Podcasts by Weekly Economics Podcast
Award-winning podcast about the economic forces shaping our world, with Ayeisha Thomas-Smith and guests. Brought to you by the New Economics Foundation – the independent think tank and charity campaigning for a fairer, sustainable economy.
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Tackling the energy crisis from 2022-02-21T09:51:43
Families are bracing for less and less money to get by as energy bills rise this spring. In the fifth richest country in the world, pensioners are skipping meals so they can afford their heating bi...
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Closing the Covid-19 vaccination gap from 2021-11-29T08:00:34
Coronavirus cases are once again rising in Europe and across the world. The World Health Organisation has said that countries shouldn’t be giving out booster jabs for the rest of the year, but in t...
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The future of work from 2021-11-19T15:49:26
A record number of employees have quit their jobs in recent months, in what’s been dubbed the Great Resignation. Newspapers report that it’s part of post-Covid demand for flexible working and bette...
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Is our digital economy breeding misogyny? from 2021-11-12T15:40:16
In August this year Jake Davison, a 22-year-old from Plymouth, went on a shooting rampage that left six dead, including his mother and himself. In the aftermath it emerged that Davison had been a m...
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Trans Liberation from 2021-11-05T15:21:46
If you read mainstream media coverage of the issues facing transgender people in the UK, you’ll see a lot of fevered discussion of pronouns, bathroom access, and confusing legislation like the Gend...
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Is austerity back? from 2021-10-26T07:14:10
At the height of the pandemic, politicians promised to do whatever it took to keep the economy going, and introduced emergency support like the furlough scheme. But now those measures have been cut...
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What really happens at a UN climate summit? from 2021-10-15T15:17:27
In a few weeks’ time, 25,000 people will descend on Glasgow. They are coming for the UN climate summit, also known as Cop26. The delegates might not have the pleasure of sampling the city’s mac-and...
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The Great Homes Upgrade from 2021-10-08T12:51:23
The UK has the draughtiest and oldest housing in Western Europe. And our gas boilers pump out twice as much carbon dioxide as all of the country’s power stations.
Do we need to upgrade the...
Can we prevent living standards plummeting this winter? from 2021-10-01T11:38:52
Over 11m people have been furloughed in the last 16 months, and almost 6m are currently on universal credit. But over the next week, the government’s main emergency policies to help people through ...
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Will living standards be frozen this winter? from 2021-10-01T11:38:52
Over 11m people have been furloughed in the last 16 months, and almost 6m are currently on universal credit. But over the next week, the government’s main emergency policies to help people through ...
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Where did our immigration system come from? from 2021-08-13T11:08:51
This week a controversial deportation flight took off for Jamaica. Legal challenges meant that only a tenth of the 90 people due to be deported were on the plane. The planned deportation included p...
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Fighting the climate crisis in the courts from 2021-08-06T10:32:04
With the COP26 global climate conference coming up later this year, we’re spending five episodes this series looking at pressing climate issues. In this episode we’re talking about taking the fossi...
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Fast Fashion from 2021-08-03T08:31:21
With the COP26 global climate conference coming up later this year, we’re spending five episodes this series looking at pressing climate issues. In this episode we’re talking fast fashion.
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How can we tackle the climate crisis while levelling up? from 2021-07-23T14:34:26
With the COP26 global climate conference coming up later this year, we’re spending five episodes this series looking at some of the biggest climate issues. In this episode we’re talking about a jus...
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A climate conversation between two generations from 2021-07-09T09:31:42
With the COP26 global climate conference coming up later this year, we’re going to spend five episodes this series looking at some of the biggest climate issues. We kicked things off last week with...
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Greenwashing from 2021-07-02T13:40:44
With the COP26 global climate conference coming up later this year, we’re going to spend the next five episodes of the podcast looking at some of the biggest climate issues – starting this week wit...
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The Police Bill from 2021-06-18T13:17:05
Throughout the spring, hundreds of thousands of people across the country marched, signed petitions, and spoke out against the catchily-titled Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. Critics say...
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Culture Wars from 2021-06-11T14:56:41
This week, the front page of the Daily Mail screamed “Outrage as Oxford students plan to axe queen”. In reality, a group of postgrads voted to take down a portrait of the queen in a single common r...
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What will Biden’s America look like? from 2021-04-01T14:36:24
There’s a new president in the Oval Office and he’s ready to make some changes. Joe Biden wants the start of his presidency to be defined by rejoining the Paris climate agreement, vaccinating the c...
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Changing the rules of our economy to stop environmental breakdown from 2021-03-19T12:58:41
There are just eight months left until the UK hosts the UN Climate Conference. And despite Boris Johnson’s insistence that we will have a green recovery from the pandemic, in the last month there h...
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How can we make sure everyone has enough to live on? from 2021-03-12T15:33:50
Last week a video circulated of 800 people queuing for a food bank in Wembley. Volunteers at the London Community Kitchen said that the number was not uncommon. In Rishi Sunak’s recent budget, he a...
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Why should we care what big tech does with our data? from 2021-03-08T11:05:12
From the A-level algorithm scandal, to parents taking on YouTube, to making Facebook and Google pay for news, people are fighting back against the way big tech companies and governments use our dat...
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What's Brexit done to fishing and farming? from 2021-03-02T09:57
We were supposed to have cast off the shackles of EU rules around farming and fishing. Brexit was sold as a ‘sea of opportunity’. And yet, tonnes of British meat have been left rotting at European ...
