Should Labour heed Tony Blair?

Should Labour heed Tony Blair?

Author: Financial Times May 29, 2026 Duration: 38:57

Tony Blair’s lengthy – and excoriating – 5,600-word essay on the future of the Labour Party and Britain has set Westminster alight this week. The former prime minister's critique has sparked a lively debate, and triggered robust responses from Labour leadership hopefuls Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting. But is Blair right in some of his criticism? Host Lucy Fisher unpacks the article with FT colleagues Robert Shrimsley, Anna Gross and Stephen Bush. They also examine Rupert Lowe, the personality behind the far-right party Restore Britain, and whether it can harm Reform UK by splitting the rightwing vote.


Follow: Lucy @LOS_Fisher or @lucyfisher.ft.com


Want more?  


Tony Blair criticises Labour’s Andy Burnham for leftwing ‘delusion’

Tony Blair ‘does not understand’ role of inequality in politics, Andy Burnham says

Labour’s retreat from intellectual debate traps it in comfort zone

Turning Neets into engineers

Britain’s expanding ‘lost generation’

UK risks ‘lost generation’ without more jobs for young people 

Nigel Farage loses viral touch to Musk-backed Rupert Lowe

Senior Reform UK figures clash over immigration plans 

  

You can also sign up here for Stephen Bush’s morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek views. Get 30 days free.


Political Fix was presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Persis Love. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Original music and sound engineering by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. 


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
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?…
Growth – and damn the consequences? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:37
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has sought to place rocket-boosters under the UK economy this week – with a vow to prioritise growth over the environment or nimbyism. But how long will her plan take to work, is it too concentra…
Trump turbulence: How should Labour play it? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:33
Donald Trump returned to the White House this week, with a host of radical plans that threaten to heavily affect the UK – spanning tariffs, the Ukraine war, energy and climate policy. How should the British government ha…
Reeves vs the markets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:11
Turmoil in the bond markets has caused turbulence for Rachel Reeves this month, with grumbles about her performance – and that of the UK economy – growing louder. This week, Political Fix asks who’s in charge: the chance…