DOGE, apples and irregular migrants


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Mar 12 2025 28 mins   4.2k 3 0

It’s been 12 weeks since President Trump announced the formation of DOGE, the so-called department of Government efficiency. We fact-check various claims connected with the drive to route out inefficiency. Listeners asked us to investigate the claim that 1 in 12 Londoners is an illegal immigrant. We look into the claim that imported New Zealand apples have a smaller carbon footprint than British grown apples. Plus - did VAT on private schools really boost the rate of inflation, or was that just a media concoction?

Presenter: Tim Harford
Series Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Producers: Lizzy McNeill, Nathan Gower and Josh McMinn
Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Co-Ordinator: Brenda Brown