Political Fix

Political Fix

The Financial Times takes you into the corridors of power to unwrap, analyse and debate British politics with a regular lineup of FT correspondents and informed commentators. New episodes available every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 22 HR. AGO

    Farage: more popular than the PM

    Reform UK is now beating Labour in one pollster’s survey, while party leader Nigel Farage is Ladbrokes’ favourite to succeed Keir Starmer as the next prime minister. This week Political Fix examines whether Reform is a serious future contender for government – and whether it is the Conservatives or Labour who should be most worried. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s deputy political editor Jim Pickard and political correspondent Anna Gross to discuss Reform’s trajectory, plus the chancellor’s spending review. They are also joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs columnist, to examine events playing out in Syria and how the UK should respond. Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Anna on X: @AnnaSophieGross, Jim @PickardJE and Gideon @gideonrachman Want more? Free links:  Can Nigel Farage turn Reform into a serious contender for government? More than 10,000 UK civil service jobs to be cut Nigeria’s vice-president launches attack on Tory leader Kemi Badenoch Review of £1.2tn in UK public spending will ‘be tight’, minister warns UK ministers reject union calls to lift public sector pay to pre-austerity levels The west should not succumb to cynical regret over Syria Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award.  Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  2. DEC 5

    Will Starmer’s new milestones become millstones?

    Sir Keir Starmer unveiled six fresh pledges as part of a major government reset this week, which included diluting a green target and redefining his economic goals. It followed a tumultuous start to government for Labour after 14 years in opposition. As the administration reached the five-month mark on Thursday, Political Fix hosted a live special as part of the FT’s Global Boardroom online conference. Host Lucy Fisher was joined by the podcast’s regulars Stephen Bush, Miranda Green and Peter Foster to take stock of the ups and downs of Labour’s record in power to date. Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Stephen on @stephenkb, Miranda on @greenmiranda and Peter on @pmdfoster Want more?  Keir Starmer to take aim at Whitehall with new UK ‘mission’ targets  Cabinet minister denies Keir Starmer’s ‘plan for change’ is a reset Keir Starmer waters down UK clean power target in policy reset UK chemicals sector doubts Keir Starmer’s ‘reset’ will end Brexit blues Keir Starmer, the operator, the fixer, not the visionary Read the FT’s Best Politics Books of the Year 2024 list, curated by the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman. Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award.  Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiadis and Petros Giumpassis. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  3. NOV 28

    Assisted dying: The vote

    MPs will vote on assisted dying this week for the first time in almost a decade. There are ramifications for the NHS, questions over legal oversight, and ethical considerations that all feed into this highly emotive and personal issue. And if the bill passes this hurdle, what will happen next on its journey through parliament? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker and Stephen Bush, alongside the FT’s public policy correspondent Laura Hughes, to discuss the matter. The panel also examines Labour’s bid to get a grip on migration, plus the PM’s plans to reframe – or should that be reset? – his administration.  Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, George @GeorgeWParker, Stephen @stephenkb and Laura @laura_k_hughes Want more?   England’s palliative care ‘postcode lottery’ casts shadow over assisted dying debate Judges’ role in assisted dying bill criticised as ‘rubber stamping’ Assisted dying would be funded ‘at expense of’ NHS services, warns Streeting Net migration to the UK hit record 900,000 in 2023 ‘It has been bumpy’: Keir Starmer reckons with plunging approval ratings  Labour has a classic first act problem Join Lucy Fisher, Peter Foster, Stephen Bush and Miranda Green for a Political Fix Live session on December 5, where they will assess Labour's record after five months in office as part of the FT's Global Boardroom online conference. The three-day event features high-level interviews on the big issues of the day and is being held on December 4-6. Register for your free pass at ft.com/tgb Read the FT’s Best Politics Books of the Year 2024 list, curated by the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman. Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award.  Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson with Lulu Smyth. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  4. NOV 21

