Political commentator Mike Indian says that the Chancellor's pre-Budget speech is clearly setting us up for tax rises. Labour's biggest mistake was promising not to increase income tax, VAT or National Insurance. With taxes at a high but the British state so sclerotic, people are entitled to ask, "Where is my money going?" Mike found it interesting that at the very moment when it looked as if the Chancellor might have to go over her rental income problems, that was when the Palace chose to strip Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his titles. It was a miscalculation for it didn't bury the story. But is it appropriate for the Royals to sort this out on their own? Mike believes not. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says getting serious medical treatment abroad has doubled in three years to half a million a year. Private health care hjere grows by 8-10% a year yet NHS waiting lists are still rising. Those now paying twice for healthcare may favour massive change in the NHS. Milei's unexpected mid-term win in Argentina is a huge win for free-marketeers and libertarians and may set a framework for governments wanting to turn their economies around. And with Budget talk of further tax increases, Tim discusses how moving to the United States could cut Britons' tax bills in half. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tim Price of Price Value Partners (Citywire's #1 fund YTD & over 12 months) feels that the performance of gold this year is less a gold story than a currency one. Freezing Russia's reserves torpedoed the US's funding powers when it has $38tn debt to fund. Since then, central banks have been disinvesting US debt in favour of gold bullion. The fiat currency jig is up. We know what a kilogram is, but no longer what a dollar is. Tim also discusses the malign effect of over-regulation, a fantastic book by Dominic Frisby about gold, how investors can tell when gold and silver have gone high enough and why you should not put your faith in debt and cash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the marking of Margaret Thatcher's 100th birthday, Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that many political experts now rate her even more highly than Churchill, a less successful peacetime Prime Minister. As the IMF warns about the UK's debt, growth and inflation, Labour's inability to cut profligate spending is taking the country to the edge while talk of higher taxes in the Budget is undermining confidence. It feels like all that has changed is the colour of the PM's tie. And, tongue firmly in his cheek, he wonders – with the French Fifth Republic in turmoil – whether what the country really needs is a constitutional monarchy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Political commentator Mike Indian discusses the 2nd anniversary of October 7th and the prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza, which would be a coup for Donald Trump. It's not an end to the war but a significant step on a long road ahead. Protestors at home are self-indulgent and should read the room. Having been to Labour and Tory party conferences, both leaders have emerged in a stronger position, while Andy Burnham misjudged things. Starmer set out his vision and he and Reeves are now the only game in town. Despite Badenoch banking on the long game, Mike feels she will be supplanted by James Cleverly before the next election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks at the party conference season. The Labour event was particularly bizarre. Amplifying the Reform message showed they are in serious trouble and indeed the latest polls show Reform at 35%, their highest yet. The public is at the end of its tether with the major parties and isn't buying the change in Labour or Tory rhetoric. Tim expects a wave of Tory defections to coincide with May's elections. Although no sports fan, he finds it sad that the BBC no longer has exclusive rights to any of the sporting events that are part of the fabric of the nation. The Corporation is spread too thinly and floundering and should have the confidence to make itself financially sustainable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Political commentator Mike indian thinks that it would be a big mistake for Andy Burnham to challenge Keir Starmer's leadership of Labour. He can't see what Burnham would bring to the table and feels it would be opportunistic in-fighting. He finds the American administration's criticism regarding free speech in the UK highly hypocritical. And he reckons Trump's speech at the UN is akin to a man standing on a street corner with a cardboard sign, someone we'd normally ignore. Trump is a danger to the modern world and we risk forgetting why we have become the societies we are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University believes that the defection of the talented Danny Kruger to Reform has demoralised the Tories. Will other defections mean they don't have enough numbers to be the official Opposition? He states why he believes that the most stable mixed economies are often those with monarchs, not presidents, especially in north-west Europe. Turning to Brexit, he feels that it is a process we are perhaps only halfway through, though he doesn't know where it will end up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Political commentator Mike Indian wonders why the revelations about Lord Mandelson weren't caught in the vetting process but his sacking tops a bad week for the Prime Minister. Mike says that Angela Rayner will be missed: she spoke to Labour voters who Starmer can't reach. Mike expects she will return to the cabinet within a year or so and may yet end up as the party's leader. The PM needs a deputy leadership election like a hole in the head as it will allow grievances to be aired; some are calling it a referendum on his performance. Mike also summarises what he feels should be in the autumn Budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the arrest of comedian Graham Linehan for social media comments, Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says we cannot go on behaving like this and expect our friends in the United States to go on supporting us in our quest for a free sociey. We are humiliating ourselves internationally and spiralling into a broader delegitimation crisis. Argentinian President Milei calls himself an anarcho-capitalist. But what is that? Tim explains a world of scholarship dating back over 150 years. And with the Tories so low in the polls, distrusted and in no man's land, he asks if the Conservative Party might already have died. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Keir Starmer replacing his PPS, the third senior member of staff to leave, political commentator Mike Indian says it gives an impression of ineffectiveness and fosters a bunker mentality at the government's heart. Now that Reform is having to put meat on the bones of policies with its deportation plan, Labour must address the small boats problem. Although the Budget will now be largely written, Mike's advice is for the Chancellor to be bold and use a wealth tax to pay down debt and encourage people to save for their grandchildren's future and help bring down the cost of living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks at the increasingly farcical row over cryptography. As so often, the new bill's unintended consequence could leave the UK's young people even more susceptible to malign influences. He is fascinated by Nowcast's poll putting the Conservatives behind the Greens and SNP. Could we be returning to the 19th century conservative vs liberal political picture? And despite what some commentators say, Tim believes that the UK's current financial predicament is far worse than in the 1970s and that a bond crisis could come upon us out of the blue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Political commentator Mike Indian worries about the outcome of the Ukraine summit in Alaska, given that Trump does not see Russia as the aggressor while Zelenksy has not been invited. With Vance's trip to the UK, we are seeing a very different relationship than other recent US presidencies, one where the American government appears genuinely interested in Britain. Rachel Reeves will be glad that UK growth is stronger than expected. But she must still raise revenue in the Autumn budget and it's looking increasingly likely that there will be massive changes to Inheritance Tax. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that with Rachel Reeves facing a £50 billion black hole, he can't understand why the government is enacting or considering policies that will worsen our economic position. We are now surely in a doom loop and both Labour and Tories are making huge mistakes in carrying on with an unsustainable big state. He considers the strategic errors of the EU, which subcontracted its energy supply to Russia, its supply chains to China and its defence to China. Europe's policies are not rooted in sound economics or governance and its recent trade deal massively benefits the USA. Others may complain about Trump's tariffs but the EU has over 4,000 in force. He discusses a forthcoming book from demographer Paul Morland which claims that the human race is in danger of dying out. Despite some vigorously reproducing countries, too many are ageing and shrinking, putting pressure on welfare states and losing innovation and inventiveness. Without a massive change in course, many parts of the world are in terminal decline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Political commentator Mike Indian discusses the move by Macron, Starmer and Carney towards recognising a Palestinian state. While largely a symbolic gesture which presents a number of complicating factors, the Netanyahu goverment is clearly losing support in the West. Discussing the doctor's strike, with a call for a 29% rise after getting 22% last year and West Streeting's tough language, Mike feels they may be overplaying their hand. He finds Donald Trump holding court during his UK visit fascinating but thinks Starmer is better than most leaders at handling Trump. As the ONS confirm the second highest population increase since WW2, Mike points out that without migration the population of many Western countries would fall. He finds himself deeply suspicious of the rhetoric of many politicians on the right on this topic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that we are living in changeable times and that the major political parties we have known all our lives may not hold sway for much longer. Jeremy Corbyn has finally agreed to join a new hard-left party with Zara Sultana, although the name won't be announced until its first conference. Pollsters suggest 10% of voters could support it, mirroring what is happening on the right with the Conservatives and Reform. Kemi Badenoch's reshuffle is instantly forgettable and confirms something is going seriously wrong with the Tories. Meanwhile Reform remains consistently ahead of Labour and is now trying to add form and structure, building a board and ensuring it is ready for the next election, which Tim feels could be in 2028. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Political commentator Mike indian discusses the removal of the whip of the four MPs who led the welfare rebellion. Despite Labour's massive majority, it is proving hard to maintain party discipline. Rachel Reeves has emerged as Starmer's co-Prime Minister with market reaction to her tears in the Commons strengthening her position, as there seems no possible alternative Chancellor. The Afghan data breach, and the superinjunction covering it up, is a spectacular blunder by the British state. It heightens the impression of incompetence at the top and the belief that civil servants are never held to account. Lastly, Mike turns to the lowering of the voting age to 16, wondering if Reform might not be the party that benefits most from it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that it is now obvious that the welfare state begun by Lloyd George and Churchill in 1909 is on an unsustainable path and that the political cowardice of MPs has to end. The OBR has warned how vulnerable the UK's position is, yet not even Labour can get a grip on it. Tim discusses his own recently published "manifesto" as to how a failing state where nothing works can be rescued by private enterprise, pointing out the growing trend for people turning to private providers. And he highlights the massive sea change in the public's attitude towards private healthcare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that the wheels are coming off the welfare project that began in the early 20th century. The state can no longer do it all and either massive changes are made proactively or it will happen reactively through a money market crisis. Sadly, few politicians show the necessary pragmatism and we may already be seeing the early signs of a legitimation crisis. He also looks at Donald Trump. The domestic picture is mixed but, internationally, he cannot remember a US President moving so many dials so rapidly and in such significant ways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Political commentator Mike Indian discusses the G7 meeting with Donald Trump to the fore. He doesn't believe the vaunted UK trade deal with the US is the full thing but, more important, were the discussions on Ukraine and the Middle East. Mike also ponders whether the G7 is becoming less relevant as a body. He turns to the grooming gang inquiry, the latest in a long-running, disappointing saga. The terms of the inquiry and the timescale will be vital. As with the decriminalisation of abortion, Mike laments the toxicity of these and many other current issues. Political discourse is getting angrier and consensus ever harder to find: this is not helpful for democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices