Keir Starmer has weathered one of the most brutal weeks of his tenure. The Caerphilly by-election collapse, a divisive Deputy Leadership election, and the mistaken release of a high-risk prisoner have ignited leadership speculation and exposed deep party tensions. Ed Balls and George Osborne debate where it's all gone wrong, and whether Starmer can hold on.

The pair then look ahead to the Budget and Rachel Reeves's fiscal black hole. Can she uphold Labour’s 'tax lock' manifesto pledge, or will she be forced to raise one of the 'big three' taxes? Ed and George analyse a choice that could be make-or-break for the government.

Finally, they dive into Donald Trump's whirlwind Asia tour. Following his major summit with Xi Jinping, they ask: is his tariff doctrine a chaotic madman theory, or is it successfully strong-arming new 'America First' trade deals?

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Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Maha Albadrawi

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the centre ground of British politics dead? A 15-year-old listener challenges George Osborne and Ed Balls on the surge of Reform and the Greens, forcing them to ask if the centre can truly fight back against populism.

And why are bats, newts, and even spiders causing such chaos for British planning? The pair dive into the costly industry of species protection, discussing hundred-million-pound bat tunnels, a town centre stopped by spiders, and historic dockyards left unrenovated due to nesting birds.

Plus, the real historical reason for Parliament's subsidised bars, ‘sleepovers with mummies’ at the British Museum and George sets the record straight on what he actually did in his second government job as First Secretary of State.

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

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares for a tough Budget, a new narrative is emerging: it's all Brexit's fault. Ed Balls and George Osborne examine whether the 'Brexit blame game' is a smart political strategy or a 'backward-looking excuse' that voters won't buy. And they discuss if it's too late for Labour to build a compelling economic story.

Then, the pair dive into the 'appalling' turmoil inside Keir Starmer's No. 10. Are 'staggering' and 'juvenile' briefings against the new Cabinet Secretary a sign of a government in chaos? And as the Prince Andrew saga dominates the headlines, they debate the 'endgame' for the Senior Royal and why George believes it’s time for the Prime Minister to step in.

Plus, with George reporting from San Francisco, the pair give their take on the AI boom. With 'eye-watering valuations' for companies like OpenAI, is the world on the verge of an AI bubble bursting?

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

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could Ed Balls ever be tempted to become a Tory? And would George Osborne ever consider joining the Labour Party? The pair are forced to confront the ultimate political taboo after a listener asks if they could “pull a Winston Churchill” and cross the floor.

George also recounts his recent on-stage reunion with Sir Nick Clegg, discussing with Ed whether the UK is destined for a multi-party system and if coalition governments are a recipe for success or instability.

Plus, the President of the National Farmers' Union directly challenges the hosts on the 'family farm tax,' asking whether the Treasury has become an impenetrable silo; could a stamp duty holiday solve the housing crisis; and why one listener has dubbed the podcast 'The Redemption of George Osborne'.

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

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Maha Al-Badrawi

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has the collapse of the China spy trial permanently damaged the Prime Minister? Ed Balls and George Osborne discuss how the ongoing saga of who knew what and when is causing untold damage to the Government.

And as Donald Trump declares ‘a new dawn’ in the Middle East, with the ceasefire appearing to be holding in Gaza, the pair debate if the US President should get the Nobel peace prize and whether the UK government is ‘delusional’ in thinking they had a hand in the process…

Plus, with the larger parties not getting a look-in, will the Sennedd by-election in Wales next week be the beginning of the political earthquake that shakes the UK? Prompted by ITV Wales’ National Correspondent Rob Osborne, Ed and George look at why Wales is often overlooked when it comes to nation-wide coverage and scrutiny. 

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

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Producer: Ellie Jay

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Maha Al-Badrawi

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the modern Conservative Party a repudiation of the Cameron-Osborne years? George Osborne is challenged by Ed Davey, who asks him to consider whether Kemi Badenoch's leadership means there's no place for him in the party he once helped lead.

Then, Ed Balls sets the record straight on one of New Labour's defining policies, revealing the true story behind making the Bank of England independent and taking credit from both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.

Also on the agenda: the breaking of unwritten rules during party conference season, the politics of attending the Women's Rugby World Cup final, and the Brexit parallels of trying to reform the ECHR.

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Empty chairs, misspelling Britain, and a surprisingly good speech from Kemi Badenoch have brought a rollercoaster Conservative conference to a close. Ed Balls and George Osborne weigh up whether the highs outweighed the lows and ask if Badenoch has bought herself more time. And, with the threat from Reform looming, they ask: is a pact still on the table?

The pair then dissect one of the conference's biggest bombshells: the pledge to leave the ECHR. Is this another Brexit-in-the-making, or a savvy political move? And could Keir Starmer, the former human rights lawyer, be the one person with the credibility to reform the system and solve one of his biggest political headaches?

Plus, Ed and George dive into the Whitehall blame game over the collapsed China spy case. As the government's top figures point fingers, Ed reveals a stunning conspiracy theory about what might really be going on behind the scenes…

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is New Labour suddenly going viral on TikTok? In this week’s Ex-Ministers’ Questions, Ed Balls and George Osborne respond to their Gen Z fans who are remixing their greatest political moments into social media edits.

With Labour conference just finished, Ed and George ask whether Keir Starmer is really a Blairite, a Brownite, or breaking with New Labour altogether. They also debate what Starmer and Rachel Reeves need to do to put Scottish Labour back in contention at the Holyrood elections next May.

And before the Conservative conference begins in Manchester, George warns that the second year in opposition is always worse than the first, and sets out how the Tories and Kemi Badenoch might plot a comeback.

To get episodes early and ad-free, join Political Currency Gold or the Kitchen Cabinet:

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Maha Al-Badrawi

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer went into the Labour Party Conference in a perilous position, fighting off a 'rolling assault' from within his own party. In a make-or-break speech, he shifted his fire from the Conservatives to a new opponent: Nigel Farage. Was this a clever tactic to unite his base and redefine the political battlefield, or a risky gamble that elevates his rival? George Osborne and Ed Balls analyse the strategy, the rhetoric, and whether the speech has truly changed anything outside the conference hall.

And a bombshell has landed from Washington: Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the shock return of Tony Blair with a new Gaza peace plan. A week after clashing over whether the UK's role on the discussion around Palestine was irrelevant or a game-changer, Ed and George are back to debate who was right.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves quietly floats a major change to the UK’s economic rulebook, proposing to scrap one of the OBR's two annual forecasts. Ed and George unpack a seemingly technical move with huge consequences for Britain's economic credibility.

To get episodes early and ad-free, join Political Currency Gold or the Kitchen Cabinet:

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Maha Al-Badrawi

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When does a party conference go well? And when does disaster strike? Ahead of the main party conferences, Ed Balls and George Osborne dive into their memories to reveal what really happens behind the scenes.

From George's first job as a Tory 'observer' faxing Tony Blair's speeches to No. 10, to Ed staying up so late he saw the breakfast TV crews setting up, they share the ultimate insider's guide to navigating this political “goldfish bowl”.

The pair are joined by special contributors with their own incredible stories: Lord Eric Pickles on his bizarre role managing Denis Thatcher's applause; Sir Oliver Letwin with a powerful, first-hand account of the 1984 Brighton bombing; and journalist Nick Robinson on the moment he confronted a furious Prime Minister. 

Plus, Ed and George discuss what separates a good conference from a disastrous one, and why you should always be careful what you say in the lift…

To get episodes early and ad-free, join Political Currency Gold or the Kitchen Cabinet:

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty 

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.