Joe Biden's White House days are numbered, and he appears to be scrambling to secure his legacy. With a ceasefire just brokered between Israel and Lebanon, George Osborne and Ed Balls ask: What kind of influence is the returning President Trump already having on foreign policy? How is the transition really working? And what does this mean for the conflict in Ukraine? Is the Trump effect forcing world leaders to harden up and have a real, public conversation about a peace deal? Back home, ...
Nov 28, 2024•59 min•Ep 125•Transcript available on Metacast A decade ago, the Scottish people went to the polls for a referendum vote to make a choice: should the country break free of the United Kingdom? Ultimately, they voted to stay by a resounding margin – crushing the hopes of the Scottish National Party and soothing the fears of the British government of the day. But the issue of Independence continues to divide, and in this special miniseries, George Osborne and Ed Balls are joined by the former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon to take a...
Nov 25, 2024•33 min•Ep 122•Transcript available on Metacast Former deputy prime minister John Prescott died yesterday at the age of 86. Often described as a ‘political bruiser’, Ed Balls and George Osborne remember Prescott differently: as a policy powerhouse and as a skilled negotiator between Blair and Brown. Does a comparable player exist in today’s Labour government? And, Ed recalls the moment he was involved in a car chase with ‘Two Jags’ himself. With the assisted dying bill facing a second reading next week, the pair consider whether it will pass ...
Nov 21, 2024•50 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast With incensed British farmers set to descend on London in protest to the government’s new rules on inheritance tax for agricultural property, Ed Balls and George Osborne consider the likelihood of the Treasury reversing course. What made George change his mind on the so-called “pasty tax” in 2012 - and will Rachel Reeves consider a similar u-turn? This past week marked a special anniversary – the day George thought the UK would go to the polls. Should Rishi Sunak have let his run go a litt...
Nov 18, 2024•36 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast The second era of Trump is a little over a week old, and the president-elect is making waves with his cabinet appointments. An attorney general who has been investigated by the House ethics committee for sexual misconduct allegations (which he vehemently denies)? Welcome, Matt Gaetz. Trump’s pick for defence secretary? Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host who’s a proponent of American-made ammo. George Osborne and Ed Balls consider what the spillover will be for the UK. Will the recently cooked-up Chag...
Nov 14, 2024•55 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump’s return has provoked days of soul searching among Democratic voters. But the pollster with one of the most accurate predictions of the outcome, James Johnson of JL Partners, has asked George Osborne and Ed Balls to shake off the gloom and consider any positives. Is there a silver lining in a second Trump presidency? George has some ideas, while Ed is struggling… Votebeat editorial director Jessica Huseman asks: does the world see the US as an international example of democrac...
Nov 11, 2024•38 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast It’s beginning to sink in: Donald Trump 2.0 is now upon us. George Osborne and Ed Balls think seismic shifts in the global economy could be ahead. Could his aggressive trade policies chip away at the UK’s growth plans? Trump has also claimed he could end the Ukraine war in a day. Does that mean a peace deal – or appeasement? Meanwhile Nigel Farage is offering up his services as a British ambassador to Trumpworld. Would despatching Farage to Mar-a-Lago be a relief for Keir Starmer? And the new To...
Nov 07, 2024•59 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump is set to make his return to the White House after a stunning overnight victory against Kamala Harris in the US election, just as George Osborne and Ed Balls predicted. But was this just a simple case of ‘It’s the economy, stupid!’ Ed thinks the Harris loss could be a warning to UK’s Labour party members – if they don’t get UK living standards up, could they go the way of the Biden Democrats too? George, meanwhile, thinks Trump’s win exposes a fundamental challenge for the Lef...
Nov 06, 2024•31 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast Rishi Sunak spoke at his last PMQs. But George Osborne reveals why it may not be the last time we see him in No 10... He and Ed Balls discuss whether perceptions of politicians can ever change. Former cabinet member Caroline Spelman asks if a spoiled ballot is a waste of time. And Laura Trevelyan, co-host of the podcast Heirs of Enslavement asks whether countries should apologise for their role in the transatlantic slave trade. Plus - Love the pod? We thought so. Ed and George clarify whether a ...
