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Political Fix

How do you solve a problem like Elon Musk?

Political Fix

Financial Times

Politics, News, News & Politics

4.21.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 August 2024

⏱️ 37 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The billionaire owner of X, Elon Musk, has launched attacks on the UK government following the riots. So, how should Keir Starmer’s government deal with the self-declared “free speech absolutist” and his social media platform? The FT’s political editor George Parker is joined by Political Fix regulars Miranda Green and Stephen Bush, as well as political correspondent Anna Gross. Plus, the team considers how Rachel Reeves will be able to promote growth in the UK while balancing the books. And, as Keir Starmer cancels his holidays - should politicians always take their vacations?


Follow George on X: @GeorgeWParker, Stephen @stephenkb, Miranda @greenmiranda, Anna @AnnaSophieGross


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Sign up for 30 free days of Stephen Bush's Inside Politics newsletter, winner of the World Association of News Publishers 2023 ‘Best Newsletter’ award: 

https://ft.com/insidepoliticsoffer


Presented by George Parker. Produced by Audrey Tinline. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity and original music by Breen Turner. Studio engineer: Petros Gioumpasis. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. 


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:26.7

Welcome to political fix from the Financial Times with me George Parker standing in for

0:32.0

Lucy Fishery's off on her holes at the moment.

0:34.6

Coming up in today's pod, free speech versus law and order. The dilemma for the government

0:39.9

over how to deal with social media companies in the wake of the riots.

0:44.4

Plus, we'll take a look at the huge challenges facing Rachel Reeves

0:48.5

as the Chancellor struggles to boost growth while balancing the books. And here with me in the studio today

0:54.6

our political fix regular Miranda Green. Hello George. F.T. columnist Stephen

0:59.6

Bush. Hi George. And political correspondent Anna Gross. Hi George.

1:04.0

So guys, Elon Musk has been all over his own ex-social media site claiming Britain is on the brink of civil war and making all kinds of other

1:15.2

incendiary remarks, has any of it affected your use of X or Twitter Anna?

1:21.6

It has not, actually there was one moment where I was like I don't want to be on

1:25.6

this platform anymore and I downloaded is it called Blue Sky. It's terrible I don't even

1:30.6

know what it's called. I think it is okay I mean honestly you'll guess it's terrible I don't even know what it's called I think it is okay I mean it's called

1:33.4

yeah it's got a download blue sky I spent maybe 15 20 minutes making my profile

1:40.0

following some people and then I did not go on it again and I forgot its name.

1:45.3

Not a good start.

1:48.3

Miranda?

...

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