Podcasts about Labour government

Conference season continues with a special LIVE episode of the podcast from The Pharmacy Show.Held at the NEC in Birmingham, it is the UK's major gathering for the Pharmacy sector and has been for over a decade. Former Pharmacy Minister, Steve Brine, was there meeting old friends, understanding where pharmacy feels it is 18-months into a Labour Government and hosting a series of events in the Business Theatre for BeWell. One event, which we also recorded for this podcast, had Steve in conversation with the head of Community Pharmacy England, Janet Morrison.Feedback welcome; find us on our socials via our LinkTree page or email podcast@stevebrine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's growing calls to evaluate the future of fees-free university after a recent review labelled the policy 'deadweight'. The policy was originally introduced under the Jacinda-led Labour Government in 2017, with the current coalition moving the policy to cover a student's final year of university instead of the first. AUSA president Gabriel Boyd says dismissing the policy is 'unfair', as it's helped students save money. "I think the $12,000 that students saved, that they can then put towards accommodation, food, transportation, with this cost of living - does make a huge impact." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you want another example of Labour's ideology over pragmatism? I really, really hope that the previous Labour ministers have learned from their previous terms in government that thought bubbles and bright ideas do not sound policy make. Remember Fees Free? The policy was introduced in 2018 and was a key part of Labour's election campaign. The first year of tertiary study would be free for students. It would progressively roll out to cover three years, which never eventuated. We, the taxpayer, provided up to $12,000 in tuition fee payments for the first year of provider-based study or the first two years of work-based learning. The idea behind the objective was sound and worthy. The Labour Government, Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, et al, billed it as improving equity and opening the doors to higher learning for disadvantaged people for whom the doors would otherwise be closed. Labour expected to see a first-in-family effect. There would be students who would be the first in their families to attend higher education, now a significant cost barrier would be removed. Did that happen? Thank you for asking, no, it didn't. Over the years 2017 to 2022, European, Māori, Pacific, and Asian participation rates stayed relatively steady. The failure to shift the dial, the New Zealand Herald reports, was so evident that in 2020, Labour shifted the policy's purpose to reducing student debt levels. All right, well we can't get disadvantaged kids to university, we can't get first in family. Oh, I know, we'll use the taxpayer money to reduce student debt level. The failed objectives were to increase participation in tertiary study, expand access by reducing financial barriers, and support lifelong learning. Nope. First year fees-free was limited to learners with little to no prior study, limiting lifelong learning support, the analysis said from the Ministry of Education. It described the scheme as a lot of money for little behavioural change, or as they put it, a high deadweight cost. From this year, the Coalition Government has changed the scheme so it applies to the final year of study, with payment following the completion of studies. The policy has three objectives: to incentivize learners, particularly disadvantaged learners, to finish their studies, to reward learners who complete their program of study, to reduce the overall cost of study. The Ministry of Education officials say this is going to fail too. Particularly for degree level study, once a learner reaches their final year, they are already far more likely to complete than those first entering study. So basically, they said it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. By the time you reach your third year, you're going to finish whether the taxpayer is paying for your final year of fees or not. You're motivated enough to stay. They say the second goal is essentially meaningless. Of course there's going to be a completion of qualifications. And the third objective, will most likely succeed, to reduce the overall cost of study. And it will at least help the government's books, the trade-off being an estimated $230 million a year in student debt or more debt repayments than would otherwise occur. So thought bubbles don't make sound policy. The thing that really concerned me in the early years of Labour was that they were ideas I'd think of – ‘Oh, I know, let's do this'. Which is great, but you have to think it through, and you have to listen to your advisors, and you have to listen when people say, "Mm, I'm not entirely sure that we're going to be able to build 100,000 houses." "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what about if we do this?" And we just throw as much money as we possibly can at it. And on the face of it, taking away that first year of paying your fees – "Hey, gang, I've got an idea. Let's take away that first year of fees so that disadvantaged kids will see university as a great option." I mean, it doesn't take much scratching beyond the surface to see that's not going to work. And we all said that at the time, didn't we? We discussed it. And now it looks like according to the analysis that fees-free final year won't work either. At least not for getting disadvantaged kids through degrees. For those who are highly motivated and have families that go to university, it's like, "Hooray!" Excellent. We'll take the $12,000 off our student debt, thanks very much, and good. If it helps motivated kids get through their study with less of a financial burden around their neck, it makes it easier for them to move onto the next phase of their life, buying a home, starting a family, this is all good. You know, but in terms of the objectives, it's going to fail. But they have to keep it because of the coalition agreement with both NZ First and ACT. So they might have to do what Labour did and just rewrite the objectives. Our objective is that we reward kids who were going to go to university anyway, who are motivated, who are successful, who we want to keep in New Zealand. We'll take $12,000 off their overall student debt, so they'll stay here, buy a house, and have a family. And on the face of it, that's not a bad objective. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another option to go alongside fees free study. The Labour Government introduced First Year Fees Free in 2018, providing tertiary students with up to $12,000 in tuition cover for the first year of provider-based study, or the first two years of work-based learning. The Coalition Government has changed the scheme from this year, applying it to the final year of study instead. The policy had three objectives, to incentivise learners, particularly disadvantaged learners, to finish their studies; to reward learners who complete their programme of study; to reduce the overall cost of study. However, officials say, like its predecessor, this policy is likely to fail too. First Foundation is a wraparound programme that picks up academically talented but low-income students in year 12, giving them support, mentorship, and financial assistance for university. First Foundation CEO Kirk Sargent told Kerre Woodham they'd welcome the chance to grab that $12,000, invest it into young people and get more people coming through the tertiary environment. He says New Zealand has a productivity issue, and programmes like this could be a solution that would benefit the economy in the long run. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is some angst in some media circles at the moment over funding for Māori TV news. A couple of programmes are facing some sort of cut, or cancellation, or realignment because of changes in the way money is handed out from the Māori funding agency. This is not new. Media in this country post-Covid has gone through a fairly major overhaul with many a casualty and a pile of significant change. The reality for media that is funded by the state is you are beholden to the purveyor of the purse string. Under the Labour Government, the amount of money handed out to media was ridiculous. The trouble with that sort of largesse is it can never last. Fill your boots while you can, because as sure as night follows day, reality, or reckoning, will come. In terms of Māori news programmes, here is the part that eludes me: how is it, as we have seen this past week, that all we ever get when funding gets adjusted is a complaint-athon? All we hear is people bemoaning their lot and fearing change. Here is the solution: if these programmes are of value, as they claim they are, what is stopping, and what has ever stopped them, from going to the commercial sector to get advertising or sponsorship support? Why is the Government i.e. the taxpayer, the only source of income? If the Māori news programmes are so valuable, then where is the Māori economy? I have read any number of times that the Māori economy is booming. There are any number of success stories in the Māori economy. It is a growth sector, and it is, by some reports, booming. Investment has led to expansion, reinvestment and riches - where are they? Why aren't they advertising or sponsoring these Māori products? Can they not see the synergies? How is it the connection has not been made? Business is always looking for advertising or marketing outlets. Why are the makers, producers and hosts of these programmes not looking to the commercial sector for an ongoing and stable level of support? Why is the taxpayer the sole provider of their paychecks? If you have a product worth its salt and if you are what you claim (relevant, popular and good at what you do) then there is always an answer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Get our free Weekly Rundown newsletter and be the first to hear about breaking news and offers: https://nomadcapitalist.com/email Join us for the next Nomad Capitalist Live event: https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/ Mr Henderson is joined by Kwasi Kwarteng, former Chancellor of the Exchequer under Liz Truss and the Head of State business within the Boris Johnson government. They discuss the declining state of the UK, how the West continues to push away its wealthiest entrepreneurs and how the emerging markets in Africa are continuing to become more attractive Nomad Capitalist helps clients "go where you're treated best." We are the world's most sought-after firm for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, international diversification, and asset protection. We use legal and ethical strategies and work exclusively with seven- and eight-figure entrepreneurs and investors. We create and execute holistic, multi-jurisdictional Plans that help clients keep more of their wealth, increase their personal freedom, and protect their families and wealth against threats in their home country. No other firm offers clients access to more potential options to relocate to, bank in, or become a citizen of. Because we do not focus only on one or a handful of countries, we can offer unbiased advice where others can't. Become Our Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Our Website: http://www.nomadcapitalist.com/ About Our Company: https://nomadcapitalist.com/about/ Buy Mr. Henderson's Book: https://nomadcapitalist.com/book/ Disclaimer: Neither Nomad Capitalist LTD nor its affiliates are licensed legal, financial, or tax advisors. All content published on YouTube and other platforms is intended solely for general informational and educational purposes and should not be construed as legal, tax, or financial advice. Nomad Capitalist does not offer or sell legal, financial, or tax advisory services.

The Labour Government find themselves in a difficult moment. On the eve of their 2025 Conference, they are faced with the knowledge that their ‘decade of national renewal' currently seems stuck in first gear.A series of events have rocked public confidence in the government, including the resignation of Angela Rayner from her government roles and role as Deputy Leader of the party, the sacking of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador, and the launch of the new network, ‘Mainstream'.With the autumn looking decisive for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, we're thrilled to be joined by two amazing guests to discuss:Rachael Maskell, Member of Parliament for York Central, who has currently had the Labour whip withdrawn for causing Government concessions on the controversial vote to cut Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for disabled people.Jeremy Gilbert, Professor of Cultural and Political Theory at the University of East London, and the current editor of the journal New Formations, and author of Twenty-First-Century Socialism (Polity 2020) and Hegemony Now: How Big Tech and Wall Street Won the World.Support the showEnjoyed the podcast and want to be a live audience member at our next episode? Want to have the chance in raising questions to the panelist?Support our work and be a part of the Compass community. Become a member!You can find us on Twitter at @CompassOffice.

In a move you could have seen coming from the moment it was first announced, or if you couldn't see it coming you hoped it would come, Auckland University has decided its Waipapa Taumata Rau course will now be optional instead of compulsory. For a generation who have been appallingly let down over the Covid period by Government and education decisions, the Auckland University desire to force you into Māori courses seemed not just ill advised, but cruel. Kids of the past half dozen years have been soaked, to the point of drowning, in Māori issues and doctrine in their schooling and they are sick of it. The Labour Government's obsession with race has had the opposite effect intended. It didn't cajole and encourage, it rammed and forced and overwhelmed us with condescending overlord-type instruction. University is not about being told what to learn, it was supposed to be the opposite. From our personal experience this year it appeared to us that the course was not just ill conceived, but shonkily run by people barely qualified to deliver a curriculum that seemed largely made up with no real focus or discipline. Students hated it, resented it, and were dragged kicking and screaming through it. Not just that, but to add insult to injury you had to pay for it. They forced you into it, then sent you a bill. As in all these areas of race the trick has always been that if you seek it, want it, desire it, whether broader study or the specific language, it's freely available and fill your boots. But the determination to square peg it only ever led to pushback and resentment. The last thing I would have thought universities wanted to do was put people off study. Once again from personal experience, we know people who not only avoided Auckland University, but in fact ended up studying offshore. None of this is a desirable outcome for the country. The upside is when asked by the university the feedback was as you would have expected. And to their credit they have at least read the room and backed off. But not before another year for thousands has been lost in a whirlpool of woke-enforced nonsense that never had to be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's clear that this Labour Government are in a bit of trouble. Already floundering in the polls off the back of a year in which their promise of 'change' in 2024 hasn't lived up to expectations, they have now been rocked by a series of scandals and resignations - Angela Rayner, Peter Mandelson, Paul Ovenden - that are undermining Sir Keir Starmer's Premiership. With a Deputy Leadership contest now being seen as an internal referendum on the leadership, the 2025 Party Conference is set to be one to keep your eye on.To that end, the release of Mark Perryman's new book, 'The Starmer Symptom', couldn't have come at a more opportune time. The Starmer Symptom brings together leading political writers to navigate the complex terrain of this seismic shift in British politics. This unique collection analyses voter data, and looks at the break-up of the two-party system with the rise of a populist right in Reform UK and a new independent left. Will Keir Starmer's government be able to successfully combine the pragmatic and social democratic to produce radical change? And if not, who is waiting in the wings?Perryman sits down with Compass Director Neal Lawson, who contributed a chapter to the book. Other contributors include Clive Lewis, Danny Dorling, Emma Burnell, Gargi Bhattacharyya, James Meadway, Hilary Wainwright, Jeremy Gilbert, Phil Burton-Cartledge, and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown.Special Offer for Compass Members and Supporters: ‘The Starmer Symptom' for JUST £11.89 (usual price £16.99). Use coupon code ‘STARMER30' at Pluto Press here.Support the showEnjoyed the podcast and want to be a live audience member at our next episode? Want to have the chance in raising questions to the panelist?Support our work and be a part of the Compass community. Become a member!You can find us on Twitter at @CompassOffice.

In our Season 3 finale, Christian talks at length with the UK Minister of State for Transport and Minister for Rail, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE, about the eagerly anticipated Railways Bill which will implement the Labour Government's plans for Great British Railways.  Their conversation covers crucial issues such the timing of the Bill, fares reform, investment, open access, capacity allocation between operators and the HS2 reset as well as changes to bus provision across England and the upcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy. Join us for Season 4 - coming this autumn! Find 'Calling All Stations - the transport podcast' on social media channels here: X (formerly Twitter) - https://x.com/AllStationsPod  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Calling_all_Stations_podcast/  Threads - https://www.threads.net/@calling_all_stations_podcast  Facebook - https://m.facebook.com/p/Calling-All-Stations-The-Transport-Podcast-61551736964201/ Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/callingallstations.bsky.social

Highlights from Talkback. William Crawley and guests discuss the news headlines.

Back when I was a kid, you knew the school holidays were coming up when the Seafarers Union went on strike. Sure as God made little apples, a week before the school holidays, the unions would be all out, brothers and sisters, and then there'd be all night negotiations between the cloth caps and the capitalist overlords, while parents waited anxiously to see if the annual road trip —south in our case— would take place to go down and see the Christchurch rallies. Generally, at the last minute they would, so it was a mad dash to Wellington, over the Cook Strait to Christchurch for the school holidays. Every single time. Union representatives were household names in New Zealand – Ken Douglas, Sonja Davies, Blue Kennedy, everybody knew them. The strength of unions abated over the years after the reforms of the Fourth Labour Government. But since the demise of the last Labour Government and the arrival of this centre-right Government, unions have certainly been flexing their muscles. Primary school teachers have voted to go on strike on October 23rd. “Kerre, isn't that the Thursday before Labour Weekend?” That's correct, it is. So what's that going to do? A glorious long weekend, and two days off school for the kids. Secondary teachers are on their rolling strike this week, again, right before the school holidays, massively disrupting senior classes and school attendance. Nurses walked off the job recently and senior doctors go on strike next week. They are perfectly entitled to do so, but it's a delicate balancing act holding on to public support while pressuring the government to give in to their demands for pay and conditions. Political commentator Bryce Edwards made a very good point in an article yesterday, which just reinforces what we know. Unions take a softly, softly approach with Labour governments generally, because they don't want to damage Labour-led governments by striking. Unions affiliated to Labour contribute their members' dues to the Labour Party, and unions have voting rights on Labour's leadership under the current constitution that the Labour Party has. So, in the main, they don't want to embarrass a Labour-led government. That is not to say they don't strike. Teachers held rolling strikes throughout 2023 because the Labour Government was stonewalling on negotiations. And in part, teachers say it's because the last Labour Government mucked them around for so long that they're striking again. They can only settle pay and conditions in the three-year blocks. And by the time Labour settled with the PPTA last round, it was time to begin negotiations again. But they are much more likely to strike than to negotiate. That's what the head of the Public Service Commission, Sir Brian Roche said – that we offered them a good deal, they didn't bother negotiating, just said, "Right, we're striking”. The disruption to kids and their parents is far, far more than just the one day they strike, though. By choosing to strike right before the school holidays, kids don't see the point in going to school for the last week. They're lumped together in mixed classes. There's no real learning taking place. Teacher-only days in many schools on the Friday. What the hell is the point? It's a real struggle for people I know who have teenagers to get them to school because they'd go if they were learning, they'd go if it mattered, they'd go if they felt they were going to get something out of it. When all they're doing is being lumped together in one mess class with a couple of duty teachers to make sure people don't go missing or harm one another, that's basically the end of it. It's basically babysitting for a couple of days, and the kids know that, so they think, why bother? At what point do you lose sympathy for striking public servants? At what point as a teacher or a nurse do you lose patience with your union? I think most of us have sympathy with teachers, and nurses and doctors, and police officers, understanding just how important their jobs are within society. But are they more important than what you do? And at what point do you decide that actually, you'd rather be paid on performance, not how many years you've hung in there at the chalkboard? At what point do you think, I would rather be teaching my classes, not striking to give my peers pay and conditions that some of them simply do not deserve? When you know that you're a better, more competent, more hard-working, more innovative, more empathetic teacher than the one next door, does it not rankle just a tiny bit that they're getting either the same as you or more, because of simply being there longer than you? At what point do you believe in yourself? At what point do you negotiate your own pay and conditions the way the rest of us do, because you believe in your abilities and what you bring to the workforce? And if they're not good enough, you go. At what point do you back yourself? And say, you know what, I do a really, really, really good job and I want to be paid more than the lazy ass next to me. I wonder why teachers in particular are so insecure in their own bargaining powers? How many teachers would rather not be in the union, negotiate their own contracts? If you don't feel that you are fairly paid in your job or your conditions aren't ideal, have you used the union to negotiate for you or do you do it yourself? Have you found the unions useful? I look at teachers and I think, you know, we all know there are some that are so much better than others, who are so much more hard-working and innovative. Why don't they get more? Still, it's up to them. If they want to have collective bargaining and collective conditions, that's their choice. But for how many is there a little seed of doubt settling in thinking, really? The way New Zealand is at the moment, the way the kids' schooling has been so severely disrupted over the last few years, our conditions aren't that bad when you look around. When you look around at what other people are earning and what other people are doing. At what point do you think the union's not for you? Back in the olden days, the unions were all powerful, dominant, a really strong collective force, and they wielded enormous power on the economy and on governments, but they struck themselves and bullied themselves into irrelevance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins says Kiwis are starting to see things are going backwards under the current Government. The latest RNZ-Reid Research poll reveals more voters blame the coalition for the struggling economy, than the previous Labour Government. This is despite senior Cabinet Ministers claiming a financial mess was left behind by Labour. Hipkins says Labour will set out ways it could improve the economy, but right now the ball's in the Government's court. "We've got to get New Zealand investing in productive businesses, rather than just relying on the housing market going up in value in order to grow our economy." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is with real enthusiasm that I see the Public Service Commissioner potentially doing what the main Government should have done two years ago. What the Government did two years ago was say they were going to rectify the absurd size of the public service. It had blown out to gargantuan proportions under the Labour Government, who knew no bounds in terms of fiscal largesse based on debt. What the new Government actually did with the public service, sadly, was tinker. It peaked at a bit over 65,000 and it sits at over 63,000. In fact in the ensuing period, it's gone up again. So rough math will tell you they got rid of about 2,000 jobs. As a raw number it's a lot of jobs. A percentage it's tiny. As an effective exercise in efficiency and savings, it's a joke. The shame of it was the new Government of the day had licence. Yes, it was controversial. Yes, the unions bleated and moaned. Yes, the media went to town on a Tory slash-and-burn exercise. But the trick was always simple – if you're going to dish out the bad news go hard, DOGE it, blow it up, do it once and do it properly. The fall out, headlines, and anger will be exactly the same whether you trim a couple of thousand for no effect or 6,500 and make a difference. So they blew it. They took the heat but got few, if any, results. In an odd way it's symbolic of the weaker parts of this Government; the ideas, rhetoric, and execution are never quite aligning. But now the Commissioner Brian Roache looks to be having another crack by merging departments. The Ministries of Women, Pacific peoples, disabled peoples, and Māori Development could all be in for an upending. I'd go further. The never-ending series of commissioners and their offices that have no actual power and really only write reports would not be missed. But ministries for ministries sake is what holds this country back. They all fill a space to meet their budget and so-called mandate. If this is on, and I pray it is, wait for the bleating. Every one of them will tell you the critical nature of their existence but I defy anyone of you to list me the profound and productive change they have made to all our lives. Given you can't they then fall into the category as largesse, waste and tokenism. Do it once and do it right. That's how change should happen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are going to pay more for water services. But even though it's coming about because of government policy, I'm not blaming Wellington. I'm blaming our councils. Councils that should be ashamed of how they ran down our water infrastructure to the extent that millions of litres of water disappear every day because of cruddy pipes. And the consequence of that neglect and incompetence is going to hit us in the pocket. Two examples. In Christchurch, household water bills are expected to increase by $900 a year. In Selwyn, the yearly increase in water charges could be as high as $1800 a year. Local Government Minister Simon Watts is saying the Government's Local Water Done Well policy, which is the alternative to Labour's doomed 3 Waters policy, is "the best approach” to sorting out our water infrastructure. But I wonder if you're starting to realise that Labour's approach wasn't so bad after all? Under that model, control of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater would have been taken away from local councils and handed over to new water authorities. It would've taken away ownership of water infrastructure, too. I'm more than happy to put my hand up and say, at the time, it was the ownership bit that got me going. Back then, I thought the then-Labour Government was offering peanuts to take over ownership of water infrastructure. But I am more than happy to put my hand up now and say that wasn't the big deal I once thought it was, and I think we would have all been better off under Labour's model. Because not only are we going to be paying more for our water, but there are also going to be a truckload more water entities than there would have been. Under 3 Waters, there would have been 10 entities. Now, it's already looking like we'll have more than 40 water service providers involving different councils. So more bureaucracy and more costs, all in the name of local ownership and control. All in the name of local ownership and control by local councils which, because of their neglect of the water infrastructure year-after-year, are going to be hitting us with big increases in water charges. Local councils who have failed us. If councils had done what they should have done and not kicked the infrastructure spending can down the road time and time again, then maybe we wouldn't be feeling so fleeced. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grant Robertson retired from politics in early 2024 to take up a new job as Otago University's Vice-Chancellor. He was back in the headlines this week after declining to show up to in-person hearings for the Covid-19 inquiry's second phase. The former Finance Minister spoke to Q+A about that decision and why he doesn't regret the Labour Government's spending decisions during the pandemic. Robertson, who is about to release his memoir Anything Could Happen, also reflects on the impact his sexuality had on his political career.

It's part 2 of the GLP 1 deep dive! In this episode, we are covering “food noise,” the weird things that people are reporting happening to their bodies on GLP-1s, horrid stuff that's happening in the UK, lawsuits, safety planning for those taking the drugs, and whether taking GLPs goes against fat liberation. TW: for British anti-fatness, side effects, and mental health. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/200 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Ragen's 3 bullet points on GLPs: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKa5xdovYxa/?igsh=bHh1Nml0NW82bG83 https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/02/health/wegovy-weight-loss-drug-new-prescriptions Changes smell: https://www.instagram.com/p/DL0fFPER4QX/?img_index=7&igsh=Mmttb3Y4cG10dHUx The Community Ozempic Stole: As Influencers Lose Weight, Their Followers Feel "Abandoned": https://www.teenvogue.com/story/community-ozempic-stole-influencers-lose-weight Ozempic's Origin Story is Insane: https://youtu.be/9dMpY-ZALXc?si=lb6r-d08fEo9XVKB Dr Rachel Millner: Some thoughts about GLP-1s for intentional weight loss versus fat liberation as a value: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzrBuuRqfW/?img_index=6&igsh=ODZpMmwyemlhdmxt Another post from Rachel she describes the side effects of GLPs when taken at a higher dose for weight loss and anorexia side effects/complications: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLOUiFKI8TB/ Retatrutide study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2301972 Ragen's blog: https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/p/weight-loss-drug-cage-match-part The Race Is On to Stop Ozempic Muscle Loss: Gym chains, nutrition startups and drugmakers all want to solve a common issue among people who take weight loss drugs. Non paywall link: https://archive.ph/l25L9 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/well/live/ozempic-muscle-loss-exercise.html?utm_source=pocket_mylist The Race Is On to Stop Ozempic Muscle Loss: Gym chains, nutrition startups and drugmakers all want to solve a common issue among people who take weight loss drugs. Non paywall link: https://archive.ph/l25L9 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/well/live/ozempic-muscle-loss-exercise.html?utm_source=pocket_mylist Changes smell: https://www.instagram.com/p/DL0fFPER4QX/?img_index=7&igsh=Mmttb3Y4cG10dHUx Hannah from Queenbeastsays, The Labour Government wants Britain to be "fat-free" by 2035: https://queenbeastsays.substack.com/p/the-labour-government-wants-britain?utm_source=app-post-stats-page&r=2qfqs8&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true Contraception warning over weight-loss drugs after dozens of pregnancies: UK watchdog has had 40 reports relating to pregnancies in people using drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/05/contraception-warning-over-weight-loss-drugs-after-dozens-of-pregnancies NPP Weight Loss Medications and Safety Planning: https://www.patreon.com/c/nalgonapositivitypride/home 7,000 potential claims already under active investigation Lawsuit Legal News+2Doyle APC Law Firm+2Darrow AI+2.

I'm assuming the instigators of the second Covid Inquiry are deeply disappointed in what is unfolding, in terms of accountability. Inquiry Part 1 was a Labour Government stitch up. It was an exercise in smoke and mirrors. Inquiry Part 2 is a coalition deal driven by ACT and NZ First, and was designed to look into areas not touched on in Part 1: access to vaccines, lock downs, economic damage, and so on. I have argued since the start that we needed an advisorial approach. In other words, we do it like the Brits, who called people to a witness stand and held them accountable. We didn't do that and now we're paying the price. Ardern and Hipkins, along with Robertson, have declined to appear. No kidding. What a surprise. I wonder why? Grant Illingworth KC, who is in charge of the current work, has the power apparently to pull them in. He is choosing not to do so, hence my assumption of disappointment at political party level. The Illingworth justification is the aforementioned operators are cooperating with proceedings. That's not good enough in my book, or indeed anywhere close. Simple question: is there a broad expectation among ordinary, everyday New Zealanders that those who made life-changing calls in a life-changing period of New Zealand owe it to us all to front and be questioned under oath about why they did what they did? Another question: what does it say about the morals and characters of said people, who seek public mandate and public support and approval, that when things get a bit awkward they are nowhere to be seen? Where is the courage of their conviction? Where are their spines and gonads? Can a person like Hipkins, and indeed Verrall, who I also understand is refusing to front, possibly present themselves to the voting public next year with a straight face and ask once again for the power to run the land, having been the same people who in august of the year before ran for the hills when accountability came calling? The rules of engagement were lacking. We were let down. As the head of this with power to do better, Illingworth is letting us down. But nowhere near the level of Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson, and Verrall, who should be ashamed of themselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wegovy, (often referred to as Ozempic) was approved by the FDA in June 2021. Now that we have lived 4 years of a GLP frenzied hellscape, there must be new data on how well GLP1's work and how many lives they have saved. The numbers must be pretty impressive right? Hint: It's not impressive…not at all. Join me for part one of this deep dive into these (not so) new weight loss drugs where I share exactly how much weight people lose, if it improves their health (or worsens it), and all sorts of other nonsense that has been happening in the ensuing years after the press heralded Wegovy as a “game changer” that will “end” fatness. TW: for mentions of weight, mentions of children taking the drug and other general anti-fat ideas. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/199 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Ragen's 3 bullet points on GLPs: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKa5xdovYxa/?igsh=bHh1Nml0NW82bG83 https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/02/health/wegovy-weight-loss-drug-new-prescriptions Changes smell: https://www.instagram.com/p/DL0fFPER4QX/?img_index=7&igsh=Mmttb3Y4cG10dHUx The Community Ozempic Stole: As Influencers Lose Weight, Their Followers Feel "Abandoned": https://www.teenvogue.com/story/community-ozempic-stole-influencers-lose-weight Ozempic's Origin Story is Insane: https://youtu.be/9dMpY-ZALXc?si=lb6r-d08fEo9XVKB Dr Rachel Millner: Some thoughts about GLP-1s for intentional weight loss versus fat liberation as a value: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzrBuuRqfW/?img_index=6&igsh=ODZpMmwyemlhdmxt Another post from Rachel she describes the side effects of GLPs when taken at a higher dose for weight loss and anorexia side effects/complications: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLOUiFKI8TB/ Retatrutide study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2301972 Ragen's blog: https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/p/weight-loss-drug-cage-match-part The Race Is On to Stop Ozempic Muscle Loss: Gym chains, nutrition startups and drugmakers all want to solve a common issue among people who take weight loss drugs. Non paywall link: https://archive.ph/l25L9 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/well/live/ozempic-muscle-loss-exercise.html?utm_source=pocket_mylist The Race Is On to Stop Ozempic Muscle Loss: Gym chains, nutrition startups and drugmakers all want to solve a common issue among people who take weight loss drugs. Non paywall link: https://archive.ph/l25L9 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/well/live/ozempic-muscle-loss-exercise.html?utm_source=pocket_mylist Changes smell: https://www.instagram.com/p/DL0fFPER4QX/?img_index=7&igsh=Mmttb3Y4cG10dHUx Hannah from Queenbeastsays, The Labour Government wants Britain to be "fat-free" by 2035: https://queenbeastsays.substack.com/p/the-labour-government-wants-britain?utm_source=app-post-stats-page&r=2qfqs8&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true Contraception warning over weight-loss drugs after dozens of pregnancies: UK watchdog has had 40 reports relating to pregnancies in people using drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/05/contraception-warning-over-weight-loss-drugs-after-dozens-of-pregnancies NPP Weight Loss Medications and Safety Planning: https://www.patreon.com/c/nalgonapositivitypride/home 7,000 potential claims already under active investigation Lawsuit Legal News+2Doyle APC Law Firm+2Darrow AI+2.

The Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said Britain could recognise a Palestinian state as early as September, but only if Israel takes “substantive steps” to end the crisis in Gaza. He has made four specific demands of Israel: end the “appalling” situation in Gaza and allow 500 aid trucks in a day, reach a ceasefire, “make clear” there will be no annexation in the West Bank and commit to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution. But Israel, the US and even hostage families argue that such a move “rewards Hamas” and “validates terrorism.”Camilla and Gordon examine whether Britain's recognition would carry real weight on the global stage and hear analysis from former Home Secretary Priti Patel who has accused the Labour Government of not playing a leading role in key negotiations to free the hostages, get aid into Gaza or advocate for a proper peace plan or process.Meanwhile, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have urged Hamas to disband to enable the creation of a Palestinian state. We ask The Telegraph's Jerusalem Correspondent Henry Bodkin how likely it is that Hamas will step aside as the humanitarian crisis worsens. Producers: Lilian Fawcett and Georgia CoanSenior Producer: John CadiganPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyVideo Editor: Will WaltersExecutive Producer: Charlotte SeligmanEditor: Camilla Tominey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you want to talk about doing stuff that matters, this week will produce one of the great ones. Repealing the oil and gas ban, as the Government are about to do, puts right an egregious wrong – possibly the most egregious wrong of the last Government. What gives this current Government a better than even chance of a second term is the fact the damage done to the economy was done by the very same people who are still in Labour, still running Labour, and presumably will still argue for the same recipe of destruction next year. Megan Woods drove the oil and gas ban under the instruction of you-know-who. There was no warning, no consultation. Just a fateful announcement in Taranaki. It was idealism at its very worst. If we had all the windmills and solar panels and batteries in place it might have made more sense. But as we have seen and felt for the past handful of winters, we don't. Not even close. What has made it particularly galling is that Australia has doubled down on gas. It understands gas is the transition fuel, while the so-called renewable transformation takes place. Australia's gas industry is run out of Western Australia, which is run by a Labour Government, and fed to the rest of Australia, which is run by a Labour Government. And that, as I have said before, is what can make Labour palatable. A centrist Labour party is electable i.e. Albanese's version or Hawke's. The Ardern and Hipkins version look like a bunch of wonks who never met an economy they couldn't wreck. Now, the repeal won't solve everything overnight. Our reputation is so damaged that a lot of face time and explaining has had to be undertaken with potential investors, hence the Government's $200m stake in the game fund. If you ever wanted a living, breathing, tangible example of a Government that simply didn't get it, think back to your last couple of winters where the coal pile is a mile high, the rain may or may not have come, the gas reports keep getting worse, the spot price heads to the stratosphere and your power bill continues to head to the roof. That is Labour's energy policy. That is the Labour Government's idea of a fun winter. Getting that repealed is rectifying a shockingly shallow, ill-conceived idea and a monumental mistake. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Reddell, who appears on this show a fair bit, has put the Adrian Orr resignation back in the news. He has a source close to the action that, in simple terms, suggests that Orr packed a sad at a couple of meetings, one of which was with Nicola Willis, the chair of the Reserve Bank Neil Quigley wrote to Orr with a list of concerns over that behaviour, and Orr quit. The underlying issue appears to be the fact the Government were determined to cut the Reserve Bank's budget, which ultimately, they were successful in doing. Why? Because like everything else under the Labour Government, too much money was spent, things blew out and the Reserve Bank had wandered off into new and expensive areas they didn't need to be in. The main point being: essentially what we thought happened, did. Adrian Orr has a short fuse, a fairly elevated sense of entitlement and importance, and didn't like what was unfolding – which is fine. He didn't have to like it and if he disliked it so badly, he could walk, which he did. But, and here is where this is important, he held a critical role in all our lives. People in jobs like that need to exemplary. Exemplary in execution and exemplary in person. He wasn't. He was a failure. Which then takes us back to how he got the job: through Grant Robertson. Not only did Robertson appoint Orr, he reappointed him. Bad people make bad decisions, and those bad decisions go on to have consequences. By way of contrast what do you reckon the pressure on Jerome Powell is like right now? Is Powell yelling and packing a sad? Is Powell going to quit in a massive hissy fit and vanish from the face of the earth without a word? I have a dollar with anyone who wants it that the answer is "no". Maybe Orr doesn't give a monkey's. Maybe Orr is that sort of bloke who's so inflated and mesmerised by himself that he is well past any reputational reflection. Maybe Grant is too. But the damage still sits in our bank accounts and rates bills and economic funk to this day. The bloke who stuffed the joint, packed a sad and stormed out, never to be heard from again. It's a sad indictment on a role and influence that should have been handled a great deal more elegantly and with a mile more professionalism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you step in the intellectual quicksand of the entire internet? The gang talks about two recent further examples of people getting completely oneshotted by encountering overly supportive LLM's. Then, Gareth Fearn joins Riley to talk about the planning, energy, and infrastructure changes that the Labour Government are hoping will transform Britain (but probably won't) Get more TF episodes each week by subscribing to our Patreon here! *MILO ALERT* Check out Milo's tour dates here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/liveshows *TF LIVE ALERT* You can get tickets for our show at the Edinburgh Fringe festival here! Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and November (@postoctobrist)

He is just the latest in a growing number of disaffected Tories turning to Nigel Farage's party.Former Conservative chairman Sir Jake Berry tells The Daily T why, after 25 years of Conservative Party membership and 14 years as the Tory MP for Rossendale and Darwen, he has decided to join Reform.As well as acknowledging his role as a senior Tory in the failure of “broken Britain”, Berry attacks the Labour Government, accusing Starmer of gross incompetence: “the Conservative Party failed to sort it out over 14 years. I think the Labour party's done a worse job in 14 months.” Berry also explains why it took him losing his seat to realise that Nigel Farage is the only man who can fix Britain and why Kemi Badenoch is “toast”.The former MP also tells all on migration, taxation, spending and why he has changed his tune on net zero.Producers: Lilian Fawcett and Georgia CoanSenior Producer: John CadiganPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyVideo Editor: Will WaltersExecutive Producer: Charlotte SeligmanEditor: Camilla TomineyStudio Operator: Meghan SearleProduction assistance from James Keegan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PREVIEW: UK TAXES Colleague Joseph Sternberg comments on the Labour government's plan to raise taxes, including a tax on pensions—living or not. [MORE] 1653 REGICIDE

Starmer Is Killing UK Pubs – Rick Cressman Slams Labour's Hospitality Wrecking  #UKPubs #Starmer #LabourParty #RickCressman #JonGaunt #HospitalityCrisis #UKpolitics  Jon Gaunt interviews Rick Cressman, owner of Nailcote Hall in Warwickshire, to expose how Keir Starmer's Labour government is destroying British pubs and hospitality.  

Has Keir Starmer's Labour government really brought in a “new way of doing government”? Or are its five missions more rhetoric than reality?To mark the one-year anniversary of Labour's 2024 general election victory, the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Institute for Government held a joint event exploring the government's approach to governing – and whether its decisions, trade-offs and spending priorities reflect a genuinely mission-driven approach.In this episode of IFS Zooms In, we bring you the recording of that event, hosted by Hannah White (Director, Institute for Government), with panelists Helen Miller (Director, Institute for Fiscal Studies), Stephen Bush (Columnist, Financial Times) and Gemma Tetlow (Chief Economist, Institute for Government).Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University and Polling expert, discusses the poor ratings that Keir Starmer and his government currently have.

This morning, the Prime Minister was asked about the 2000 public servants that had lost their jobs. 2000 are out but 64,000 remain. Chris Luxon saw nothing wrong with that. That right there is part of the reason why this Government is polling so poorly, because it's all talk, isn't it, bugger all action. Now I'm sorry. I realize this is a lot to start the week with - we're starting strident. I don't mean to continue like that - but were you as surprised as I was to hear that we've only cut 2000 public servants? And were you even more surprised that the Prime Minister's explanation is no more than a verbal shrug? This, I think, will be profoundly disappointing to a lot of people who expected this Government to get public spending under control. And cutting public servants is part of getting that spending under control. There is no reason why we have as many public servants as we have today. 63,000 - there is no reason why we have more than double the 30,000 public servants that we had in 2001. Our population hasn't doubled since 2001. It's gone up about 37 percent. If you adjust accordingly, then we should have 41,000 public servants, not 63,000 public servants. Now, I would have expected that the Prime Minister would have a better explanation than simply saying - at least it's not as bad as Labour. Well, maybe so, but I hoped for better. I hoped for a Government that was gonna actually turn this around. Certainly more than a Government that just feels like it's actually Labour dressed in blue clothing. And isn't this just the latest example of talk from this Government that is not being matched by action? They promised to cut spending every year, and they spend more than Grant Robertson. They promise to get on top of debt every year, and they add more to the debt. They promise to stop the race-based policies - and we just keep finding them. They keep waving them through unless we bust them at it. I think this, in part, answers the question that we were asking last week, which is why is it that 3 polls in a row were so tight that it wasn't actually clear if this Government would win an election if an election was held today. This is why they're not brave enough. They should be braver. In fact, if they were braver, they might be more popular. It's worth remembering that for all the hard decisions that were taken by the 4th Labour Government, which is definitely the most transformational that we can think of, right? For all those tough decisions taken in the first 3 years, they actually came back with a bigger majority in 1987. So maybe, you get rewarded for doing what you say you'll do, tough as it may be, rather than just talking tough and then doing very little. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While researching the 1929 Labour government for a new book I found myself thinking repeatedly “this reminds me of now”. The yearning to follow economic orthodoxies of the past, the desire to be agents of ‘change' while being fearful of change etc… and then I came across a Tony Blair interview from the 2001 election. This week, we look at the many lessons for now from a distant and another more recent Labour government. Rock & Roll Politics is live in the main concert hall at Kings Place on July 17th... The End of the Political Year Special. Tickets here. Subscribe to Patreon for bonus podcasts, the main podcast a day early and ad free… plus special exclusive live events. Written and presented by Steve Richards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Strategic Defence Review is out. Designed to be a root and branch look at all aspects of Britain's armed forces, and billed as a “message to Moscow”, the message no doubt reaching the Kremlin is – Keir Starmer doesn't have a clue what he's doing.Just as the Prime Minister appeared to be pulling back from his commitment to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP, a record 1200 small boats crossed the Channel on Saturday. Can this Labour Government be trusted to defend Britain?Elsewhere, Chief Reporter Robert Mendick fills us in on the story of Hamit Coskun, the 50 year old Turkish asylum seeker who's been convicted of a public order offence after setting fire to a copy of the Koran.We want to hear from you! Email us at TheDailyT@telegraph.co.uk or find @dailytpodcast on X, Instagram and TikTok.Producer: Georgia CoanSenior Producer: John CadiganPlanning Editor: Venetia RaineyExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsSocial Media Producer: Ruby BorgVideo Editor: Andy MackenzieStudio Operator: Meghan SearleOriginal music by Goss Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am here to help the ol' Chipster. The Chipster, aka Chris Hipkins, was in the building this week. I said hello to him. He asked me when I was dropping the blacklist I have on him appearing on this show. I said he had appeared once already this year and that was plenty. We both laughed. What I like about him is that he doesn't seem to take any of this personally. He knows I think he's hopeless and he knows I think he wrecked the country. But he is playing the long game and he knows I know he will be back next year in the election campaign and, if he wins, he will be back as a regular. Which brings me to the help. In Australia this week their Labor Government approved the extension of a massive gas project – Woodside are Australia's largest gas producer. Before the word came from the Government, the company had launched a fairly vigorous, and as it turns out, effective campaign reminding us all that if you want to look at Spain the other day, and indeed various parts of Europe that have been spending increasing periods of time in the dark, you will find they became obsessed with renewables and that obsessions led to blackouts. Continuity and consistency of supply, Woodside argued, is just as important as where you get your energy. Anyway, Labor gave them the tick. Yes, the conservationists are upset, but aren't they always? The point for Hipkins is this: this is a Labour Government that did this. A Labour Government that romped home in an election just the other day. A Labour Government with a gargantuan majority. Why? Because it's what you'd call here a Labour Government of old. It's a centrist Labour Government. It's not a woke, handwringing, ideologically obsessed Labour Government of, say, 2020-2023. Blair Hawke and David Lange are your Labour Governments of success. Hipkins is your Labour Government of failure. Albanese has clearly learned the lessons of history and worked them nicely to his favour. Yes, he can be centre left, but the lights will always be on. Last time the Chipster was in charge we stopped looking for gas altogether and, as far as I know, he wouldn't start looking again. That's the sort of thinking that leads to blackouts and an electorate that doesn't see you as viable. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eleanor Janega stops by to talk about her new project on the history of The Crusades with American Prestige, and how these largely failed military campaigns against basically everyone East of the Italian peninsula transformed into the iconography of Islamophobia at home. But first, we look at more flailing from the Labour Government, a plan to sentence criminals to bins, and reflect on Scott Adams' ass. Get more TF episodes each week by subscribing to our Patreon here! *MILO ALERT* Check out Milo's tour dates here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/liveshows *TF LIVE ALERT* We'll be performing at the Big Fat Festival hosted by Big Belly Comedy on Saturday, 21st June! You can get tickets for that here! You can also get tickets for our show at the Edinburgh Fringe festival here! Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and November (@postoctobrist)

After months of mounting pressure in the UK about record net migration figures and anxiety about the rise of the Reform Party, the UK's Labour Government is finally launching action to redo Britain's immigration system.  

