With under a week to go until polling day, Lucy Fisher and her panel — the FT’s Miranda Green and Stephen Bush — pull together the threads of the campaign to explore the remaining ‘known unknowns’ in this election. They are joined by FT columnist Simon Kuper whose new book ‘Good Chaps’ looks at the disintegration of public service in our national life and examines how to rid our political system of sleaze. Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher Want more? Free links: Reform UK activist calls for...

The Conservatives’ embattled campaign suffered yet another setback this week, as the betting scandal escalated and the party finally suspended two candidates ensnared by the row. But when did it first start to go wrong for the Tories? Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s chief data reporter John Burn-Murdoch, who charts the beginning of the party’s descent back to 2019. The pair are joined by Political Fix regulars Robert Shrimsley and George Parker to discuss whether Britain’s “first past the...

An election-betting scandal is sending the Tory campaign into freefall. The latest blow to the Conservatives comes as some polls predict a wipeout for the party on July 4. The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars Stephen Bush and Jim Pickard to discuss this latest blow in a campaign littered with blunders. Plus, the team analyses the effect of the Reform party on the Tory vote and what might happen after the election.  Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Jim...

Labour is promising voters not to raise a raft of taxes, not to borrow to fund day-to-day spending and not to return to austerity with major cuts to public services. How will it manage this? Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves insists economic growth will square the circle. The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher asks economics editor Sam Fleming, who interviewed Reeves this week, whether her plans to increase UK output stack up. Plus, Helen Miller from the Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank...

Keir Starmer has unveiled Labour’s manifesto - declaring that his is the “party of wealth creation”. But while the plans combine sweeping aspirations for growth with modest tax and spending measures, there are a host of questions about how exactly a future Labour government would fix the public finances. The FT’s political editor George Parker is joined by colleagues Miranda Green and Rafe Uddin to scrutinise Labour’s pledges. Plus, FT consumer editor Claer Barrett gives her analysis of the...

Rishi Sunak has pledged more than £17bn in tax cuts as the Tories attempt to revive their stalled election campaign. But will it be enough to override questions about the party’s record in office, or the prime minister’s D-Day disaster? The FT’s Lucy Fisher fillets the Tories’ manifesto promises with colleagues Stephen Bush and Jim Pickard. Plus, what to make of the Lib Dem election pledges and their leader’s attention-grabbing stunts? Clips: BBC, ITN Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Stephen...

Morale within the Conservative campaign is low and was damaged further this week after the party chair became the fifth Tory MP to abandon his seat in the north to fight for a safer seat in the south of England. The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher gets round the table with colleagues Robert Shrimsley and Jim Pickard to reflect on the damage done and on those tax claims made by Rishi Sunak during the first leaders’ TV debate. Plus, the FT’s Michael Peel joins to discuss how the rest of the...

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s troubled re-election bid has been dealt a fresh double blow, as Nigel Farage seized the reins of Reform UK and announced he would stand as a candidate, while a new poll showed Labour could win the biggest majority of any party in a century. Lucy Fisher picks over the implications with political editor George Parker and politics correspondent Anna Gross. Plus, they talk about the Liberal Democrats’ campaign and the party’s pledge to offer free personal care to...

Introducing Power for Sale, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. In Untold: Power for Sale, host Valentina Pop and a team of FT correspondents from all over Europe investigate what happened in the Qatargate scandal, where EU lawmakers were accused of accepting payments from Qatar to whitewash its image. Subscribe and listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the gloves come off and the parties swing into full campaign mode, Lucy Fisher is joined by the FT’s Miranda Green and Stephen Bush to consider – with five weeks to go – who’s pushing ahead. Has Labour’s very public row over whether Diane Abbott should be allowed to stand dented its prospects? And Lucy takes a trip west, to test the water in Bristol Central, a seat the Green Party has firmly in its sights. The team asks: can the Greens pose a threat to Labour? Follow Lucy on X:...

Rishi Sunak shocked Westminster with the decision to hold a snap general election on July 4. As the parties launch their campaigns, Lucy Fisher assembles the Political Fix team to look ahead to the next six weeks. The FT’s Robert Shrimsley, political editor George Parker, columnist Stephen Bush and Political Fix regular Miranda Green have the inside track on how the race to Number 10 might unfold. Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher Want more? Free links: Key moments ahead in the UK election...

Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled his party’s six core pledges ahead of the general election – in the same week that Rishi Sunak claimed the country would be less safe under a Labour government. As both parties kick off their election campaigns, the FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by Jim Pickard and Miranda Green to examine the battle lines being drawn up. Plus, the FT’s public policy editor Peter Foster outlines the dangers facing the UK’s university sector if the government decides...

As politicians and commentators digest the disastrous Tory local election results, FT experts answer subscribers’ questions about what this might mean for the forthcoming general election – and beyond. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by colleagues Stephen Bush, George Parker and Camilla Cavendish for their take on the upcoming general election and the government that will take shape after it. The team tackle your toughest questions during a special FT Political Fix Inside Politics subscriber...

