George Parker
@georgewparker.bsky.social
Political Editor Financial Times, former FT bureau chief in Brussels. Presenter R4 Week in Westminster. Crystal Palace and Somerset CCC supporter
Starmer's decision to treat Farage as "the real opposition"; the political calculation, the risks, the polling. Contributions from @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social John Curtice and Nigel Farage "laughing his socks off"
www.ft.com/content/2715...
www.ft.com/content/2715...
Why Keir Starmer made Nigel Farage Britain’s ‘real opposition’
PM’s decision was controversial with some Labour strategists fearing it gave Reform UK too much credibility
www.ft.com
June 18, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Starmer's decision to treat Farage as "the real opposition"; the political calculation, the risks, the polling. Contributions from @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social John Curtice and Nigel Farage "laughing his socks off"
www.ft.com/content/2715...
www.ft.com/content/2715...
on.ft.com/4jHhvkF
Rachel Reeves and a defining moment for her chancellorship - analysis of the Spending Review with Sam Fleming
Rachel Reeves and a defining moment for her chancellorship - analysis of the Spending Review with Sam Fleming
‘Her challenge is the voters’: Can Rachel Reeves’ spending review rebuild her reputation?
[FREE TO READ] UK chancellor has seen her approval ratings plunge since taking office
on.ft.com
June 10, 2025 at 9:48 PM
on.ft.com/4jHhvkF
Rachel Reeves and a defining moment for her chancellorship - analysis of the Spending Review with Sam Fleming
Rachel Reeves and a defining moment for her chancellorship - analysis of the Spending Review with Sam Fleming
Reposted by George Parker
"REEVES RETREAT RESTORES WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS TO PENSIONERS"
@georgewparker.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com.
Chancellor #RachelReeves will restore Winter Fuel Payments to all but 2 million pensioners with income of more than £35,000.
#FinancialTimes
#IBPAPERS
#TomorrowsPapersToday
@georgewparker.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com.
Chancellor #RachelReeves will restore Winter Fuel Payments to all but 2 million pensioners with income of more than £35,000.
#FinancialTimes
#IBPAPERS
#TomorrowsPapersToday
June 9, 2025 at 8:55 PM
"REEVES RETREAT RESTORES WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS TO PENSIONERS"
@georgewparker.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com.
Chancellor #RachelReeves will restore Winter Fuel Payments to all but 2 million pensioners with income of more than £35,000.
#FinancialTimes
#IBPAPERS
#TomorrowsPapersToday
@georgewparker.bsky.social for @financialtimes.com.
Chancellor #RachelReeves will restore Winter Fuel Payments to all but 2 million pensioners with income of more than £35,000.
#FinancialTimes
#IBPAPERS
#TomorrowsPapersToday
Rachel Reeves and the spending review bunfight. Excellent chat with @robertshrimsley.bsky.social @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social and Sam Fleming
www.ft.com/content/892d...
www.ft.com/content/892d...
Facing down a fiscal firestorm
A look ahead to the spending review
www.ft.com
June 6, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Rachel Reeves and the spending review bunfight. Excellent chat with @robertshrimsley.bsky.social @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social and Sam Fleming
www.ft.com/content/892d...
www.ft.com/content/892d...
New - Big Reeves announcement coming on transport, including new line from Manchester to Liverpool, ahead of Spending Review on June 11. @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social and me
www.ft.com/content/9e2d...
www.ft.com/content/9e2d...
Rachel Reeves to back Manchester-Liverpool rail link in transport spending boost
Chancellor lines up £113bn infrastructure investment package as part of next week’s government spending review
www.ft.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:20 PM
New - Big Reeves announcement coming on transport, including new line from Manchester to Liverpool, ahead of Spending Review on June 11. @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social and me
www.ft.com/content/9e2d...
www.ft.com/content/9e2d...
Starmer v Farage and Reeves’s fiscal fix, dissected by the brilliant @stephenkb.bsky.social @chrisgiles.ft.com and @annasophiegross.bsky.social - plus hot @lucyfisher.ft.com baby news
www.ft.com/content/c005...
www.ft.com/content/c005...
Who’s afraid of Nigel Farage?
