‘A fractious and divided country’

‘A fractious and divided country’

Author: Financial Times August 9, 2024 Duration: 32:38

Sir Keir Starmer has told police to stay on ‘high alert’ for more disorder, as rafts of rioters receive lengthy jail sentences in Britain’s courts. Has the unrest petered out, or could it yet flare up again? And how will the government get a grip on the longer-term challenges the recent violence has thrown up – from illegal immigration to community cohesion? The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by northern England correspondent Jennifer Williams and UK correspondent William Wallis to assess the fallout. Plus Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, a think-tank specialising in integration, joins with his analysis of how Starmer should start to heal the ‘fractious, divided and anxious country’.


Follow Lucy on Twitter @LOS_Fisher, Jen @JenWilliamsMEN, William @WWFTUK, Sunder @sundersays


Want more?  


Keir Starmer tells police to stay on ‘high alert’ as UK rioters jailed


Far-right riots centred on England’s deprivation hotspots


The volatile far right on UK streets is becoming more difficult to label


Huge UK anti-racist rallies held as far-right protests fail to materialise


To take part in an audience survey, and to be in with the chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones, click here. Click here to find T&Cs for the prize draw.


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 Leah Quinn and Audrey Tinline. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity and original music by Breen Turner. Studio engineers: Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. 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.


Every Friday, the team behind Political Fix gathers to make sense of the week's political turbulence. This isn't just a recap of headlines; it's a deep, often lively conversation that pulls back the curtain on how decisions are really made in Westminster and beyond. You'll hear from the Financial Times journalists who are actually there, in the corridors and committee rooms, paired with expert voices who provide crucial context. Together, they untangle complex policy debates, analyse the shifting alliances, and question the strategies defining Britain's future. The result is a clear-eyed, authoritative look at the forces shaping the nation, delivered with the FT's signature rigor and insight. Tuning into this podcast feels like gaining access to a private briefing, one that prioritizes substance over noise. It’s for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites and understand the real stories and personalities driving the political agenda. New episodes arrive weekly, offering a consistent and essential perspective on a landscape that never stops moving.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Political Fix
Podcast Episodes
The Mandelson Starmer saga stumbles on [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:26
The rolling drama over the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador is eating the government alive, with more committee hearings coming next week and crucial elections for Labour on May 7. This week’s host Mi…
Labour lambasted over defence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:04
It’s not just the Trump administration attacking the UK’s defence capabilities. Now a Labour grandee and former head of Nato, Lord George Robertson, has accused Sir Keir Starmer of ‘corrosive complacency’ over delays to…
Squeezed Britain: student loans, salaries and strikes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:16
Sir Keir Starmer had promised 2026 would be the year the UK economy and household finances would finally “turn the corner”. But the Iran war has nixed those hopes. Now the pressure from unions to increase public sector p…
Trump taunts drive Starmer into EU’s arms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:03
Donald Trump has heaped insults on Sir Keir Starmer in recent weeks over his stance on the Iran war. The US president labelled the UK prime minister “no Winston Churchill”, said Britain’s aircraft carriers were mere “toy…
The case for keeping Starmer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:38
Sir Keir Starmer’s authority is slipping and Westminster is alive with speculation about potential successors. But chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley joins host Lucy Fisher, alongside deputy opinion editor Mira…
Introducing Untold: Opus Dei [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09
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…
Angela’s ambitions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:13
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…
Mandelson mess and Middle East U-turns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:08
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…
Iran shock for Starmer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:18
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…
Green grief for Starmer: by-election special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:57
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 behin…