Political Currency
Political Currency

Political Currency

Persephonica

Overview
Episodes

Details

Ed Balls and George Osborne take us behind closed doors into the rooms where decisions are made. Having battled it out across the despatch box, the former Chancellor and shadow chancellor now meet in the studio to discuss the decisions that affect the nation’s pockets. Our frenemies have the knowledge and experience to explain how good politics follows the economics - and expose how the powerful become powerless when faced with market forces and political currents they can’t control. Join us every Thursday.


Send your messages or voice notes to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk


Find us on social media @polcurrency


Political Currency is a Persephonica production.

Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent Episodes

Could Keir Starmer send British Troops to Ukraine?
FEB 20, 2025
Could Keir Starmer send British Troops to Ukraine?

Donald Trump and his Vice President JD Vance have set the cat amongst the pigeons as they criticise Europe and Ukraine this week. Ed Balls and George Osborne look back on a week that turned the world upside down. How do NATO members respond to perhaps the most unpredictable world leader ever known?


Keir Starmer is just one world leader considering his next steps in Trumpworld. Is his vision for Britain as a bridge between the EU and the US working? And if he’s to follow through on his pledge of British troops in Ukraine, how on earth is he going to pay for it?


And, perhaps the only country seeing a buck in the trend of Trump-style right-wing leanings, Canada is heading towards a federal election - and former Governer of the Bank of England, Mark Carney’s decision to run has shaken things up. Ed and George take stock of their friend’s campaign. 


This episode is brought to you by British Airways. 

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Become a member of POLITICAL CURRENCY GOLD 🏅 to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to all our episodes and receive early access to EMQs. Or, join Political Currency’s KITCHEN CABINET to enjoy early and ad-free listening, access to live EMQs recordings, and exclusive Political Currency merch.


Subscribe now: patreon.com/politicalcurrency or on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/politicalcurrency. Please note Kitchen Cabinet subscriptions are only available through Patreon.


Producers: Miriam Hall and Rosie Stopher

Technical Producer: Danny Pape

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford


Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.


Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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63 MIN
EMQs: Are personal insults fair in politics?
FEB 17, 2025
EMQs: Are personal insults fair in politics?

With Valentine’s Day just gone, podcast soulmates Ed Balls and George Osborne are turning to questions of both hearts and minds this week. As Keir Starmer recently became the first sitting Prime Minister to take a public HIV test, Richard Angell, the Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust asks: Did Ed and George ever take a similar step while in leadership?


They also consider whether UK politics could ever drop the inevitable personal attacks that are rolled out during an election campaign. And speaking of, was Ed Miliband dealt a bad hand in the 2015 election, or was the infamous bacon sandwich incident fair game? 


And, are the “gotcha” moments of politics and journalism a thing of the past? They look back on some memorable deer-in-the-headlights moments while doing the media rounds … 



You could have been listening to this episode of EMQs early and ad-free! And not only that… join Political Currency’s KITCHEN CABINET to enjoy early and ad-free listening, access to live EMQs recordings, and exclusive Political Currency merch.


Subscribe now: patreon.com/politicalcurrency or on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/politicalcurrency. Please note Kitchen Cabinet subscriptions are only available through Patreon.


Technical Producer: Danny Pape

Producer: Rosie Stopher and Miriam Hall 

Executive Producers: Ellie Clifford 


Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network. 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.



Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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42 MIN
Can Kemi Badenoch get free of Nigel Farage?
FEB 12, 2025
Can Kemi Badenoch get free of Nigel Farage?
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58 MIN
EMQs: Can we get young people back to work?
FEB 10, 2025
EMQs: Can we get young people back to work?

This week, Ed Balls and George Osborne take on some of the most difficult challenges facing society today. With millions of people of working age not in a job - officially called economically inactive - the pair consider the current costs to society and how to fix them. Columnist for the Times and former MP Matthew Parris asks George directly: Didn’t he see this coming with the introduction of personal independence payments? 


And the Office of Budget Responsibility is meant to be apolitical – but does the government of the day at least have a little sway on its forecast? And considering the size of public spending in the UK, is the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, referred to as DOGE, even more relevant in this country?


Plus, how can psychology play a greater role in politics and policy … 


You could have been listening to this episode of EMQs early and ad-free! And not only that… join Political Currency’s KITCHEN CABINET to enjoy early and ad-free listening, access to live EMQs recordings, and exclusive Political Currency merch.


Subscribe now: patreon.com/politicalcurrency


Production support: Caillin McDaid

Technical Producer: Danny Pape

Producer: Rosie Stopher and Miriam Hall 

Executive Producers: Ellie Clifford 


Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network. 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.



Subscribe now on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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41 MIN