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Vaccine Nationalism from 2021-02-15T12:38:52
By the middle of January, 49 wealthy countries had administered 39 million doses of the Covid vaccine. But the world’s poorest countries had only done 25 jabs, all of them in just one country: Guin...
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Is outsourcing out of control? from 2021-02-05T14:31:40
Meagre food packages for kids on free school meals. A £22bn track and trace system that isn’t fit for purpose. And people asked to travel hundreds of miles for a Covid test. What do all of these th...
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Exposing the truth about modern slavery from 2021-01-29T13:33:15
From Sports Direct warehouses to nail bars, awareness-raising campaigns warn that modern slavery is happening all around us. Over Christmas, fashion brand Boohoo cut ties with 64 garment suppliers ...
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Finding hope during and after the pandemic from 2020-12-01T17:46:09
Joe Biden has defeated Donald Trump to win the US election. Test results from around the world suggest that a coronavirus vaccine is on the horizon. Over the past month there have been more bright ...
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Should we work less after the pandemic? from 2020-11-16T15:05:51
Setting up a desk area in the kitchen, Zoom call-induced headaches, or getting furloughed and paid to not do any work - this year has shaken up the world of work like never before. The pandemic has...
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Should we shake up taxes to recover from the pandemic? from 2020-11-06T14:44:19
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said that Britain faces new tax rises in the wake of the pandemic. But over the summer Labour’s shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds warned against increasing taxes during a...
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The US election narrative war from 2020-10-23T13:41:48
The US presidential election is less than a fortnight away - and Donald Trump and Joe Biden are pulling out all the stops to get the votes. But after a chaotic debate forced moderators to cut the c...
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What's going on with Brexit? from 2020-10-16T13:01:21
Brexit - remember it? Way back in the distant past of 2019 it felt like it was all the newspapers could talk about. It might feel like it’s done and dusted, but the process is still rumbling on.
Building a caring economy from 2020-10-09T13:27:41
“We want to build back greener as we recover from Covid-19” - that was the message this week at the Prime Minister’s Conservative Party Conference speech. But in all the talk of wind turbines and t...
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Is competition killing us? from 2020-10-06T07:30:07
Our track-and-trace system will be “world-beating”. The development of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine is “months ahead” of its competitors around the world.
This is how politicians and the me...
Can unions transform the economy? from 2020-09-25T07:38:45
Amid the coronavirus crisis, the number of people becoming members of a union has skyrocketed. Unison reported 65,000 new members since the start of the year, and in the last six months, 50,000 peo...
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Covid-19 and global capitalism from 2020-08-14T08:51:52
It’s a cliche by now to say that Covid-19 has upended our economy. Industries have ground to a halt, and are only just beginning to start up again. Just this week the UK plunged into recession, wit...
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How do we win a green recovery? from 2020-08-07T14:47:37
We’re facing two global crises. We have scientific evidence for how to deal with both of them, but governments aren’t acting quickly enough. They both show how we are all more connected than we pre...
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Where does conservatism go next? from 2020-08-03T12:31:41
For most of the last decade, the Conservative government has said they want to cut government spending to balance the books as they rolled out austerity nationwide. But since the start of lockdown,...
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Can we avoid a tsunami of job losses? from 2020-07-22T10:34:20
It feels like every day there are new dire predictions of the state of the UK economy and jobs. Last week we discovered that the number of paid employees in Britain has plunged by 650,000 since the...
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Do police and prisons keep us safe? from 2020-07-14T10:29:17
At the end of June Keir Starmer said of Black Lives Matter protesters in an interview: “Nobody should be saying anything about defunding the police.” At the same time, the UK government announced f...
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The Hostile Environment during coronavirus from 2020-07-03T14:23:56
The end of June marked the anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush Generation in the UK, and sparked renewed conversations about the Hostile Environment. It’s been reported that UK immigration p...
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Gary Younge on the global black liberation uprisings from 2020-06-17T08:35:53
The death of George Floyd three weeks ago at the hands of Minneapolis police officers sparked a fresh wave of Black Lives Matter protests across the world. In the US, calls to defund the police hav...
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The future of social care after Coronavirus from 2020-05-15T11:56:27
10,000 care home residents have died from Covid-19, more than a third of all Covid-19 deaths. On Wednesday it was reported that the death toll is likely to be double the official figure. The death ...
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How to organise under lockdown from 2020-05-08T10:21:56
Between the lack of PPE for key workers, growing numbers forced onto universal credit, and worries about worker safety both now and after lockdown, there’s plenty to be angry about.
So ha...
Coronavirus and the legacy of austerity from 2020-05-01T13:45:28
In the last few months we’ve seen the government promise billions in support for people and businesses impacted by coronavirus. Supporters of austerity claim the last decade of cuts is what enabled...
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Childcare under lockdown from 2020-04-24T12:46:11
The lockdown period has been extended for at least another three weeks. Schools and nurseries remain closed, except to a few children. Many parents are at home trying to balance work with looking a...
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Renters, homelessness and coronavirus from 2020-04-17T12:09:55
During lockdown, the message everywhere is to stay home. But what should you do, when you don’t have a secure place to live? At the end of last month, the government gave councils 48 hours to house...
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Fixing the Social Safety Net from 2020-04-10T08:43:51
As nationwide lockdown continues and parts of the economy grind to a halt, the chancellor has announced a package of measures to support people struggling with the economic fallout of coronavirus. ...
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The Budget, climate and coronavirus from 2020-03-17T18:41:06
Last week, the big red briefcase was handed over to new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak. But many of Sunak’s Budget promises were overshadowed by new measures to deal with the coronavirus. With the stock m...
