Why is Britain broke?

The Story

The Times

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4 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 10 August 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Speculation is rife that the upcoming Autumn budget will introduce new tax rises following expensive U-turns on welfare and slower than expected growth. Some thinktanks have suggested Rachel Reeves’ next budget will need to find up to £50bn. The Times’ economics editor, Mehreen Khan talks to Luke Jones about why Britain is broke, and what can be done to find extra funds?

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory

Guest: Mehreen Khan, Economics editor at The Times.

Host: Luke Jones

Producer: Kate Lamble.

Read more:

Clips: Times News, The Telegraph, Sky News, ITV News.

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Next.
0:01.3	One cheesy beef patty, please.
0:03.5	No cheesy beef.
0:05.0	Okay, just beef there.
0:07.0	No just beef.
0:08.7	Jerk chicken?
0:09.7	That done.
0:10.7	Salt fish?
0:11.6	Fresh out.
0:13.3	Kalaloo?
0:14.8	Right.
0:15.9	What do you have then?
0:17.5	Pumpkin.
0:18.8	Last one.
0:20.4	You can't always get what you want around here.
0:22.8	But HIV prevention, that's always available.
0:25.8	Get free condoms, prep and tests.
0:28.4	Just search, Do It London.
0:34.1	From The Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story.
0:37.4	I'm Luke Jones.
0:44.4	You might be deep into your summer holiday, but Rachel Reeves, the chance of the exchequer, is still at her desk and feeling the cool, incoming chill of autumn and her next budget.
0:55.3	We haven't even set the date for the budget yet. So please forgive me if I'm not going to
	...

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