Political Currency

How effective will new UK laws be at protecting children online? Ed Balls and George Osborne hear a question from Natalie Fleet, the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls. They discuss the technology that can help, the importance of legislation keeping pace with risks, and the legal decision that made social media platforms more likely to host misleading content.

Plus, why is the government now prioritising inflation over low unemployment? Is it possible to tackle them both at the same time? And what could a future Prime Minister do towards this? Ed and George assess the history and economics behind it.

They also discuss the importance of historical education as a politician and an economist. Ed talks about the importance of learning from mistakes of the past, and George recalls how two paintings in No 11 Downing Street paid tribute to an influential 1925 dinner between then-Chancellor Winston Churchill and economist John Maynard Keynes.

And finally, how do Ed and George feel about comedians rarely impersonating them? The pair show off their own impressions of William Hague, Gordon Brown, and Peter Mandelson.

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Credits:

Research: Sam Burton
Production: Caillin McDaid & Nasreen Arain
Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty
Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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.

The shock resignation of defence secretary John Healey has prompted an emergency input from Ed Balls and George Osborne for this week’s episode. They react to why he went, what it means for the government and how defence spending will become a bigger crunch point than it was already.

In one week’s time voting will open for the by-election of the century. Will Andy Burnham return to Parliament and enter Downing Street? If he does, how can he learn from not just the mistakes of Keir Starmer but previous PMs who entered mid-government. The pair examine the challenges facing the King of the North, and lay out what he must do immediately to right the ship.

They then turn their focus to Burnham’s biggest challenge: the economy. He says Manchesterism is the answer, but what is it? Does it work? And if it does, can it be effectively applied to the whole country?

Finally, with the World Cup kicking off tonight the pair take some time to look at the interplay of politics and football. Is this the most politically charged World Cup ever? What can be expected from Donald Trump, who has a testy relationship with co-hosts Canada and Mexico? What will be the impact of Iran’s participation?

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:

Research: Sam Burton
Production: Caillin McDaid & Nasreen Arain
Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty
Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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 this week’s EMQs George Osborne and Ed Balls take on a question from Jeremy Hunt who asks if chancellors are under pressure to push through new reform as soon as they are in office. Ed and George bring their experience to the query.

Following the Pope’s letter on the topic of AI, one listener asks for Ed and George’s reaction to the papal intervention. In the Pope’s encyclical, he asks if AI is a force for good or bad. George and Ed applaud Pope Leo’s early engagement into the topic and, like the Pope, think human dignity needs to be at the heart of all new technological advancements.

MP, Minister and mountain rescue volunteer Josh MacAlister asks a question that takes George back to his constituency in Tatton and prompts Ed to share his knowledge and his appreciation for rhubarb. Also a query from Australia triggers a debate on politicians shaping policy to benefit their loved one. Plus there’s confirmation of what’s NOT going to be on the setlist at the upcoming Centrist Dad’s gig at the Water Rats in London.

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:

Research: Sam Burton
Production: Sarah Beaumont & Nasreen Arain
Video Editor: Sam Gruet
Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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.

British politics has been dominated this week by the horrifying murder of student Henry Novak and the political storm that followed the release of police bodycam footage. Ed Balls and George Osborne examine the tragedy, the questions it raises around “two-tier policing” and the political firestorm it has ignited.

The pair analyse the contrasting responses from Nigel Farage, Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch. Has Farage gone too far in his ‘emergency address to the nation’ in which he called for “cold rage”. Is this the path for someone who wants to be PM or a return to the political margins? And while Badenoch has found her strongest footing on such cultural issues, can the Conservatives afford to focus on them when the economy remains the central battleground?
They then turn to the Makerfield by-election, where Andy Burnham is navigating a local contest and a national movement. As questions grow about his leadership ambitions, can he campaign as both constituency candidate and potential prime minister? And what do the latest Mandelson files reveal about the state of Labour's government and the pressure building on Starmer?
Finally, Ed and George take a brief look at Germany where Chancellor Friedrich Merz is struggling in the polls just a year into office. With a popular regional leader already being discussed as a successor, are there lessons for Britain from Berlin's political troubles?

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:
Research: Sam Burton
Production: Sarah Beaumont & Nasreen Arain
Video Editor: Sam Gruet
Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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.

Was George Osborne about to abandon David Cameron in the 2005 Tory leadership race? That’s the first question on this week’s EMQs, where George recounts the mistakes made by the David Davis campaign that allowed Cameron to ascend. Ed Balls shares similar mistakes of David Miliband’s 2010 campaign, and the pair offer their own advice to all backbench MPs assessing the current Labour leadership contest.

Then they turn to the man who may win said contest: Andy Burnham. They ponder if Makerfield is the closest thing the UK has seen to a presidential election, with the voters knowing they may well elect our next PM.

From one political giant to another they then debate why the £5M donation to Nigel Farage hasn’t blown up, and how he could end up on the path of Boris Johnson should this go poorly for him.

Finally, George unveils an underdiscussed power of the chancellor that could see the government expel any of their political rivals. They also get into religion and culture…

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:
Research: Sam Burton
Production: Caillin McDaid & Nasreen Arain
Video Editor: Avi Asher
Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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.