Best Standby Line Podcasts (2026)

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Episode 114: Do The Locomotion 23:14

Play Pause

9h ago23:14

23:14

For the final episode of 2025, Tim and AJ look at Test Track 3.0 and what life is like to be in a car commercial. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepodcast Email: standbylinepodca…

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Quizmas special: Political Fix’s 2025 nerd-out! 50:05

10d ago50:05

50:05

Can you name all the Labour frontbenchers who resigned or were sacked during the past year? Why was Peter Mandelson delayed from returning to the UK after being sacked as US ambassador? And who will be crowned Political Fix’s Wonk-in-Chief? Find out as host George Parker puts the entire podcast panel - Miranda Green, Stephen Bush, Robert Shrimsley,…

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Episode 113: Making Christmas 33:34

10d ago33:34

33:34

Tim spent Thanksgiving weekend at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, and AJ spent it at Jollywood Nights. It's the coordination that keeps people coming back. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon…

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Political Fix Live: Labour’s year in review 38:01

13d ago38:01

38:01

It’s been another turbulent year in politics. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced down rebellions from within his own party, overseen scandals and sackings, and delivered a constant barrage of bad news from health and housing to small boats and the Budget. He’s fared a little better on the world stage – with successful state visits, securing a co…

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Deals, donations and damage limitation 39:34

20d ago39:34

39:34

Sir Keir Starmer started the week with not one but two speeches defending his party’s Budget decisions in the wake of claims that chancellor Rachel Reeves had misled the public and fellow MPs about the state of the nation’s finances. Was his sell convincing? The prime minister also brought up Brexit, but as panellist Robert Shrimsley points out, St…

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Episode 112: Why Is The Rum Gone? 36:29

1M ago36:29

36:29

A few new venues have opened up in Magic Kingdom, so Tim and AJ give them their due before the holiday season starts in earnest! Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepodcast Email: s…

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Bonus: What does the 2025 Budget mean for your money? 53:33

24d ago53:33

53:33

It’s been a rollercoaster week for both UK politics and our personal finances, with chancellor Rachel Reeves setting out tens of billions of pounds of tax rises in the Budget. But how will these new taxes be applied and what could they cost you? In a Money Clinic podcast recorded live at the FT, host and consumer editor Claer Barrett is joined by D…

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Budget bonanza: tax highs and growth lows 39:53

29d ago39:53

39:53

After months of speculation, predictions and U-turns, Rachel Reeves finally announced her Budget this week. And, symptomatic of the chaos this Budget has wrought, there was one final twist: the entire Budget appeared on the Office for Budget Responsibility's website 45 minutes before the chancellor was set to give her speech. It sent the media and …

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Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Defying death 1:30

1M ago1:30

1:30

Investors are spending billions of dollars on novel ways to extend human life through inventive treatments, therapies, and even manipulating our genes. And increasingly, it seems as though anti-ageing efforts have moved from the super rich to a mass market consumer industry. In this series, we’re covering the past, present and future of the longevi…

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Boats and the Budget: the battlelines are drawn 34:28

1M ago34:28

34:28

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a tough set of measures overhauling immigration policy this week, in a bid to deter illegal boat crossings and tackle the thorny issue of asylum seekers that dominates the news agenda. But how did the announcement go down with a divided Labour party? And, just days away from the Budget, chancellor Rachel Ree…

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Episode 111: We're Doing A Sequel! 43:13

1M ago43:13

43:13

For the October Viewer Poll, Tim and AJ reach into their backlog and once again talk about The Great Movie Ride! Has it changed? No. Have their opinions? ...Also no. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: pa…

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Is Starmer’s leadership on the line? 32:09

1M ago32:09

32:09

It has been a whirlwind week in Westminster with the BBC in crisis and a supposed challenge to the prime minister’s leadership. So, was there a putative coup from within Keir Starmer’s own cabinet? Is there a “toxic culture” in Downing Street? Plus: the panel’s take on the runners and riders for the top job at the national broadcaster. Host George …

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To tax, but who to tax, that is the question 34:49

2M ago34:49

34:49

With just three weeks to go until the Budget, Rachel Reeves gave a surprise speech to reset expectations on who she’s planning to hit with more taxes on November 26. This has fuelled further speculation about whether the government's central manifesto pledge to not raise income tax rates is now doomed. Host Miranda Green is joined by FT colleagues …

