Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
The major economic challenges confronting humanity — including the chronic and acute polarisation of wealth — are global in character, just as the major environmental issues. However, nations are too reticent to establish effective global governance to deal with them. All the signs are that Andy Burnham will take quite the opposite approach, with his emphasis on regional devolution within the United Kingdom. This is why it is so important to build awareness and debate on the merits and methodology of a global approach to egalitarian capitalism. Background music: 'The Plan's Working' by Cooper Cannell
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Oil prices have plunged in recent weeks as the war in Iran appears to be coming to a halt. But why did predictions of $200 oil never materialise? We discuss the underlying dynamics. We also covered a new Stablecoin that could be disruptive to payments, and why Nike’s comeback is stalling out. Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Tyler Crowe discuss why oil prices are dropping, did China prevent an energy crisis? Also, the new open USD Stablecoin, and are Stablecoins Disruptive? Plus, Nike’s earnings, and can Nike make a comeback? Companies discussed: Nike (NKE), Visa (V), Mastercard (MA). Host — Travis Hoium; Guests — Lou Whiteman, Tyler Crowe (1/7).
Guests: Lou Whiteman,Tyler Crowe
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Goodbye Halifax! It’s being scrapped by Lloyds after 173 years. But why would you kill off one of Britain’s best known and trusted banking brands? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss the end of a very familiar name and talk through the history of what started out as a building society ... and ask: is another historic name next? Also, Britons suffer the sharpest drop in wealth of any developed nation — what’s behind it, and can we arrest the decline? The pensions gender pay gap is still big according to a whole raft of data. We share some key ways that women can boost their pensions. And finally, the secrets to selling on Vinted are revealed by someone who is raking in £12,000 a month selling old clothes.
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Starmer's clarion call for the 2024 General Election was 'Change', somewhat different from Tony Blair's 'Education, Education, Education'. However, in contrast to Blair's delivery in Government, Starmer has got stuck in a morass of inaction, bogged down by the crisis in public finances and an unwillingness to tackle the big issues. The biggest of these is welfare spending, major changes to which former Chancellor Sir Jeremy Hunt recognises as the only way out of this dilemma. As we said on 26th May, it's time to call 'time' on 75 years of democratic socialism (and yes, let's remember that the Conservatives tacitly went along with this also). Background music: 'Taking in The Changes' by Everet Almond
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
On 29 August 2023 our newsletter described the black hole of economics as its failure to recognise the opportunity to use the human life-cycle in order to empower new generations of disadvantaged young people with resources and life skills. Thanks to Cambridge University, we've now taken a major step forward with the Inter-Generational Rebalancing Conference, and it's time to plan the next stage as we move through research, education and advocacy on the journey towards implementation. Background music: 'Saving the World' by Aaron Kenny
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
The direct nature of Pope Leo XIV's AI encyclical took some of his colleagues by surprise: as an AI expert Franciscan friar who has advised the Vatican says, ‘Papal documents usually speak in principles; this one names the structural problem — computational power is concentrated in the hands of a few private actors who answer to no democratic process’. The jury is still out on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on human employment, but a cartoon from Private Eye (see our commentary webpage) resonates closely with Standard Chartered's announcement that it will use AI to replace 'lower-value human capital', with about 7,800 back-office roles to be cut by 2030. Background music: 'The New Order' by Aaron Kenny. Image source: Wikipedia
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
There has been a spate of reports on youth unemployment recently, and Alan Milburn will warn of 'a generational, societal and economic catastrophe’ if we don't recognise that the welfare state was built for a different era, and must now change. The impact of such substantial debt, in both personal and public contexts, of Artificial Intelligence and the pervasive influence of social media present real challenges for young people. David Willetts set out the scale of the challenge at Share Alliance's Inter-generational Rebalancing Conference, and Professor Sir Julian Le Grand put his finger on the huge change in mindset that's required. It will require much more than tinkering with Labour Party leadership to sort this out. Background music: 'Metamorphosis' by Quincas Moreira
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Journeys of hope move forwards, not backwards; they need to keep moving, not get stuck in a rut. They need to build progress as we go forward, by discovering more about human capability and understanding. In this context, we somehow need to tackle the major challenges necessary in order to focus on global, not just national or regional, problems. Looking back at European Union membership with rose-tinted spectacles won't help us make that transition. Background music: 'Hopeful Freedom' by Asher Fulero
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
The collapse in electoral support for both Labour and the Conservatives shows the extent to which central governments have become a black hole for people's economic wellbeing by freezing tax thresholds, clinging on to universal (as opposed to targeted) welfare, and failing to address the gulf of opportunity which is holding back so many young people. It's time for politicians of all colours to reflect the need for all to see the opportunity for individual ownership and empowerment. Background music: 'Something Is Wrong' by Sir Cubworth
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Original Broadcast: Modern Mindset
Nearly six in every ten Britons say they’re worried about their financial future, and one in four have no savings at all. At the same time, new research suggests the public is looking back at past economic decisions with fresh scrutiny — with two-thirds now saying Gordon Brown made a mistake in selling off a large portion of the UK’s gold reserves. With gold prices now at record highs and economic uncertainty continuing, the question of how the UK manages its wealth and whether it got it wrong in the past is back in focus. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss this is Head of Research at GoldCore, Jan Skoyles.
Guests: Jan Skoyles
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