Political Currency

Brexit was the issue that splintered British politics: Friendships were broken, political parties split, and a nation polarised by the EU referendum. We all know what the outcome was, but in this special miniseries, Ed Balls and George Osborne are joined by Michael Gove - the ultimate Leave campaign insider - to discover what really went on behind the scenes of the biggest political shakeup of the...

Parliament may be heading into recess, but there’s little time for holidaying as the political parties are heading straight into local election campaigning after Easter. Ed Balls and George Osborne take stock of how those campaigns are shaping up, who and what to watch out for, and how the results might change the Westminster mood. Is the BBC in danger again? And this time it’s from inside. After...

The latest polling predicts Conservative armageddon in the next election. But do these polls matter? George reveals why the Tories are still banking on winning over those ‘don’t know’ voters.  They’ll have a mountain to climb, with growing fears of coordinated tactical voting. Will it work as a strategy, and have Ed and George ever dared to vote for another party?  And when Taylor Swift...

Rishi Sunak is on a mission to prove his political fortunes are turning round… despite a long list of headaches. How can he get out of the political spiral he’s in? George and Ed pick over some lessons from Prime Ministers past…  He’d do well to heed their words. On the Labour side, Rachel Reeves had made another big play for the role of chancellor, giving the Mais lecture. Is ‘securonomics’...

Is legalising cannabis the answer to the hole in Labour’s financial plans? Are fiscal rules there to be broken? And, in light of the infamous royal photography fail, can Ed and George think of other times a photograph has landed a public figure in hot water? Of course they can - sorry Prime Minister! Got a question for Ed and George? Send a voice note to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk Producer:...

Michael Gove is rolling out his new definition of extremism this week, to the chagrin of people across the political spectrum. Ed and George weigh in on whether this will have any impact in keeping the UK safe, or whether it will threaten to divide the country further. Unfortunately for Gove, a major Tory donor undermined the whole message with his own extreme comments about Diane Abbott. Should t...

How does Donald Trump’s popularity endure, in spite of all his misdemeanours, and might Nigel Farage be taking notes? What is universal basic income and could it ever work in the UK? And George addresses recent claims that his little birdies in Downing Street have been found out…  Ed and George are back answering more of your questions on EMQs. Have you got a burning issue you’d like them to...

With the budget behind us, Ed pushes George on whether he’s still backing a November election. Tory sources are saying there’s a push from the centre of the party to send the country to the polls in May, but George has pretty strong views on what kind of idea that would be ….  Meanwhile, Lord David Cameron is making lists and taking risks. The Foreign Secretary just celebrated 100 days in off...

Is this the budget that turns the Tories’ fortunes?  Ed and George have been poised for this day for weeks: budget day! They give their immediate reaction to Jeremy Hunt’s (final?) spending plans, consider whether it meets the tests they set out on last week's episode, and they answer your questions. This episode was originally broadcast LIVE on YouTube. Make sure you’re following us on socia...

It's Budget week. Do Ed and George wish they were back in Parliament? And what's the secret to making it through the speech? Plus they answer lots more of your questions, from whether Rachel Reeves is right to be thinking about reinstating the pensions lifetime allowance, to the mystery of what happened to the infamous EdStone... Be sure to follow us on our socials @polcurrency and join us at 3pm...

George reveals it was Sajid Javid who told Rishi Sunak to strip Lee Anderson of the whip , after comments that have been slammed as Islamophobic and hate speech . But on the broadcast rounds, the Conservative party line is to stop short, saying the “words were wrong” – over and over and over again. How would George and Ed tackle the furore, and why do they think Rishi Sunak should take a hard line...

Is Boris Johnson's forthcoming book going to cause Rishi Sunak another headache? Is it acceptable for political leaders to take private planes? And does positive discrimination ever work in politics? Ed Balls and George Osborne answer these questions and more in our latest instalment of EMQs. Send your questions for future episodes to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk Follow us on social media: @p...

Chaos reigns supreme in Parliament this week after a tabled Labour amendment led to calls for Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle to resign. Is it really as big a deal as has been made out? Or is it a huge mess for the Speaker to overcome? Why isn’t the economy front and centre in this election year? It is on Political Currency! This week Ed Balls and George Osborne focus on housing policy. Will el...

