There's a strange convergence of aggression which is drawing both international conflict and personal hatred into the mainstream; social media bears considerable responsibility for this convergence, and Donald Trump's combination of his calls for peace while posting aggressive messages on Truth Social really don't help. There's a very straightforward instruction in the gospel of St. Matthew, to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, but little guidance or teaching from Church leaders on how to make this happen. Drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, here are some ideas which could work at both personal and international levels. Background music: 'Confliction & Catharsis' by Asher Fulero
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Rather than seek global convergence, nation states are digging in deeper in all the three areas that conspire to drive them apart — conflict, threats and re-armament; climate change; and massive wealth differentials. The United Nations was designed to provide a route for resolving these differences, but it's not working. It's time to step forward and provide it with democratic legitimacy, so that the voices of people across the world can be properly heard. Background music: 'World's Sunrise' by Jimena Contreras
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Government inaction is rooted in Civil Service reticence. It's not a recent phenomenon; it inspired 'Yes Minister' forty years ago, much to Margaret Thacher's amusement. But when it frustrates a Labour Government's abiity to deliver a key policy of its predecessor such as Child Trust Funds, that's a different matter. At the start of Boris Johnson's premiership, Dominic Cummings sought to control HM Treasury reticence by moving his team into HMT. Sir Keir Starmer appears to be doing a reverse takeover by drawing Darren Jones into No. 10 as his 'Chief Economic Secretary'. Will it work? Background music: 'People Watching' by Sir Cubworth. Image source: BBC
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
It’s September, it’s back to work, back to school and back to mild chaos. This week saw a delayed Budget announced, with a raft of speculation that will only mount over what bad news that could mean, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner forced to quite after underpaying stamp duty to the tune of £40,000, and long-term UK borrowing costs hit the highest level in 27 years. So, what on earth is going on? And aren’t we in the phase of the plan to get Britain’s economy back on track where things meant to be getting better not worse? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert do their best to keep the politics out of it while discussing the Budget, the stamp duty row and the gilts wobble. They explain what this all means for the UK’s national finances and our personal finances and look at whether things could really be about to improve. Plus, should the biggest take away from the Angela Rayner stamp duty situation be that it’s a terrible tax that needs to be reformed so bills are slashed for all, as soon as possible? And finally, if your pre-booked Uber fails to turn up, you miss a flight that the airline dragged forward by half a day, and end up paying £475 for new flights, should you be able to get someone other than you to foot the bill?
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
The Gordian Knot is an ancient Greek legend of an immensely complex knot ‘so tightly entangled that it was impossible to see how it was fastened’. Whoever succeeded in releasing it was destined to rule all of Asia: that task was achieved by Alexander the Great. Today’s Gordian Knots — conflict, climate change and the polarisation of wealth — are all critical to the future of humanity, but they all share a common origin: the motivations of fear and greed. We can see the solution, but do we have the determination to apply it? Background music: 'World's Sunrise' by Jimena Contreras
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Herd mentality among humans is amply demonstrated in family, sport and business, but collective self-interest becomes more threatening in politics and particularly in international relations. Developing an individual perspective on life is central to freedom, but it needs to be accompanied by a generosity of spirit in order to respect the right of 'each to their own' among others. Background music: 'Freedom' by Dan Lebowitz
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Italy is not alone in experiencing a massive fall in its birth rate over recent years: so has the United Kingdom. Lowering the voting age to 16 is all very well, but it needs to be accompanied by a raft of co-ordinated policies to help young adults towards family formation and independent living. Rural villages, where house prices are so often well out of reach for young people, provide a clear litmus test of whether these policies are working. Do you remember mortgage interest rate tax relief, or when university life didn't end in heavyweight student debt? We need a coordinated policy framework to improve conditions for young adults. Background music: 'Folk Tap Harp' by Unicorn Heads
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
A comment article in The Times last Friday was headed, 'Starmer and Reeves must change to survive' — but which way? The backbench Labour MP uprising called for even more State spending, but the bond market and the July 22nd ‘Cost of Government Day’ say no — the public sector is already much too big. Of more concern is their preference to go for the 'stick' of welfare reduction rather than the 'carrot' of empowerment through individual ownership and freedom for all, drawing a sharp contrast between this Labour Government and that of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown two decades ago. Background music: 'Hopeful Freedom' by Asher Fulero Image: happier days, from Wikimedia
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Simon Rose is joined by political commentator and author of The Groucho Tendency blog, Mike Indian, to discuss how UK politics has got to where it is. In this episode recorded in October 2019, Simon and Mike discuss the history of the Labour Party. As the party strains to maintain its unity notwithstanding its huge majority from the 2024 election, it's interesting to reflect on its journey over past decades.
Guests: Mike Indian
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
The Chancellor was like a person sitting on the cliff-edge of colossal public debt last week, convinced that her massive 'investment' commitments can overlook the void below. It appears that economic stimulation is the only game in town for the British economy, and even that seems to avoid joined-up thinking in some key areas. Background music: 'Ether Oar' by The Whole Other
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