Political Fix

With borrowing costs and inflation rising, are the UK’s finances worse than Burnham and Healey thought? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by FT colleagues George Parker, political editor, and Stephen Bush, columnist, to discuss the tightening fiscal outlook ahead of the October Budget, and whether scrapping the triple lock on pensions would cost the government more politically than it would save in cash terms.
Plus, Reform’s week of mega-donations — and the Labour government’s response, and the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland begin a new push for independence from the UK.

Follow Lucy: @LOS_Fisher; George: @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Stephen @stephenkb

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Britain, Burnham and tax: the walls close in
Healey prepares UK for ‘really challenging’ budget
Nigel Farage refuses to say if Reform UK’s £72mn gifts would comply with new cap
UK state pension will surpass income tax threshold next year
Bank of England says rates likely to rise as it overhauls gilts sales
It’s time to scrap the triple lock
Scrapping triple lock on pensions need not wreak political damage
A ‘lucky’ chancellor must also be a resolute one

Sign up here for Stephen Bush's morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek. Get 30 days free.

Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. The FT’s head of audio is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

AI promises major opportunities, but also significant risks – for the economy, employment, security and perhaps even human civilisation. But in Westminster, AI is far from a priority. In addition, fears that the UK’s AI Security Institute could be cut out of testing future frontier models before their release is fuelling alarm in Whitehall. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s AI editor Madhumita Murgia to discuss how developments in Silicon Valley are affecting UK politics. Plus UK chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley and deputy opinion editor Miranda Green join the pod to unpack foreign secretary Ed Miliband’s trade ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The panel also examine the new Met police investigation into Reform’s finances, and Burnham’s latest devolution plans for a tourist tax.

Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher; Robert: @robertshrimsley, @robertshrimsley.bsky.social; Miranda: @greenmiranda

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Anthropic withheld latest AI model from UK testing agency
AI hasn’t gone rogue, it’s worse than that
Growth in every postcode: good politics, dubious economics
Israel’s hapless British defenders
Israel retaliates after UK bans trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank
UK set to announce trade ban on Israeli settlements in the West Bank
The five financing scandals facing Reform

Sign up here for Stephen Bush's morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek. Get 30 days free.

Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiades and Richard Topping. The FT’s head of audio is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reform’s conference in Birmingham was soured by a Channel 4 News broadcast showing the party's leader Nigel Farage and some of his closest allies in conversations with a man purporting to arrange illicit political donations. Farage says the party has ‘broken no law’ but Reform has launched its own investigation and two top advisors have stepped down. Host Lucy Fisher hears from the FT’s acting executive news editor David Sheppard, who was at the Reform conference. Plus, political editor George Parker and economics editor Sam Fleming talk to Lucy about their exclusive interview with John Healey – and what the new Labour chancellor has planned for the country.

Follow Lucy @LOS_Fisher; George @GeorgeWParker and @georgewparker.bsky.social; Sam @Sam1Fleming; David @OilSheppard

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John Healey puts Britain on notice for tough Budget in ‘more dangerous world’
What are the latest claims against Nigel Farage?
Top Reform UK advisors to step down after donor sting
Latest allegations make Reform look ridiculous
Nigel Farage and Reform UK hit by illicit-funding sting
The five financing scandals facing Reform
James Orr and the gospel of the British right

Sign up here for Stephen Bush’s morning newsletter ‘Inside Politics’ for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek views. Get 30 days free.

Political Fix was presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Original music and sound engineering by Breen Turner. Flo Phillips is the FT’s head of audio.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

There’s big "new term" energy this week in parliament with MPs returning from summer recess for Andy Burnham’s first Prime Minister's Questions. After Burnham answered a mega 125 questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch lambasted the prime minister for being a “people pleaser” and a “spendthrift”. What did Burnham’s first appearance in the Commons tell us about his leadership style? And can Badenoch’s shadow cabinet reshuffle help the Tory party win back popularity? Plus, why is Green Party leader Zack Polanski standing in Keir Starmer’s old seat? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT's chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley and deputy political editor Jim Pickard.

Follow Lucy @LOS_Fisher ; Robert @robertshrimsley; Jim @PickardJE

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Andy Burnham tries to calm bond markets as public spending fears mount

Burnham seeks to protect UK farming and steel in EU reset talks

Andy Burnham and Emmanuel Macron meet as Bayeux tapestry unveiled

How UK-Israel relations reached their worst point in decades

PMQs cannot change Andy Burnham’s political reality

Andy Burnham’s summer of quietly backing away from radical pledges

James Orr and the gospel of the new British right

Greens leader Zach Polanski to stand in seat vacated by Keir Starmer

Come and join the FT and Political Fix panelists at the FT Weekend Festival on Saturday September 5 at Kenwood House Gardens in London. To save 10 per cent on tickets, visit ft.com/festival and use the discount code FTPODCAST.

You can also sign up here for Stephen Bush’s morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek views. Get 30 days free.

Political Fix was presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Original music and audio mix by Breen Turner. Our broadcast engineers were Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. Flo Phillips is the FT’s head of audio.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his first interview with the FT since becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham tells political editor and host George Parker that he is pro-business and understands the pressures that business is under — but wants something in return from corporate Britain. Deputy political editor Jim Pickard and columnist Stephen Bush join George to unpack Burnham’s pitch on business and wealth creation, and what he had to say about tax, nationalisation and the EU.

George @GeorgeWParker and @georgewparker.bsky.social; Stephen @stephenkb; and Jim @PickardJE

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Andy Burnham pledges to ‘take pressure off’ business ahead of October Budget
Andy Burnham seeks to bridge gap with nervous business community
Healey to shelve his own defence spending target of 3% of GDP by 2030
Andy Burnham set for first meeting with Trump in September
Thames Water creditors and government in stand-off over future
Thames Water saga undermines case for more market solutions
How the Bayeux Tapestry became a tool of soft power

Come and join the FT and Political Fix panelists at the FT Weekend Festival on Saturday, September 5 at Kenwood House Gardens in London. To save 10 per cent on tickets, visit ft.com/festival and use the discount code FTPODCAST.

You can also sign up here for Stephen Bush’s morning newsletter ‘Inside Politics’ for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek views. Get 30 days free.

Political Fix was presented by George Parker and produced by Persis Love and Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Original music by Breen Turner. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity. Our broadcast engineers were Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. Flo Phillips is the FT’s head of audio.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.