The Abundance Agenda

Martin looks at the BBC’s coverage of the Universal theme park and asks… why is it so weirdly negative? James reminds everyone about Eurostar’s forgotten stations – in Ebbsfleet and and Ashford, which haven’t seen international trains since 2020. And we speak to Sally Gimson about her new book Off The Rails: The Inside Story of HS2 (out now!).The Good Growth Foundation’s report on re-opening Ashford is here.Starmer shouldn't give a conference speech – he should give an Apple-style keynote (by James)Martin’s piece on the BBC’s Universal coverage will be here.Our previous coverage of Old Bridge Way, with lots more context, is here.Martin’s amazing expose of the attempts to delay HS2 in Wendover can be heard here.And previous coverage of the Universal theme park is here.Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts!The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com

On The Abundance Agenda this week:* James talks about ‘London Unchained’, a new paper by Labour Together and the YIMBY Alliance that figures out how we could actually pay for the much-needed Bakerloo line extension, level-up the north, and protect the credibility of the public finances… all at the same time!* And we speak to Sam Freedman, author of the Comment is Freed newsletter, about what the ‘Abundance’ view is missing, how to shift political incentives towards building – and playing Civilisation with his dad.The Labour Together/YIMBY Alliance paper, ‘London Unchained’, can be found here.James’s write up on the paper, with his own thoughts is here.Martin’s newsletter is here.Sam’s excellent book, Failed State is essential reading and can be found here.The episode about Dobbins Lane we mentioned is here, and the one where we talk about Northern Powerhouse Rail is here.Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts!The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com

On The Abundance Agenda this week:* Can deleting emails and photos really save water? James unpacks possibly the worst government advice ever published.* Martin pitches a bold new strategy for wiping out obesity and saving the NHS billions of pounds.* And we speak to Ruth Cadbury, Chair of the Transport Select Committee in Parliament, about integrated journeys, HS2, autonomous cars… and James’s e-scooter problem.Andy Masley’s debunk of the government’s water advice is here.Natasha Loder and Peter Singer on generic semaglutide is here.The Transport Committee’s inquiry on joined-up journeys is here.James’s piece on how he still thinks AI will eat the world is here.Martin on Plato vs Grok is here.James’s piece on the Sunday trading poll is here.Our earlier episode on the two new reservoirs that are being built is here.Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts!The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here.00:26 Breaking News: National Water Crisis01:18 Government's Water-Saving Advice03:13 Critique of Government's Digital Water-Saving Advice04:42 The Absurdity of Deleting Emails to Save Water09:36 The Bigger Picture: Personal Responsibility vs. Systemic Solutions12:46 The Role of Incentives in Public Compliance16:10 Personal Grievances and Weight Loss Journey19:40 The Impact of Drug Pricing on Health27:34 Potential Solutions for Affordable Weight Loss Drugs29:02 The Future of Weight Loss Drugs29:43 Global Patent Expirations and Market Impact30:14 UK's Patent Dilemma and Potential Solutions30:48 Economic Benefits and Unintended Consequences32:16 Housekeeping and Listener Engagement33:00 Substack Newsletters and AI Discussions34:38 Interview with Ruth Cadbury: Transport Issues43:17 HS2: Challenges and Future Prospects51:44 Autonomous Vehicles: Reality or Hype?55:35 E-Scooters: Legalization and Public Perception01:00:39 Conclusion and Farewell This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com

Is AI actually a big deal or not? Following the launch of GPT5, James and Martin finally hash out the biggest unresolved tension on the podcast.Martin, an AI sceptic makes the case that the tech bro hype is out of control. And James, a wide-eyed optimist argues that actually maybe Large Language Models are a significant technology after all.Plus we talk about why the AI critics are so annoying, why Grok is the best manifestation yet of Silicon Valley’s id, and what AI means for abundance.No guest this week as the discussion goes too long!You’ll be able to find Martin’s post on Plato vs Grok here.James’s post on Sunday trading is here.You might also enjoy the post James mentioned on how AI is going to break schools, which can be seen here.Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts!The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com

Plus is the government about to legalise e-scooters? And how did the government persuade the Daily Mail that it's a good idea? Plus we speak to Alistair Strathern MP about Old Bridge Way and what it tells us about the fraying social contract between politicians and voters.Martin’s big post on Old Bridge Way is here.James’s post on a similar mess in Kent is here.Martin’s post on “WASPInomics” is here.James’s post on what Ebbsfleet can teach the next generation of New Towns is here.Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts!The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here.00:22 Martin's Housing Estate Dilemma01:39 The Road Maintenance Conundrum03:29 The Story of Old Bridgeway06:22 The 1990s Expansion and Road Issues11:16 The Daniels Brothers' Scheme15:11 Council's Reluctance and Public Outrage19:34 Scooters: The Next Big Thing?28:36 The Legalization of Private Scooters: A Missed Opportunity29:39 Current Speculations and Government Stance31:08 Daily Mail's Surprising Take on E-Scooters31:40 Proposed Regulations for E-Scooters32:51 The Role of Local Authorities and Public Frustration33:53 Promoting the Podcast and Substack Newsletters35:29 Interview with Alistair Stratton: Local MP's Efforts38:56 Challenges in Local Governance and Public Discontent45:40 The Broader Impact on Politics and Social Contracts53:14 Engaging with Constituents: The Role of an MP55:52 The Planning Bill and Future Infrastructure01:00:02 Conclusion and Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com

