‘Let’s be more normal’ – and rival Tory strategies

‘Let’s be more normal’ – and rival Tory strategies

Author: Financial Times October 4, 2024 Duration: 37:40

Who’s up and who’s down in the Tory leadership race after the four-day beauty parade at the party’s conference in Birmingham? Host Lucy Fisher and Political Fix regulars George Parker and Stephen Bush assess the four contenders’ performances, as Conservative MPs prepare to whittle down the field to two next week. The panel are also joined by the FT’s public policy editor Peter Foster to discuss Sir Keir Starmer’s first step on the road to resetting UK-EU relations. Plus, the group discusses the latest twist in freebiegate.



Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher; George on X @GeorgeWParker, Stephen @stephenkb and Peter @pmdfoster


Want more?  

Tories embrace life in opposition at party conference

Conservatives should pick James Cleverly. Here’s why they won’t 

Keir Starmer to repay £6,000 for gifts including Taylor Swift tickets 

Keir Starmer looks for post-Brexit ‘reset’ in meeting with EU leaders

US and G7 warn Israel against strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities



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
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…