Live Budget special: How will the UK secure growth?

Live Budget special: How will the UK secure growth?

Author: Financial Times November 1, 2024 Duration: 58:18

It’s been two days since chancellor Rachel Reeves put a £40bn tax increase at the heart of a plan to fix the country’s “broken” finances and public services, and unveiled a sharp increase in borrowing to fund an extra £100bn of capital spending. But will these measures bolster investment and growth in the UK economy? And what does the Budget tell us about the country’s economic direction over the next five years? The FT’s Lucy Fisher discusses these questions and more with UK political editor George Parker, columnist and host of The Economics Show Soumaya Keynes and economics editor Sam Fleming.


This is a recording of an FT Live subscribers’ webinar, recorded on Friday, November 1.


Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, George on @GeorgeWParker, Sam @Sam1Fleming and Soumaya @SoumayaKeynes


Want more? Free links:


Budget poses new challenge for UK public finances, Moody’s warns


Business and wealthy bear brunt of £40bn tax increases in UK Budget


The Budget in brief: what you need to know


Reeves has made her choice — but success is not guaranteed


Rachel Reeves defiant after historic tax and spend Budget


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. 


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
EU or US? UK plays piggy in the middle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:54
As Donald Trump makes his first appointments, speculation in Whitehall grows: will the UK move closer to the US or cosy back up with the EU?The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker and Rober…
The UK in Trump’s world [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:29
Despite past criticism of Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer has sent ‘hearty’ praise to the president-elect for his victory this week. But what will transatlantic relations be like in 2025 and what does a Trump presidency m…
New chancellor, new rules [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:13
Rachel Reeves has rewritten her fiscal rules on the eve of her seismic first Budget next week. She says her new borrowing rule will help get Britain building, but how will it go down with voters – and the markets? Meanwh…
Cabinet fightback: the revolt over spending [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:33
Rachel Reeves’s plans for a tough spending round later this month have sparked a fierce revolt among a raft of cabinet ministers. But will their protests make a difference? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix reg…
Martin Wolf on the UK economy: ‘Why I’m worried’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:24
What kind of economy did Labour inherit this summer, and how does Britain measure up to international comparators? Political Fix host Lucy Fisher sits down with Martin Wolf to examine the strengths and weaknesses inheren…
100 days of Labour: Starmer’s stuttering start [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:03
As Labour reaches 100 days in government we take stock of how Sir Keir Starmer and his team have performed. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars Robert Shrimsley, Miranda Green and Jim Pickard to assess L…
‘Let’s be more normal’ – and rival Tory strategies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 con…
Starmer’s ‘weird’ week: from Liverpool to New York [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:55
Labour’s conference in Liverpool should have been a celebratory event after its landslide win in the July election. Political editor George Parker, standing in for Lucy Fisher, is joined by Miranda Green and Robert Shrim…
Is the shine coming off Saint Starmer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:31
A growing controversy around Lord Waheed Alli’s donations to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria risks tarnishing the new government, while propelling the normally discreet Labour donor into the public…
A terminal diagnosis for the NHS? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:10
A government-commissioned review has found the NHS on life support. Can Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer succeed where his predecessors have failed in turning around the health service? And how long has he got to do it? L…