Explore every episode of the podcast Bloomberg UK Politics

The UK's Prime Minister is facing growing questions over what he knew about Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffery Epstein when he appointed him as Ambassador to the US. Keir Starmer fired him after Bloomberg published a series of emails between Mandelson and the convicted paedophile. The departure comes at a difficult time for the government as it prepares to host a state visit for the US President. In this final episode of the Bloomberg UK Politics podcast, our finance reporter Harry Wilson takes us behind the scenes of the Bloomberg scoop. He tells us what the emails reveal, alongside our political correspondent Ellen Milligan. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker with Yuan Potts, who share their thoughts on more than 1,000 episodes of the show.

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Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has ended Westminster's summer holidays with a bang. Her admission she underpaid taxes on a property purchase has abruptly torpedoed the government's plans for a reset. Our UK politics reporter James Woolcock explains how the week fell apart for Labour. Meanwhile, we finally have a date for the Budget. Our senior UK economy reporter Philip Aldrick joins to discuss the chancellor's dilemmas over taxes. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker.

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More lobbyists than ever before plan to attend Reform UK’s annual conference next week in a sign corporate Britain is increasingly taking Nigel Farage’s small parliamentary party seriously as an electoral force. Exclusive polling shared with Bloomberg finds that public affairs professionals are now engaging with Reform as if it could become a credible alternative to power. We talk to Jon Gerlis from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations about why business sees Reform UK as impossible to ignore. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and James Woolcock.

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Labour and the Conservatives have both set sky-high ambitions for what artificial intelligence can do for public services and the economy. But are those goals realistic, and will they come quickly enough for voters to see the results? We discuss with Labour MP Josh Simons, and Nic Prettejohn, head of AI for the UK and Nordics at tech firm Palantir, which has several major IT contracts with the government. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Stephen Carroll.

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Record levels of pollution have been reported in Britain's water supplies at a time when household bills are skyrocketing. The largest company in the sector, Thames Water, is on the brink of collapse, leaving the Labour government with difficult choices to make. Our reporter Priscila Azevedo Rocha unpacks the debt crisis at the company, and Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney give us her view on what the government should do. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Lizzy Burden.

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Politics is about perception, and while the most serious crimes have been trending downwards, the British public are concerned about the prevalence of theft and fraud. So how can Labour follow through on its pledge to 'take back our streets' and make Britain feel safer? We ask Bloomberg's UK Politics Reporter Lucy White and Former Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Shabnam Chaudhri. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Stephen Carroll. Produced by Freddy Foulston and Rose Henderson.

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The UK Parliament is on recess for the summer break. The Labour Party, in particular, may be reflecting on a year that saw them go from a landslide election victory to declining popularity. While Parliament is away, we’re taking a closer look at some of the potential crises the government could face in the coming year. This week, we’re focusing on plans for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Ballooning costs are placing more financial pressure on England’s already-stretched local councils, highlighting the urgency of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s proposed reforms in this area. However, some view this issue as the next major test for Labour MPs, particularly those who rebelled over welfare cuts. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and produced by Harry Black.

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Keir Starmer has signed the UK's biggest trade deal since Brexit, sealing an agreement with India's Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister has succeeded where predecessors Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson failed, but how quickly will it boost UK growth? We discuss with Bloomberg's London Bureau Chief Ruth David and Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce UK and cross bench peer, Karan Bilimoria. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker.

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The dramatic revelation of a massive and expensive data breach has blindsided Westminster. It's the first time that a superinjunction, which stops media reporting, has been used by the government. We talk to Sean Humber, from law firm Leigh Day, who specialises in privacy breach compensation claims and is organising a class action in the case. We ask if the government is getting worse at handling data, and how much it might eventually cost. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Yuan Potts.

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Keir Starmer secured a “one in, one out” migrant-return deal with Emmanuel Macron at the end of the first state visit from a French leader in more than 15 years. The Prime Minister is hoping he can prove his self-styled methodical, pragmatic approach works and can fix an issue which looms large in British politics. But there is much more to this visit. We discuss with our foreign policy and defence correspondent Ellen Milligan and Bloomberg Opinion Columnist in Paris, Lionel Laurent. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker.