The Tories suffered sobering losses in local elections across England in the last big electoral test before a general election. Labour also trounced the Tories in the parliamentary by-election in Blackpool South - with Reform running a close third in that seat. The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars Robert Shrimsley and Miranda Green to comb through the results. Plus, the team is joined by James Kanagasooriam, chief research officer at polling firm Focaldata...

‘In a world that is the most dangerous it has been since the end of the cold war, we cannot be complacent,’ Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at a news briefing alongside Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg during a visit to Poland this week. The PM mentioned the threat from Russia but also from China and pledged to boost defence spending by £75bn over the next six years. Lucy Fisher is joined by colleagues George Parker and Jim Pickard to discuss whether this pledge will lead to deep...

Rishi Sunak has had an eye on his legacy this week with his flagship smoking ban clearing another hurdle in the Commons – though not without a Tory backlash. Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars Miranda Green and Stephen Bush to discuss what Sunak will leave behind if he loses the election. The group also turns its attention to two very different former PMs, as the FT publishes major interviews with both Liz Truss and Gordon Brown this week. Political editor George Parker reveals...

The raw sewage being pumped into rivers and seas in England has become a seismic election issue. The musician turned environmentalist Feargal Sharkey joins the FT’s Lucy Fisher, George Parker and Robert Shrimsley to assess how we got here, while the FT’s infrastructure correspondent Gill Plimmer analyses Thames Water’s woes. Plus, the team looks at scandals in Westminster and considers how much William Wragg’s honeytrap debacle and allegations that Angela Rayner failed to pay the right tax on...

Many ‘red wall’ constituencies across northern England, the Midlands and north Wales switched from Labour to the Conservatives in the 2019 general election partly thanks to then prime minister Boris Johnson’s energetic pledge to revitalise struggling communities outside the south-east. It was a seismic shock to Britain’s political landscape but can the Tories hold on to these seats in May’s local and mayoral elections and in an upcoming general election? Host Lucy Fisher, the FT’s Whitehall...

The government is preparing a crackdown on Chinese entities operating in the UK, following malicious cyber campaigns linked to Beijing. But there are tensions among ministers over how to protect the UK’s national interests without heavily damaging trade with China. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker, Robert Shrimsley and Miranda Green to discuss the government’s tricky balancing act. Plus, as the political term draws to a close, it’s time to mark Rishi...

The prime minister is urging his MPs to unite or face electoral defeat. Rishi Sunak has rallied backbenchers to hold their nerve, as he cleaves to the prospect of an improving economy rescuing the Tory party’s fortunes. But in a week where the government’s flagship Rwanda policy faced more hold-ups, will rumours of plots against Sunak die down? The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by FT colleagues Miranda Green, Jim Pickard and Anna Gross to discuss the week’s events in...

The UK government is redefining extremism. But there are warnings that the new guidance could curb free speech and ensnare legitimate organisations. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by colleagues Robert Shrimsley and Stephen Bush to discuss the pushback from multiple Tory factions and Labour. They also dissect the row over racist comments allegedly made by the Conservatives’ biggest donor, and how it has prompted questions about Rishi Sunak’s leadership. Plus, Hannah White from the Institute...

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s overriding message in his big pre-election Budget was that hard economic choices were paying off in the form of tumbling inflation, improved growth and the promise of more cuts to personal taxes. But his Budget also promises a brutal fiscal reckoning for whoever wins the general election expected later this year. Lucy Fisher discusses the Budget’s implications with FT economics columnist Soumaya Keynes and Political Fix regulars George Parker and Stephen Bush. Follow...

Veteran agitator George Galloway is returning to parliament after storming a divisive by-election in Rochdale. He claims his victory puts “scores” of other Labour seats at risk. Lucy Fisher is joined by FT colleagues George Parker, Robert Shrimsley and Jim Pickard to analyse the by-election result and examine the division and sectarianism stalking British politics. Plus the team looks ahead to what the government has in line for next week’s Budget.  Free Links: George Galloway wins divisive...

The chaos in parliament over the vote on a Gaza ceasefire motion has segued into a debate on the threats facing MPs – and the lengths deemed appropriate to safeguard against them. A tumultuous week in politics leaves the fate of the Commons Speaker hanging in the balance. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by colleagues Miranda Green and Stephen Bush to discuss how we got here and why it matters. Plus veteran broadcaster Michael Crick, the brains behind the ‘Tomorrow’s MPs’ initiative, shares his...

The Conservatives suffer a double blow, losing two safe seats to Labour, amid growing signs that Rishi Sunak’s party is losing votes to the populist Reform UK party. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by political editor George Parker and the FT’s Rafe Uddin to discuss the by-election results in detail, along with elections guru Professor Sir John Curtice. Plus, Lucy sits down with the FT’s foreign editor Alec Russell in a week when foreign secretary David Cameron faced sharp criticism from...