Author Philip Delves Broughton asks Ed Balls and George Osborne whether Britain could survive an energy shock like the 1973–74 oil crisis, which ended with a three-day week and the fall of the Heath government. George warns of voters blaming the government while Ed argues that the real danger, like in the ‘70s, is the energy shock landing alongside other collapsing post-war assumptions.

They then debate who is more of a gym bro, and reveal which politicians are the most ripped. Ed shares Gordon Brown’s fitness regime as chancellor, while George reveals an unexpected training partner - David Beckham!

A listener challenges Ed and George’s stance on Kemi Badenoch's proposed inheritance tax. As a divorced mum in a modest home in the South East, she explains why the tax isn’t just for the wealthy.

Finally, off the back of Ed attending the 100th anniversary of the BBC broadcasting Choral Evensong, the pair share their favourite hymns and choral music. They even perform a few renditions of their own…

Make sure to listen to Bridget Phillipson on Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball, alongside Mariella Frostrup, here:

👉 EXCLUSIVE Bridget Phillipson MP & Mariella Frostrup: Menopause, Misogyny & Missing School

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

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Credits:

Production: Sam Burton & Annie Ackerman

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.

International politics can disrupt the best laid plans of any government, and this week was no different. Ed Balls and George Osborne delve into a week that has been dominated by the war in Ukraine, and how Andy Burnham has chosen to navigate it. Donald Trump has made a deal with Russia on diesel, which Zelenskyy said was a betrayal. Burnham has to walk a careful line to side with Ukraine, but not anger the President. Has his diplomacy worked?

An attack in Saudi Arabia at the weekend only highlights how precarious the whole Middle East is, which draws attention back to the price of oil. This is a tough background for John Healey, with the budget less than two weeks away. Healey is attempting to spin the positive message, but is this the right strategy? Ed feels the messaging needs to be tough, and that selling hope won’t help with heating costs.

Of course, one way to counterattack the challenges Healey and Burnham face with growth is establishing closer ties to Europe. Burnham has continued to make those gestures this week, while also suggesting Russia interfered with the results of the EU referendum. After revising and walking back the statement all week, this is the latest in a series of off the cuff remarks from the PM. Is he going for a Trumpian approach of speaking freely? Is this the right approach for a British leader? Can Andy be Andy, without needing to issue so many corrections?

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

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Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Credits:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.

Money saving expert Martin Lewis sends in a question for Ed Balls and George Osborne this week, all about the tiny fixes. He tasks the pair with contributing to his new Small Ideas Initiative, proposing their own solutions to the most annoying problems in Britain. Ed goes for football tickets, while George hits on driving tests.

They then turn to a former FT colleague of Ed’s, who asks whether the biggest decisions a chancellor makes happens between budgets. They weigh up the case for and against this, hitting on some of the biggest economic moments in recent decades.

A fan from Instagram then asks if Andy Burnham has failed the Makerfield test, with George feeling his constituents wouldn’t be taken by PR or rejoining the EU. Fellow podcaster Abbie Bennington then asks them about wine and Brexit, off the back of George appearing on her show.

Finally, they reveal their experience with war gaming. How much does the government prepare for the worst? Does it work in the end? Ed reveals one instance that left the government much more prepared for the financial crisis than they otherwise would have been…

Make sure to listen to George’s appearance on Vintage Politics here:

👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/george-osborne-candid-conversations-on-brexit-ai-the/id1881977789?i=1000793761417

We love hearing from you, so please don’t forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency.co.uk 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:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: 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.