The Abundance Agenda

Tom Forth, a technologist and co-founder of The Data City, shares his insights on the failures of the HS2 project, highlighting governance missteps and budget blowouts. He discusses the idea of a National Data Library to improve data management in the UK and the need for transparency in data governance. Additionally, the conversation touches on the advancements in autonomous vehicle technology and its potential socioeconomic impacts. Forth's unique perspective on data utilization and infrastructure challenges sparks engaging dialogue throughout.

On The Abundance Agenda this week:* James is vindicated as Sizewell C has finally been funded!* Martin digs into the economics of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)* We explore the implications of Rachel Reeves supporting Northern Powerhouse Rail* …And James enters ‘The Cope Zone’ and explains how maybe – just maybe – the northern leg of HS2 might not be quite dead yet* Plus we speak to Kirsty Innes from Labour Together about her new policy paper, “BritCard: a progressive digital identity for Britain” – and explore how digital ID could make Britain work better.The grid website Martin mentions is here.You can find James’s howl of despair about the slow pace of infrastructure here.Martin’s piece on Natural England will be here.And James’s piece on why he’s been Blairpilled on digital ID will be here.If you’d like to talk business, you can contact us on martin (at) abundancemedia.co.ukThe 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.00:16 The NIMBY Debate and Hate Speech03:00 Nuclear Energy Announcements08:00 The Economics of Renewable Energy17:41 Small Modular Reactors: The Future of Nuclear?21:31 Transport Spending Review26:37 Northern Powerhouse Rail and Economic Connectivity27:28 Economic Theory and Football Teams27:53 Trans Pennine Railway Upgrade28:16 Impact of Railway Upgrades on Travel Times30:33 Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS231:52 Funding and Budget Considerations33:33 Podcast Housekeeping and Listener Engagement36:34 Introduction to Brit Card39:49 Digital Identity and Government Services48:24 Addressing Criticisms of Brit Card53:51 Conclusion and Contact Information 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:* Martin digs into the NIMBY assault on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is back in Parliament this week.* We get mad at the Guardian and Natural England (again).* We explore the big Abundance question at the heart of the Spending Review.* And in a surprisingly candid interview, former Conservative cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke makes the case for why his party needs to embrace building – or face irrelevance.You can find the slightly spartan Conservative YIMBY website here, and Sir Simon’s think-tank Onward here.The Centre for British Progress’s new paper, “The Case for Abundance: Why Demand Suppression Won’t Fix the Cost of Living” is here.You can find James’s piece slagging off Matt Goodwin here.And Martin’s controversial piece on crime 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.00:34 NIMBYism and Environmental Concerns04:48 Natural England's Role and Challenges10:33 Planning Reforms and Housing Crisis14:02 Spending Review and Political Trade-offs20:32 Balancing Short-term and Long-term Investments24:14 Housekeeping and Substack Newsletters24:51 Discussing Crime and Controversies25:43 Introducing the Guest: Sir Simon Clark26:40 The YIMBY Campaign and Housing Crisis27:54 Planning Infrastructure Bill: Eight Quick Fixes28:41 Political Challenges and Housing Policies41:30 Devolution and Local Government43:50 Treasury Brain and Economic Growth48:16 Concluding Thoughts and Personal Projects 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 a packed episode of The Abundance Agenda this week:* James and Martin run through five reasons to be optimistic, including the exciting news that the government has taken control of the planning powers for two major new reservoirs.* James heads to Old Oak Common, the massive new HS2 station in West London, and speaks to HS2 Station Delivery Director Huw Edwards about progress inside the 1.8km “station box”.* Then Martin explores the story of Skegness – and talks about how its 19th century success started with its infrastructure, and how its modern lack of infrastructure is helping Reform win votes.* And finally, we speak to Labour MP Antonia Bance about how to build good quality housing, the opportunities of industrial policy – and whether an ‘Abundance’ mindset can ever be politically popular.You can find James’s piece “Why I still believe in HS2” here.You can find Martin’s piece… whatever it is going to be this week… here.The report we talk about by Michael Dnes on missing roads 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.00:00 Introduction to the Abundance Agenda Podcast00:38 Top Signs of Progress: New Reservoirs03:09 Water Leaks and Infrastructure Challenges07:45 Planning Reforms: Heat Pumps and EV Chargers11:14 Railway Developments: HS2 and Great British Rail18:19 A Visit to Skegness: Seaside Towns and Infrastructure32:21 Government Failures and Local Issues33:09 Staycations vs. Holidays33:46 Podcast Housekeeping34:24 Crowdfunders and Substack Topics35:32 Listener Feedback on Local Plans38:34 Interview with Antonia Bance: Housing and Public Services47:59 Building More Homes: Affordable vs. Private52:45 Skills Crisis and Industrial Strategy01:01:42 Trade Unions and Technological Change01:06:10 The Abundance Agenda: Political Popularity01:10:14 Closing Remarks and Future Episodes 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, Martin explores new research which reveals that the planning system is – amazingly – even more dysfunctional than we thought. Then James digs into some new polling from Ipsos, which reveals that a plurality of people are actually supportive of building new homes.Then we have an update on the National Parking Platform, which we swear is more interesting than it sounds. And finally, we speak to Ben Johnson from the Centre for British Progress about his new paper, Security and Prosperity: Building UK Defence Innovation.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.James’s piece explaining why the National Parking Platform is cool is here.Martin’s latest on bins is 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

