Political Fix

Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei exists to help people get closer to God, but some members say they found other agendas – and unexpected harm – entangled in that spiritual mission. The first episode of Untold: Opus Dei launches March 25.

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Angela Rayner heaped scorn on Sir Keir Starmer’s administration this week, fuelling fresh scrutiny of her ambitions. Does she want to return to cabinet or seize the reins? The former deputy prime minister issued a stark warning that the government is running out of time to change direction under Starmer, while also attempting to court the City. At the same time, the Greens continue to beat Labour in the polls with an unabashedly socialist platform.
Does all this signal the government will shift left?
Host Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s political editor George Parker, political correspondent Anna Gross, and Inside Politics columnist Stephen Bush to unpack what it all means. Plus FT US national editor Ed Luce shares insights on how he caught up with Donald Trump on his mobile this week.
Follow: Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, and Bluesky: @lucyfisher.ft.com George: @GeorgeWParker and @georgewparker.bsky.social; Stephen: @stephenkb and @stephenkb.bsky.social and Anna: @AnnaSophieGross and @annasophiegross.bsky.social

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Is the Green Party too radical for Britain?

Labour’s leftward shift and the bond vigilante threat

British right must not allow prejudice to be masked as principle

Starmer calls on Badenoch to sack shadow minister over Muslim prayer comments

Donald Trump warns Nato faces ‘very bad future’ if allies fail to help US in Iran

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.

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

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Clip: BBC

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
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It has been a week of red faces for party leaders. On Thursday, Keir Starmer apologised and took personal responsibility for the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US – after a first round of document disclosures suggested the prime minister was largely absent from the decision-making process. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch were both busy executing awkward U-turns on their earlier vocal support for a US war on Iran that is proving distinctly unpopular with UK voters.

Host Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s deputy political editor Jim Pickard, columnist and writer of the ‘Inside Politics’ newsletter Stephen Bush, and political editor George Parker to debate the twists and turns of the week in Westminster.

Clip from: The Mirror

Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, and Bluesky: @lucyfisher.ft.com; Jim: @PickardJE and @pickardje.bsky.social; Stephen: @stephenkb and @stephenkb.bsky.social; and George: @GeorgeWParker and @georgewparker.bsky.social

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Mandelson papers: what do they show?

Pressure grows on Starmer over Mandelson due diligence

Embarrassing Iran U-turn for the right, but Keir Starmer’s problems are worse

The irrepressible Nigel Farage

Sign up to Stephen Bush's morning newsletter ‘Inside Politics’ for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek analysis.
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Political FIx is presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Laurence Knight.
The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Audio mix by Breen Turner.
The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Our email address is [email protected]

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

A week into the Iran war and Sir Keir Starmer is scrambling to defend the UK’s position on the conflict. Criticised by Donald Trump over blocking the US from using British military bases to launch initial strikes on Iran, and under pressure from allies such as Cyprus to do more to protect the region, the PM is also facing demands to participate in strikes from the British right. But polling suggests the UK public is broadly in line with his policy on the conflict. This week host Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley, deputy opinion editor Miranda Green and our economics editor, Sam Fleming, to discuss London’s response to the war. Plus, the panel examines chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spring forecast and the home secretary Shabana Mahmood’s new immigration policy.

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Keir Starmer calls for de-escalation and defends his leadership over Iran attacks
In defence of hand-wringers and pearl-clutchers
Trump threatens to cut trade with ‘terrible’ Spain and calls Starmer ‘no Churchill’
Rachel Reeves faces hazardous fiscal picture even without Iran war
UK to further curtail rights of asylum seekers
Wealthy Dubai residents race back to UAE to avoid tax bills

Clips from: BBC

With Kevin Warsh nominated as the next Federal Reserve chair, join FT journalists on Thursday March 19 at 1pm (GMT) for an exclusive subscriber webinar exploring the future direction of the greenback, monetary policy and the global financial system. Register now for The Dollar under Trump at ft.com/trump-dollar and send us your questions.

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Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher and Bluesky; @lucyfisher.ft.com ;Robert: @robertshrimsley and @robertshrimsley.bsky.social; Sam @Sam1Fleming and Miranda: @greenmiranda and @greenmirandahere.bsky.social

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson and Laurence Knight. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity. 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.

The Gorton and Denton by-election was supposedly a three-horse race, but on polling day the Green Party stormed to victory by a vast margin. It was a devastating defeat for Labour, which was pushed into third place behind Reform UK. Sir Keir Starmer now faces intense pressure, while his party must battle a threat from the left as well as the right. Does this historic result – the first ever by-election triumph for the Greens – signal the end of the two-party system? And where does it leave Reform?

Host Lucy Fisher is joined by FT political correspondent Anna Gross, northern England correspondent Jennifer Williams, and political editor George Parker.

Follow: Lucy @LOS_Fisher and @lucyfisher.ft.com; George @georgewparker; Jennifer @JenWilliams_FT; Anna @AnnaSophieGross

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

Political Fix is presented by Lucy Fisher. This episode was produced by Fiona Symon and Mischa Frankl-Duval. Original music and mix by Breen Turner. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Our email address is [email protected]
Clip from BBC
Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.