Political Currency

Ed Balls and George Osborne hear from former BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, who asks them to reflect on their biggest regrets in politics. It turns out that both have the same issue that nags at them after all of these years.

An expat in Germany wonders why debates around Freedom of Movement in the UK focuses so much on immigration rather than on emigration. Ed and George discuss whether it is viewed as a one way street, its implications for Brexit, and the similarities and differences vis-a-vis the German framing of this issue.

They also discuss their experiences of unauthorised leaks, with both having accidentally informed a front page splash, and whether Michael Gove’s reputation as a serial leaker is well earned. And they conclude with a question from Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor at The Times, who asks about selling the benefits of data centres to the public.

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Credits:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Jarek Zaba

Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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 midterms were an enormous rejection of Donald Trump’s Republicans – but what are the lessons to be learned, in the US and closer to home? Ed Balls and George Osborne unpack the implications of the ‘blue tsunami’, asking whether analysis that pins it entirely on the cost of living and Iran are too narrow. They also question whether they represent an opportunity or a threat for Andy Burnham.

A week on from the budget, the Treasury can breathe a sigh of relief after a lack of major backlash, but when does the prime minister have to start making unpopular decisions? And is he opening a Pandora’s box with Europe?

Over in the Caribbean, King Charles has expressed sorrow for the transatlantic slave trade but has stopped short of a full apology. Ed and George discuss the history of formal state apologies, and why Commonwealth nations may be demanding one now.

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] 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:

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Jarek Zaba

Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.

Sunday Times political editor Ben Riley-Smith asks Ed Balls and George Osborne a question on this week’s EMQs, off the back of his Andy Burnham profile interview. Can the prime minister win the argument on free movement, either at a referendum or General Election? The pair are sceptical, conceding it could be done but pose massive risks to the Labour coalition.

Then, the hymns chat inspires a flurry of questions. One, from Ed’s former Treasury colleague, on why obscure hymns are chosen. Another leads into a question about charity trustees. The final, on what it takes to be a qualified chancellor.

Finally, CEO of Crisis, Matt Downie, asks how Andy Burnham can fulfill his pledge to eradicate rough sleeping. Ed and George explain the complexities of it, compared to the New Labour era, and Ed gets a call from a former PM during the discussion…

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] 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:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty, Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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 Budget is over, and John Healey may want you to forget about it already. That’s what Ed Balls and George Osborne debate on this week’s episode, where they interrogate whether this Budget was biding time until an election or a sign that the Burnham government is even more hemmed in than previously thought. Will they go early and risk losing their majority? Or are they going to whittle through with a manifesto and global environment that makes big changes near impossible?

While the Budget should have been this week’s big story, Andy Burnham himself stole the spotlight by further indicating he wanted back in the EU. Is he flying kites and testing the ground for the next election? Or, is this vibes based comms strategy authentic Burnham? If so, will it backfire in a crisis? George argues it leaves him open to parody, while Ed believes Burnham cannot only communicate through social media.

Finally, they turn to the king of vibes: Donald Trump. The midterms are days away, and it’s set to be a bruising result for the Republicans if polls are to be believed. With Trump spending the last week of campaigning feuding with Obama, are the last two years of his Presidency set to be a deadlock? George argues this could benefit Republicans in 2028, while Ed suggests the next Democrat candidate may emerge next week.

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] 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:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty, Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.

Ed and George went live this afternoon to give their Hot Take on John Healey’s Budget. They concluded the new chancellor was comfortable in his style, but the substance was not there.

George declares it an inconsequential Budget, and wonders if Healey’s plan is to do nothing. Ed speculates if this looks like a pre-election Budget.

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:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty

Executive Producer: 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.

After the great response to Ed Balls’ scepticism on Burnham trying to rejoin the EU, former Labour MP Gloria De Piero got in touch. She asks Ed and George Osborne just how they would make the case for rejoining, to their former constituents. With Gloria’s seat now held by Lee Anderson, it’s clear that the case in some leave voting areas will be a hard one to make…

Then, Times writer and former Spectator editor Fraser Nelson asks if the political costs of welfare cuts outweigh their benefits. George explains how it was the right, not the left, who prevented him making greater cuts while in office. Ed cautions that for the Milburn reforms to work, a careful line will have to be taken by the government.

Roads minister Justin Madders then attempts to correct George on the situation surrounding driving tests and takes a trip down memory lane. He was the Labour candidate against George in 2005 and asks if any candidates the pair beat in elections went on to great or surprising things. Ed recalls he beat one Andy Burnham in the 2010 Labour leadership race…

Finally, off the back of their angelic renditions of hymns last week, a listener submits a favourite hymn of their own, and shares a story of a young George Osborne encountering a future Labour cabinet minister…

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] 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:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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 Budget is less than a week away, and the pressure is on for Andy Burnham and John Healey to deliver. Ed Balls and George Osborne debate whether the right moves are being taken for the new chancellor’s first budget, or if the bold rhetoric from the PM will not be matched by what is set to be a small Budget.

