EMQs: Can the G20 still keep the peace?

Political Currency

Persephonica

Business, Economy, George Osborne, Westminster, Politics, News, Money, Ed Balls

4 • 855 Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Is the G20 still a force for peace and diplomacy, or just a stage for political performance? Ed Balls and George Osborne kick off this week’s EMQs with a question about nuclear non-proliferation and whether South Africa should push it up the agenda this year.

The pair then turns to a question from regular listener Douglas Alexander, Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security. Fresh off publishing the new trade strategy, he asks for George and Ed’s take on what it gets right and whether the Conservatives ever had anything similar.

And is there a way to make people see the value in their taxes? Maybe just a little? Ed and George weigh in on one of life’s certainties, thanks to a question from a gold subscriber who received world class care at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

To get episodes early and ad-free, join Political Currency Gold or the Kitchen Cabinet:

👉 patreon.com/politicalcurrency

👉 Apple Podcasts

Please note: Kitchen Cabinet is only available via Patreon.

Producer: Miriam Hall

Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca

Video Editor: Oliver Geraghty

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford

Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	I'm Jade from Siemens' new £200 million train factory in Gull, Yorkshire.
0:05.0	I used to be a warfare specialist in the Royal Navy, and now I am delivering the new Piccadilly Line trains.
0:10.0	Next I'll be working on our battery bi-mode trains.
0:13.0	Built right here in Yorkshire, they will not only help phase out diesel trains, but they could also help save the UK 3.5 billion over 35 years.
0:21.7	It's all part of Siemens' goal to transform rail, travel and transport for Britain.
0:25.9	Find out more at semenos.ukho.uk, forward slash, trains.
0:32.0	The Chancellor of the Exchequer.
0:34.5	Getting a lesson from the Shadow Chancellor and how to balance the books,
0:37.4	it's like getting a lesson from Dracula and how to look after a blood pack.
0:40.3	Ed Balls. As steady as she goes, budget. What kind of ship does he think he's on, the Titanic?
0:48.3	Themery Celeste. Welcome to EMQs from Political Currency.
0:52.3	With Ed Balls and George Osborne.
1:06.8	So hello and welcome to EMQ's ex-minister's questions and George, I am about to convey to you very exciting news.
1:14.2	We've had an email from following our conversation last week about adverts, famous adverts from the 70s and the 80s.
1:29.8	And it's an email from Premier Foods, Zara at Premier Foods, the owners of Mr. Kipling and other well-known brands saying that we heard Ed Bonds and George Osborne on the latest episode talking about how much they love and enjoy Mr. Kipling's products.
1:33.8	We'd like to send them a selection of treats into such big fans.
1:35.0	Would it possible to get an address?
1:37.8	We are going to get a selection of Kipling's cakes, isn't that?
1:41.1	I mean, and the great thing is, you know, however long the post takes,
1:44.7	they'll still be fresh, because that is the nature of a Kipling's cakes, you know, they really last. They are exceedingly good. They're exceedingly good. I actually
1:49.8	thought to myself, you know, what else are you a big fan of? I really like a Domino's pizza,
1:54.7	don't you? I quite like driving a Ferrari. Do you? Well, I mean, if Ferrari a list thing.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Persephonica, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Persephonica and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.