Bloomberg UK Politics

Nigel Farage is a guest of Donald Trump as he's sworn in as US President for the second time today. Does it matter that the Prime Minister, like most other European leaders, wasn't invited? Other right-wing British political figures have also travelled to Washington for the event. Is the guest list an indicator of what's to come in UK-US relations? We discuss with Bloomberg's UK political editor Alex Wickham. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nigel Farage is poised to attend the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. The architect of Brexit, Farage won a seat in Parliament after 30 years and his Reform UK party are currently second in opinion polls in the UK. But do his economic policies add up and what benefits might his close ties to Trump bring for the UK? Nigel Farage joins Bloomberg anchor Caroline Hepker and Finance reporter Will Shaw to discuss immigration, taxes, Elon Musk and AI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is on his first visit to Ukraine, at a time when President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s administration has grown increasingly concerned about Britain’s more cautious approach to the war. We discuss the trip, and the government's wider approach to foreign policy with Evie Aspinall, Director of the British Foreign Policy Group. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is AI the answer to the UK's growth dilemma? We examine the government's plans to harness economic gains from the technology with Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. Hosted by Tom Mackenzie and Stephen Carroll. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing MPs for the first time since government borrowing costs reached levels last seen during the financial crisis. She'll also have to deal with crucial economic data on inflation and growth in the coming days. We discuss the risks and path ahead with Bloomberg's senior economics reporter Philip Aldrick. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Lizzy Burden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keir Starmer has today shared plans to leverage artificial intelligence and stimulate economic growth. The government's new AI Opportunity Action Plan includes measures such as creating a national data library and instating 'AI growth zones'. But questions still remain about the government's capacity to implement its plans, particularly against a backdrop of economic hardship. Bloomberg's tech reporter Mark Bergen joins us to explain the objectives and we ask Hanah-Marie Darley Director of Security & AI Strategy at Darktrace what the tech sector wants from politicians. Hosted by Lizzy Burden and Caroline Hepker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a rough week for UK assets. The pound fell to its lowest level in a year, gilt yields surged and investors are losing confidence in the government’s ability to control the nation’s deficit and high borrowing costs. Why are things spiraling now? Senior reporter Phil Aldrick joins this week’s In the City to explain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government's borrowing costs have shot up this week as long-simmering worries over the UK economy appears to have hit a nerve with investors. In a special extended edition of the podcast, we explain why and what the Chancellor can do about it, with our Managing Editor for Foreign Exchange and Rates Rachel Evans, UK government Reporter Joe Mayes, and Bloomberg's Chief UK Economist Dan Hanson. Hosted by Lizzy Burden and Stephen Carroll. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chair of the Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne, told fast-fashion giant Shein he has 'almost zero confidence' in the integrity of their supply chain, amid allegations that it uses cotton tied to forced labour in China. The company denies the claims, but is facing extra scrutiny ahead of a potential stock market listing in London. Our retail reporter Jennifer Creery joins us to discuss. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Britain is spending and borrowing more yet barely growing. Now the cost of borrowing has reached levels not seen since the 1990s. Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Marcus Ashworth and politics and economics correspondent Lucy White explain why UK gilt yields have gone up and why it's putting pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the government's plans. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Lizzy Burden See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has given his strongest response yet to Elon Musk's barrage of social media criticism, saying "a line has been crossed" with comments about safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. The world's richest man also apparently had a change of heart about Nigel Farage, who he says is no longer fit to lead Reform UK. Bloomberg's UK Political Editor Alex Wickham joins us to discuss. Hosted by Lizzy Burden and Stephen Carroll See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government's decision not to compensate women who say they were unfairly treated over changes to the pension age has sparked a backlash from opposition politicians and some backbench Labour MPs. Is the decision over the WASPI campaign the latest example of the government alienating a core constituency of voters? Our Associate Editor Ailbhe Rea joins us to discuss. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and James Woolcock. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2024 saw major political moments, including the first Labour government in 14 years, a Conservative meltdown and an electoral breakthrough for Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Bloomberg's UK Political editor Alex Wickham joins us to review the year and look ahead to 2025. Hosted by James Woolcock and Stephen Carroll. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A supposed spying scandal is threatening to undermine an attempt to reset ties between the UK and China, but does Britain have any levers to pull in the relationship? Conservative MP, and former party leader, Iain Duncan Smith, joins us to discuss why he sees Beijing's spying as being 'on a scale beyond all comprehension' compared to other countries, and what practical steps he thinks the Labour government should be taking. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are almost 3,500 children's homes in England, and it's overwhelmingly the private sector providing services to the most vulnerable. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has called out private providers for making "excessive profits". How do promises of a crackdown sit with Labour's pledge to attract more private investment to the UK? Our UK business reporter Sabah Meddings joins us with details of her investigation. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new poll says a majority of both pro- and anti-Brexit voters would support compromises on free movement in return for more trade. So is a more uncertain world shifting opinion on the EU? We discuss with Mark Leonard, co-founder and director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, which carried out the research. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Property developer and former Tory donor Nick Candy has joined Nigel Farage's Reform UK. He's the latest in a slew of high profile Conservatives to switch allegiances, including former minister Andrea Jenkyns. But can the upstart party and its divisive leader handle the scrutiny and break through to the big league? Bloomberg Reporter Jack Ryan joins us to discuss. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women have more wealth, sit on more corporate boards, and invest more than ever before. Britain's first female chancellor Rachel Reeves is just one of the signs of power becoming more equal. So we went to Bloomberg's inaugural Women, Money, & Power summit to ask the influential women there what they make of the UK and its new government. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Lizzy Burden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keir Starmer is in the Middle East on a trip planned to discuss trade ties, but conversations will now be dominated by the weekend's events in Syria, which saw the regime of Bashar al-Assad toppled. Over a decade after MPs voted against intervening in Syria, we discuss what the latest shift means for the region and the UK with Paul Wallace, who leads Bloomberg's team covering economics and government in the Middle East. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Lizzy Burden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Keir Starmer has set out new targets for fighting crime in Britain, in a major speech aimed at resetting his premiership after a faltering start. The government will aim to add 13,000 to the police force and ensure every neighborhood in England and Wales has a named officer in charge of local crime problems. But are his plans enough to reverse years of cuts? We ask Festus Akinbusoye who was the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire until earlier this year. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Lizzy Burden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.