Political Fix

The economist John Kenneth Galbraith once quipped that “there can be few fields of human endeavour in which history counts for so little as in the world of finance.” This show sets out to prove the opposite. Each week, FT columnist Gillian Tett and FT Alphaville editor Robin Wigglesworth dig into the ideas, personalities and institutions that have shaped global finance.

From unregulated banking in 19th-century frontier America to institutionalised debt jubilees in ancient Mesopotamia, and from the birth of credit derivatives to the great market meltdowns of the past, Robin and Gillian uncover the story of money because time and again, the same manias and mistakes resurface. Tune in and you might just understand where the next financial opportunities and disasters could be hiding.

Subscribe to The Story of Money wherever you get your podcasts and watch the show on YouTube.

Learn more about the show at ft.com/tsom and find out more about Gillian Tett here and Robin Wigglesworth here.

Follow FT Alphaville here.

Hosts: Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth

Producer: Lulu Smyth

Senior Producer: Michela Tindera

Executive Producers: Flo Phillips and Manuela Saragosa

Original music and sound engineering: Breen Turner

Podcast Development: Laura Clarke

Global Head of Audio: Cheryl Brumley

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

The rolling drama over the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as US ambassador is eating the government alive, with more committee hearings coming next week and crucial elections for Labour on May 7. This week’s host Miranda Green discusses the cost of the Mandelson saga for Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership with deputy political editor Jim Pickard, political correspondent Anna Gross and public policy editor Chris Smyth. Plus, the panel debates Ed Miliband’s electricity announcement, Reform’s new plan for mass deportations, and a booming but dysfunctional market in business courses.

Follow: Miranda:@greenmiranda and @greenmirandahere.bsky.social; Jim: @PickardJE and @pickardje.bsky.social, Anna: @AnnaSophieGross and annasophiegross.bsky.social Chris: @Smyth_Chris and @chris-smyth.bsky.social

Want more?
Cabinet Office head says Olly Robbins refused to give her Mandelson vetting documents
Starmer’s political woes deepen as Mandelson scandal saps his authority
Sadiq Khan: Labour risks being ‘stonked’ in London elections
Business degrees are booming in the UK. Who is profiting?
How many people would Reform UK deport?
Economic pessimism plagues UK youth
Ed Miliband unveils move to delink UK gas and electricity prices

Plus, send in your questions for a special Political Fix Q&A episode right after the local elections on Monday May 11. Email: [email protected]

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 is presented by Miranda Green and produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producers are Manuela Saragosa and Edwin Lane. Mixing 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.

It’s not just the Trump administration attacking the UK’s defence capabilities. Now a Labour grandee and former head of Nato, Lord George Robertson, has accused Sir Keir Starmer of ‘corrosive complacency’ over delays to defence spending.

With the 10-year plan for defence stuck in deadlock, host Lucy Fisher discusses the choices faced by the PM with chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley, deputy political editor Jim Pickard and political columnist and writer of the Inside Politics newsletter, Stephen Bush.

Plus, they look ahead to country-wide elections in less than three weeks and hear about the developing story around the vetting of Lord Mandelson.

NOTE: This episode was recorded on Thursday April 16.

Follow Lucy: @LOS_Fisher and @lucyfisher.ft.com; Stephen: @stephenkb and @stephenkb.bsky.social; Jim: @PickardJE and @pickardje.bsky.social and Robert: @robertshrimsley and @robertshrimsley.bsky.social

Want more?

Starmer accused of ‘corrosive complacency’ on UK defence by former Nato chief
UK defence ministry left to foot £200mn bill for Ukraine mission
Rebuke by former Nato chief points to wider government inaction
Keir Starmer plans May relaunch with King’s Speech
The great independence charade
Foreign Office top civil servant forced out over Mandelson vetting fiasco
No scenario in latest Mandelson drama makes Keir Starmer look good

Sign up here for Stephen’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.

Plus, send in your questions for a special Political Fix Q&A episode on May 11th. Email: [email protected]

Political Fix is presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producers are Manuela Saragosa and Edwin Lane. 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.

Sir Keir Starmer had promised 2026 would be the year the UK economy and household finances would finally “turn the corner”. But the Iran war has nixed those hopes. Now the pressure from unions to increase public sector pay is mounting, and resident doctors are continuing their rolling strikes. Student finance remains another open sore despite the announcement of a cap on loan interest rates. To discuss the pressures on the public purse, host Lucy Fisher is joined by political editor George Parker, columnist Stephen Bush and public policy editor Chris Smyth. Plus, with local elections just weeks away, the panel also discusses the prime minister’s trip to the Middle East.

Follow: Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher and Bluesky: @lucyfisher.ft.com; George @GeorgeWParker and @georgewparker.bsky.social; Stephen @stephenkb and @stephenkb.bsky.social and Chris @Smyth_Chris and @chris-smyth.bsky.social

Want more?

Starmer leans into his Iran response to resonate with voters
Unions prepare for UK public sector pay push as inflation bites
UK health officials discuss banning doctors from going on strike
What happens when the Green Party governs?
Capping student loan interest rates is a step in the right direction
NHS data chief pushes for deeper rollout of Palantir technology despite outcry
Can the Iran war save Keir Starmer’s premiership?
UK exposes covert Russian submarine operation
The political power struggle behind the Bayeux Tapestry

Have a question for the panel? We’re planning a question-and-answer episode. Email your questions to [email protected]

Sign up here for Stephen’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 is presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity. 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.

Donald Trump has heaped insults on Sir Keir Starmer in recent weeks over his stance on the Iran war. The US president labelled the UK prime minister “no Winston Churchill”, said Britain’s aircraft carriers were mere “toys” and told Britain to “go get your own oil” from the Gulf. So perhaps it’s unsurprising that the PM appears to be pivoting heavily towards the EU. Host Lucy Fisher unpicks the shift with colleagues Jim Pickard, Anna Gross and Robert Shrimsley. They also discuss how the Middle East conflict will play out in the upcoming local elections.
Have a question for the panel? We’re planning a question and answer episode. Email your questions to [email protected]
Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, and Bluesky: @lucyfisher.ft.com; Robert: @robertshrimsley and @robertshrimsley.bsky.social; Jim @PickardJE and @pickardje.bsky.social and Anna @AnnaSophieGross & @annasophiegross.bsky.social

Want more?

Keir Starmer signals major UK pivot towards EU after Donald Trump’s taunts
Lessons from history on how to survive a fuel crisis
Cracks appear in US-UK security co-operation after Trump-Starmer tensions
Starmer strikes upbeat note amid dismal polling ahead of May 7 local elections
Political drama reaches heart of UK’s nuclear deterrent
Hammering Farage-Trump links could suppress Reform’s poll lead

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.

Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Clare Williamson. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Original music by Breen Turner, mix by Sean McGarrity. The broadcast engineers were Andrew Giorgiades and Petros Gioumpasis. Cheryl Brumley 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.