Assisted dying: The vote

Assisted dying: The vote

Author: Financial Times November 29, 2024 Duration: 38:46

MPs will vote on assisted dying this week for the first time in almost a decade. There are ramifications for the NHS, questions over legal oversight, and ethical considerations that all feed into this highly emotive and personal issue. And if the bill passes this hurdle, what will happen next on its journey through parliament? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker and Stephen Bush, alongside the FT’s public policy correspondent Laura Hughes, to discuss the matter. The panel also examines Labour’s bid to get a grip on migration, plus the PM’s plans to reframe – or should that be reset? – his administration. 



Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, George @GeorgeWParker, Stephen @stephenkb and Laura @laura_k_hughes


Want more?  


England’s palliative care ‘postcode lottery’ casts shadow over assisted dying debate


Judges’ role in assisted dying bill criticised as ‘rubber stamping


Assisted dying would be funded ‘at expense of’ NHS services, warns Streeting


Net migration to the UK hit record 900,000 in 2023


‘It has been bumpy’: Keir Starmer reckons with plunging approval ratings 


Labour has a classic first act problem



Join Lucy Fisher, Peter Foster, Stephen Bush and Miranda Green for a Political Fix Live session on December 5, where they will assess Labour's record after five months in office as part of the FT's Global Boardroom online conference. The three-day event features high-level interviews on the big issues of the day and is being held on December 4-6. Register for your free pass at ft.com/tgb


Read the FT’s Best Politics Books of the Year 2024 list, curated by the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman.



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 Clare Williamson with Lulu Smyth. 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.


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
Reeves sets Labour’s course – but what will it deliver? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:49
Labour’s long-awaited spending review dropped this week. Rachel Reeves unveiled funding settlements for government departments – and a newly upbeat tone after the gloomy promise of hard times in her previous Commons set…
Facing down a fiscal firestorm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:51
UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has had an action-packed week. She made a U-turn on winter fuel payments, announced plans to spend billions of pounds on new transport schemes and, following the prime minister’s latest announ…
Coming soon: The Wolf-Krugman Exchange [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:08
In a special six-part series of The Economics Show, Martin Wolf, the FT’s chief economics commentator, and Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman discuss the economic events reshaping the world in the wake of US Pres…
Who’s afraid of Nigel Farage? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Reform party leader Nigel Farage clashed on economic issues this week. Farage said his party was the champion of the working class, while Starmer warned Farage’s proposed spending rises am…
Is Labour’s post-Brexit reset a victory or a betrayal? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:00
The UK and EU announced a historic deal to ‘reset’ their relationship this week. Keir Starmer called the deal a “win-win”, while a “gobsmacked” Kemi Badenoch labelled it a “surrender”. Who’s right? Host George Parker is…
Labour's immigration crackdown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:38
It’s been another turbulent week for Labour after Keir Starmer announced a crackdown on legal migration. The prime minister gave what has since become a controversial speech suggesting the UK is at risk of becoming an “i…
Ask Political Fix: Trade, tax and leftwing pacts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:56
Our first Q&A special episode is finally here! You sent in questions, now our panel answers them. Is the UK-US trade deal worth the paper it’s signed on? Could the UK benefit from a brain drain from the US? Is there any…
Local elections special: end of the two-party duopoly? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:28
This week, we’ve seen Reform UK trounce Labour and the Conservatives across England in local elections. Nigel Farage’s party has secured a fifth MP, clinched two mayorships and seized control of at least seven councils.I…
Reform on the march? Our local elections guide [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:51
Ahead of England’s local elections next week, the Political Fix team pick the races to watch and what’s at stake for the main parties, as voters head to the polls to elect 1,600-odd councillors, six mayors and one new MP…
What is a ‘woman’ in law? The Supreme Court ruling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:11
The UK Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling this week about the legal definition of a woman in equality legislation. Judges ruled that a woman is someone who is born biologically female. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by t…