EMQs: TikTok, Strictly, and foreign aid
Political Currency
Persephonica
4.1 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 3 November 2025
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Why won't Labour make rejoining the EU its new "silver bullet" against Nigel Farage? A listener challenges Ed Balls and George Osborne on tackling the "political third rail" of Brexit. Ed argues the EU wouldn't even want the UK back on its old terms - likely forcing the Euro and Schengen - while George predicts Britain will inevitably "creep back" towards the Single Market.
Then, a direct question from the Gates Foundation confronts the former Chancellors on the 40% cut to foreign aid. George, the Chancellor who delivered the 0.7% target, blasts the "remarkably silent" and "compliant" aid community, delivering a stark warning to "get louder" or face even more cuts.
Plus, with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping down, could Ed and George be the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing? The pair reveal how unscripted the podcast really is, George shares his favorite TikTok restaurant reviewer, and Ed reacts to his "hot phase" going viral on social media…
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Assistant Producer: Caillin McDaid
Senior Producer: Silvia Maresca
Video Editor: Maha Al-Badrawi
Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Chancellor of the Exchequer. |
| 0:02.0 | Getting a lesson from the Shadow Chancellor in how to balance the books, |
| 0:05.0 | it's like getting a lesson from Dracula and how to look after a blood back. |
| 0:08.0 | Ed Balls. |
| 0:10.0 | As steady as she goes, budget. |
| 0:13.0 | What kind of ship does he think he's on, the Titanic? |
| 0:15.0 | Themery, Celeste. |
| 0:17.0 | Welcome to EMQs from Political Currency. |
| 0:20.0 | With Ed Balls and George Osborne. |
| 0:27.8 | Welcome to EMQ's, ex-minister's questions. |
| 0:32.3 | And, Ed, I've got an idea for you. |
| 0:35.5 | There's a job we can apply for. |
| 0:38.7 | We're tired of podcasting. |
| 0:40.3 | Well, maybe we could do it alongside our podcasting. |
| 0:41.7 | I'm not actually talking about the American ambassador job, |
| 0:45.0 | the job of the British ambassador of Washington, |
| 0:46.6 | which has just popped up on the civil service |
| 0:49.2 | or the government's job website. |
| 0:51.4 | It's quite an unusual job to be advertising there. |
| 0:53.5 | Anyway, I'm not suggesting we apply for that right now. |
| 0:56.9 | What is a double act? |
| 0:59.1 | Well, why not? |
... |
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