One year in opposition

One year in opposition

Author: Financial Times July 25, 2025 Duration: 34:58

As MPs head back to their constituencies for the summer, the Political Fix panel reflects on the year in opposition for Kemi Badenoch and her Conservative party. Host George Parker is joined by Robert Shrimsley to discuss their exclusive interview with the party leader, along with Anna Gross and Jim Pickard to talk Reform, the right-wing agenda, and the rhetoric that some fear could stoke a repeat of last summer's riots.


* The figure referenced regarding £45bn cost of net zero comes from the IFG (Institute for Government) not the IFS (Institute for Fiscal Studies), and the website for the new party founded by Jeremy Corbyn is yourparty.uk.


Follow George on Bluesky or X: @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Robert @robertshrimsley, @robertshrimsley.bsky.social; Jim @pickardje.bsky.social; Anna @AnnaSophieGross


What did you think of this episode? Let us know at politicalfix@ft.com  


Want more? Free links:   

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch says she is Britain’s Javier Milei 


Jeremy Corbyn sets up ‘Your Party’ to attract leftwing voters from Labour

  

Starmer, Farage and the fight to own fairness


Nigel Farage pledges to deport serious offenders


Pressure grows to shut Blackpool asylum hotel over safety concerns


Sign up here for 30 days free of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter. 


Presented by George Parker, and produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Original music and mix by Breen Turner. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Manuela Saragosa. 


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
Labour and business: friends or foes? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:17
With a planned overhaul of employment law imminent and moves to renationalise rail companies, we’re asking whether Labour has got it in for business. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by colleagues Miranda Green and Jim Pic…
Labour’s descent into ‘miserabilism’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:16
A 'painful' Budget awaits this autumn and things will get 'worse before they get better', Sir Keir Starmer warned this week. But is Labour taking a risk projecting such a gloomy outlook? Political Fix host Lucy Fisher is…
Swamp Notes: Democrats find a feeling at the DNC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:50
Democrats from across the US gathered in Chicago for their presidential convention this week, promising to move past the Donald Trump-era of American politics. But if their newly-minted nominee, vice-president Kamala Har…
How do you solve a problem like Elon Musk? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:13
The billionaire owner of X, Elon Musk, has launched attacks on the UK government following the riots. So, how should Keir Starmer’s government deal with the self-declared “free speech absolutist” and his social media pla…
‘A fractious and divided country’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:38
Sir Keir Starmer has told police to stay on ‘high alert’ for more disorder, as rafts of rioters receive lengthy jail sentences in Britain’s courts. Has the unrest petered out, or could it yet flare up again? And how will…
Is Labour facing a summer of unrest? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:42
Sir Keir Starmer has announced a new national policing unit to tackle violent disorder as he vows to “put a stop” to unrest on British streets led by far-right “thugs”. But will it be enough to prevent a summer of riots?…
Labour confronts £20bn black hole [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:40
The chancellor Rachel Reeves is about to confront the British public with the size of the black hole in the country’s finances. A funding shortfall of about £20bn is likely to lead to tax rises at the Budget later this y…
The ‘bin fires’ setting Labour’s in-tray alight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:44
Sir Keir Starmer plans to hand more powers to metro mayors in what has been dubbed a ‘devolution revolution’. Host Lucy Fisher speaks with politics reporter Rafe Uddin, deputy political editor Jim Pickard and north of En…
Labour's growth fixation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:29
Sir Keir Starmer took the chance to extend the hand of friendship to Britain’s neighbours when he hosted the European Political Community summit in Blenheim Palace on Thursday. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by political…

«1...678910