Could we see celebrities swapping the silver screen, football pitch or concert stage for the hallowed halls of Westminster? Ed Balls and George Osborne recall stars who have previously made the switch – does anybody ever really pull it off? And, our hosts have got Paris 2024 fever as they look back on their favourite Olympic moments from London 2012. As athletes prepare to compete on the world stage, what are the best lessons or policies the UK has learnt from overseas? Plus, will inflatio...
Jul 29, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast The world is braced for a brat summer as Kamala Harris steps in for Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate - George Osborne and Ed Balls consider whether the fevered KHive reaction spells success, or simply masks the very real challenge ahead. In Labour land, Rachel Reeves is preparing her statement on the fiscal reality the government faces, all in the shadow of seven Labour MPs losing the whip over George’s two-child benefit cap. Was Keir Starmer right to cast off the rebels?...
Jul 24, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast How important is it to have a leader who ‘turns you on”? Are ID cards essential in a new world of AI and deep fakes, or are they a waste of government time and money? And should you be made to vote? Plus, if you’ve got a speech to deliver in the near future, Ed Balls and George Osborne give their best guide to public speaking. You’re welcome. 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-fre...
Jul 22, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast It was a bonkers week for American politics, on both sides. Team Trump went from an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania to a fiery convention in Wisconsin. Biden’s camp had NATO, fresh calls for him to drop out of the race and a Covid diagnosis to round it off, all in a matter of days. And amongst it all, a fresh political operative came into the limelight: Donald Trump’s newly-named running mate JD Vance. Turns out, he’s an old friend of George’s and a long-time fan of the former Cameron-Osbo...
Jul 18, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast As England heads to the final of Euro 2024 - are the politicians who claim to love the beautiful game faking it for political gain? We’ve seen Keir Starmer’s new ministerial appointments - but what on earth do all these snappily named secretaries, under-secretaries, and private secretaries actually do? If there’s one thing Ed Balls and George Osborne love, it’s a deep dive into the inner workings of government, so politics nerds: Roll up, roll up. And how can voters gauge whether their new...
Jul 15, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast While Keir Starmer gets on with the business of naming ministers and settling in at Number 10, the Tories are picking up the pieces of their shattered party and considering the best person to turn the ship around. So who is the new Rishi? Is it Kemi, Suella, Priti? Whoever gets the top job needs to be a healer, George says, and not a warrior. Meanwhile, winning a campaign is one thing, staying in government is another. Ed and George think Labour is in danger of lurching into technocrat ter...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast A brand new cohort of MPs have descended on Westminster today and with them comes a flurry of policy announcements. What does Keir Starmer’s cabinet say about the kind of Prime Minister he wants to be? And might he regret some of the very ambitious changes his ministers are making? The last Labour government was defined by foreign policy. So what are the big forces which could shape the future of Keir Starmer’s government? Ed and George talk about the shock result in France, as well as Starmer’s...
Jul 08, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast A new dawn, a new day, and a new government. Not quite Blair ‘97, Ed Balls and George give us the inside track on exactly how things are playing out inside No. 10 Downing Street right now. From cabinet appointments to civil servants, this is the guide you need. But Keir Starmer’s landslide is just one half of the story today - the Tory and SNP downfall and the rise of Reform tell their own tales. Ed and George share their most standout moments of the past 24 hours and give their take...
Jul 05, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast They think it’s all over… it is now! No really, that’s the actual line from the Conservative party as they send out the hardest worker of this campaign, Mel Stride, to concede a full 24 hours before voters go to the polls. Ed Balls and George Osborne question whether the move will just serve to put even more potential Tory voters off. The winner might be considered a foregone conclusion at this stage - but the details are far from it, and Ed’s been swotting up on the ones to watch for early indi...
Jul 03, 2024•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast T-3 days until polls open and if England’s efforts in the Euros are anything to go by, there’s no predicting what could happen between now and then… at least, that seems to be what Rishi Sunak is hoping. Ed Balls and George Osborne aren’t so sure. As final Party Political Broadcasts go out and an ever-more-desperate message comes from Tory HQ, is it time to call Sunak’s early election a failure? And as electoral activity kicks off in France, and debates begin in the US, what does the Internation...
