In this episode, we dive into the UK's current borrowing challenges and the government's fiscal rules. Tom Clougherty, Executive Director, explains why the situation presents a significant problem for the government as borrowing costs rise and economic growth remains sluggish. The discussion explores how this could force difficult choices between spending cuts and tax increases, with potential implications for the UK's economic future.

The conversation then turns to NHS reforms, where Kristian Niemietz, Editorial Director, analyses the government's recent announcements, including plans for new diagnostic centres and upgrades to the NHS app. He traces the evolution of patient choice reforms from the Blair era and examines how current proposals build on or diverge from previous attempts to introduce market mechanisms into healthcare delivery. The team debates whether these changes represent meaningful reform or just another round of centralised management.

The podcast concludes comparing the different approaches to education and healthcare reform. The hosts discuss how the Schools Bill appears to be reversing successful market-based reforms in education, while healthcare policy seems to be cautiously embracing some elements of choice and competition. They explore the growth of private healthcare options in the UK and debate whether this trend should be encouraged.

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The Institute of Economic Affairs is an educational charity, it does not endorse or give support for any political party in the UK or elsewhere. Our mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems.

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