A Long Time In Finance

Gripped by sluggish growth and low investment, the UK decides to solve its problems by embarking on a "dash for growth" - spending big and cutting taxes. We talk to economic historian Duncan Weldon about the Heath government's disastrous 1972 "Barber Boom" (named for the chancellor Tony Barber) and what lessons it holds for Boris Johnson's wayward administration.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Duncan Weldon.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies are collapsing across the etherspace. Neil and Jonathan talk to Izabella Kaminska, founder of the Blind Spot and keen cryptowatcher, about Terra, Luna and Tether, the death spiral of the stablecoins, and whether anyone in the real world should care..Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Izabella Kaminska.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second of our two-part series looking at Gordon Brown's 1997 decision to give the Bank of England control of setting interest rates, we talk to our guest Paul Tucker, a former deputy governor of the Bank, about the financial crisis, Quantitative Easing and the future of central bank independence.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Sir Paul Tucker.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 6 May 1997, Gordon Brown raised interest rates as chancellor for the last time and then handed the keys to monetary policy to the Bank of England. In the first of a two part series, we reflect on that decision with Paul Tucker, a former deputy governor of the Bank, discussing how it was taken, the institutional upheavals and the fruits of independence.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Sir Paul Tucker.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Non-doms are back in the news following revelations about Rishi Sunak's wife, Akshata Murthy and health secretary Sajid Javid. We extract a definition of this archaic fiscal concept from top tax lawyer Dan Neidle, then discuss how it's lasted so long (around 220 years) and how to reform it. Lastly we all ponder how on earth Rochdale-born Javid came to be a non-dom in the first place.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Dan Neidle.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China declared that its friendship with Russia had “no limits” just before Vladimir Putin plunged into Ukraine. Neil and Jonathan talk to China watcher and economist George Magnus about how the war has changed Beijing’s relations with the West, and what it all means for Taiwan, financial decoupling, and whether China is still an investable place to put your cash.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With George Magnus.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Merryn Somerset Webb of Money Week and FT columnist about why the Russian crisis is also a crisis for ESG investment, Carl Icahn’s war with McDonalds, and how your investment choices could actually make the world a better place (without putting your loot in an ESG fund).Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Merry Somerset Webb.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second part of our series about kleptocrats suppressing free speech in English courts, top lawyers Mark Stephens (http://twitter.com/markslarks) and David Hooper (http://twitter.com/thesooperhooper) discuss how both the law and legal practice needs to change to stop this chilling activity.Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Mark Stephens and David Hooper.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent decades, oligarchs and kleptocrats have routinely used English courts to silence free speech and launder their murky pasts. In the first of a two part series Neil and Jonathan talk to distinguished lawyers Mark Stephens and David Hooper about the history of “lawfare” and their own experiences of it.  Presented by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With David Hooper and Mark Stephens.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Sponsored by Briefcase.news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sanctions on Russia over its Ukraine invasion are splintering the world’s financial system into mutually antagonistic blocs. Neil and Jonathan talk to financial historian Edward Chancellor about parallels with 1914 and the 1930s and the possible consequences of a full rupture.Hosted by Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins.With Edward Chancellor.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.