Political Fix

By Financial Times

News & Politics

What's Political Fix 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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The Boris Johnson WhatsApp ...

06.02.2023

Rishi Sunak’s government is heading to court to challenge the Covid inquiry’s right to demand ministers’ unredacted messages, following a row over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages. The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by columnist Miranda Green and UK ...

Political Fix episodes:

06.02.2023 The Boris Johnson WhatsApp psychodrama Rishi Sunak’s government is heading to court to challenge the Covid inquiry’s right to demand ministers’ unredacted messages, following a row over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages. The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by columnist Miranda Green and UK ...
05.26.2023 Rishi Sunak’s immigration conundrum Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said net migration is too high following data showing that it hit a record last year, but he insists it’s not out of control. The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher digs into the political debate ...
05.19.2023 Does Rishi Sunak have an industrial strategy? Critics claim the Tories lack an industrial strategy and three former business secretaries have said that this fails to prepare Britain for the future. George Parker, the FT’s political editor, hears from Greg Clark, one of those former ministers, and ...
05.14.2023 Inflation and migration: Sunak’s problematic pledges Cutting inflation and stopping small-boat migration are two of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s five core priorities, but there's no let-up in inflation or unhappiness with the government's policy on asylum seekers. George Parker, the FT’s political editor, discusses with economics ...
05.05.2023 Local elections: How bad was it for the Conservatives? For Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the results were ‘disappointing’, Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer claimed his party was heading for power and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey wore a ‘Cheshire cat’ grin. What do this week’s local elections in England ...
04.28.2023 Wooing business: will it work? Rishi Sunak has launched a charm offensive to win back the support of business while Labour wines and dines the financial community. Are their efforts to connect with corporate Britain convincing? Host George Parker discusses with the FT’s markets editor ...
04.21.2023 Is a Labour win over the Conservatives inevitable in 2024? This week we’re bringing you an extended edition of the podcast recorded during a webinar from the FT Live events team. Host Miranda Green is joined by FT columnist Stephen Bush, the FT’s public policy editor Peter Foster and Jane ...
04.14.2023 Biden in Belfast: did the US president snub Sunak? Joe Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland was designed to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. But it was brief compared with his stay in the Republic of Ireland. Did the US president's presence help or hinder the prime ...
04.06.2023 Is ‘Fortress UK' a vote-winner? Getting out of the UK - and indeed getting in - is becoming more difficult. Host Miranda Green unpicks home secretary Suella Braverman’s tough talk on British borders with FT columnist Stephen Bush and Rhys Clyne, the Institute for Government’s ...
04.03.2023 Have the UK’s green plans hit a red light? The UK government unveiled a new net zero plan this week after the High Court ruled last year that existing plans were not enough for the UK to reach net zero targets. So is the new plan up to scratch? ...
03.24.2023 Rishi Sunak and the rout of Tory Eurosceptics Boris Johnson testified for his political life this week but was it enough to save his political career? George Parker discusses the former prime minister's future with the FT’s political commentator Stephen Bush and political correspondent Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe. Plus, while ...
03.17.2023 Are Jeremy Hunt’s plans really a ‘Budget for growth’? Why was the chancellor buoyed by forecasts that the UK would avoid a technical recession when the economy is still set to shrink? We dissect the economic and political implications of Jeremy Hunt’s Budget, including his giveaway on pension limits ...
03.11.2023 Rishi Sunak tackles the small-boat crossings Even the Home Secretary Suella Braverman admitted there were questions over the legality of the tough new legislation introduced in the House of Commons this week. Others criticised it for being inhumane. We discuss the language and strategy of the ...
03.03.2023 Has Rishi Sunak’s NI deal silenced Tory Eurosceptics? Boris Johnson may have criticised the prime minister’s deal on post-Brexit trading in Northern Ireland but a number of formerly staunch Eurosceptic rebels — including Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker — have enthused about Sunak’s success. How is the PM ...
02.24.2023 Northern Ireland: Rishi Sunak’s big test A deal to resolve the bitter dispute over post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland was due this week but the UK prime minister appears to have a fight on his hands to stop it unravelling as he faces opposition from Tory ...
02.17.2023 What Nicola Sturgeon’s exit means for UK politics Scotland’s first minister announced this week that she was stepping down after eight years in office. What does her resignation mean for the Scottish National party and Scotland’s independence campaign? We discuss the country’s future. Plus, presenter George Parker talks ...
02.11.2023 Sunak and the backseat former PMs Liz Truss and Boris Johnson have both been intervening this week. Could they challenge Rishi Sunak? We discuss how much of a threat to him they are. Plus, we delve into the cabinet and Whitehall shake-ups. An industrial strategy was ...
02.04.2023 Rishi Sunak’s first 100 days After a week that’s seen mass strikes and a growing number of bullying allegations against his deputy Dominic Raab, we discuss how Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has fared during his first 100 days in office. Plus, we delve into the ...
01.28.2023 Zahawi £5mn tax scandal tests Sunak Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer attacked Rishi Sunak as ‘weak’ as calls escalated for the Tory party chair Nadhim Zahawi to be sacked over his £5mn settlement with Inland Revenue. How much is the row damaging the PM’s credibility and his ...
01.21.2023 What Keir Starmer did at Davos Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves gave a pre-Davos interview to the FT before setting off to woo the global elite in Switzerland at the World Economic Forum in a remarkable turnround in Labour sentiment. Why were they ...
01.14.2023 A rumbustious start to 2023 Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer clash at PMQs as they set out their plans for a year that could shape the outcome of the general election. The prime minister faces industrial unrest, demands to solve the Northern Ireland standoff and ...
12.17.2022 2022 year in review In our final episode of 2022, we look back on an especially turbulent year in Westminster - from partygate to Chris Pincher, Ukraine to market meltdown, Boris Johnson to Rishi Sunak, Kwasi Kwarteng and Jeremy Hunt. We reflect on the ...
12.10.2022 Sunak versus the strikes Rishi Sunak confronted a growing wave of industrial unrest facing the UK with tough new proposals for anti-strike laws, but will they work? We explore how the prime minister is handling the challenges of the winter ahead and whether we’re ...
12.03.2022 Winter of discontent Britain is seeing a swelling wave of industrial action this winter, from nurses to rail workers. Is the country facing a de facto general strike and is there an economic landing zone for the government and workers? We discuss what ...
11.26.2022 Sunak’s short honeymoon Rishi Sunak's authority with Tory MPs is waning and he is now facing policy battles on almost every front. We analyse which fights the new prime minister can win and which aren’t worth engaging in, and whether the Conservative party ...
11.19.2022 Jeremy Hunt’s sombre Autumn Statement The chancellor unveiled a £55bn plan for fiscal tightening this week, with the biggest drop in living standards for 70 years. We unpack all of the fiscal forecasts, tax rises, spending cuts and how Rishi Sunak can navigate the tricky ...
11.12.2022 Farewell Sir Gavin, for the third time Rishi Sunak forced Sir Gavin Williamson out from his government this week, the third time the former cabinet minister has been made to quit. Why did Sunak hire the controversial former chief whip in the first place? And what does ...
11.05.2022 Pressure grows on the home secretary? We ask whether the home secretary Suella Braverman can survive in her post with attacks on multiple fronts. Does she have a plan for dealing with backlogged asylum claims? Can she be trusted with national security? And does she have ...
10.29.2022 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak After another turbulent week and the potential return of Boris Johnson. Rishi Sunak became Britain's latest prime minister - its first non-white leader and the youngest in modern history. We discuss how he triumphed in the leadership contest, how Johnson ...
10.21.2022 How the stopwatch began on Truss’ time in Downing Street We look back on what can only be described as a total bonkers week in Westminster: how Liz Truss became the shortest and one of the worst prime ministers in British history, the very sticky end, and crucially what happens ...
10.14.2022 A new chancellor and another U-turn for Truss A tumultuous week and a dramatic Friday as Liz Truss was forced to reverse on tax cuts again and sacked Kwasi Kwarteng. Doubts are growing over whether she can survive as prime minister. Presented by Sebastian Payne with political editor ...
10.08.2022 Truss vs the ‘anti-growth’ coalition Liz Truss endured one of the most traumatic Conservative party conferences in living memory, with open revolt from her cabinet and MPs. Can the new prime minister survive and where does her economic reform agenda go next? Plus we discuss ...
09.30.2022 Kwasi Kwarteng’s market meltdown Markets showed their dismay and the pound crashed to its lowest levels ever as Prime Minister Liz Truss and chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng struggled to defend their economic strategy. Where does the crisis go next? Political editor George Parker and economics ...
09.23.2022 The gamble for growth Kwasi Kwarteng delivered his first Budget in all but name this week, with the biggest overhaul in taxes in half a century. We unpack all the major tax cuts and examine whether the Truss government's huge bet on growth will ...
09.17.2022 King Charles III begins his reign The UK has experienced an unprecedented week of constitutional upheaval with new national and political leadership. We discuss the death and mourning of Queen Elizabeth II, the arrival of King Charles III and what it all means for the new ...
09.09.2022 In memory of Queen Elizabeth II Following the sad news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II - who died on September 8 2022 at the age of 96 - we are in tribute republishing this platinum jubilee episode, in which we looked back on Her ...
09.03.2022 Truss’s glide path to Number 10 The Tory leadership race finished this week, with foreign secretary Liz Truss widely expected to triumph. We discuss the final campaign developments, Truss’ pledges on tax, and what Boris Johnson might do next. Presented by Sebastian Payne, with George Parker, ...
08.27.2022 Struggling with the energy crisis With energy bills set to soar from October, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak faced mounting questions about how they would help struggling families, yet neither of the candidates to be the new prime minister has set out detailed plans. We ...
08.20.2022 Liz Truss pulls even further ahead Two new opinion polls put Liz Truss 32 points ahead of her rival Rishi Sunak in the race to be the next Tory leader and prime minister. We analyse whether the contest is over, and the latest clashes between the ...
08.13.2022 Tory leadership race: And the heat goes on As much of the country wilts in a heatwave, the focus in the Tory leadership contest this week has been on colder times to come. The two rivals for UK prime minister have disagreed publicly on how to help the ...
08.06.2022 Liz Truss targets the Treasury The voting process in the contest for a new Tory leader and prime minister was delayed over security concerns, but the campaign continued with Liz Truss looking all but certain to win. We discuss her lines of attack and her ...
07.30.2022 Truss pulls ahead The race to be the next UK prime minister rolled on this week, as foreign secretary Liz Truss firmed up her campaign lead and former chancellor Rishi Sunak struggled to make headway. We delve into the trio of debates, policy ...
07.23.2022 Head-to-head - Sunak and Truss fight it out to be Tory leader and PM In this week’s episode, we delve into the positions and policies of the two final candidates in the contest to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative leader and UK prime minister. Who is likely to win the votes of the Tory ...
07.16.2022 The race for next Tory leader and PM In this week’s episode, we’ll delve into the two classes of contenders to be the next UK prime minister: the frontrunners and the outsiders. Political editor George Parker and associate editor Stephen Bush will discuss former chancellor Rishi Sunak, who ...
07.08.2022 The fall of Boris Johnson In this week’s bumper episode, we’ll be taking you behind the scenes on a week that brought Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister to a rather bitter close. We’ll take you through his handling of the Chris Pincher affair, the ...
07.02.2022 Boris Johnson lands back to earth We discuss whether Boris Johnson's Global Britain ambitions were achieved during his recent overseas trip and the fallout from the resignation of deputy chief whip Chris Pincher. Plus, we explore Nicola Sturgeon's plans for a second Scottish independence referendum and ...
06.29.2022 Introducing: Hot Money The FT just launched a new podcast on porn, power and profit. When FT reporter Patricia Nilsson started digging into the porn industry, she made a shocking discovery: nobody knew who controlled the biggest porn company in the world. Now, ...
06.24.2022 Boris Johnson’s double by-election defeat The Conservatives lost two crucial by-elections this week in Yorkshire and Devon, putting UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s leadership under scrutiny. Host Sebastian Payne, the FT’s Whitehall editor, discusses these results — and the resignation of Tory party chair Oliver ...
06.18.2022 Boris Johnson’s Northern Ireland plan - is it just a bluff? We examine the situation with the Northern Ireland protocol, whether the government’s plans break international law and how the EU might respond. Public policy editor Peter Foster digs into the details with our Ireland correspondent Jude Webber. Plus, the resignation ...
06.11.2022 Boris survives, but for how long? The prime minister had a close shave with his MPs this week when 41 per cent of the Conservative parliamentary party voted to oust him. We discuss how and whether Johnson can renew his leadership and whether he will face ...

