logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
10m 35s

The scramble for a new EU leader

Financial Times
About this episode

Chinese companies are resorting to chips repurposed from standard PC gaming products to develop artificial intelligence tools, and Charles Michel’s run for European parliament is causing a scramble to replace him. Plus, a new TV show is firing Brits up over a decades-old post office scandal. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

Chinese companies resort to repurposing Nvidia gaming chips for AI

How Charles Michel’s parliament plan fires up the EU’s top job battle

How a Post Office drama galvanised Britain 


The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com



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

Up next
Yesterday
Big Pharma markets left on a ‘patent cliff’-hanger
India is set to reach a record year in initial public offerings and Big Pharma is facing a wave of patent expiration dates. Plus, Meta goes to trial over who to hold accountable for corporate scandals. Mentioned in this podcast:India on track for record IPO yearThe looming ‘paten ... Show More
11m 32s
Jul 10
Global copper market weighs Trump tariff threat
The UK and France have pledged for the first time to co-ordinate the use of their nuclear weapons, and the copper markets are reeling from US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 50 per cent tariffs on the metal. Plus, Nvidia has hit a record market capitalisation at $4tn.Me ... Show More
7m 18s
Jul 9
BCG tries to limit Gaza work fallout
EU negotiators are closing in on a trade deal with Donald Trump that would cement higher tariffs than those granted to the UK, and Boston Consulting Group’s chief executive said the group’s involvement with a postwar plan for Gaza had been “reputationally very damaging”. Plus, Eu ... Show More
10m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Has Rishi Sunak’s NI deal silenced Tory Eurosceptics?
Boris Johnson may have criticised the prime minister’s deal on post-Brexit trading in Northern Ireland but a number of formerly staunch Eurosceptic rebels — including Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker — have enthused about Sunak’s success. How is the PM going to manage dissen ... Show More
26m 16s
Feb 2023
Northern Ireland: Rishi Sunak’s big test
A deal to resolve the bitter dispute over post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland was due this week but the UK prime minister appears to have a fight on his hands to stop it unravelling as he faces opposition from Tory Eurosceptics and the Democratic Unionist party. Is Sunak facing ... Show More
23m 18s
Mar 2023
Rishi Sunak tackles the small-boat crossings
Even the Home Secretary Suella Braverman admitted there were questions over the legality of the tough new legislation introduced in the House of Commons this week. Others criticised it for being inhumane. We discuss the language and strategy of the policy and ask, is it workable? ... Show More
25 m
Jan 2023
What Keir Starmer did at Davos
Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves gave a pre-Davos interview to the FT before setting off to woo the global elite in Switzerland at the World Economic Forum in a remarkable turnround in Labour sentiment. Why were they going, with what message, while Prime Minis ... Show More
24m 7s
Aug 2023
Could a reshuffle revitalise Sunak’s government?
It’s almost time to wave goodbye to the summer, but is Rishi Sunak also poised to bid farewell to some of his ministers? The FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by columnist Stephen Bush and political editor George Parker to discuss a cabinet shake up. Plus, the FT’s US p ... Show More
35m 52s
May 2023
Local elections: How bad was it for the Conservatives?
For Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the results were ‘disappointing’, Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer claimed his party was heading for power and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey wore a ‘Cheshire cat’ grin. What do this week’s local elections in England show about the likely direction of the nex ... Show More
24m 6s
Jul 2020
Boris the builder and the UK’s offer to Hong Kong
The FT politics podcast has relaunched as 'Payne's Politics' and in this first episode presenter Sebastian Payne and his guests analyse Boris Johnson's plan to get his government back on track and radically reform Whitehall. Plus, they discuss the UK's generous offer to the peopl ... Show More
38m 44s
Sep 2023
A Spy in Parliament?
Researcher arrested amid claims he was spying for China. Chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman helps Laura and James Cook understand what information Westminster staffers get access to, as well as the UK government’s reaction to the news.And, the case of escaped prisoner Da ... Show More
29m 11s
Mar 2022
Ferry Angry
Did P&O break the law when they sacked 800 staff? We chat to Kathryn Evans, an employment lawyer, to find out...   The US and Chinese Presidents have been talking about Ukraine. North America editor, Sarah Smith, makes her Newscast debut and explains what's what...   And the BBC' ... Show More
34m 1s
Jan 2022
In conversation with Michael Cockerell
Michael Cockerell has made some of the best political documentaries about UK politics, covering prime ministers from Harold Macmillan to Boris Johnson. His new book, “Unmasking Our Leaders”, takes us into a career of political journalism and interviews regarding not just politici ... Show More
27m 28s