

Funding the Future
Richard Murphy
Richard Murphy and occasional friends talking about everything you need to know to understand the economy, tax, finance and how we fund our future.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 11, 2025 • 7min
Tax cheats could fill the black hole
People say Rachel Reeves faces a £40bn “black hole” in the UK budget. She is hinting at tax rises — but that gap could be filled, at least in part, by collecting corporation tax already owed. In this video, I explain how billions go unpaid each year, why HMRC is fighting blind, and how three simple changes could fix the system. Honest businesses would win. Tax cheats would lose. And they would need to hit ordinary people with tax increases.

Aug 10, 2025 • 7min
Neoliberalism is a con
For over 45 years, neoliberal and neoclassical economics have dominated UK policy — and failed us. These models rest on absurd assumptions about human behaviour, markets, and government. In this new series, I will dismantle their false logic, explain why they fail, and show how you can argue back with reason and evidence. Economics should serve people, not markets. Let’s take it back.

Aug 9, 2025 • 11min
Toblerone, tariffs… and Trump's chaos
Donald Trump has slapped a 39% tariff on Toblerone from Switzerland – but this isn’t really about chocolate. It’s about a dangerous trade war targeting allies and enemies alike. In this video, I explain how tariffs work, who really pays for them, and why Trump’s economic nationalism will mean higher prices, job losses, and global instability. Fair trade matters – and this isn’t it.

Aug 8, 2025 • 12min
The UK isn’t out of money
The UK can’t run out of pounds any more than it can run out of inches. In this response to Gary Stevenson, I explain why money is a public good, created by the state, and why it’s wrong to claim the government is broke. That myth props up the austerity agenda. If we want real change, we must stop telling neoliberal stories—even by accident.

Aug 7, 2025 • 11min
We’ve got enough pie!
Lisa Nandy says the UK needs a “bigger pie.” But the truth is, we already have enough pie. The problem is how it’s sliced—and Labour refuses to talk about that. In this video, I explain why the Big Pie Theory is economic nonsense, how growth hides inequality, and what we must do instead: redistribute, regulate, and reprioritise.

Aug 6, 2025 • 11min
Do we need the wealthy?
Are the wealthy essential to our economy – or are they holding it back? In this 10th video of the series, I examine whether we need their land, their taxes, their consumption, or their ideas. And I explain why redistributing wealth could make us all better off – even the rich themselves

Aug 5, 2025 • 18min
What is profit?
I’ve spent 50 years studying profit as an accountant, economist, and political economist. And here’s the truth: almost no one understands what profit really is, least of all mainstream economists. In this video, I explain why profit is not just income minus expenses, why external events matter more than you think, and why our government has no concept of capital worth preserving. This isn’t just about accounting. It’s about building a new system where people and planet come first.

Aug 4, 2025 • 14min
What kind of politics do we really want?
We face crises on every front—climate, inequality, insecurity. The economic models we’ve been told are “normal” have failed. So what kind of politics could work for people and planet? In this video, Richard Murphy compares socialism, social democracy, capitalism, neoliberalism, and his alternative: the politics of care. Which vision do you want for our future? Watch now and vote in the polls.

Aug 3, 2025 • 9min
Unhappy by design?
Explore the dark side of advertising and how it manipulates feelings of inadequacy, fostering unhappiness. Discover the concept of the 'Unhappiness Engine' and its impact on mental health and self-worth. Learn about the intentional design behind ads that push consumers toward unnecessary spending. The discussion encourages listeners to embrace individuality and resist the pressures of consumerism, promoting a healthier mindset and personal empowerment.

Aug 2, 2025 • 14min
The wealthy won’t leave
People say higher taxes will drive the rich away. But here’s the truth: most wealthy people stay put — and even if some do leave, the UK keeps their houses, pensions and financial assets.
This video exposes the hollow threat of ‘rich flight’ and makes the case for bold action on tax justice. Let’s stop being held hostage by a myth.