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Episode 110: From Chimpan-A To Chimpanzee 39:15

2M ago39:15

39:15

Tim and AJ talk Donkey Kong Country, and examine banana-centric theology. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepodcast Email: [email protected]…

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Reeves’ £30bn treasure hunt 33:44

2M ago33:44

33:44

With a month to go until the Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves needs to find a projected £30bn to balance the books. And the forecasts are not in her favour, with the OBR’s bigger than expected productivity downgrade dealing another blow to the Treasury this week. So where will the chancellor find the money – and if Labour have no choice but to brea…

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Budget, boats and a by-election 28:43

2M ago28:43

28:43

Chancellor Rachel Reeves received a rare bit of good news from lower inflation statistics this week, which could reduce government borrowing ahead of the November Budget. But the uphill struggle to improve Labour’s standing in the polls continues after a drubbing in Caerphilly, the embarrassing failure of the one-in-one-out migrant policy and the c…

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Episode 109: Anyway, I'm Rod Serling. 1:01:23

2M ago1:01:23

1:01:23

Tim and AJ give Tower of Terror its overdue due, and how it is an absolute masterpiece of suspense. Editor's Note: Not technically a mistake, but we realize there is an issue of ambiguous syntax. Mark Silverman was the actor hired as a Rod Serling soundalike. He is not, in fact, Rod Serling's widow. That would be Carolyn Louise Kramer. Hosted by Ti…

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Britain: a beacon of economic stability? 33:12

2M ago33:12

33:12

The countdown is on: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has just six weeks to finalise her Autumn Budget before the November 26 deadline. This week, she was in Washington DC for the annual meeting of the IMF, where she hinted at tax rises for the rich, while pinning some blame for Britain’s economic problems on her predecessors. The British public are not li…

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Introducing Untold: Toxic Legacy 2:16

3M ago2:16

2:16

Introducing Toxic Legacy, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Laura Hughes uncovers a lead poisoning epidemic across the UK. You might be living with lead and not know it: the toxin is often invisible to the human eye, but wreaks havoc on our bodies once we’re exposed. The first episode of Untold: Toxic Legacy launches October 22.…

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Has Kemi Badenoch silenced the critics? 34:57

3M ago34:57

34:57

Conference season is over for another year and after a rousing speech from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to the party faithful, the Political Fix panel is asking: has she done enough to silence her critics and reverse the party’s slide into oblivion? And while recovering from a month on the road, your trusty Political Fixers mull over the perfo…

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Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Mission to Mars 1:40

3M ago1:40

1:40

US President Donald Trump has pledged to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars”, China could send its first crewed mission to Mars within a decade, and Elon Musk wants people to actually settle on Mars, transforming the human race into an interplanetary species. In a new series of Tech Tonic, the FT’s Peggy Hollinger asks if we’re really …

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Episode 108: I KNOW YOU'RE HERE, DRACULA! 3:13:04

3M ago3:13:04

3:13:04

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Labour’s conference comeback? 36:27

3M ago36:27

36:27

This week, the Political Fix team comes to you from Liverpool — with all the news from the annual Labour Party Conference. Sir Keir Starmer struck a patriotic tone to the Labour faithful, promising to fight Nigel Farage’s “politics of grievance” and build a renewed, healthy Britain “with the flag waving in our hands” — flags he was keen to reclaim …

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Does Starmer have a northern problem? 32:16

3M ago32:16

32:16

As the prime minister prepares for his annual party conference, the mayor for Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, seems to be mounting a thinly veiled bid for the Labour leadership. In numerous interviews given to the media this past week, Burnham said he had been privately urged by MPs to challenge Sir Keir Starmer. And the provocation came with wha…

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When Mother Nature Strikes Without Warning: Real-Life Benefits of Having a Standby Generator When the Weather Turns Dangerous Fast 11:55

3M ago11:55

11:55

The tornado siren wails at 2 AM. Your neighbor's ancient oak crashes across power lines with a thunderous crack. In seconds, your entire neighborhood plunges into darkness—but your home doesn't. While your neighbors scramble for flashlights and worry about spoiled food, your whole-house generator has already kicked in. Your CPAP machine hums quietl…

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Episode 107: Treehouse Of Horror Nights 34 1:01:50

3M ago1:01:50

1:01:50

For the August Viewer Poll, Tim and AJ give a brief history of the Halloween Horror Nights Icons, and how they have apparently shaped much of world history. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com…

