New Economics Podcast

Nov 19 2024 237 ep. 28 mins 2.6k

New Economics Podcast artwork

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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Are oil and gas workers the coalminers of our generation?

Nov 19 2024 37 mins

The International Energy Agency has said that the world cannot develop any new oil and gas fields if we are to stop climate breakdown. Keir Starmer has promised that the UK will slash its emissions faster than ever before and his government is banning new licences to drill for fossil fuels in the North Sea. Drilling in the wild waters of the North Sea has been a major Scottish indu

What to make of the Labour government's first budget?

Oct 31 2024 31 mins

The Autumn Budget was the most significant since George Osborne implemented austerity in 2010. Rachel Reeves announced one hundred billion pounds for infrastructure, forty billion in tax rises and a whole host of policy changes, which she hopes will deliver Labour’s mission of national economic renewal. But what does an extra hundred billion pounds mean for the UK? Are we finally

100 days of Labour: great success or bit of a mess?

Oct 14 2024 40 mins

By the time this episode comes out, the new Labour government will have been in charge of the country for one hundred days. So what do we know about how they’ll run the economy? Can they rescue our threadbare public services while promising a tight grip on government spending? And will their focus on growth deliver real change for those who need it most? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is

Lessons for the left after the far right riots

Aug 23 2024 43 mins

A few weeks ago, far-right rioters gathered outside a hotel hosting asylum seekers in Rotherham and tried to set it on fire. Across the country this horrific act of violence was replicated, as mosques, libraries and people driving home from work came under attack. But in the face of this racist and Islamophobic violence, people gathered to protest the presence of the far right in

Why the far right is winning in Europe, with Yanis Varoufakis

Jul 02 2024 42 mins

In the recent European elections, the far right won unprecedented gains. From the success of the AfD in Germany, to Le Pen’s National Rally in France, the elections saw nationalist and eurosceptic parties sweep up nearly a quarter of the seats in the European parliament. In the UK, the next general election is just days away. Voters will be heading to the polls against a backdro

Neoliberalism: The Invisible Ideology, with George Monbiot

Jun 11 2024 55 mins

We live under an invisible ideology. It tells us that we are not citizens but consumers. That intervening in the free market compromises our freedom. That we are all millionaires-in-waiting - and if we are struggling to make ends meet, then we only have ourselves to blame. This is capitalism on steroids. But few of us can even identify the doctrine we live under. It’s called �

Do we need to fight for the right to protest?

May 22 2024 39 mins

In February, the prime minister warned that “mob rule is replacing democratic rule” in the UK. He encouraged police to take action on pro-Palestine protests which, he said, had descended into “intimidation, threats, and planned acts of violence”. Over 50 organisations responded by accusing this government of placing draconian restrictions on the right to protest. A UN expe

What do the local elections mean for the UK

May 10 2024 30 mins

Three years’ ago, the Conservative Party celebrated their best local elections performance since 2008. But after last week’s local elections in England and Wales, the Telegraph called the results a “dire day” for the Conservatives. Now that the dust has settled, we’re taking a closer look. Local elections aren’t just about Count Binface and potholes. With the next gene

Why is the benefits system failing disabled people

Apr 23 2024 43 mins

Almost three million people in the UK are unemployed and unable to work because they are ill or disabled. According to the right-wing media, these people aren’t nearly as unwell as they claim. Meanwhile a UN committee warned that disabled people in the UK are subjected to a “traumatising” benefits system. We have a social security system that’s been stripped to the bone a

Should we be going for growth?

Apr 10 2024 53 mins

Britain’s favourite broadcaster David Attenborough once said: “Anyone who thinks you can have infinite growth in a finite environment is either a madman - or an economist.” But our political leaders don’t seem to agree. Both our major political parties have made growing the economy a key metric for their success in government. So what is economic growth? How did it become