Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.This week, as Rachel Reeves delivers the first Labour budget in 15 years, we’re talking about ‘tough decisions'.What’s a tough decision? Why is language around budgets so slippery? And why doesn’t anyone drink at the dispatch box anymore?A longer version, where Armando recalls making The Thick of It during austerity, and discuss whether Ed Miliband was really ’toss enough’ is available on BBC Sounds.This episode has been edited to remove an inaccurate statement about the relative size of tax fraud compared to benefit fraud.Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King
Production Coordinator - Katie Baum
Executive Producer - Pete StraussProduced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. 
A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.
An EcoAudio certified production.

Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language. This week, as Rachel Reeves delivers the first Labour budget in 15 years, we’re talking about ‘tough decisions'. What’s a tough decision? Why is language around budgets so slippery? And why doesn’t anyone drink at the dispatch box anymore? A longer version, where Armando recalls making The Thick of It during austerity, and discuss whether Ed Miliband was really ’toss enough’ is available on BBC Sounds. This episode has been edited to remove an inaccurate statement about the relative size of tax fraud compared to benefit fraud. Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Pete Strauss Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio certified production.

Tough Decisions

Armando Iannucci hosts the programme that gives you a cast-iron guarantee to be laser-focused on decoding the baffling world of political language.Each week he'll be joined by a guest to crack open the political phrasebook and attempt to demystify the doublespeak. Why does everything now have to be 'turbo-charged'? What's the difference between a 'pledge' and a 'mission'? Why has my local MP been 'weaponised' and should I be worried?You'll be treated to a crash course in the dark arts of political language from people on the inside who are both baffled and beguiled by it. They'll walk you through the various verbal fiascos of the modern political lexicon so that by the end you'll be oven-ready for an appearance on Newsnight.Armando's erstwhile partner in de-baffling political lexicon, Helen Lewis, is away working in the United States in the autumn and so her seat will be kept warm by a rotating cast of co-hosts.Listen to Strong Message Here on Thursdays on Radio 4 at 9.45am, and an extended version is available on BBC Sounds.Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4.

Comedy

Armando Iannucci hosts the programme that gives you a cast-iron guarantee to be laser-focused on decoding the baffling world of political language. Each week he'll be joined by a guest to crack open the political phrasebook and attempt to demystify the doublespeak. Why does everything now have to be 'turbo-charged'? What's the difference between a 'pledge' and a 'mission'? Why has my local MP been 'weaponised' and should I be worried? You'll be treated to a crash course in the dark arts of political language from people on the inside who are both baffled and beguiled by it. They'll walk you through the various verbal fiascos of the modern political lexicon so that by the end you'll be oven-ready for an appearance on Newsnight. Armando's erstwhile partner in de-baffling political lexicon, Helen Lewis, is away working in the United States in the autumn and so her seat will be kept warm by a rotating cast of co-hosts. Listen to Strong Message Here on Thursdays on Radio 4 at 9.45am, and an extended version is available on BBC Sounds. Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4.

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Tough Decisions

Tough Decisions

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