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Election 2019 from 2019-12-02T11:16:19
The election is just around the corner and the outcome will determine the future of the country, and the shape of the economy.
So what are the parties planning to do if they win power? How...
How to fix the childcare system from 2019-11-25T18:12:27
The childcare system in England is broken. Our nurseries are among the most expensive in the world, but our childcare professionals are some of the lowest paid workers in society. For a long time, ...
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Universal Basic Services from 2019-11-20T21:20:48
Our public services are in dire need of investment. The question of how much investment has loomed large over the first weeks of the election campaign.
But in the middle of a debate over c...
Hostile Environment: how immigrants became scapegoats from 2019-11-12T09:52:44
How did the word immigrant become such a loaded term? How did the public conversation about immigration become so toxic? And is there another way forward – an alternative to the hostile environment...
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Algorithms of Oppression from 2019-11-07T00:00
We're away this week recording our exciting live event with Maya Goodfellow for the podcast next week.
In the meantime we're listening back to a live episode we recorded in April. Safiya ...
The stories that broke the economy, and the stories that can fix it from 2019-10-28T13:57:39
Some common lines you’ll hear about the economy: we all put money in, or take it out. Some people pay their fair share, but others don’t. We can’t overspend – putting public spending on the nationa...
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How to make the 4-day week happen from 2019-10-21T12:41:25
It’s one of the most important inventions of the 20th century. But unlike the phone, the car, computers and indoor plumbing, the weekend is still stuck in the 1930s.
As productivity increa...
The rent is too high from 2019-08-14T12:38:36
More and more of us are renting for longer – not by choice, but by necessity. In cities especially, more people are renting into their thirties, forties and beyond, sometimes raising children in re...
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The myth of meritocracy from 2019-08-06T08:48:02
It’s the story we’re all told when we’re growing up. Work hard at school so you can get into a good university. Work hard at university so you can get a good job. Get a masters degree – taking on m...
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The new PM and the future of Conservatism from 2019-07-26T08:27:53
This week the UK got a new prime minister, and the Conservative party got a new leader.
After nine years in government, will this be a pivotal moment in history, or a last gasp? Apart fro...
Is wellbeing the new GDP? from 2019-07-15T10:53:49
If you’ve been listening to the Weekly Economics Podcast for a while, you’ll know that we think there’s much more to economics than GDP. But it still dominates the way politicians and much of the p...
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Generation Left from 2019-07-08T08:50:09
The polls show that while previous generations became more conservative with age, millennials are staying left wing for longer. And age and education now seem to be the big dividing line in our pol...
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What should the climate movement do next? from 2019-07-01T16:22:02
It’s been a busy year for the climate movement since last summer’s scorching heatwave. Extinction Rebellion shut down the streets, the school strikes saw thousands of young people take a stand, and...
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Inclusive Ownership from 2019-06-24T00:00
Last month, the owner of a chain of British hi-fi shops did something unusual. Julian Richer, the founder of Richer Sounds, gave away control of the company to the employees, and even gave them eac...
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Algorithms of Oppression (Live) from 2019-05-29T08:56:36
Algorithms have a huge influence on the way that we see the world. We increasingly understand news through social media?—?as libraries shut down more of our knowledge is found with the click of a s...
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A Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism: 7 – Changing the Rules from 2019-05-21T00:00
It’s been 4 years since Kirsty Styles and James Meadway told the story of neoliberalism, from Hayek to Thatcher to the end of history.
But now, the band is back together, alongside NEF chi...
A Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism: 6 - The Alternatives from 2019-05-13T05:00:09
Kirsty Styles and James Meadway talk about the alternatives to neoliberalism.
This episode was recorded back in August 2015, which feels like a million years ago. We still think it's worth...
A Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism: 5 - The End of History? from 2019-05-07T00:00
James Meadway and Kirsty Styles discuss how neoliberalism lives on today.
This episode was recorded back in August 2015 and a lot has changed since then. The good news is James and Kirsty...
A Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism: 4 – Acceptable in the 80s from 2019-04-29T06:00:09
James Meadway and Kirsty Styles explain how neoliberalism took hold in the UK in the 1980s.
Enjoying the show? Tweet us your comments and questions @NEF!
Music by Chris Zabriskie ...
A Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism: 3 – World Domination from 2019-04-22T06:00:04
James Meadway and Kirsty Styles explain how neoliberalism came to dominate economies around the globe.
Enjoying the show? Tweet us your comments and questions @NEF!
Music by Chris...
A Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism: 2 – The House That Hayek Built from 2019-04-15T06:00:04
Economist James Meadway and journalist Kirsty Styles continue their 6-part miniseries about neoliberalism. In part 2, they tell the story of how the once obscure ideas of theorist Friedrich Hayek m...
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A Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism: 1 – The Basics from 2019-04-08T09:00:02
For the next 6 weeks, we’re doing something a bit different. We’re telling the story of neoliberalism, from the beginning. We call it A Beginner’s Guide to Neoliberalism.
We first ran the ...
What explains the knife crime epidemic? With Gary Younge from 2019-03-18T00:00
Knife crime is at a nine-year high. Everyone agrees: something must be done.
Some politicians want more police on the streets, or tougher sentences. Others want cuts to mental health servi...
How to shockproof the economy from 2019-03-13T09:54:27
It’s hard to listen to the news at the moment without hearing some kind of warning about economy. Nearly all of those warnings focus on one thing – Brexit. It’s true that lots of people think Brexi...
