Just imagine what your best Christmas ever would sound like.

Thank you for calling National Lottery. I can see you calling about a winner today, is that correct?

Yeah, I think I have. I'd just take to double check before I do a cartwheel.

Yeah, I can confirm that you have won the top prize 1.2 million oh my

what happy Christmas why do now you have the best Christmas ever this Christmas it could be you. The National Lottery. Rules and procedures apply. Players must be

18 or over. Hello and welcome to the Red Box Politics Podcast and the Times I'm Matt Chorley.

Parliament has now returned from its summer recess and the coming months will be dominated by one thing.

Brexit. There are so many other challenges and issues facing the country as well that I am declaring this week's podcast a Brexit free zone. The negotiations are ongoing

but until they progress even a tiny bit there seems little point in more talks about

talks. Anyone courts using the B word on this week's episode will be punished with

this Brexit siren which is also available as a stand-in for Big Ben should you need

one.

Joining me this week on the panel to explain why there are loads of other things that we should be worried about as well.

Our Jenny Russell, the Times columnist on the benefit cuts that are only now starting to bite.

Fellow columnist Ian Martin asks why we're losing our religion, but

first Chris Smyth, the Times Health Editor, and why the NHS Winter Warning gets earlier every

year.

The bank holiday beach house barely been rolled up and already we're facing warnings

of NHS winter crisis without a 350 million power bailout.

NHS providers, which reference hospitals, is they're struggling to cope with the relentless

rises in elderly patients as their budget increases taper off and extra money for social care

fails to reduce bed blocking.

...