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Trumpery, pageantry and the ‘special relationship’ 41:05

3M ago41:05

41:05

President Donald Trump landed in Windsor this week for his historic second state visit to the UK. What ensued was a celebration of pomp and pageantry fit for a king: a Red Arrows flyby, a lavish banquet in a castle, and a press conference at Chequers – during which the president continually heaped praise on the ‘special relationship’. Was this disp…

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Starmer in a spin as the ‘Dark Lord’ bites the dust 31:21

4M ago31:21

31:21

After the toe-curling revelations about Lord Peter Mandelson’s connections with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the ambassador’s departure seemed inevitable to all - with the exception of some in Downing Street. Questions about the speed of his sacking, what Sir Keir Starmer knew and why the New Labour grandee was hired in the first place…

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Bonus ep: How the UK is navigating the Trump era 31:45

4M ago31:45

31:45

US President Donald Trump is coming to the UK next week. What can we expect from his visit? And where do things stand between the US and the UK? In this special bonus episode, our two FT political chat shows, Political Fix and Swamp Notes, team up to unpack relations between the two longtime allies. Marc Filippino, host of the Swamp Notes podcast, …

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Episode 106: The Isles Have Awakened 26:40

4M ago26:40

26:40

Tim and AJ talk about how close Isle of Berk gets to the experience of riding dragons, and to leave your fictional crushes at home. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepodcast Email…

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Rayner, Reeves and Reform 32:26

4M ago32:26

32:26

It wasn’t the start to the new parliamentary term that Prime Minister Keir Starmer hoped for. His insistence that his focus is now on “delivery, delivery, delivery” was eclipsed by the furore surrounding the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, over her tax affairs. To discuss where her precarious position leaves Starmer, plus his attempts to get …

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Farage, flags and the ghosts of Labour’s past 32:47

4M ago32:47

32:47

Just as Sir Keir Starmer was stealing a few days' summer holiday, Reform unveiled its immigration policy, former Labour heavyweights called for a withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights, and Tony Blair popped up in the White House. So with recess nearly over, the prime minister is trying to take back the news agenda starting with a …

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Episode 105: We're Gonna Reach For The Stars Tonight 32:50

4M ago32:50

32:50

Standby's Line Epic Universe era has officially begun! To start it off, the park's interstellar hub, Celestial Park! Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepodcast Email: standbylinepo…

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Storm Season Survival: 7 Essentials Every Michigan Home Should Have (Before the Next Blackout Leaves You in the Dark) 17:11

4M ago17:11

17:11

Michigan's 2025 storm season has already shattered records—29 confirmed tornadoes by June, devastating ice storms, and power outages that left thousands without electricity for days. Your neighbor's emergency kit might include flashlights and canned food, but is that enough when the next storm hits Southeast Michigan? Michigan ranks among the top U…

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The mess in the NHS 35:42

4M ago35:42

35:42

England’s NHS is in a ‘critical and deteriorating condition’ - those are the words of Lord Darzi who investigated the state of the NHS for the new Labour government last year. In response, Starmer unveiled a ten year plan to fix it focusing on delivering three big shifts in healthcare: hospital to community; analogue to digital; sickness to prevent…

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Starmer's superpower: soft power? 27:53

5M ago27:53

27:53

Maga arrived in Chipping Norton this week, heralding an intense round of British diplomacy ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska on Friday. Ukraine is top of the agenda and both Prime Minister Keir Starmer and foreign secretary David Lammy have been doing their bit liaising between US vice-president JD Vance and President Donald Trump, Ukrainia…

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Episode 104: I'm Seeing Double Here! Four Standby Lines! 1:02:34

5M ago1:02:34

1:02:34

Standby Line has reached its fourth anniversary! And as always, please our annual Ticket Booth Spider-Man episode! Originally published as "Ticket Booth 37: I Like To Talk To Myself". Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinep…

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Introducing Swamp Notes: The real cost of gutting USAID 19:04

5M ago19:04

19:04

Political Fix is on a break this week. In its absence, we're taking the opportunity to introduce you to its sister podcast, Swamp Notes, the weekly US politics podcast from the Financial Times. Six months after the Trump administration gutted the US Agency for International Development, experts are tracking the impact of its absence. The FT’s David…

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Why Starmer changed his mind about Palestinian statehood 35:31

