This week, Ed Balls and George Osborne mull museums and memes via bank holidays and pennies. With listeners telling us their locations of choice, funeral director Ross ranks highly with his admission that Ed and George are sometimes listened to in a hearse on the drive home. The pair consider: what are the merits of regulating the funeral industry?

Should our cultural institutions be charging more for access?

George calls upon his expertise as Chair of the British Museum to weigh it up. Meanwhile, Ed shares his own research into the economics of a bank holiday… do we really stand to lose billions if the government was to introduce another?

Toxic masculinity and online safety are in the spotlight in the wake of Netflix’s hit show Adolescence, with research indicating that young people in the UK are particularly worried about these issues. Ed and George look at the role of government in addressing their concerns, before assessing whether the humble penny should remain a staple of British life.

And a touch of nostalgia … a listener reminds the economic duo of the ‘Budget Rap Battle’, put together by Sky News when the pair were on opposite sides of the dispatch box. Ed expresses scepticism that such memes can make a political difference, although both agree that Nick Clegg’s I’m Sorry remix was a damaging – albeit amusing – moment in the Lib Dem leader’s career….

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.

Technical Producer: Danny Pape

Producers: Miriam Hall and Jarek Żaba

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

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

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

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

In the wake of Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’, Ed Balls and George Osborne break down the economic thinking – or lack thereof – behind President’s tariffs. Rather than the numbers emerging from complicated analysis, Ed explains how they are merely reached through a simple formula. Will the Federal Reserve be able to cut interest rates as quickly as Trump would like in the wake of his tariffs?

Back home, Keir Starmer is calling for calm and resisting a push to reciprocate, as he seeks to strike an ‘economic prosperity deal’ with the US. Is a wider security concern at play here?

And on the other side of the globe, Australians are preparing for a federal election, called by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for May 3rd. It’s currently looking like a neck and neck contest. Peter Dutton, his Liberal Party opponent, has previously made Elon Musk-like noises, creating his very own shadow ministry for government efficiency… But at a time when Musk might be finding himself out of favour, is this a wise way for Dutton to position himself?

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.

Technical Producer: Danny Pape

Producers: Miriam Hall and Jarek Żaba

Executive Producer: Dino Sofos

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

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

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

A whole host of Treasury buffs have sent in their questions this week in wake of the Spring Statement, for Ed Balls and George Osborne to answer. Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt asks whether in the light of Labour’s announcing civil service reductions and welfare reform, the government is “stealing our clothes”?

Lord Macpherson, Permanent Secretary to no less than three Chancellors, praises Rachel Reeves’ “courageous” claim of non-negotiability on her fiscal rules (which George translates as a euphemism for ‘bonkers’).

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride is predictably critical of the Chancellor’s choices, but how much is Rachel Reeves to blame for the situation she finds herself in?

And Ruth Curtice, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation and another former Treasury civil servant, sparks a conversation about how living standards will ultimately dictate Labour’s electoral chances.

Plus, Ed and George also clash over Keir Starmer’s use of “coalition of the willing” - is this a conscious attempt to provoke American sentiment, or simply a widely used buzzphrase?

You could have been listening to this episode of EMQs early and ad-free with a Political Currency Gold subscription! And even better, you can now get even more perks by becoming a member of our KITCHEN CABINET to get access to live tickets, merch and more!

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

Producers: Miriam Hall and Jarek Żaba

Executive Producer: 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.

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