Funding Scandal Threatens Reform’s Momentum

Reform’s conference in Birmingham was soured by a Channel 4 News broadcast showing the party's leader Nigel Farage and some of his closest allies in conversations with a man purporting to arrange illicit political donations. Farage says the party has ‘broken no law’ but Reform has launched its own investigation and two top advisors have stepped down. Host Lucy Fisher hears from the FT’s acting executive news editor David Sheppard, who was at the Reform conference. Plus, political editor George Parker and economics editor Sam Fleming talk to Lucy about their exclusive interview with John Healey – and what the new Labour chancellor has planned for the country.

Follow Lucy @LOS_Fisher; George @GeorgeWParker and @georgewparker.bsky.social; Sam @Sam1Fleming; David @OilSheppard

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Political Fix was presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Persis Love. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Original music and sound engineering by Breen Turner. Flo Phillips is the FT’s head of audio.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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