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The UK Prime Minister celebrates his first year in power this week. But what should be a positive occasion has been marred by a humiliating U-turn on welfare. We ask New Economics Foundation CEO Danny Sriskandarajah how the left view the achievements of the Labour government, and if the missteps of the first year will hobble its future. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been forced into a U-turn on a planned £5 billion cut to disability entitlements, to quell a rebellion from within his own party. John Stepek, who writes Bloomberg's Money Distilled newsletter, discusses the pressure on Labour from both the left, and Reform UK on the right, and what that means for the government's fiscal agenda. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker.

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The UK says its military wasn’t involved in American air strikes on Iran, although a cabinet minister expressed support for the outcome. With the US now engaged in a conflict in the Middle East, many are asking if there are echoes of the Iraq War, which still haunts Britain's Labour party. Bloomberg's foreign policy reporter Ellen Milligan and Bloomberg Opinion columnist Marc Champion join for a special edition of the UK Politics podcast. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker.

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One of the architects of the government’s flagship tax crackdown on the wealthy says it was a 'mistake' to hit 'non-doms' with an immediate 40% inheritance tax on their overseas assets. Arun Advani, from the independent Centre for the Analysis of Taxation, says a gradual approach would have stopped many of the super-rich from leaving the country. He joins Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker to discuss what effect the changes are having and what the government should do next.

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This week we wanted to bring you something a bit different.

We've spent the past month looking into how Britain's defence industry might change as it looks to return to being a war-ready country. Here's a special edition of the podcast we made looking into it:

As fighting in Ukraine drags on and Donald Trump demands that Europe take greater responsibility for its own security, the UK is confronting the hard reality of rebuilding its military strength. The challenge lies in overcoming years of underinvestment, failed contracts, and recruitment struggles. While European allies are pledging billions of euros to boost domestic defense manufacturing, the UK is scrambling to catch up in an industry it once dominated.

 
Caroline Hepker speaks with CEOs and industry experts, along with our Political Correspondent Ellen Milligan and Bloomberg’s Chief UK Economist Dan Hanson, to assess whether Britain has what it takes to realize its ambition of once again becoming a major military power.

This podcast was produced by James Woolcock, Frederick Foulston, and Adrian Bradley.
Our executive producer is Christopher Pitt.

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Reform are riding high in the polls, with a string of recent surveys giving them the support of about 30 per cent of voters. But with the party talking up the prospect of actually entering government, do they have a coherent economic agenda? We spoke to Reform UK's Chairman Zia Yusef and our Chief UK Economist Dan Hanson to find out. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Lizzy Burden.

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Keir Starmer made ending antisemitism in the Labour party a core part of turning the page on Jeremy Corbyn's era. But having supported Israel, the Prime Minister's tone has changed as he warned of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and paused trade talks with the country. EMEA News Director Rosalind Mathieson and our Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Marc Champion explain how the international reaction has changed as the conflict has gone on. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and James Woolcock

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The UK is hugely dependent on overseas workers in the social-care sector, supporting the elderly, vulnerable and disabled. After a year-long investigation, Bloomberg has uncovered how potential migrants are being conned out of millions of pounds. Our trade and migration correspondent Lucy White explains how the system is being abused and what it means for a Labour government trying to cut immigration. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts.

Read the full investigation.

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Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves signed a deal with Britain's biggest pension funds to channel more investment into the domestic economy. The Mansion House Accord will push the sector to invest at least 10% of their funds into private markets by the end of the decade. So, for a special podcast, we went to the signing ceremony to interview the Chancellor about the plan, and the wider UK economy. Hosted by Lizzy Burden and James Woolcock.

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pulled off two trade deals in one week, one with the US and one with India. Both were long-standing goals of previous Conservative governments, and generate good headlines for the Labour leader after a difficult set of local elections. But what are the real economic gains? Crawford Falconer, who was the UK's Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser until the end of last year, joins hosts Lizzy Burden and Stephen Carroll to discuss.

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Nigel Farage's Reform UK has won a fifth seat in parliament after a dramatic by-election. We discuss this week's results, and what Reform's rise means for the UK's political map. Bloomberg Associate Editor Ailbhe Rea and our UK Political Editor Alex Wickham join us. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker.

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The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been making the case for free trade in Washington at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, using Britain's stability as a selling point. But Reeves also said Donald Trump has a point about the global trade system, as she meets key US officials. We discuss the Chancellor's trip and what it means for Britain's international relations with Bloomberg editorial board member Therese Raphael. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Lizzy Burden.

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This week the annual meeting of the National Education Union attracted the ire of Reform's Nigel Farage and millions of parents found out where their children will attend primary school. We discuss the UK's educational landscape and the politics that shapes it with Dani Payne, senior researcher at the Social Market Foundation. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker. 

