Labour’s conference in Liverpool should have been a celebratory event after its landslide win in the July election. Political editor George Parker, standing in for Lucy Fisher, is joined by Miranda Green and Robert Shrimsley to discuss why the mood was anything but triumphant. Plus, economics editor Sam Fleming explains how the government might increase capital spending despite Labour’s repeated warnings that the state coffers are empty; and chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman steps into the studio to assess Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s debut on the world stage at the UN general assembly this week. Lucy Fisher is back next week.

Follow George on X: @GeorgeWParker, Robert @robertshrimsley, Miranda @greenmiranda, Sam @Sam1Fleming and Gideon @gideonrachman.

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Keir Starmer struggles to fix morale at ‘weird’ Labour conference

Rachel Reeves paves way for capital spending increase

Gilt investors urge Reeves to keep investment ambitions in check

Keir Starmer meets Donald Trump in New York

Keir Starmer plays down significance of Storm Shadow decision for Ukraine

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Presented by George Parker. Produced by Tamara Kormornick. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The broadcast engineers were Rod Fitzgerald and Andrew Georgiadis. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

A growing controversy around Lord Waheed Alli’s donations to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria risks tarnishing the new government, while propelling the normally discreet Labour donor into the public eye. Lucy Fisher discusses the saga with Political Fix regulars Stephen Bush and Jim Pickard. Plus, the panel is joined by chief business correspondent Michael O’Dwyer as business leaders warn that the UK government’s tax-raising plans and negativity about its economic inheritance risk undermining its efforts to boost private sector investment.

Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Stephen @stephenkb, Jim @PickardJE, Michael @_MODwyer

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Labour denies ‘transparency’ issue after clothing donation to Keir Starmer’s wife

Waheed Alli: How Labour donor’s largesse tarnished government’s squeaky clean image

UK government borrowing overshoots in blow to Rachel Reeves

Why has Sue Gray’s salary stoked unease and vicious briefings?

Lib Dems to press Rachel Reeves to raise taxes on banks and wealthy

Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 “Best Newsletter” award.

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Tamara Kormornick with help from Leah Quinn. The broadcast engineers were Rod Fitzgerald and Andrew Georgiadis. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

A government-commissioned review has found the NHS on life support. Can Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer succeed where his predecessors have failed in turning around the health service? And how long has he got to do it? Lucy Fisher is joined by Political Fix regulars Robert Shrimsley and George Parker, plus the FT’s global health editor Sarah Neville, to examine the future of the NHS for the country’s health, politics and economy. And party conference season is upon us, so what are the flash points ahead? Leah Quinn joins the conversation.

Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, George @GeorgeWParker, Sarah @SarahNev Robert @robertshrimsley and Leah @thelittlerquinn

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Links:

England’s NHS in ‘critical condition’, official review finds

NHS to receive ‘no more money without reform’, says Starmer

‘Dire’ NHS report shows scale of Sir Keir Starmer’s turnaround challenge

And then there were four: The surviving Tory leadership hopefuls

Green party calls for long-term approach to UK’s problems

Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award.

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. Audio engineer, Jean-Marc Eck. Broadcast engineers Andrew Georgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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