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Rewind: Can we bring down house prices without crashing the economy? from 2019-03-04T10:57:45
We’re away this week, but in the meantime thought we’d listen back to one of our favourite episodes from last year.
If house prices are too high for people to be able to buy houses, how ca...
What's the deal with the Green New Deal? from 2019-02-25T00:00
The Green New Deal has rocketed to the top of the agenda in the US. It's an ambitious plan, spearheaded by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to decarbonise the US economy and eliminate economic insecurity ...
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Public Ownership 2.0 from 2019-02-18T00:00
Public ownership is back on the agenda. Opinion polls show high levels of support for taking all kinds of things back into public hands, from the railways to water to energy, and the Labour party i...
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What would a progressive border policy look like? from 2019-02-11T00:00
The Windrush scandal outraged the nation last year. ?But last week the Home Office reinstated deportation flights to Jamaica for criminal offenders who they say are foreign nationals. Meanwhile, pa...
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How the economy is damaging our mental health from 2019-02-05T00:00
This Thursday is Time To Talk Day, a day meant to encourage people to talk about mental health.??
But what are the wider social and economic factors that are causing poor mental health in ...
Why economics needs a rethink from 2019-01-29T09:02:51
Last week saw a record number of the world's elite flying their private jets to Davos for the World Economic Forum. Oxfam reported that in the 10 years since the financial crisis, the number of bil...
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What's really making the NHS sick? from 2019-01-21T00:00
Two years ago, nurses and doctors warned that the annual NHS winter crisis was now 'the new normal'. In the cold weather, hospitals were overwhelmed by patients that they did not have the space to ...
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Lexit vs Remain and Reform from 2019-01-14T12:08:12
Grace Blakeley argues the case for 'Lexit' (a left-wing exit from the European Union) while Laurie Macfarlane thinks 'Remain and Reform' is our best option.
With a vote on the Prime Minist...
Populism (Live) with Jonathan Smucker & Chantal Mouffe from 2018-12-23T00:00
Can populism be progressive, and what role did it play in the US mid-terms this year?
We’ll be back with a brand new series in the new year, but in the meantime we wanted to bring you some...
Summer climate breakdown from 2018-08-13T00:00
We’ve just had a few days of respite from the craziest temperatures, but this summer’s heatwave has felt unusual.
Parks turning to dust and reservoirs running out. Record temperatures and ...
Why the interest rate hike was a bad move from 2018-08-06T00:00
Last week the Bank of England moved interest rates to their highest level in almost a decade. If you’ve got a mortgage, it might get more expensive. If you’ve got savings, you might get a bit more ...
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Can populism be progressive? from 2018-07-30T00:00
Jeremy Corbyn and Donald Trump; Erdogan in Turkey and the Five Star Movement in Italy; Podemos in Spain and Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines. All of them have been described as populists. But wha...
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The rise of the data oligarchs from 2018-07-24T00:00
There are troubling signs that the new data-driven economy is inheriting all the same problems as the old one: power imbalances, monopolies and a lack of accountability.
How gloomy should ...
Brexit: what next? from 2018-07-16T00:00
In between the resignations and the reshuffles, what have we learned about about where Brexit will go next? Much of the focus has been on the response to the deal the prime minister reached with he...
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Is it the end of the road for the high street? from 2018-07-09T00:00
Is British shopping in crisis? Major names are struggling or closing down, nearly 22,000 jobs are at risk, and the UK now has an estimated 1,800 fewer high street shops than it had a year ago.
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Can we tax our way to a cleaner planet? from 2018-07-02T00:00
One of the most fashionable economic ideas of the past decade has been ‘nudge’ theory – the idea that a little prod from government can encourage us to change our behaviour and be better citizens, ...
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Happy birthday NHS? from 2018-06-25T00:00
Happy birthday, NHS! That was the message from the prime minister last week, as she announced an extra £20bn of funding for the NHS in England by 2023. But is that enough? And where will the money ...
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One year on from the Grenfell Tower fire from 2018-06-18T00:00
The fire at Grenfell Tower a year ago last week was, above all, a tragedy for its residents, their friends, and their families. It’s also come to symbolise a deeper crisis in British society – at l...
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Does the Windrush scandal signal the end of Britain's 'hostile environment'? from 2018-06-11T00:00
Papers destroyed by the Home Office. Forced out of work. Denied cancer treatment. Held in detention. Deported. Those are just a few of the terrible stories we’ve heard about the treatment of the Wi...
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Universal Basic Income or Universal Basic Services? from 2018-04-04T00:00
Universal basic income – an idea that almost no one had heard of just a few years ago – is now one of the most fashionable concepts in progressive politics. With automation increasing and wages sta...
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What if Russia cuts off our gas? from 2018-03-28T00:00
A nerve agent attack on an ex-Russian spy and his daughter in Salisbury has led to a retaliation by the UK government – expelling diplomats and ramping up a war of words. With Putin winning another...
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Can we bring down house prices without crashing the economy? from 2018-03-19T00:00
It’s one of the biggest contradictions in British politics. Across the country, baby boomers who own a house cheer as the value of their property rises. Meanwhile their millennial children watch on...
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Why are university lecturers on strike? from 2018-03-12T00:00
Universities up and down the country have been shutting down as lecturers have walked out, arguing that the changes to their pension schemes could leave them thousands of pounds a year worse off in...
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'Middletown, America' with Gary Younge from 2018-03-05T00:00
As the Guardian's US correspondent, Gary Younge documented America’s social and economic challenges, the role of race in the country’s politics, and the deadly consequences of US gun laws. Now the ...