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The UK and European Union are optimistic about striking a deal to reset post-Brexit relations at a summit in May, as President Donald Trump’s tariffs and policy on the Russia-Ukraine war spur calls for greater cooperation and reduced trade barriers in Europe. Bloomberg's Ellen Milligan joins hosts Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts to discuss.

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The UK is still hoping to negotiate a deal with the United States, after Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff on British goods. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the decision was 'disappointing', and Keir Starmer promised to focus on the UK's interests in a 'new era' for global trade. We discuss the government's options with our politics and economics reporter Lucy White. Hosted by Lizzy Burden and Stephen Carroll.

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With mixed reactions to this week's Spring Statement, US tariffs and motley economic data for the UK, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces uncertain times. We ask Bloomberg opinion columnist Rosa Prince what's next for the government as they aim to take control of the narrative. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Stephen Carroll.

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In The City: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has delivered her Spring Statement, and Bloomberg Chief UK Economist Dan Hanson and senior reporter Phil Aldrick join host Allegra Stratton to share their assessment. 

Aldrick posits that it wasn't "quite the horror show that some people were fearing" because restoring Britain's fiscal headroom didn't require severe public service and welfare cuts. But Hanson notes that even so, she's left herself little room to manoeuvre for the unexpected.

For more episodes like this get the In The City podcast, available on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.

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The government's budget watchdog now expects the economy to grow by just 1% this year, compared with its previous forecast of 2%. The Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the downgrade in her Spring Statement, along with sweeping spending cuts to restore her fiscal headroom. We discuss the announcements, and the market reaction with our Markets Today editor David Goodman. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker.

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New figures show the Chancellor is set to overshoot her borrowing forecasts by £20 billion for this financial year. The ONS data highlights the fragile state of the country's public finances ahead of the Spring Statement on Wednesday. We assess the political and economic challenges Rachel Reeves faces with our UK government reporter Joe Mayes and our Chief UK Economist Dan Hanson. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Lizzy Burden.

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The UK economy unexpectedly shrank in January, adding to the government's gloom. Bloomberg has some exclusive analysis on how far Labour is delivering on its key economic policies and pledges, and the tough choices faced at the top of government. Our Chief UK Economist, Dan Hanson and Government and Economy Editor, Julian Harris join to discuss. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Yuan Potts.

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Former UK Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt says if the UK and Europe fail on military spending and rearmament now "we will face war".Mordaunt tells Bloomberg Radio anchor Caroline Hepker that there is a logic to President Trump's drive for peace in Ukraine but the pressure is now on him to deliver a ceasefire.

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The UK Prime Minister has returned from a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump, with a string of successes. Trump heaped praise on Starmer, hinted at a reprieve from tariffs, and sided with the Labour leader on the issue of the Chagos Islands. But crucially, the US administration still hasn't shifted on its stance towards Ukraine. Our Managing Editor for UK Government and Economy, Brendan Scott, joins to discuss if Starmer has passed this key test of his premiership. Hosted by Lizzy Burden and Yuan Potts.

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Cambridge and Oxford Universities are at the heart of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' plans to boost UK economic growth. But what do the institutions need to succeed? We ask Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University, Professor Deborah Prentice. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Caroline Hepker.

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This week figures from the across political right including Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and former Republican Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy descended on London's ExCel centre for the 'Alliance for Responsible Citizenship' (ARC) conference. The organisers say they're working on 're-laying the foundations of our civilisation' but how do their ideas relate to current affairs? We discuss with Bloomberg's Daniel Zuidijk who attended the gathering. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Lizzy Burden.

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Keir Starmer has said the UK can play a "unique role" in helping Europe and America work together to achieve peace between Ukraine and Russia. This as Donald Trump's administration pressures European leaders to shoulder more responsibility for their security, and suggests they could take a backseat in negotiations. How can the UK proceed now? We discuss with our Europe correspondent-at-large Alberto Nardelli. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Stephen Carroll.

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The US President has spoken to Russia's Vladimir Putin and agreed to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has insisted the move is not a "betrayal" of America's Nato's allies. Our European security reporter Andrea Palasciano reports from the ministerial meeting in Brussels, which the UK's John Healey is attending. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts.

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Bloomberg has learned that Rachel Reeves has received the latest economic forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility, and it's not good. The fiscal watchdog has downgraded growth, putting the Chancellor at risk of breaking her fiscal rules. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has a more upbeat view. We hear from Niesr's Senior Economist Benjamin Caswell. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts.

