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The Financial Times takes you into the corridors of power to unwrap, analyse and debate British politics with a regular lineup of FT correspondents and informed commentators. New episodes available every Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Political Fix makes British political pressure legible by testing Westminster's arguments against policy arithmetic, parliamentary realities and reported detail.
Political Fix turns Westminster's weekly turmoil into a focused conversation about political power and its practical limits. George Parker and Miranda Green guide Financial Times colleagues through government rebellions, opposition strategy and policy claims, repeatedly asking…
A welfare climbdown costs 5 billion pounds; your Westminster hot take has to survive the maths.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Soft power, hard limits, and Britain's attempt to shape Trump.
Starmer's bid to turn access into influence sits at the center of this episode, which begins with J.D. Vance in the Cotswolds and widens to what Britain can do before the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.
A brisk look at a dangerous week and the political cost of choosing sides too quickly.
Starmer on standby is a brisk Political Fix look at the political and strategic fallout of the Israel-Iran crisis, with George Parker setting the week against the wider question of what it means for Britain.
Blair, Farage, and Starmer's struggle to sound convincing about patriotism and migration.
Political Fix uses a 2005 Blair clash with Nigel Farage as a sharp entry point into a current problem: why Keir Starmer still sounds hesitant while Reform helps set the terms on flags, patriotism, and migration.
A sharp look at Starmer's Palestine pivot and the politics around it.
Keir Starmer's move to recognise Palestinian statehood is treated as a question of timing as much as policy. The episode sticks to the long British role in the conflict, the September UN timing, the revived talk of a two-state solution, and the cabinet politics around the…
A sharp look at Labour's rough week, from the welfare vote to the pressure now building around Reeves and Starmer.
Political Fix uses Labour's first year as a stress test: a narrow welfare reform vote, a 5 billion price tag from concessions to rebels, and Rachel Reeves's visible discomfort at PMQs. The episode keeps its eye on the immediate row, but the deeper pressure point is clear enough.
A sharp look at how Starmer's authority has begun to fray inside a huge majority.
Political Fix uses the first birthday of Starmer's government to tell a simple story about a shrinking field of manoeuvre. It follows the welfare bill revolt through Commons arithmetic, the pressure inside Downing Street, and the awkward truth that a huge landslide has not made…
A leak story that becomes a clear account of secrecy, cost, and Westminster fallout.
Political Fix treats the Afghan files as a hard look at what happens when a data leak, a super injunction, and a secret resettlement route run into Whitehall secrecy and a projected seven billion pound bill.
A brisk look at Windsor pageantry, migration, and the politics beneath the ceremony.
Political Fix opens with Windsor pageantry, but it keeps pulling the eye back to the harder politics underneath. The conversation is strongest when it treats the ceremony as part of the argument, then asks what the special relationship is actually giving back.
NPR reporters like Tamara Keith and Miles Parks unpack the day's Washington story on a daily panel.
California politics, measured under pressure.
Brazilian politics, explained through consequences.
Indiana politics with the volume up.
FT correspondents and Middle East editor Andrew England analyse the Iran-Israel conflict's implications for UK foreign policy, drawing parallels to the Iraq War and discussing Keir Starmer's challenges in managing relations with Donald Trump.
This episode analyses the UK's decision to recognise Palestine as a state, exploring the political pressures on Prime Minister Keir Starmer from international allies like France and domestic factions within the Labour Party.
FT analysts discuss Keir Starmer's struggles as Prime Minister, comparing his approach to Tony Blair's tactics against Nigel Farage and immigration.
The episode assesses the first year of opposition leaders in UK politics, focusing on Kemi Badenoch's challenges as Conservative leader, her comparison to Javier Milei, and the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
This episode analyses the political fallout from Peter Mandelson's resignation as UK Ambassador to the US due to his connections with Jeffrey Epstein.
This bonus episode of Political Fix features a live discussion with FT editors analyzing how the UK navigates the Trump era, covering topics like the recent Cabinet reshuffle, US-UK relations, central bank independence, and cultural exchanges.
FT correspondents analyse Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Britain, discussing the reset of Franco-British relations post-Brexit.
The FT's Political Fix analyzes UK diplomacy ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, examining Keir Starmer's efforts to influence US policy on Ukraine while managing relations with Trump.
This episode analyses Keir Starmer's first year as Prime Minister, focusing on a major Labour rebellion over welfare cuts and his international standing.
This episode analyses the political rivalry between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Reform leader Nigel Farage, focusing on economic policies and comparisons to Liz Truss's tenure.
This episode of Political Fix analyses the UK government's upcoming spending review, focusing on Chancellor Rachel Reeves' challenges with tight fiscal constraints, U-turns on policies like winter fuel payments, and negotiations with ministers like Angela Rayner and Yvette Cooper.
The episode analyses the Labour government's turbulent first year, focusing on a recent welfare reform rebellion that cost £5 billion and exposed leadership failures.
This episode investigates the Afghan files scandal, where a data leak endangered Afghan lives and was covered up by a super injunction, with insights from FT journalists.
The episode analyzes Donald Trump's second state visit to the UK, examining the pomp and pageantry, strategic diplomacy by Keir Starmer's government, and substantive outcomes like investment deals and policy tensions on immigration and Ukraine.
This episode analyses Chancellor Rachel Reeves' spending review, focusing on the allocation of funds to departments like the NHS and housing, the political rhetoric of renewal versus austerity, and the economic challenges of growth and public debt.
FT correspondents discuss Labour's defence strategy under fire, including a former NATO chief's criticism and funding deadlock.
FT correspondents discuss the UK economy, public sector pay disputes, and Keir Starmer's foreign policy focus ahead of local elections.
FT correspondents analyze Keir Starmer's pivot to the EU amid Trump insults and cost of living pressures.
This episode investigates how Opus Dei has become central to the American conservative movement.
This episode explores whether technology can help humans live longer and defy death, focusing on scientific advancements in longevity.
A preview of a series questioning the feasibility and value of sending humans to Mars, featuring industry insights and political rhetoric.
FT correspondents preview the upcoming local elections and a key by-election, discussing races to watch and implications for the government.
FT correspondents discuss the impact of financial market turmoil on the UK Chancellor's spending plans and analyze opposition speeches.
The episode discusses Labour's relationship with the countryside, Rachel Reeves' budget changes to inheritance tax for farmers, and Ukraine's use of UK and US-made missiles.
FT correspondents discuss Labour's first weeks in government, including a defence review, devolution plans, and the impact of the Trump assassination attempt on political discourse.