from Sept 2024.) From July 2020 (the station's laun ...

alongside

Daniel Finkelstein Daniel William Finkelstein, Baron Finkelstein, (born 30 August 1962) is a British journalist, author, political advisor and politician. He is a former executive editor of ''The Times,'' where he remains a weekly political columnist, and has be ...

of the Conservative Party, Sally Morgan of the Labour Party and

Polly Mackenzie Polly Janet Mackenzie (born 8 December 1980) is a British political and civic society worker and journalist, serving as the director of policy for the Deputy Prime Minister for 2010–2015. From 2022 to 2025, she had been the Chief Social Purpose ...

formerly of the Liberal Democrats and the

Women's Equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, gender egalitarianism, or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, an ...

parties. It is released on Thursdays, and partially broadcast on

Times Radio Times Radio is a British digital radio station owned by News UK, part of the Murdoch family, Murdoch media empire. It is jointly operated by News Broadcasting (which News UK acquired in 2016, when it was known as ''Wireless Group''), ''The Tim ...

, within Hugo Rifkind's daily show on Times Radio. It was initially hosted by political comedian and broadcaster

Matt Chorley Matt Chorley (born 1982) is a British journalist, broadcaster and comedian who hosted a live morning politics show on Times Radio from 2020 to 2024. He has since been hosting an afternoon politics show on BBC Radio 5 Live. Additionally, he prese ...

, until he left the Times in 2024, and

Peter Mandelson Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, (born 21 October 1953) is a British politician, lobbyist and diplomat who has served as British Ambassador to the United States since February 2025. A member of the Labour Party, Mandelson serve ...

was part of the team until January 2025 when was appointed UK Ambassador to the United States. It was listed by ''

The Week ''The Week'' is a weekly news magazine with editions in the United Kingdom and United States. The British publication was founded in 1995 and the American edition in 2001. An Australian edition was published from 2008 to 2012. A children's edi ...

'' as one of the best political podcasts, and later one of the best podcasts overall of 2023.

Controversies

In December 2023, when discussing political donations, Mandelson said that

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...

's government had taken £1 million in donations from an

animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all Animal consciousness, sentient animals have Moral patienthood, moral worth independent of their Utilitarianism, utility to humans, and that their most basic interests—such as ...

group and later banned fox hunting. In March 2024, when discussing how appearance mattered in politics, Mandelson was criticised for commenting on the show that

Keir Starmer Sir Keir Rodney Starmer (born 2 September 1962) is a British politician and lawyer who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since 2024 and as Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party since 2020. He previously ...

"needs to shed a few pounds". Starmer, who became Prime Minister in July of that year, nevertheless appointed Mandelson as British Ambassador to the United States in December.

References

External links

The podcast's homepage

The podcast's playlist on YouTube
{{Podcast-stub 2023 podcast debuts British podcasts Political podcasts The Times