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Is the Bitcoin boom over? from 2018-02-28T00:00
Technology is transforming the world of money. Or at least that’s what the Bitcoin junkies would have you believe. They say digital currencies have arrived and are about to revolutionise the way we...
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What happened to the stock markets? (And does it matter?) from 2018-02-21T00:00
There's been a panic in the stock markets in recent weeks after the Dow Jones plunged more than 1000 points on a single Monday in the first week of February. When the stock market plunges should we...
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Brexit and the People from 2018-02-12T00:00
Brexit dominates the news agenda. But with all the talk of the single market, impact assessments and trade deals, it sometimes feels as if this debate is only happening in the comment pages of news...
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Budget Special 2017 from 2017-11-27T00:00
Chancellor Philip Hammond got out his red box out again last week, to let us know how the country's finances are – or aren't – holding up, and what the Government's going to be doing with its money...
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Will Brexit boost Britain's fishing industry? from 2017-11-20T00:00
Pro-Brexit campaigners have argued leaving the EU means Britain can "take control" of its fisheries. But what does Brexit really mean for fishing communities, and for the future of our fish stocks?...
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How will Brexit affect our lives? from 2017-11-13T00:00
The single market. The customs union. Making a deal with the EU or leaving on WTO terms. There’s a lot of jargon to contend with when we’re discussing the economics of Brexit.
Sometimes it...
From the archive: Are robots already stealing our jobs? from 2017-11-06T14:00:21
Politicians and economists have increasingly been talking about the risks of a future where robots make all of our jobs obsolete. But is that future already upon us?
And in the meantime, a...
Can we do better than Uber? from 2017-10-30T15:27:10
Last month, Transport for London announced it was withdrawing ride-hailing firm Uber's license to operate in the capital.
Despite complaints over passenger safety and poor treatment of dr...
Is there a political divide between cities and towns? with Lisa Nandy MP from 2017-10-23T13:38:01
A characteristic feature of British society in 2017 is division. Leavers are pitched against Remainers, young against old, graduates against non-graduates. But perhaps the starkest way of understan...
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Will England ban fracking too? from 2017-10-16T12:54:24
After its recent ban in Scotland, fracking is firmly back on the media and political agendas.
But is fracking a necessary economics boost for the country, or an environmental disaster we s...
Did the party conferences have any answers? from 2017-10-09T00:00
We’re in the midst of political party conference season and we've already had more headlines and drama than most years...
But apart from politicos and journalists gossiping about party spl...
How do we empower people to take action on climate change? from 2017-09-13T11:36:38
As large swathes of the Caribbean have been left devastated by Hurricane Irma, the issue of climate change is once again back on the global news agenda.
It’s easy to feel defeated when th...
Will selling off public land make the housing crisis worse? from 2017-08-08T00:00
The housing crisis is a hot topic at the moment. We often talk about who can buy, sell and rent houses - and how much they cost - but we rarely talk about the land beneath them.
Lots of la...
What should the UK's industrial strategy look like? from 2017-07-31T00:00
For years ‘industrial strategy’ wasn’t talked about at all. But the phrase has recently made a comeback. The government thinks there are some ‘long term challenges’ for the economy in this country,...
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Could personal debt cause another recession? from 2017-07-24T00:00
Personal debt is at record levels with one in six of us at risk of a debt crisis.
Credit cards, overdrafts and payday loans are propping up households across the country as wages continue...
Who gains from big data? from 2017-07-17T00:00
Big data. It’s one of those terms that’s far more widely used than it is understood. What is it? And just as importantly – who benefits from it?
To get the full picture on big data, we are...
Will the 'Great' Repeal Bill really mean we 'take back control'? from 2017-07-10T00:00
The latest episode of the Weekly Economics Podcast asks whether The Great Repeal Bill will mean we 'take back control' of our laws.
Stepping in for our host Ayeisha Thomas-Smith this week ...
Can we save the planet despite Trump? from 2017-07-03T10:03:02
What more does the environment have to do to become an election issue?
Joining our host Ayeisha Thomas-Smith this week are Dave Powell, Subject Lead on Environment at the New Economics Fou...
What next for the NHS and social care? from 2017-06-26T00:00
6 out of 10 of us now think the NHS is one of the biggest issues facing Britain - the highest level of concern for 15 years.
This week we're joined by Allyson Pollock, Director of the Inst...
Did economics swing the election? with Stephen Bush from 2017-06-19T00:00
Elections are supposed to be won and lost on economics. But in the recent general election here in the UK, interrupted by terrorist attacks in Manchester and London and coming a year after the EU r...
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Are Robots Already Stealing Our Jobs? from 2017-04-10T00:00
Politicians and economists have increasingly been talking about the risks of a future where robots make all of our jobs obsolete. But is that future already upon us?
And in the meantime, a...
Power and Devolution from 2017-04-03T00:00
The triggering of Article 50 has dominated the news this week, and NEF Chief Executive Marc Stears makes a special guest appearance to give his take on what is in store as the process unfolds.
...
Solving the Housing Crisis from 2017-03-27T00:00
Britain is in the grips of a full blown housing crisis. Even if you're not struggling to meet your mortgage payments or at the mercy of a dodgy landlord, the UK's debt-fuelled property boom isn't g...
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Article 50 from 2017-03-20T00:00
Breaking: Article 50 will be triggered on Wednesday 29 March, kick-starting the formal, two-year process of Britain's departure from the EU.
That's what we're talking about this week. How ...
