Farage, flags and the ghosts of Labour’s past
Political Fix29 Aug 2025

Farage, flags and the ghosts of Labour’s past

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 popped up in the White House. So with recess nearly over, the prime minister is trying to take back the news agenda starting with a shake-up at Number 10. And with conference season almost under way, an upcoming visit from President Donald Trump, and the Budget around the corner, Starmer has ample opportunity to seize the spotlight. Host George Parker is joined by political correspondent Anna Gross, the FT’s chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley, and FT columnist and author of the daily newsletter Inside Politics Stephen Bush.


Follow George on Bluesky or X: @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Robert: @robertshrimsley, @robertshrimsley.bsky.social; Stephen @stephenkb and Anna @AnnaSophieGross


Want more?


Farage is winning the new battle of Brexit

Donald Trump holds White House talks on postwar plan for Gaza

Keir Starmer launches Downing Street shake-up

Can Labour pull off a comeback?

Jack Straw says the UK should ‘decouple’ from the ECHR


The FT Weekend Festival returns for our 10th edition on Saturday, September 6 at Kenwood House Gardens in London.


George Parker and Lucy Fisher will be hosting a breakfast event, talking politics and podcasts, in the Experience Tent from 9.45am. If you can’t make it, please send a question, ideally as a voicenote, to our email address: politicalfix.com.


PLUS, sign up to 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 at https://www.ft.com/InsidePoliticsOffer


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Episoder(573)

Who’s afraid of Nigel Farage?

Who’s afraid of Nigel Farage?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Reform party leader Nigel Farage clashed on economic issues this week. Farage said his party was the champion of the working class, while Starmer warned Farage’s propos...

30 Mai 202535min

Is Labour’s post-Brexit reset a victory or a betrayal?

Is Labour’s post-Brexit reset a victory or a betrayal?

The UK and EU announced a historic deal to ‘reset’ their relationship this week. Keir Starmer called the deal a “win-win”, while a “gobsmacked” Kemi Badenoch labelled it a “surrender”. Who’s right? Ho...

23 Mai 202532min

Labour's immigration crackdown

Labour's immigration crackdown

It’s been another turbulent week for Labour after Keir Starmer announced a crackdown on legal migration. The prime minister gave what has since become a controversial speech suggesting the UK is at ri...

16 Mai 202536min

Ask Political Fix: Trade, tax and leftwing pacts

Ask Political Fix: Trade, tax and leftwing pacts

Our first Q&A special episode is finally here! You sent in questions, now our panel answers them. Is the UK-US trade deal worth the paper it’s signed on? Could the UK benefit from a brain drain from t...

9 Mai 202543min

Local elections special: end of the two-party duopoly?

Local elections special: end of the two-party duopoly?

This week, we’ve seen Reform UK trounce Labour and the Conservatives across England in local elections. Nigel Farage’s party has secured a fifth MP, clinched two mayorships and seized control of at le...

2 Mai 202535min

Reform on the march? Our local elections guide

Reform on the march? Our local elections guide

Ahead of England’s local elections next week, the Political Fix team pick the races to watch and what’s at stake for the main parties, as voters head to the polls to elect 1,600-odd councillors, six m...

25 Apr 202539min

What is a ‘woman’ in law? The Supreme Court ruling

What is a ‘woman’ in law? The Supreme Court ruling

The UK Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling this week about the legal definition of a woman in equality legislation. Judges ruled that a woman is someone who is born biologically female. Host Lucy F...

17 Apr 202536min

Markets or Trump: who’s in charge?

Markets or Trump: who’s in charge?

The markets have gone haywire since Donald Trump’s announcement — and then pause— of a host of new US tariffs. Host Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars George Parker and Miranda Green, plu...

11 Apr 202544min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden-usa
aftenpodden
i-retten
forklart
stopp-verden
popradet
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
nokon-ma-ga
det-store-bildet
dine-penger-pengeradet
bt-dokumentar-2
aftenbla-bla
hanna-de-heldige
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-ness
e24-podden