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The EU says it’s ready to retaliate to US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. But the UK is pursuing a different strategy, seeking to avoid the levies altogether. We discuss the diverging strategies with our Brussels Bureau Chief Kevin Whitelaw. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Stephen Carroll.

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Junior health minister Andrew Gwynne has been sacked and suspended from the party for posting what he described as "completely unacceptable" messages in a WhatsApp chat with other Labour colleagues. A second Labour MP, Oliver Ryan, has also apologised for his comments in the group. The party has announced an investigation. We discuss with Bloomberg's UK Political Editor Alex Wickham. Hosted by James Woolcock and Stephen Carroll.

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The UK is set to ease the rules around where nuclear power plants can be built in a bid to revitalise the sector and encourage investment. It's part of the government's plans to boost economic growth, while also pursuing ambitious decarbonization targets. But when will this plan yield any results? We discuss with Bloomberg's energy reporter Will Mathis. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and Stephen Carroll.

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Mauritius' recently-elected Prime Minister has suggested the UK would double its payments to retain a military base on the Chagos islands, once London cedes control of the archipelago. The prospect of paying billion of pounds more under a re-negotiated deal is causing concern among ministers, at a time when the Treasury is looking for savings. We discuss the political ramifications with Bloomberg's associate editor Ailbhe Rea. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Stephen Carroll.

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Bloomberg has learned that the Treasury has told several government departments to prepare for their budgets to be frozen in cash terms, ahead of a major spending review in June. Such a freeze would mean real-terms spending cuts, creating a political dilemma for the Chancellor Rachel Reeves. We discuss with our economics reporter Tom Rees. Hosted by Yuan Potts and Stephen Carroll.

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Donald Trump has pledged to impose tariffs on the European Union after announcing sweeping measures on Canada, China and Mexico over the weekend. The UK has been spared for now, as the US President said he was “getting along very well" with Keir Starmer. As the Prime Minister heads to Brussels, how will his plans for closer ties with the EU change things? We discuss with Bloomberg's UK correspondent Lizzy Burden and our UK political editor Alex Wickham. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker.

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The Chancellor Rachel Reeves answers Bloomberg's questions about when we'll see results from her plans to boost growth. We also have reaction from business leaders: Snap's EMEA President Ronan Harris for a view from the tech world; Andy Briggs, CEO of Phoenix, one of the UK's largest pension funds; and Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker.

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The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced her much-anticipated plan to boost economic growth, including backing a third runway at London's Heathrow airport. We bring you a round-up of the announcements and analysis from our Chief UK Economist Dan Hanson. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker.

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The Prime Minister made his case to business leaders at Bloomberg's London HQ this morning. The discussions are the latest step in efforts to drum up support from industry for government's growth plan, ahead of a key speech by the Chancellor tomorrow. We bring you our conversation with the Prime Minister, and commentary from Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood and former Tesco CEO Dave Lewis, who's now chair of the Xlinks renewable energy project. Hosted By Lizzy Burden and Stephen Carroll.

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President Trump and Keir Starmer had their first phone call since the inauguration, discussing trade and a meeting of the two leaders "soon". With Trump calling the Prime Minister "a very good person", how hopeful can the UK be of a strong relationship with the new White House? This after Trump threatened sweeping tariffs on Latin American ally Colombia at the weekend and won compliance on migrant deportations within hours. We discuss the risks for the UK with Marco Forgione - Director General of the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade. Hosted by James Woolcock and Caroline Hepker.

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The Trump administration is reversing much of America's green policies, accelerating moves already underway in the financial sector. Bloomberg's green finance & ESG investing reporter Alastair Marsh tells how financial firms on both sides of the Atlantic are shifting their approach to sustainable investing, and how that could affect the UK government's drive to grow the economy. Hosted by Tiwa Adebayo and Stephen Carroll.

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Today, we're bringing you a special conversation with Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. They spoke to Bloomberg's Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at Bloomberg House in Davos about the government's fiscal challenges, and how they plan to convince business leaders of their strategy to grow the economy. Hosted by Yuan Potts.

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The UK will start a public inquiry into how the state failed to prevent the murders of three young girls last year. The probe will look into what Keir Starmer has called the 'new threat' of changing terrorism. But can yet another public assessment lead to lasting change? We discuss with Bloomberg's politics and economics reporter Lucy White. Hosted by Caroline Hepker and James Woolcock.

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