Political Fix

Is Andy Burnham's habit of speaking off the cuff getting him into trouble? From Brexit interference and Scottish independence to Manchester City, the prime minister's impromptu interventions are making headlines. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by deputy opinion editor Miranda Green and UK chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley to discuss whether Burnham's style is an asset or liability. Plus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Number 10, the Liberal Democrats are growing restless with their leader, and public policy editor Chris Smyth brings us the latest on the government's welfare reforms.

Follow Lucy on X or Bluesky @LOS_Fisher, @lucyfisher.ft.com; Chris: @Smyth_Chris and @chris-smyth.bsky.social; Miranda:@greenmiranda and @greenmirandahere.bsky.social and Robert: @robertshrimsley and @robertshrimsley.bsky.social

Want more?
Russia ‘interfered’ in 2016 Brexit vote, says Andy Burnham
One in 6 UK disability benefit claimants should not receive cash, says think-tank
Young people to receive less cash but more job support under Milburn welfare plan
How the Greens lost their party to the hard left
EU leaders to urge Zelenskyy to rein in criticism of Trump
Are the Liberal Democrat birds angry or just disappointed?
Andy Burnham’s own goal
Why I don’t write about the Liberal Democrats

What will the UK Budget mean for Britain? Join Lucy Fisher and colleagues political editor George Parker, markets columnist Katie Martin, economics editor Sam Fleming and North of England correspondent Jen Williams for an exclusive FT subscriber webinar on October 29. To register, and send us your questions, go to ft.com/budget2026 Registration includes access to the video replay.

Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers are Andrew Giordgiades and Bianca Wakeman. The FT’s head of audio is Flo Phillips.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour has held on to Sir Keir Starmer’s old seat in Holborn and St Pancras, in a boost to Andy Burnham but a major setback for Green leader and by-election candidate Zack Polanski. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by deputy political editor Jim Pickard and columnist Stephen Bush, who weigh the impact of the Greens’ anti-Zionist position and round up the news from the Tory Party conference. Have pledges to cut taxes, boost the military and reform welfare put them back on the electoral map? Plus, we get the latest from the business community ahead of the Budget with UK chief business correspondent Ashley Armstrong.

Follow Lucy on X or Bluesky @LOS_Fisher, @lucyfisher.ft.com ; Stephen @stephenkb and @stephenkb.bsky.social; Jim @PickardJE @pickardje.bsky.social; Ashley @AArmstrong_says

Want more?

Labour holds off Greens’ Polanski to win London by-election
Six things we learnt from the Tory party conference
Healey warns banks that UK faces ‘challenging’ fiscal picture but stays tight-lipped on tax
Burnham pledges to end use of non-compete clauses
Kemi Badenoch’s pitch goes some way to assuaging British business concerns
Kemi Badenoch: ‘I refuse to play by Westminster rules’
Tory inheritance tax pledge: do the sums add up?
Kemi Badenoch’s European nightmare

What will the UK Budget mean for Britain? Join Lucy Fisher and colleagues political editor George Parker, markets columnist Katie Martin, economics editor Sam Fleming and North of England correspondent Jen Williams for an exclusive FT subscriber webinar on 29 October. To register, and send us your questions, go to ft.com/budget2026. Registration includes access to the video replay.

Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineer is Petros Giuompasis. The FT’s head of audio is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in front of an audience at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, host Lucy Fisher and political editor George Parker unpack Andy Burnham’s first conference speech as prime minister. From rethinking Britain’s relationship with the EU to ending the pensions triple lock and scrapping the electoral system, Burnham laid out an ambitious agenda for the country. Lucy and George speak to business secretary Jonathan Reynolds about the prime minister’s plans, before northern correspondent Jennifer Williams and Inside Politics writer and columnist Stephen Bush join them to give their takeaways from the week.

Want more? Free links:
Andy Burnham sets up battle lines on social care and Europe
How would Andy Burnham’s social care shake-up work?
Burnham’s brave new world — just one more election away
Six takeaways from Andy Burnham’s conference speech
A faintly hopeful mood at Labour conference

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. Video editing, original music and mix by Breen Turner. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Labour officials in Downing Street and beyond have discussed the parameters in which a snap election could be called. Will Andy Burnham take the gamble? As speculation about the idea grips Westminster, host Lucy Fisher is joined by political editor George Parker and deputy political editor Jim Pickard to weigh up the risks and rewards of going to the public early. They also look ahead to the Labour Party conference in Liverpool starting this weekend, and the troubles that lie ahead for UK-EU relations. Plus George reports back from Burnham’s first major international summit at the UN general assembly in New York, where the prime minister weathered his first encounter with Donald Trump.

Follow Lucy on X or Bluesky @LOS_Fisher, @lucyfisher.ft.com ; George on @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Jim @PickardJE

Want more?
The risks of calling an early election for Andy Burnham
Treasury open to smaller fiscal headroom to reduce UK tax rises
The FT’s budget dashboard: the data confronting chancellor John Healey
Labour conference set to vote on new AI regulator as cabinet concerns grow
Donald Trump rejects ‘globalist scheme’ to control AI in blow to Andy Burnham
UK to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in its fight with Houthi rebels
How could John Healey raise tax in the budget

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. Get 30 days free.

Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiades and Richard Topping. The FT’s head of audio is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With borrowing costs and inflation rising, are the UK’s finances worse than Burnham and Healey thought? Host Lucy Fisher is joined by FT colleagues George Parker, political editor, and Stephen Bush, columnist, to discuss the tightening fiscal outlook ahead of the October Budget, and whether scrapping the triple lock on pensions would cost the government more politically than it would save in cash terms.
Plus, Reform’s week of mega-donations — and the Labour government’s response, and the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland begin a new push for independence from the UK.

Follow Lucy: @LOS_Fisher; George: @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Stephen @stephenkb

Want more?
Britain, Burnham and tax: the walls close in
Healey prepares UK for ‘really challenging’ budget
Nigel Farage refuses to say if Reform UK’s £72mn gifts would comply with new cap
UK state pension will surpass income tax threshold next year
Bank of England says rates likely to rise as it overhauls gilts sales
It’s time to scrap the triple lock
Scrapping triple lock on pensions need not wreak political damage
A ‘lucky’ chancellor must also be a resolute one

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. Get 30 days free.

Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Broadcast engineers are Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. The FT’s head of audio is Flo Phillips.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.