Who's afraid of Nigel Farage?

Well, the Prime Minister was certainly worried this week because he took a day out of his busy

schedule to travel up to St Helens to make a speech warning that reforms plans would

ruin the UK economy.

It's Liz Trusts all over again. We said that she would crash the economy and we're

once again fighting the same fantasy, this time from Farage. Welcome to political fix from the

Financial Times with me, George Parker. Yes, it's been a week of Stama versus Farage,

with the Prime Minister ridiculing the reform leader about his economic manifesto.

But what about Labour's own flip-flopping on the economy?

As Stama paved the way for policy changes on the winter fuel payment and the two-child benefit cap,

piling pressure on poor old Chancellor Rachel Reeves. To discuss it all, I'm joined in

the studio by my colleague Stephen Bush. Hi, Stephen. Hi, George. Chris Giles, the FD's economics

commentator. Hi, Chris. Hi, George. And the FTs political correspondent Anna Gros. Hi, Anna. Hi,

George. Now, George.

Now, before we kick off, I promised you last time that we would bring you all the breaking news relating to Lucy's maternity leave.

And yes, the good news is that baby Francis has safely arrived.

Francis, Lucy, Dad Theo and sister Artie are all doing well.

Although Lucy tells me she's still having dreams about work.

I can tell you that won't last. So, let's get down to business. Stama versus Farage.

Stama's clearly worried scrapping plans this week to meet Chancellor Mertz in Germany to discuss Ukraine in favour of making a speech in a St. Helen's glassworks to lay

into Nigel Farage. Earlier in the week, it was the Reform UK leader who was on the attack.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, I don't think I've ever seen anybody

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