Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that English common law is the absolute jewel of the UK and that the undermining of trial by jury is utterly shocking; doubly so that it is being done by Labour, which has usually been at the vanguard of civil liberties. The UK public sector is withering and being hollowed out from the inside. He discusses whether the equality of women in society was not only a political story but also an economic one, concluding that – as with other stories of liberation – it is a bit of both. Reform is now Britain's best-funded political party, which is of particular significance in the run-up to the local elections. Tim notes that Reform is now stealing Tory policies such as setting up a sovereign wealth fund. Better late than never. If it encourages other parties to commit to this, then all to the good.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson is delighted by #1 Hoppers from Pixar. A sci-fi film with a theme of connectivity to the natural world, it's vastly entertaining and imaginative, with plenty of comic business, even if it becomes a bit complicated at times. #4 is The Bride!, written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It's the nearest any Frankenstein adaptation has come to being a romcom. Starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley, who gives a no-holds-barred erotic turn, it's an homage to the movies which gets better and better as you think about it afterwards. Streaming on BBC iPlayer is another Oscar-nominated documentary, Mr. Nobody Against Putin. James found this story of a schoolteacher in the Urals objecting to the militarisation of schools after the invasion of Ukraine highly impressive.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Russ Mould says that investors can't ignore what is happening in the Gulf, which has seen a jump in volatility and sharp declines in some of the investments that been doing best but which had little downside protection. Despite this, the broader US market is roughly where it was a week before. Oil is up by a fifth, but that is still much less than during other Middle Eastern crises. For investors, though, the important thing is not to panic. If you had good reasons for your investments before, then be patient, seek diversification and value and avoid leveraged situations. Energy stocks like BP and Shell account for 10% of the FTSE by market cap and the market is saying the oil price is about right. Oil service companies could be worth a thought if the conflict lasts longer than expected but the only one the UK has left now is Hunting.
Guests: Russ Mould
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Political commentator Mike Indian says that Kier Starmer's decision to stay out of the strikes on Iran is wise. There is no sense of an end-game plan. All this is a long way from Trump's first-term rhetoric of "no foreign wars". It is hard to see this as anything but naked aggression. We, however, have built our post-war security under the US nuclear umbrella and our failure to protect our bases merely highlights the cutbacks in our armed forces in the last 15 years or so. If we are smart, perhaps we will use the conflict as a spur to increase our defence budget. Has Starmer's refusal to help harmed the "Special Relationship"? That hasn't really existed since Bush and Blair. Iran will run out of ammunition before the Americans but what happens then? The muted reaction to the Spring Statement shows how quiet things have become on the Rachel Reeves' front. The forecasts for growth have been downgraded but the Chancellor is still on track to meet her tax and spending rules. A surge in inflation as a result of "events" could yet pose her problems.
Guests: Mike Indian
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin says Apple have come out with a slew of new devices, the only interesting one being a new MacBook at a surprisingly low price. When three AIs simulated war games, they opted for nuclear war 95% of the time. Wearers of Meta's Ray-Ban AI glasses might be disturbed to learn that they are being watched by monitors in Nairobi, including while they have sex. The Tesla Cybercab has no steering wheel or pedals; it also can't actually drive on roads yet. Google spinoff Beam offers high speed internet using light instead of cables. Surrey University has found a way to make batteries without expensive lithium while a Cornish firm thinks lithium will be a by-product of its geothermal power. There's a robot chef that can produce up to 500 dishes, but might take a while to clean afterwards. And a Finnish company is embedding retractable studs in tyres to make snow chains redundant.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson is not a fan of #1 Scream 7, despite the return of Neve Campbell. He didn't care for the characters, found the film nasty and thought it made no sense. He was more positive about The Testament of Ann Lee, with Amanda Seyfried giving a career-best performance as the founder of the Shaker movement with an excellent Mancunian accent. It's a bonkers film, being a musical biopic on an enormous visual canvas but it shows what cinema can do and is very memorable. Come See Me In The Good Light is an extraordinary documentary – nominated for an Oscar – about a poet with terminal cancer and how they deal with it. It is deeply moving but also full of joy and laughter. It is also one of the most intimate and personal films about a relationship.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Finlay Mathers of Edison says that BP is going through a strategic reset. Its full year results show a strong underlying performance. There's a big divestment programme under way. Buybacks have been suspended to strengthen the balance sheet while Capex has been trimmed as the company refocusses on what it does best. Wheaton Precious Metals is a $70 billion company and yet it only has 44 employees. It's the world's largest precious metals streaming company. It doesn't mine anything but finances mining companies up front in return for a share of the revenue. Their margins have exploded as precious metals prices have risen. They have signed a new deal with BHP which is the single most valuable streaming transaction ever. They are the highest-growth name in the streaming space.
Guests: Finlay Mathers
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin is dismissive of a robot that can fold laundry – very slowly and possibly needing remote human operation. More impressive is the forthcoming Dyson PencilWash electric floor mop. He is in tune with the Co-op in Sheffield whose freezers are attracting people who like the C#major chord they play. Scientists at Vienna University have created the smallest ever QR code while Microsoft's aim to store data on glass that will last millennia might have a small flaw. Steve explains why some video doorbells don't spot nefarious activity. There's a military-grade smartphone with thermal imaging and night vision. And the world's largest spherical building, modelled on the moon and containing a 4,000-room hotel is being planned. They just aren't sure where to put it.
Guests: steve caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
James Cameron-Wilson reports that box office is down 32%, though Wuthering Heights is still #1. #6 is the unnerving but funny horror Cold Storage. Witty, in the mould of Tremors, this gruesome tale of a deadly fungus has all the makings of a cult classic, managing the tricky balance between gross-out horror and laugh-out-loud comedy. At #10 is Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, a sci-fi twist on Groundhog Day with Sam Rockwell a traveller from the future trying to prevent the AI apocalypse. A satirical shaggy dog epic in the manner of Terry Gilliam, it is very funny and chilling at the same time. James admired the Netflix documentary The Perfect Neighbour. Largely taken from police bodycam footage, it is about a neighbourhood tragedy in Florida. Although it is widely tipped for an Oscar, he is not sure of its merits as a watchable movie.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University wonders what the Gorton and Denton by-election could portend for British politics. Could it be another signpost to the end of traditional two-party politics? Is something going wrong for the established political class? Might it signal the end of Starmer's Premiership? Tim cites both a study into NHS maternity services and a statement from a former health minister that doubling the NHS budget over 20 years has made no difference to the nation's health as evidence of the truth of Gammon's Law about the growth of bureaucracy displacing useful work. Lastly, he and Simon discuss the loss of a mutual friend, Simon Richards, former chief executive of the Freedom Association. Dubbed "the nicest man in British politics", he wore his politics lightly but had an amazing talent for bringing people together. In an age where politicians are so earnest and serious, we need more people like Simon. He, and his infectious laugh, will be much missed.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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