Political Fix

Miranda Green is joined by FT columnists Stephen Bush and Robert Shrimsley to ask whether there’s any way out of the economic and political "doom loop" afflicting Rishi Sunak’s government. Plus, the FT’s political editor George Parker discusses UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s plans to boost growth. And with three by-elections coming up, the FT’s Anna Gross reports on the mood in Somerset, where the Liberal Democrats hope to win.

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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Hunt looks to City of London to bolster UK growth

We are on for a massive defeat: can the Tories prevent the inevitable?

The Conservative crisis of capitalism

Lib Dems look to deepen Tory gloom with west country by-election win

Clip from: Sky News

Beethoven’s "Emperor" symphony: Paul Lewis, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Jiri Belohlavek. Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos BBC / harmonia mundi.

Sign up for 90 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/inside-politics

Presented by Miranda Green. Produced by Anna Dedhar and Audrey Tinline. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

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As hundreds of schoolchildren are forced out of their classrooms by unsafe buildings, the FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley and columnist Stephen Bush to discuss the government’s handling of the crumbling concrete crisis. Plus, the FT’s William Wallis is in Birmingham to assess the damage to the city’s services as the country’s biggest local authority declares itself bankrupt, and Lucy, Stephen and Robert consider the winners and losers in Keir Starmer’s reshuffle.

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Rishi Sunak defends record over crumbling concrete in England’s schools

Sunak’s problem is that Britain has stopped listening to the Tories

Local government audit is a serious mess

Follow Lucy on X, formerly known as Twitter: @LOS_Fisher

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Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Audrey Tinline. 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.

Who should foot the bill – both financial and political – for the Post Office scandal? Hundreds of sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted of theft and false accounting on the basis of faulty data now face pay-outs and exoneration. Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s Rafe Uddin, who has been reporting from the Post Office inquiry, to ask who should pay the compensation bill, and who should shoulder the blame for the biggest miscarriage of justice in modern British history. Plus, Political Fix regulars Robert Shrimsley and George Parker dissect Keir Starmer’s new plan for supervised toothbrushing in schools and a crackdown on junk food, to consider whether Labour will run a ‘nanny state’.

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.

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Fujitsu could face ‘financial sanctions’ over Post Office scandal

Fujitsu won contracts on Sunak’s watch despite Post Office scandal

The bitter technological lesson of the Post Office scandal

Why Starmer will not tread lightly on voters’ lives

Keir Starmer rejects claim Labour seeking to create ‘nanny state’ on child health

Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Robert on @robertshrimsley, George on @GeorgeWParker, Rafe on@rafeuddin_

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Audrey Tinline. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Original music and audio mix 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.

Rachel Reeves’s plans for a tough spending round later this month have sparked a fierce revolt among a raft of cabinet ministers. But will their protests make a difference? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars Robert Shrimsley and George Parker to discuss. They also hear from the FT’s chief features writer Henry Mance about the cash-strapped and crumbling English justice system. Plus, the panel considers whether Labour’s investment summit was a success and who is shaping up to win the Tory leadership contest.

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, George @GeorgeWParker, Robert @robertshrimsley, Henry @henrymance

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Read Henry’s report here: How the English courts reached breaking point

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves face down cabinet revolt over spending cuts

Rachel Reeves looking at sweeping inheritance tax changes in Budget

UK innovation will be undermined by science department Budget squeeze, industry leaders warn

Robert Jenrick vs Kemi Badenoch: meet the next Conservative leader

David Lammy to raise human rights and support for Russia on China trip

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. Andrew Giorgiades and Rod Fitzgerald were the studio engineers. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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As politicians and political hacks limp towards the end of a long year in Westminster, Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s Robert Shrimsley and Miranda Green to assess the turmoil engulfing Sunak’s Tory party. The PM has won an important battle, but faces more strife in the new year. Also, the FT’s climate reporter Kenza Bryan has been in Dubai and sums up what, if anything, the COP28 mega-gathering really achieved and appraises the UK’s performance at the summit.

You can raise money for the FT's charity, the Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign, by bidding to have lunch with Political Fix regulars Miranda Green, Stephen Bush, George Parker or one of their colleagues, at top restaurants that are donating meals for an excellent cause. Go to ft.com/appeal to see what's on offer.

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.

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Sunak’s Rwanda fight is really a battle for control of the Conservatives

Rwanda vote exposes Tory divisions despite Rishi Sunak’s win

Countries reach ‘historic’ COP28 deal to transition from fossil fuels

Ex-Tory MP faces 35-day suspension for giving impression he was ‘for sale’

Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Miranda on: @greenmiranda, Robert on: @robertshrimsley, Kenza on: @KenzaBryan

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Audrey Tinline. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Broadcast engineer is Rod Fitzgerald. 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.