Budget 2017 from 2017-03-13T00:00
Last week was the Spring Budget, and as ever, we had experts from NEF on hand to cast a critical eye over the Chancellor’s announcements. Is the UK’s economic forecast as sunny as Philip Hammond wo...
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Trumponomics from 2017-03-07T00:00
We're back and kicking off our new series with President Trump - the end of economics as we know it, or Republican business as usual?
Our new presenter, Ayeisha Thomas-Smith, is joined by ...
Podcast Update from 2017-02-03T00:00
A message from Huw and James at the Weekly Economics Podcast - we need your help!
Over the last two years the podcast has gone from strength to strength, and we want to come back bigger an...
A Very Northern Christmas Special… and Kirsty's last show! from 2016-12-26T00:00
The final episode of the year and Kirsty's last show as she moves on to a new job in Manchester! Programme editor Huw Jordan chats to Kirsty about the highlights and lowlights during her two years ...
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Really Take Control: The Future of Migration from 2016-12-19T00:00
How do we combat hate and racism in British society and really take control of the agenda around migration in 2017?
Marc Stears, Chief Executive at the New Economics Foundation, is joined ...
Really Take Control: Coastal Communities from 2016-12-12T00:00
Britain's coastal communities registered some of the strongest votes for Brexit back in June. How can we really give them control of their lives, economies and natural resources?
This week...
Really Take Control: Housing from 2016-12-05T00:00
Have we lost control of housing in the UK and how do we really take control of the places we live? With Seb Klier and Alice Martin.
Part of a special six-part series asking how we can crea...
Really Take Control: Work from 2016-11-28T00:00
How can we really take control of work and our working lives? With Elly Baker and Duncan McCann.
Part of a special six-part series asking how we can create a new economy where people can r...
Really Take Control: Environment from 2016-11-21T00:00
How can we really take control of our environment in a post-Brexit world? With Ruth Davis and David Powell.
Part of a special six-part series asking how we can create a new economy where p...
Really Take Control from 2016-11-14T00:00
'Take back control' has been the slogan of the year.
But what does it mean? Who's got control now? And how can we create a new economy where people can really take control of their lives?<...
Preview: Really Take Control from 2016-11-07T11:41:26
'Take back control' has been the slogan of the year.
But what does it mean? Who's got control now? And how can we create a new economy where people can really take control of their lives?...
Marc Stears: Economics And The Crisis Of Democracy from 2016-09-26T00:00
People all over the UK have lost belief in our democracy as a way of solving their problems. But why have so many people lost faith? And how do we go about rebuilding it?
Marc Stears, Chie...
Is Farming Destroying Nature? from 2016-09-19T00:00
The latest State of Nature report, released last week, revealed UK species are becoming increasingly endangered. But what's to blame?
NEF's David Powell joins Kirsty to explain.
N...
Faiza Shaheen: Is Sports Direct Changing Its Ways? from 2016-09-12T00:00
With Sports Direct last week announcing plans to ban notorious zero-hour contracts and improve workers' representation, is big business about to change its ways?
Dr Faiza Shaheen, Director...
Apple, Tax and the G20 from 2016-09-05T00:00
Last week Apple was ordered to pay up to £11bn in fines over a sweetheart tax deal with Ireland.
But did they actually break the law? Who was at fault? And why should it matter to the res...
Should We Start Counting The Work We Do For Free? from 2016-08-30T00:00
The latest GDP figures were out last week, but how would they be different if we starting measuring unpaid work?
Polly Trenow joins Kirsty to discuss.
NEF on Twitter: www.twitter....
Deliveroo Drivers Strike from 2016-08-22T00:00
What does the Deliveroo drivers' strike mean for the future of the sharing economy - and the future of work?
Alice Martin, economy and finance researcher at NEF, is interviewed by guest ho...
Hinkley Point C from 2016-08-15T00:00
Is it all over for the UK's first new nuclear power station in two decades?
This week's special guest is NEF's David Powell.
NEF on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nef
Weekly Economi...
Can The Bank Of England Prevent Another Recession? from 2016-08-08T00:00
The Bank of England have cut interest rates and announced more quantitative easing to avoid a post-Brexit economic slowdown. Will it be enough?
Kirsty is joined this week by Fran Boait, Di...
The End Of Free Movement? from 2016-08-01T00:00
Does Brexit really mean the end of free movement of people between the UK and the rest of the EU? And what are the possible consequences for the UK economy?
NEF on Twitter: www.twitter.com...
What Is The New Government's Economic Plan? from 2016-07-25T00:00
New Prime Minister, new cabinet, new economic strategy?
Laurie Macfarlane, Economist at the New Economics Foundation, joins Kirsty to predict what Theresa May and Philip Hammond have plan...
EU Referendum Debate, with Caroline Lucas MP and John Hilary from 2016-06-20T00:00
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and John Hilary, Executive Director of War On Want, join Kirsty for our first debate, on the EU Referendum, taking place this Thursday 23rd June.
Recorded on ...
Inventing The Future: Universal Basic Income and Automation from 2016-06-13T00:00
Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams, authors of Inventing the Future, join Kirsty to discuss the possibility of a future without work.
NEF on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nef
Weekly Economics P...
Fully Automated Luxury Communism from 2016-06-06T00:00
Novara Media's Aaron Bastani joins Kirsty to discuss his ideas about technology, the future of work and Fully Automated Luxury Communism.
NEF on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nef
Weekly Eco...
What Next For Tata Steel? from 2016-05-31T00:00
NEF economist Olivier Vardakoulias chats to Alice Martin about the government's options for the UK steel industry.
