logo
episode-header-image
May 30
35m 19s

Who’s afraid of Nigel Farage?

Financial Times
About this episode

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 proposed spending rises amounted to “fantasy promises”. Host George Parker is joined by the FT’s Stephen Bush, Chris Giles and Anna Gross to discuss Reform’s fiscal plans. Plus, Labour’s chancellor Rachel Reeves has plenty of fiscal problems of her own. The panel discusses whether or not her economic arithmetic is adding up. 


Follow George on Bluesky or X: @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Stephen @stephenkb.bsky.social‬, @stephenkb; Chris @chrisgiles.ft.com‬, @ChrisGiles_; Anna @annasophiegross.bsky.social‬, @AnnaSophieGross


What did you think of this episode? Let us know at politicalfix@ft.com  


Want more? Free links: 


Do Reform UK’s tax and spending plans add up?


British politics is choice between Labour and Reform, says Starmer


Will Rachel Reeves bend her fiscal rules to help balance the books?


IMF gives Rachel Reeves political cover to ‘refine’ UK fiscal rules


Clips from ITV News on YouTube; Reform UK on YouTube


Sign up here for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of best newsletter at the Future of Media Awards, 2023 and 2024


Presented by George Parker, and produced by Ethan Plotkin. Original music and mix by Breen Turner. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Manuela Saragosa.


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Up next
Jul 4
A year of Keir
This week marks a year of Keir Starmer’s government. But if Labour was expecting to celebrate the anniversary – it didn't pan out that way. Despite claiming a narrow victory with the contentious welfare bill, the government appeared to have one of its roughest weeks on record. Ho ... Show More
37m 29s
Jun 27
Starmer’s welfare woes
Sir Keir Starmer faced a huge rebellion from within his own party this week after scores of MPs opposed changes to make it tougher to collect some disability benefits. This episode — recorded just before the prime minister’s concessions on welfare reform — unpacks why the rebelli ... Show More
35m 10s
Jun 20
Starmer on standby
Will he? Won’t he? President Donald Trump has given little indication as to whether America will join in the conflict between Israel and Iran. So where does this leave the UK and its assets in the region? How does the prime minister play his hand with the president, and what does ... Show More
27m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 29
Farage’s hopes for a Reform storm
Nigel Farage is throwing the kitchen sink at Labour and he’s not being subtle about it. As Reform UK ramps up its local election efforts, Farage is fielding candidates in councils up and down the country. But the real showdown is in Runcorn and Helsby, where Reform is plotting a ... Show More
30m 9s
Jun 2024
Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and the Daily Mail
Why is the Mail having a go at Nigel Farage and why is Nigel Farage having a go at Boris Johnson? These three are now firm 'frenemies' - calling each other 'morally repugnant' and calling in the lawyers... What does it tell us about the power on the right of British politics? And ... Show More
38m 10s
May 2019
115: THE EVE OF THE WAR with special guest Stephen Bush of the New Statesman
As the EU Election clock ticks remorselessly down to zero we’re joined by the New Statesman’s political editor STEPHEN BUSH to survey the campaign so far and predict the upshot. What will Labour’s “all things to everyone” stance to do its vote? How do we fight the Brexit Party’s ... Show More
1h 13m
Sep 2024
"Guess who's back" - Farage and Reform emerge from the shadows
Nigel Farage has given his speech at Reform's first conference since winning five MPs at the general election, and Robert Jenrick says English identity is 'under threat'. Kamal and Camilla review Nigel Farage's big speech at the Reform conference, their first since the election, ... Show More
42m 17s
Nov 2024
How election day unfolded in the US
A divided US electorate made their choice at the polls yesterday, after candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump spent a combined $3.5bn in their race for the White House. Plus, Germany’s government is in talks on next year’s budget amid fears the coalition could collapse.   Men ... Show More
11m 2s
Jul 2024
Trump accepts the Republican nomination
Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican party nomination for president. HSBC’s new chief executive, Georges Elhedery, will face a unique set of challenges while transitioning into the role, and the European Central Bank decided to keep interest rates unchanged yesterday. Pl ... Show More
11m 18s
Jun 2024
Will Reform throw a brick in the Tories' red wall?
In 2019, Boris Johnson’s Conservatives upended decades’ of traditional voting behaviour, as lifelong Labour seats in the north and midlands fell to the Tories. But with Brexit delivered and Johnson gone, the Tories are being challenged from the right by a resurgent Reform, as Luk ... Show More
25m 54s
Jul 2024
Will Labour raise taxes?
Rachel Reeves' first statement as the new Chancellor has kicked off a huge political row. She accused her predecessor Jeremy Hunt of lying about the 'true state' of the UK's finances - and he hit back calling her ‘shameless’. So was there actually a ‘cover up’ by the previous gov ... Show More
29m 22s
May 30
The Week: Starmer v Farage, Trump Tariffs and Political Stunts
Today, Adam, Alex, James and Vicki discuss Keir Starmer’s attack on Nigel Farage saying he would “crash the economy”.And, in light of Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick filming himself confronting fare evaders on the London Underground, the team compare their most memorable ... Show More
28m 58s
Jul 2024
My Big Plan to Rescue Britain - Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage is the Leader of Reform UK and a newly-elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Clacton. As the leader of UKIP (the UK Independence Party), he was the most influential voice in bringing about the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. He went on to lead the Brexit Par ... Show More
1h 8m
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami