Podcasts about chancellor george osborne

As Britain reflects on 50 years since Margaret Thatcher took the helm of the Conservative Party, the outlook for free-market thinking—and a dynamic economy—has rarely seemed so uncertain. In this special edition, CapX Editor-in-Chief Robert Colvile is joined by former Chancellor George Osborne and Professor Sir Niall Ferguson of the Hoover Institution to chart a course for the party's future. Recorded live at the Margaret Thatcher Conference, this episode is presented in partnership with the Centre for Policy Studies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BUMPER BUDGET ISSUE: Our resident former adviser to Chancellor George Osborne, Helen Thomas, takes a deep dive into what the Budget will look like and what the impact on markets will be. 

This week marks 10 years since a landmark shift in the way we could all use our pensions. Back in the Spring of 2014 the then Chancellor George Osborne announced plans for new freedoms, allowing people over the age of 55 to take 25 per cent of their pension tax-free and use the rest as they wished. What impact did that have? Hundreds of survivors of economic and physical domestic abuse have been helped by a new scheme set up by one of the UK's biggest banks. TSB's "Flee Fund" was launched just over a year ago to offer financial help to people trying to escape abusive partners. Dan Whitworth reports from Preston.There was a rare U-turn from HMRC this week. On Tuesday it announced it was planning to close its self-assessment phone helpline for six months of every year. The tax authority said it wanted people to use a chatbot and access its online services instead. Then, just over 24 hours later, HMRC changed its mind and halted those plans. It says its "listened to the feedback and is halting the helpline changes as it recognises more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers' needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services.” What does that mean?Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researchers: Luke Smithurst, Eimear Devlin and Sandra Hardial.(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 23rd March 2024)

The Chancellor has revealed his Budget but the rocket of right-thinking has spotted a shadowy figure on the horizon heading towards Mr Hunt - the Office for Budget Responsibility.Strapping into the rocket to help navigate the nuances is Helen Thomas from Blonde Money, a former advisor to then-Chancellor George Osborne. Helen thinks that the ghost of ignoring the OBR in the now infamous Autumn Budget of 2021 is haunting the current government, and making them over cautious.Liam thinks the OBR is at loggerheads with the Treasury as the Chancellor wanted to give a big cut to grab headlines but he had to compromise with a cheaper option.And Co-Pilot Pearson, aka Velma, also has some concerns about these spooky shenanigans - namely that the government has missed the mark by not addressing first time buyers and social mobility.Plus, as ever, we delve into the bulging PN mailbag.Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ |Read Allison: 'Stop being scared of Islamophobia. Start worrying about Anglophobia' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/03/05/the-government-new-extremism-laws-needs-engage-muslim-women/Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal | Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of NRLA podcast Listen Up Landlords, presenters NRLA CEO Ben Beadle (@BeadleBen) and Richard Blanco (@richardblanco_)  examine the thorny issue of landlord taxation. Ben and Richard are joined by Stuart Adam, a senior economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, who believes that measures introduced by former Chancellor George Osborne are harming tenants by forcing rents up. He says that in his opinion the Government should restore the deduction for finance costs in full (mortgage interest relief) and get rid of the additional dwelling supplement in stamp duty, changing the existing tax system to make it fairer for landlords.   With XL Bully attacks and the new Government ban making the headlines in recent months, Samuel Blackhurst from the NRLA's Landlord Support Team talks about some of the calls the association has received on the issue. And later in the show we are joined by former landlord and letting agent Claire Empson, who has sold her rental properties to invest in a holiday let, and Avril Roberts, Senior Policy Adviser from the Country Land and Business Association. Avril says more and more members, many of whom operate in the agricultural sector, are diversifying into holiday lets to mitigate the impact of Brexit, which has seen them lose important farming subsidies. To listen to the episode in full click here. If you enjoy the show, please spread the word on your social media channels using the hashtag #listenuplandlords. For all podcast enquiries email press@nrla.org.uk  ACCREDITATION: You can now pick up a CPD point to be used towards NRLA accreditation by listening to the podcast. To log your point, visit the accreditation dashboard in the ‘Your Account' section of the NRLA website. Select ‘Other' then ‘NRLA Podcast' from the dropdown menu. More information To read a full transcript of the show click here. For the latest on the NRLA campaign on landlord tax click here. For the latest on holiday lets click here.

In October 2010 a UK spending review triggered the start of a bleak time of austerity for the nation. The news was broken to the nation by millionaire Chancellor George Osborne. It's Bugle issue 132, Massive Cuts. Presented today by Chris Skinner.Hear more of our shows, buy our book, and donate here: thebuglepodcast.com/This episode was produced by Chris Skinner and Laura Turner Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month an influential select committee announced it would be recommending NRLA proposals on rental reform to the Government. This month Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee and Labour MP Clive Betts joins presenters NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle (@BeadleBen) and Richard Blanco (@richardblanco_)  to explain why the plans – on everything from court reform to a review of landlord ­ tax – are so vital when it comes to reforming the sector. During a wide-ranging discussion he criticises the lack of a proper strategy for the PRS, arguing that the Government 'should be clearer about what they see as the long-term role of the private rented sector', concluding 'good landlords are important' to the provision of rented housing that so many people need. With Ministers committed to ending Section 21 repossessions, Betts agrees with the NRLA that there is a 'great danger' the Government's proposed changes will not work without proper court reform to speed up legitimate possession cases.  He also brands controversial changes to Mortgage Interest Relief, brought in by former Chancellor George Osborne ‘unfair'. To listen to the new episode in full click here. If you enjoy the podcast, please spread the word on your social media channels using the hashtag #listenuplandlords.  For all podcast enquiries email press@nrla.org.uk   ACCREDITATION: You can now pick up a CPD point to be used towards NRLA accreditation by listening to the podcast. To log your point, visit the accreditation dashboard in the ‘Your Account' section of the NRLA website. Select ‘Other' then ‘NRLA Podcast' from the dropdown menu.  More information  To download a transcript of the podcast click here.

Calum and Kirsty are joined by James Chapman, who was an adviser to Chancellor George Osborne; and Karim Palant who was an adviser to Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, to take you behind the scenes of budget day. James tells us how the budget is even decided - including one measure that was kept secret from the Cabinet - they only found out about it when it was announced to the Commons. Plus, he discusses leaks that caused headaches for the government. Karim tells us about the room that opposition aides gather in to assemble messages and memos to run to the floor of the Commons chamber for the opposition response to be updated in real time. Kirsty wears her Number 10 hat - telling us that budget day is pretty relaxed for the Prime Minister - and wears her journalist hat to discuss the media briefing immediately after the budget. All of our guests were recorded independently - and every one of them mentioned the infamous pasty tax. Hear what they have to say about how budgets unravel. Email us anytime: hello@whitehallsources.com. Support the podcast by becoming a member at: https://plus.acast.com/s/whitehallsources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As U.K. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveils huge spending cuts and tax hikes in his Autumn Statement, host Ailbhe Rea looks back at the economic program still haunting the current debate: the austerity of the early 2010s. David Gauke, one of former Chancellor George Osborne's must trusted lieutenants, opens up about how the big decisions were taken and reflects on how he'd do things differently if he had his time again. Torsten Bell, head of the Resolution Foundation think tank and formerly head of policy for Labour leader Ed Miliband, considers the effects of the spending cuts and the differences between the Labour and the Conservative positions, while Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, talks about what he thinks his party got wrong. Carys Roberts, executive director at the IPPR think tank, discusses the way the public debate played out, while Professor Michael Marmot considers the impact of austerity on life expectancy and health inequalities across the U.K. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the UK faces "difficult decisions" for economic stability. As he seeks to gain the confidence of the market, what are his Government's plans when it comes to curbing inflation, balancing the budget, and taxation as it announces the new budget will be delayed? The team are joined by financial consultant Helen Thomas, a former special advisor to shadow Chancellor George Osborne, who shares her insights into the mindset of the cabinet, the messaging around the economy, and how and why markets react the way they do to political events. Also, as Suella Braverman returns to her position as Home Secretary, having previously resigned for data breaches, the team discuss the potential political row bubbling up.

In what is possibly our most topical episode to date our guest is the former Chancellor George Osborne. Talking on the day after Liz Truss's resignation, George delivers a detailed view on the unravelling political and economic crisis and explains why he fears the end is nigh for the Tory government. And he also talks revealingly about the crises that came before … from the 2008 financial collapse to Brexit and his role in it. Delivering a lesson that any employer should hear, he tells me what happened on the day he was brutally fired – after six years as Chancellor – by Theresa May. And why it caused him to seek revenge. It's quite a story. I hope you enjoy this timely and useful conversation.George's Crisis Cures: 1st Crisis Cure – Finding the time to clear your mind. 2nd Crisis Cure – Not being afraid to take advice 3rd Crisis Cure – A glass of red wine at the end of the day.Links: 1.Stream/Buy ‘Allies' by Some Velvet Morning: https://ampl.ink/qp6bm Some Velvet Morning Website: www.somevelvetmorning.co.uk Your Daily Practice: Sleep by Myndstream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5OX9XgJufFz9g63o2Dv2i5?si=b2f9397c92084682 Host – Andy CoulsonProducer – Louise Difford

A special 5x15 event with Chris Blackhurst- an acclaimed writer, commentator, former editor of The Independent and author of Too Big To Jail (Macmillan)- in conversation with investigative reporter Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the World and Moneyland. El Chapo, the world's number one drug baron, had a problem: he needed to launder the billions of dollars he netted from peddling drugs across the United States. Step forward, HSBC... Too Big to Jail : Inside HSBC, the Mexican drug cartels and the greatest banking scandal of the century by Chris Blackhurst tells the shocking story of how the bank that likes to call itself ‘the world's local bank' came to the aid of one of the world's biggest drug cartels. For years, HSBC via its Mexican subsidiary, acted as a giant laundromat for Chapo and his Sinaloa drugs cartel. In one visit, a Chapo henchman deposited $933,000, in cash; they also used specially made boxes that exactly fitted the cashiers' windows; the gangsters routed their money via HSBC in the Cayman Islands - 60,000 accounts were opened, holding $1.2billion. Warnings to the bank were ignored. The Americans wanted to prosecute HSBC bankers but incredibly, the UK government, in the shape of the Chancellor George Osborne, intervened, arguing this risked bringing down the bank and the entire financial system. In the end, in late 2012, HSBC received a fine, the largest in US history, of $1.9billion. But this amounted to just five weeks' profits. The result, as with the crisis of 2008, was that no banker went to jail. Too Big to Jail vividly and grippingly details this tale of appalling greed, hubris and utterly scandalous behaviour. Chris Blackhurst is an award-winning journalist and commentator. He worked on investigations for The Sunday Times, at Westminster, and was City Editor of the Evening Standard and Editor of The Independent. He was hailed in the Guardian as “the outstanding story-getter of his generation”. His writing has appeared in many of the world's leading titles. He is an accomplished broadcaster. Oliver Bullough is a prize-winning journalist and author from Wales, who specialises in the former Soviet Union and corruption. His work appears in the Guardian, the New York Times, GQ magazine, Prospect and elsewhere, and he regularly appears on the BBC, Sky News, CNN and other media outlets. His books include Moneyland, about which John le Carré said: "If you want to know why international crooks and their eminently respectable financial advisors walk tall and only the little people pay taxes, this is the ideal book for you" and most recently Butler to the World. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

The rising cost of living continues to bite as we board the rocket of right thinking this week, but UK-EU relations have also returned to centre stage.Baroness Claire Fox steps into the spaceboots again as guest co-pilot, to help Liam dissect all of the week's judicial jousting and performative politics. Claire believes the EU is determined to pick a fight over the Northern Ireland Protocol bill, describing it as the 'third big Brexit battle.' She warns Boris Johnson must get tough to push the bill through if he wants to retain support. Liam thinks it is 'completely out of order' the way the EU is 'messing with Northern Ireland,' and argues they just want to give the UK 'a kicking' over Brexit. Both our co-pilots also took issue with the way the European Court of Human Rights intervened to stop the deportation of migrants to Rwanda.The Government's economic policy was also on the agenda this week, with millions of households struggling to afford the basics as food and fuel prices spiral.Co-pilot Halligan suggests the Prime Minister and his party are having an identity crisis, as the Conservatives remain divided over whether to cut taxes to stimulate the economy, or to continue borrowing and spending.Also climbing aboard the capsule of common sense this week is Helen Thomas, Former adviser to Chancellor George Osborne and CEO of BlondeMoney. She agrees that there is a battle on for the soul of the Conservative Party, but urges traditional Tories to embrace a bigger state in this time of crisis if they want to win over a new generation.Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |Read more from Claire: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/c/ck-co/claire-fox/ |Listen to History Defended: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history-defended|Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The nature of British economic policy, and the Treasury's role in directing it, have ebbed and flowed over the past 25 years. Monetary policy was ceded to the Bank of England in 1997, but the Treasury then extended its grip over domestic policy. The last decade has seen it respond to two once-in-a-lifetime economic crises, oversee a period of austerity, and play a key role in the Brexit debate. The Treasury – and the Chancellors who have led it – have not had a quiet quarter of a century. How has British economic policy evolved in recent decades? What evolution have we seen to the role of the Treasury, and has this led to better or worse policy outcomes? To what extent is this about institutions or the personality of the Chancellor? And what can we learn from the Treasury's recent record, as Britain looks to drastically improve its economic record over the coming decade? To debate and answer these questions, the Resolution Foundation and Society for Professional Economists are hosting a joint event to mark the launch of a new book by Howard Davies, The Chancellors: Steering the British Economy in Crisis Times, who has had leading roles at key economic institutions ranging from the Bank to the Treasury, the CBI and the LSE. The work draws on interviews with most recent Chancellors and Howard will be joined at the event by former Chancellor George Osborne. Watch the event back: https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/chatting-to-chancellors/ 

‘What is China?' seems to be an important question to ask as we are dragging in the slipstream of an increasingly belligerent American policy toward its biggest rival. It only seems like yesterday that Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne helped in the beginning of a new golden age in Anglo-China relations. How quickly things soured. Paolo Urio, Professor Emeritus at the University of Geneva, has been a China watcher for several decades so who better to help us answer the question. HRH Queen Diambi of the Bakwa Luntu People of Kasaï in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a philanthropist, businesswoman, and environmentalist as well as a passionate advocate for Africa and its diaspora. She recently toured the UK addressing the Oxford Union and the plastic-free ocean summit in Devon. She joined Sputnik to tell us more about her title, work, and activism.

Jack hears from former Chancellor George Osborne about how these morning memos are devoured by senior politicians and newspaper editors alike; and from current and veteran authors including Esther Webber, Paul Waugh and Benedict Brogan about their daily struggle to get the email out on time. Former government special adviser Jamie Njoku-Goodwin discusses their impact inside the corridors of Whitehall; while New York Times media columnist Ben Smith questions whether their impact upon political coverage has really been a healthy one. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

More than five years since pension freedom arrived a solution to take the pain out of investing in retirement is being lined up. Before pension freedom many savers were locked into buying an annuity with their personal pensions or defined contribution work schemes – and a lot of them felt they were getting a raw deal. That’s meant that keeping a pension invested and drawing on it as you choose in retirement has proved a very popular option. It is also a very tricky one to navigate – but now some simple help is at hand, so will it crack the conundrum of pension freedom without the pain? Tumbling annuity rates, an industry that failed to make sure people shopped around and the gamble on life expectancy that meant if you died early then you and your family would lose out, made annuities hugely unpopular. So, Chancellor George Osborne came up with a big bang approach that meant nobody had to if they didn’t want to anymore. The problem is that many people had simply opted for a ‘pay money into my pension while working and not think about it’ approach and so had no real idea how to invest for retirement. Now the industry has come up with a solution that involves savers being offered four ready-made investment deals when they first dip into their pension pots, if they do so without financial advice. On this week’s podcast George Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Simon Lambert, discuss whether this is the answer that savers need. They also look at the tsunami of pension and investment scams, what people can do to protect themselves and ask whether it’s the FCA or Google and the social media companies that should be doing more to crack down on it. Simon outlines his theory on why just as we are about to be able to get out and enjoy ourselves again, some big ticket inflation might hit. And the team look at another Santander 123 account rate cut – is it time for customers to finally give up, or is it a deal still worth having? 

For video clips, follow me - andrewgold_ok - on Twitter or Instagram.A close friend of former prime minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne, Daniel Finkelstein is a conservative peer and Times political columnist who has just released a collection of his best articles entitled Everything in Moderation. As I said to him in my email asking him on the show, the title of his book is the antithesis in every way to the podcast’s epithet of On the Edge.But, having read Daniel’s insightful book, which I’d recommend to everyone looking to get a sense of perspective - it does correspond with many of my views about the world. When I have a psychopath, a paedophile or a cult member on this podcast, the idea is not to celebrate or promote their ideas, but often to show the perils of living life too far on the edge, too close to precipice. That’s why I like to round off those edges every other week by hearing from thought leaders – we’ve had anti-woke scholars Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay, futurist Zoltan Istvan – and this week I’m interviewing feminist Helen Lewis.But right now I’m honoured to introduce Daniel Finkelstein, a conservative who is perhaps known for his uber modernist beliefs. He runs counter to the stereotype of the old-fashioned Tory, with liberal views on pretty much everything. With a father who had been exiled in Siberia and a mother who was a survivor of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, he grew up able with a clear grasp on the perils of the extremes and the safety and liberties extended by the centre.He’s centre-right, and I ask him what makes a conservative and why so many people find them repellent. We talk about what he said to actor Martin Freeman and what it’s like down the pub with David Cameron and George Osborne. What was really going on in Cameron’s mind when he confused his football team of Aston Villa with West Ham. He also talks about prime minister Boris Johnson, with rumours abound about his stepping down in the coming months.To non-Brits or those who aren’t politically minded, there are some parts that delve into the nitty gritty, but Daniel does speak a lot about accessible and universal concepts. This is not a political podcast – and I’d be totally out of my depth framing it as such – it’s the type of podcast where I ask ‘Hey, what actually is a Lord?’ and ‘Which footie team DOES David Cameron support.’ As a writer, Daniel is not afraid to pluck cases from the popular or low-brow zeitgeist to make broader political points, and I hope you feel this podcast reflects that accessibility.By the way, thanks again for listening and recommending this pod to friends. It’s only a few months old but just entered the top 2 of Apple’s documentary section in the UK. It’s in their prestigious New and Noteworthy category too right now, so I’m delighted to welcome all the new listeners. Please make sure to leave a review in the Apple Podcasts app. If you use another app, don’t worry, there’s no homework – just enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Daniel Finkelstein - sitting in for Matt Chorley - speaks to former Chancellor George Osborne about the right age to enter politics, and whether Joe Biden is too old to run for President. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A look at the life of Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health & Social Care for England. He has been criticised for promises he's made about testing and supply of personal protective equipment for health workers. According to newspaper reports, unnamed Downing Street sources have been suggesting the targets are "arbitrary" and "irrational". Mark Coles talks to friends, family and his mentor - the former Chancellor George Osborne - to find out more about Matt Hancock. An expedtion to the North Pole, a game of cricket on the Arctic ice, a stint as a sports broadcaster - it's not what you might expect. Producer Smita Patel Editor Ravin Sampat Researcher Bethan Head

Preparing for and thriving in a recession Pension scams cost Brits 4 billion a year and could be the next big financial scandal according to the Sun. Problems started a few years ago after the then Chancellor George Osborne changed the rules to allow savers to access 25% of their pension pots tax-free from the age of 55. Thousands of people have since been scammed out of their money or made poor investments and lost everything. In the past, we could not touch our pensions until age 60, but the rules have become more flexible leading to some people foolishly frittering away the money that would've otherwise bought a secure pension in an annuity for life during retirement.  We know that the average pension pot of someone in the 50s is around £70,000, indicating that there will be a major shortfall in pension savings for millions of people in 10-15 years’ time. An awful lot of people will be unable to retire and some could be homeless. In other news, the current Chancellor Philip Hammond said he will resign from the government if Boris Johnson is elected leader. Hammond is a known remainer and, along with fellow remainer MP’s, may attempt to block Brexit.  The Brexit saga could run and run leaving the country and the EU in a state of limbo or uncertainty thus deterring investment. A government thinktank recently warned that a no-deal Brexit could wipe 10% off UK property prices.   The United Kingdom has a recession around every 10 years and we are 10 years on from the last recession, so it doesn’t take a financial genius to work out that we are due for one in the next few years. However, it does take a genius to tell you exactly when the next recession will be! In my experience, recessions often come from almost out of the blue triggered by an unexpected event, such as the 1970s oil crisis or the 2008 financial meltdown. Currently, we have several possible causes of recession, including Brexit, the America-China trade war and increased tensions in the Gulf after Iran seized a British oil tanker. Recessions are just part of life and they come and go, so we all need to prepare for lean times as well as good, like the Joseph story in the Bible. Joseph prophesised 7 good years, followed by 7 lean years and famine and told the Pharaoh to store grain during the good years. How many governments have enough grain in the store?   You need to ensure you are not carrying too much consumer debt or even too much good debt on properties or business when the downturn hits. On the plus side, a downturn opens up opportunities to acquire assets at greatly discounted prices. For instance, if and when the stock market has a correction, or crash, there will be a number of good company’s shares on sale at below asset value. That will be the time to buy.  The same applies to property, even if you don’t have much cash.   Can You Acquire Property With No Money Down? Yes you can! Learn multiple no money down strategies by joining me at the “No Money Down Weekend” in London on 27 July. For more information, email me at charles@charleskelly.net    

Pension scams cost Brits 4 billion a year and could be the next big financial scandal according to the Sun. Problems started a few years ago after the then Chancellor George Osborne changed the rules to allow savers to access 25% of their pension pots tax-free from the age of 55. Thousands of people have since been scammed out of their money or made poor investments and lost everything. In the past, we could not touch our pensions until age 60, but the rules have become more flexible leading to some people foolishly frittering away the money that would've otherwise bought a secure pension in an annuity for life during retirement. We know that the average pension pot of someone in the 50s is around £70,000, indicating that there will be a major shortfall in pension savings for millions of people in 10-15 years’ time. An awful lot of people will be unable to retire and some could be homeless. In other news, the current Chancellor Philip Hammond said he will resign from the government if Boris Johnson is elected leader. Hammond is a known remainer and, along with fellow remainer MP’s, may attempt to block Brexit. The Brexit saga could run and run leaving the country and the EU in a state of limbo or uncertainty thus deterring investment. A government thinktank recently warned that a no-deal Brexit could wipe 10% off UK property prices. The United Kingdom has a recession around every 10 years and we are 10 years on from the last recession, so it doesn’t take a financial genius to work out that we are due for one in the next few years. However, it does take a genius to tell you exactly when the next recession will be! In my experience, recessions often come from almost out of the blue triggered by an unexpected event, such as the 1970s oil crisis or the 2008 financial meltdown. Currently, we have several possible causes of recession, including Brexit, the America-China trade war and increased tensions in the Gulf after Iran seized a British oil tanker. Recessions are just part of life and they come and go, so we all need to prepare for lean times as well as good, like the Joseph story in the Bible. Joseph prophesised 7 good years, followed by 7 lean years and famine and told the Pharaoh to store grain during the good years. How many governments have enough grain in the store? You need to ensure you are not carrying too much consumer debt or even too much good debt on properties or business when the downturn hits. On the plus side, a downturn opens up opportunities to acquire assets at greatly discounted prices. For instance, if and when the stock market has a correction, or crash, there will be a number of good company’s shares on sale at below asset value. That will be the time to buy. The same applies to property, even if you don’t have much cash. Can You Acquire Property With No Money Down? Yes you can! Learn multiple no money down strategies by joining me at the “No Money Down Weekend” in London on 27 July. For more information, email me at charles@charleskelly.net

In this week’s episode: Thousands of buy-to-let investors have sold properties since 2016, when the then Chancellor George Osborne announced punitive taxes on landlords, according to research by Hamptons International. Find out what a former housing minister told me when I confronted him directly about the anti-investor measures and suggested how mortgages could be more flexible for first time buyers. And, Should you pull your cash out of Metrobank? Are interest-only mortgages set to make a comeback? Find out how you can have fun investing in the stock market without taking courses If you like further details a property and investment courses, such as a one-day introduction to property investing, see https://ambassadorshub.co.uk/ambassador/index.php?aid=AMB0427 or drop me a line to charles@charleskelly.net

In this week’s episode: Thousands of buy-to-let investors have sold properties since 2016, when the then Chancellor George Osborne announced punitive taxes on landlords, according to research by Hamptons International. Find out what a former housing minister told me when I confronted him directly about the anti-investor measures and suggested how mortgages could be more flexible for first-time buyers. Should you pull your cash out of Metrobank? Are interest-only mortgages set to make a comeback? Find out how you can have fun investing in the stock market without taking courses See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

On Budget day, March 2013, Chancellor George Osborne launched a scheme intended to help first-time buyers but was described at the time by This is Money as a 'very good day for builders'. Help to Buy was seen as just another ploy to prop up the UK housing market by helping first-timers borrow even more money to try to enter the housing market. It came in for flack then and is in the spotlight again, accused of forcing up house prices, benefiting the rich and trapping some people in homes they cannot afford. In this short clip, editor Simon Lambert, explains exactly what it is and whether the disaster waiting to happen from 2013, is happening.

Hello everyone and welcome to Episode 10 of Ask the Estate Agent and I just wanted to start today with a huge thank you to all our listeners out there who have supported us so far to our tenth episode! We have received some incredible feedback from our first ten episodes, some fantastic reviews and also lots of questions for us to answer in future episodes which is fantastic, so again a massive thank you to all of you listening! Remember this free resource is all about answering your questions and helping you on your property journey so if there is a particular question or issue that you are currently facing in property then please do get in touch so we can answer these for you in future episodes. All the links of how to contact us will be mentioned at the end of today’s show and featured in the show notes for you to access whenever you like soooo let’s get on with today’s show! Today’s show is about one of the key tools out there to assist people getting on the property ladder and that’s ‘Help to Buy’ With the initial phase of the Help To Buy scheme being introduced in April of 2013, the scheme is celebrating its fifth birthday. Rather than breaking out the cake and party hats, it is probably an apt time to consider Help To Buy In more depth. In this podcast, we aim to shed some light onto the scheme, and hopefully develop an understanding of Help To Buy while maximising ways to benefit from the scheme. What Is Help To Buy? Announced in the 2013 Budget speech by the Chancellor George Osborne, Help To Buy was a Government programme aimed at helping people buy property, with the title of the programme explaining its aims fairly well. While it was the largest Government intervention in the property market since the 1980s, Help To Buy was an extension of the FirstBuy programme, although FirstBuy, again as the name suggests, was solely for first-time property buyers. In the past five years, Help To Buy has evolved but as with anything provided by any Government, there has been debate as to the merits of the scheme. What are the Help To Buy schemes? As of April 2018, the Help To Buy schemes in operation are: Help To Buy: Equity Loan / London Equity Loan Help To Buy: ISA Help To Buy: Shared Ownership The equity scheme option sees the buyer providing a 5% deposit while the Government provides an equity loan for a figure up to 20% of the property value. The buyer must then decide to fund the remaining figure, with a mortgage usually being the preferred option. In London, the Government will provide an equity loan up to 40% of the property value. The restrictions on the equity loan state that the property must be a new-build property and that the loan must be below a stated amount. In London, the maximum loan is £600,000 and in Wales, the maximum loan is £300,000. For the first five years of the loan, there is no interest payable (classed as an “interest free loan”) and so far, the equity loan option has been the most commonly arranged Help To Buy scheme. If someone refers to Help To Buy as a single programme as opposed to the overall scheme, it is likely the equity loan option they are referring to. With the Help To Buy ISA, savers pay money into an ISA and can receive additional funding from the Government. Some of the key points of the ISA programme include: The chance to deposit an initial sum up to £1,200 The ability to save up to £200 per month The Government will provide a bonus of 25% The minimum bonus on offer is £400, so you must have saved at least £1,600 to achieve this The maximum bonus on offer is £3,000 so you must have saved at least £12,000 to achieve this The bonus is available per person, not per household or purchase, so couples could save independently to both generate bonuses The Help To Buy ISA is...

GeekGirl Loves Eileen. We just HAD to interview her, and we just HAD to make it a live recording. Thanks to our pals at Stripe's London HQ we hosted a live GeekGirlMeets for the first time ever - and Eileen Burbidge, a woman of many titles and talents, was our wonderful woman in tech for the occasion. Amazing advice and insight in this podcast. From Eileen's views on work-life balance, her career moving from engineering side to VC and her work with the UK government, we cover a lot in this interview, with loads of advice to you! Enjoy! Eileen Burbidge (@eileentso) is a Partner at Passion Capital, the pre-eminent early-stage VC fund based in London. She brings extensive operational experience to her investment activities gleaned from business and product roles at Yahoo!, Skype, Apple and elsewhere. In addition to Passion Capital, Eileen is also Chair of Tech City UK, the government-backed organisation supporting digital business across Britain. She also serves on the Prime Minister David Cameron’s Business Advisory Group; as HM Treasury’s Special Envoy for FinTech, appointed by the Chancellor George Osborne; and Tech Ambassador for the Mayor of London Boris Johnson. She was made an MBE for services to Business in June 2015 and holds a BSc Engineering degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Tax is suddenly exciting news. For normal people, it’s the start of a new tax year with another dump of - some ill-conceived - changes from Chancellor George Osborne to deal with. For the disgustingly rich and famous, thanks to a leaky law firm, details have been emerging of their attempts at avoiding paying into state coffers around the world. Even David Cameron is implicated. And after some blithering attempts to divert attention from his involvement there are calls for him to resign. Theoretically, the new tax year could see a new Prime Minister. But could it see a new you – maybe as an investor for the first time? Join This is Money’s Rachel Rickard Straus and Lee Boyce and Share Radio’s Georgie Frost for a leisurely audio stroll around this new world of rubbish cash Isas, complicated new other Isas and the lure of unknown returns from the stock market. Also in the spotlight… There’s a new bank only available on the iPhone. Should you trust it? The young people, property ladder Venn diagram is becoming more and more like two separate circles Do you use the internet to spy on your friends’ house price? There’s the latest instalment of Under Fire Buy-to-let – a divisive love-hate story of money and housing A fascinating look into how easy it is to trick the gullible with a pretty obvious fraud Plus a few pensions mentions – because that mess will be going on for years to come. It’s a fun one.

This week might go down as the one Chancellor George Osborne got found out. It’s not the first time one of his Budgets turned into a fiasco, but this time his U-turn – on slashing payments to disabled people - is going to cost £4bn. When Parliament convened to discuss how on earth this was going to be paid for, he didn’t show up. And we’re still without an explanation. We pay our taxes to enjoy a better life in a civilised society – not to allow politicians to play games of political manoeuvring. George forgot that. Taxes should be simple. George forgot that. There were other unfunded tax giveaways in the 2016 Budget all of which appear to rely on tax receipts from a booming economy. But our economy isn’t booming. The latest round of economic data shows that. Growth forecasts are down, Government borrowing is soaring, homes are unaffordable. Luckily This is Money editor Simon Lambert, product and knowledge editor Laura Whitcombe and Share Radio’s money wizard Georgie Frost are on hand to explain the economics in an entertaining way. Also on the show… Capital gains tax just got more complicated. The ‘living’ wage – more complicated And finally… Do not miss the craziest item on financial radio: the famous Easter taste test. Live on air we try to work out which own-brand supermarket hot cross buns and Easter eggs are worth a piece of your disposable income. Will Tesco triumph and Waitrose end up in the bin again? Not a lot of people do this.

In this episode of the Informed Choice Podcast, Martin talks about a Budget for the next generation. Budget for the next generation  This episode of the Informed Choice Podcast is a Budget special, recapping the main personal finance and investing measures announced earlier this week in the Budget. Martin breaks this down into the five main areas of the economy, pensions, taxation, savings and business. He also covers some of the miscellaneous Budget measures announced this week. This was a politically important Budget with the EU referendum looming in June. Chancellor George Osborne had to balance a desire to impose radical reform on the pension system with keeping Tory backbenchers happy.  His Budget was presented against a backdrop of challenging global economy, with the Office for Budget Responsibility cutting their UK economic growth forecasts, again. It has been described as a Budget for the next generation, with the introduction of a Lifetime ISA designed to encourage younger people to save for the future. What did you make of the Budget? Email Martin at martin@icfp.co.uk or get in touch with him on Twitter @martinbamford to share your thoughts. Personal finance news update -The shopping baskets of goods and service used to calculate price inflation have been updated. -The Financial Advice Market Review has been published by HM Treasury, making 28 recommendations to reform the market for financial advice. -Women could be given early access to the State pension, if proposals put forward by a committee of MPs are accepted. -Nursery costs for one and two year olds may increase substantially when free childcare for older children is increased from 15 to 30 hours a week. -The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has forecast that the UK residential housing market will slow down over the next quarter. -The Bank of England has kept interest rates on hold at 0.5%, again. -Donald Trump becoming the new President of the United States is one of the top ten risks facing the global economy. Martin and Informed Choice Martin Bamford is a Chartered Financial Planner, Chartered Wealth Manager and SOLLA Accredited Later Life Adviser. As Managing Director of Informed Choice, the award-winning firm of Chartered Financial Planners in Surrey, he is responsible for nearly £200m of client assets. Martin is the author of several bestselling personal finance books and produced his first feature-length documentary in 2014, about the post-war Baby Boomer generation in retirement. “Bamford excels at making even the dullest topics interesting” – Pensions Management Visit www.icfp.co.uk to find out more about Informed Choice, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/informedchoice.

In this episode of the Informed Choice Podcast, Martin talks about what could happen to investment markets if the UK votes to leave the European Union in the referendum this June. There is also a roundup of the latest personal finance new and an update from the world of Informed Choice. What happens to investments if the UK leaves Europe? David Cameron has finally announced a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the European Union will be held on Thursday 23rd June. This follows intense negotiations about the UK’s membership of the EU, including changes to child benefit, migrant welfare payments, keeping the pound without fear of discrimination, protection for the City of London and a so-called ‘red card’ system for national parliaments who want to block EU legislation.So, where do you stand on Europe and how will you be voting in the referendum this June? When you are asked, "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?", will you be answering yes or no? What would be the likely impact on investment markets if UK voters decided to leave Europe? Please let Martin know how you plan to vote in the EU referendum and what impact you think a decision either way could have for investment markets. Email him at martin@icfp.co.uk or get in touch on Twitter @martinbamford, he would love to hear from you. Right click here and save as to download this episode to your computer Personal finance news update -House prices rose by 6.7% in 2015, according to the Office for National Statistics.  -Price inflation rose by 0.3% in the year to January, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index or CPI.  -The cost of stamps is going up in March, with a first class stamp costing 64p. Second class stamps will also go up in price, to 55p from 29th March.  -No UK or European banks have sold any so-called Coco bonds this year, following concerns about the health of the banking sector.   -Chancellor George Osborne is likely to miss his public borrowing goals for the 2015/16 tax year after recording a smaller-than-expected surplus in January.  Martin and Informed Choice Martin Bamford is a Chartered Financial Planner, Chartered Wealth Manager and SOLLA Accredited Later Life Adviser. As Managing Director of Informed Choice, the award-winning firm of Chartered Financial Planners in Surrey, he is responsible for nearly £200m of client assets. Martin is the author of several bestselling personal finance books and produced his first feature-length documentary in 2014, about the post-war Baby Boomer generation in retirement. “Bamford excels at making even the dullest topics interesting” – Pensions Management Visit www.icfp.co.uk to find out more about Informed Choice, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/informedchoice. Follow Martin on Twitter at www.twitter.com/martinbamford or email him at martin@icfp.co.uk.

Chancellor George Osborne promised £150million for a scheme across the Northern Powerhouse cities but progress has been slow and commuters are still waiting for a joined up system The programme also reveals a previously unknown legacy of World War II. In order to prevent enemy invasion Churchill decided to lay hundreds of pipe mines at 33 airfields within 15 miles of the East coast in case of mass landings by the Luftwaffe. They were never properly cleared and most of the former airfields were subsequently sold off and built on. Bomb disposal experts involved in this 1980s operation are concerned about the risks posed by the un-cleared mines.

After a seven-year investigation into Google’s UK tax affairs, the company agreed to pay £130m to us. Chancellor George Osborne hailed it a huge success. No one else agreed. Especially not the Shadow Chancellor, anyone with a calculator, or even the French, who a few days later announced they were negotiating a much bigger windfall on a far smaller business than Google UK. It amounted to a tax rate of about 3% on its multi-billion-pound earnings in this country. And all this at the time average Jo and Joe Bloggs are filing their tax returns before the end of January deadline. People pay tax at 30% to 40 to nearly 50% on earnings of a few tens of thousands of pounds. You can see why these people are angry. Luckily, there’s no anger in the Share Radio studio as presenter Georgie Frost, This is Money Editor Simon Lambert and Consumer Affairs Editor tackle the big tax and pensions scandals of the week with a sharp insight and warm wit. It’s been a bad week for Osborne. Having announced a ban on raising taxes, the smart money’s on him stealing it from our pensions. Also on the agenda, Have you any idea how much VAT rich people pay when they buy a Rolls Royce car that costs more than a house? And what’s it’s like to drive and park one? Can it really be as tatty as it sounds or is it a must-have motor for the discerning Google executive? Buy-to-let is back in the news, so is gold, which provides another excuse to play Spandau Ballet songs, and finally it’s been a bumper year for British cinema. What’s your favourite film?

Banks, the City, Wall Street, call them what you will – they use jargon to steal your money. It’s what caused the walloping financial crash in 2008. And it’s possibly what’s going to cause another one eight years later – that’s right, in 2016; this year! We’re in a bear market. What even is a bear market? The opposite of bull, of course. See how easy it is? This week, This is Money editor Simon Lambert and personal finance editor Rachel Rickard Straus join Share Radio’s Georgie Frost to help listeners understand some of this nonsense. There’s even a Hollywood movie just out about financial jargon, The Big Short, the story of how collateralized debt obligations brought down the world economy because no one knew what they were. It’s nominated for five Oscars, including best picture. A bear market is a bad one. Bear = bad. It’s when share prices fall. Bull = good. That’s it really. Listen to Rachel and Simon for more detail. Also in the podcast: Davos – why the hell do our financial leaders go to Davos to discuss the global economy? It’s a ski resort in Switzerland - the most expensive place they could choose. What do they do when they get there? Do they even go skiing? Why does a low oil price affect everything else so much? It’s not what you think. It’s what oil producers do with all that income and what they can’t do with it now that’s the problem. Why are broadband companies allowed to mislead customers with their advertising? Surely it’s not because of a supine advertising regulator? In ‘good on the face of it’ news of the week E.on customers are going to have their energy bills CUT by 5%. But the wholesale price of oil and gas has fallen 20% since its peak. E.on gets points for being first but that’s not enough E.on! Will the others follow suit? If you’re worried about the markets this year - keep worrying. If you’re thinking of ever retiring or voting Tory – you probably ought to understand what Chancellor George Osborne is planning to do with your pension. If you’ve ever had a job or fancy a change you must listen to the bit at the end about CVs. If you thought you knew what to put in your CV, such as volunteering experience and keeping it to two pages. You’ve been doing it it all wrong. Listen and learn. And then you might get a new job.

To support the show and help us come back for another series in the New Year, please give £5 or whatever you can afford at www.neweconomics.org/podcast. Chancellor George Osborne set out his long term economic plan for the third time this year in last week's Comprehensive Spending Review. Kirsty runs through the numbers with economist Yuan Yang. Weekly Economics Podcast on Twitter: www.twitter.com/weeklyeconpod Yuan Yang Twitter: www.twitter.com/YuanfenYang Kirsty Styles on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kirstystyles1 Produced by James Shield. Programme editor for NEF: Huw Jordan. Brought to you by the New Economics Foundation – the independent think tank and charity campaigning for a fairer, sustainable economy. Find out more at www.neweconomics.org. Music by Podington Bear used under Creative Commons licence. www.podingtonbear.com

This is Money editor Simon Lambert runs through who might be affected by changes to buy-to-let tax announced by Chancellor George Osborne and due to come into effect in 2020.

With a new "living wage" announced Sheila Dillon explores the world of fast food workers. In the U.S. a campaign over low pay, started in 2012, has now gone global. Saying they could no longer live on the Federal minimum wage of $7.25 the workers called for a salary based on $15.00 an hour. The protests spread to more than 200 cities and inspired workers in other parts of the world to stand up for better pay. The campaign received the backing of President Barack Obama and cities including Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles have now increased the minimum wage. Sheila hears from one fast food work in New York's Bronx, Flavia Cabrell. She holds down two jobs including one at a McDonalds' restaurant and low pay led her to take action and join the protests. She explains why she's motivated by wanting to change the future for her children.Meanwhile low pay was one of the main targets in Chancellor George Osborne's summer budget. Changes to tax credits and the introduction of a "national living wage" was the outcome. But some workers say the changes will still mean they live a precarious financial existence with zero hours contracts still a dominant model in the food industry and the living wage only applicable to over 25's. Producer: Dan Saladino.

In today's budget, the Chancellor George Osborne announced that responsibility for the policy and delivery of free TV licences for the over 75s is to be shifted from the government to the BBC - at a cost of more than half a billion pounds.To balance that, says the BBC's Director General Tony Hall, the government has committed to let the licence fee increase by inflation; to close the so-called catch-up loophole which permits viewers to watch TV without a licence; and to return the ring-fenced money from the licence fee which is currently being used to support broadband roll-out.Is it a good deal for the audience and the BBC? Does it mean cuts or continuity? We investigate.

Alcohol Alert, March 2015: This edition features an interview with Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance. Sir Ian explains the effects of a rumoured cut in alcohol duty by the Chancellor George Osborne ahead of the 2015 Budget. By subscribing to our enewsletter, you can receive alcohol-related stories and media directly to your inbox; please visit our website www.ias.org.uk and click on "Alcohol Alert" to read the latest Issue: http://www.ias.org.uk/What-we-do/Alcohol-Alert.aspx

Chancellor George Osborne overhauled the stamp duty rules in his recent Autumn Statement. This week I explain how this tax works and what has changed.

In his latest budget Chancellor George Osborne announced a radical overhaul of both ISAs and pensions. Tim Bennett summarises the key changes and looks at how they will impact savers and investors.

Prize-winning first novelists Eimear McBride and Nathan Filer join Anne McElvoy to discuss literary experimentation. Matt Thorne gives us a first night review of the European premiere of Anne Washburn's play Mr Burns which is set in a world without electricity. New Generation Thinker Sophie Coulombeau examines British philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham€'s €'Universal Tattoo'€™. And as Chancellor George Osborne makes his annual Mansion House speech to the City of London we get Peter Knight and Janette Rutterford to consider the image of finance past and present.

Liverpool airport received a boost in this week’s budget. Chancellor George Osborne announced the government would support new routes from regional airports and specifically mentioned Liverpool. I went to John Lennon airport to find out more. This report was produced for the March 21, 2014 edition of NBS Live, the National Broadcasting School's online student news show.

Chancellor George Osborne says a 50p tax rate does not bring in much revenue; Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls says it does. Tim Harford takes a look at why it is so hard to pin down how much tax is owed by the wealthy. Plus, have wages risen? How much does it cost to raise a child? Who do you invite to your wedding?

James Hughes from the trading floor of global forex trader Alpari says Chancellor George Osborne may be premature in his confident claims when he delivered his #AutumnStatement earlier today. The Chancellor detailed a number of improved forecasts for the UK economy, including raised growth outlook for 2014 and a lower borrowing. http://www.alpari.co.uk

With Mark Lawson. Natalie Haynes reviews the new West End stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Sam Mendes, and starring Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka. The Chancellor George Osborne today announced a 7% cut in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's budget, and a 5% cut to budgets for arts organisations, as part of the government's spending review. Broadcaster Janet Street-Porter, music commentator Norman Lebrecht and Richard Mantle of Opera North suggest areas of the arts which they believe should receive less funding. The playwright and screenwriter Lee Hall selects his Cultural Exchange. He explains why Briggflatts, an autobiographical poem by Basil Bunting, has revealed new layers of meaning over the 30 years that he has been re-reading it. The concert promoter AEG has been warned by the Advertising Standards Authority after they described a Kanye West gig as a "one off" London show, only to announce more dates. Lawyer Duncan Lamont discusses the legal issues around advertising "one offs" and "farewell tours." Producer: Olivia Skinner.

This week the banking team discuss the departure of the last two senior executives from the Bob Diamond era at Barclays, as Rich Ricci, head of investment banking and Tom Kalaris, head of wealth management, announce plans to retire. They also review the recent US bank results, and look at Chancellor George Osborne’s plans to expand the Funding for Lending Scheme See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Featuring Kevin Spacey and Sadlers Wells Theatre we examine: A ‘tax on giving’ that has been met with fierce opposition from charitable organisations. This comes as Chancellor George Osborne announced the treasury’s ‘charity tax’. Presenter/Editor/Reporter Jayson Mansaray 'Give it back George' Website :: Drop the Charity Tax Campaign 'Give it back George' Twitter :: Sadler's Wells Website :: Kevin Spacey Biog :: London Old Vic :: Sadlers Wells :: 'Best Disabled Access Facilities in London' Camden Community Radio :: Camden Community Radio on Twitter :: File Download (4:21 min / 4 MB)

Side two of the 1977 satirical political revue, "The Cuts Show" by CounterAct. On this side: education and housing cuts; the climate of 'divide and conquer' (my cut's worse than yours); finding scapegoats among immigrant communities; the role of the press; and the capricious nature of investors. This week Chancellor George Osborne unveils what are expecting to be massive spending cuts. Yet we've been here before...

This coming week, on the 20th of October, Chancellor George Osborne will be unveiling the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review, and what’s expected to be the most savage cuts ever to public services in England. In politics, however, things are seldom new. You just need a long enough memory to recall previous booms, cuts and recessions. And, as they say, those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. For that reason this episode features a protest album that was recorded in 1977. The Cuts Show, by “CounterAct” was a touring review made to educate people .. especially students .. about the public sector cuts being made at that time by James Callaghan’s Labour Government. The show was accompanied by a protest album .. omitting the show’s narrative, but including all the songs. Listen carefully to the lyrics, because it’s all there .. the need to satisfy financiers, threats to welfare and health spending, education, scapegoating.. and more. The show was produced 33 years ago, yet it could have been today. It even features a nod to David Cameron's 'Big Society' The performance was recorded at Riverside Recordings and featured Rich Armitage, Will Ashton, John Gill, Ruth Law, Chris Reason, Dave Simmonds, Steve Skinner and Caroline Stephens.