<p>Reform UK leader Nigel Farage unveiled his ‘shadow cabinet’ at a glitzy event in London this week, with a newly bespectacled Robert Jenrick announced as ‘shadow chancellor’. The event was a hit with Reform’s supporters in the room – but can the party appeal to a broader base?</p><br><p>One clue as to Reform’s prospects: the by-election next week in Gorton and Denton. The Manchester seat – where Reform, Labour and the Greens are all vying for victory – is a crucial bellwether.&nbsp;</p><br><p>Host Lucy Fisher is joined by FT political correspondent Anna Gross, UK chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley, and columnist and writer of the Inside Politics newsletter Stephen Bush.</p><br><p>Follow: Lucy @LOS_Fisher and @<a href="http://lucyfisher.ft.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lucyfisher.ft.com</a>; Robert @robertshrimsley.bsky.social Stephen <a href="https://twitter.com/stephenkb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@stephenkb</a> and @stephenkb.bsky.social; Anna @AnnaSophieGross and <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p><em>Want more? </em>&nbsp;</p><br><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/8c37e33a-3e3b-4f5e-bb17-ea66c996f236?accessToken=zwAAAZ0Vav7zlNOMN-M6PjtPXtO7F-pmyZbyNtO-5CW93vZKFNOqQQDHPfeP8887cYuM2a9GEdOjeiRdhep-Vc8P5LR-LHVOvNOdvb2TlmGJTQE.MEYCIQCG8W0rLLXzX9k6iqgiqKKg9Bibi8NuiB7q86bSRnhZDgIhAJDsrW1KqvjR-23rslzWl7xUjFJz5qjcmPyJpa_S2ycy&amp;segmentId=1f56959f-51cc-c373-0eed-368092f34da4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Perhaps we should all be banned from social media</a></p><br><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/bee425bd-def6-4a14-aa41-00c73df78ff3?accessToken=zwAAAZ0Vav7zlNOMN-M6PjtPXtO7F-pmyZbyNtO-5CW93vZKFNOqQQDHPfeP8887cYuM2a9GEdOjeiRdhep-Vc8P5LR-LHVOvNOdvb2TlmGJTQE.MEYCIQCG8W0rLLXzX9k6iqgiqKKg9Bibi8NuiB7q86bSRnhZDgIhAJDsrW1KqvjR-23rslzWl7xUjFJz5qjcmPyJpa_S2ycy&amp;segmentId=1f56959f-51cc-c373-0eed-368092f34da4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Concerns were raised with Cabinet Office before Antonia Romeo appointment</a></p><br><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3b718b8c-d9af-4611-a37a-245d85ea7e55?accessToken=zwAAAZ0Vav7zlNOMN-M6PjtPXtO7F-pmyZbyNtO-5CW93vZKFNOqQQDHPfeP8887cYuM2a9GEdOjeiRdhep-Vc8P5LR-LHVOvNOdvb2TlmGJTQE.MEYCIQCG8W0rLLXzX9k6iqgiqKKg9Bibi8NuiB7q86bSRnhZDgIhAJDsrW1KqvjR-23rslzWl7xUjFJz5qjcmPyJpa_S2ycy&amp;segmentId=1f56959f-51cc-c373-0eed-368092f34da4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pupils’ special needs support to be reassessed at secondary school level</a></p><br><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0fe4b47e-2c75-4ebc-9dbd-bd939661894d?accessToken=zwAAAZ0Vav7zlNOMN-M6PjtPXtO7F-pmyZbyNtO-5CW93vZKFNOqQQDHPfeP8887cYuM2a9GEdOjeiRdhep-Vc8P5LR-LHVOvNOdvb2TlmGJTQE.MEYCIQCG8W0rLLXzX9k6iqgiqKKg9Bibi8NuiB7q86bSRnhZDgIhAJDsrW1KqvjR-23rslzWl7xUjFJz5qjcmPyJpa_S2ycy&amp;segmentId=1f56959f-51cc-c373-0eed-368092f34da4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Conservatives’ foundational sin</a></p><br><p>Sign up <a href="https://www.ft.com/InsidePoliticsOffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> for Stephen’s morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek views. Get 30 days free.</p><br><p>Political Fix is presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Audio mix by Sean McGarrity. Original music by Breen Turner.&nbsp;The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.&nbsp;</p><br><p>Our email address is <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a></p><br><p><em>Clips from Reform UK and the Independent </em></p><br><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e064f79d-01c1-4f9c-8f7f-b42b98995ec3?" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com</strong></a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>