Nov 04, 2024•39 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast The dust has settled on Rachel Reeves’ budget, and despite a strong performance from the Chancellor, George Osborne and Ed Balls have noticed a few glaring omissions. Child poverty? Didn’t really rate a mention. How about some of the New Labour classics like getting people back to work? Pensioners? Nope. So how did this crucial economic pitch to the nation stack up? Ed and George consider how the fallout might impact Labour all the way to the next election. Meanwhile, the polls are telling us th...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast Has Rachel Reeves done enough to get away with announcing £40 billion of new taxes? In a special YouTube LIVE episode, Ed Balls and George Osborne give their immediate reaction to the Chancellor's first budget. Was it “big and bold and historic” or a “cross your fingers and hope for the best" moment? Who wins and loses from the budget? And how big a gamble is it for Labour's fortunes? Become a member of POLITICAL CURRENCY GOLD 🏅 to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to all our episode...
Oct 30, 2024•36 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast Has the reaction to the Winter Fuel Payment cut scared Labour from making more big budget moves on welfare? And what ever happened to the tradition of the Chancellor knocking back a brandy while delivering the Budget? Ed and George discuss the best drinks of choice when outlining an economic plan to the nation… and what other Treasury traditions are in place. Plus, is it a brief, is it a leak or is it just a plain old trail? The pair breakdown the terms and mull some of the most famous, ca...
Oct 28, 2024•36 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast Drumroll, please. After keeping his cards pretty close to his chest throughout the Tory leadership campaign, George Osborne is ready to name who he thinks should seize the Tory crown. With the race now whittled down to just two people – Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick – George explains why a possible exit from the European Convention on Human Rights has swayed his choice and what might put him off voting Conservative at all... Meanwhile, members of the Labour party are in hot water after Donald...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Oct 21, 2024•40 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast 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?&n...
Oct 17, 2024•56 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 14, 2024•32 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast James Cleverly has made a stunning exit from the Tory leadership race, leaving Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick as the final two to duke it out. George Osborne and Ed Balls consider if that’s thanks to some cunning political strategising or just a good old-fashioned cock up. Now, of the two who is more likely to take the crown? George thinks Jenrick is more “malleable” – is that what an opposition leader needs to be? Is Badenoch Mrs T(hatcher) or T(russ)? Meanwhile, the lead up to th...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast Ed Balls and George Osborne consider their biggest political mistakes and their proudest moments in office with a question from former Deputy Prime Minister Therese Coffey. What tax move did George make – against all prevailing advice, mind you – that he remains pleased with to this day? And what would Ed have done differently in the handling of the Baby P tragedy? Speaking of mistakes, some of our attentive listeners have sent in a few corrections for Ed and George to face. In a mov...
Oct 07, 2024•28 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast Keir Starmer has caved and returned thousands of pounds in freebies given to him by a Labour donor, in an attempt to close a rather embarrassing chapter for the government. But has he successfully hosed it down? Ed Balls and George Osborne consider whether it's a textbook case of what not to do when you have a PR snafu on your hands. Meanwhile, tensions are escalating in the Middle East. Is there a risk of the conflict intensifying, or is the situation under control? And what does it mean ...
Oct 03, 2024•55 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast Has the Tory leadership contest just been decided? Our man on the ground George Osborne is reporting directly back to Ed Balls from today’s Conservative Party Conference leadership hustings. Is the crown James Cleverly’s for the taking after a storming speech? Plus, George is joined by Tory watchers-extraordinaire, Michael Gove and Danny Finkelstein, for their post-hustings analysis. Become a member of POLITICAL CURRENCY GOLD 🏅 to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to all our ep...
Oct 02, 2024•40 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast Ed Balls and George Osborne open up this week on their most ardent, contrarian views. Is reincarnation real? Political reincarnation, perhaps. George shares how his thoughts have moved with the times and how he has reached some fresh conclusions on cannabis – conclusions with which, it turns out, Ed completely disagrees. And, they field questions straight from the Labour party conference. Tips for the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones? Ed and George are happy to oblig...
