Political Currency

The dust has settled on Andy Burnham’s conference speech, and the verdict is positive. However, there are lingering questions. Ed Balls and George Osborne, fresh off their Hot Take, set out to answer the most pressing ones. Is the PM moving too early on the triple lock? Has the National Care Service been thought through? Should he be taking inspiration from George on Brexit? Does all of this play into Reform’s hands?

The Tories will be laying the groundwork for their conference this weekend, with Kemi Badenoch attempting to rain on Burnham’s parade. But can she? George lays out the tough position she’s in, with no clear lane for the party to stake out, she still risks being outflanked by both Labour and Reform. Can she create a strong position on the economy, the EU, and immigration? Or will the message to voters be ‘vote Tory, get Farage’.

Finally, the beginning of the week was dominated by the uncertain headlines surrounding the potential attack on RAF Fairford. But what actually happened? Is this part of a larger proxy war, with states like Russia and Iran targeting Europe? How should Britain respond? Is Wes Streeting right to say we’re closer to war with Russia than any point in the last 50 years?

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Credits:
Production: Sam Burton and Nina Marinkovic
Producer: Caillin McDaid
Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet
Executive Producer: Henrietta Harrison

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham’s first Labour conference speech was pitched as a break from your standard conference speech, but did it deliver? Ed Balls and George Osborne went live earlier this afternoon to give their verdict on the speech.

How will reform of the triple lock work? Has he sewn up a coalition with the Lib Dems? Is his social care plan too ambitious? All of this and more is answered on this Hot Take episode.

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

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Thanks for listening. To get episodes early and ad- free join Political Currency Gold or our Kitchen Cabinet. If you want even more perks including our exclusive newsletter, join our Kitchen Cabinet today:

👉 patreon.com/politicalcurrency
👉 Apple Podcasts

Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:
Production: Sam Burton
Producer: Caillin McDaid
Video Editor: Louis Norris & Oliver Geraghty
Executive Producer: Henrietta Harrison

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a star studded edition of EMQs, Sky News political editor, and rival podcaster, Beth Rigby asks Ed Balls and George Osborne for their biggest party conference cock-ups over the years. George takes us behind the scenes and back to 2007 to a moment that could have ended his and David Cameron’s careers, while Ed recounts the moment that changed British political history.

Labour’s party Chair, Bridget Phillipson, asks a more upbeat conference themed question: Which are Ed and George’s favourite speeches? This takes them from Thatcher’s triumphant defence of her policy in 1980, to Tony Blair in the wake of 9/11.

Elsewhere they discuss measures to combat inflation and the far-right in France working with Reform. Plus ex-MP Robert Buckland asks if a decisive win for Labour, in the Holborn and St. Pancras by-election, could prompt Andy Burnham to call an early election.

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

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Thanks for listening. To get episodes early and ad- free join Political Currency Gold or our Kitchen Cabinet. If you want even more perks including our exclusive newsletter, join our Kitchen Cabinet today:

👉 patreon.com/politicalcurrency
👉 Apple Podcasts

Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:
Production: Sam Burton
Producer: Caillin McDaid
Video Editor:Louis Norris & Oliver Geraghty
Executive Producer: Henrietta Harrison

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham has finally met Donald Trump, and George Osborne concludes it went as well as it possibly could. He and Ed Balls delve into the two leaders’ meeting in New York this week, and just how Britain navigates the rising tensions around AI in the wake of Australia’s health data breach. George also proposes Trump’s meeting with President Xi could be the start of a global consensus forming on AI regulation.

The walls could close in very quickly on Trump, however, as we race towards the midterms in November. Heavy losses could see him lose both chambers of Congress, and render his last two years in office a lame duck. The pair cast ahead to some key races, including a potential future President in Jon Ossoff.

While fortunes are rising for the US Democrats, the Liberal Democrats are in a tough spot. Their party conference was overshadowed by Royal controversy, and increased pressure on Ed Davey. Is his strategy working? Would a Charles Kennedy-esque leader make a bigger impact? How prepared are they for a coalition after the next election?

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

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Thanks for listening. To get episodes early and ad- free join Political Currency Gold or our Kitchen Cabinet. If you want even more perks including our exclusive newsletter, join our Kitchen Cabinet today:

👉 patreon.com/politicalcurrency
👉 Apple Podcasts

Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:
Production: Sam Burton
Producer: Caillin McDaid
Video Editor: Louis Norris & Oliver Geraghty
Executive Producer: Henrietta Harrison

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you unite leaders to come together and work for a common goal? Tom Fletcher, who works for the UN on Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, asks this very question to Ed Balls and George Osborne on this week’s EMQs. As part of the Be Hope podcast takeover, Tom asks the pair how to make a global philanthropic message land in a divided, economically challenged world.

Off the back of Ed’s reminiscence about Dolly Parton, someone from Dollywood corrects the record on the civil service’s more pessimistic view of the Imagination Library. She details just how effective the initiative has been and explains the impact it has had on children’s lives.

An Israeli listener then questions George on his comments on how some British Jews are reacting to the sanctioning of West Bank settlements. Ed and George debate the challenge of navigating criticism of the Israeli government amidst rising anti-semitism.

Ed’s King’s College colleague, Nick Butler, then asks how the Burnham government can continually delay a decision on North Sea drilling and if it is really all part of a play to win over Green voters.

Finally, the music of Centrist Dad inspired a listener to ask when music has had a real impact on politics. This takes the pair from the French Revolution all the way to Britain joining the EU…

This episode is part of the BE HOPE Podcast Takeover, bringing podcasts around the
world together to explore the theme of hope and how we can continue to make progress
in a rapidly changing world.

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

👉 X
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👉 TikTok

Thanks for listening. To get episodes early and ad- free join Political Currency Gold or our Kitchen Cabinet. If you want even more perks including our exclusive newsletter, join our Kitchen Cabinet today:

👉 patreon.com/politicalcurrency
👉 Apple Podcasts

Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Production: Sam Burton
Producer: Caillin McDaid
Video Editor: Sam Gruet
Executive Producer: Henrietta Harrison

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.