Joe Streeter returns to the host's chair for today's episode of iGaming Daily, sponsored by Optimove, and he's joined by the SBC News team of Senior Journalist Viktor Kayed, and Editor Ted Orme-CLaye for a discussion on an ever-juicy topic, UK regulation. The guys discuss the recent letter from a UK parliamentary select committee to the Labour government, expressing concerns that the current Gambling Act review and its reforms have not adequately addressed gambling-related harms and advertising saturation. With demand for a revisit of the review, and concerns over the implementation of the RET Levy, are we set for a review of the review? Our panel discuss the select committee's letter, the reason for the demand, the increased pressure on Labour and Keir Starmer, the advertising and sponsorships question that just won't go away, gambling as a public health issue, the RET Levy and it's future, and what the potential abolition of NHS England means for everything. Host: Joe StreeterGuests: Viktor Kayed, Ted Orme-ClayeProducer: Anaya McDonaldEditor: Scott FultoniGaming Daily is the official podcast of SBC Summit Malta. Taking place from 10-12 June at the Intercontinental in Malta, SBC Summit Malta is the definitive casino and betting event where European companies and professionals converge to explore cutting-edge insights, gain transformative skills, and forge impactful connections with senior decision-makers. Get your tickets now at sbcevents.com.iGaming Daily is also now on TikTok. Make sure to follow us at iGaming Daily Podcast (@igaming_daily_podcast) | TikTok for bite-size clips from your favourite podcast. Finally, remember to check out Optimove at https://hubs.la/Q02gLC5L0 or go to Optimove.com/sbc to get your first month free when buying the industry's leading customer-loyalty service. 

The Matts are joined by New European political editor James Ball to step back and reflect on why Keir Starmer's government is conspicuously failing to excite and unite a British public desperate for change after so many years of Tory rule. They have their theories. Is there an easy(-ish) answer? And who should they really be worried about if it's not Reform? In the second half, the Matts take a look at the new documentary into the life of Leni Riefenstahl, filmmaker to the Nazis, and ask what her post-war rehabilitation tells us about the intersection of culture and politics.EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get The New European for just £1 for the first month. Head to theneweuropean.co.uk/2matts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global technology leaders Coinbase, Fabric Ventures, Animoca Brands and Founders Factory have announced the launch of a multi-million pound accelerator in the UK, set to transform the UK's blockchain and AI ecosystem. This partnership aims to unlock product market fit and growth for the next generation of disruptors and to drive investment in technology startups as a key engine of the UK economy. As institutions and jurisdictions around the world accelerate their adoption of AI, blockchain technology and digital assets, the UK stands uniquely positioned to compete in the global race for innovation. As Keith Grose, UK CEO, Coinbase asserts: "With deep reservoirs of talent, capital, sophisticated regulators and leading academic institutions, the UK is well positioned to benefit from these opportunities. However, ensuring that these products and services are born out of the UK is vital. For too long, access to capital, mentorship and resources has held back this ambition. This significant investment changes that." Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "This announcement is a strong vote of confidence in the UK's tech sector - underlining our position as a global leader in innovation. Not only will it ensure that the UK remains a key leader in blockchain technology but will also unlock growth as we deliver on the Plan for Change. Our modern Industrial Strategy has highlighted financial and professional services as key growth sectors for the UK to thrive in, showing that we are listening and responding to the needs of Fintech businesses - whether that's on access to talent, finance, or the wider regulatory environment." Founders Factory, one of the leading start-up accelerators globally, will deliver world class business and growth training, with hands-on support across business strategy, go to market, product development and fundraising. Alongside them, Fabric Ventures, Animoca Brands and Coinbase will deliver support on tokenomics, community go-to-market strategies, and best practices for scaling businesses in the blockchain & AI space. Robby Yung, the CEO of Investments at Animoca Brands stated: "It is critical that the UK takes advantage of the opportunity of the fast-growing Web3 industry, not just as a hub for investment but as a place where innovation is built, owned, and scaled. The UK must be a creator, not just a consumer, of this innovation. The real opportunity lies in developing it here, building intellectual property that leverages the world-class talent base and ecosystem in the UK." The Labour Government's vision for growth is deeply tied to the success of one of the UK's fastest-growing sectors: technology. This initiative is a step change in making that vision a reality - supporting a diverse group of founders across blockchain-based payments, entertainment, AI, and other cutting-edge industries. Commenting on this, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Fabric Ventures, Richard Muirhead said: "This Government's AI Action Plan has been met with widespread optimism. However, this is only one piece of the puzzle. The convergence of AI, blockchain and Web3 plays to the UKs strengths in these disciplines - and fostering collaboration amongst our strong industries like financial services, advertising and pharmaceuticals is essential for the UK to maintain its leadership in the global digital race. This accelerator will play a key role in driving that progress." Damian Routley, COO at Founders Factory, said: "This is about leveling up the UK's ability to build and scale frontier technology. Founders in blockchain and AI need more than capital - they need hands-on, specialised support to unlock product-market fit and go global. That's what this accelerator delivers. By combining deeptech expertise with the power of a world-class network, we're creating a launchpad for the next generation of breakthrough UK startups." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Onlin...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.theflyingfrisby.comWe have more stock tips for you today with multibag potential.But first, let's get political.Remember how the Conservative Party from David Cameron onwards effectively abandoned the right and became social democrats?Increased state spending everywhere, so that instead of shrinking the state they grew it, more taxes, higher taxes, more planning and regulation, more quangos and experts, ‘owning' the NHS, green subsidies, Net Zero, social liberalism, MPs who didn't represent the views of the membership, increased immigration, weaker policing, increased crime - and so on. Those were the days, eh?The Tories were so bereft of first principle, and so terrified of the left, particularly the left-wing media, that they pandered to it and eventually became it.I remember going on podcasts 18 months ago making the argument that Labour would do the same thing and lurch right. After an insert-disparaging-adjective-here first six months, which saw Prime Minister Keir Starmer's approval ratings drop below even those of Rishi Sunak, we are starting to see that happen.With the books not balancing, suddenly spending is being cut. Not by a lot, but it's happening. Starmer has axed NHS England, something the Tories would never have dared do, criticising “two layers of bureaucracy”. We have what the Independent calls “Austerity 2.0” with cuts to disability benefits and welfare spending. The foreign aid budget has been cut to spend more on defence. All of a sudden he is as champion of small businesses. Heck, he's even fixing the potholes. Meanwhile, he is boasting on X about “securing our borders” and “removing illegal immigrants at the highest rate in 8 years”.“If you don't have the right to be in this country, then you shouldn't be here. It's that simple,” he said yesterday. Does that sound like a Labour leader or Nigel Farage?When fantasy meets realityThe next right-wing shoe to drop is fossil fuels.Ed Miliband's fantasies of climate justice and clean energy are slowly being exposed. His green delusion is going to be abandoned. If an economy is to grow, then it must consume more energy, not less. Wind and solar power are too expensive and too unreliable, never mind the damage they do to the environment and the carbon footprint they leave. They are already pledging to paint offshore wind farms black because of all the birds they are killing. Finally, an admission of the wildlife these things destroy.Offshore wind is not going to replace oil and gas. Fossil fuels remain a better, cheaper, cleaner and more reliable source of energy. For an already heavily taxed country that is living well beyond its means, where growth is the only thing that can save it, with the added pressure of Trump tariffs soon coming, needlessly expensive energy is not possible.The Reform party is making the cost of Net Zero one of its main lines of attack. All Labour has to do is further abandon the left of its party, a process which is already half complete, just as the Tories abandoned the right, and let Miliband go, which is inevitable anyway, and the Reform weapon is blunted.All the above is preamble to my main argument today. North Sea oil and gas is going to stage a comeback. This is going to happen, as sure as eggs are eggs. Political and economic reality mean it is inevitable. Otherwise, the national finances, and with them the Labour Government, evaporate. Power is more important to politicians than adhering to any zealotry, green or otherwise.The ban on new North Sea oil and gas licenses will be lifted. The taxes on North Sea oil companies will be lowered to incentivise activity (it's effectively 78% at present. Are legislators demented?). And all those companies that saw their businesses and market caps decimated by this deluded religion are going to make a comeback. Some will multiply many times over. That's what I think is going to happen, anyway. This also means, for we observers on the foothills of inconsequence, the time is nigh to buy North Sea oil and gas companies. So what are these companies and how do we invest?

In an exclusive interview with Palestine Deep Dive, esteemed Palestinian politician, activist and scholar, Dr Hanan Ashrawi, reacts to Israel's ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, following Benjamin Netanyahu's deliberate breaking of the ceasefire. Speaking to former UN staffer and journalist, Mark Seddon, Dr Ashrawi, weighs in on the West's role in this campaign of extermination and focuses in particular on the role being played by Keir Starmer's Labour Government, saying, “Exactly I think accountability should be applied across the board; it is not just Israel that is carrying out a genocide, those governments that are continuing to supply it with weapons and continuing to allow it to use its bases, like the British base in Cyprus, those governments that are supplying it with intelligence like the British government. So these people are definitely complicit in the genocide itself, and they cannot escape it. Sooner or later they will have to be held to account. There will be consequences, they cannot continue with this disguising reality and attempting to circumvent what is happening and so on. This complicity now is very clear. And they have to understand, that they will be considered part of a genocide that took place. And right now they might be able to intimidate, maybe, the ICC or the ICJ but I think at one point they will see themselves also held accountable before these international courts.” She also has words of warning for the leaders of the Arab World, who continue to fail the Palestinian people in this their hour of desperate need.    In an exclusive interview with Palestine Deep Dive, esteemed Palestinian politician, activist and scholar, Dr Hanan Ashrawi, reacts to Israel's ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, following Benjamin Netanyahu's deliberate breaking of the ceasefire. Speaking to former UN staffer and journalist, Mark Seddon, Dr Ashrawi, weighs in on the West's role in this campaign of extermination and focuses in particular on the role being played by Keir Starmer's Labour Government, saying, “Exactly I think accountability should be applied across the board; it is not just Israel that is carrying out a genocide, those governments that are continuing to supply it with weapons and continuing to allow it to use its bases, like the British base in Cyprus, those governments that are supplying it with intelligence like the British government. So these people are definitely complicit in the genocide itself, and they cannot escape it. Sooner or later they will have to be held to account. There will be consequences, they cannot continue with this disguising reality and attempting to circumvent what is happening and so on. This complicity now is very clear. And they have to understand, that they will be considered part of a genocide that took place. And right now they might be able to intimidate, maybe, the ICC or the ICJ but I think at one point they will see themselves also held accountable before these international courts.” She also has words of warning for the leaders of the Arab World, who continue to fail the Palestinian people in this their hour of desperate need.  Interview recorded Sunday 23rd March 2025. __________________ Please support our work: https://www.palestinedeepdive.com/support Twitter: https://twitter.com/PDeepdive Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palestinedeepdive/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://palestinedeepdive.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2931c4b53e89e695a30817efb&id=ea848d5a28 __________________

'We are starting to see signs that people will be better off under this Labour government.'Labour MP Jake Richards says Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement produced the 'green shoots for recovery'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid poor economic growth forecasts and global instability, Rachel Reeves is trying to balance the books by cutting spending on benefits. So why is a Labour government choosing this path? John Harris is joined by the Guardian's political editor, Pippa Crerar, and political correspondent Kiran Stacey to unpick what was in the spring statement, and what it will mean for you. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/politicspod

Rachel Reeves Out of Her Depth and On the Freebie Take Again! In this video, Jon Gaunt dives deep into the latest political scandal involving Rachel Reeves, the Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer. As pressure mounts on the UK government to deliver a Spring Statement that satisfies both the markets and the Labour Party, Gaunty asks: Is Rachel Reeves really up to the task? Is she simply out of her depth in this high-stakes political environment? Jon also covers the breaking news that Rachel Reeves has been caught accepting freebies again — this time, tickets for Sabrina Carpenter. Why is she unable to buy her own tickets? It raises serious questions about her ability to lead and make tough decisions for the country. Looking back at last July, it's hard to believe that under Labour leadership, the government would be making decisions like cutting disability benefits, slashing overseas aid, reducing the civil service, tightening eligibility for the winter fuel allowance, and even raising National Insurance on employers. What's really going on in UK politics, and can Labour continue to be trusted with the nation's future? This video provides a sharp analysis of the UK political landscape, offering debate, free speech, and insights into the actions of Rachel Reeves. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth analysis on UK politics and breaking news. Keywords/Tags: Rachel Reeves, Jon Gaunt, UK politics, Labour Party, UK news, political scandal, Spring Statement, disability benefits, overseas aid, civil service cuts, National Insurance, free speech, Gaunty, political analysis, UK Chancellor, Labour government, Sarah Carpenter tickets, political debate, Labour leadership, UK economic policies, political pressure, freebie scandal, UK government news, March 2025 politics.

Half a year ago, the Labour Party swept into power with a huge parliamentary majority and Kier Starmer celebrated by saying that the country could “get its future back”.  Today, Labour are dogged by low approval ratings, having upset everyone from environmentalists to pensioners, farmers to small-business owners.  And just last week Reform overtook both the Conservatives and Labour in a poll of voting intentions - suggesting the public are already looking for an alternative. So, why has the public seemingly turned on the Labour Party? Should they be threatened by the rise of Reform? And how can the progressive movement push this government to create the world we want?  Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Grace Blakeley, economics commentator and author of Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom, and David Edgerton, historian and author of The Rise and Fall of the British Nation: a Twentieth Century History. Music by A.A Aalto (available: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_A_Aalto/Bright_Corners/Corps_Of_Discovery/), used under Creative Commons licence: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Produced by Katrina Gaffney and Margaret Welsh. The New Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation. Find out more about becoming a NEF supporter at: neweconomics.org/donate/build-a-better-future New Economics Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1055254

PREVIEW: Colleague Simon Constable tells how the sloppily imposed 20% VAT on private school fees has backfired for the clumsy Labour Government -- and for the PM's approval rating, now at 23%. More later. 1690 ´Eton College

Britain‘s new Labour Government is doing what leftist governments always do: raising taxes on everyone, but pretending that only the wealthiest citizens will pay more. Middle-class British farmers are quickly finding out that the taxman is coming for them too.Original article: Inheritance Tax Hikes Threaten Farmers' Property Rights in the UK

Britain‘s new Labour Government is doing what leftist governments always do: raising taxes on everyone, but pretending that only the wealthiest citizens will pay more. Middle-class British farmers are quickly finding out that the taxman is coming for them too.Original article: Inheritance Tax Hikes Threaten Farmers' Property Rights in the UK

Carl went to London to speak with farmers protesting the Labour Government's inheritance tax changes.

PREVIEW: BRITISH AIRWAYS: Colleague Joseph Sternberg comments on the report that British Airways will reduce its onboard menu and meal services in order to save money -- and how this suits the gloom of the Labour Government. More later. 1825 Thames and Windsor

PREVIEW: LABOUR GOVERNMENT: MALAISE: Comment by colleague Joseph Sternberg of WSJ editorial in London on the new Labour government and its presentation of not-so-rosy times ahead -- as in "No jam tomorrow." More tonight. 1943 Winston Churchill in Quebec