Angela’s ambitions

Angela’s ambitions

Author: Financial Times March 20, 2026 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 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


Want more? 


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. 


Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com


Clip: BBC


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
Trump’s trade war: trouble ahead for Britain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:19
Donald Trump has shaken up the global economy with his seismic new tariffs this week. UK exports to the US will now face a 10 per cent levy – less than many other countries, but still a major headache for Britain’s fragi…
Doom, gloom and not much headroom: Spring Statement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:13
Rachel Reeves was forced to slash spending to balance the books in her Spring Statement this week. Welfare spending will be cut more deeply than initially trailed, prompting warnings that 250,000 people — a fifth of them…
Austerity redux? Spring Statement lookahead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:44
It’s crunch time for chancellor Rachel Reeves next Wednesday, when she will present her Spring Statement to parliament. Downgraded growth forecasts and deep spending cuts to unprotected departments loom. Host Lucy Fisher…
Starmer’s ‘Project Chainsaw’: the NHS, Whitehall, welfare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:22
“The world’s largest quango is scrapped” – that’s how the government framed the abolition of the NHS management body this week. It was the latest target in Sir Keir Starmer’s so-called ‘Project Chainsaw’, his plan to str…
Will Starmer sink or swim in Trump’s world? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:35
Sir Keir Starmer has won plaudits from across the political spectrum for his handling of the rapidly growing rift between the US, Europe and Ukraine – but can the UK prime minister sustain this diplomatic balancing act?…
The Starmer-Trump love-in [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:57
Donald Trump showered praise on Keir Starmer during the UK prime minister’s visit to the White House this week, describing him as ‘special’, a ‘beautiful man’ and a ‘tough negotiator’. Host Lucy Fisher speaks to George P…
‘America is now an adversary’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:31
The future of Ukraine and the defence of Europe will dominate when Keir Starmer jets out to the White House for talks with Donald Trump next week. Can the UK prime minister help save 80 years of Pax Americana? Or is the…
The right to die: who should have the final say? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:06
The bitter and emotional wrangling over the assisted dying bill reached new heights in parliament this week, following proposed changes to a key safeguard. Is it a sensible efficiency to remove the need for a High Court…
Trump and Reform: Is US-style populism set to sweep the UK? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:06
Donald Trump has stunned the world with a raft of extraordinary interventions this week, prompting Keir Starmer to keep his head down. But what happens when it’s Britain’s turn in the new US administration’s headlights?…
Growth – and damn the consequences? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:37
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has sought to place rocket-boosters under the UK economy this week – with a vow to prioritise growth over the environment or nimbyism. But how long will her plan take to work, is it too concentra…