    Labour’s beef with farmers

    After winning swaths of rural seats in the general election, Labour’s relationship with the countryside has nosedived, amid a row over the government’s plan to impose inheritance tax on some farms. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regular Jim Pickard and political correspondent Anna Gross to discuss the changes to agricultural property relief and the wider political fallout. The team also dissects the row over Rachel Reeves’ CV edit and scrutinises her past remarks about her career. Plus, FT foreign editor Alec Russell joins to discuss what happens next in the Ukraine war after Kyiv fired US and UK-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time this week.  Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Jim @PickardJE, Anna @AnnaSophieGross, Alec @AlecuRussell Want more?   Thousands of farmers protest in London against tax changes Ukraine fires British Storm Shadow missiles into Russia Russia fires intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for first time, Kyiv says New book from UK shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves lifts from Wikipedia UK government borrowing for October exceeds forecasts at £17.4bn Join Lucy Fisher, Peter Foster, Stephen Bush and Miranda Green for a Political Fix Live session on December 5, where they will assess Labour's record after five months in office as part of the FT's Global Boardroom online conference. The three-day event features high-level interviews on the big issues of the day and is being held on December 4-6. Register for your free pass at ft.com/tgb Read the FT’s Best Politics Books of the Year 2024 list, curated by the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman. Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award.  Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Tamara Kormornick. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiadis and Petros Giumpassis. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  5. NOV 15

    EU or US? UK plays piggy in the middle

    As Donald Trump makes his first appointments, speculation in Whitehall grows: will the UK move closer to the US or cosy back up with the EU? The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker and Robert Shrimsley, as well as Peter Foster, the FT’s public policy editor, to discuss how Britain might successfully balance its two most important relationships. Plus the panel also discusses Rachel Reeves’s pension megafund reform, and assesses the damage Labour’s employment reforms are doing to the relationship with British business.  Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, George @GeorgeWParker, Peter Foster @pmdfoster, Robert @robertshrimsley  Want more?   Join Lucy Fisher, Peter Foster, Stephen Bush and Miranda Green for Political Fix Live session on December 5, where they will assess Labour's record after five months in office as part of the FT's Global Boardroom online conference. The three-day event features high-level interviews on the big issues of the day and is being held on December 4-6. Register for your free pass at ft.com/tgb Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award.  Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Tamara Kormornick. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiadis and Petros Giumpassis. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  6. NOV 8

    The UK in Trump’s world

    Despite past criticism of Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer has sent ‘hearty’ praise to the president-elect for his victory this week. But what will transatlantic relations be like in 2025 and what does a Trump presidency mean for a Labour government? And, after Kemi Badenoch won the Tory leadership contest, we assess her first days in the job. Political Fix host Lucy Fisher is joined by US national editor and columnist Ed Luce, Deputy Washington bureau chief Lauren Fedor, Jim Pickard and Katy Balls, political editor of the Spectator. Follow Lucy on Twitter @LOS_Fisher,  Ed @EdwardGLuce, Lauren @LaurenFedor, Jim @PickardJE Want more?   America wants Trump — no ifs or buts ‘They don’t understand my life’: what the Democrats misread about America  ‘Brave new world’: Donald Trump’s victory signals end of US-led postwar order  Trade, tech, defence: UK braces for policy flashpoints with Trump’s US Lammy seeks to repair Trump relationship after ‘Nazi’ jibe  Kemi Badenoch rewards early backers with shadow cabinet posts  Sign up for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award:  https://ft.com/insidepoliticsoffer Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix by Simon Panayi. Original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  7. OCT 25

    New chancellor, new rules

    Rachel Reeves has rewritten her fiscal rules on the eve of her seismic first Budget next week. She says her new borrowing rule will help get Britain building, but how will it go down with voters – and the markets? Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is in Samoa, where a debate about reparations for slavery has threatened to overshadow the Commonwealth summit. Plus, the PM has had to grapple with Donald Trump’s allegations of illegal election interference by Labour. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regular Stephen Bush and FT political correspondent Anna Gross, along with the FT’s deputy Washington bureau chief Lauren Fedor. Will Labour’s budget boost growth? Ask the FT’s economics editor Sam Fleming and colleagues at a Political Fix live subscriber webinar, hosted by Lucy Fisher, on Nov 1 at 1300 GMT. Register for your free pass at ft.com/ukgrowth Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Stephen @stephenkb, Anna @AnnaSophieGross and Lauren @LaurenFedor Want more?   Rachel Reeves confirms change to UK fiscal rules to help fund £20bn of annual investment Rachel Reeves: My fiscal rules will provide the stability on which growth depends Keir Starmer flies to Samoa to answer tricky questions from Commonwealth allies Donald Trump accuses UK Labour party of interference in White House race  Labour paid for top Starmer aide to attend Democratic National Convention A Trump victory would end ‘normal’ politics between UK and US Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award.  Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min
4.4
out of 5
115 Ratings

About

The Financial Times takes you into the corridors of power to unwrap, analyse and debate British politics with a regular lineup of FT correspondents and informed commentators. New episodes available every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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