Political Currency

With incensed British farmers set to descend on London in protest to the government’s new rules on inheritance tax for agricultural property, Ed Balls and George Osborne consider the likelihood of the Treasury reversing course. What made George change his mind on the so-called “pasty tax” in 2012 - and will Rachel Reeves consider a similar u-turn?  This past week marked a special anniversary...

The second era of Trump is a little over a week old, and the president-elect is making waves with his cabinet appointments. An attorney general who has been investigated by the House ethics committee for sexual misconduct allegations (which he vehemently denies)? Welcome, Matt Gaetz. Trump’s pick for defence secretary? Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host who’s a proponent of American-made ammo. George O...

Donald Trump’s return has provoked days of soul searching among Democratic voters. But the pollster with one of the most accurate predictions of the outcome, James Johnson of JL Partners, has asked George Osborne and Ed Balls to shake off the gloom and consider any positives. Is there a silver lining in a second Trump presidency? George has some ideas, while Ed is struggling…  Votebeat editor...

It’s beginning to sink in: Donald Trump 2.0 is now upon us. George Osborne and Ed Balls think seismic shifts in the global economy could be ahead. Could his aggressive trade policies chip away at the UK’s growth plans? Trump has also claimed he could end the Ukraine war in a day. Does that mean a peace deal – or appeasement? Meanwhile Nigel Farage is offering up his services as a British ambassado...

Donald Trump is set to make his return to the White House after a stunning overnight victory against Kamala Harris in the US election, just as George Osborne and Ed Balls predicted. But was this just a simple case of ‘It’s the economy, stupid!’ Ed thinks the Harris loss could be a warning to UK’s Labour party members –  if they don’t get UK living standards up, could they go the way of the Bi...

Rishi Sunak spoke at his last PMQs. But George Osborne reveals why it may not be the last time we see him in No 10... He and Ed Balls discuss whether perceptions of politicians can ever change. Former cabinet member Caroline Spelman asks if a spoiled ballot is a waste of time. And Laura Trevelyan, co-host of the podcast Heirs of Enslavement asks whether countries should apologise for their role in...

The dust has settled on Rachel Reeves’ budget, and despite a strong performance from the Chancellor, George Osborne and Ed Balls have noticed a few glaring omissions. Child poverty? Didn’t really rate a mention. How about some of the New Labour classics like getting people back to work? Pensioners? Nope. So how did this crucial economic pitch to the nation stack up? Ed and George consider how the...

Has Rachel Reeves done enough to get away with announcing £40 billion of new taxes? In a special YouTube LIVE episode, Ed Balls and George Osborne give their immediate reaction to the Chancellor's first budget. Was it “big and bold and historic” or a “cross your fingers and hope for the best" moment? Who wins and loses from the budget? And how big a gamble is it for Labour's fortunes? Become a mem...

Has the reaction to the Winter Fuel Payment cut scared Labour from making more big budget moves on welfare? And what ever happened to the tradition of the Chancellor knocking back a brandy while delivering the Budget? Ed and George discuss the best drinks of choice when outlining an economic plan to the nation… and what other Treasury traditions are in place.  Plus, is it a brief, is it a lea...

Drumroll, please. After keeping his cards pretty close to his chest throughout the Tory leadership campaign, George Osborne is ready to name who he thinks should seize the Tory crown. With the race now whittled down to just two people – Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick – George explains why a possible exit from the European Convention on Human Rights has swayed his choice and what might put him of...

Frenemies George Osborne and Ed Balls talk about great political friendships and rivalries. What was the unspoken understanding between former Prime Minister David Cameron and George that made their allegiance last? And which Conservative friendships were soured by Brexit? They answer the question: Are economists just making it up as they go along? How can Rachel Reeves just change the definition...

How can Rachel Reeves solve her £40 billion budget gap without breaking Labour’s manifesto promise? Ed Balls and George Osborne take a deep dive into the tax hikes she has and hasn’t ruled out - and whether she can fairly class raising employer National Insurance contributions as manifesto-friendly. Elsewhere, Labour continues to woo the business community - this time at its International Investme...