Jul 02, 2024•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is Rishi Sunak California dreamin’ of a post-PM life? Or are the rolling hills of Yorkshire calling him to stick around? Ed Balls and George Osborne ponder what the Prime Minister will do next if he loses his premiership next week. How can good polling change an election outcome? And what does the cost of living crisis actually mean? Plus, they give their best advice for making it through the election all-nighter. And has anybody seen Ed Miliband? Assistant Producer: Miriam Hall Producer: Rosie ...
Jun 30, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The final week of election campaigning is here! Keir Starmer hasn't even measured up for curtains in Downing Street yet, but the attention is already turning to the headaches he will face in government. After a wobbly final debate performance against Rishi Sunak, Ed Balls wonders if the Labour leader can ever go for the jugular when it counts. Then there's the markets. Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves might have high hopes for their policies, but where will the money come from? George Osborne thin...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast With the general election in sight, has Nigel Farage made a campaign misstep? His claim that the west provoked the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been met with international indignation – but will it have any on his polling? And as we enter the final 10 days of campaigning, things aren’t looking great over at Conservative HQ – has Rishi Sunak accepted his party’s dismal fate? The Tory leader appears to be switching to a strategy of damage control, but it’s unclear if it will be enough to entice...
Jun 25, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Will shy Tories (or Reform UK-ers) deny Keir Starmer his landslide? If not, who should the Conservatives install as leader to provide stability – perhaps somebody with international and domestic credibility... say ... David Cameron? Plus, does your postal vote count if you die before the big day? And, who would you invite to your ultimate political party? Please make sure you’ve got your karaoke song at the ready. You could have been listening to this episode of EMQs early and ad-free! Become a ...
Jun 23, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Keir Starmer looks on track for a victory that could even surpass the landslide of ‘97. But how much is this a rejection of the Tories? George Osborne warns that unless the Labour leader can offer more, he may find himself turfed out after just one term. Ed suggests Starmer and Rachel Reeves should be thinking now about their first year in office, not just making it through the next fortnight. Plus, inflation has hit the Bank of England target of 2%. It should be good news for Rishi Sunak, ...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Can Rishi Sunak do anything to rescue his flailing election campaign? Some advisors have suggested the answer may lie in ramping up negative attacks on Keir Starmer. Why does George Osborne think that approach would be a “disaster” for Sunak? And, have you noticed which MPs are missing from the airwaves? Ed Balls says it tells you more about the parties’ upcoming problems than you might first realise. Plus, Rachel Reeves has been working hard to court British businesses. But will her strategy pa...
Jun 18, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast What more can be done to tackle childhood obesity? George Osborne and Ed Balls answer a question from Jamie Oliver on whether a future government could further Wes Streeting’s commitment to banning energy drinks and tackle childhood obesity. Is a protest vote ever worthwhile? And, former Tory MP Margot James asks: where are all the women in the campaigns? Plus, what is it like to be kicked out of Number 10 at speed? And perhaps more importantly, what are the political souvenirs that ...
Jun 16, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast After a rocky moment over his support of Jeremy Corbyn, Keir Starmer was determined to get his campaign back on track with the launch of his manifesto. George Osborne asks what it tells us about a potential incoming Labour government and Ed Balls warns it could be a financial straitjacket, making life for the party ‘very difficult’. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak suffered a series of embarrassing media gaffes this week. Has bad polling sealed his fate or can he do anything to turn things around no...
Jun 13, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have the wheels well and truly fallen off the Conservative election campaign? After a dismal D-Day debacle and news that social media campaigning is suspended, Ed Balls and George Osborne question whether Rishi Sunak is just giving up. Regardless, it’s manifesto launch week for the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems, and an opportunity for each party to commit to their election promises. But do manifestos actually matter? And what’s going on behind the scenes as they’re finalised? And electi...
Jun 11, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Labour and the Tories can’t stop arguing about whether things are getting better, or if they’ve never been worse: So what’s the truth? Ed Balls and George Osborne weigh up whether the two are mutually exclusive. Rob Burley wants to know if we’re seeing the consequences of the demise of the long-form interview in this election campaign, and we take a look at Labour’s candidates. Plus, in light of Nigel Farage’s milkshake incident, Ed takes us back to another time when a politician had...