George is in Paris this week, days after the media was dominated by scenes of rioting across France. What impact will these events have on the forthcoming Presidential election? Does it shore things up for Le Pen on the far right? How is it impacting Europe more broadly? Will it complicate Burnham’s position in the forthcoming EU summit?

Finally, the scenes in France last weekend are not unheard of in Britain.The Brixton riots in 1981, fuel protests in 2000, and the London riots in 2011. Ed and George were in government for the latter two, and know what it’s like to be in the room for these moments of high tension on the streets. How should a government react in these moments? Should the PM get directly involved? Can you address the concerns of rioters without being seen to capitulate?

We’re going LIVE next Wednesday at 3pm, on YouTube, to give our Hot Take on the Budget, so make sure to stay tuned for more information on that.

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] 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:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.

Author Philip Delves Broughton asks Ed Balls and George Osborne whether Britain could survive an energy shock like the 1973–74 oil crisis, which ended with a three-day week and the fall of the Heath government. George warns of voters blaming the government while Ed argues that the real danger, like in the ‘70s, is the energy shock landing alongside other collapsing post-war assumptions.

They then debate who is more of a gym bro, and reveal which politicians are the most ripped. Ed shares Gordon Brown’s fitness regime as chancellor, while George reveals an unexpected training partner - David Beckham!

A listener challenges Ed and George’s stance on Kemi Badenoch's proposed inheritance tax. As a divorced mum in a modest home in the South East, she explains why the tax isn’t just for the wealthy.

Finally, off the back of Ed attending the 100th anniversary of the BBC broadcasting Choral Evensong, the pair share their favourite hymns and choral music. They even perform a few renditions of their own…

Make sure to listen to Bridget Phillipson on Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball, alongside Mariella Frostrup, here:

👉 EXCLUSIVE Bridget Phillipson MP & Mariella Frostrup: Menopause, Misogyny & Missing School

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] 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:

Production: Sam Burton & Annie Ackerman

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.

International politics can disrupt the best laid plans of any government, and this week was no different. Ed Balls and George Osborne delve into a week that has been dominated by the war in Ukraine, and how Andy Burnham has chosen to navigate it. Donald Trump has made a deal with Russia on diesel, which Zelenskyy said was a betrayal. Burnham has to walk a careful line to side with Ukraine, but not anger the President. Has his diplomacy worked?

An attack in Saudi Arabia at the weekend only highlights how precarious the whole Middle East is, which draws attention back to the price of oil. This is a tough background for John Healey, with the budget less than two weeks away. Healey is attempting to spin the positive message, but is this the right strategy? Ed feels the messaging needs to be tough, and that selling hope won’t help with heating costs.

Of course, one way to counterattack the challenges Healey and Burnham face with growth is establishing closer ties to Europe. Burnham has continued to make those gestures this week, while also suggesting Russia interfered with the results of the EU referendum. After revising and walking back the statement all week, this is the latest in a series of off the cuff remarks from the PM. Is he going for a Trumpian approach of speaking freely? Is this the right approach for a British leader? Can Andy be Andy, without needing to issue so many corrections?

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] 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:

Production: Sam Burton & Annie Ackerman

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.

Money saving expert Martin Lewis sends in a question for Ed Balls and George Osborne this week, all about the tiny fixes. He tasks the pair with contributing to his new Small Ideas Initiative, proposing their own solutions to the most annoying problems in Britain. Ed goes for football tickets, while George hits on driving tests.

They then turn to a former FT colleague of Ed’s, who asks whether the biggest decisions a chancellor makes happens between budgets. They weigh up the case for and against this, hitting on some of the biggest economic moments in recent decades.

A fan from Instagram then asks if Andy Burnham has failed the Makerfield test, with George feeling his constituents wouldn’t be taken by PR or rejoining the EU. Fellow podcaster Abbie Bennington then asks them about wine and Brexit, off the back of George appearing on her show.

Finally, they reveal their experience with war gaming. How much does the government prepare for the worst? Does it work in the end? Ed reveals one instance that left the government much more prepared for the financial crisis than they otherwise would have been…

Make sure to listen to George’s appearance on Vintage Politics here:

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/george-osborne-candid-conversations-on-brexit-ai-the/id1881977789?i=1000793761417

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to [email protected] and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

👉 X

👉 Instagram

👉 TikTok

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:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.