The killing of HS2 was one of the defining features of the former government’s final days but there’s now talk the high speed rail line to Manchester might happen after all. Northern Powerhouse Chief Executive Henri Murison asks what Ed Balls and George Osborne make of the chatter that it could be revived, in the form of the so-called ‘HS2 light’. How should we truly define a “pensioner”? Does it...

James Cleverly has made a stunning exit from the Tory leadership race, leaving Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick as the final two to duke it out. George Osborne and Ed Balls consider if that’s thanks to some cunning political strategising or just a good old-fashioned cock up. Now, of the two who is more likely to take the crown? George thinks Jenrick is more “malleable” – is that what an opposition...

Ed Balls and George Osborne consider their biggest political mistakes and their proudest moments in office with a question from former Deputy Prime Minister Therese Coffey. What tax move did George make – against all prevailing advice, mind you –  that he remains pleased with to this day? And what would Ed have done differently in the handling of the Baby P tragedy?  Speaking of mistakes...

Keir Starmer has caved and returned thousands of pounds in freebies given to him by a Labour donor, in an attempt to close a rather embarrassing chapter for the government. But has he successfully hosed it down? Ed Balls and George Osborne consider whether it's a textbook case of what not to do when you have a PR snafu on your hands.  Meanwhile, tensions are escalating in the Middle East. Is...

Has the Tory leadership contest just been decided? Our man on the ground George Osborne is reporting directly back to Ed Balls from today’s Conservative Party Conference leadership hustings. Is the crown James Cleverly’s for the taking after a storming speech?  Plus, George is joined by Tory watchers-extraordinaire, Michael Gove and Danny Finkelstein, for their post-hustings analysis. Become...

Ed Balls and George Osborne open up this week on their most ardent, contrarian views. Is reincarnation real? Political reincarnation, perhaps. George shares how his thoughts have moved with the times and how he has reached some fresh conclusions on cannabis   – conclusions with which, it turns out, Ed completely disagrees.  And, they field questions straight from the Labour party confere...

Who’s hungry enough to seize the Tory crown? As the Conservative Party Conference nears, the leadership contest is heating up. Of the four hopefuls, who will get the backing of the party’s elder statesmen Michael Gove and Boris Johnson? George knows who Boris wants as leader, and that person isn’t currently in the race…  Labour’s wrapped up its party conference, which was light on announcemen...

Rachel Reeves took to the stage at the Labour Party Conference in a wet and gloomy Liverpool, hoping to brighten her party’s fortunes. After a tumultuous few weeks for the new government with rows over ‘Keir’s gear’, Sue Gray and the Winter Fuel Payment, the new chancellor hoped to prove that after 14 years of the Tories, Labour were all set to deliver a bright new future. But it was a speech that...

Rachel Reeves takes to the Labour party conference stage today, but hopefully not before she has chance to listen to Ed Balls and George Osborne’s sage advice on how to give a great conference speech. We take a stroll down memory lane and reflect on some of the most rousing speeches in British party conference political history – from the funny to the formative.  Which MPs have tattoos? Ed an...

As Labour feels the heat over Keir Starmer’s freebies scandal, there's a sense of glee in Tory party circles now the "holier-than-thou" party has something of a mess to clean up. Ed Balls and George Osborne mull how the government can reset their image, especially now the Sue Gray pay row is also threatening to rain on Starmer's conference parade .... Across the benches they reflect on the celebra...

Are eloquent middle class people hogging valuable public service resources? Ed Balls and George Osborne debate the case for co-payments to ease the burden. How can both Ed and George be correct on their analyses of the 2010 financial situation? And why do politicians continue to trot out their media spin lines when it’s clear to everyone that they’re not answering the question? Plus, Ed and George...

The NHS must “reform or die”, says Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Is he channelling his “inner Tony Blair” in a gutsy move on our health service or is this another policy which will end in controversy, much like the winter fuel allowance or early prison releases?  Across the pond, the US Presidential TV debate gave Kamala Harris an edge as she took on Donald Trump for the first time. But perhap...

Booking an appointment with your GP can feel harder than getting your hands on Oasis tickets. So should those who miss their slots be made to pay? Would it create a barrier to entry for vulnerable people in society, or could it open the door to millions more people who are sick of getting stuck in the queue? Ed and George also bring you inside the world of becoming an MP and they top up their summ...