We're only a week away from the Makerfield by-election, when voters could choose the next prime minister.

If Andy Burnham wins, what happens in the hours and days after he arrives in Westminster? Will he seize the moment and try to challenge Keir Starmer immediately, or wait until he has a plan for running the country?

And if he wins, what does it mean for Reform UK's electoral strategy?

We also look at Steve Hilton's journey from David Cameron's modernising adviser to the race to be the next governor of California.

Send you messages, voicenotes and questions to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How is Andy Burnham defining his vision for the country as he tries to win the Makerfield by-election?

Sally, Polly, Danny and Hugo discuss whether the (possible) next prime minister can really wind back the clock back 40 years, whether Nigel Farage has taken a risk in his response to the murder of Henry Nowak, and whether Kemi Badenoch can define Labour as the party of welfare.

Send your messages, voicenotes, praise and criticism to howtowin@thetimes.co.uk

A full list of the candidates in the Makerfield by-election is available here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former cabinet minister, former deputy prime minister, big beast of the Tory jungle - Lord Heseltine joins us for our series looking at how the most significant elections of our lifetimes were won, and how they were lost.

He takes us back to the 1983 general election. Margaret Thatcher was fresh from victory in the Falklands, Labour offered voters the 'longest suicide vote in history', and the polls suggested the SDP-Liberal Alliance could break the old two-party system.

If you enjoyed this episode, listen to more in the series:

Nick Clegg and 2010

William Hague and 2005

Neil Kinnock and 1992

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.