NEF on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nef
Olivier Vardakoulias on Twitter: ...
Anti-Corruption Summit from 2016-05-16T00:00
Kirsty chats to the Fair Tax Mark's Emily Kenway about last week's anti-corruption summit and tackling tax avoidance, following the Panama Papers leak.
Help the show by leaving a review: w...
Elections 2016 from 2016-05-09T00:00
Kirsty chats to Laurie MacFarlane, Economist at NEF, about the economic consequences of last week's elections across the UK.
Help the show by leaving a review: www.getpodcast.reviews/id/97...
Special: Ecuador from 2016-05-03T00:00
We're back with a special report from Ecuador - the little country that's doing things differently. It's the first of our Weekly Economics Podcast Stories, taking a deeper look at an idea that's ca...
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From The Archive: Feminist Economics from 2016-04-18T11:43:55
We revisit an old episode with special guest Polly Trenow from the Women's Budget Group, who chats to Kirsty about feminist economics.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitter: www.twitter.com/...
Preview: Ecuador from 2016-03-28T00:00
We're taking a break for the next three weeks to recharge our batteries and work on something a little bit special.
It's the first of our Weekly Economics Podcast Stories - taking a deeper...
Budget 2016 from 2016-03-21T00:00
Kirsty chats to Josh Ryan-Collins, Associate Director of Economy & Finance at NEF, about George Osborne's latest Budget.
Help the show by leaving a review: http://getpodcast.reviews/id/97...
Energy Democracy: Switched On London from 2016-03-14T00:00
What's wrong with the UK's current energy system? How could we make it more democratic?
Mika Minio-Paluello from Platform talks about the Switched on London campaign.
Weekly Econ...
The End of Growth? from 2016-03-07T00:00
Can our economies keep growing? If not, what next?
This week Kirsty speaks with Olivier Vardakoulias, economist at NEF.
Help the show by leaving a review: http://getpodcast.revie...
Banks: Back To Business As Usual? from 2016-02-29T00:00
Last week was results week for the UK's big banks. Has anything changed since we bailed them out? Christine Berry, Senior Researcher at NEF, joins Kirsty to discuss.
Help the show by leavi...
Richard Murphy: Tax and Google from 2016-02-22T00:00
This week Kirsty is joined by tax expert Richard Murphy to discuss the UK's tax system and how companies like Google are able to avoid paying into it.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitter: ...
Lord Adair Turner: Between Debt and the Devil from 2016-02-15T00:00
This week Kirsty is joined by Lord Adair Turner, former Chairman of the Financial Services Authority, to talk about the UK's low interest rates and problems with household debt.
Weekly Eco...
Junior Doctors' Strike from 2016-02-08T00:00
This week Kirsty is joined by junior doctor Ben Bouquet to talk about the strikes planned for this week, and the challenges faced by the NHS.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitter: www.twitt...
Does GDP Tell The Full Story? from 2016-02-01T00:00
GDP grew by 0.5% in the last quarter of 2015 - but what does that mean, and is it even the right thing to measure? Kirsty chats to Juliet Michaelson, associate director of the wellbeing team at the...
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Faiza Shaheen: Inequality from 2016-01-25T00:00
The world's richest 62 people now own as much wealth as the poorest 50%, according to a new report released by Oxfam. But what are we measuring when we talk about wealth and inequality? Why does it...
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Will There Be Another Economic Crash In 2016? from 2016-01-18T00:00
Back for a new series, Kirsty Styles asks economist Olivier Vardakoulias from the New Economics Foundation whether the rumours of another economic crash in 2016 are true.
Weekly Economics ...
Christmas Special: Review of 2015 from 2015-12-07T00:00
In the final episode of the year, the tables are turned as Jessie Barnard interviews Kirsty about the economic highlights and lowlights of 2015. A surprise guest makes a special appearance.
Spending Review from 2015-11-30T00:00
To support the show and help us come back for another series in the New Year, please give £5 or whatever you can afford at www.neweconomics.org/podcast.
Chancellor George Osborne set out h...
Special Guests: Sustainababble from 2015-11-16T00:00
In a special double-length episode, guests Dave Powell and Oli Hayes from comedy podcast Sustainababble join Kirsty to talk about the government's environmental policy — both nationally and interna...
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Bank Of England from 2015-11-09T00:00
To support the show and help us come back for another series in the New Year, please give £5 or whatever you can afford at www.neweconomics.org/podcast.
This week, Josh Ryan-Collins from N...
People's QE from 2015-11-02T00:00
This week Kirsty's joined by Fran Boait, Director of Positive Money, to talk about people's quantitative easing. Why is it different to other QE? Isn't it just printing money? Would it help or hind...
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Government Debt from 2015-10-19T00:00
Kirsty chats to special guest Ewa Karwowski, lecturer in economics at Kingston University, about government debt, and the Charter for Budget Responsibility, approved by MPs in parliament last week....
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Steve Keen: Part 2 - Stopping The Next Crash from 2015-10-12T00:00
In the second of a two-part interview Kirsty chats to special guest Professor Steve Keen, Head of Economics, History and Politics at Kingston University, about the likelihood of another economic cr...
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Steve Keen: Part 1 - Predicting The Crash from 2015-10-05T00:00
Back from our break, in the first of a two-part interview Kirsty chats to super special guest Professor Steve Keen, Head of Economics, History and Politics at Kingston University, about how he pred...
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Trade Unions from 2015-09-14T00:00
Kirsty chats to special guest Alice Martin, researcher at the New Economics Foundation, about trade unions.
