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Sebastian Payne

Whitehall Editor

Sebastian Payne writes about British politics for the FT. He was previously political leader writer and digital opinion editor. Before he joined the FT, he was a reporter and editor at The Spectator and The Daily Telegraph.

He also presents the weekly Payne's Politics podcast and writes a fortnightly notebook column for the opinion pages.

Email Sebastian Payne @SebastianEPayne  on Twitter (link opens in a new browser window)
Email Sebastian Payne @SebastianEPayne  on Twitter (link opens in a new browser window)

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  • Thursday, 18 August, 2022
    UK financial regulation
    City of London regulators to face shake-up under Truss

    Frontrunner to be UK prime minister eyes merger of FCA, PRA and PSR

  • Tuesday, 16 August, 2022
    UK politics & policy
    Calls mount to scrap annual rail fare rise in England

    Campaigners want ministers to go further than promise not to base increase on July’s RPI inflation measure

  • Thursday, 11 August, 2022
    UK politics & policy
    The Tories cannot afford to waste any more time

    Once in office, the next prime minister must act decisively to deal with the looming economic crisis

  • Friday, 5 August, 2022
    InterviewConservative Party UK
    Liz Truss: how the Thatcher era shapes her vision of radical reform

    Frontrunner to become next prime minister pledges to shake up economic policy and deregulate business

  • Friday, 5 August, 2022
    UK politics & policy
    Truss rejects ‘handouts’ in favour of tax cuts to help households

    Conservative leadership frontrunner dismisses the ‘abacus economics’ of the Treasury

  • Friday, 5 August, 2022
    Liz Truss
    A prime minister Truss will need to face down the Tory right

    To stamp her authority once in office she should appoint a cabinet that represents the full spectrum of Tory opinion

  • Sunday, 31 July, 2022
    English devolution
    North Yorkshire to have directly elected mayor for first time

    Government signs off £540mn devolution deal that gives greater power to region

  • Sunday, 31 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Sunak announces long-term plan to cut income tax

    Former chancellor struggles to make headway against Conservative leadership rival Liz Truss

  • Saturday, 30 July, 2022
    Payne's Politics podcast28 min listen
    Truss pulls ahead

    The Tory leadership debate rumbled on this week, with three more clashes between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak covering pretty familiar ground

  • Friday, 29 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Rishi Sunak’s campaign strategy for Tory leadership unravels

    Former chancellor’s attacks on Liz Truss fail to yield results, and he is accused of U-turns on policy

  • Thursday, 28 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Tory rivals should spend less and reform creaking Britain more

    They risk a general election like 1979, when voters look at who has been in charge and ask why nothing works

  • Wednesday, 27 July, 2022
    House of Lords
    Johnson to increase House of Lords numbers despite downsizing pledge

    PM inherited plan from Theresa May to cut peers from 800 to 600 and promised to implement it

  • Monday, 25 July, 2022
    UK politics & policy
    Liz Truss pledges sweeping changes to UK trade union laws

    Tory leadership contender promises curbs on strikes against backdrop of public sector walkouts

  • Sunday, 24 July, 2022
    News in-depthConservative Party UK
    Race for No 10: the key Truss and Sunak backers in line for top jobs

    MPs from rival camps reveal who is likely to be promoted after Boris Johnson’s successor is chosen

  • Friday, 22 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    How Liz Truss went from also-ran to frontrunner in Tory leadership race

    Foreign secretary is out in front as ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak also bids to be prime minister

  • Wednesday, 20 July, 2022
    News in-depthConservative Party UK
    Sunak and Truss line up for final showdown over Tory leadership

    Former chancellor and foreign secretary have their attack lines ready as they prepare to woo Conservative activists

  • Wednesday, 20 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Sunak to face Truss in battle to become UK prime minister

    Conservative members to choose next UK prime minister following final MPs’ vote

  • Wednesday, 20 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    To abandon levelling up would be a Tory own goal

    Without holding the Red Wall seats, the party has no chance of a fifth election victory

  • Wednesday, 20 July, 2022
    UK politics & policy
    Tory leadership election tracker

    How much support do each of the candidates have to become the party’s leader and the UK’s next prime minister?

  • Wednesday, 20 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Penny Mordaunt attacks Tory leadership rivals ahead of MPs’ final vote

    With Rishi Sunak expected to make shortlist, trade minister wages fierce battle with Liz Truss to secure second spot

  • Tuesday, 19 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Battle to take on Sunak as Badenoch eliminated from Tory party race

    Truss and Mordaunt fight to make final shortlist in last round of voting on Wednesday

  • Tuesday, 19 July, 2022
    UK politics & policy
    Tobias Ellwood hit by Tory sanction after missing confidence vote

    Conservative lawmaker has whip removed after failing to support government in crucial vote

  • Monday, 18 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Truss gains ground on Mordaunt in Tory leadership race

    Tom Tugendhat latest to fall in pursuit of becoming UK prime minister and party leader

  • Monday, 18 July, 2022
    Conservative Party UK
    Tory leadership TV debate cancelled after Sunak and Truss pull out

    Withdrawals follow concerns that previous debates have exposed deep divisions between the candidates

  • Saturday, 16 July, 2022
    News in-depthConservative Party UK
    Badenoch makes her mark in Tory leadership battle with direct approach

    Pugnacious junior minister is gaining momentum in race to be UK prime minister despite a lack of preparation

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