Ed Balls and George Osborne answer more of your Ex-Minister’s Questions. Speaking of ex-ministers, Nick Boles, wants to know if there’s still an opportunity for anyone except Trump and Biden in the race for POTUS... And what about Labour’s proposed VAT on private school fees - will it cause a state school influx? Is the left a bit ‘male’ as George alleges? Ed isn’t convinced. Plus, they both...

The United Kingdom has fallen into recession… technically . It couldn’t be worse timing for the Sunak government, which will now have this gloomy economic news - already dubbed ‘Rishession’ - hanging over its head for the next three months. What would Ed and George do next? Meanwhile, Labour has been battling a crisis of its own, as it’s embroiled in another row over anti-semitism in the party. Ha...

Ed Balls and George Osborne are back with more of your questions. Is the minimum wage making life harder for businesses? Which party will our next female Prime Minister hail from? Does Keir Starmer have enough charisma to maintain his leadership? Ed and George also reveal their best ever celebrity meetings - although George’s turns out to be a little too hip for Ed. And if you’ve ever wondered if...

It’s been a week of missteps for Rishi Sunak - an uncomfortable bet struck with Piers Morgan over Rwanda and a jibe gone wrong at PMQs - plus Liz Truss and her PopCon launch can’t have helped. Is this a precursor to the next leadership contest - or just misguided lessons in popularity with one of the least popular PMs of all time? In Labour land, the party’s £28 billion on green spending U-turn is...

On this week's Ex-minister’s Questions, a listeners asks if Matt Hancock has simply been misunderstood? No guesses for which way Ed and George fall on that one. They’re also tackling social care policy, Sunday opening hours, and the real meaning of 'Chatham House rules'. Speaking of which, we've had correspondence from an anonymous source with a revelation about Rishi Sunak and a disappearing vide...

Wednesday marked the four-year anniversary of Brexit. Passed you by? Don’t worry, George admits he deleted the celebratory email from Tory HQ in protest. One old legacy of EU regulation is the bankers’ bonus cap, which Rachel Reeves revealed Labour would not reinstate if it won the election. Ed thinks she might be boxing herself in. He and George debate whether Britain has capitalised on its freed...

Ed and George tackle more Ex-Ministers’ Questions. What are the best nicknames they’ve heard in politics? Is it time to radically rethink the NHS? How can the Israel-Palestine conflict be talked about in a way that’s respectful to both sides? And George reveals one of the strangest rules in the House of Commons... may contain references to snorting - you have been warned! To send in your questions...

Has Rishi Sunak survived his first attempted coup? It might look like Simon Clarke’s amounted to nothing but Ed and George think it might be too soon to tell whether he’s failed yet. They have plenty of insights into plots past, and the many ways they can fizzle, burn, or downright engulf a prime minister. Elsewhere in politics, the UK tax burden has been drifting up to a rate not seen since...

Ed and George are back to answer more of your Ex-Ministers' Questions. Who would lead a crisis during coalition negotiations? How do you prepare for PMQs? George and Ed discuss how they changed how the monarchy is financed. George reveals his double-life as leader of the Labour party. And Ed is grilled about kicking Susanna Reid in the head on live TV… To send in your questions for next week's epi...

Rishi Sunak survived Tory mutiny over the Rwanda policy, but he’s not out of the woods just yet. Ed and George explain why his road to election 2024 still faces huge problems. Meanwhile, George has been in Davos this week. He reveals his celebrity spots - including Sting - as well as the global mood on the economy. But is this more than just a glitzy who’s who? Ed thinks it's a prime opportunity f...

Welcome to our first edition of EMQs - Ex-Ministers' Questions... see what we did there?. Every Monday, our ex-ministers will take your questions. Ed Balls and George Osborne will also hear from some influential and famous voices. In our first episode: did the Lib Dems agree to ditch their pledge on tuition fees during the coalition talks? What is the Barnett formula and is it fair? And why are Sp...

General election fever begins as George shares his insider tip on when the country can expect to go to the polls. But the new year has kicked off with new problems for political leaders. What do they need to get in order first?  How can they tackle a much older issue that’s been dominating politics this week? The ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office has captured the public’s imagination and...