Sep 30, 2024•34 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast Who’s hungry enough to seize the Tory crown? As the Conservative Party Conference nears, the leadership contest is heating up. Of the four hopefuls, who will get the backing of the party’s elder statesmen Michael Gove and Boris Johnson? George knows who Boris wants as leader, and that person isn’t currently in the race… Labour’s wrapped up its party conference, which was light on announcements and heavy on gloom. Both George Osborne and Ed Balls are wondering why so sad? A trip to the UN s...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast Rachel Reeves took to the stage at the Labour Party Conference in a wet and gloomy Liverpool, hoping to brighten her party’s fortunes. After a tumultuous few weeks for the new government with rows over ‘Keir’s gear’, Sue Gray and the Winter Fuel Payment, the new chancellor hoped to prove that after 14 years of the Tories, Labour were all set to deliver a bright new future. But it was a speech that was heavy on rhetoric, light on policy and disrupted by a pro-Palestine protestor. Has she do...
Sep 23, 2024•35 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast Rachel Reeves takes to the Labour party conference stage today, but hopefully not before she has chance to listen to Ed Balls and George Osborne’s sage advice on how to give a great conference speech. We take a stroll down memory lane and reflect on some of the most rousing speeches in British party conference political history – from the funny to the formative. Which MPs have tattoos? Ed and George list out the candidates most likely, bu have either of them got a decorative dolphin or but...
Sep 22, 2024•38 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast As Labour feels the heat over Keir Starmer’s freebies scandal, there's a sense of glee in Tory party circles now the "holier-than-thou" party has something of a mess to clean up. Ed Balls and George Osborne mull how the government can reset their image, especially now the Sue Gray pay row is also threatening to rain on Starmer's conference parade .... Across the benches they reflect on the celebratory Liberal Democrat conference and whether the party has finally gotten over Nick Clegg. Could the...
Sep 19, 2024•54 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast Are eloquent middle class people hogging valuable public service resources? Ed Balls and George Osborne debate the case for co-payments to ease the burden. How can both Ed and George be correct on their analyses of the 2010 financial situation? And why do politicians continue to trot out their media spin lines when it’s clear to everyone that they’re not answering the question? Plus, Ed and George share their favourite conference memories as party conferences get underway. You could have b...
Sep 16, 2024•29 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast The NHS must “reform or die”, says Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Is he channelling his “inner Tony Blair” in a gutsy move on our health service or is this another policy which will end in controversy, much like the winter fuel allowance or early prison releases? Across the pond, the US Presidential TV debate gave Kamala Harris an edge as she took on Donald Trump for the first time. But perhaps even more of a win was Taylor Swift’s endorsement, which soon followed. But do celebrity supporter...
Sep 12, 2024•52 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast Booking an appointment with your GP can feel harder than getting your hands on Oasis tickets. So should those who miss their slots be made to pay? Would it create a barrier to entry for vulnerable people in society, or could it open the door to millions more people who are sick of getting stuck in the queue? Ed and George also bring you inside the world of becoming an MP and they top up their summer reading list with some international big-hitters. Plus - now back from holiday - Ed reveals...
Sep 09, 2024•36 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast Ed and George are reunited to mull over whether Rachel Reeves should make a U-turn on the winter fuel payment furore. Is there an "escape route" she can take? And they examine the government’s decision to suspend some arms shipments to Israel. Was it really “a legal decision, not a policy decision”, as the PM has claimed? Finally, we ask whether central bankers deserve the credit for falling inflation – or if they simply got lucky. And Ed and George issue a mea culpa for some slightly inaccurate...
Sep 05, 2024•51 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast Where are all the great parliamentary speakers like Gordon Brown, Robin Cook, and William Hague? Ed Balls and George Osborne reflect on fond memories within the chambers like Cook’s resignation. Will the Tory leadership contest bring in any new contenders? Plus, what determines seating order in commons? Can live fact checking during PMQs work? What actually is a three line whip? And how risky is it to defy one? Please keep sending us your questions to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk You ...
Sep 02, 2024•31 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast 