Does the populist left believe in abundant energy and housing? Why was a major housing development rejected in Peckham? And we speak to former nuclear minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath.You can find James’s piece on amendments wrecking the planning bill here.Martin’s piece on WASPInomics will be here.Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts!The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com

In this conversation with Tom Copley, the Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development, fascinating insights on London’s housing crisis unfold. Copley discusses a new fund aimed at financing housing, revealing why Sadiq Khan revised his stance on greenbelt land. He highlights the challenges of meeting ambitious housing targets while balancing environmental needs. The dialogue also touches on the absurdity of climate emergency declarations without action, underlining the pressing need for strategic integration between housing and transportation in the city.

Michael Dnes, a consultant at Stonehaven and former Department for Transport employee, shares his insights on infrastructure planning. He tackles the myth of land-banking, highlighting systemic issues in the housing market. Dnes reveals fascinating tales, including how a nuclear plant was approved in just three days. The conversation delves into the challenges of expediting projects while maintaining thorough planning, and examines the evolving landscape of road construction and its historical context.

On The Abundance Agenda this week:* Martin digs into the Ten Year Plan for the NHS (which is more important than whether Rachel Reeves was smiling) – and we get mad at the stupid moralising about the use of weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic.* James explains why the innocuous new GOV.UK app is actually a major step towards the total transformation of the British state.* And we speak to Ant Breach from the Centre for Cities about his recent report on housing supply bottlenecks – and how to fix them.James’s exhaustive piece digging into the digital government blueprint is here.Martin’s latest on the unfixable road with no owner is here.James’s latest, on how Universal Credit went from being a disaster to a wild success is here.The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here.00:27 The NHS 10-Year Plan: Context and Challenges01:41 The Infinite Demand for Health02:32 The Rising Costs and Limits of NHS Spending05:57 The Government's New 10-Year Plan for the NHS06:53 Principles of the New NHS Plan07:26 The Cost of Healthcare and the Importance of Early Intervention13:16 The Role of Digital Transformation in the NHS15:40 The Controversy and Potential of Weight Loss Drugs26:15 The Gov UK App: A New Era of Digital Government31:45 Introduction to the Digital Government Blueprint32:33 Richard Pope's Vision for Digital Government33:05 The Gov UK App: A New Relationship with the State34:05 Potential Benefits and Concerns of the Gov UK App35:24 Future Implications of the Gov UK App35:49 Privacy and Civil Liberties Concerns36:14 New Features and Functions of the Gov UK App38:00 The Role of Databases in Government Efficiency39:16 Housekeeping and Substack Newsletters40:26 Interview with Ant Breach on Urban Housing and Regulations42:19 The Future of Urban Planning and Building Regulations58:43 Controversial Ideas in Urban Housing01:01:05 Conclusion and Listener Engagement This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com

On The Abundance Agenda this week:* James looks at the government’s new attempt to make phone signal on trains better – and explore why getting reliable 4G and 5G on the rails is a really difficult problem.* Martin reveals why the Office of National Statistics might have inadvertently broken a whole bunch of economic statistics – and why this is bad if you care about knowing what is actually happening in the country.* And we speak to Labour MP and the government’s Growth Mission Champion Dan Tomlinson about why we need to build, the importance of growth if we want to redistribute wealth – and we try (with limited success) to sell him on the idea that we should make Abundance the guiding philosophy of Starmerism.The alarming review of the ONS by Sir Robert Devereux is here.James’s post on what the NHS can learn from Dave.Martin’s post on HS2 and the slow decay of Britain.The Abundance Agenda is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts!You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here.00:26 Controversial Opinions of Matt Goodwin01:59 The Reality of Phone Signals on British Trains02:16 Government Initiatives to Improve Train Connectivity03:16 Challenges with Train Signal Technology07:04 Comparing UK and French Train Connectivity11:19 Future of Train Connectivity: HS2 and Beyond15:31 The Role of the Office for National Statistics25:21 Chasing New Projects Over Core Work26:47 The Human Element in Official Statistics27:47 Impact of the Pandemic on ONS29:10 Leadership and Culture Issues at ONS30:20 Future of UK Statistics and Management32:15 Promoting the Podcast and Substack34:09 Interview with MP Dan Tomlinson38:14 Dan Tomlinson's Political Journey41:11 Challenges and Solutions for UK Growth52:08 The Abundance Agenda55:43 Conclusion and Farewell This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com