Bloomberg UK Politics

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.