Election battle lines drawn up

Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled his party’s six core pledges ahead of the general election – in the same week that Rishi Sunak claimed the country would be less safe under a Labour government. As both parties kick off their election campaigns, the FT’s Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher is joined by Jim Pickard and Miranda Green to examine the battle lines being drawn up. Plus, the FT’s public policy editor Peter Foster outlines the dangers facing the UK’s university sector if the government decides to axe the graduate visa route that allows foreign students to stay on after graduation.

Follow Lucy on X: @LOS_Fisher, Miranda @greenmiranda, Jim @PickardJE, Peter @pmdfoster

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Keir Starmer unveils 6 election ‘first steps’ for a Labour government

Sunak claims UK will be less safe under Labour in pre-election speech

The think-tank laying the groundwork for a Labour government

Union leader urges backing for Keir Starmer over diluted worker rights

Sketchy Politics: Sunak’s sinking feeling

England’s universities face ‘closure’ risk after student numbers dive

The State of Britain

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Presented by Lucy Fisher. Produced by Audrey Tinline with Leah Quinn. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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