Political Fix Live: Labour’s year in review

Political Fix Live: Labour’s year in review

Author: Financial Times December 12, 2025 Duration: 38:01

It’s been another turbulent year in politics. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced down rebellions from within his own party, overseen scandals and sackings, and delivered a constant barrage of bad news from health and housing to small boats and the Budget. He’s fared a little better on the world stage – with successful state visits, securing a comparatively competitive trade deal with Trump, as well as a tentative rapprochement with Europe. But with every international success, Starmer’s standing domestically seems to diminish: he ends the year, on some measures, as the most unpopular PM ever. 


In this special live episode of Political Fix, host George Parker is joined by Anna Gross, Stephen Bush and Chris Giles to analyse how the Labour party got here – and where it goes next. 


Follow George on @georgewparker.bsky.social; Stephen on @stephenkb.bsky.social; and Chris on @chrisgiles.ft.com 


Political Fix has been nominated for a People’s Choice Award at the Political Podcast Awards. Vote for us here.


Want more? Free links:    

 

Return to EU customs union would ‘unravel’ UK trade deals, Starmer warns 


Inside Politics: Neither Keir Starmer nor Kemi Badenoch wants to reverse Brexit


Nigel Farage rejects allegations of teenage racist abuse 


Wes Streeting calls for better ‘storytelling’ from Starmer’s ‘technocratic’ government


Chris Giles: Why UK borrowing costs are so high 


George and Anna’s FT scoop on Labour’s tax U-turn


Sign up to Stephen's morning newsletter Inside Politics here, and to Chris’ newsletter on Central Banks here


Presented by George Parker, and produced by Lulu Smyth. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Original music and mix by Breen Turner. Our broadcast engineers this week were Bianca Wakeman, Petros Gioumpasis and Andrew Georgiades. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Manuela Saragosa. 


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


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
Has Kemi Badenoch silenced the critics? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:57
Conference season is over for another year and after a rousing speech from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to the party faithful, the Political Fix panel is asking: has she done enough to silence her critics and revers…
Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Mission to Mars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40
US President Donald Trump has pledged to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars”, China could send its first crewed mission to Mars within a decade, and Elon Musk wants people to actually settle on Mars, transfo…
Labour’s conference comeback? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:27
This week, the Political Fix team comes to you from Liverpool — with all the news from the annual Labour Party Conference. Sir Keir Starmer struck a patriotic tone to the Labour faithful, promising to fight Nigel Farage’…
Does Starmer have a northern problem? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:16
As the prime minister prepares for his annual party conference, the mayor for Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, seems to be mounting a thinly veiled bid for the Labour leadership. In numerous interviews given to the medi…
Trumpery, pageantry and the ‘special relationship’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:05
President Donald Trump landed in Windsor this week for his historic second state visit to the UK. What ensued was a celebration of pomp and pageantry fit for a king: a Red Arrows flyby, a lavish banquet in a castle, and…
Starmer in a spin as the ‘Dark Lord’ bites the dust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:21
After the toe-curling revelations about Lord Peter Mandelson’s connections with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the ambassador’s departure seemed inevitable to all - with the exception of some in Downing Street…
Bonus ep: How the UK is navigating the Trump era [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:45
US President Donald Trump is coming to the UK next week. What can we expect from his visit? And where do things stand between the US and the UK? In this special bonus episode, our two FT political chat shows, Political F…
Rayner, Reeves and Reform [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:26
It wasn’t the start to the new parliamentary term that Prime Minister Keir Starmer hoped for. His insistence that his focus is now on “delivery, delivery, delivery” was eclipsed by the furore surrounding the deputy prime…
Farage, flags and the ghosts of Labour’s past [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:47
Just as Sir Keir Starmer was stealing a few days' summer holiday, Reform unveiled its immigration policy, former Labour heavyweights called for a withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights, and Tony Blair po…
The mess in the NHS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:42
England’s NHS is in a ‘critical and deteriorating condition’ - those are the words of Lord Darzi who investigated the state of the NHS for the new Labour government last year. In response, Starmer unveiled a ten year pla…