Last week hundreds of tractors drove through Parliament Square. It was the latest protest by UK farmers against changes to inheritance tax announced by the chancellor. From farmers’ protests to the poll-tax riots in the 90s, the amount of tax we pay to the government churns up intense emotions. We want to rescue our cash-strapped public services - but most of us are reluctant to pay more tax. Do Labour’s tax plans go far enough to fix our broken economy? Is the UK really a high-tax nation? And if we want an economy that meets everyone’s needs, do we all just need to pay more tax? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Sara Hall, deputy director at Tax Justice UK, and Hannah Peaker, director of policy at NEF, to discuss. Music by A.A Aalto (available: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_A_Aalto/Bright_Corners/Corps_Of_Discovery/), used under Creative Commons licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney and Margaret Welsh. The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

From housebuilding to sewage systems to the NHS, private companies are deeply intertwined with our essential public services. But is partnering with big corporations the only way of improving people’s lives? Is private investment a vital ingredient in economic renewal? Or will it just lead to price gouging for us and soaring profits for corporate execs? This week Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Daniela Gabor, professor of economics at SOAS, and Aveek Bhattacharya, research director at the Social Market Foundation, to discuss the role of private investment in our economy and public services. Music by A.A Aalto (available: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_A_Aalto/Fest/Sneak), used under Creative Commons licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney, Margaret Welsh and Amy Clancy. The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

The International Energy Agency has said that the world cannot develop any new oil and gas fields if we are to stop climate breakdown. Keir Starmer has promised that the UK will slash its emissions faster than ever before and his government is banning new licences to drill for fossil fuels in the North Sea. Drilling in the wild waters of the North Sea has been a major Scottish industry for decades. Now, its time may be coming to an end. But what about the people who depend on the industry for their livelihoods? What will happen to workers and communities in places like Aberdeen? And how do we square this with the need to kick our addiction to destructive fossil fuels? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Anna Carthy, senior policy researcher at Uplift, and Mika Minio-Paluello, industry and climate lead at the Trades Union Congress, to discuss. Music: Curious by Poddington Bear (available: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Curious/Curious/), used under Creative Commons licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney, Margaret Welsh and James Rush. The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

The Autumn Budget was the most significant since George Osborne implemented austerity in 2010. Rachel Reeves announced one hundred billion pounds for infrastructure, forty billion in tax rises and a whole host of policy changes, which she hopes will deliver Labour’s mission of national economic renewal. But what does an extra hundred billion pounds mean for the UK? Are we finally taxing the wealthy properly? And has the chancellor gone far enough to rescue our public services? Ayeisha Thomas Smith is joined by economist James Meadway and NEF Director of Policy Hannah Peaker to discuss. Music: Caterpillar Tunnel by Poddington Bear (available: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Curious/CaterpillarTunnel/), used under Creative Commons licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney, Margaret Welsh and James Rush. The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

By the time this episode comes out, the new Labour government will have been in charge of the country for one hundred days. So what do we know about how they’ll run the economy? Can they rescue our threadbare public services while promising a tight grip on government spending? And will their focus on growth deliver real change for those who need it most? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Aditya Chakrabortty, senior economic commentator at the Guardian, and Ailbhe Rea, associate editor at Bloomberg UK, for the first episode in a new series of the New Economics podcast. ....... Music: Gathering by Poddington Bear (available: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/Encouraging/Gathering/), used under Creative Commons licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney, Margaret Welsh and James Rush. The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

A few weeks ago, far-right rioters gathered outside a hotel hosting asylum seekers in Rotherham and tried to set it on fire. Across the country this horrific act of violence was replicated, as mosques, libraries and people driving home from work came under attack. But in the face of this racist and Islamophobic violence, people gathered to protest the presence of the far right in their communities and to rebuild after the attacks. It was people showing solidarity with their neighbours which ultimately seemed to stem the riots. As the dust settles on the violence, how do we combat the rise of the far right? Are economic deprivation and austerity to blame for that week of violence? And can communities come together to combat racism and Islamophobia? For a one off special episode of the podcast, Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Minnie Raham, Chief Executive of Praxis, and Abi O'Connor, researcher at NEF. Find out more about: Praxis: https://www.praxis.org.uk/ Green and Black Cross: https://greenandblackcross.org/ Music: What happened in the past doesn't stay there by Lee Rosevere, Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/m... used under Creative Commons licence: cre​ativecom​mons​.org/​l​i​c​e​n​s​e​s​/​b​y​-​n​c​/4.0/.

Yanis Varoufakis, an expert in economics and former Greek Finance Minister, discusses the rise of far-right parties in Europe post-elections. They delve into the political landscape, economic strategies in the UK, challenges for the left, rise of technofeudalism, and alternative socialist solutions.

George Monbiot discusses the impact of neoliberalism on democracy and society. They explore how neoliberalism promotes individualism and free markets, attributing economic struggles to individuals. The podcast delves into the history of capitalism, the exploitation of resources, and the commodification of healthcare under neoliberalism. It also touches on the decline in mental wellbeing in the UK due to neoliberal policies and the importance of using restoration stories to counter neoliberalism.

In February, the prime minister warned that “mob rule is replacing democratic rule” in the UK. He encouraged police to take action on pro-Palestine protests which, he said, had descended into “intimidation, threats, and planned acts of violence”. Over 50 organisations responded by accusing this government of placing draconian restrictions on the right to protest. A UN expert has claimed that before the 1930s, it was almost unheard of for peaceful protesters to be imprisoned in the UK. But last year two climate protestors who scaled a bridge on the Dartford Crossing received the longest sentences for peaceful protest in modern British history. Are we witnessing a protest crackdown? Why are politicians referring to some protest groups as “extremists” and “militants”? And how can we defend the right to protest? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Akiko Hart, Director of Liberty, and Audrey Cherryl Mogan, Criminal Defence and Civil Liberties Barrister. ....... Music by Aldous Ichnite, used under Creative Commons licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Amy Clancy, Margaret Welsh and James Rush. The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

Three years’ ago, the Conservative Party celebrated their best local elections performance since 2008. But after last week’s local elections in England and Wales, the Telegraph called the results a “dire day” for the Conservatives. Now that the dust has settled, we’re taking a closer look. Local elections aren’t just about Count Binface and potholes. With the next general election creeping ever closer, journalists and political wonks were watching these elections like hawks. So who were the big winners and losers? Has the rise of metro mayors increased democracy in England? And what does this all mean for the next general election? Hannah Peaker is joined by joined by Dr Abi O’Connor, senior researcher at the New Economics Foundation and Jack Shaw, fellow at the Bennet Institute for Public Policy. ------- Music: Thoughtful by Lee Rosevere, Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/lee-rosevere/music-for-podcasts-playful/more-questions-than-answers/, used under Creative Commons licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney, Margaret Welsh and James Rush The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254