Jun 10, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The first election TV debate might be over, but the ripples of Rishi Sunak’s £2000 tax claim are still being felt around Westminster and beyond. Ed Balls and George Osborne wonder whether this could become the defining issue of this election - and question how on earth Keir Starmer was so underprepared for it. As the party leaders continue on their tours of constituency hotspots, what’s the real story behind their campaigns? Handily, George knows a thing or two, having run an election camp...
Jun 06, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rishi Sunak is facing dismal polling and Nigel Farage out on manouevers. In our first Election Hot Take, George Osborne reveals the sense of resignation that has set in among Tory MPs. Is the only thing that can save the Tories now a massive policy play? George thinks they may be working something up on inheritance tax. Meanwhile in Labourland, the fall out from the Diane Abbott saga continues. Angela Rayner has stepped in to defend her, opening the door for the long-time Hackney MP to stand aga...
Jun 04, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gimmicks and gaffes have been a feature of the first week of the election campaign. Inspired by Ed Davey’s attempt to raise awareness of river pollution by falling off a paddleboard – multiple times – George and Ed reflect on the nation’s (and their own) cringiest political stunts. And George finally reveals all – how did he end up doing the ultimate Tory power stance? It’s not just PR moves though, policy debate is in full swing. Ed and George disagree on Labour’s planned tax ...
Jun 03, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast After a faltering start in the rain, Rishi Sunak’s campaign seems to be gaining momentum. Is it enough to prove he was right to gamble on a snap election? While it might not all be plain sailing for the Conservatives, things have certainly been looking up as trouble brews in the Labour Party. Ed Balls thinks Keir Starmer's handling of Diane’s Abbott’s candidacy has been a “terrible mess”. Could it have real ramifications for his hopes at the polls? But elsewhere George Osborne thinks...
May 30, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ed Balls and George Osborne have election fever and won’t be stopped from answering your EMQs. How did George get the election date so wrong? Is the public too despondent with the state of politics to bother voting at all? And could the Liberal Democrats stun us all to become a credible opposition? Plus, George reveals what he thinks the Tories’ attack line on Keir Starmer will be, and Ed tries to nail him down on just who the incompetent junior minister in his treasury was… You could have...
May 27, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast A snap election! Not quite George Osborne’s prediction of 14th November, Ed Balls is struggling to understand the logic that led Rishi Sunak to surprise, well, literally everybody with 4th July as the date of the next general election. Are good inflation numbers really enough to see the Conservatives to a better result than the formerly predicted disaster? George reveals Number 10’s thinking. As the battle is drawn, Ed and George discuss the seats to watch and the issues on the table - and...
May 23, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why doesn’t Bristol have a mayor anymore? What do treasury officials actually do? And is there a reason we’re losing so many bright young tech experts to the West Coast of America? Plus, author Will Hutton wants to know if Ed Balls and George Osborne will take responsibility for their involvement in the economic crises of the twenty-first century, and in a podcast crossover, Sascha O’Sullivan of POLITICO’s Westminster Insider wants to know if we should be trying to find silver linings in Truss’s...
May 20, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Keir Starmer, poster boy. The Labour leader’s new pledge card is here, with six key policies and a black and white photoshoot to woo the public. Is it all a bit retro? Well that depends who you ask: George Osborne would prefer a new approach, whereas Ed Balls reckons some solid Labour '97 nostalgia might just be what the party needs. Meanwhile, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy is working hard to get himself out there on the world stage - and back in the good books of a certain forme...
May 16, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ed Balls and George Osborne are pleased to have been asked for book recommendations. Is this the start of a book club to compete with the likes of Richard and Judy? If so, George is bagsying his role in the duo now - and no, it’s not Richard. MP Greg Clark asks about the future of local mayoralties, and Sunday Times interviewer Decca Aitkenhead wants to know whether George is doing anything about his, ahem, selective memory. Plus, what on earth did the Cameron government see in Liz Truss a...
May 13, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rishi Sunak lives to fight another day after some terrible local election results. But as he loses yet another MP to Labour, Ed Balls and George Osborne ask whether it might be time to play a new strategy and try acting the underdog. Meanwhile, whilst Labour had a markedly better weekend, it didn’t quite indicate the 1997-style landslide they might be hoping for in the next general election. Is Keir Starmer on track for a small majority? And if so, how should he manage it? And in foreign affairs...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
