The fallout of the local elections was as many had predicted, but the chaotic aftermath demanded a reaction. Ed Balls and George Osborne went live on YouTube earlier today to give their thoughts on just how bad things are for Keir Starmer.

They reflect on the heavy defeat Labour suffered on Thursday, and the prime minister’s fightback. Why did he bring back Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman? Why did he stake things on today’s speech with a King’s Speech in only two days?

The biggest question mark of all though, is Catherine West. The little known MP created an earthquake over the weekend by announcing she would challenge the PM if no one else would. She has now pivoted to calling for a timetable, but still has damaged Starmer, and placed all eyes on what Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting, and Angela Rayner do next…

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Credits:

Research: Sam Burton

Production: Caillin McDaid & Nasreen Arain

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty and Ryan Finnigan

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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.

Fresh off his trip to the Crucible to see the snooker, Ed Balls brings a question for him and George Osborne to answer on just how similar politics and snooker are. Is it all about the long game? Or do you take the risky shot when the opportunity arises? Are the two even similar? And do Ed and George know enough about the sport to say for certain?

Sunday Times columnist Charlotte Ivers then asks whether politicians are just copying TV shows like The Thick of It and The West Wing in their communications. George explains the truth in this, while Ed argues The West Wing displays an idealised version of politics and that the script writers often draw from the real life drama in politics.

Former Tory Chairman Andrew Feldman and one of our listeners then ask a pair of questions related to the public acceptance of AI, with our own guru George explaining how companies can sell the public on the benefits of AI and bust some of the myths around job losses caused by AI.

Finally, Ed and George answer the biggest question of all: do podcasts like this one influence voters? They explain how it’s been seen to happen already in the US, what things might look like in the next general election, and even manage to discuss Celebrity Traitors…

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:

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Research: Sam Burton

Production: Caillin McDaid & Nasreen Arain

Video Editor: Carla Mercer & Ryan Finnigan

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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.

It’s polling day, and the tensions have never been higher for Keir Starmer. The threat to his left, with the Greens, or to his right, with Reform, makes this a defining moment of his premiership. Ed Balls and George Osborne take this time to look at the future of the devolved governments, which could all be led by nationalist parties for the first time. Which parties will be willing to work together? Will there be another independence referendum? Is the UK at risk of breaking up?

The war in Iran is still ongoing, despite Donald Trump still maintaining a peace deal is imminent. With the market shocks seen in recent days over the Strait of Hormuz and the status of peace talks being unclear, George wonders why Britain has been hit worse than any G7 economy. Ed explains why the Bank of England must keep a clear inflation target, and why he thinks they will cut interest rates despite what others have said.

Finally, it’s been nearly 10 years since the Brexit referendum but the debate rages on. Keir Starmer was at a meeting with European allies earlier this week and has signalled closer relations. Will Starmer take us back into the single market? Will the EU budget debates return? Could we even see another referendum? Ed and George explain how the government must navigate relations with Europe to stabilise the economy, while not repeating the mistakes of the 2019 election.

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:

Research: Sam Burton

Production: Caillin McDaid & Nasreen Arain

Video Editor: Carla Mercer and Ryan Finnigan

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford & 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.