Plus: Rachel Reeves’ problems are piling up ahead of the autumn budget
www.ft.com
May 30, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Starmer v Farage and Reeves’s fiscal fix, dissected by the brilliant @stephenkb.bsky.social @chrisgiles.ft.com and @annasophiegross.bsky.social - plus hot @lucyfisher.ft.com baby news
www.ft.com/content/c005...
www.ft.com/content/c005...
great story from @annasophiegross.bsky.social
NEW: Ministers are considering a softening of their contentious welfare reforms that could allow up to 200,000 people to keep their disability benefits, as the government seeks to stave off a backbench rebellion.
May 29, 2025 at 6:54 AM
great story from @annasophiegross.bsky.social
"Crossing the Rubicon"? Treasury confirms it will legislate for "reserve powers" to tell pension funds to put billions of pounds of savers' money into private assets. Good move to get more cash into the British economy or a dangerous state power grab?
www.ft.com/content/a637...
www.ft.com/content/a637...
UK confirms powers to force pension funds to back British assets
Chancellor hopes plan to establish ‘megafunds’, circumscribed by binding allocation targets, will drive returns for savers
www.ft.com
May 29, 2025 at 6:54 AM
"Crossing the Rubicon"? Treasury confirms it will legislate for "reserve powers" to tell pension funds to put billions of pounds of savers' money into private assets. Good move to get more cash into the British economy or a dangerous state power grab?
www.ft.com/content/a637...
www.ft.com/content/a637...
New Big cuts to civil service on the way as part of the spending review squeeze (but only heading back towards where numbers were before Brexit and Covid)
www.ft.com/content/1311...
www.ft.com/content/1311...
One in 10 UK civil service jobs facing axe
About 50,000 Whitehall posts set to be cut in ‘brutal’ public spending review, officials say
www.ft.com
May 29, 2025 at 6:51 AM
New Big cuts to civil service on the way as part of the spending review squeeze (but only heading back towards where numbers were before Brexit and Covid)
www.ft.com/content/1311...
www.ft.com/content/1311...
Reposted by George Parker
📻Starmer - happier on the world stage? @georgewparker.bsky.social in the hotseat with @pmdfoster.bsky.social and myself, plus @andybounds.bsky.social in Brussels on all this hyperactive dealmaking. www.ft.com/content/1789...
Is Labour’s post-Brexit reset a victory or a betrayal?
Plus: Starmer’s Chagos deal
www.ft.com
May 25, 2025 at 8:58 AM
📻Starmer - happier on the world stage? @georgewparker.bsky.social in the hotseat with @pmdfoster.bsky.social and myself, plus @andybounds.bsky.social in Brussels on all this hyperactive dealmaking. www.ft.com/content/1789...
Gimps, overnight train journeys to Kyiv, late steel deals, 11th hour Macron blessings, commas. Inside the EU deal with @andybounds.bsky.social
on.ft.com/4j6oVNT
on.ft.com/4j6oVNT
How the UK and EU thrashed out a post-Brexit reset in relations
[FREE TO READ] Starmer’s big concession on fishing came as bloc offered better trade terms for British food exporters
on.ft.com
May 20, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Gimps, overnight train journeys to Kyiv, late steel deals, 11th hour Macron blessings, commas. Inside the EU deal with @andybounds.bsky.social
on.ft.com/4j6oVNT
on.ft.com/4j6oVNT
New: Deal done. All the details. @andybounds.bsky.social and me. EU diplomats say Britain has agreed a 12-year extension of fisheries access to UK waters..but disappointed by wording on youth mobility. Big econ win for UK - unlimited agrifood trade deal
www.ft.com/content/78f1...
www.ft.com/content/78f1...
UK and EU agree post-Brexit reset after ‘breakthrough’ in talks
Deals reached on fisheries and agriculture in late-night haggling ahead of summit in London
www.ft.com
May 19, 2025 at 7:24 AM
New: Deal done. All the details. @andybounds.bsky.social and me. EU diplomats say Britain has agreed a 12-year extension of fisheries access to UK waters..but disappointed by wording on youth mobility. Big econ win for UK - unlimited agrifood trade deal
www.ft.com/content/78f1...
www.ft.com/content/78f1...
Reposted by George Parker
What you really want, when you want your opponents to stay divided, is to give a clear steer as to which one the main rival is. All that and more in this terrific read by @georgewparker.bsky.social:
Starmer sees Farage as ‘real opponent’ in new political landscape
UK prime minister has told allies that the Tories are heading for the ‘end of the road’
www.ft.com
May 16, 2025 at 5:36 PM
What you really want, when you want your opponents to stay divided, is to give a clear steer as to which one the main rival is. All that and more in this terrific read by @georgewparker.bsky.social:
New - latest on today's US/UK trade deal. Limited focus on most affected areas - cars and steel - but hopes in London that Britain might swerve future Trump tariffs on pharma. Cuts to UK tariffs on US goods, inc cars/meat expected. Details about 3pm
www.ft.com/content/8115...
www.ft.com/content/8115...
