The News Agents

Is this Labour’s first woman leader?

The News Agents

Summary

Miata Fambula, the new Energy Secretary and MP for Peckham, has quickly risen to prominence within the Labour Party, replacing Ed Miliband in the cabinet. Her appointment has sparked speculation about her potential future leadership of the party, especially as Labour seeks its first female leader. Fambula, who fled Liberia as a child due to civil war, emphasizes her commitment to driving change in energy policy, focusing on affordability for consumers while balancing the transition to clean power.

During a recent interview, Fambula addressed the challenges facing her department, particularly regarding energy prices and the legacy of privatization. She acknowledges the need for reform in the energy market to ensure it serves consumers better, while also committing to the goal of achieving 95% clean power by 2030. However, she hints at potential flexibility in this target, prioritizing affordability amidst rising costs driven by global fossil fuel markets.

Fambula also navigates sensitive topics, such as her decision to send her children to private schools, which has drawn criticism given her role in a party advocating for comprehensive education. She defends her choices, asserting that parents should have the right to choose the best educational options for their children while maintaining her commitment to improving state schools. As she settles into her role, Fambula's ability to engage with complex issues and articulate her vision positions her as a significant figure in Labour's future.

Show Notes

The last two years has seen a meteoric rise for Labour's Miatta Fahnbulleh. From backbench MP, she has just joined Burnham's cabinet as the new Energy Secretary, taking over from Ed Miliband. Today, she joined us in the studio to talk about why she quit Starmer's government, the changes Labour needs, and her return as a front bench MP. And, with a Labour leadership contest always somewhere on the horizon, we ask could Miatta Fahnbulleh one day make history and be the first woman to lead the Labour party? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

More from The News Agents

Oct 26, 2026

It has been a busy weekend of election watching with some stupendous results. In Belgrade, the Russian friendly Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat when a grass roots student movement on an anti corruption platform ended his 12 year hold over Serbia. In Brazil, "Lula's Army" - a ten million strong WhatsApp group - helped the 80-year-old defeat the son of Trump's mate Jair Bolsonaro. What does this mobilisation of the youth vote presage for elections in Israel tomorrow and for the American midterms next week? Is Trump a help or a hindrance to those leaders he vocally supports? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Oct 23, 2026

On January 20 2025 Donald Trump marked the first day of his second term as president by signing an executive order creating a new taskforce: the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Led by Musk, who had spent more than $250m on Trump’s presidential campaign, DOGE was charged with slashing federal spending, cutting government waste and reducing the size of the workforce. This Friday, Lewis is joined by Michael Lewis, bestselling author of The Big Short, Moneyball and The Blind Side, to discuss his latest book, Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State. It takes us inside Elon Musk’s DOGE through the stories of the civil servants who found themselves labelled as “blockers” as they tried to navigate Musk's leadership. So, what happens when the people responsible for keeping government running become the very people standing in the way of those in power? Was DOGE ever really about efficiency? And who protects the Constitution when those sworn to uphold it are pushed aside? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Oct 22, 2026

Next week some 7 million Israelis will go to the polls to decide the future of their country and whether to boot out Benjamin Netanyahu - a man who has dominated their country for nearly three decades. It’s the first election since the massacre of October 7th and his destruction of Gaza. Will voters blame him for the terrorism on home soil? Or will they believe him best placed to defend their interests and security? Voters outside of Israel must all return home to vote - we speak to one, Ayala Panievsky, who is leaving tonight, about her hopes for the future. Later, thousands of young protestors on the streets and a hard line response from the police in Tirana. Why is it all kicking off again in Albania? And can it really be traced back to Donald Trump again? The News Agents is a Global production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Oct 22, 2026

For more than two decades, Christian Horner was at the heart of Formula 1 — building Red Bull Racing into one of the most dominant teams in the sport, managing world champions and navigating the ruthless politics of the F1 paddock. But behind the victories, rivalries and extraordinary success lies a story far more complicated than the trophies suggest. The former Red Bull Racing team principal joins Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman for an in-depth interview on The Sports Agents ahead of the release of his autobiography Drive. Horner reflects on his remarkable rise through Formula 1, his relationships with the sport’s biggest personalities, the battles fought behind closed doors and the extraordinary events that brought his time at Red Bull to an abrupt and controversial end. From the pressures of leading an F1 powerhouse to the personal cost of life at the very top, this is a rare insight into the power, politics and personalities that shape Formula 1 — from a man who spent 20 years at the centre of it all. Drive by Christian Horner is out now and available to buy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1911754785 Christian will be sharing stories from the book at the Cambridge Theatre in London on Monday 26th October. Tickets are available from the venue here: https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/christian-horner/

Oct 21, 2026

There has always been a flamboyance to Donald Trump. His language, his hair, his addiction to the gay Anthem YMCA - but in recent weeks his chat on the campaign trail has become much more explicit. To cut to the chase, he’s spending more and more time talking about men’s arses. Is Trump becoming more unfiltered in his old age? Why does more and more of his recent attention seem to be fixed on the appearance of the men around him? Or is this all part of his consummate distraction project from the issues he really doesn’t want to discuss - the Iran war and the price of oil. We talk to his former homeland security chief of staff, Miles Taylor. Later, why is Steve Witkoff - the man tasked with ending the war in Ukraine - praising Vladimir Putin as a "humanitarian"? The News Agents is a Global Production. The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

See all episodes →