Kirsty and James are back on 5th October with more special guests.
Week...
Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism #6: The Alternatives from 2015-09-07T00:00
In the final episode of a special six-part series for the Weekly Economics Podcast, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Chief Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about alternatives to neol...
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Bank Holiday Special: Shorter Working Week from 2015-08-31T00:00
Kirsty and James are away for the bank holiday, but the show must go on. Guest host Polly Trenow is joined by Sarah Lyall, NEF social policy researcher, to talk about how shorter, more flexible hou...
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Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism #5: The End of History? from 2015-08-24T00:00
In the penultimate episode of a special six-part series for the Weekly Economics Podcast, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Chief Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about how neoliberal...
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Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism #4: Acceptable in the 80s from 2015-08-17T00:00
In the fourth of a special series for the Weekly Economics Podcast, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Chief Economist at the New Economics Foundation about how neoliberalism took hold in the UK...
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Power Failure from 2015-08-10T00:00
What's at fault with our energy system? Kirsty Styles is joined by Stephen Devlin, Natural Resource Economist at the New Economics Foundation to find out.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitt...
Resilience and the Crash from 2015-08-03T00:00
Financial system resilience - what is it, and why does it matter? Should we be worried about another crash?
Kirsty Styles chats to Josh Ryan-Collins, Associate Director of Economy & Finan...
Great Housing Crisis from 2015-07-27T00:00
Kirsty Styles is joined by economist Mary Robertson to chat about the origins of the accelerating UK housing crisis and how we can tackle it.
Kirsty also discovers why building societies ...
Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism #3: World Domination from 2015-07-20T00:00
In the third of a special series for the Weekly Economics Podcast, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Chief Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about our economic system, the difference b...
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Summer Budget from 2015-07-13T00:00
Who are the winners and losers from George Osborne's latest Budget? Ross Haig talks to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, to find out.
Weekly Economics Podca...
Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism #2: House that Hayek Built from 2015-07-06T00:00
In the second of a special series for the Weekly Economics Podcast, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation about how the once obscure ideas of theori...
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Greek Myth from 2015-06-29T00:00
As the Greece crisis deepens, Kirsty Styles chats to economist Olivier Vardakoulias about how we got here and what happens next.
We revisit Greece this week following our 2 March 2015 epi...
Rethinking Economics from 2015-06-22T10:48:32
Kirsty chats to special guest Yuan Yang, co-founder of Rethinking Economics, an international network of students campaigning for better economics education.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Tw...
Beginner's Guide to Neoliberalism #1: The Basics from 2015-06-15T09:40:57
In the first of a special series for the Weekly Economics Podcast Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about our economic system, the difference b...
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RBS Fire Sale from 2015-06-08T08:06:24
Kirsty chats to special guest Christine Berry, a researcher in the economy and finance team at the New Economics Foundation, about the chancellor's plans to sell the taxpayer's stake in the Royal B...
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The Queen's Speech and Tax from 2015-06-01T00:00
Kirsty and James delve into the Queen's Speech to take a look at the government's plans on tax.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitter: www.twitter.com/weeklyeconpod
James Meadway on Twit...
Deflation and, er… Eurovision from 2015-05-26T00:00
Following the first fall into deflation in the UK since the 1960s, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about good inflation, bad inflation, negat...
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Northern Powerhouse from 2015-05-18T00:00
Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about the building of the 'Northern powerhouse'.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitter: www.twitter.co...
The Next Five Years from 2015-05-11T00:00
Guest host Huw Jordan chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about the results of last week's general election and the implications for economic policy over the n...
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Dealmakers and Dealbreakers from 2015-05-05T00:00
With the election looming, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about the deals each of the political parties might conceivably do on economic pol...
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Carbon Bubble from 2015-04-27T00:00
Special guest Stephen Devlin, an environmental economist at the New Economics Foundation, joins Kirsty to chat about the carbon bubble and the growing momentum behind the divestment movement.
<...
Manifestos from 2015-04-20T00:00
Last week the political parties launched their manifestos ahead of the election. Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about the differences betwee...
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Feminist Economics from 2015-04-13T00:00
Special Guest Polly Trenow from the Women's Budget Group chats to Kirsty about feminist economics and the gender impact of measures announced in the 2015 Budget.
Behind-the-scenes podcast ...
Europe Jargon Buster Spectacular from 2015-03-30T00:00
Europe, the EU, the ECB, quantitative easing… this week we take on subjects that are usually seen as complicated, boring or even frightening. Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist ...
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What Should Have Been In The Budget from 2015-03-23T00:00
Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about last week's Budget and what should have been in it.
Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitter: www.t...
What Will (And Won't) Be In The Budget? from 2015-03-16T00:00
In a special pre-budget episode, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation, about what will (and won't) be in the budget. Plus, we imagine what Chancell...
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Have Living Standards Bounced Back? from 2015-03-09T00:00
Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation (NEF), about the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report on living standards.
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Jargon of the w...
Does Greece Need a Plan B? from 2015-03-02T00:00
A month on from the Greek election, Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation (NEF), about the Syriza-led government's deal with the Eurogroup and wheth...
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Global Debt from 2015-02-16T00:00
Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation (NEF), about the rising level of global debt and whether that might spark another economic crash.
Wee...
Pilot: Has The UK Economy Recovered? from 2015-02-05T14:57:45
Kirsty Styles chats to James Meadway, Senior Economist at the New Economics Foundation (NEF), about the reality behind the falls in inflation and unemployment and rises in real wages and growth.