5M ago35:31

35:31

Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to recognise a Palestinian state in September at the UN General Assembly. The decision comes after some Labour MPs and cabinet ministers accused him of being too slow to respond to the Gaza crisis. Host George Parker is joined by FT columnists Stephen Bush, Robert Shrimsley and deputy opinion editor Miranda Green t…

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Episode 103: EXTREME CLOSE-UP! 23:49

5M ago23:49

23:49

Tim and AJ talk about Grizzly River Run, needless injection of entirely made-up Native American folklore, and how there was no saving Voyager. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepo…

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One year in opposition 34:58

5M ago34:58

34:58

As MPs head back to their constituencies for the summer, the Political Fix panel reflects on the year in opposition for Kemi Badenoch and her Conservative party. Host George Parker is joined by Robert Shrimsley to discuss their exclusive interview with the party leader, along with Anna Gross and Jim Pickard to talk Reform, the right-wing agenda, an…

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The Afghan Files: the inside story on the catastrophic leak 33:12

6M ago33:12

33:12

One of the gravest security lapses in UK history came to light this week after a judge lifted a superinjunction on a catastrophic data leak that could have affected 100,000 Afghans, as well as British spies and special forces members. Political Fix’s Lucy Fisher, one of the journalists who broke the story, returns to the show to talk with host Geor…

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Why Southeast Michigan Has So Many Power Outages (And How a Standby Generator Can Be Your Last Line of Defense) 9:22

6M ago9:22

9:22

The lights flicker. Then they die. Again. If you're reading this, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Southeast Michigan homeowners face power outages more frequently than almost anywhere else in the country—and it's not getting better. You know that gut-punch moment when the CPAP machine goes silent in the middle of the night. The creeping co…

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Episode 102: How To Sell Your Soul In A Buyer's Market 32:51

6M ago32:51

32:51

For the June Viewer Poll, Tim and AJ talk about Revenge of the Mummy, and determine if souls are priced as a set commodity, or market value. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @chipstercreates.bsky.social on Bluesky Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepodc…

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Resetting Franco-British relations: the cross-channel contract 28:23

6M ago28:23

28:23

Emmanuel Macron made his state visit to the UK this week – the first EU leader to do so since Brexit. It heralded a reset between France and Britain, dubbed the ‘entente amicale’ by King Charles. Macron and Starmer announced a joint crackdown on migration with a ‘one-in one-out policy’ for asylum seekers and closer cooperation on defence. But it wa…

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A year of Keir 37:29

6M ago37:29

37:29

This week marks a year of Keir Starmer’s government. But if Labour was expecting to celebrate the anniversary – it didn't pan out that way. Despite claiming a narrow victory with the contentious welfare bill, the government appeared to have one of its roughest weeks on record. Host George Parker is joined by Stephen Bush, Miranda Green and Robert S…

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Episode 101: Jack-Jack Attack 28:44

6M ago28:44

28:44

Tim and AJ talk about Incredicoaster, and how it has the most unnecessarily complicated Single Rider line they've ever seen. Hosted by Tim O'Connor and AJ Salisbury Cover art by @roboptera on Twitter Facebook: facebook.com/Standby-Line Twitter: twitter.com/StandbyLinePod Instagram: instagram.com/standbylinepodcast Patreon: patreon.com/standbylinepo…

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Starmer’s welfare woes 35:10

6M ago35:10

35:10

Sir Keir Starmer faced a huge rebellion from within his own party this week after scores of MPs opposed changes to make it tougher to collect some disability benefits. This episode — recorded just before the prime minister’s concessions on welfare reform — unpacks why the rebellion took place, what it says about Starmer’s leadership and where next …

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Starmer on standby 27:10

7M ago27:10

27:10

Will he? Won’t he? President Donald Trump has given little indication as to whether America will join in the conflict between Israel and Iran. So where does this leave the UK and its assets in the region? How does the prime minister play his hand with the president, and what does that mean for his relationship with his own party, especially given L…

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When the Lights Go Out in Michigan: Your Step-by-Step Survival Guide for Extended Power Outages 18:18

7M ago18:18

18:18

It’s 2 AM on a January night in Michigan. The ice storm that weather forecasters warned about has arrived with a vengeance. You hear the unmistakable CRACK of a tree branch snapping under the weight of ice, then… silence. Your house goes black. Your heat stops. Your medical devices power down. And you realize—this isn’t a 30-minute inconvenience. T…