Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University believes that the UK is now in a doom loop. With no coherent strategy, Rachel Reeves is digging us ever deeper into a hole, borrowing massively with no attempt to improve productivity or encourage growth. No wonder capital and talent is fleeing. For anyone wondering how we might do things differently in a politically viable way, reducing the state and improving state services, Tim recommends Lord Moynihan's very readable work, Return to Growth. And he finds fascinating the 180-degree ideological shift by many in Labour when it comes to our civil nuclear programme.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson reports on a thriving box office, well ahead of last year's take. #3 Ballerina has little to do with ballet, coming from the world of John Wick. It's stylish but is relentless, exhausing combat porn. Apple TV+ has Echo Valley with Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney. It's a thriller that gripped James throughout. Also on Apple is the documentary Deaf President Now! about a deaf university where the students felt they were second-class citizens. It too is recommended.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin is unsure about DeepMind's forthcoming "next generation email tool" which will answer emails in your voice. The rooftop garden of Google's new London HQ is plagued by foxes and rats. BIC celebrated 75 years by having a pen write Romeo & Juliet in the Bard's handwriting. Shimano have come up with automatic bike gears. There's a coffeemaker that does not need water – it sucks it from the air. AI now appears to be able to restore artworks without risking the original. However, AI also claims that the word "Welsh" is offensive. And Amazon says it will now punish companies that use fake reviews. But how do you punish bots?
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Finlay Mathers of Edison Group looks at two companies benefitting from increased spending on defence. After some problems last year, Chemring now has a £1.3bn record order book. The company mainly focusses on counter measures and its recent results were very positive. Avon Technologies specialises in military headgear and respiratory equipment. 50% of its revenue comes from the US Department of Defense. Although profitability had been under pressure following an acquisition, the company is seeing higher than expected growth and things look very satisfactory.
Guests: Finlay Mathers
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson is impressed that the box office has fallen only 20% with Lilo & Stitch and Mission Impossible #1 & #2. #3 is Karate Kid: Legends with Jackie Chan (the sixth in the series). It is formulaic but moves at a good clip. Independent film The Salt Path is #4, packing out screens where it is showing. It's an unbelieveable but true story with Jason Isaacs & Gillian Anderson and is worthy but lacking cinematic oomph. On Netflix James caught the Spanish crime drama A Widow's Game, which can be seen subtitled or dubbed. Sadly, it is all too obvious who the guilty party is.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Russ Mould of A J Bell points out that financial stocks have been performing really well of late, partly because things have been boring for them, with nothing untoward happening, while the yield curve is working in their favour. Banks will benefit from supply chains being brought home. They're difficult for private investors to analyse and there's a risk of performance chasing but, if they generate double-digit returns, there could be more to go. Russ highlights the banks value investors might favour and those offering decent yields, especially the big banks, which are also engaged in buybacks.
Guests: Russ Mould
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin is excited by Jony Ive's new venture, even though nobody yet knows what it is. He wonders how much Albert Einstein's business card will fetch. There's a face sticker that can monitor employees' tiredness, but there's a catch. Living tattoos have been developed for buildings. The UK's first flying taxi has had a real world flight over the Cotswolds. Who might want to buy a concrete coffeemaker? Loughborough University has created the world's smallest violin. Knee pain might be reduced with in-ear treatment. And you will soon be able to buy your own spaceplane – for a mere $30m.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Political commentator Mike Indian says that the Winter Fuel U-turn has undermined the position of the Prime Minister and Chancellor, with Labour MPs getting increasingly rebellious. But there is no obvious successor to Keir Starmer and Mike predicts that the PM will not only last till the end of this Parliament but stand again. In some ways, he feels, the forthcoming Spending Review is the biggest decision Labour will take in this Parliament. He approves of the money earmarked for improving transport in the north and the equipment detailed in the Defence Review. But it's clear personnel levels in the armed forces need to be raised. All this at a time when jittery markets no longer want to sustain growing government debt while growth is low.
Guests: Mike Indian
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson reports box office up 199%. #1 Lilo and Stitch, the latest manifestation in the massive franchise is, despite its popularity with young viewers, a cinematic abomination which James loathed every minute of. He'd been looking forward to #2 Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning, but James found the 8th MI outing lacks the laughter and romance of the first part two years ago. Full of exposition and almost three hours long, it's Mission Ridiculous. He found Apple TV's Fountain of Youth should satisfy its young adult audience but its playful screenplay goes completely off the rails at the end.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that Reform's rise in the opinion polls could see "The Blob" mounting a new "Project Fear". But it could backfire, particularly as some people like rebelling against the establishment. Will Labour fracture as the Conservatives did? With populations declining and welfare and pension liabilities mushrooming, the financial situation of western democracies is becoming increasingly unstable. With no incentive for politicians to explain how serious the situation is, are our societies doomed? And with the railways being renationaised, Tim considers the oscillation between state and private control over 200 years and wonders why we can't emulate the railway success of that other island state, Japan.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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