How to plug a £40bn black hole

10/17/24 • 55 min

1 Listener

How can Rachel Reeves solve her £40 billion budget gap without breaking Labour’s manifesto promise? Ed Balls and George Osborne take a deep dive into the tax hikes she has and hasn’t ruled out - and whether she can fairly class raising employer National Insurance contributions as manifesto-friendly.

Elsewhere, Labour continues to woo the business community - this time at its International Investment summit. But can an event like this overcome the very real barriers to growth that the UK faces?

And, with the passing of controversial SNP titan Alex Salmond, Ed and George look back on his legacy, and the state of his former party.

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Production support: Caillin McDaid

Technical Producer: Oliver Geraghty

Producers: Rosie Stopher, Miriam Hall and Danny Garlick

Executive Producers: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elsewhere, Labour continues to woo the business community - this time at its International Investment summit. But can an event like this overcome the very real barriers to growth that the UK faces?

And, with the passing of controversial SNP titan Alex Salmond, Ed and George look back on his legacy, and the state of his former party.

Become a member of POLITICAL CURRENCY GOLD 🏅 to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to all our episodes and receive early access to EMQs.

Subscribe now: patreon.com/politicalcurrency or on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/politicalcurrency

Production support: Caillin McDaid

Technical Producer: Oliver Geraghty

Producers: Rosie Stopher, Miriam Hall and Danny Garlick

Executive Producers: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

EMQs: Can HS2 be revived from the dead?

The killing of HS2 was one of the defining features of the former government’s final days but there’s now talk the high speed rail line to Manchester might happen after all. Northern Powerhouse Chief Executive Henri Murison asks what Ed Balls and George Osborne make of the chatter that it could be revived, in the form of the so-called ‘HS2 light’.

How should we truly define a “pensioner”? Does it just mean someone who is actually receiving a pension, or someone who is of pension earning age? And should pensioners with wealth be treated in the same way as those without?

Plus, Ed and George share their favourite moments of political barb and banter. What was George’s scariest moment as a politician?

You could have been listening to this episode of EMQs early and ad-free!

Become a member of POLITICAL CURRENCY GOLD 🏅 to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to all our episodes and receive early access to EMQs.

Subscribe now: patreon.com/politicalcurrency or on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/politicalcurrency

Production support: Caillin McDaid

Producers: Rosie Stopher and Miriam Hall

Executive Producers: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

EMQs: Can you have friends in politics?

Frenemies George Osborne and Ed Balls talk about great political friendships and rivalries. What was the unspoken understanding between former Prime Minister David Cameron and George that made their allegiance last? And which Conservative friendships were soured by Brexit?

They answer the question: Are economists just making it up as they go along? How can Rachel Reeves just change the definition of fiscal rules? And with questions from all over the world this week, Ed and George ponder: should we be rethinking about how we teach second languages?

You could have been listening to this episode of EMQs early and ad-free!

Become a member of POLITICAL CURRENCY GOLD 🏅 to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to all our episodes and receive early access to EMQs.

Subscribe now: patreon.com/politicalcurrency or on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/politicalcurrency

Production support: Caillin McDaid

Producer: Rosie Stopher, Miriam Hall and Danny Garlick

Executive Producers: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.