Donald Trump to announce trade deal with UK
Limited agreement is expected to be focused on UK steel and car exports
www.ft.com
May 8, 2025 at 8:10 AM
New - latest on today's US/UK trade deal. Limited focus on most affected areas - cars and steel - but hopes in London that Britain might swerve future Trump tariffs on pharma. Cuts to UK tariffs on US goods, inc cars/meat expected. Details about 3pm
www.ft.com/content/8115...
www.ft.com/content/8115...
Reposted by George Parker
EXC: Pentagon wants UK military to focus more on Europe and less on Asia, in a major policy shift from Biden administration, which pushed European allies to boost Indo-Pac activity to send a strong signal to China
From Demetri Sevastopulo & me 👇
on.ft.com/4iTeDRi
From Demetri Sevastopulo & me 👇
on.ft.com/4iTeDRi
US wants UK military to focus more on Europe and away from Asia
[FREE TO READ] Pentagon believes British should place more emphasis on their own region in policy shift from Biden administration
on.ft.com
May 7, 2025 at 8:37 PM
EXC: Pentagon wants UK military to focus more on Europe and less on Asia, in a major policy shift from Biden administration, which pushed European allies to boost Indo-Pac activity to send a strong signal to China
From Demetri Sevastopulo & me 👇
on.ft.com/4iTeDRi
From Demetri Sevastopulo & me 👇
on.ft.com/4iTeDRi
Reposted by George Parker
FT leak from imminent immigration white paper:
“Migrants in the UK would need to wait longer before they could apply to make their residency permanent under plans being drawn up by the Labour government as part of a crackdown on foreigners coming to work in Britain.”
www.ft.com/content/afa1...
“Migrants in the UK would need to wait longer before they could apply to make their residency permanent under plans being drawn up by the Labour government as part of a crackdown on foreigners coming to work in Britain.”
www.ft.com/content/afa1...
UK set to limit permanent residency for some migrants
Labour seeks to show voters it is getting to grips with number of foreigners coming to work in Britain
www.ft.com
May 7, 2025 at 5:42 PM
FT leak from imminent immigration white paper:
“Migrants in the UK would need to wait longer before they could apply to make their residency permanent under plans being drawn up by the Labour government as part of a crackdown on foreigners coming to work in Britain.”
www.ft.com/content/afa1...
“Migrants in the UK would need to wait longer before they could apply to make their residency permanent under plans being drawn up by the Labour government as part of a crackdown on foreigners coming to work in Britain.”
www.ft.com/content/afa1...
New - Keir Starmer's vaunted industrial strategy targets sky high industrial energy costs. “If we don’t deal with uncompetitive energy prices, it doesn’t really matter what else we do,” said one government official.
www.ft.com/content/7c49...
www.ft.com/content/7c49...
Industrial strategy aims to tackle UK’s sky-high energy costs
Shielding industry from inflated prices is centrepiece of next month’s announcement
www.ft.com
May 7, 2025 at 6:32 AM
New - Keir Starmer's vaunted industrial strategy targets sky high industrial energy costs. “If we don’t deal with uncompetitive energy prices, it doesn’t really matter what else we do,” said one government official.
www.ft.com/content/7c49...
www.ft.com/content/7c49...
New - EU negotiations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds tells the FT a "smart, controlled" youth mobility scheme is on the table as part of a big package. “I don’t worry about selling something that we believe would make the UK more secure and more prosperous,” he said.
www.ft.com/content/d2d9...
www.ft.com/content/d2d9...
UK looking at setting up youth mobility scheme with EU, minister says
Ahead of key summit, Nick Thomas-Symonds tells FT that a ‘smart’ programme would benefit young people
www.ft.com
May 7, 2025 at 6:30 AM
New - EU negotiations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds tells the FT a "smart, controlled" youth mobility scheme is on the table as part of a big package. “I don’t worry about selling something that we believe would make the UK more secure and more prosperous,” he said.
www.ft.com/content/d2d9...
www.ft.com/content/d2d9...
Great scoop by @pickardje.bsky.social and @pmdfoster.bsky.social
UK closes in on US trade pact with lower tariff *quotas* for cars and steel — lowering the 25% headline tariff is still a hope (but I’m told tough) and US still pushing hard on agri & pharma issues.
Scoop with @pickardje.bsky.social @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com/3RR7UMw
Scoop with @pickardje.bsky.social @financialtimes.com
on.ft.com/3RR7UMw
UK closes in on US trade pact with lower tariff quotas for cars and steel
[FREE TO READ] London to offer concessions on digital services tax in deal that could be agreed this week
on.ft.com
May 7, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Great scoop by @pickardje.bsky.social and @pmdfoster.bsky.social
Apocalypse now. Analysis with @lucyfisher.ft.com on what Farage’s advance means for Starmer and Badenoch
on.ft.com/42Zq6ZA
on.ft.com/42Zq6ZA
‘Apocalyptic’: Tory wipeout as Nigel Farage storms English councils
[FREE TO READ] Reform party’s rout in local elections poses huge challenges for Conservatives and Labour
on.ft.com
May 2, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Apocalypse now. Analysis with @lucyfisher.ft.com on what Farage’s advance means for Starmer and Badenoch
on.ft.com/42Zq6ZA
on.ft.com/42Zq6ZA
Farage declares end of two party politics on day of electoral destruction for Starmer and Badenoch. News wrap at end of a big day with @pickardje.bsky.social and @lucyfisher.ft.com
on.ft.com/44lfwyh
on.ft.com/44lfwyh
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK hammers Tories and Labour in local election rout
[FREE TO READ] Big two parties lose ground while rightwing rival surges in council and mayoral polls
on.ft.com
May 2, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Farage declares end of two party politics on day of electoral destruction for Starmer and Badenoch. News wrap at end of a big day with @pickardje.bsky.social and @lucyfisher.ft.com
on.ft.com/44lfwyh
on.ft.com/44lfwyh
Analysis of a transformational night in British politics
www.ft.com/content/59d1...
www.ft.com/content/59d1...
Nigel Farage shakes British politics with local election surge
Reform wins more local council seats than every other party put together
www.ft.com
May 2, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Analysis of a transformational night in British politics
www.ft.com/content/59d1...
www.ft.com/content/59d1...
New - Jamie Dimon boost for Reeves' new bid to talk up the economy: "They have reinforced their commitments to an open economy, strengthening of infrastructure and the stability of markets — all of which is good for investor confidence.”
www.ft.com/content/95ab...
www.ft.com/content/95ab...
JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon backs Rachel Reeves’ ‘pro-growth agenda’
Comments from boss of biggest US bank come as UK chancellor seeks to ‘talk up’ economy
www.ft.com
April 30, 2025 at 6:12 AM
New - Jamie Dimon boost for Reeves' new bid to talk up the economy: "They have reinforced their commitments to an open economy, strengthening of infrastructure and the stability of markets — all of which is good for investor confidence.”
www.ft.com/content/95ab...
www.ft.com/content/95ab...
“I asked if we could get a cherrypicker so I could fix the church roof here." Ed Davey on the trail, admitting some self-doubt about all the stunts. “It was outside of my comfort zone. I would come back in the evening and ask: “Are you sure this is right?”
www.ft.com/content/8089...
www.ft.com/content/8089...
The battle for England’s southern shires
Lib Dems seek to repeat last year’s general election success and win scores of council seats in the Tory party’s heartland
www.ft.com
April 30, 2025 at 6:09 AM
“I asked if we could get a cherrypicker so I could fix the church roof here." Ed Davey on the trail, admitting some self-doubt about all the stunts. “It was outside of my comfort zone. I would come back in the evening and ask: “Are you sure this is right?”
www.ft.com/content/8089...
www.ft.com/content/8089...
Reposted by George Parker
🌟 Latest FT Political Fix features a star turn re the bond markets from @katie0martin.ft.com as @georgewparker.bsky.social and I plus host @lucyfisher.ft.com hang on her every word www.ft.com/content/30ca... - plus a chat on Starmer's Q1 performance
Markets or Trump: who’s in charge?
Plus: a stocktake of the political year so far
www.ft.com
April 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
🌟 Latest FT Political Fix features a star turn re the bond markets from @katie0martin.ft.com as @georgewparker.bsky.social and I plus host @lucyfisher.ft.com hang on her every word www.ft.com/content/30ca... - plus a chat on Starmer's Q1 performance