The Budget: Rumours And Reality (The Big Weekend Debate)
Newscast
BBC
4.4 • 6.4K Ratings
🗓️ 23 November 2025
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today, Laura and Paddy speak to a packed sofa of financial experts ahead of the government’s crucial budget announcement.
Former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, General Secretary of Unite the Union Sharon Graham, and former Chief Economist at the Bank of England Andy Haldane are in the Newscast studio to assess the runners and riders of economic policy that could be announced by Rachel Reeves on Wednesday.
Plus, how much of a moment of political jeopardy is this for the government? And what happens if they don’t pull it off?
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Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Rufus Gray. The social producers were Darren Dutton and Grace Braddock. The technical producer was Antonio Fernandes. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. Hello, Paddy. Hello, Laura. How was your panel? Excellent. I know why you're saying there. 10 out of 10. I say it because it's true. You know, because you've brought them all with you. I have. So yesterday was maybe the longest podcast we've ever done. Today might be the busiest. We've got three people on the sofa. Fabulous. She's a great pleasure. Well, it's ahead of the crunch budget. |
| 0:23.3 | The defining moment for politics and the country. Indeed, sink or swim. Huge pressure on Rachel Reeves ahead of Wednesday. So we have with us today people who can tell us what it's like to be preparing a budget, what's really going on with the economy, and we'll also try to untangle some of the politics. |
| 0:38.4 | So shall we get going with today's newscast? |
| 0:40.9 | We must. |
| 0:42.8 | Newscast from the BBC. |
| 0:45.1 | Fat boy sliver me in the classroom doing our violin lessons. |
| 0:48.0 | I was the tattletail in the class. |
| 0:49.3 | Can I have an apology, please? |
| 0:50.7 | I trust almost nobody. |
| 0:52.3 | That daddy has to sometimes do strong language. |
| 0:54.8 | Next time in Moscow. |
| 0:56.5 | I feel delulu with no salulu. |
| 0:58.3 | Take me down to Downey Street. |
| 1:00.0 | Let's go have a tour. |
| 1:01.8 | Blimey. |
| 1:04.1 | Hello, it's Laura in the studio. |
| 1:05.3 | It's Patty in the studio. |
| 1:06.4 | And with us, an assembled cast of all sorts of different experts |
| 1:10.2 | from different ideological sides of the divide. |
| 1:12.7 | Jeremy Hunt, former Conservative Cabinet Minister of many jobs, including Chancellor. |
| 1:17.1 | Andy Haldane, former Chief Economist of the Bank of England and Sharon Graham, |
| 1:20.8 | the leader of Unite, one of the biggest unions, who of course is a big voice in the Labour movement, |
... |
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