Michael Simmons

Tim Shipman, the political editor at The Spectator, and Michael Simmons, an economist and host of the Reality Chick podcast, dive into the current economic debates. They discuss Kemi Badenoch's increasing confidence at PMQs and her questioning of Labour's tax pledges. Michael forecasts that the public might face potential tax increases, while both explore the implications of the UK's productivity shortfall and growing support for wealth taxes. The duo also critiques Labour's definition of a 'working person' and evaluates the Conservatives' economic strategies.

Michael Simmons, Economics editor at The Spectator and host of the Reality Check podcast, dives into the controversial claims of the UK’s Covid inquiry. He dismantles the misleading 23,000 avoidable deaths figure, highlighting flawed pandemic modeling and the real-world data that contradicts lockdown effectiveness. Simmons emphasizes the importance of comparing international responses, particularly Sweden's approach, and warns of the long-term economic scars left by lockdown policies. He argues that lockdowns, rather than being an absolute necessity, were a choice with severe consequences.