Andrew Hunter Murray, a writer, comedian, and podcaster known for his work on Private Eye Podcast and No Such Thing As A Fish, joins to delve into Britain's quirky aversion to air conditioning. He highlights that this resistance plays a role in housing challenges. The conversation also explores the implications of second home ownership and how smaller living spaces may offer solutions to the housing crisis. Murray’s insights reveal societal attitudes toward wealth and housing need fresh, transformative thinking.

On this week’s Abundance Agenda, we discuss Sadiq Khan’s dramatic YIMBY U-turn, announcing this week that London needs to build on its green belt – and why the real villains are London’s golf courses.Then we dig into the failure to build a massive new North Sea wind farm – and wonder what the changing economics of wind mean for the government’s 2030 Net Zero grid pledge.And finally, we speak to Sam Richards, CEO of Britain Remade, about his new report making the case for several new ideas to improve the planning system – and how these ideas could benefit not just the pointy-headed wonks, but British workers too.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.You can find James’s piece on why Tony Blair is right about climate here.And Martin’s piece on the nature of diagnosis here.00:00 Introduction to the Abundance Agenda00:26 London's Housing Crisis and the Green Belt03:55 The Reality of London's Green Belt05:25 Golf Courses and Urban Development10:28 Political Will and Transit-Based Development12:21 Opposition to the Green Belt Push17:36 Challenges in Wind Farm Development23:48 Future of Nuclear Energy Projects24:23 Challenges in Achieving Net Zero25:20 Government's Role in Nuclear Commitment26:08 Wind Farms and Inflation26:46 Housekeeping and Substack Updates28:25 Interview with Sam Richards29:01 Planning Reforms for Net Zero32:53 Estate Renewal Passports36:30 New Towns and Housing Expansion38:49 Nuclear Power Plant Regulations46:12 Environmental Rules and Clean Energy49:07 Local Support for Infrastructure Projects52:21 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

On this week’s Abundance Agenda, James reveals the secrets of what Tony Blair actually said about climate policy – by actually reading the words he has written.Then because it’s the 80th anniversary of VE Day this week, Martin shares some utterly mind-boggling numbers from D-Day – and explains why it was Abundance wot won it.And finally, we speak to Lindy Fursman, author of the aforementioned Tony Blair Institute climate paper, The Climate Paradox: Why We Need To Reset Action On Climate Change, and we explore the actual policy ideas within, instead of reacting hysterically.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.You can read James’s piece on why he hates Reels and other shortform video here.And Martin’s piece on diagnosis will be published later in the week 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 this week’s episode of The Abundance Agenda, Martin tells James a frankly horrifying story about another attempt to delay the construction of HS2, and then we speak to former OpenAI frontier AI researcher Rosie Campbell about why her new non-profit, Eleos Research, is focusing on the emerging field of “AI Welfare”.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.You can find Martin’s detailed Substack posts with maps, diagrams and much more detail here.You can read James’s solution to the AI/copyright problem here.And you can find Rosie’s colleague Rob Long, whose newsletter she recommended, 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 this week’s episode of The Abundance Agenda, hosts James O’Malley and Martin Robbins make a bold prediction about when the Sizewell C nuclear plant will get the green light.Then Martin horrifies James with a frankly shocking deep dive into caravans – or trailer homes.And finally, we speak to Robert Colvile, Director of the right-leaning Centre for Policy Studies about his views on the Planning Bill, and whether the Conservative Party can ever be persuaded to embrace Abundance.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.Robert Colvile is on Twitter, Bluesky, and is at the Centre for Policy Studies.James steals the opinions of the excellent Zion Lights at one point. (You can listen to James and Zion in conversation here.)00:00 Introduction to The Abundance Agenda00:27 Nuclear Power Predictions02:26 Energy Security and Nuclear Benefits05:08 Challenges in Nuclear Plant Construction06:52 Regulatory Hurdles and International Comparisons10:30 Caravans and Housing Issues12:24 History of Trailer Parks in America16:00 Trailer Living in Modern America19:02 Caravan Living in the UK22:32 The Housing Crisis and Future Trends28:20 Housekeeping and Social Media Call to Action28:47 Substack Newsletters and Upcoming Content29:48 Discussing Political Views and Ideologies31:07 Interview with Robert Colville on Planning Bill32:55 Challenges in Housing and Planning Reforms39:10 Political Dynamics and Housing Crisis53:44 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans 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