Imagine sweeping through green fields, floating five feet above ground, sun on your face as you

slide by on track to your

there,

to care in the world as you simply lean back.

And before you know it, you're there.

This is how travels should feel,

and on our trains it does.

Avanti West Coast feel good travel. Welcome to F.T. politics, the Financial Times podcast on all things British politics.

I'm Sebastian Payne and in this week's episode we'll be

talking about the first week of the 2017 general election campaign and the

battle ahead for labor. I'm delighted to be joined by George Parker, the FT's

political editor, Chief Political Correspondent

Jim Pickard, Political Reporter Henry Mans, plus Commentate Miranda Green and poster

Matt Singh.

Thank you all for joining.

So for those who didn't catch our special general election episode this week,

were having a general election. On Tuesday, Theresa May stepped outside Downing Street to announce

she was going to the country and on Wednesday the House of Commons voted for it.

The Tories have hit the campaign trail with a message very similar to 2015, strong secure leadership

with us and a so-called Coalition of Chaos with everyone else.

So what have we learned from the first week?

George Parker, we've just about got over the shock of there being a general election

...