Older episodes

Political Fix

What's Political Fix about?

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Political Fix episodes:

The Boris Johnson WhatsApp psychodrama

Rishi Sunak’s immigration conundrum

Does Rishi Sunak have an industrial strategy?

Inflation and migration: Sunak’s problematic pledges

Local elections: How bad was it for the Conservatives?

Wooing business: will it work?

Is a Labour win over the Conservatives inevitable in 2024?

Biden in Belfast: did the US president snub Sunak?

Is ‘Fortress UK' a vote-winner?

Have the UK’s green plans hit a red light?

Rishi Sunak and the rout of Tory Eurosceptics

Are Jeremy Hunt’s plans really a ‘Budget for growth’?

Rishi Sunak tackles the small-boat crossings

Has Rishi Sunak’s NI deal silenced Tory Eurosceptics?

Northern Ireland: Rishi Sunak’s big test

What Nicola Sturgeon’s exit means for UK politics

Sunak and the backseat former PMs

Rishi Sunak’s first 100 days

Zahawi £5mn tax scandal tests Sunak

What Keir Starmer did at Davos

A rumbustious start to 2023

2022 year in review

Sunak versus the strikes

Winter of discontent

Sunak’s short honeymoon

Jeremy Hunt’s sombre Autumn Statement

Farewell Sir Gavin, for the third time

Pressure grows on the home secretary?

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

How the stopwatch began on Truss’ time in Downing Street

A new chancellor and another U-turn for Truss

Truss vs the ‘anti-growth’ coalition

Kwasi Kwarteng’s market meltdown

The gamble for growth

King Charles III begins his reign

In memory of Queen Elizabeth II

Truss’s glide path to Number 10

Struggling with the energy crisis

Liz Truss pulls even further ahead

Tory leadership race: And the heat goes on

Liz Truss targets the Treasury

Truss pulls ahead

Head-to-head - Sunak and Truss fight it out to be Tory leader and PM

The race for next Tory leader and PM

The fall of Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson lands back to earth

Introducing: Hot Money

Boris Johnson’s double by-election defeat

Boris Johnson’s Northern Ireland plan - is it just a bluff?

Boris survives, but for how long?