Farage: more popular than the PM

Farage: more popular than the PM

Author: Financial Times December 13, 2024 Duration: 35:56

Reform UK is now beating Labour in one pollster’s survey, while party leader Nigel Farage is Ladbrokes’ favourite to succeed Keir Starmer as the next prime minister. This week Political Fix examines whether Reform is a serious future contender for government – and whether it is the Conservatives or Labour who should be most worried. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s deputy political editor Jim Pickard and political correspondent Anna Gross to discuss Reform’s trajectory, plus the chancellor’s spending review. They are also joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs columnist, to examine events playing out in Syria and how the UK should respond.




Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Anna on X: @AnnaSophieGross, Jim @PickardJE and Gideon @gideonrachman


Want more? Free links: 


Can Nigel Farage turn Reform into a serious contender for government?


More than 10,000 UK civil service jobs to be cut


Nigeria’s vice-president launches attack on Tory leader Kemi Badenoch


Review of £1.2tn in UK public spending will ‘be tight’, minister warns


UK ministers reject union calls to lift public sector pay to pre-austerity levels


The west should not succumb to cynical regret over Syria



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. 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
Markets or Trump: who’s in charge? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:03
The markets have gone haywire since Donald Trump’s announcement — and then pause— of a host of new US tariffs. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker and Miranda Green, plus FT markets columni…
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?…