Exit Starmer, enter Burnham
6/22/202624 min
With Andy Burnham sworn in as an MP and on track to become the UK’s seventh prime minister in 10 years after Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation today, host Lucy Fisher is joined by political editor George Parker and deputy political editor Jim Pickard to assess Starmer’s time in office and discuss how Burnham will have to hit the ground running to avoid the fate of his predecessors.
Follow: Lucy @LOS_Fisher or @lucyfisher.ft.com; Jim @PickardJE or jim.pickard@ft.com; and George @GeorgeWParker or george.parker@ft.com
Want more?
How Keir Starmer was undone by caution and no clear plan
Keir Starmer’s premiership in charts
Keir Starmer steps down as UK prime minister
Waiting for Andy: what will a Burnham premiership mean?
Why does Britain keep changing prime ministers?
What Andy Burnham’s Westminster past reveals about him
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Political Fix was presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Persis Love. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Original music and sound engineering by Breen Turner. The global head of audio is Flo Phillips.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsLucy Fisher· Host0:01
[upbeat music] Ready George? Ready Jim?
George Parker· Host0:09
Sure thing.
Jim Pickard· Panelist0:10
Standby.
Lucy Fisher· Host0:10
Hello, and welcome to an extra edition of Political Fix from the Financial Times with me, Lucy Fisher, just hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned. I'm here in the FT's parliamentary office. Uh, it's hot outside. It's very hot inside. George, can I reveal that you're already removed your shoes it's so hot. [laughs] And, uh, to, to, uh, uh, continue with this dodgy metaphor, the political temperature is also rising. Here with me to give a quick take on what's been a morning of fast moving news are the FT's political editor, George Parker. Hi, George.
George Parker· Host0:43
Hello, Lucy.
Lucy Fisher· Host0:44
And the FT's deputy political editor, Jim Pickard. Hi, Jim.
Jim Pickard· Panelist0:47
Hey. Hey, Lucy.
Lucy Fisher· Host0:47
Well, as you know, we don't normally record on a Monday. I don't think we've ever recorded the pod before in our little, uh, office in the old Palace of Westminster with stained carpets, old chairs. Uh, we don't have a leak here, but there is a moth problem, there is a mouse problem. We're going to ignore that, um, to bring you the latest because, of course, this is an extraordinary day with Keir Starmer resigning. Well, let's get straight into it. Um, George, it felt like a, an inevitability growing over the weekend that Starmer was going to step down at the beginning of this week. You got to your desk before 7:00 A.M. to be ready, and Jim and I weren't too far behind you. Um, give us the top lines from that really quite emotional speech in Downing Street.
George Parker· Host1:29
Well,